Day 121 Bible Readings – John 2: 23-25 (ESV)

Joshua 19 & 20, Joshua 21: 1-19, John 2, Psalm 73: 1-14

John 2: 23-25 (ESV)

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” 

In verses 23 through 25 from John 2, we read that Jesus performed many miracles during the Passover feast in Jerusalem which made many people believe in him. But Jesus did not place much faith in people who only believed in him because they saw him perform miracles. Jesus knows what is in our hearts, but he still loves us anyway. The author of a Bible study I read, wrote that Jesus gives us example in these verses on how to have discernment when it comes to people. We need to cautious about trusting people and trust in God’s wisdom to guide us. I think that Jesus also knew that it would be hard to hold on to a faith that is based on seeing miracles. This kind of belief is thin and superficial. Jesus knew that the real test of faith only comes when we can still believe even when things are not going the way we want them to in life. Do we lose our faith when things don’t go our way? Or do we trust in God to know that everything that happens to us, good and bad, is part of God’s plan or can be used by God to further his divine plan.

Day 120 Bible Readings – John 1: 29 (ESV)

Joshua 17 & 18, John 1: 29-51, Psalm 72

John 1: 29 (ESV)

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

In verse 29 from John 1, John the Baptizer saw Jesus and immediately greeted him with his future. Jesus was going to be the lamb that was to be sacrificed so he could take away the sin of the world. It took me a long time to realize that Jesus was the sacrificial lamb, and that both and John the Baptizer knew of his destiny. Did the disciples realize the metaphor of Jesus being the sacrificial lamb when they heard John the Baptizer says these words about Jesus? Since it took me a long time to get the connection, I’m sure they had a hard time getting the connection as well. They all thought at the time that Jesus was going to be like David and be another king. Jesus was going to unify all of Isreal to rise up against the Romans and free them from their occupation. But God had a better plan in mind. Jesus came to free us from the our sins, which is much worse than physical occupation.

Day 119 Bible Readings – John 1: 1-5 (ESV)

Joshua 15, Joshua 16, John 1:1-28, Psalm 71:19-24

John 1: 1-5 (ESV)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

I love verses 1 through 5 from John 1. I never really understood these verses until I saw Episode 1 from Season 2 of The Chosen series. The writers of the show came up with a creative and interesting way to show how John might have come up with these verses. The “Word” is Jesus Christ and he was with God because he is part of the Trinity along with the Holy Spirit. Christ was with God when the world was created, and the world was created through Christ and God. Christ  and God are the life and light in men. The light of God and Christ shines in the darkness, and the darkness still has not overcome the light of God and Christ.  I’m sure Biblical scholars, pastors, and people who study the Bible have pondered what these verses mean, but I like the meaning that The Chosen series writers came up with in Episode 1 from the 2^nd season of The Chosen series.

Here's a clip showing an interaction between John and Jesus from The Chosen Season 2, Episode 1:

Day 118 Bible Readings for April 29 – Luke 24: 45-47 (ESV)

Joshua 13, Joshua 14, Luke 24:36-53, Psalm 71:9-18

Luke 24: 45-47 (ESV)

“Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

In verses 45 through 47 from Luke 24, we learn how the minds of the disciples were opened by Christ to understand the scripture. Then he explained to them why he had to suffer and die and rise from the dead. I find these verses so interesting because it makes me wonder what exactly Jesus did to open the minds of the disciples so they could understand the Scriptures. I think it makes sense that Jesus had do something supernatural with his disciples to make them understand what happened when he died. They must have been so freaked out by the crucifixion of their friend and master, which was made worse by the disappearance of the body of Jesus. The disciples were also still hiding from the Romans and the Sanhedrin when Jesus appeared to them.

Perhaps the disciples received what I’ve experienced when I felt an overwhelming sense of peace come over me from praying to God over an intense. I did not receive an understanding of the Scripture, but I did feel an almost “supernatural” sense that everything in my life was going to be okay. The feeling of peace came out of nowhere and it was palpable in my body, heart, and mind. I would like to think that the disciples received a similar sense of peace when they finally understood why Jesus had to die and how his death fulfilled what was written in Scripture, and how Christ died so we can freed from slavery of sin.