Reading Through John Devotionals – Week 5
See all Devotionals: https://graceforohio.org/category/reading-through-john-devotionals/
Day 29
Part 1
We will be looking at a story about Jesus for the next 3 days – each day from a different perspective. Today as you read the story, imagine yourself in the place of the man who had laid by the pool for 38 years. Can you imagine not being able to walk for 4 decades? How did you feel when you met Jesus? What is going through your mind as these events unfold? What were you thinking as the Jewish leaders scolded you? How was your life impacted as a result of meeting Jesus?
1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.
3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.
[4] [b] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”
9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,
10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Day 30
Part 2
Today we are going to read the story of the man who Jesus healed by the pool a second time. Today we are going to look at it through the lens of the Jewish leaders. These men studied the law of Moses and in the law it instructed them not to work on the Sabbath. As one of those leaders, how would you feel when Jesus shows up and “works” on the sabbath? For many of these Jewish leaders, this was their first time hearing about Jesus – what would have gone through your mind hearing about a man who not only healed someone but then instructed him to break the law by picking up his mat?
1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.
3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.
[4] [b] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”
9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,
10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Day 31
Part 3
Yesterday, we read this story through the eyes of the Jewish leaders who seemingly had every right to be frustrated with Jesus’ actions as He not only healed a man on the Sabbath but then asked the man to “work” by picking up his mat. Today, let’s read the story through Jesus’ eyes. We have the historical advantage to be able to look back at this story and have a little better understanding than the Jewish leaders did of Jesus’ reasons for His actions that day.
In Mark 2:27-28 Jesus speaks to the religious leaders, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
The Jewish leaders didn’t understand who Jesus was. Jesus was not only the Lord of the Sabbath but the creator and sustainer of the world. Jesus had set in motion His plan to redeem the world through His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. This plan would allow people to be saved by grace because of His sacrifice and no longer by following the law of Moses. Let’s read the story today through the eyes of Jesus.
1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.
3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.
[4] [5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”
9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,
10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Day 32
In this passage, we see the Jewish leaders’ anger growing toward Jesus. Not because He was a kind man, not because He healed people, but they fully understood Jesus was claiming to be the Son of God. As you read this passage, take note of the relationship Jesus has with the Father and the things Jesus will do because He is the Son of God.
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
Day 33
The beauty of a relationship with Christ is going from death to life. Romans 6:23 draws this out – for the wage of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As you read this passage today, here are two challenges:
1) Give thanks that God has given us eternal life through faith in His Son Jesus.
2) Think about those family members, friends or coworkers who have not made that decision – ask God for opportunities to speak Jesus into their lives.
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
Day 34
Have you ever served on jury duty? Most often we don’t get seated (and for that we rejoice) but when seated on the jury, you have the responsibility to decide if the person is guilty or not.
As the trial proceeds, different witnesses come in and share what they have seen and heard. Sometimes these witnesses aren’t very credible and their testimony doesn’t carry a lot of weight. Other times, the witness is a highly respected person in the community and their testimony will often sway the jury.
Jesus speaks of the testimony given about him – as you read this passage, list out the different testimonies given about Jesus and why each is important.
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.
33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study[a] the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
Day 35
Jesus continues His conversation with the Jewish leaders. Jesus knew their hearts and calls them out on their lack of belief on the Mosaic law. Jesus points out the fact that they are much more concerned about their own agenda and their reputation than seeking to glorify God.
It is really easy to look down on the religious leaders of the day, but am I focusing on giving God the glory or am I more concerned about how many “likes” I received on my last social media post?
Jesus is reminding us that seeking to give God the glory should be our goal!
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Day 29-35 Provided by Grace Church.
See all Devotionals: https://graceforohio.org/category/reading-through-john-devotionals/