Monthly Archives: August 2025

JOHN’S GOSPEL… LAZARUS, COME OUT – 19

Bible Study, ,

The light shines on the third sibling in this saga, the one who set it in motion. This is the story of Lazarus, the over-indulged little brother, the darling of the two sisters. (I’m using poetic licence here, assuming what is not written in the text).

Why was Lazarus not mentioned when Jesus visited the home in Bethany? Was his resistance to Jesus so great that he went AWOL when Jesus arrived? Was Lazarus among those already condemned because he refused to believe in Him?

I ask these qestions because of the deliberate way in which John described the outcome.

Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus would not die and yet, his death was for God’s glory. How would He work out this riddle?

John 11:4 NIV
[4] When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

Was resurrection from physical death the best way to glority the Father? I suggest that Lazarus died, not only a physical death but also a spiritual death in those four days in the grave. Did he have a taste of hell? Did Jesus allow him a near death experience specifically to shake him out of his unbelief? What transformed him from a constant absentee to one who was present in the company at a dinner in Jesus’ honour? Why did John take pains to write, in John 12, that Lazarus was present at the table with Jesus?

John 12:1-2 NIV
[1] “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. [2] Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.”

Without specifically saying so, was John declaring that Lazarus had become a believer? How better to reveal God’s glory than to present a man, separated from Jesus through his unbelief, transformed by grace through his encounter with death!

So, is it possible that Jesus, through the use of this opportunity, and under the Father’s direction, reached deep into the heart of this man whom He loved? Understanding his reservations, and leading him, through a horrifying encounter with hell, to faith and a new life back in his body, Jesus called him out, and Lazarus emerged from the tomb.

In this mighty miracle, Jesus declared, not only His power over death but His promise of resurrection for all who believe in Him by defeating His own death.

Once again, as He so often did, He magnified His name, “I am… Yahweh…”, this time, the resurrection and the life, by confirming it with a demonstration of God’s power working through Him.

JOHN’S GOSPEL… THE LAZARUS EVENT – 18

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John’s gospel, the story another opportuty, reached its pinnacle in John 11. John was the only one who recorded the “Lazarus event”, a miracle so great that it, finally and forever as far as John was concerned, confirmed the identity of Jesus as the Son of God.

Let’s trace the events, one by one.

The Bethany home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus became an oasis for Jesus, a familiar place where He visited often, was always welcome, and felt at home. The sisters and He became good friends, although the brother, Lazarus, didn’t seem to feature much in the story.

Martha, the eldest and the busiest, always made sure that the company was well fed. Mary, probably the next in line, was the pensive one, sensitive and emotional. She ignored protocol to be close to Jesus when He used the time in their home to teach His disciples, sitting at His feet in the company of men!

And Lazarus? Where was he? Despite their friendship, did he have issues with Jesus? Why was he specifically described as one that Jesus loved and yet, he was never in the company when Jesus visited? Somehow, it seems, Jesus loved the ones who weren’t sure about Him…even like the rich young ruler.

John 11:1, 3 NLT
[1] “A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha…
[3] So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”

There must have been some connection between Jesus and Lazarus, a friendship on the quiet despite their differences, that prompted the comment, “Your dear friend,”…

Jesus had withdrawn from public view because the Pharisees were after His blood, and He knew that it was not yet His time.

John 10:39-40 NLT
[39] “Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. [40] He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile.”

So, when Lazarusc fell ill, Jesus was out of town. A frantic message to Him took days to reach Him. Then He waited a few more days before responding. What was going on here? It’s almost as though Jesus had His ear to the ground, waiting for a signal from the Father before He made a move. He dawdled long enough for the inevitable to happen. Lazarus died and was buried…and the He made His move.

But, for the sisters, Jesus didn’t come!

Imagine the disappointment, the disillusionment, the devastation these sisters felt! The Jesus whom, they thought, loved them, whom they trusted, believed in, and worshipped as Lord, had failed them! He didn’t even send them a message, “I’m coming…” Just silence!

Despite appearances, Jesus was right on track. Always listening for the inward voice of the Father, He understood that this was another opportunity. He must act at each precise moment for the greatest impact of the “Lazarus event”.

John 11:4 NLT
[4] But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”

John 11:5-7, 11 NLT
[5] So, although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, [6] he stayed where he was for the next two days. [7] Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”…
[11] Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

His disciples were puzzled. Why did act so strangely, never in a hurry, His actions decisive and precise, even in a crisis? If Lazarus was dead, why go back into danger?

John 11:14-15 NLT
[14] So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. [15] And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

Slowly, piece by piece, the picture in the puzzle was taking shape. Jesus’ deliberate delay prepared the scene for the greatest miracle they would ever witness. If ever they had doubts about the identity of their rabbi, this miracle would catapult them beyond doubt.

So, in this story and its various players, each one had opinions about Jesus, and each one responded differently to His mysterious behaviour…until it all came together in one unforgettable miracle too public, too visible, and too undeniable to ignore, that clinched the deal for all concerned.

Jesus knew what He was doing. This miracle formed the final great divide between faith and unbelief and their consequences. Some chose faith, and with it, eternal life. Others chose unbelief, and drove them to do the worst they could do…eliminate the one who stood in their way.

John 11:53 NLT
[53] “So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.”…

JOHN’S GOSPEL… THE SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP – 17

Bible Study,

In the narrative of John’s gospel, conflict with His enemies presented its own opportunity. Some of Jesus’ most profound lessons came out of His battle with His opponents.

John 10 is an example of teaching so clear and deep that, without it, we as God’s children, would be much poorer.

Jesus’ announcement…

John 10:11 NIV
[11] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”…

…links to the prediction of Ezekiel 34, spoken centuries before.

God had a serious quarrel with the shepherds of Israel. He had appointed them to care for His “sheep”. Instead, they had failed in their commission, abused the sheep, and enriched themselves at the expense of God’s people.

Ezekiel 34:2-4 NIV
[2] “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? [3] You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. [4] You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.”

So, the sheep had suffered at the hands of their cruel “shepherds”.

Ezekiel 34:5-6 NIV
[5] “So, they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. [6] My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.”

God’s solution was His promise to take over the shepherd’s task to care for the sheep Himself. When Jesus uttered His words, “I am the good shepherd,” His people would probably have made the connection, but did they understand the implications? What was He saying?

Once again, Jesus was not merely making a random statement. He was declaring, not only that He was fulfilling God’s promise to be their shepherd, but that He was also the God who had promised to come in person to care for His sheep.

Ezekiel 34:15-16 NIV
[15] “I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. [16] I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.”

Look what Jesus had to say about the shepherds of Israel in His day. They were not true shepherds. They were “hirelings”, mercenaries doing the job for money, not for love of the sheep.

John 10:8, 12-13 NIV
[8] “All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them…
[12] The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. [13] The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

This was not an indictment against the devil. This was an exposure of Israel’s spiritual leaders, the Pharisees and religious leaders. They were in it for what they could get out of it, for personal gain, not for love of the Father and His sheep.

So, Jesus stepped into the gap, offering the stability of a life anchored in Him. He made big promises…

  1. He is the way into the safety of the sheepfold.

John 10:7, 9 NIV
[7] “Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep…
[9] I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.”

What is this sheepfold of which He is the gate? Could He be speaking, in picture language, of the kingdom of God? In the other three gospels, Jesus announced, with great enthusiasm, the re-entry of God’s reign on earth, after centuries of the rebellion of His own people against His rule. So, as Israel’s own true shepherd, entry into the kingdom of God was through Him alone.

John 14:6 NLT
[6] “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

There is a place of safety and security within the boundaries of God’s rule that promise protection in this life and an existence in the presence of the Father in the life to come. The only way to access this realm is through Jesus. He provided the way through His own death which forever removed the barrier of sin that blocked the entrance to eternal life.

  1. Unlike the hired hands who have no interest in the wellbeing of the sheep, Jesus takes personal care of every sheep within His flock.

John 10:3-4, 9 NIV
[3] “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice…
[9] I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.”

  1. Jesus has a personal relationship with His sheep. They recognise His voice. They follow His leading. He protects them from all harm.

John 10:14, 27 NIV
[14] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—…
[27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me…

  1. The care Jesus gives to His sheep extends beyond this life. He gave His own life to save them from eternal death.

John 10:15b, 17-18, 28 NIV
[15] “… I lay down my life for the sheep…
[17] The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. [18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”…
[28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

David’s well-loved psalm, 23, paints the picture of his experience as a sheep in the care of the true shepherd, every need met, every blessing lavishly provided, the future secured because the Lord Himself has pledged to be the shepherd of His people.

It’s this picture that Peter uses to urge his fellow elders to be faithful shepherds of God’s flock, following the example and instruction of the Great Shepherd…

1 Peter 5:2-4 NLT
[2] “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. [3] Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. [4] And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.”

Likewise, the same imagery of the Great Shepherd, the one who laid down His life for the sheep, dominates the benediction blessing and prayer of Hebrews 13:20-21…

Hebrews 13:20-21 NLT
[20] “Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— [21] may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.”

Our Great Shepherd not only signed the New Covenant in His own blood, but He also provides every good thing we need to do His will and produces in us every good work that pleases Him.

What a great Shepherd we have!

JOHN’S GOSPEL… IMPOSSIBILITY OR OPPORTUNITY – 16

Bible Study,

Jesus and His men were on the road again. They encountered a blind man on their way, sitting beside the road, clutching his ragged cloak around him and reaching out his hands for a few coins, a pathic picture of hopelessness and dejection.

Jesus stopped in his tracks. Once again, He saw opportunity. His disciples, ever theoretical and religious, asked Him a theological question? Perhaps their rabbi could finally put an end to this puzzling debate. Whose fault was it, this man or His parents’? If they knew the right answer, they would know who to blame.

John 9:2 NIV
[2] “His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus intervened with a complete change of perspective. “This tragic situation is not about who is at fault. It’s not about who is to blame. It’s not about settling a theological argument. This is about a man being blind from his birth. He has never seen anything and never will unless…”

Jesus looked intently at them. “Don’t you understand? This is an opportunity for the Father to do something so wonderful for this man that He will get the glory.”

Every time the disciples bumped into an impossibility, Jesus intervened to show them an opportunity. Time and again He used an impossible situation to reveal the Father’s glory by turning a tragedy into a victory. For too long, the Father had been given a bad reputation because of the wicked lives and hypocrisy of His representatives. For the Pharisees, God was a strict disciplinarian who jumped at every opportunity to punish those who stepped over the line. For Jesus, everything was about His Father, showing off to the people around Him who He really is, compassionate and merciful.

Eugene Peterson, in “The Message” paraphrase, expressed Jesus’ sentiment in these words,

John 9: 3-5
[3-5] “Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do…”

What a way to look at life! A literal way to embrace God’s promises, every obstacle an opportunity to put God’s glory on display! How different our lives would be if we took Jesus’ words seriously. Instead of bellyaching about every little interference in our trouble-free lives, we would grab the opportunity to involve our Father in our issues.

Jesus did exactly that and look at the outcome.

John 9:6-7 NIV
[6] “After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. [7] “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”

Jesus never failed to stick His neck out, anticipating the Father’s response because they were in partnership in this mission to reveal the Father’s glory to the world.

Jesus identified this “work” as His mission in the world.

John 17:4, 6-8 NIV
[4] “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do…
[6] “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. [7] Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. [8] For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.”

Every miracle, every expression of mercy, every life transformed by grace, shone the light on the Father’s character, the God who revealed Himself to Moses as…

Exodus 34:6-7 NIV
[6] …“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, [7] maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin…”

Not only did Jesus heal this man of blindness, He also delivered him from the tyranny of the Pharisees. When the Pharisees couldn’t get the better of him, they threw him out …into the arms of Jesus. So, the story concludes…

John 9:24-29, 34-38 NIV
[24] “A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” [25] He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” [26] Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” [27] He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” [28] Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! [29] We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from…”
[34] To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. [35] Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” [36] “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” [37] Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” [38] Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.”

Life has the habit of throwing obstacles in our way. What if we, like Jesus, confronted them from a different perspective? What if, instead of bemoaning our lot, we grabbed the opportunity to involve our Father in our dilemma? What if we, instead of asking the usual frustrating question “Why?” and never getting an answer, we engaged God’s intervention with, “Let’s see what God can do!”

Surprising miracles can happen!

JOHN’S GOSPEL… WRITTEN IN THE DUST – 15

Bible Study, ,

The events that unfolded in John 8, though in parethesis because they do not appear in the earliest manuscripts, directly follow in John’s narrative in chapter 7. The enraged Pharisees devised a plot to trap Jesus, a perfect plan, they thought, to force Him to act against the law. Oh, if only they could catch Him off guard!

We know the story well. They conveniently discovered a couple committing adultery. They dragged the woman, probably half naked, out of the house, down the road, and unceremoniously threw her down in front of Jesus. “What shall we do with her?” they sneered. “What’s your verdict, rabbi?”

Jesus said nothing. He simply looked at them. Then slowly, deliberately, He bent down and began to trace letters on the dusty ground. The more He wrote, the more they taunted Him. “What’s your answer, rabbi?” they demanded, ignoring the words His letters were forming until…, one, then another began to recognise their own names in the letters He wrote.

Jesus stood up, looked into their faces again, and stared into the eyes of one specific man. Her guilty partner? Then He spoke…

John 8:7-8 NLT
[7]… “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” [8] Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.”

What did this gesture mean? How well Jesus knew the Scriptures.

Jeremiah 17:13 NIV
[13] “Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.”

Suddenly, the words these religous experts knew so well burned in their minds like fire. Their own names were appearing in the dust at Jesus’ feet, exactly as Jeremiah had predicted. They had made their choice. They had rejected God’s offer of living water. They had chosen their destiny. All too real was the prophetic picture unfolding before their eyes.

The gentle breeze slowly began to blow over the dust. Little by little, their names blurred and then…they were gone, obliterated by the wind until not one letter remained in the sand. Angry, embarrassed, and ashamed, the guilty men slunk away to what? To repent of their wickedness? No, to persist in their plan to eliminate Him, leaving Him behind at that moment, to be who He was, to forgive, not to condemn, but to save sinners. The witnesses against her were gone. He was free to show her mercy.

John 8:10-11 NIV
[10] Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” [11] “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

So, Jesus seized another opportunity, fashioned out of evil, hatred, and conflict, to be the merciful Saviour of sinners.