SOAP 08/05/2016; John 7:47-49

Today's reading: 2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 35; John 7

S) "⁴⁷ The Pharisees then answered them, 'You have not also been led astray, have you? ⁴⁸ No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? ⁴⁹ But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.'"

John 7:47-49 (NASB)

O) The Pharisees had sent officers to arrest Jesus, but they were unable (v.30). When they came and reported to the Pharisees, and they noted that no one had ever spoken like Jesus, they responded with the above words. It is noteworthy, not just the words they replied, but the tone, the attitude, the posture of their reply. These were leaders in their community, religious men who were supposed to shepherd their people, in a difficult social and political time. Yet, they had completely missed the Christ. Not only had they, themselves missed Him, but they were trying to prevent others from recognizing Him as well.

A) It is a very difficult thing, to realize we can't trust the wisdom, discernment, or motives of a person who should be leading us. I've never experienced this firsthand in the church, but I know it happens. The most notable thing about the response from the Pharisees, I think, is the unadulterated venom in their words. When an untrustworthy leader is afraid, as they were, they don't just defend their own view, they attack all others. The Pharisees here attacked the character of both, the men reporting to them, and everyone else in the crowds, while appealing to their own self-righteous standing. Those are red flags that I must beware, if I am ever bringing up a topic with a leader in the church. As Christians, we should not operate in fear, in anyway. Most especially, though, we should never fear of truth is being questioned, because we are confident that truth will prevail. In just the same way, if anyone I'm leading, whether that's my family or anyone else, if they have questions about an unpopular view possibly being true, I must be willing to hear them out. If it is a false doctrine, or bad teaching, I must address it with love and compassion, not vitriol and animosity.

P) Father, thank You for the reliable, unchanging, authoritative truth of Scripture. Please continue to open my eyes and ears, that I may discern between truth and lies. Help me to recognize false teaching, to address it with gentleness and empathy. Help me to also recognize bad leadership, if it is ever unwilling to hear me out or if leaders respond combative let. Help me to always desire truth in humility. I want to honor You as Your servant, as I seek to know You more and better. Let Uour will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/04/2016; John 6:44

Today's reading: 2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34; John 6

S) "⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day."

John 6:44 (NASB)

O) There is a wonderful promise there, that I want to be sure is highlighted. Because I have come to Christ Jesus, He will raise me up on the last day. That is an eternal promise that is directed at every believer. That promise should not be ignored, even if it is not necessarily the main point of this verse, given the context. Jesus was telling His followers a hard truth to understand, because it was metaphorical and so unlike anything they'd ever heard. Jesus was telling them plainly, that His flesh was true food and His blood true drink, and through eating and drinking Him, we would obtain eternal life. Many of the disciples fell away at this teaching, and of course the Pharisees were enraged. The twelve certainly remained, though, and it was a testament of their faith. After the Last Supper, things certainly became more clear to them. After 2,000 years of holy communion, these metaphors Jesus used do not necessarily seem so strange. In the middle of that conversation, though, the verse above was a way that Jesus was acknowledging this as a hard teaching. Not everyone was going to get it. Those who came to Jesus, came because of a spiritual calling from the Father. That's important because the things Jesus was saying were spiritual truths, and are only understood and accepted with spiritual wisdom.

A) This verse can certainly be at the center of some amount of controversy, regarding the doctrines of election, God's ordination in salvation, eternal security, and the like. It is plain that the Father must draw someone to Christ. However, what is not said is who all is drawn. It is also not said whether or not a person can resist that draw. But, as I said in the observation above, those kinds of debate really miss the point. No believer can dispute that God's grace is fully at work in every believer. I do not believe in irresistible election, but I certainly know that I didn't come to Christ on my own. Even more than that, even coming to Christ, I have nothing to do with the promise that Jesus made in the words above. I was only able to come to Christ in the first place, because the Father drew me, but that doesn't mean I didn't also choose to come. At the same time, even having come, God was under no obligation to promise eternal life, and yet He does. This verse is an excellent reminder of the love of God, and His promise to me. This verse displays His grace upon me, well before I believed in Christ, or chose to put my faith in Him. This verse is reason for thanksgiving, not debate.

P) Father, thank You for the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Thank You for the grace at work in my salvation, both my life here and now, and my life forevermore. Let me see my salvation with all gratitude, and no grumbling. As much as I might ever want to know more detail about how I am saved, I only ever want that to bear the fruit of humility and thanksgiving. I don't want to grumble in debate and semantic arguments. Let me see this verse as common ground with other believers, that we are all promised a resurrection on the last day. Let me see this verse as common ground with other believers, that we are all loved by God, and we were all drawn by His grace. Let me rejoice with them, and continue to pray that You would draw the world to Christ, as many as will come, because I don't want any to perish, but all to come to repentance. I know that's Your heart, Father God, and so I choose to make it my heart as well. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/03/2016; John 5:6-9

Today's reading: Nahum 1, 2, 3; John 5

S) "⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, 'Do you wish to get well?' ⁷ The sick man answered Him, 'Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.' ⁸ Jesus *said to him, 'Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.' ⁹ Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk."

John 5:6-9 (NASB)

O) This is such an interesting story to me. Here was this pool, and apparently an angel would stir up the water, and the first person into the pool when the waters stirred, would be healed. This man, bedridden on a pallet, was unable to get himself into the pool. We don't know how long he waited at the pool, hoping someone would put him in, but we know his condition was long upon him. Jesus, though, does not offer to put him in when the waters stir, and He doesn't stir the waters to have the man put into them (by His disciples or anyone else). Instead, Jesus simply heals him directly.

A) Recently, I was in a small group and a man was encouraging us to do good works (per Ephesians 2:10). In the middle of it, he posed a bit of a hypothetical question, asking if we didn't do the work God had prepared for us, would it still get done? That's something that is so interesting about the verses above. Many people would have had the opportunity to lift this man into the pool. It would have been the loving, selfless thing to do. Without question, loving this man in that way, would have been fulfilling God's will for us to love our neighbors. However, no one had ever done it. And so, eventually Jesus came and healed the man. To be sure, I do not think I can ever get away with the attitude that I can ignore the work God has called me to do. However, there is still a humbling reality that God's grace is big enough for my failures. I suppose there may still be things that do not get done if God's people do not do them. I'm not one to think that God's will is always done. However, it also seems like arrogance or assuming too much responsibility, to think that my inaction would ever stop God's will from happening, if He has purposed for something to happen. In His sovereignty and ultimate power, He can and will do whatever pleases Him. God did not prepare work for me to do because He needed my help, but because He has invited me to join in His kingdom work. That is a humbling blessing to me, and that inspires me to join Him, knowing that He lovingly desires my help in His work. However, without a doubt, the verses above remind me that He could always do it Himself, even if He won't always do it Himself. After all, Jesus didn't appear to heal everyone at that pool that day.

P) Father, You are all powerful, all knowing, and sovereign. You can, and will, do whatever You want. You are holy and perfect in all Your ways. Thank You for healing this man who was beside this pool. Thank You for reminding me that I am not needed to accomplish Your will, but that I am desired to accomplish Your will, with You. That is such a revelation of Your love for me, Father God. Let me respond with a gladness to go along with my willingness to serve. I want to accomplish Your will, I want to fulfill the work that You have prepared beforehand for me to do. Open my eyes and ears, that I may be sensitive to the lead of the Holy Spirit, to act in obedience and faith. I do not want You to have to intervene because of my disobedience, laziness, or fear. However, I thank You for the grace that if I do fail, You are big enough to cover that sin and failure. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let Your will be done through me, for Your kingdom, and for me. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/02/2016; John 4:52-53

Today's reading: 2 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 33; John 4

S) "⁵² So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, 'Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.' ⁵³ So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, 'Your son lives'; and he himself believed and his whole household."

John 4:52-53 (NASB)

O) This nobleman had come to Jesus, asking Him to heal his son. The first important thing about this passage, is that this man was seeking Jesus. That was already an act of faith on his part, insofar as he believed that Jesus could heal his son. Jesus, addressing the matter of faith in Him in a greater sense (i.e., that He is the Messiah), said that the man (and the people, presumably) would only believe if they saw signs and wonders. Jesus told him that the boy lives, and the man believed that he was healed. When he returned home, the above verses came to pass. The sequence is important, that this man believed in what Jesus could do, then in hindsight, he saw the divine timing of this miracle, then he believed in who Jesus is, both he and his whole household.

A) Sometimes, even after believing in both, the things Jesus can do and who He is, it takes hindsight to recognize a miracle for what it was. Timing is sometimes a big part of that. In my own life, I have experienced many signs and wonders, miracles that God has done for me. No small number of those miracles were really only appreciated, really understood in a greater measure, after the whole thing was over. When I could look back and see a bigger picture. The challenge, then, is to increase my faith and trust from the start. I want to see God (not just what He does, but who He is), in a bigger, more accurate way. I have seen plenty by now, to believe in the power of Jesus to transform lives, heal spiritually, emotionally, and physically, to provide in every way. I have seen plenty by now, to believe in the character and person of Jesus, that He is who He said He is (specifically, that He and the Father are one; that He is God). I have seen plenty to believe His words about being the propitiation for my sins, about preparing a place for me to join Him when I die. Even so, I suppose it's just a flaw in my limited ability as a human, sometimes it's just plain difficult to see His miraculous hand in the midst of circumstances. I will pray to believe, to see better, as things are happening, as He is moving. But, at the very least, I will pray that I continue to see it clearly after the fact, that it will be a testimony to me and to my whole household.

P) Father, thank You for the mercy and grace at work in my life. Thank You for softening my heart to the gospel, for the simple fact that I ever heard the gospel in the first place. Thank You for transforming my life, for healing me over the years, for providing for my needs and blessing me with my desires. I look back and I see Your hand plainly at work in my life. If it's possible, God, and if it is Your will, please open my eyes to see Your hand at work in my life, even in the midst of the circumstances You are touching. Increase my faith, that I may trust and understand what You are doing, even in the middle of my needs. Let me be more active in my prayers to You, in seeking You with every concern I have. I don't want to address issues in my life on my own. I confess that I am unfit to lead my own life. I have limited perspective and power. I confess that Your ways are infinitely, immeasurably better than my ways. Let Your will be done in my life, and let me recognize it sooner than later. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/01/2016; John 3:16

Today's reading: Isaiah 65, 66; Psalm 62; John 3

S) "¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

John 3:16 (NASB)

O) This is, for good reason, perhaps the most well known verse in the entire Bible. It conveys some of the most important truths about Jesus, the gospel, and God, all in a relatively short sentence. But, because it is so brief, and because people are prone to assign their own convenient definitions to things, and because of proof-texting, this verse is sometimes used almost like a cop-out for people who want to go to heaven, but don't want to live a life of obedience. Part of the problem, is that the word "believe," can be misconstrued. The word here is much more comprehensive than a simple statement of acknowledgment. This is a matter of lifestyle. If a person really believes in Jesus, then they believe all that He said. If they believe all that He said, and they truly love Him, then they'll desire to obey Him in all that He said. Not only did Jesus expound on this Himself (see John 14:15), but John the Baptist actually alludes to this same thing, later in this very chapter (see v.36), where he actually sets belief and obedience in contrast. So, the term "believe," carries with it a connotation of obedience and submission. Furthermore, this verse shows us the bare-bones mission statement of Jesus. His purpose for coming the first time, was to reconcile the world to their Creator. That leads to the last point, and this is sometimes missed, I think. God the Father loved the world so much, that He gave His only begotten Son. Sometimes, I think we get a wrong image in our heads, that Jesus is the compassionate one, and God the Father is some angry judge, seeking to condemn or otherwise destroy the world. However, it was the love of the Father in Heaven, that He desired us to have eternal life with Him. He wanted it so much, that He created a way for us all to be saved, if only we will believe in (and obey) His only begotten Son.

A) This may very well be the first memory verse I ever had as a child. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Because this verse is so, so familiar, there is a human (and wrong) tendency in me to gloss over it. I have a tendency, because of that familiarity, to not dwell on the beauty of this verse. My Father in heaven loved the world so much, He loves me so much, that He sent Jesus to die on the cross for me. I do believe with my head, that Jesus is who the Bible says He is, and that He did what it says He did. I believe with my heart, in who Jesus is, what He said to do. I also need to manifest that belief every day, with the way I live out my faith. Also, I want to dwell on this love more. It is the lovinkindness of God that leads me to repentance. The more I am dwelling on His love for me, the better I will be at loving Him back. That's really what I want to do. I want to love Him back, and love involves action. Primarily, that happens first, through obedience. But, I am most motivated, most inspired to love and obey, when I first dwell on His deep love for me.

P) Father, thank You for this amazing love. Thank You for the grace, all the countless ways, all the incomprehensible grace, that was and is at work in bringing me to faith in Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your love and Your mercy. Thank You for Your patience and compassion. Thank You for providing the sacrifice, the propitiation I could never pay. Thank You for the Scriptures, that I would even learn who Your Son is. Let me dwell on this amazing grace more often. May this verse never become stale to me. Keep my heart soft to the beauty of its simple expression of Your love for me. Thank you. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/31/2016; John 2:24-25

Today's reading: Isaiah 63, 64; Psalm 107; John 2

S) "²⁴ But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, ²⁵ and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man."

John 2:24-25 (NASB)

O) Talk about an understatement. Jesus didn't need anyone to tell Him that the people were not trustworthy, not with knowing who He is at that time. Just as He had told Mary that His time had not come (v.4), at this point in His ministry, it was not time for Him to confirm who He is. What I found particularly notable about this passage, though, were the phrases, "He knew all men," and, "He Himself knew what was in man." One thing that was notable about the ministry of Jesus, is that He had simplified the law, summing up hundreds of commands with just two (love God, love others, per Matthee 7:12). But, in doing that, He also elaborated that our obedience toward God is a matter of the heart. So, He had a lot of "But I say," moments (see Matthew 5:22, 28, 32). He knew  the heart of man, and the way He explained our wicked hearts is so unlike any other religion. The way He revealed our desperate guilt, as an inward issue, not an outward one, is completely unique. His knowledge of the hearts of men, both in the hypotheticals and parables, and also in the personal relationships, this is something that makes Jesus's words, and the gospel message, so powerful.

A) Jesus knows all my sinful deeds, and He knows all my sinful desires, and yet He still loves me. He is not caught off guard. He is not surprised. He knows what my greatest issue is, that my heart is prone to idolatry, and self-worship, and yet He offers to create in me a clean heart. He offers to forgive my sinful deeds, and the sins I have committed in my desires for idolatrous things. Jesus was not ready to entrust His identity to the men at that time, because it was not yet His hour to be crucified. But I thank God, that at just the right time, He revealed Himself as the Savior of the world, and as my own personal Savior. I must thank God, that He sees me for who I truly am, even at my very worst, and He still chooses to love me. How great is that love, indeed, that even while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me (Romans 5:8).

P) Father, thank You for entrusting me with the gospel. Thank Yoh for revealing the truth about Jesus to me, and revealing the truth about my need for His saving grace. Please continue Your work in my heart, Lord. I desire to be a better temple for You. I desire to be more honorable, and to glorify Yoh better. Let Your grace cover my inadequacy, to make Your name great among the people I encounter. Let Your will be done in me, that the gospel may be seen clearly. I pray that others can see who Jesus really is, and the reality of their need for Him. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 07/30/2016; John 1:14

Today's reading: Isaiah 60, 61, 62; John 1

S) "¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

John 1:14 (NASB)

O) The most important things to take from this verse (especially when paired with vv.1-3), are that Jesus has eternally existed, and that He is full of grace and truth. These two things are important, for reasons that, in a sense, give balance to each other. One the one side, the preincarnate deity of Jesus Christ establishes His oneness with the Father. On the other hand, His character being full of grace and truth is a big part of the personal nature to His relationship with us. Jesus is both the heavenly, eternal, glorious God, and also the man who dwelt among us on earth, reaching down to the adulterous woman. and hugging children, washing the feet of His disciples. That is the most important part of this passage, I think. Also, in this verse, we see something else interesting. Based on this verse (again, in context with the whole passage, but also a few of the passages about the actual birth of Jesus), I'm not sure we can rightly say that Jesus was always the "Son of God." Before He was actually born to Mary, even when God took on flesh in the Old Testament, it seems more accurate to say He was the Word of God. This is a difficult thing, probably because I'm so used to thinking of the Trinity as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, before Jesus was born, and Hod said, "Today I have begotten You," I suppose the Trinity would rightly have been said to be the Father, Word, and Holy Spirit. When it's said like that, it certainly makes it easy to see why the Old Testament doesn't deal much with the concept of God's triune nature.

A) Without a doubt, the most important application is for me to remember and recognize both the intimate, and the immense, nature of Jesus (and therefore of God). Relative to the "Word/Son" stuff, some of that is only a matter of passing interest. After all, the Word did in fact become flesh, so Jesus is the Son of God. He conquered the grave and lives forever, so He always will be the Son of God. All of that was preordained by God, so in a conceptual way, because the Word was always going to become flesh, this is almost a moot point. I think it's still worth noting, though, mostly for te apologetic application. There are some people who have a hard time with Jesus being the only begotten Son, for various reasons. This can be a key to presentin how and why He is. Starting with the concept that He was initially the Word of God, could go a long way in setting a foundation for understanding who Jesus is, and why He even became flesh.

P) Father, thank You for Your Word full of grace and truth. These concepts are pretty heady sometimes, and can feel like a lot to try to comprehend. I pray that, at the core of it, I remember who You are, Your character, Your love. Help me to present the gospel clearly, and give me the words to speak in that same grace and truth of Jesus. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.