Heart Troubles

John 14

Coming on the heels of the announcement “one of you will betray me,” it is no wonder the disciples were troubled.  Jesus’ next words are equally as confusing; but the Good Shepherd makes sure that His sheep have what they need to get through the winter of doubt and despair that the next few days will seem to be. 

In this next section, the Lord lays down six assurances that will encourage the heart of every believer.  We are going to heaven, we have the privilege of prayer, we know the Father right now, we have the Holy Spirit, we enjoy the Father’s love, and we have the gift of peace.

We are going to heaven:

 ¹ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Heaven is a real place, prepared for you.  It is the place where God’s throne is, where Jesus sits at the right hand of God.  Some further descriptions:

We’ll get a warm welcome!  2 Peter 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is our inheritance! Mat. 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 

It is a place where we will be truly satisfied Ps. 36:8: They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. 

It’s an unfading, incorruptible and everlasting place 1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.

God has laid up goodness for us there Ps. 31:19 [Oh] how great [is] thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; [which] thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! 

Our hope Col. 1:6 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 

Where we will receive our reward 2 Tim. 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

It’s the place where we already live in our hearts if we’re true believers.  Heb. 11:16 But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. 

If you belong to Jesus, you’re going to heaven!  It’s your true home. 

The word translated “mansion” in the Old King James Bible is “mone” in the Greek, better translated dwellings.  If Jesus has had more than 2000 years to prepare a place for me, I know it’s going to be beautiful! 

John 14:3 is a clear promise that Jesus is going to come back for us.  He goes, He returns and takes us to be where He is.  That sounds like the Lord is taking us to heaven! 

1 Cor. 15:51-58 (51-52) Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  It’s not a story, and it’s not a fairy tale.  It’s a mystery, but it will happen!

1 Thess 3:11ff May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.  Not if the Lord comes, but when!

1 Thess 4:14-18 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

According to whose word?  Someone who thought he was speaking for God?  A pseudo-prophet who was half insane?  No!  According to the Lord’s word!

1 Thess. 5:9 says, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.”

Is. 26:19-21 But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer. 

1 Cor. 15 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 

Our destiny is to receive salvation, not to suffer wrath.  Jesus took the judgment of our sins on the cross, so our place now is with Him. 

2 Peter 3 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ⁵ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. ⁶ By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. ⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

 ⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[a]

 ¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.^[b] That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

 ¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

We have heaven to look forward to! 

 ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

 ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Wow, thanks Thomas!  Were it not for that man’s words, would Jesus have answered this way?  So much for “many paths to God”!  One way—through Jesus—and no other.  The early church was called “The People of the Way.”  Before they were called “Christians,” they were of the way.  In the ‘60’s, we used to point upward to heaven to indicate One Way.  Jesus didn’t just teach the way or point the way, He is the way.  Through Jesus, through the covenant that God made with Abraham, that same which He fulfilled on the cross, is the way. 

He is the Truth.  He tells the truth and His life shows the truth.  There is no lie in our Savior.  The Bible says “God is not a man that He should lie,” and Jesus proved this to be true. 

He is the Life.  Life is in Him and He is the Lord of it.  No wonder no one ever got sick around Jesus!  No wonder someone once simply touched the hem of His robe and they were healed.  Jesus is the Life.  I think of the scripture—wait on the Lord and renew your strength.  Why is this true?  Because He is the Life. 

 

You Know the Father Right Now

 ⁷ If you really know me, you will know^[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

 ⁸ Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

 ⁹ Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹ Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 

I know a few people, myself included, who have struggled with knowing the Father.  For me, my own father, my earthly father wasn’t such a great example.  So I struggled with what my heavenly Father might be like.  Jesus is saying here, everything you see in scripture about me is what God is like. 

It should not surprise us to hear Jesus giving the Father credit for what He has said.  I love that Jesus points to God doing His work here.  We can do this as well…point to that work on the cross and point out that same work being done in the lives of those around us and our own lives.

So we have the awesome responsibility to direct people to God, showing them the Father in Jesus.  Some may not see Him.  But we need to be sensitive to the Spirit, pointing out that God is, that He is good, that Jesus is the perfect representation of who God is.  In this way, we can direct people into eternal life. 

You Have the Privilege of Prayer

¹² Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

This is a wonderful promise!  But there are conditions to it.  In order for prayer to be effective, we must first abide by the qualifications.  First, we must pray in faith.  “Whoever believes in me” does the works Jesus is doing.  And it’s not us doing them.  Jesus continues to work in us.  “I will do whatever you ask” He promises. 

“Greater works” was definitely true of the apostles—Peter preached one sermon and three thousand were saved!  But it wasn’t they themselves who performed these things—the Lord working with them, according to Mark 16:20 and Phil. 2:10 “for it is God who is at work in you.” 

Praying in Jesus’ name isn’t a formula for having your prayers answered.  It’s as if a friend said, “tell them I sent you.”  It’s a way to privilege through Jesus.

Ask anything doesn’t mean we should ask to fulfill our own desires—remember the “in My name” part.  What would Jesus have you ask for?  Ask God’s will.  God is not willing that any should perish, but that all might come to repentance.  Pray for repentance!  Pray for salvation.  When asked by some lepers, “Lord, if you’re willing, you can make us clean” Jesus responded “I am willing.  Be made clean.”  Jesus is willing to heal.  Ask for healing!  Ask for provision.  We’ve been told to ask for our “daily bread.”  Ask for comfort.  Jesus has already asked for the Comforter to come—now you can ask as well and that prayer is sure to be answered. 

Pray thoughtfully, lovingly, and in obedience to your Lord.  Not to feed our own desires, but in love, wanting to do what God would have us do.  Psalm 37:4 says we are to delight ourselves in the Lord, and He will give us the desires of our hearts—not just our hearts’ desire, but that our hearts might be so much alike His heart, that we want what He wants.  Then we truly receive our hearts’ desires.

We have the Holy Spirit

    ¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[c] in you.¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 

True love obeys.  Jesus asks us here to obey Him as a proof of our love for Him.  As the old song says:
              Trust and obey
                  For there's no other way
              To be happy in Jesus
                  But to trust and obey.

Trust You, Lord, with our loved ones who don't know You?  Trust You with the ones who have strayed from You?  Trust You with our illnesses, our financial situation, our children, our relationships, and OBEY You, even when it seems counterintuitive? 

If must be proven.  Jesus proved His love for us-on the cross.  

He said there is a cost of discipleship: If anyone comes after Me, let them deny themselves, pick up their cross, and follow Me.  Not an easy thing to do!  And not to be entered into lightly.  We enter in to the life of a believer knowing that the cost may be all we have: our friends, family, jobs, health, wealth, and time.  He is our example in all things-just as He gave all, so we give our all for Him.

There is reward for those who follow: endure the temptation to live your own way, and you will receive the crown of eternal life!  

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Not just peace in your heart, but a real joy, and let me tell you this one beats happiness by a long shot!

Psalm 16:11 In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Jesus is returning and you will be rewarded by Him! 

Rev. 22:12 And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

It's not for nothing that we give Him everything!

Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

Don't give up--don't give in to the world--yes, count the cost, but remember that there is a reward!  Run the race with me and let us see what God will do!

Jesus names the Spirit by two names: The Comforter and The Spirit of Truth. 

The word used by John for “Comforter” is the Greek word parakletos.  It means ‘called alongside to assist.’  That’s what the Spirit does.  He helps us to obey God in spite of ourselves.  He works in us and through us. 

Jesus told the disciples—he has been with you and will be in you.  The Spirit is alongside us before we come to the Lord, turning us gently toward God.  Then He enters in to us when we become believers.  “The body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit.”  We have the Spirit living in us.  Then Jesus told them, “wait for the Holy Spirit of Promise” in Jerusalem.  The Spirit can be upon us to utilize us as someone who speaks for Him. 

The Old English meaning for Comfort is derived from two Greek words that combine to mean “with strength.”  We can face our trials and troubles because the Spirit gets us through!  He helps us face the most difficult things with grace.  Some translations call Him “the Encourager.”  I like this because He truly does this in us!  John uses parakletos in 1 John 2 and it’s translated “Advocate.”  Jesus is our advocate with the Father—he stands alongside us when we’re accused and stands up for us when we’re helpless.

We have the “Spirit of Truth.”  Jesus said the Spirit would help us to recall all He said (John 14:26.) 

The Holy Spirit is a person, and can be hurt.  He is the person of Jesus Himself—Jesus said “Another” comforter—meaning one like the first.  “Quench not the Spirit” is one of the commands given by Paul in Colossians. 

I love that Jesus promised not to leave us “fatherless”!  Orphans don’t have a father, but our God is a “Father to the fatherless.” 

We Enjoy the Father’s Love

¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Chuck Smith says, “Paul, writing to the Ephesians, said, "that Christ might dwell in your hearts through faith." That word dwell is the same word here, abode. And it literally means, "just settle down and make himself at home in your heart." Has your heart become Christ's home? Does He feel comfortable there? Does He feel at home? Or does the art on the wall sort of bother Him? What's in your heart, you see? What kind of an imagine or pictures are there on the wall of your heart? As Jesus is relaxing in the lounge and He looks at the wall, what kind of a picture does He see, observing?” 

²² Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

Matthew Henry’s commentary: He promises that they should continue their acquaintance with him and interest in him (v. 19, 20): Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more, that is, Now I am no more in the world. After his death, the world saw him no more, for, though he rose to life, he never showed himself to all the people, Acts 10:41. The malignant world thought they had seen enough of him, and cried, away with him; crucify him; and so shall their doom be; they shall see him no more. Those only that see Christ with an eye of faith shall see him forever. The world sees him no more till his second coming; but his disciples have communion with him in his absence.

1. You see me, and shall continue to see me, when the world sees me no more. They saw him with their bodily eyes after his resurrection, for he showed himself to them by many infallible proofs, Acts 1:8. And then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. They saw him with an eye of faith after his ascension, sitting at God’s right hand, as Lord of all; saw that in him which the world saw not.

 ²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.

Previously, Jesus had said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”  These two sentences seem to be very similar, but the two words translated “commandments” and “teaching” are different.  Commandment is the Gr. word entole while the word “teachings” is actually the Gr. word logos.  Just as in John 1:1.  In the beginning was the Word.  Jesus is the Word of God. 

My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

To keep His word, is to keep Him with you at all times.  As you do, Jesus is with you and so is the Father. 

²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 

I can’t tell you how many times I have used this promise to help people that think they can’t memorize scripture.  The Advocate will remind you of everything Jesus said.  Since Jesus is the Word, the logos, the Spirit can help you remember scripture.  Sometimes I have been talking with someone, sharing Jesus with them, and the Lord reminds me of a verse I didn’t know I had memorized.  If you have faith, God can work in your mind and through you.

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

The world gives and takes away peace, but the Lord gives us peace that never fails.  In fact, it can ‘surpass all understanding.’!!

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid: seems to say that we have a choice to either be afraid or not!  Choose the not!

²⁸ “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. ³⁰ I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, ³¹ but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. 

   “Come now; let us leave.

Chuck Smith tells of when his mother was laying dying in her bed:

You know, isn't it interesting that when our loved ones die, we cry? If we really loved them, we would rejoice, because they have gone to be with the Lord. It's because we love ourselves that we cry.

In the final days my mother was with us, and the ministers used to come and pray, "Oh, God, heal her," and all. When they'd leave, she'd smile and she'd say, "I wasn't agreeing with them in prayer. I don't want to be healed; I want to go and be with the Lord. Why don't they just let me go and be with the Lord instead of praying, 'God heal me'? So, I just wasn't agreeing with that prayer." Boy, if we only knew the glory of God's kingdom.

If you only knew what God has in store for those that loved Him. If you only knew what a glorious inheritance there is for those saints in light, you wouldn't be praying, "Oh, God, bring them back." You'd be praying, "Lord, Your will be done."

“That the world may learn that I love the Father and do what He commands.” 

The triune is represented here in a powerful way.  Jesus is a very important part of the Trinity.  It has been pointed out that everything in the universe seems to be in threes: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit; a father, a mother and children, the church, Jesus the head, and God; so many more examples.  Jesus looks to the Father just as a wife should look to her husband, and teach the children to honor their father.  A picture of the Trinity.  Homes were meant to be a little bit of heaven on earth.  When we bow to the Lord, then submit to authority around us, we show God at work as well, just as Jesus showed that His works were the father’s and that His words were as well. No wonder the enemy wants to destroy the family unit!

I hope to show the world that Jesus is alive and well in me.  I can only do this as I bow my will to His, and let Him have His way in my heart.  What a way to live!  To know He is at work in my life, through me, and that I am His servant.  Me.  He uses me.  That’s amazing.

If You Love Me

Keep My Commandments


John 14:15 


"If you love Me, keep My commandments," Jesus said.


If is such a scary word sometimes.  Don't we worry about if?  There's a commercial on TV about if for an insurance company.  They claim you don't have to worry about the "ifs" in life if you will buy their product.  But that isn't really true, is it?  There are no guarantees in life.  But Jesus is asking us to do something to prove our love for Him--He's asking for our trust, isn't He?  


Love and trust go hand in hand.


True love obeys.


Jesus asks us here to obey Him as a proof of our love for Him.  As the old song says:


              Trust and obey
                  For there's no other way
              To be happy in Jesus
                  But to trust and obey.


Trust You, Lord, with our loved ones who don't know You?  Trust You with the ones who have strayed from You?  Trust You with our illnesses, our financial situation, our children, our relationships, and OBEY You, even when it seems counterintuitive?


If must be proven.  


Jesus proved His love for us-on the cross.  


He said there is a cost of discipleship: If anyone comes after Me, let them deny themselves, pick up their cross, and follow Me.  Not an easy thing to do!  And not to be entered into lightly.  We enter in to the life of a believer knowing that the cost may be all we have: our friends, family, jobs, health, wealth, and time.  He is our example in all things-just as He gave all, so we give our all for Him.


There is reward for those who follow: endure the temptation to live your own way, and you will receive the crown of eternal life!  


James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.


Not just peace in your heart, but a real joy, and let me tell you this one beats happiness by a long shot!


Psalm 16:11 In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.


Jesus is returning and you will be rewarded by Him!


Rev. 22:12 And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.


It's not for nothing that we give Him everything!


Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.


Don't give up--don't give in to the world--yes, count the cost, but remember that there is a reward!  Run the race with me and let us see what God will do!

Foot Washing

Jesus, The Servant

Supper was over, and Jesus got up, took off his outer garments, and put a towel around His waist.  To everyone’s astonishment, He washed their feet—their dirty, grimy, muddy, city-filthy feet.  Peter almost wouldn’t let Him touch His feet.  He of all the disciples knew what kind of man he was, or at least he’d been the most vocal about it.  “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” had been what he told the Lord on the Sea of Galilee.  Now he felt as uncomfortable as then.  But Jesus talked him into it.

Now Jesus put his robe back on—that beautiful single-piece fabric His mother and others had lovingly crafted for Him, the same one that would be gambled for in a day or two—and told the disciples:

If I, your Lord and Master, can serve you by washing your feet, the most menial of tasks, then you should also wash one another’s’ feet.  After all, the servant is not greater than the Master.  If you do these things you are blessed.

I do not speak concerning all of you, for I know whom I have chosen—but that the scripture (Psalm 41:9) may be fulfilled:

⁹ Even my close friend, 
   someone I trusted, 
one who shared my bread, 
   has turned against me.

It didn’t pertain to all of them.  Washing feet is about service.  If you’re His, you serve.  What He asked wasn’t for His enemies.  Judas had no part of this.  Although Jesus washed his feet, Judas was a false disciple.  He didn’t believe, so he wasn’t a part of the group. 

But if you’re His, you serve your brothers and sisters.  That’s who I want to be.  I want to be someone who washes my brothers and sisters’ feet.  I’m asking God to show me who I can help.  How about you?

Mary's Gift

A Story of Extravagant Love

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.  Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.  Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,  “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”  He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.  You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

Martha served, Lazarus sat at table, and Mary worshipped.  You could easily see how Martha represents work, Lazarus represents witness, and Mary represents worship.  Martha, formerly chided, served—but not alone this time.  She must have had help.  There is no complaint when Mary does not help her this time.  There is a place in the believer’s life for work.  Faith without it is dead, and no faith.  Martha is a representative of one part of what believers must be.

Lazarus the witness: Obviously we’re looking back at Chapter 11, when Lazarus had been raised.  Missler notes that it seems like whenever anyone is raised from the dead, they’re hungry.  Remember Jairus’ daughter?  Bring her something to eat, Jesus said. 

We are like Lazarus—dead without Christ, then bound with the grave clothes (sin) and finally seated at the table with Jesus. Where do we see believers seated with Christ?  Revelation 19:9, Blessed are those which take part in the Wedding supper of the Lamb.  Lazarus is us!  The witness of Jesus is what allows us to overcome the enemy.  Revelation12:11 says and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives to the death.  Testimony and witness are the same word—a witness gives his or her testimony that what they saw is true.  We must all be "Lazarus" in a sense--showing others what the work God has done in our lives looks like.  But my favorite person to relate to here is Mary.

Mary the worshipper: Mary took a pound of Nard—otherwise known as myrrh, and anointed Jesus’ feet with it and wiped it off with her hair.  Nard was a perfume made by crushing.  It symbolized death and was used in embalming. 

Mary wiped his feet with her hair—hair is the glory, the covering of a woman—her crown.  Chuck Missler states that to the extent that Mary is in the role of the Bride, she is offering her crown to Him.  When do we receive crowns?  When we are given our rewards at the Bema seat.  We then cast them upon the glassy sea, Rev. 4:10.  I think John’s being called to heaven to view the things which will come to pass there is a “type” of our Rapture for this reason: see the sequence of events?  The Tribulation cannot occur until the Lamb receives the seven-sealed book, which doesn’t happen until after the crowns are thrown on the glassy sea, which is right after the rapture of the saints and subsequent Bema seat judgment.

The other Gospels note that Mary anointed Jesus also on His head (Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9.)  It would have run down His clothing and been caught in His hair.

She isn’t making petitions or asking for help, she isn’t even praising, just worshipping Him.  

Mary’s sacrifice here is amazing—she’s giving away her dowry!  This would have been the money she would have taken to the marriage.  Unless there was some other source of money, Mary would likely now remain single throughout her life. 

I was overwhelmed by Mary’s extravagant worship of Jesus.  Could this fragrance, clinging to Jesus’ beard, His clothing, his hair, have clung to Him, reminding Him of her love for Him?  Might this have been the one thing that strengthened His resolved and made Him able to bear the horrors of the cross?

Jesus had said, earlier in John, “If I be lifted up on the earth, I will draw all men unto me.”  The word for lifted up has two meanings—the physical act, as in His death on the cross, and the act of exalting.  If Jesus is exalted, in my life, will others see Him?  Even if they don’t, I want to be this extravagant in my worship of my Lord. 

Her sacrifice was extravagant.  It was more than a gesture.  Her worship was extravagant.  It wasn’t requests, it wasn’t just praise—it was much more.  It was her love for Him.  Her love, then, was extravagant.  It cost her something.  I want to make a sacrifice and love Him wholly, with all I am.

I penned this while thinking about her amazing sacrifice:

Extravagant Love

Extravagant love, offered once, for all

She withheld nothing and gave everything

Proffered the one thing that was hers alone

In recognition of that gift He would give—

Her gift was expensive

But His more so

She knew it would cost His life

But this one fragrant offering

This shining moment

In service, in love,

Will be hers for all eternity.

What do people see when they look at you? 

The Fear of Man

John 9:18-23

But the Jewish leaders would not believe that the man had once been blind. They sent for his parents ¹⁹and asked them, "Is this the son that you said was born blind? How can he now see?"

    ²⁰The man's parents answered, "We are certain that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind. ²¹But we don't know how he got his sight or who gave it to him. Ask him! He is old enough to speak for himself."

    ^22-23The man's parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The leaders had already agreed that no one was to have anything to do with anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah.

Jesus had just healed a blind man, one who had been blind from birth.  It was an amazing miracle—the cure was so profound that even those he’d been around every day didn’t recognize him.  (See verse 9.)  The blind man didn’t know who had healed him, except His name was Jesus (v.11.) No one had ever opened the eyes of the blind before (9:32), yet the Pharisees refused to “see” the miracle’s message!  Their obedience was “blind,” and blinded them to the truth of who Jesus was.  

They interrogated both the man and his parents.  The man began to truly “see” Jesus through steps of faith, but his parents reacted in fear and became lost.

When the Israelites traveled through the wilderness headed toward the Promised Land, they had God guiding and protecting them.  They had a pillar of cloud (shade and air conditioning!) by day, and a pillar of fire (protection and warmth) by night.  God was with them every step of the way, just as He had promised:

Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go ~Nehemiah 9:19.

Even though they knew that God was with them, they were still very much afraid of the people of the land (“There are giants in the land—we look like grasshoppers to them!” Num. 13:33.)  It doesn’t seem rational to fear people of any size when your God stands among you in the form of a fire, but fear is irrational.  Fear causes us to stumble in more ways than we can count!  This formerly blind man’s parents were the prey of fear.

        Proverbs 29:25 says The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

        His folks were afraid of the Jews and didn’t want to be put out of the synagogue.  What was the snare?  Acceptance of the religious rulers’ decrees would bring them social acceptance but at the same time it would bring them spiritual rejection.

        Jesus said in Matthew “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

        And in Luke, “"But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”

        Of whom is Jesus speaking?  He’s talking about fearing the Lord.  Proverbs says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

        Fear is an old tool of the devil.  If he can get you to fear man, he can keep you from the love of God.  Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8,) except ourselves.  Fear will do this in your life. 

        Some scriptures:

By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life ~ Prov. 22:24

The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil ~ Prov. 19:23.

The fear of the LORD prolongs days (Prov. 10:27a) and in the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. (Prov. 14:26.)

In what ways has fear taken hold in your life?  Do you fear what people will think?  Are you afraid of doing what you know is right because of this?  Consider His promises to you.  Ponder His words and relent of being afraid!

Oh, beloved, now is the time!  Today is the day!  Repent of being fearful and become faithful!  God knows your heart and He wants to free you from fear.  Be free!

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32.)

Dear Abba,

I ask for forgiveness for walking in fear in some areas of my life.  Please free me from the fear of man, of circumstances, of my own actions.  Free me to serve You with all of my heart, and make me able to go and honor You wherever You send me.  Amen.