John 1:6-11 Jesus, the light of the whole world!

In the manner that we believe we can receive the very truth of Jesus and His power in our lives.

John 1:6-11 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

Romans 1:18-21 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Philippians 3:17-19 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 

Titus 1:11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

The Apostle Paul would suffer greatly in spreading the mystery given to him of the grace of God through His Son.  By the risen Jesus, he was given the mystery of salvation, the grace of God meant for the world. 

Genesis 12:2-3 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 15:1-6 after these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Abraham believed God. Faith in God and His promises were accounted to him a righteousness. Faith, faith in His power and not in our own, pleases God. We share what is revealed to us by Holy Spirt and share our testimony with others. Everyone will know Him. No one will be without excuse. Christ died for every human made. All humans were made in the image of God and although we do not understand everything now…it is the truth and we accept by faith. Jesus took the sin death that came with the curse and separated us from God and in Him alone we are reconciled to the Father. God allowed Jesus to willingly suffer for our sin and offer His life for ours. He was the only perfect sinless sacrifice that could do it. The Son of God- the Son of man, Jesus, all God and all man, the only perfect sacrifice. Our sins are forgiven, past, present and future and covered in the sinless Blood of the Lamb of God. We look forward to the blessed hope of Christ in us. Our good works for others declares our faith. To God all glory belongs. Carla

This introduces John the Baptist as the messenger sent by God to announce the coming of His salvation into the world through Jesus. John was the prophesied forerunner of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5–6; Matthew 11:9). 

John the Baptist is a prominent figure in all four Gospel accounts. He is depicted as a prophet, modeled after Old Testament  prophets like Elijah, and he is of priestly descent like Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Mark 11:32; Luke 1:5, 17).

John the Baptist Luke records the angelic announcement of John’s miraculous birth to Zechariah and Elizabeth in their old age (Luke 1:5–25). 

John’s ministry began around ad 29 in the Judaean wilderness along the Jordan River (Luke 3:1–3; Matthew 3:1–2). John’s patterning after Elijah extended even to his dress and his penchant for isolation in the wilderness. John wore a garment of camel hair with a leather belt, reminiscent of Elijah’s clothing from 2 Kings 1:8 (Mark 1:6). His primary message was calling Israel to repentance in preparation for the coming of the messianic age (Matthew 3:2; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). 

John was arrested and imprisoned by Herod Antipas for criticizing his marriage to Herodias, Herod’s brother’s ex-wife, which was unlawful under Jewish law (Leviticus 18:16; Matthew 14:3–4; Mark 1:14; Luke 3:19). Eventually, Herod had John beheaded (Matthew 14:5–12). 

John the Baptist also is mentioned by Josephus, a first-century ad Jewish historian who recounts John’s ministry and unjust execution (Josephus, Antiquities 18.116–119). 

John’s mission is articulated in legal terms; he is a witness coming to testify. The imagery also is used in Isaiah, where God’s people testify to His sovereignty (Isaiah 43:10; 44:8). The motif of a trial with witnesses offering testimony is a key component structuring John’s Gospel. The most concentrated development of this theme is in John 5:31–47. John presents numerous witnesses who testify to Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. The world’s failure to recognize Jesus as Messiah is a rejection of these witnesses and their testimony.

The preaching of John the Baptist was intended to inspire faith in God by pointing people to Jesus as His supreme act of providence. God doesn’t send a messenger; He sends His very Son, the means of creation itself. 

This Gospel echoes Old Testament phrasing such as Genesis 15:6, where Abraham is described as one who believed in Yahweh. 

Unlike the Synoptic Gospels and most other New Testament  writings, John’s Gospel never uses the noun “faith,” always the verb “believe.” This small stylistic difference makes John’s presentation of salvation much more concrete and immediate—an active, relational reality more than a static concept. Faith is a verb in John’s Gospel: something to act upon and live out, not just to behold. 

The Greek word for world used here, kosmos, occurs 78 times throughout John’s Gospel. Sometimes it refers broadly to the whole created order (11:27; 21:25), but most of the time it refers specifically to humanity in rebellion against God and hostile to Christ (7:7; 12:31; 14:17; 15:18–19; 16:20; 17:14, 25). Not only did the entire world not recognize its Creator (verse 10), but God’s chosen people rejected their Messiah. Faithlife Study Bible

John the Baptist is here contrasted with Jesus Christ. Jesus is God (verse 1); John was a man sent from God. Jesus was the Light (verse 4); John was the lamp that bore witness to the Light (verses 7, 8). To bear witness means “to testify” or “to declare.” John uses the word translated witness 33 times as a verb and 14 times as a noun in his Gospel. The term is particularly important to his purpose, which is to record adequate witnesses to Jesus as the Messiah so that individuals might believe in Him (20:30, 31). 

Believe means “to trust.” John uses this verb almost one hundred times in his Gospel to express what must take place for a person to receive the gift of eternal life. 

In order to give due notice to the incarnation of Jesus, this verse may be rephrased: “That was the true Light coming into the world, which enlightens every man.” Jesus became man in order to reveal the truth to all people. 

Depending on the context, world can refer to (1) the universe; (2) the earth; (3) humanity; or (4) the human system opposed to God. 

Receive here means “to receive with favor” and implies “welcome.” Instead of a welcome mat, Jesus had a door slammed in His face. The themes of rejection and reception (verse 12) introduced in the prologue (1:1–18) appear again and again throughout the Gospel of John. The NKJV Study Bible

Matthew 3:1–17 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”…

Mark 1:1–11 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets:“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,Who will prepare Your way before You.”…

1 John 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

Luke 3:1–22 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness…

John 3:25–36 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”…

Scary news is heavy. And inundating. And exhausting. So. How do we “help”?

And where do we begin?

We begin here: Let us stay emotionally and spiritually hydrated.

We are all wired to be replenished. And care of any kind begins with self-care.

I stand by that, more than ever. Depletion and exhaustion are rampant.

Not that many years ago, I spoke to a group of hospice care workers, about emotional and spiritual hydration. I started this way, “What I’m about to tell you is very selfish. I want you to be replenished. Because one day I will need one of you.”

What can I do to create that kind of world?

Rear Admiral Thornton Miller Chief was the Chaplain at Normandy in WWII. Someone asked him, "Up and down the beach, with the shells going everywhere, why did you do that?"

"Because I'm a minister."

"But didn't you ask if they were Catholic or Protestant or Jew?"

"If you're a minister, the only question you ask is, 'Can I help you?'"

Gratefully, we are all wounded healers (where our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing). No, this is not a strategy. This is a fact. It spills from those parts of our life that have been broken open, from those parts of us flawed and imperfect.

So. What if this is not about accepting imperfection as some kind of divine teaching moment? What if the gift is in the inimitability of our humanity?

When we embrace what is already inside, we live from the power of sufficiency, and let it spill. I am (quite literally) here today because of people who let light (kindness, compassion, healing) spill in my life, at times when bleakness was too much to carry.

This day, I do want to be on the lookout (on the ready to show up), to be gentle and kind, and honestly, on the lookout for gentleness and kindness in return. And there’s not a person alive who doesn’t need a splash of gentleness and kindness and grace. Let’s begin there, shall we? It fills our depleted tanks. Enabling us to join the fight to make our world habitable and humane.

And I will continue to write Sabbath Moment because I want to live in our real world, with a soft heart. Where hope is still real. I want to create places for sanctuary, empathy, inclusion, compassion, kindness, and healing… spaces where we are refueled to make a difference. “Sabbath Moments”

2 Peter 3:15-18 God’s love covers a multitude of sin!

 The agape love of God covers a multitude of sin, ours, in the salvation He provided in Jesus Christ.

To the Apostle Paul was given the mystery of the  dispensation of the grace of God. Salvation is offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the King of Israel and the Savior of the world. John 3:16-18

Ephesians 1:9-14 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Wisdom and knowledge are given by Holy Spirit to those who trust in and listen closely to our triune God to understand what they cannot. Spiritual knowledge can  only be understood through the teachings of Holy Spirit who takes the things of God and allows us to understand them. They are discerned Spirit to spirit.

Romans 16:25-27 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

2 Peter 3:15-18 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Peter was telling his Jewish believers in Christ that the gospel of grace given to Paul was by direct contact with the resurrected Jesus Christ. The knowledge of the Gospel of Grace given to Paul was for all of mankind. The blessed mystery of GRACE, the undeserved and unmerited love of God for His creation. If the original covenant with His chosen people was good how much better the dispensation of the grace of God for all of humanity. Carla 

The scoffers regarded the delay in the Jesus’ return as evidence that He would not come after all. Believers should take the delay in Jesus’ return as evidence of His patient desire to save. The recipients of this letter knew Paul, and had received at least one letter from him. Paul expressed a similar view as Peter on the delay of Christ’s return (Romans 2:4; 9:22–24). 

Even at this early stage of church history, Paul’s writings were being misrepresented (2 Peter 3:4–12). The comments about Paul’s writings suggest that their misuse was one of the problems underlying the heretical teachings. Like Peter, Paul regularly discusses Christ’s return and uses it to justify paying close attention to God’s work and living a life of integrity (1 Thessalonians 5:1–11). Based on the context, the false teachers were likely either exploiting one of Paul’s teachings on the return of Jesus or using Paul’s theology of salvation to argue that people could now do whatever they wished. 

Peter expresses a high regard for Paul’s writings, classifying them as part of the sacred writings of the early church. Peter is exposing that ungodly people often attempt to justify their actions by twisting Scripture to suit their own purposes (Psalm 56:5; Jeremiah 23:36). The false teachers have moved from Christ to destructive heresy (2 Peter  2:20–22). Peter aims to caution his audience against this. The false teachers are characterized by their immorality; this same word is used of the people of Sodom in 2:7.

Here, at the conclusion of the letter, it seems that 2 Peter returns to the material shared with Jude (Jude 24–25). Although Peter offers a shortened version of the hymn in Jude, the same terminology to describe God’s work is deployed—calling Jesus “Lord” and “Savior” and proclaiming His glory for all time. Like Jude, Peter then ends with “Amen.” Peter asserts that the best way to resist incorrect teachings is to grow in understanding of Christ and His work. 

Taken with 2 Peter 1:2, which mentions the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, this phrase acts as a type of literary bracketing to 2 Peter as a whole (an inclusio). This technique is likely deployed to indicate that the necessary knowledge that believers should grow in is contained in the body of the letter. Peter also insists that they experience the unmerited gift of God, His grace (1:11). Although they have been in danger of being led astray, they can receive Jesus’ grace and live as people in right standing with God. The full honor belongs to Jesus. This is a fitting closing in light of Peter’s emphasis in this letter on the Day of the Lord. Glory is given to Jesus both now and on the day when He returns in glory. Faithlife Study Bible

Note that Peter equates the letters of Paul with the rest of the Scriptures, indicating that Peter considered the apostle Paul’s writings to be the Word of God. Peter considers Paul’s writings on the end times to be hard to understand. This should be a comfort to each of us who attempt to interpret the writings of Paul on the coming of Christ. Even Peter found them difficult. Because of this, however, Peter says some people who are untaught and unstable destroy themselves. Untaught refers to one whose mind is untrained and undisciplined in habits of thought. Unstable refers to one whose conduct is not properly established on the truths of God’s Word. 

Peter admonishes his readers that since they know truth, they should depart from the error of the wicked and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. The NKJV Study Bible

Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

2 Peter 3:1–2 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 

2 Peter 2:14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 

2 Peter 3:8–9 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall

I can still hear Mr. Rogers’ voice, as if he were speaking directly to me through the TV screen, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

And I say, “Amen.” But why do I still tend to focus only on the scary parts? You know, the parts where I am certain there is little I can do, to be a helper.

In part because I convince myself I don’t have what it takes—the words or the means—to make a dent. And in that place, I feel stuck (or confined). Gratefully, words do indeed make a difference, and I am grateful for their liberating power. This, from poet John Roedel, did my heart good today…

“I can’t make the

world be peaceful

I can’t stall tanks

from roaring down roads

I can’t prevent children

from having to hide in bunkers

I can’t convince the news to

stop turning war into a video game

I can’t silence the sound of bombs

tearing neighborhoods apart

I can’t turn a guided missile

into a bouquet of flowers

I can’t make a warmonger

have an ounce of empathy

I can’t convince ambassadors

to quit playing truth or dare

I can’t deflect a sniper’s bullet

from turning a wife into a widow

I can’t stave off a country being

reduced to ash and rubble

I can’t do any of that

the only thing I can do

is love the next person I encounter

without any conditions or strings

to love my neighbor

so fearlessly that

it starts a ripple

that stretches from

one horizon to the next

I can’t force peace

on the world

but I can become a force

of peace in the world

because

sometimes all it takes

is a single lit candle

in the darkness

to start a movement

‘Lord, make me a candle

of comfort in this world

let me burn with peace’”

John Roedel  

“Sabbath Moments”