Last week, Jesus reminded his audience (and us) to “believe in the light” (John 12:36).John makes an observation about belief and how important it is in the verses that follow:Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, -John 12:37This brings us back to what we observed last week:  For those who don’t believe, there isn’t enough proof in the world.  Jesus stood...  Read More

As I reflect on this year, I am again reminded of what a great community FBC is. Your love and impact on our local community continue to encourage the leadership and me at FBC. May we always remember that it is through the work of the Holy Spirit that we are able to do what we do.  Read More

Hello, friends!  We’re taking a long tour through John 12.  Last week, we saw this:So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”-John 12:34The crowd clearly recognizes that Jesus is claiming to be the Christ… and that he identifies himself as the “Son of Man.”  They also unders...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  Last week, Jesus said something profound that we should examine more closely:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”     -John 12:31-32It would take a long time to unpack everything Jesus has said here.  Here are a few key points:“Now,” like Jesus’ use of th...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re continuing our study of John 12.  Last week, Jesus claimed that his highest purpose is to glorify God’s name and the Father affirmed this purpose and responded –audibly:“I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”-John 12:28God’s ultimate purpose to glorify himself is a profound reality…  and perhaps not easy to swallow for some.  Even the most devout believers can g...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re continuing our study of John.  If you need a Bible, ask for one!  Jesus has challenged his listeners –and us—to follow and serve him.  Doing so honors God the Father, according to Jesus.  And then, something profound happens.  Look what Jesus says:"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour....  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re studying John 12.  Jesus has just challenged a group of Greeks (and us) with his 17th “truly, truly” statement:Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  -John 12:25What does the first part of this mean?  Are we supposed to be miserable forever?  Keeping for eternity a life that we hate?  Forfeit a life that we ...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re grateful for this opportunity to consider God’s word with you.As we continue our study of John 12, we see in verse 16 yet another glimpse of the retrospect nature of what John has written.  He acknowledges that Jesus’ disciples (including himself) “did not understand” many things about what Jesus said and did, at first --like riding into Jerusalem on a young donkey—but reme...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re hoping you’ll join our study of John.  If you need a Bible, ask for one!  Last week, we saw Jesus remind everyone gathered around him that he was going to die soon.  Yet there was Lazarus –a man whom Jesus had raised from the dead—sitting with him.  That’s quite the contrast.  Add to that the contrast between the apparent way Mary was thinking and how Judas (Iscariot) was t...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We want to encourage you:  Prayerfully consider what we can individually and personally sacrifice at Jesus’ feet.  What can we give up or give away or give to him that would honor him?  Ask God carefully and be prepared for a surprising answer!We’re considering John 12.  Last week, Jesus said something unusual in answer to Judas Iscariot’s unusual question about Mary’s unusual sa...  Read More

Hello, friends.  We’re so grateful for the opportunity to consider God’s word with you.  Be sure to thank the people who make these letters available.  We’re studying John 12.  Last week, we considered what Mary’s sacrifice meant for her.  John records some very interesting information about Judas Iscariot and his reaction to Mary’s sacrifice:•But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was a...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  Last week, as we opened our study of John 12, we saw an “ordinary” family –Lazarus and his sisters—acting according to their beliefs by faithfully and openly serving Jesus…  hosting him and feeding him even though the authorities were looking to kill him.  And yet, we see that there are things about this family and what they do for Jesus that are not “ordinary.”  Lazarus, for exa...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re so glad you’ve joined our study of the Gospel of John.  Last week, we saw that Jesus left the area of Jerusalem after raising Lazarus from the dead, and after the religious leaders in Jerusalem started plotting his death.  Jesus won’t stay away from Jerusalem for long, though.  In fact, the very next verse shows that, though some time has passed, the time for all Jews (incl...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We hope you join our study of John.  If you need a Bible, ask for one!  Last week, we began to examine a stunning thing Caiaphas, the High Priest of the Temple in Jerusalem, said about Jesus --stunning and quite ironic, given the sort of man Caiaphas is.  So, the source of the statement is established… a criminally corrupt leader of the religious community.  But what does the sta...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We want to encourage you:  Firmly establish in your heart and mind exactly what it is you believe about Jesus… and then act accordingly.  Pray that we would do the same.We’re seeing, as we study the tail end of John 11, that the “Council” that is trying to determine “what to do about Jesus” is doing precisely that –acting according to their beliefs about Jesus.  In this case, the...  Read More

Hello, everyone!  We’re so glad for the opportunity to consider God’s word with you.  We’re studying John 11.  If you need a Bible, ask for one!Last week, after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (so almost-casually… “Lazarus, come out!”), we began to see that there were two responses to what Jesus did:Belief… DUH.  Seriously.  Right?  Who wouldn’t believe that Jesus is exactly who he says he is a...  Read More

Hello, everyone. We’re so glad you’ve joined our study of John 11.  Last week, Jesus raised a dead man to life. We say that so casually.  But pause for a moment and consider the gravity of what we just read about.  It’s the sort of thing we could sit with our whole lives and never get to the bottom of everything it means for us.  It's just so hugely important.Jesus was almost “casual” about it him...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re studying John 11.  Last week, Jesus made an astonishing claim:•“Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”-John 11:41-42Here, Jesus claims that God always hears him in such a way that God inevitably fulfills everything Jesus ever asks of him...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re continuing our study of John 11.  Last week, we saw Jesus “deeply moved and greatly troubled…” even weeping (John 11:33, 35).  This would be consistent with what Isaiah prophesied about him (Isaiah 53:3).  For further reading, check out the “servant” predicted in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and consider how Jesus fulfills what Isaiah predicts.  Meanwhile, we’ll continue our study of...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  Be sure to ask for a Bible if you need one.  We’d love it if you joined our study of John.Remember a few weeks back, we talked about “polite” people who go to funerals and say things like “well, they’re in a better place.”  What if we did the opposite?  What if we wailed and cried and carried on as if the person was gone forever… with no hope?  How would that go over?  That’s wha...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re continuing our study of John 11.  Last week, we considered one of the most important conversations in the history of mankind:  Martha’s confession of faith in response to Jesus asking the main question:  Is Jesus who he says he is? (John 11:25-27)As we continue, we see Martha fetching her sister Mary to go and meet with Jesus (John 11:28-32).  Some key things to consider ab...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  If you need a Bible, ask for one.  We’re continuing our study of John 11.  Last week, we began to examine one of the most important conversations in the history of mankind.  It’s so important that we should read it again (and again):•Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and beli...  Read More

Hello, everyone!  Join our study of John’s gospel.  Last week, Jesus casually told Martha (whose brother, Lazarus, had died four days ago) “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23).  What a simple, casual, yet confidently authoritative statement to make.  A person just doesn’t say something like that in a moment like that unless they have supreme confidence that it’s true.  Martha believes Jesus...  Read More

Hello, everyone.  We’re continuing our study of John 11.  If you need a Bible, ask for one!Last week Jesus, having informed his disciples that Lazarus was already dead (John 11:14), decided nevertheless to go to his friends in Bethany near Jerusalem.  We see in John 11:17-20 that, when Jesus arrives, Lazarus had already been dead for four days.  We also see the presence of “many Jews” with Mary an...  Read More