Q&A: What Does Jesus Ask of Us? - “What are you looking for?”

 

Q&A: What Does Jesus Ask of Us?
“What are you looking for?”
John 1:29-42 (CSB)

 

- Key Truth: “Jesus’ questions can bring hope, life, and purpose to any who would dare to answer.”

Main Question: How does Jesus’ question to the disciples change how they and we are to understand His call to follow? 

1.    Jesus changes everything.  (John 1:29-34)

2.    Jesus calls us to follow.  (John 1:35-39)

3.    Jesus changes those who follow Him. 
(John 1:40-42)

After the Message: 
Read John 1:43-51. What does Philip do after he meets Jesus? What is Nathanael’s response? What is Philip’s invitation? What is the outcome? Who will you invite to follow Jesus this week?

Gardeners of His People

Friday, April 25, 2025

Gardeners of His People – 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 Submitted by Kay Crumley

I will tell all who will listen that Spring is my favorite time of year. I go out into the yard almost daily to see what new growth or blooms there are to admire. This morning when the verse of the day was 1 Cor. 3:7 I was reminded of something I have observed many times. All the efforts we make to have a beautiful or fruitful garden seem to be stunted until we have a rain shower. Watering plants may keep them alive but the change I see after rain is just amazing and a little surprising. That reminds me that what God provides is better than anything I can provide. I do understand that this passage isn’t about gardening as I have just alluded to but to growing believers into mature Christians.  

In this chapter of Paul’s letter, he expresses his frustration with them because they are ‘taking sides’ as to who is the best teacher/pastor. Some prefer Paul while others prefer Apollos. Paul had first introduced them to the gospel and Apollos followed him to continue teaching them as they grow in their faith and maturity as believers. Many of us who have been in churches very long have seen churches divide over some of the most ridiculous things. Paul is emphasizing to them that the person isn’t important, but they are both servants of God with a common goal, Chrisitan growth. 

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building. 

As believers, each of us have had various teachers, pastors, or mentors in our lives who have had a role in our growth in faith and cemented our trust in God. As we think of those people, each had a specific role in that period of our maturity. One is not better than the other because each served in the purpose that God had for them in the time they were in our lives. If you plant seeds in the best potting soil money can buy, they will not grow unless they are watered. As those seedlings sprout and begin adding new leaves, they will need the right about of light and fertilizer to become mature, healthy, and producing plants. Each step in the process is necessary. No one step is more essential than the other. What we must remember is that God is the creator and sustainer of all His creation. Just as He provides the nutrients in the rain that encourages the best growth for our plants, He also provides leaders who, guided by the Holy Spirit, will be used by Him for our good so that He will be honored. God is the source of all, He is the answer to all our problems. All those who have been God’s servants in our lives are only instruments to bring glory to the Father. Each of those teachers or mentors will be rewarded by God for their obedience. But one is not more important than the other or should be held as the final answer. God is our source, and they are His coworkers. We, the church of believers, are the garden or field that needs to be tended. Another analogy is that we are the building that must be constructed. Other word pictures in scripture have us as the building blocks of His church with Jesus as the cornerstone around which the church is built. Those who would come into our lives to guide us to maturity are just the stonemasons God uses to place us properly in His church to accomplish the purpose He has for us.  

We must be careful to never place the value of a person above the value or authority of God. Our focus must always be on Him and Him alone. The most charismatic leader with the most eloquent presentation is still just a man. I pray that I will never become so dependent on a person that I lose sight of the author and creator of the universe who is my true source, the Lord God of all.  

A Grown-Up Faith

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me… Isaiah 46:9

…rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, Romans 12:12

A Grown-Up Faith

hope + patience + prayer = victory (Keith Warren; Worthy Living) This is a cycle, not a vicious one, but a lifesaving one. There is no way out of tribulation in this life, and without hope there would be no persevering in tribulation. Without hope, we quit. We lay down. We give up. 

But because of the faith we have in God, we have hope. Hope comes from faith and our faith is fueled by victories – or the promises God has fulfilled. 

There is a reason we are told to remember the things He has done, for us and for others – all the way back to Adam and Eve. This world can make us forget things quickly, but even the weight of tribulation bearing down cannot squash hope that is grounded in faith and fueled by God’s proven faithfulness. (victories) 

Because we know that God is true to His promises, and He has delivered us and proven Himself to be faithful over and over again, we can have hope, persevere, and pray all the way to victory. 

For us, victory can be the catch. We must be willing to accept God’s victory in our lives. It may not be the victory we hoped for, but we can believe and trust that He will give us the absolutely best victory for our lives. He knows better than we do what is best for us and what we need. We often cannot see what we really need, but sometimes we choose to ignore what we really need over what we really want. Choosing what we want over what we need will get us in trouble every time. Choosing something we need over a want is a grown-up decision, much like choosing a side salad over French fries. (no judgement- preaching to myself) In Romans 12, Paul is telling us how to live in “grown-up” faith. The Christians he was talking to were still taking baby steps, but they were learning and growing in their faith. Paul had given them so much information in these twelve chapters and they were soaking it all up. 

Some days we are still taking baby steps, and that is okay, as long as we don’t park there. We need to be exercising our “grown-up” faith to grow up in Him. The older I get, the more important making good choices are, and the less I want to make unwise choices. I have learned the wisdom in accepting what God offers over what I think I want. His victories in the lives of His children are the very best victories. These are the victories that spur faith, which gives us hope, giving us the patience to persevere and pray all the way through tribulation to victory!  

When All Hope Is Lost

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and rescues them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him! You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord, for those who fear him lack nothing. Psalm 34:1-10

When All Hope Is Lost

I confess that sometimes I stop looking for hope. I know the truth about hope in my head, but my heart gives up. I just hold my breath under the weight of whatever the circumstance is that I cannot see my way through. Have you ever felt this way? Have you stopped believing in hope because it is too painful to look for it and not find it? David knew a little about searching blindly for hope in some very treacherous and heavy situations. But he always came back to 

In Psalm 34, David has narrowly escaped the Philistine city of Gath as he was on the run from King Saul. Now he is in the cave at Adullam hiding with some other men. It is believed that he wrote this Psalm from that cave.

David knew that, but he is speaking the truth of hope out loud, for his own good and the good of those with him. He speaks about how he will bless the Lord at all times, even while hiding for fear of losing his life. David knew that the Lord is always great and he knew that we should always proclaim that greatness with our lips. 

We can call out to him and find refuge in him. He hears our cries and answers. We can be radiant with joy when our heart is breaking. He rescues and takes away our shame, and the angel of the Lord surrounds us. Taste and see that he is good.

David knew that all hope is never lost and he walked in that promise. He had his moments, but he always circled back to his faith in the only one true hope we ever have. During hard times and trials is not the time to quit seeking and praising the Lord. Even on the days it is hard to get out of bed and face life, praise him! It changes everything – at least in our hearts. It doesn’t take away or change our circumstances, but it gives life to the hope that is inside us. We focus on him, and we remember who he is when we proclaim it. We remember what we really believe. 

The truth about hope is this – it is never lost. But it will never be found when we look for it in all the wrong places. When we stop looking for it, it always finds us because hope is only found in Jesus, and he comes to us in every situation. He finds us under the weight of our trials and brings hope to us. We might not feel it, but it is there. When we don’t feel it – that is when we need to proclaim it the loudest, sing at the top of our lungs, until our heart hears it and our focus is once again aligned where it should be. Open your eyes and take a breath. All hope is never lost. All hope is found in him. 

Lost and Found Hope

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

 

When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they put him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there just as he told you.’”  

 

Lost and Found Hope

We all know how hard life can be sometimes. There are physical trials, spiritual trials, financial problems, marital problems, career issues, relationship issues, and so much more. When things start piling up it is easy to feel defeated and lose hope. Sunday Pastor Jim said that we find hope in the objects we place our trust in. We lose hope quickly when we put our trust in people, banks, jobs, things, etc. Things start to unravel, and we desperately begin to try to make it stop. We put band aid on top of band aid to stop the bleeding. But this does not give us hope. Where do we find hope that lasts? Where is the hope that overcomes this world and all the problems it brings? Where is the hope that doesn’t blink at the diagnosis we don’t want or the divorce papers that say there really is no longer hope for this circumstance? Jesus’ death and resurrection is the only thing that can bring hope into every circumstance of our lives. 

 

What does Jesus’ resurrection mean and how does it change everything?

 

Pastor Jim asked the question, “What do you do when you lose all hope?” The Disciples thought all hope was lost when they witnessed Jesus die on the cross.  Imagine how dark that time was for them between when he died and rose again. The world was looking for them and the one person they trusted and who gave them hope was dead. They didn’t believe he was going to rise again and without the resurrection there is no hope in death - it is final. When Jesus rose from the grave three days later and visited them in the upper room, they remembered what He had said, and their hope was restored! Jesus was raised from the dead to bring us new life and because He did that, we can live in hope.  He walked out of that grave so that we can stop living in our own graves. The light of Christ comes shining in like the light of day into our musty tomb and everything changes. 

 

Jesus dying on the cross provided payment for my debt, and yours too.  Through the resurrection we can have hope of eternal life.  His payment for sin satisfies the Justice of our Holy God in full. The sacrifice of Jesus is enough to cover every sin ever committed by every person who ever lived throughout history and every person who ever will live. All sins past present and future, paid in full! We can have hope for eternity because he defeated sin and death through his resurrection. We can have hope for today because he has defeated and overcome every trial we might endure. In the power of the resurrection – the power that raised Jesus from the dead – we can endure and overcome.  

Have you lost all hope? Have you given up because some days it is just too painful to believe that hope is real and it is for you? Or do you believe that hope is for everyone else because you don't deserve to hope? One thing after the other - after the other can take our breath away and steal our hope if it is not in the right place. The only true hope comes from Jesus Christ. He loved us so that he laid down his life for us so we could have hope in the face of trials and suffering. We want hope that everything will be perfect today but the true hope is that no matter what today brings, we are forgiven, redeemed and have eternity to spend with him. Put your hope in him and rest in his promises.

 

Eight Days That Changed The World “The Resurrection”

 

Eight Days That Changed The World 
“The Resurrection”
Mark 16:1-11 (CSB)

 

- Key Truth: “Over the course of eight days, God’s redemptive plan culminated in man’s eternal hope.”

Main Question: What does Jesus’ resurrection mean and how does it change everything?

1.    The resurrection gives hope in the face of death.  (Mark 16:1)

2.    The resurrection removes the barrier to eternal life.  
(Mark 16:2-4)

3.    The resurrection opens the door to relationship with God. 
(Mark 16:5-11)

After the Message: 
Read Week 8 in Eight Days That Changed the World: An Easter Devotional on pages 179-203.

Eight Days That Changed The World “The Resurrection”

 

Eight Days That Changed The World
“The Resurrection”
Mark 16:1-11 (CSB)

 

- Key Truth: “Over the course of eight days, God’s redemptive plan culminated in man’s eternal hope.”

Main Question: What does Jesus’ resurrection mean and how does it change everything?

1.    The resurrection gives hope in the face of death.  (Mark 16:1)

2.    The resurrection removes the barrier to eternal life.  
(Mark 16:2-4)

3.    The resurrection opens the door to relationship with God. 
(Mark 16:5-11)

After the Message: 
Read Week 8 in Eight Days That Changed the World: An Easter Devotional on pages 179-203.

Reflecting on the Cross...

Friday, April 18, 2025

Reflecting on the Cross...

From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness came over the whole land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink. But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many. When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:45-54

Today is Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ was crucified for you and me. The past 12-18 hours had been the most painful and horrible for him. He had been betrayed, beaten, tortured, humiliated, and crucified. It                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 was his worst day, endured and finished by him so we could have our best day. His death on Calvary made a way for us to be for forgiven and redeemed. He lost his life so we could have life – eternal life with him.

In the temple a veil, a very thick, woven curtain, separated the Holy of Holies (God's dwelling place and the point of contact between the God and humanity) from the rest of the temple. When Jesus breathed his last breath the curtain in the temple tore from top to bottom and the sky turned black and stayed that way for 3 hours. God was saying, “You no longer are on the outside. You can come in. My Son has made a way for you.”

Also at this moment, the whole earth shook. Many ancient prophets became alive again. Many people saw them. The way that Jesus behaved in court and on the cross, was humble.  When the Roman officer there saw this, and the other events, he said, ‘Surely, this man was the Son of God.’

Without the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, we would be lost with no hope of salvation and eternal life. But thankfully Jesus did finish what He came to do. He endured the pain of the cross, while focusing on the future and a promise for all of salvation and eternal life.  This day is symbolic of all we believe as Christians, the premise on which our foundation is built. This is the day that He laid down His life for us. Jesus had the power to stop, get down from the cross, and say he would not go through with it. But he stayed on the cross because he loves us. 

Take time today to reflect on what Jesus did for you on the cross and what that means for you now.  

Keeping our eyes on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Jewish Leaders Accused

Thursday, April 16, 2025

Jewish Leaders Accused – Matthew 21:41-46 

Have you ever been confronted by an attitude or behavior you are unwilling to believe is wrong? There are times we have adopted a belief and hold it so strongly that we are unable to listen to any alternate position. That is what Jesus was facing as He told parables to the Jewish leaders during Holy Week. The Parable of the Vineyard Owner, Matthew 21:33-46 is a story Jesus used to answer the question posed by the chief priests in Matthew 21:23 about where His authority came from for His teachings and things He was doing. This is the second of two parables He shared to answer their questions.  

He began the Parable of the Vineyard Owner describing the events that had taken place when it was time for the workers to give the owner his portion of the crops that were ready to be harvested. The owner sent two different groups of servants to collect the owner’s portion of the harvest, and the workers beat and killed the servants. Then the owner sent his son who they should have respect for and yet they killed him as well. When Jesus completed this portion of the story, he asked what should be done to these men. The chief priests replied that they should be destroyed.   

41 “He will completely destroy those terrible men,” they told Him, “and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his produce at the harvest.” 

 

It didn’t take long for them to discover that Jesus had ‘set them up’ with this parable because He revealed to them that if they had ever really read and understood the scriptures, they would have known who He was. These men were the Bible scholars of their day, yet Jesus questioned their understanding of the scripture  

 

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: 

The stone that the builders rejected 
has become the cornerstone.  
This came from the Lord 
and is wonderful in our eyes? 

 

He quotes from Psalm, Isaiah, and Daniel. They must have recognized the passages. Have you ever been confronted with something that, after an open-minded consideration, became clear and obvious? Psalm 118 is the Psalm about the Messiah, the cornerstone that was rejected referred to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The prophet Isaiah in chapters 8 and 28 describes Him as the stone some will stumble over yet He is the corner stone on which God will build His church. Daniel declares Him to be the stone that destroys the world’s rebellion against Him in chapter 2.  

 

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit. [44 Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whoever it falls, it will grind him to powder!]” 

 

He had their attention now. He assured them that the Kingdom of God will be taken from the nation that doesn’t produce Kingdom fruit. It will be given to a nation, the Kingdom of God made up of those who place their faith in Jesus Christ the one true Son of God. He presents them with a choice, they can humble themselves before Him and have their sinful nature broken or they can remain rebellious and be ground into powder by His judgement.  

 

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was speaking about them. 46 Although they were looking for a way to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they regarded Him as a prophet. 

 

They did realize He was speaking about them. However, they remained rebellious and were ready to get rid of Him. But the crowds who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover were large and many considered Him to at least be a prophet. They didn’t want to create a riot and have the Roman commanders to come down on them, so they began looking for a more ‘politically correct’ way to get rid of Jesus.  

 

There are a few questions we need to examine and ask ourselves. Do I see the truth of who Jesus is and the Authority His has in my life? Or am I rebellious and seek my own will rather than His? Do I want the Kingdom of God to be where I live? Have I made obedience to Him a priority and way of life as a daily practice?  

 

As we celebrate the ‘once for all’ sacrifice Jesus made for those who will believe, let’s commit our trust, hope, and submission to Him alone.