Women of Firm Faith

Verses 1-9, "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, 'Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.' For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.  You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.' When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee."  Jesus did not want to go to Judea because the Jews wanted to kill Him, and look at what His brothers advice to Him is...go to Judea and pro...

Jesus instructed the disciples to feed the multitude of people and asks Philip where they could buy bread to feed them.  He knew how to feed the multitude but wanted the disciples to consider the situation.  Verses 8-9, "One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 'There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?' ”  Anyone could've seen the impossibility of the situation, and maybe that was precisely what Jesus wanted.  They needed a miracle.  This type of situation will allow you to see just where your faith is at.  God can and will multiply what He's provided, and we need to trust that He can.  Thinking that we are just one person and cannot make a difference does not demonstrate faith, but lack of it. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11, "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your rig...

Verses 5-9, "Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that  condition a long time, He said to him, 'Do you want to be made well?' The sick man answered Him, 'Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.' Jesus said to him, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk.'  And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath."  The man wanted to be healed, but he could only think of one way to achieve that goal.  Because he had no one to put him into the pool, he assumed it was not possible.  In Luke 18:27, Jesus said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”  So often we limit God's ability in our mind when the situation we find ourselves in is beyond our control and the solution is out of our reach.  If we want...

When Jesus knew that word of Him was increasing, the Pharisees heard that He had made and baptized me disciples than John, He decided to leave Judea.  He left for Galilee going right through Samaria, a place that was often avoided by the Jews because they were a group of half-Jews who had intermarried after most of the Jews were taken captive to Babylon.  Verse 4, "But He needed to go through Samaria."  Jesus had a reason to take this route, a divine appointment. Verses 5-9, "So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, 'Give Me a drink.' For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woma...

Verses 1-3, "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' ”  No matter what situation you are born into, it does not determine your eternity and where you'll spend it.  Having Jewish heritage and being a leader of the Jews did not give Nicodemus any special standing with God.  Neither does being part of a religious movement or obtaining church leadership status.  There is only one way to see the kingdom of God, and that is to be born again.  Verses 4-8, "Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?' Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, unles...

Verses 1-5, "On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, 'They have no wine.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.' His mother said to the servants, 'Whatever He says to you, do it.' ” Jesus wasn't speaking to Mary as a son, but rather as the Christ Savior.  Mary had faith that Jesus could perform a miracle, but it had to be in God's will and timing.  She still continues in faith by telling the servants to do whatever He says.  You can see that her faith was not discouraged by His first response.  We also need to be willing to do whatever He tells us to do.  When we don't get the response that we expect or desire, our faith needs to remain in tact, submitting to the Father's will just as Jesus had said,  Luke 22:...

The book of John testifies to who Jesus is based on a first-hand account.  He was not merely a man, or just a prophet, but God in the flesh. Verses 1-5, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."  The Word existed before time began, as did Jesus...and God. The Word was God in that you can know everything about God the Father through God the Son.  Colossians 2:9, "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;" Colossians 1:16, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him."  Jesus is the living fulfillment...

Verses 1-3, "Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus."  Matthew tells us that Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany went to see the tomb in which Jesus was laid, but when they arrived, they encountered an angel who had rolled the stone from the door and sat on it. Matthew 28:3-7, "His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men."  Verses 5-9, "Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, ...

Verses 1-2, "Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, 'We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.' ”  The reality is they had no good reason to want to kill Jesus, so they tried to make Him out to be an enemy of the Roman government to get Pilate to carry out their dirty work. We know from Chapter 20  that He did not forbid paying taxes to Caesar, but rather said in Verse 25, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  There real problem for them was that Jesus claimed to be God and was guilty in their minds of blasphemy, but they had to make Him a threat to the government to get their will accomplished. As a born again Christian, you too are being made out to be a threat to your government. The world is under the control of Satan and they hate the ...

Verses 1-6, "Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude."  Although Judas betrayed Jesus, He had a bigger enemy working against Him.  Ephesians 6:12, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."  Judas was among the 12 disciples and did not appear any different than the rest.  Verses 21-23, " 'But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.  And t...

This chapter teaches us the concept of sacrificial giving (giving that costs us something) through a widow.  It's not the only place is that giving in poverty is mentioned.  Also in 2 Corinthians 8:1-7, "Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us— see that yo...

The chief priests, scribes, and elders question Jesus' authority by asking in Verse 2, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”  Jesus entering the temple and cleaning house probably did not over very well.  Due to the fact He had no formal training through their religious system, they will not respect His authority, but rather challenge it.  Instead of answering their question, Jesus responds with a question meant to expose them for who they are...hypocrites.  Verses 3-8, "But He answered and said to them, 'I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me:  The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?' And they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'If we say, "From heaven," He will say, "Why then did you not believe him?" But if we say, "From men," all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.' So they answered that they did not know where ...

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector and most certainly despised by the Pharisees, but he had a heart that was open to Jesus.  In fact, he wanted to see Jesus so badly, he was willing to risk public humiliation by climbing up a tree like a little kid in order to see Him.  Verses 5-7, "And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, make haste and come  down, for today I must stay at your house.'  So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, 'He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.' ”  The Pharisees may have complained because Jesus would not uphold their judgement on this tax collector and avoid him as they would have.  Maybe they also disliked Zacchaeus because they hated paying taxes.  Regardless, Jesus didn't fall in line with them and when He sees the effort on behalf of Zacchaeus, He meets him where he's at.  Luke 11:...

Verses 1-8, "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: 'There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, "Get justice for me from my adversary." And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, "Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me." ’  Then the Lord said, 'Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?' ”  It is clear that we are called to pray in faith without doubting. James 1:5-8, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without repr...

In Verses 1-2, Jesus said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." Offenses are stumbling blocks, and we are clearly told not to put obstacles in front of others trying to reach Christ.  Christians can start on the right path and have others right in the church come along and trip them up with false teaching, legalism, and even liberty to pursue their fleshly desires. The Galatians were asked who hindered them from obeying the truth. Galatians 5:8-10, "This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is." The ones causing the offenses are certainly not of the Lord, and this ty...

Verses 1-2, "He also said to His disciples: 'There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, "What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward." ’ "  We are all stewards of what God gives to us (time, money, talent, etc.) and will one day have to give an account for our stewardship. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, "Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."  I Peter 4:10-11, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory ...