In the Beginning...

I've asked my local paper if I can write a Bible Study column. I think we all need more of God's Word in our lives, but the challenge is finding the time. I'm planning to write a column that you can read in less than three minutes. I'll never be preachy or dogmatic, but will simply try to expose what is taught in the Scripture. We all have our different beliefs on spiritual issues, and I know I have mine, but as a journalist I vow to be as fair as possible.
I think the place to start this column is John, chapter one. This is wonderful truth about Christianity. So here goes John 1: 1 - 14 in the New International Version:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John wrote this to make sure we understand some basic truths about who Jesus was (and is). First, John declares that Jesus is God himself. This separates Christianity from all other religions in the world. John calls Jesus the Word, which means he is the "face" of God. (Paul said the same thing in Colossians 1:15). When my son was two or three years old, he asked me what God looked like. I showed him an artist's illustration of Jesus. "That's what God looks like," I said.
As God, Jesus is the creator of the universe. He is the giver of life itself. And he gives light to people, meaning he holds and shares all truth. Most people don't see that light, even though it is available to all. Most people reject Jesus as Messiah. Even Jesus' own people for the most part have rejected him.
John then says that John the Baptist came along and preached that the Messiah was coming. We can read the story of John the Baptist in all of the Gospel narratives.
John goes on to say that if we will believe in Jesus, we can become God's children. But isn't everyone God's child? No, John says that everyone is God's creation, but only those who believe in Jesus' name become God's children. Believing in Jesus' name means we accept that Jesus is who he claimed to be, and that he will save us from the penalty of our sins if we ask him.
When John wrote this, a religious group called the Gnostics was teaching that all flesh was evil so Jesus must have been only a spirit. John says, no, Jesus had a body and he gave that body to pay for our sins. John, as one of the twelve disciples, saw Jesus with his own eyes and touched him with his own hands. He saw him glorified and he saw him after he rose from the dead.
One more interesting note about this passage: John says Jesus came and "made his dwelling" among us. In the Greek, the language in which this was written, it says Jesus came and "tabernacled" among us. This is the Christmas story in the Gospel of John. Many believe he is teaching that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, which would be late September or early October. More on that later.
Now, have a blessed day.

Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

One of my favorite Bible Stories is from Mark 10: 46 - 52 (NIV). I love this story because it is so full of illustrations:

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to be arrested and crucified. This was his last time to pass through Jericho. People were selling wares along the road and shouting to people passing through, on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover Celebration. So Bartimaeus had to yell to get Jesus’ attention. It was against custom to shout at a rabbi, but he didn’t let a custom keep him from getting healing from Jesus, he shouted all the more. And he knew who Jesus was - he called him the Son of David. That tells us that he acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah. We must understand that Jesus is not just a prophet or teacher, he is the Christ. (Christ is Greek and Messiah is Hebrew; both mean Anointed One, Redeemer - One who brings salvation.)
The blind man’s friends and acquaintances told him to stop yelling, but he didn’t let them keep him from Jesus. How often do we let our friends keep us from a relationship with God? As Bartimaeus yelled, Jesus stopped. He called to him. Here’s where the story gets really interesting: Bartimaeus threw his cloak aside. Don’t miss that. That cloak may have been his only possession, and everything he owned was likely in the pockets. He didn’t let his material possessions come between himself and Jesus. He threw it all away for a chance at standing in front of Jesus.
Then Jesus asks him what seems to be a silly question: “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus knew full well what Bartimaeus needed, but wanted him to acknowledge it. Bartimaeus could have asked Jesus for a silver coin, but he went for it all and asked for his sight. By this he showed his faith. Tell Jesus what you really need and don’t hold back. Remember, he already knows. Jesus healed him on the spot. If Bartimaeus had reasoned that he would catch Jesus next time, there would be no next time. We never know when it will be our last chance to cry out to Jesus.
Jesus told him that it was his faith that had healed him. God uses our faith to deliver his grace to us. The one work that we must perform to be right with God is to believe, to have faith. (John 6:29)
Finally, look at Bartimaeus’ response to being healed by Jesus: he followed him along the road. When Jesus answers our prayers, whether that means a physical healing or salvation, our response should be to follow him wherever he goes. Jesus was heading toward his crucifixion. Are we willing to lay down our lives and follow him? That’s true discipleship, but Bartimaeus was thrilled to follow Jesus wherever he went because Jesus had given him his sight. He knew what it was like before Jesus came along and I can assure you he never forgot.