Category: Christian Blog

Why was Christ’s Cleansing of the Temple really important?

Why was Christ’s Cleansing of the Temple really important?

The gospel account written by John detailed those events of Jesus’ life that would display His Glory, His deity, and His grace upon grace poured out for you and for me. John wanted to show you Christ in all His beauty that you might believe in Him and gain eternal life. He wanted to share with you what he had found in Christ. “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[b]that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31 NIV)

prcas2588

So why did John choose to tell us of this cleansing of the temple at the beginning of the earthly ministry of Christ? If we read the “cleansing of the temple” accounts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke we will read about Christ running out the money changers upon His final trip into Jerusalem just before His arrest and crucifixion. Yet, John is telling us about Jesus running out the money changers and those selling animals in the temple courts during Christ’s first trip to the Passover at the beginning of His earthly ministry. Why is that an important detail to our seeing Christ? How does that impact our lives? Those are the questions I want to look a little further into with you.

Continue reading “Why was Christ’s Cleansing of the Temple really important?”

Have You Seen the Wonderful Glorious Bridegroom’s Love?

Have You Seen the Wonderful Glorious Bridegroom’s Love?

There is one more very important detail that we must look at before we leave John’s detailed account of the first miracle that Jesus performed during His earthly ministry. That is the All-providing nature of Jesus shown here. As I explained Monday, the bridegroom was responsible for making certain there was an ample supply of wine. Not even the master of the feast was responsible. This was the responsibility of the bridegroom. In this scene, the bridegroom had failed to provide. Jesus provided what the bridegroom did not and could not. There are several beautiful portraits of Jesus Christ that we can take from these scriptures.

39994815_m

JESUS IS THERE TO HELP FAILING BRIDEGROOMS

[bctt tweet=”Jesus stepped into the scene & with purifying water provided what the bridegroom could not.”] Do you ever feel that as a husband you have failed? Christ is there to help you. He is the only one who can fill your heart with self-less love for your wife. He can guide your every step. Scripture commands husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, being willing to die for the church. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself” (Ephesians 5).

Continue reading “Have You Seen the Wonderful Glorious Bridegroom’s Love?”

How did Christ’s First Miracle Portray Grace to the World?

How did Christ’s First Miracle Portray Grace to the World?

Christ had gathered his apostles and a group of disciples were beginning to follow as well by the time that He performed His first miracle at the wedding feast. This was the beginning of many miracles to come. He had already shown with his conversation with Nathanael His omniscience to know a man’s heart and to be acutely aware of every circumstance in the life of each person. I see that as pretty miraculous in itself; yet, John reports that as part of the glorious nature of who Jesus is in all His Glory. Then John goes on to report the first miracle of Jesus.  Here Jesus is about to perform His first miracle by changing water into wine. How does that display His Glory? John’s epistle is the only gospel that even records it. Yet, John says, “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him” (John 2: 11).

come taste and see

How did changing water into wine, display Christ’s glory and caused the disciples to believe in Him? John’s gospel as I pointed out in the previous blogs, presents Christ as God in all His Glory.  Christ, though the only begotten son of God,  came to earth to pour out grace upon grace to mankind. Grace that rebellious, self-exalting hearts such as ours could never deserve. Caught within our web of self-deceit, we could never even desire God if He did not reveal Himself to us. Christ would gather the crowds, display His Glory through miracles, speak the truth and still would be rejected by the masses.

 

Continue reading “How did Christ’s First Miracle Portray Grace to the World?”

What Is The Significance Of Christ’s First Miracle?

What Is The Significance Of Christ’s First Miracle?  (Part 1 of 3)

John has with great detail and great care presented Christ’s deity and Christ’s Glory as he opened his gospel epistle. He has proclaimed the gospel of salvation as grace upon grace in the life of each believer. We must not forget this focus as we now turn to look at Christ’s first miracle. This first miracle is only recorded by John; however, once more he presents it with such detail that we must not rush in our reading of it. Once more we are presented with these three major points within this story.

God'sGloryDelight

Christ’s first miracle is when He turned water into wine at a wedding feast. We could easily miss the truths found in these passages were it not for the details presented by John. [bctt tweet=”Christ’s first miracle presents for us Christ’s Deity, Christ’s Glory & His Grace upon Grace “]to all who believe. In order to explain each of these portraits clearly, I believe that it will be necessary to divide this discussion into the three parts.

Continue reading “What Is The Significance Of Christ’s First Miracle?”

What Is The Heart Of John’s Wonderful Message To The World?

What Is The Heart Of John’s Wonderful Message To The World?

Were we to try to see the magnificent characteristics of Jesus Christ or to view all of the wondrous works that He performed on earth there would be no book large enough to include them all. John’s final statement in his gospel account is just that statement. “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen” (John 21: 25). The complexity of any human being with their life, their emotions, and their desires is nearly impossible to fully know or understand. That is even more true were one to try to know or comprehend all of Christ’s life or characteristics. In Christ is the perfect only begotten son of God, God Himself in Human Flesh with all the Glory that is God; yet, who willing adorned a body like ours. He is the lion of Judah with all the power, majesty and might of a lion. He is also the humble, obedient, gentle lamb of God who laid down His life as a sacrifice for mankind.

 

Eternity with Christ

[bctt tweet=”We will never fully know all of who Christ is nor comprehend His magnificent Glory and beauty.”] Perhaps it will take eternity in His presence to begin to comprehend “How Majestic He Truly Is”. His beauty, Glory and Grace become more precious to me each and every day that I live. It is no wonder that we are given at minimum 4 gospel accounts and each are presented from a different focus so that we might see Christ.

Continue reading “What Is The Heart Of John’s Wonderful Message To The World?”