Sometime early in His ministry, Jesus had an interesting encounter with a Pharisee named Nicodemus. We aren't told much about this particular Pharisee. In fact, the grand total of what we know is found in John 3:1-20, as well as in one tiny verse in John 19: 1....
Last week, in JESUS AND NICODEMUS, Part 1, we saw that there is a deep, albeit unrecognized, need in each of us to understand things from the spiritual level, the level in which God sees the world. We once had this ability but we lost it back in Eden, and this is the...
Last week, in JESUS AND NICODEMUS, Part 2, we saw that there is more than one level to life. The physical, which we barely understand, and the spiritual, which we don't understand at all. And we can't understand it unless we are born again of the Spirit of God. We...
In the previous three lessons to be learned from Nicodemus' clandestine meeting with Jesus, we have seen that spiritual rebirth is necessary in order to re-establish us in the spiritual level, the level lost at Eden. We have learned that the key to the spiritual...
As I contemplate the gift of the cross, I am completely and totally awed by the enormity of God’s love. I am drawn to my knees in worship and adoration. The Bible says this: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John...
Last week, in THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, Part 1, we saw that there are three types of worshippers: Those who worship God for personal gain, those who do so out of fear, and those who worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Today's lesson takes a look at the first type of...
Last Tuesday, in THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, Part 2, we took at the look at the selfishness that so often motivates our worship. Today's lesson will look the second type of worshipper: Those who worship God because they are afraid not to! Is this a constructive way to...
Why do are we told to worship, anyway? Isn't that kind of arrogant for God to say, "Hey! Worship me!" Does He need my worship? Not at all. Friends, the God who created the universe out of nothing doesn't need anything. He doesn't need our worship in even the smallest...
The book of John takes us through many deep discussions that Jesus gave at various times in His ministry. This next study takes us to John, Chapter 5, to the pool of Bethesda, to a miracle that Jesus performed for a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years...
Last week, in AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA, Part 1, we learned from the paralytic that we all live in a crippled state, we are all in need of healing. We learned that like the paralytic, we need to be aware of this fact, and we need to seek that healing in the living...