“They said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’” (John 6:28-29) The crowd wanted to know what “works” they needed to do to get right with God. Instead of giving them …
Receiving the Grace of Jesus
“Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3) The Christian life is about giving our time, support, service, and love. Many pieces of scripture encourage us to give. Even though all …
Jesus Gives Us the “Basket” of His Love and Grace
“Jesus said, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets.” (John 6:12-13) A 6-year-old girl asked, “Didn’t Jesus eat lunch?” I said, “What you do mean? ”She …
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The Path Jesus Has Given to Us
“When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him a king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” (John 6:15) In today’s passage, the crowd wanted to draft, even force, Jesus into becoming their king. But Jesus wouldn’t be drafted or forced. Although many people thought …
Jesus Spoke with Common Sense
“Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.” (John 6:10) Jesus had common sense. Although saying Jesus had common sense may seem to somehow diminish Him, that isn’t my intent. In today’s scripture, Jesus was looking …
Our Home Is With God
“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, ‘Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’” (John 1:45-46) Jesus came from a small town. Nazareth had no recognized academy, no noteworthy buildings, …
Partying With Jesus
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Matthew 11:18-19) Jesus partied. He knew how to have a blast. He wasn’t a killjoy or …
God’s Extravagant Love and Grace
The wine steward said, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” (John 2:10) Just as Jesus saved the wedding festivities for that young couple long ago in Cana, so He can do the same in …
Running on Empty
“When the wine steward tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But …
Keeping God at the Center of our Lives
“Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves, and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the …