Old Sandals

John 12:5-6
“Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

This insight into Judas’ ulterior motive was not understood until after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

John 11:24-26

Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Who else but God or a madman could say such things?

John 10:4
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

It’s OK being a sheep, if the Lord Himself is the shepherd. And He really is that.

John 9:24-25
So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner.”

He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

A mature faith must stand on its own.  We may or may not be healed of an infirmity.  Our circumstances  may at times be very difficult.  Even so, and especially so, we are to echo the words of the hymn writer:

I am not skilled to understand
What God hath willed, what God hath planned
I only know at His right hand
Is One who is my savior.

John 8:57-58
Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Most assuredly. Before Abraham was. A similar thing could one day be said about any of us. “Before Andy was.” “Before Tom was born.”

But Christ alone—of all men who have or ever will walk the earth—can truthfully say, “I AM.”

John 7:28-29
Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

Be honest.  You are only fooling yourself.  Deep down.  Deep down, you know the truth.  Surrender to it.

John 6:39
This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

He is Lord of all.  “Ask of Me,” says the Father, “and I will give the heathen for your inheritance.”  The world and all they who dwell therein.

O Lord, if indeed you died for some, your death is more efficient.  But if you died for all, your death is more magnificent.

John 5:28-29
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

All who are in the graves—that’s everybody—will experience a resurrection.  A resurrection of life or a resurrection of condemnation.

At death, the shades are drawn for a time, but the lights do not go out.

John 4:5
Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

Wearied.  Wearied in body, not in spirit.  Yet he often experienced a weariness of spirit; he was acquainted with grief.

Even when he was physically tired, he did not lose focus.  How easy it might have been for him to relax by the well and simply enjoy a cup of cold water with a stranger.  I’m sure he was refreshed by the drink, but here was an opportunity to minister and, as always, he took advantage of it.

John 3:14-19
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

If the whole Bible could be reduced to a few verses, this would be it.  This is God on display.  This is God’s way of redeeming the whole world.  Woe to us if we spurn such great love!  Woe to us if we refuse to believe, loving darkness rather than light.