JOHN AGAIN

Today is Monday.  I so enjoyed Sunday.  What a blessing!  I cannot wait until next Sunday.  Again, I will be expecting God to do something great.  Today I am in John again and it is a blessing.  Here are a few thoughts to share: 1) THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS- In John 12:1, it says:  "Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany,..."  Now, on the next day we see in verse 12, 13 the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem for the feast before the Passover.  Now, these are the last days of Jesus, because you realized that He was betrayed the night of the Passover as He ate with His disciples in the upper room.  This is chapter 12!  John has 21 chapters.  This means that almost half of the book of John deals with the last few days of Christ's life.  This is unusual.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the synoptic Gospels because what you find in one, you will usually find in the others.  But, John is completely different and gives us insight into Christ that shows us the complete picture that God has for us to see.  Ten chapters are dealing with the last days of Christ. These critical chapters tell us how much Jesus crammed into one week.  "My father worketh hitherto, and I work.."  "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day:  the night cometh, when no man can work."  So Jesus was busy.  John 21:25  "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."  So, Jesus did so much and these ten chapters tell us just a little about the week that changed the world! 2) WHAT JESUS KNEW- John 13:3 "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God."  Now Jesus knew all things because He was God in flesh, but this verse points out three things that Jesus knew: a. What He had "all things into his hands"; b. Where He was from "that he was come from God"; c. Where He was going "and went to God."  We too should know some things... We were made by God, for God, and enjoy all things from His hand!  3) DEATH & RESURRECTION- In John 19:25, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene."  Here we see that Jesus on the cross brought the family together.  Mary's sister was not at the birth of Jesus, but here we see her at the death of Christ.  His death brought the family together.  So many times we see that the death of a father or mother, brings the children together when they have not been together for a long, long time.  Many times we notice that a death in the family though sad, is also a family reunion.  Christ's death, brought the family together.  But unlike anyone else in history, Christ's resurrection brought all humanity together.  John 12:32  "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."  Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, people from all nations, all kindred, all tongues, all tribes will be together in Heaven one day and what a day that will be!!  I'm so looking forward to it, and I hope you are too! Well, so much for today.  Have a blessed day!  Pastor Mike Mutchler