A Precious Word from God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God… . Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

John 1:1, 14 (NET)

I met my husband on a blind date. I had actually seen him before, but I didn’t know him at all. When a friend approached me about going to a party with him, I naturally asked her to tell me more about him. In a sense, she gave me snapshots of who he is, not in a visual sense but through her words. The apostle John does something very similar in his gospel; he provides some snapshots of Jesus, some word pictures, for us so that we can get to know Him.

I invite you to walk with Jesus along with the apostle John as He does ministry in early first century Israel. Picture yourself right there as He teaches and performs great signs for the people. Get to know Him afresh and fall in love with Him all over again!

Day One Study

The apostle began his book with an introductory section, often called the Prologue. It’s as if he wanted to be sure we didn’t miss his main point about Jesus so he began with it. John also used the Prologue to introduce many of the themes that continue throughout the book; you may think of the Prologue as a summary of John’s message. As you begin your first day of study, ask God to draw you closer to Jesus as you focus on Him not only today but throughout the next eleven weeks.

Read John 1:1-18.

1. John identified Jesus as “the Word.” Focus on 1:1-3. Write down exactly what John says about the Word in these verses. Just make a list of everything you learn about Jesus in these three verses. Spend a few minutes meditating on the greatness of Jesus, simply from what John says in these few verses.

Our memory verse Precious Word from God for this week includes verse 1. At the end of the study you will have some great verses in your memory banks! And take it from me; memorize as much scripture as you can as early as you can—later you lose your mind!

Diamonds in the Word: Those of you who enjoy looking at the entire book in advance and building a book chart can begin work on that today as your optional work for the week. To do so, you need to read the entire book, but quickly! You will be looking for the obvious theme in each chapter rather than looking for details; we’ll see those as we study week by week. If you are unfamiliar with a book chart but would like to try it, basically find the theme of each chapter and then a theme for the book. The theme is really the most emphasized, repeated idea. You are looking for the big picture and thinking through how the book fits together. Many people find it helpful to write the themes in few words, making them more like short titles. You may want to draw it out on a chart, but that is not necessary.

You may be wondering why John called Jesus the Word. The Greek word used here is logos. According to F. F. Bruce, “Word” does not convey the complete thought involved in the Greek. It literally is “a means of communication, the expression of what is in one’s mind.”¹ There is more to the meaning of logos than that, however. Bruce goes on to explain: “The true background to John’s thought and language is found … in Hebrew revelation. The ‘word of God’ in the Old Testament denotes God in action, especially in creation, revelation, and deliverance.”²

We want to look at some of that Old Testament background. Remember that those to whom John was writing would have been familiar with these passages.

2. Read Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26. What repeated phrase relates to the idea of Jesus’ being the “word” of God? What do you learn from these verses about the importance and power of God’s word?

3. Read these verses and write down how they relate to the verses in Gen. 1.

a. Ps. 33:6

b. Heb. 11:3

Over and over in the Old Testament, the word of the LORD “came to” the prophets who then spoke His word to the people and called upon them to “hear the word of the Lord,” meaning not only to listen but also to obey.

4. Read Heb. 1:1-2. If the nation of Israel was to listen and obey God’s word sent through the prophets, how important is it for us to hear and obey Jesus? Why?

5. Sharing question: What one specific action can you take to more carefully and more frequently listen to Jesus, God’s Word in the flesh? What can you do to be more disciplined in taking time to listen, maybe through this study? What can you do to better focus on His words? How can you listen well so that you take what He says to heart rather than simply hearing? If you are clueless, ask God for direction and listen for His answer.

6. Responding to God: Write out a prayer, asking God to give you the grace to follow through with your plans to better listen and obey. Ask Him to give you the desire to hear Jesus day-by-day and moment-by-moment as you walk with Him.

Day Two Study

Review John 1:1-18, the Prologue of this gospel.

7. Focus now on 1:4-5. What does John say about Jesus in these verses that he didn’t say in the first three verses?

8. How does 1:3 relate to 1:4a?³ In other words, what is the relationship between the description of Jesus in 1:3 and the description of Him that begins 1:4? (Don’t make this hard!)

9. Read 1 John 1:5-7. How does the contrast of darkness and light in both 1 John and the gospel of John help you better understand Jesus?

10. How does it feel to know that Jesus is the light who came into the darkness for you? What emotions does that truth stir?

11. Sharing question: Consider your day so far. Has it involved more darkness or light? Why or how?

12. Responding to God: Ask God to shine His light on you today. Ask Him to speak to you and draw you close to Himself that you might better hear His voice. Pray Ps. 139:23. You may want to draw a picture of the light shining in your life.

Day Three Study

Review John 1:1-18. Focus on 1:6-13.

13. The John mentioned in v. 6 is not the author of the book but John the Baptist. What was God’s purpose for him, according to vv. 7-8?

14. What is the contrast between the people mentioned in v. 11 and those in v. 12-13?

15. What does it take to receive Jesus, according to v. 12?

Read John 20:30-31.

16. These verses state John’s purpose in writing this book. Everything he says throughout the book is designed to accomplish this purpose. Why does John say that he wrote these things? What response does he hope the reader will have?

If you have not yet believed in Jesus, I want to invite you to continue with us through this study so that you can consider that step in your life.

17. Sharing question: Where are you on the journey of faith? How did you get where you are? Christians come to faith in a variety of ways, but it is a journey for each person. Share with your group where you are—have you already believed or are you seeking to know God and moving along the path? If you are uncomfortable sharing this with your group, seek out your small group leader and tell her where you are so that she can pray for God to lead you on your journey.

18. Responding to God: Write out a prayer thanking God for bringing you to this place on your journey.

Day Four Study

Review John 1:1-18, focusing on vv. 14-18.

19. We read yesterday that John the Baptist testified of Jesus. Write down his words concerning Jesus. What was his point?

20. How does John the Baptist’s testimony in 1:15 support what the author already said in 1:1-14?

21. What have we received according to 1:16? If you have more than one translation of the Bible available, look up this verse in at least two versions.⁴

There are several possibilities for understanding what 1:16 says that Jesus has done for us. The NET Bible note says, “… It is this idea of favor given to one who has already received favor which lies behind 1:16, and this seems very probable as a good explanation of the meaning of the phrase.”⁵

22. What do you learn about how to know God in 1:18?

23. Sharing question: How do you see people searching for God in other ways? How have you helped others know God without preaching to them?

24. Responding to God: Thank Jesus for coming to earth and revealing God. Write down a prayer or poem of thanks.

Day Five Study

Review the purpose statement in John 20:30-31.

25. In the purpose statement, the author mentions that Jesus performed many signs. Think of signs that you regularly see, such as road signs, etc. What is their purpose?

26. John 20:30 says “Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples.” Go back and read the previous verses to discover the sign to which he is referring. How is the event in John 20 a sign?

27. Let’s take a quick look at the signs that John recorded to help accomplish his purpose in the book. Write down what each sign was. As you read them, write down any thoughts that you have about how each sign signifies something important about Jesus. We’ll obviously look at them more closely later.

a. Jn. 2:1-11

b. Jn. 4:46-54

c. Jn. 5:1-9

d. Jn. 6:1-14

e. Jn. 6:16-21

f. Jn. 9:1-11

g. Jn. 11:1-44

h. Jn. 20 (look back at the previous question to answer this one) and compare with Jn. 2:18-22. (Some scholars call this a sign, and others don’t. The scripture doesn’t use that term for it, but we will include it.)

28. Sharing question: How would you have felt if you had walked with Jesus as He performed these signs? Which one stands out to you most?

28. Responding to God: Ask God to help you see Jesus’ glory, as John described in 1:14. Ask Him to give you the same awe and amazement that you would have felt if you were the recipient of the miracle involved.

Caye’s Story

It’s easy to see God’ majesty and grandeur when I look at snow capped mountains or the vast ocean. But since I don’t live near a beach or ski resort, I look for God’s grandeur in more subtle places—by really stopping to observe and consider God’s handiwork up close and personal (where He can bombard my senses).

Usually, I look for God’s beauty just walking around the neighborhood with my dog. Sometimes I trace the veins in a leaf and think how fearfully and wonderfully God has made all things. Sometimes I feel God’s embrace in the breeze and know that His power working towards me is as limitless and mysterious as the wind. I love to listen to the chorus of birds and insects, especially at dusk or nighttime; then I hear God’s lullaby to me as He sings of His constant love and care. Of course, there are flowers to smell and leaves to crush that release their own fragrance; these remind me of the sweet smelling sacrifice of Christ and how I am to be a sweet aroma of Christ to others. Then, there’s the occasional taste—a rosemary leaf, honeysuckle nectar, even a blade of grass that witness to God’s diversity, His creativity. Sometimes it’s just the blueness of the sky, the drifting clouds, a certain sunset or the constant stars that all speak of God’s magnificence. Basically, I find that if I just get outside and away from the TV, Ipod, etc., worship is imminent.

As I read God’s word, I usually experience something in nature that reinforces what He is already telling me. Creation draws me to who God is; then it’s easy to respond with awe, wonder, thanksgiving and trust as I yield myself and cares to Him. More often than not I find God just like Elijah did—not in the whirlwind or the fire, but in the still small voice.

Virginia’s Story

It doesn’t matter if you are looking at your surroundings in the lushness of a tropical forest in Hawaii or at the flat barren plains of West Texas; landscapes are beautiful. I love landscapes and am fascinated by clouds. Years and years ago, I was taking photos of landscapes and clouds long before fancy digital cameras and computer photo programs.

If you look at your surroundings closely, you will always be able to find God’s glory in His handiwork. I am reminded of the lyrics to Nichol Mullins’ version of the song Redeemer – “who taught the sun how to shine in the morning. Who taught the oceans you can only come this far. And who told the moon where to hide til evening…” Well, who indeed but our loving Redeemer who bought us back from sin and death with His own precious blood? The very One who created the beauty around us is the One who controls it as well. All that power, yet He loved us enough to Redeem us to Himself.

And did you know that God commanded the clouds and opened the doors of Heaven? (Psalm 78:23-25) Then He rained down provisions in abundance from Heaven for the children of Israel until they were full and satisfied. That is what He did for them, and He can surely do so for His children today. What are your needs? What are your desires? Look to the Heavens and watch as God moves the clouds and know that He is gloriously intervening in someone’s life in that very moment. See Him in His creation!

In my lifetime there have been unmet desires – things I wanted to do, but never accomplished. One of those is to learn to paint – and I’m not talking walls! I mean really paint – like an artist – the beauty of God’s creation in landscapes and clouds. I have never had an art class in my life and so far, my left brain has overpowered my right brain. In fact, I had not even held a paintbrush until a few months ago. But praise God, He controls my entire brain!

After a particularly difficult year, I attended a women’s evening session at our church where Sheila Walsh was the speaker. She talked about dreams. As I listened, I realized that somewhere along the way of life, my dreams and desires had gotten lost. As I stood in line to have Sheila sign her book, I became so emotional, I had to quickly leave. It was a humiliating moment for me, but one of God’s finest because the moment of realization He gave was the beginning of healing.

The next morning as I prayed and read the Bible, I asked the Lord to remind me of those things in my life that were healthy for me, but had gotten lost along the way – things that would glorify Him and satisfy the desires of my heart. Wow! What an amazing day He gave me! A few weeks before, I had bought a canvas, brushes and paints. (Talk about faith!) And so, on this day, I set up everything and prepared to make a mess. The praise CD was playing and I was praying, “Lord, show me how…” and I began to paint.

What transpired over the next 24 hours was miraculous indeed! It was the most amazing experience. I was filled with complete peace as I painted and sang praise music to the Lord. Yes, I had a photo in a book to go by and even instructions, but I wasn’t prepared for what God did that day. I really painted a landscape!! Hours flew by, the music played and the paint flowed. There is no doubt in my mind that God fulfilled the desires of my heart and brought peace to a wounded spirit that day by His Spirit. It was as if His Spirit rested on my hand guiding every stroke. God used me as His paintbrush and His glory was revealed in His creation through me. I am so blessed by His power and presence I am speechless.

And so, as you see the glory of God in His creation all around you – in the clouds, the oceans, the trees and even the desert – you can know these things about our Redeemer:

• He created it all – that means ALL (John 1:1-5) (Col. 1:13-17)
• He commands it all – even the clouds (Psalm 78:23-25)
• He controls it all – even the winds and seas (Genesis 1:1-10) (Luke 8:22-25
• He completes all who believe – salvation, redemption (Ephesians 1:5-14) (Col. 1:14); and finally,
• He gives all

· His precious Son as the gift of life (John 3:16)

· The Peace of Christ (Ephesians 2:13-14) (Col 1:20)

· The Desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4) and

· His provisions in abundance (Psalm 78:23-25)

He made the heavens and the earth. He made you and will continue to work through you as you put your trust in Him. You are one of God’s greatest assets!

As I look back at what He has done in my life, I am so thankful. And I keep the painting above my desk so that as I am working, I am inspired in knowing once again that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!

¹ F.F. Bruce, The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983), 29.

² Ibid.

³ An “a” refers to the first part of the verse; “b” would mean the second part, etc.

⁴ You can always go to an online resource which includes several translations, such as bible.org.

⁵ Note #15 in NET Bible: New English Translation (Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C., 2003) on John 1:16.

A Precious Word from God

“Jesus replied, ‘Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.’”

John 4:13, 14 (NET)

Water in the desert—life itself! When I visited Israel, our guides constantly exhorted us to drink water because of the heat. We carried water wherever we went and had large bottles on the bus to re-supply our small bottles as needed. We found that many ruins contain cisterns dug out of the rock to hold a supply of water for people in a land which has little. There are still visible remains of huge aqueducts built to take water to ancient cities, where it would have been impossible to live otherwise. This is the land in which Jesus painted the picture of Himself as the Giver of living water.

Day One Study

At the end of John 1 we saw Jesus travel with a few of John the Baptist’s former disciples from Judea to Galilee, the area where He was raised. Although we are focusing on the picture of Jesus as the Giver of living water this week, we do want to pick up the story in John 2 because it recounts Jesus’ first sign. Tomorrow we will look at the story that communicates our snapshot for this week.

Read John 2:1-12.

1. What was the occasion of Jesus’ first sign? Summarize the story.

I have put a chart at the end of the study so you can keep track of the various signs as we go through them. Fill this one in now. We looked at all the signs in this gospel quickly in Week Two Study and considered the purpose of signs. John always uses the term signs rather than miracles. A sign points to something else, to some other truth. Burge says, “The signs are not merely acts of power and might, they unveil that God is at work in Jesus and indeed is present in Him.”⁸

2. In our first lesson we looked at the Prologue (Jn. 1:1-14). We said that it introduces many of the themes of the book. How do you see this first sign relate to truths about Jesus in that introductory section?

Diamonds in the Word: Because our study is not a comprehensive look at John, I’ll give the sections that we skip as optional assignments. Read John 2:13-22 and consider what you learn about Jesus, His authority, and His message to the Jewish leaders through His actions in this passage. Feel free to consult any commentaries on this section only.

Read John 2:23-25.

3. What do these three verses suggest about the purpose of the signs that Jesus gave? What do they suggest about people?

4. Sharing question: As we consider the story of the wedding in Cana, we see Jesus’ concern over people and their situations. This wasn’t a major illness or a death or a lack of food or shelter. Yet, Jesus showed His care and concern to meet the needs of the hosts. Share about a time when you saw Him come to your aid in something small and you were awed by His care and concern for you.

5. Responding to God: Go to Jesus with whatever is concerning you, whether it is large or small. Ask Him to come to your aid in whatever way is best for you and for others. Give Him that concern and trust Him with the answer. Write down your prayer or thoughts below.

Day Two Study

Diamonds in the Word: If you want to read the entire book as we go, read John 3 before you go on to John 4. If you have time after you have done the rest of the week’s study, you may want to come back and read your commentaries on John 3.

Read John 4:1-42.

6. Good reporters know that they must answer the basic questions related to a story: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Either write down each question and answer it, or write this story up as a newspaper article. What would your headline be?

7. Write down everything that Jesus told the woman about living water. Just use the words of the text.

8. In light of all that Jesus said about living water and in light of what you know about water, why do you think Jesus used the picture of water to explain who He is and what He does for people?

Over and over in John we see people respond to Jesus with confusion about what He is saying (e.g., Jn. 2:18-22; 3:3-10), and this is true of this woman. Even his disciples were confused by what He told them in Jn. 4:30-34. As we go through John, note how often people misunderstand Him. When you feel confused about Jesus and His teaching, remember that often that happens because we are thinking on a physical level while He is teaching us something spiritual.

9. Sharing question: What attracts you to the snapshot of Jesus as the Giver of living water? Why? If possible, share with your group a story of a time when He revealed Himself in your life as the One who gives you living water.

10. Responding to God: Go back through the list you made in #7 of the qualities of the living water that Jesus gives. Use that list as the basis of your prayer of thanksgiving. Write your poem or prayer below. Or maybe you would prefer to draw a picture of Jesus giving you that living water.

Day Three Study

Review the story in John 4:1-42.

Diamonds in the Word: Go to at least one Bible resource and read background about the Samaritans and their beliefs.

11. Jesus eventually led this woman to the basic issue of her need. She was a sinner who needed God to come into her life and become as necessary to her as water in a dry land. Read Rom. 3:9-18, 23. What do you learn about her and about yourself?

12. As Jesus led this woman through this conversation, He eventually revealed who He was. Explain the process by which they arrived at that revelation (4:16-26).

13. Sharing question: What can we learn from this conversation about sharing Jesus with others?

14. Our culture likes to say that faith is about sincerity, that it doesn’t matter what we believe. Every belief is as valid as the next one. How do Jesus’ words about worship argue against that perspective (4:20-24)?

15. Responding to God: Ask God to lead you to worship in spirit and in truth. Give up any false notions of who He is, and express your willingness to worship Him as He truly is. Often we make God in our image rather than accepting what He reveals about Himself in the Scriptures.

Day Four Study

Review John 4:1-42.

16. What was the woman’s testimony about Jesus (4:28-29, 39-42)? How did the other people who heard her respond?

17. How does this account between Jesus and the Samaritan woman help John accomplish his purpose in the book (Jn.20:30-31)?

18. What do you learn from 4:31-38 about doing God’s work and about sharing with others about Jesus? What are some ways that a believer can “sow” into another person’s life? (Think beyond sharing the gospel.)

Diamonds in the Word: Look up other New Testament references to sowing, sow(s), sowers, reaping, etc. Write down any insights you gain.

19. Sharing question: In general, are you a sower or a reaper? Are you praying right now that you may be a sower in a friend’s life? Who is it? As this week’s prayer request, ask your group to pray that you will sow in a particular way in that person’s life.

20. Responding to God: Take time to pray for that person right now and pray that God will use you as a friend who sows. Ask for a specific way to do that this week.

Day Five Study

I have had comments from past studies that indicated that some of you don’t understand why you read the same verses over again. There are a couple of reasons that I ask you to do that. First, we must understand the Bible in its context or we may misinterpret it. To reread is to review the context. Second, the more we read a passage, the more insights God can give us. I am always amazed when I read something in the Bible and don’t remember ever having read it before! There are just days when the Holy Spirit shines a light on a verse and I see it in a new way. So as you reread this passage in John, pray that God will show you something that you haven’t seen the last three days.

Review John 4:1-42.

Today we want to look at some other passages that use the picture of water.

21. Compare how the water in the following verses relates to the water Jesus offered the woman in Jn. 4. (You may need to read some of the surrounding verses to get the context.)

a. Rev. 21:6

b. Rev. 22:17

22. The Old Testament uses a snapshot of water to warn the people. What warnings does Jeremiah give and how would using the picture of water help them understand the warnings?

a. Jer. 2:13

b. Jer. 17:13

Diamonds in the Word: Go to your resources and find out what you can about the background of the book of Jeremiah. What was happening among the people of Israel religiously and spiritually?

23. How can Christians be guilty of the things for which Jeremiah warned the Israelites? How would that manifest itself?

Read the rest of the chapter, John 4:43-54.

24. What sign did Jesus do in this case? How did this sign differ from the previous one with the wine? Think about what it showed about Jesus that was a bit different. Write down your insights. (Don’t forget your chartJ)

25. Sharing question: Think about Jesus and the amazing signs that we have seen so far. Think about what it means to forsake that kind of God. Share with your group where you have sought to have your needs met anywhere other than by Jesus. Write down one thing you will do to avoid that in the future.

26. Responding to God: Write down your confession if you find that you have sought what you need anywhere else other than in Him. Believe that God forgives completely!

Kay graciously gave us her story of coming to believe in Jesus. It is a reminder to us all that God loves us no matter where we are or what we have done, and it is an encouragement to faithfully pursue friendships with those who need Jesus.

Kay’s Story

Two questions I get asked all the time are: “Where are you from?” (Texans typically use the more direct form, “You’re not from here, are you?”), and, “If you graduated from high school in Hawaii, how did you end up at the University of Tulsa?” (a legitimate question since when I chose Tulsa University I didn’t even know where Tulsa is—in fact, I wasn’t really clear on where Oklahoma is).

I grew up in an East Coast Navy family, meaning we lived in several different places along the East coast while my dad served in the Navy. Overall, we had a fairly normal, routine life—at least compared to all my friends whose dads were also in the military. My dad was gone most of the time and my mom raised 3 daughters and ran the household. To the best of her ability, she instilled in us a sense of good morals and strong work ethic. As a young child I learned to strive for achievement and try to do the right thing.

However, as I entered my teenage years life became more difficult and confusing. My efforts toward academic success became an obsession and I began to rely heavily on my own ability to reason and figure things out. I entered the stage of doubting everything my parents taught me. Lacking any foundation or authority for the morals I’d been raised with, what was “good” and “right” became for me a matter of my opinion verses my parents’ opinion, and I was pretty confident that I could figure things out for myself. It was about this time, as I was beginning my junior year in high school that my family moved from the extremely conservative and structured environment of Northern Virginia to the laid-back and liberal culture of Hawaii.

Suddenly everything changed. In this world, academic success and alcohol were no longer mutually exclusive. “Good” kids did things I’d always been told were bad and would lead to failure. But they weren’t failing. I was introduced to alcohol on a school field trip. Over the next few years, though far from being an alcoholic, drinking impaired my judgment on several occasions and I ended up making some very poor decisions. By the time I graduated from high school my life was a mess. On the outside everything looked great—I had good grades, good friends (though my mom would dispute that assessment), and a good part-time job. To my sisters I was the “golden child,” the one for whom everything was always easy and turned out right. But on the inside I was in turmoil. My mother was barely speaking to me because of some of my friends and the choices I’d made. I was generally angry, depressed, and rebellious even though deep down I still wanted to do the “right” thing. I just wasn’t sure I knew what that was anymore.

So, that’s the answer to the question, “You’re not from here, are you?” Now on to how I ended up in Tulsa, OK. The surface answer is that I filled out the form on the SAT to allow any college or university who wanted to contact me. Tulsa sent me an application which was relatively short and didn’t require a lot of essay writing, so I filled it out and sent it in. I also applied to other schools, but when Tulsa responded with a scholarship offer my parents’ minds (if not mine) were made up. I enrolled in their College of Arts & Sciences to pursue a math degree without ever visiting the school or knowing anyone who was going or had ever been there. The deeper, and I think more realistic, answer to the question is that Tulsa is where God wanted me to introduce me to His Son and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I just didn’t know it yet.

When I went to Tulsa it wasn’t like I was looking for God. In fact, if anything I was running away from Him, but since I didn’t really believe in Him anyway, I didn’t give it that much thought. But then there was my roommate, Evelyn—a quiet, somewhat shy Christian girl from Arkansas. If she’d known me then, I’m sure I would have been her mother’s worst nightmare as a roommate for her daughter. Evelyn and I were in a philosophy class together along with several other Christians and it didn’t take them long to figure out how lost I was. For the first time in my life I was surrounded by Christians and in response to challenging ethical questions they didn’t just give their opinions, they supported their arguments with what the Bible says. I wasn’t shy about telling them how silly I thought their arguments were and so what if they had a book telling them they were right—what made their book better than any other? I think I became their project. I know Evelyn spent a lot of time on her knees praying for me. Still, I turned away every person who came to my door to talk with me about God. I rejected every invitation to join Evelyn in going to church or on outings with her “religious” friends. But nothing deterred them. Evelyn continued to pray and invite. Others continued to knock on my door. After talking with a friend about all the problems I was having in my relationships at home, she said, “Wow, Kay, that’s really rough. Do you mind if I pray for you?” I responded, “Sure, I don’t think it will help but if you do, knock yourself out.” She started, “Dear God, thank You for my friend Kay and thank You that You love her and You care about the problems she’s having….” Up until then I’d always thought of Christians as part of an exclusive club of people who thought they had all the answers and believed anyone who didn’t agree with them would go straight to hell. Through my friend’s prayer and compassion, Evelyn’s patience and prayer, and the consistent efforts of the others no matter how rude I was to them, I began to see that they had something that I wanted (needed), and they really wanted to share it with me. God started breaking through.

Over the next several weeks I talked a lot with Evelyn and my other friend, Sarah. One day I opened a Bible to the table of contents and asked Sarah, “What’s Genesis about?” She answered. “What’s Exodus about?” She answered. “What’s Leviticus about?” She answered. I continued down the table of contents and she patiently answered until I got to about Job and then she said, “Kay, let me just tell you the whole big story. The entire Bible is about God’s great love for mankind, man’s sinful rebellion and rejection of God’s love, and God’s gracious forgiveness and reconciliation with man through His Son Jesus Christ who died a painful death on the cross in order to pay the penalty for our sin and then rose again to prove He is God and that His sacrifice in our place was accepted by His Father.” That was the first time in my whole life I had heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. I started to see the trouble and turmoil I was having as a result of my sin against God who, I began to understand for the first time, really loved me.

I heard the gospel again a week or so later when I finally accepted one of Evelyn’s invitations to a “religious” event. It was Harvest Week for all the campus ministries. Being one of the uninitiated, I didn’t realize that “Harvest Week” meant “harvest me.” There was a hayride, hot chocolate, and a gospel presentation complete with a challenge at the end: “If God is beginning to show you that you’re a sinner in need of a Savior, take this opportunity to accept His offer of forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. Don’t just sit there. Stand up and acknowledge Him.” I knew I’d heard the truth. I knew God was drawing me to Him. Yet many of the people I’d criticized, made fun of, and turned away were also sitting in that small audience. What would they say if I stood up? Would they have an “I told you so” attitude? Would they treat me the same way I had treated them? It didn’t matter. I was compelled to stand up, and I did. I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. And, to my surprise, I was surrounded by people who were happy for me and rejoicing with me.

Some things changed right away for me. I began reading the Bible and learning more about God’s grace, love, and forgiveness. I learned that there is such a thing as absolute right and wrong and that good morals are based in God’s Word, but without Him I’m powerless to live them out. No wonder I’d been having such trouble.

Other things took a lot longer to change. Some relationships improved, others got worse, and several just faded away. It took a long time for God to weed some sinful habits and patterns out of my life—a long time for me to allow Him to do it. It took even longer for me to regain my mother’s trust and respect. And my life hasn’t always been easy. A year after I graduated from college my dad died of cancer. I worked for several years under a very demanding and demeaning boss. I still sometimes struggle with being too focused on achievement, leading to frustration and discouragement. But now I talk to God about it, knowing that He cares about me personally. He carries me through the difficult times. He’s replaced broken relationships with strong, healthy ones. Most of all, He’s given me forgiveness in His Son and hope for the future.

A Precious Word from God

Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 (NET)

I don’t know how I would do if I had to live within the Arctic circle during the winter when there are days without the sun. I understand that many people who live in the far north of the globe suffer from depression during that time of year. I begin to feel down when we have overcast skies for days at a time, and there is still light outside! God has certainly given us a great picture of the need for light through nature! It is essential to our well-being, whether we realize it or not.

Day One Study

Diamonds in the Word: Because we are skipping a large section of John (John 7:1-8:11), your optional assignment for this whole week is to study it. I suggest that you just read it quickly today and go back to it to do more study after you complete your five days of work. Primarily focus on the discussions that Jesus had with people. Think about the divisions that He caused among the Jews. Consider His arguments and their misunderstandings. How does this discussion help John accomplish his purpose in the book?

The events in John 7-9 occurred during the Feast of Tabernacles. We begin our study section this week in Jn. 8:12, but it simply continues the narrative of what happened at that feast. (See Jn. 7:1-2, 10, 14, 37; 8:12). If you read the entire section from 7:1-8:12, you may not notice it because the narrative that begins at 8:12 seems like a new story. However, most scholars believe that the intervening story in 8:1-11 was added later and not part of John’s original text.¹² If you took that section out and read the story without it, you would more easily see that 8:12 continues the story of what happened at the feast.

Before we get into our study in John, let’s study a bit about this feast. As with the other feasts of Israel, God gave Moses instructions for it.

1. Read Lev. 23:33-34, 39-43; Deut. 16:13-15. Write a news story about this feast. Be sure and include the who, what, where, when, why, and how!

Gary Burge notes some interesting details about the Feast of Tabernacles as it was practiced in Jesus’ day. This feast occurs in September-October on our present day calendar and celebrates the autumn harvest of tree and vine. Its date coincides with what we call the autumn equinox, that day when day and night are of equal length. “Jewish ritual practice recognized this ‘dying of the sun’ and incorporated into the festival ceremonies of light to hallmark the passing of the season.” Because the fall normally produced little rain, the feast also integrated symbols depicting prayer for refreshing water, which were understood to represent both physical rain and spiritual refreshment.¹³

So water and light were both emphasized at this feast; Jesus came into the midst of the celebration and used those symbols as a teaching tool, more snapshots of Him.

Before we go to John 8, we’ll backtrack and see what happened earlier during the feast. Read John 7:37-39.

2. What did Jesus offer the people on the last day of the feast?

The rituals for that day were the backdrop for Jesus’ words. For the first six days of the Feast of Tabernacles, priests descended from the Jerusalem temple to the Gihon spring. One of them then filled a golden pitcher with water, took it to the temple, and poured it onto the altar. On the last or seventh day, this was done seven times.

3. Read these Old Testament references to water. Write down how these verses give significance to Jesus’ saying that He was the source of the water of life:

a. Ex. 17:1-6

b. Num.20:2-11

c. Is. 55:1

4. Sharing question: Is Jesus truly the source to which you turn to meet your needs? Obviously, water is a basic need for life, and He is the source of true life. But He is also the source of all of our other needs: love, security, purpose, etc. What is your greatest need right now? How are you trying to meet that need?

5. Responding to God: Draw a picture—sticks are fine! Picture the need you mentioned in the last question as water. Show yourself going to the Water to have your need met.

Day Two Study

Now that we have a bit of background about the Feast of Tabernacles, we will actually read the verse that gives us our snapshot this week, John 8:12.

6. Write out John 8:12, another I Am statement. It is our Precious Word from God this week. Use your memory verse cards at the back of the study to help you learn it.

Yesterday we mentioned that light was used as a symbol at the Feast of Tabernacles to signify the passing of the season. As part of the ritual of the seven-day feast, every evening four giant lamps in the temple court were lit, and the people celebrated under their light. Remember this was a time when cities were actually dark at night. This was an unusual event, and it was reported that the light from the temple area at the top of Mount Zion brought a glow to the entire city of Jerusalem. It was in this context that Jesus got up and claimed to be the Light of the World.¹⁴

7. Let’s look at some other verses that use the picture of light. How do these verses help you understand Jesus as the Light of the World?

a. Ex. 13:21-22

b. Ps. 78:14

c. Ps. 27:1

d. Prov. 6:23

e. Ps. 119:105

f. John 1:5

g. John 3:19-21

h. 1 John 1:5

8. Sharing question: Which verse from the previous question is most meaningful to you as you think about Jesus being your light? Why?

9. Responding to God: Write a prayer to the Light of your life. Base it on one of the verses above.

Day Three Study

Read John 8:12-20.

10. Jesus’ claim to be the Light of the World produced criticism from the Pharisees. In His response, Jesus connected Himself and His work to His Father. This is a hard passage, but don’t go to any sources! Instead of focusing on what isn’t clear, consider all the verses from 8:12-20 without spending a lot of time on them, and write down how you see Jesus connect Himself with God the Father.

Read John 8:21-30.

11. This section contains I Am statements in Jn. 8:24, 28. You may not have recognized these as I Am statements because your translation may add the word “he” after the “I am” [NET, NASB, BBE, NKJV] or it may say “the one I claim to be” [NIV]. (Your Bible should have these words in italics to show you that they are not in the original Greek.) In other words, Jesus literally said in Jn. 8:24, “Unless you believe I am, you will die in your sins.” Knowing the significance of I Am, how would you explain what Jesus was saying in verses 24 and 28?

Now jump to John 8:48-59. (If you have time read 8:31-47.)

12. There is one more I Am statement in John 8:58. This one is significant because the Judeans to whom Jesus is speaking finally seemed to grasp that He was claiming to be God; thus, they try to stone Him for blasphemy. What in Jesus’ comments concerning Abraham made it clear?

13. Sharing question: Think back to what you know of the God who revealed Himself as I Am to Moses at the burning bush. He was the God who rescued His people with a mighty hand from slavery in Egypt. He was the God who opened the waters when His people faced a seemingly impossible situation at the Red Sea. What are you facing in your life today that seems like a prison or an impossible situation? Share with your group what you can without gossiping about others.

14. Responding to God: Take your situation from the previous question and make it into a prayer to the great I Am. Don’t pray the answers that you want from Him, but give Him the situations. I am quite sure that Moses was surprised with the ways that God moved to free His people and protect them from the army of Egypt! Realize that His answer may be different from the one you expect!

Day Four Study

Read John 9:1-12.

15. Summarize the story. Be sure and write it down on your chart of signs.

Read John 9:13-34.

16. The Pharisees had two different perspectives of Jesus from this sign. Explain the two views and their arguments.

17. How did the formerly blind man get involved in the middle of the debate? What was his perspective? What did the leaders do to him because of it?

18. Compare how this man handled the questions of the Jewish leaders with the way that the man at the pool of Bethseda (some manuscripts say Bethsaida)¹⁵ handled them in John 5:10-15. What insights does this contrast give you into the two men?

19. Sharing question: Have you ever dealt with hard questions from others about your faith? How have you felt when that happened? What did you learn about yourself and about the ways others respond to Jesus?

20. Responding to God: If you have ever failed to stand up for Jesus when questioned or criticized about your faith, know that God forgives. Read 2 Timothy 2:13 and 1 John 1:9. Thank God for being a covenant-keeping God who is faithful to us and forgives us in that faithfulness. Write your thoughts, prayer, or poem below.

Day Five Study

Review John 9:4-5 and read John 9:35-41.

21. How does the story of the blind man relate to Jesus as the Light of the World?

22. When Jesus learned what the leaders had done to the man, what did He do (9:35)? What does this show you about Jesus?

23. How did the man respond when Jesus revealed Himself to him?

24. Jesus used the contrast of sight and blindness to teach about spiritual truth (9:39-41). What was He saying here?

25. Sharing question: Think about Jesus’ comment that the religious leaders of the Jews were actually blind but believed they had sight. We saw in the story that their pre-conceived ideas made them blind to the acts of God. Can that be true of us as “religious” people? How?

26. Responding to God: Go before God and ask Him if you are blind to Jesus or to His works around you. If He shows you anything, confess that lack of faith. Thank Him for His forgiveness. OR draw a picture of gaining sight on the day when you recognized Jesus as the great I Am.

Our story illustrates the fact that even we believers can grow blind when they turn away from the truth and the church; however, God is faithful to bring us back, as He was here.

Deborah’s Story

I grew up in a suburban town, in a Bible-believing church, in a Christian family, and became a believer at 13. I loved the Lord, and everything else in my life was secondary to that focus. At one point I felt like I disappointed God and could not bear to approach His throne. I sought council but never really owned the real problem. I decided that the God I had grown up learning about was bigger than the God that seemed legalistic and maybe just a little too Southern. While I studied the Bible each week, I was still young, and most of what I believed was shaped by what people told me, not what I had experienced for myself. So for the next 10 years my trek took me through a series of “approaches” to God.

Now they all acknowledged Jesus Christ as God but always added something not quite right in the tale. In every group I participated there were other believers from Christian traditions. That made it all OK, right? This trek took me to San Antonio, New Mexico, California, and back to Texas. When I return to Dallas my guru was based out of Los Angeles. I met weekly with a group of friends that embraced the teachings of the same man. I was responsible for putting this man on cable TV in the metroplex.

One December I went to Los Angeles for a special training and Christmas Eve seminar. That night for the first time I heard this man use the Bible for examples. While I was not Bible scholar I knew enough that what I was hearing was NOT in the Bible. And moreover, most of the thousands of people in the room accepted what he said. I felt a big clunk in my heart. You can say a lot of things that I might accept but you don’t mess with the Bible. I flew back to Texas Christmas morning with a new challenge in my heart. God you are going to have to show me what you want me to do. Some of the decisions were very easy. Giving up my responsibilities with the organization, throwing away all of my books and tapes, not attending weekly seminars were easier than giving up relationships that I’d spent 5 years building.

I always felt like God was with me protecting me from harm. The road back took me to lay courses at DTS. There I focused on learning to study the Bible for myself and let God speak to me through His word and prayer.

I know while I was on my trek around faith, my parents were on their knees. Their prayers were answered.

¹² See D.A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991), 333.

¹³ Burge, 220.

¹⁴ Carson, 337.

15 See NET Bible note on John 5:2)

A Precious Word from God

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives and believes in me will never die.”

John 11:25-26a (NET)

I am sure that we all have experienced the death of someone we know. Some of us have lost someone very near to us. In time we will all face the death of someone close to us unless we go first. Sometimes death comes unexpectedly, but often it comes after a long illness. However it happens, it is hard. As we study the story of Lazarus this week, consider how you would have felt to be his sisters and friends, including Jesus. This isn’t simply a story in a book, but it is the true-life story of real people who dealt with death and grief, just as you and I do.

Day One Study

Review John 10:39-42 and read John 11:1-5.

1. Why was Jesus across the Jordan? What was happening there?

Diamonds in the Word: Read about the story of Mary’s anointing, to which John referred in John 11:2 in order to establish the identity of this family. It is found in Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; Jn. 12:1-11. (A fourth account of Jesus being anointed is in Luke 7:36-50, but this is not the same story, as a detailed reading of it will show.)

2. What crisis occurred in Bethany and what did Mary and Martha do about it? What does their response to the situation reveal about them?

3. Sharing question: What is your usual first reaction to disturbing news or situations? Is it prayer? Is it to call a husband, friend, or neighbor? Is it worry? What does your first reaction reveal about you?

Read John 11:6-7.

4. What did Jesus do when He heard the news about Lazarus? What seems surprising about it in light of v. 5?

5. Sharing question: Share the story of a time when God’s answer to your prayer was delayed. How did you respond? What happened in the end? What did you learn about God and about yourself?

6. Responding to God: Ask God to help you face trials with prayer and belief that He is working even when you cannot see it or when the answer does not match your request. Write down your prayer or your thoughts.

Day Two Study

Review John 11:1-7 and read John 11:8-16.

7. What was the disciples’ concern about returning to Judea? (You may want to review the story in Jn. 10:22-39.)

8. Considering their concerns and considering what Jesus said about light in John 9:4-5, how do you understand what Jesus meant by His response in 11:9-10? What did Jesus reveal about God’s purposes in this situation (11:4, 15)?

Diamonds in the Word: Read in your Bible resources or online about John 11:9-10 only.

9. As we have seen throughout John, there is misunderstanding of Jesus’ meaning in v. 11. How did the disciples understand him (11:12-13)? What did he really mean (11:14)?

10. It is a shame that Thomas is remembered for only one event, his reaction to the resurrection (later in John). What is praiseworthy about his reaction here concerning their return to Judea?

11. Sharing question: How does it make you feel to know that Jesus’ words can be confusing and that we aren’t smart enough to always understand the mind of God?

12. Responding to God: Write a prayer or poem confessing your inability to be right about all the things of God. Ask for His Spirit to lead you to truth and to remind you that no person can totally understand God.

Day Three Study

Review John 11:1-16 and read John 11:17-27. If you wonder why you need to reread, remember that you need to keep the entire story in context. You may even see something that you missed in your previous reading of it!

13. What was the situation in Bethany when Jesus arrived?

Burge gives us this insight: “There was a well-known Jewish belief (attested from about A.D. 200) that the soul of a dead person remained in the vicinity of the body ‘hoping to re-enter it’ for three days, but once decomposition set in, the soul departed.”²⁰

14. In light of this, compare this resurrection to the other two times that Jesus brought people back from the dead:

a. Mk. 5:22-43

b. Lk. 7:11-17

15. What did Martha first say to Jesus when He showed up (11:21-22)?

Diamonds in the Word: Read in your Greek resources or online to find out the meaning and usage of the word Martha used when she called Jesus “Lord” in 11:21.²¹ Martha was likely using the definition commonly used in that day.

Although we may not grasp it initially, Martha’s words were not a criticism but rather a statement of faith.

16. In Jn. 11:25-26 Jesus used another I Am statement. How would you explain it to a new believer or a seeker? What is He claiming for Himself?

Martha misunderstood Jesus’ statement that her brother would live again. Don’t you just love Martha? Although she didn’t grasp everything about Jesus, she knew that He was the Messiah, the Son of God! It reminds me of the blind man who was not afraid to speak about what had happened to him although he didn’t yet even know who Jesus was (9:25).

17. Sharing question: Sometimes I think we feel that we have to know everything and have all of our theological ducks in a row in order to share with others about Jesus. Express the fears that you have when you think about sharing what Jesus has done for you. You may want to take those fears and pray for faith to replace them as your prayer request for your small group this week.

18. Responding to God: Ask God for the courage to share what He has done for you and the humility to accept that you do not know it all!

Day Four Study

Review John 11:17-27, and read John 11:28-37.

19. Compare Mary’s reaction and words when she saw Jesus (11:32-33) to Martha’s (11:21-27).

Diamonds in the Word: Read in your resources about the traditions for burial and mourning in the culture of Jesus’ day.

In both John 11:33 and 38, the text describes Jesus as “intensely moved” (NET). The NIV translates it “deeply moved”. Carson says, “As applied to human beings, it invariably suggests anger, outrage or emotional indignation… his inward reaction was anger or outrage or indignation.”²²

20. Jesus’ tears are related to this emotion. He was obviously not crying over the fact that Lazarus was gone because He was about to raise him. What was happening around Jesus that may have caused Him to feel anger or indignation, and weep?

21. Sharing question: When the day comes that you face the loss of someone you love, how might it help you to see that Jesus did not suggest that grief was wrong for believers, that He did not minimize their suffering?

Read John 11:38-44.

22. Summarize the story.

23. Sharing question: What verse or phrase in this section of the story most strikes you? Why?

24. Responding to God: Thank God that Jesus is the resurrection and the life and all that means as we face death. Write your prayer below.

Day Five Study

Read John 11:45-54.

25. What was the sign that Jesus performed? How does it relate to the purpose of the book of John in Jn. 20:30-31? (Be sure you have entered this sign on your chart!) How does this sign relate to the Prologue in Jn. 1:1-18? What two reactions did those who observed Jesus do this sign have?

26. What were the concerns of the council or Sanhedrin upon hearing the report of Lazarus’ resurrection (11:47-48)? How did they decide to deal with the problem?

Diamonds in the Word: Read in your resources about the High Priest Caiaphas and about this body called the Sanhedrin or Council. What insights do you glean?

27. How did the High Priest Caiaphas unknowingly predict Jesus’ death on the cross for the eternal salvation of His people? Explain his meaning and the underlying prophecy.

The plot to kill Jesus resulted in His moving out of the area of Jerusalem, to a place usually understood as 12-15 miles from Jerusalem until “His time had come.”

28. Sharing question: How do you attune yourself to God’s timing so that you move when He calls you to move, as Jesus did in waiting to go to the site of Lazarus’ illness and as Jesus did when He waited to return to Jerusalem until Passover, as we will see next week?

29. Responding to God: Ask God for the faith to trust Him when loved ones die, and thank Him for the freedom to grieve that death. If you have believed that Christians are not to grieve, ask God to change your mind and show you how to grieve as a believer.

I am so grateful for the women who have shared the stories of losing a loved one. Their examples help us see how to grieve and trust God at the same time.

Kathy’s Story

I lost my Mother in 1992 after a 9 month battle with lung cancer.

I had just moved from Dallas to Durham, NC for grad school when she was diagnosed in September. It was a very difficult time as this was one of my biggest fears in life up to that point - - not only losing someone in my family “too early”, but specifically from cancer. Facing this all alone in a new town - with my parents in Florida, my sister and one of my brothers back in Dallas, and my other brother in Cincinnati - was rough.

I had many, many days of tears as I thought about what my Mother was going through with radiation, the fear of cancer, and the sadness of potentially not being around to see her grandchildren grow up. I was sad for myself too, thinking about how much I would miss her if she died. At the same time though, I remember having an amazing sense of peace—an assurance that kept me from total despair.

Fortunately, I knew my Mom was a believer and that she would be with God no matter what happened (and that He was walking with her as she faced this scary situation). I kept remembering my Mom’s words to me when we lost my Grandmother (her Mother). When I remarked that I was really sad for my Grandmother (and all that she would miss here on earth), my Mom quickly replied that we should never be sad for the people who have left if they had put their faith/trust in Jesus, because they are in heaven. They are much better off there … but that it is very sad for the people left behind who will miss them.

I also knew that God would be with me regardless of the outcome. I would always have Him to turn to and lean on for support.

I prayed daily for a miraculous healing for my Mother, but also for God’s will in the situation and that if it was his will to take her, that he would do so quickly and spare her from suffering. I definitely felt supported by God as I was dealing with this seemingly “all alone” in a new town.

I’ll admit that once my Mother died, I was angry at God for awhile for not answering my prayer as I wanted. Because I was a Christian, I thought I should not really be angry and should accept God’s will more readily, so I stifled my true feelings. I distanced myself from God. Later I realized that it was OK to express that anger directly to God because He already knew it! I was certainly not fooling him! I also realized that God did answer my prayer. . just my “second option” that she not suffer long. That has been reinforced again even recently when a hospice nurse in my Community Group commented that lung cancer is particularly cruel because patients usually remain mentally alert until the very end, and it is a slow, painful death. My Mom was spared from that and I am very thankful that my prayer was answered.

Although I miss my Mom very much, I smile whenever I think of her “hanging out” in heaven. “Amazing Grace” was her favorite hymn and I smile each time I sing the last verse “When we’ve been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise … .” because I realize that although it seems like she’s been gone a very long time, it’s just a blink of the eye in the context of eternity and I will get to “hang out” with her when I am called home too.

Julie’s Story

In January 2005 my grandmother (Meme) passed away. This was definitely the hardest loss I have experienced. After my parents divorce when I was 13, I lived with my dad and his mother (Meme) took a big role in helping with me while I was still at home. She was definitely a second mom and couldn’t have modeled a woman who loved the Lord any better than she did. I can honestly say that I’m certain her prayers kept me from making a lot of wrong choices. I cannot even imagine what my life would have looked like without her.

One of the biggest answered prayers for me was having her at my wedding. I had prayed for years that the Lord would allow her to live long enough to be there for that special day. She said a beautiful prayer at our wedding and I will treasure it forever.

Little did I know that she would be taken from us just a few days before my first anniversary and we would actually bury her on our 1st anniversary? In spite of the incredible grieving that I experienced and still do from time to time I have always carried a peace in my heart because I knew that for her life was truly beginning. She was in no more pain and had reached her ultimate goal, living in eternity with her Savior. We all knew that she would rather be with Jesus than anywhere. A scripture that someone had sent me during the days that followed truly opened my eyes to this and I would read it over and over when I was overwhelmed with how much I missed her. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Cor. 2:9). I was certain of one thing and that was her love for the Lord and it was such an encouragement and peaceful feeling to think about her experiencing her eternal treasures.

Maija’s Story

Growing up I never knew my grandfather because he passed away when my mom was 30 and I was only a baby. I often wondered as I grew older what it must have been like to lose her Dad at a relatively young age, and I couldn’t imagine ever going through that. As I neared my 30’s, it happened that my very own father was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). In early 2007, his health had declined to the point that my mother and father were about to make adjustments in their home to aid in his daily living needs. In God’s mercy, the Lord took him home with an unexpected massive heart attack unrelated to the ALS that February, still independent, still at home. Here I was 33, and my Dad had just died, my Dad, not somebody else’s.

As much as I knew my father would eventually die (ALS eventually debilitates them so), I don’t think I was really ever ready to say goodbye, to have to let go. The reality of death is such a strange thing in our day to day life activities. It seems so final. It hurts so deep. But therein lies the difference, for a Christ follower, it is not final. And over and over again in the days to come after the Lord had taken my Dad home, I was comforted by the fact that Christ has conquered death. In fact, in the transfiguration we see that Jesus is talking to Moses and Elijah, two prophets who had long died from two very different time periods ages ago, and yet the three of them were having a conversation. It comforted me to know that I will recognize my Dad in heaven, and we will be able to talk again. It was this hope and peace that walked me through those days, as I saw the timing of the Lord come together. We can not choose how long our loved ones have with us, but we can encourage them to choose where they will be after they die. Only through Jesus Christ, can we together have that assurance.

Alma’s Story

My paternal grandmother, Jahel, always reminded me of the Bible verse about the mustard seed in Matthew 17:19-20, in which Jesus told his disciples that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. She was a small person, but her faith was enormous and she derived a great deal of strength from God. I grew up close to her and much of what I know about Jesus was learned from her. She taught me to evangelize in the streets of my home town in Mexico. Her purse was always full of tracts to pass out to people. She always put God before anything else and had her priorities straight: God, family, and then everything else. She was not afraid to stand up for God and always focused on the truth. She would praise God in everything she did, singing hymns while cooking, moving conversation towards God, and volunteering at her church.

My grandmother died in 1993 at the age of 82. I knew she was sick, but by the time I got to my home town, she had passed away and the funeral was about to start. I never knew the full impact she had on people until the funeral. I saw grown men crying because their Bible teacher was gone. I was surprised that in Mexico, a male-dominant society, men would be so attached to my grandmother, who ministered to them. I had heard of people who could feel joy in grief, but I didn’t understand it until that moment. When I saw her body, I knew that her soul was with the Lord and that even though I would miss her, the fact that she was with Jesus and had left such a wonderful legacy filled me with joy. At that moment, I thanked God for the wonderful role model and gift He gave me in my grandmother. I decided that I wanted to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and my grandmother. Weeks later, while I was in the grieving process, I was reminded constantly by God that she was in His presence, which gave me peace. This experience helped me when my mother died earlier this year. I pray that everyone would have this joy, knowing that their loved ones are in the presence of the Lord. It motivates me to tell others about Jesus so that they may have this assurance of everlasting life. It is still hard to think of the fact that my mother and grandmothers are not with me, but knowing they are with the Lord makes it much easier to bear.

²⁰ Burge, 315.

²¹ You can go to bible.org and look up any verse, click on that verse and get the translation in several versions. At the bottom of that is the verse with the Strong’s numbers for the Greek word. Click that to go to the various meanings. Consider all of the definitions as possibilities.

²² Carson, 415.