His Best Friend's Gospel

In John 17:20-27, Jesus personally prays for the believers that will follow on account of his message, and his disciples who shared it — that’s us! And what he prays for is our unity! But right now, to the outside world, the church really doesn’t look very united. So what is happening? Did Jesus prayer fail? Or are we missing something about what true unity…

Sometimes what looks like defeat can actually be victory, and what appears to be a victory may be a defeat. But how do we respond when we don’t see the full picture, and can we always see the difference? Jesus was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”. In John 16:16-22, we look at how he prepared his disciples for the grief and sorrow that they would experience…

Jesus used many agricultural parables and pictures to help people understand his message. In John 15:1-11, John records for us one of these parables — the picture of the vine, and the branches. But in a world increasingly disconnected from the land, do we understand this picture? Do we recognize the powerful significance of this image? We look at this teaching, and think…

In John 14:15-31 Jesus promises that his people will receive the Holy Spirit in detail for the first time. When he does, the things he says about who the Holy Spirit is, and what He will do in their lives that may surprise us, given our assumptions and preconceptions many may have about this, What does that mean for us as believers, and how do we live in the light of…

As Jesus continues to teach his disciples during their last days together on earth, he continues to prepare them for his imminent death, and the trials that are to come.In doing so, he proclaims to be The Way, The Truth, and The Life — making an exclusive claim for all who are lost. He claims to be…

How do we respond to betrayal? Where do we turn when people turn on us? In John 13:21-30 Jesus is confronted with his imminant betrayal by his friend Judas. How did Jesus walk with Judas for so long knowing he was going to turn on him? How did he respond when the hour came? Why didn’t the other disciples realize he was never truly one of them? We look at this passage, and…

In John 12:1-12, Mary responds to her encounter with her messiah, following the resurrection of her brother Lazarus in the previous chapter. After understanding who she is, here she responds in worship, anointing Jesus feet with expensive perfume. We compare and contrast her reaction, the reaction of Judas, and the things the other disciples pick up on, and the lessons…

Hope can be a powerful thing. In John 11, Jesus receives news that his friend, Lazarus is sick, and yet, instead of rushing seems to delay, so long, in fact, that Lazarus dies. Did Jesus go out of his way to deliberately destroy the hope they had, or could it be that his purpose was to allow them to understand hope in a much deeper way? When all hope seems lost, where do…

In John 10:1-18 Jesus calls himself the good shepherd, and the door. It’s easy to overlook the significance of these words, and the deep meaning of what it means about him, and us! Domestic sheep have been called the most ill equipped animals for survival without a shepherd to lead and guide them, care for them, and protect them. We unpack this picture and think about…

This morning’s reflection focuses on John 7:37-39 and the importance of “Systematic Theology” and “Practical Theology” in Christian life. It highlights how Jesus combines various scriptures to reveal deeper truths, urging believers to understand and love the scripture deeply to do likewise.