John 18:28-40

"What is truth?" Pilate asked. (18:38)

A question from a frustrated politician becomes the hallmark of seekers for more than 200 decades.

TRUTH was difficult to decipher when Jesus stood before the Roman Governor, and TRUTH is difficult to decipher today as we stand before the ‘messengers of truth’ who convey their truth by a plethora of media, including YouTube, Myspace and the many other media of the internet.

A psychologist instructor at the university level was teaching his class one morning. Suddenly the hallway door slammed loudly, and a figure, dressed in multi-coloured garbs, wearing a head covering, face totally exposed and carrying something in each hand dashed to the front of the classroom, spoke three short sentences to the instructor, turned towards the 35 students for about 45 seconds, twirled around several times, shouted one last sentence and disappeared through another classroom door. The whole thing lasted less than 2 minutes.

When things settled down, the instructor said, "Now that you have see my friend in action, your assignment is to describe what the person was wearing, what the person was carrying, what actions were done and what was spoken."

There were as many different descriptions as there were students. Most could not say with certainty if the person was male or female, and few remembered what was said.

What is truth?

In the details, it may be difficult to decipher, and as the saying goes, ‘the devil is in the details’.

So we look for TRUTH in the bigger picture.

Here it is:

Jesus/God is love, and that love was shown by Jesus as He died on a cross and rose from the dead. He did it all for each of us. That is the truth.

(Today's post submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 18:1-27

The life of Jesus takes a different direction or moves into a new space.

Jesus enters the legal justice (or injustice) system, whatever your preference.

He is arrested, questioned by the authorities, betrayed and denied by His own disciples and physically assaulted by his captors. Then it gets really serious.

Yet, in the midst of all that negativity and abuse, Jesus continues to be God. This time He comes to the aid of one of His captors. I wonder if either of His followers, watching this incident, remembered that He had earlier taught them, ‘love your enemies’ and ‘do good to those who hate you’. Now Jesus was practicing what He had preached.

Let’s get back to the situation (verse 10).

Malchus (note John actually names the slave of the High Priest) was one of the people who came to the place where Jesus was with His disciples. It was dark, because they carried lanterns and torches. There was much commotion and confusion. Like any such encounter, stories vary from one witness to another.

Peter, who had a sword, (why he was carrying a sword is a fascinating question to consider), leapt into the fight and cut off the right ear of Malchus. In such situations, it may be advantageous to have a guy like Peter. You could almost imagine the other followers cheering Peter’s action and encouraging him, ‘cut of the left one too’. That would be the human response.

But it was not the response of Jesus. It was not Jesus’ way.

He shouted (must have been noisy there) to Peter to put away the sword. When the voices quieted a little, He told him that what was happening had to happen. I can imagine the expression on Peter’s face at that precise moment.

Then Jesus touched the man’s ear and healed him. A side note – John does not record the healing part, neither do the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, but Luke does. Would Luke the Physician want to include this medical detail?

The message for us is straightforward.

Following Jesus means putting into practice, in the weirdest of situations, the Gospel which our God of Love expects us to emulate. That is not always easy, but Jesus did not promise us a rose garden … all the time.

(Today's post submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 17:1-26

JESUS PRAYS.

This chapter is often titled, ‘the great prayer of Jesus’ or ‘Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer’. The title is secondary, the content is supreme.

This is like an extended version of the Lord’s Prayer ‘Our Father …… Amen’.

In his ONE VOLUME BIBLE COMMENTARY, William Neil calls this Jesus’ "matchless prayer of self-consecration as he turns His face to the cross".

In 2000, we lead a trip to Eastern Europe, ending with our attending the Oberammergau Passion Play. For nearly 3 weeks we had covered thousands of kilometres touring 5 or 6 countries in Eastern Europe. Even though we used the word pilgrimage to describe our trip, we were tourists, soaking up the history, sights, museums, shops, entertainment, attractions, etc. offered by that marvellous part of God’s creation.

Then, one day, we took a sudden change in attitude. We took off our tourist hats and put on our pilgrim hats. We set our sights directly on Oberammergau, and we were now focusing on the Cross (Passion Play) of Jesus. It was amazing how we all seemed to grasp this at the same moment. We were determined to do what we came for.

Jesus, in this prayer, is now determined to do what he came for, namely to take all of humanity onto Himself, and through the cross and resurrection to bring us all to new life.

So He prays.

As you read this prayer that Jesus prepared for you, READ it SLOWLY and spend a few minutes reflecting on each ‘petition’ (statement) of the Prayer.

Jesus does it all for you.

(Today's post submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 16:1-33

For every pleasure, there is a price to pay.

There is a price to pay for being a Christian.

Today’s reading illustrates one of the prices. Jesus tells His followers, "you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time will come when those who kill you will think that by doing this they are serving God." (16:2)

With such a high price, you wonder why the disciples did not abandon the ‘Christ cause’ then and there. They did not, and we know that over 2000 years later, people are still following Jesus and paying a price for it.

As we were reading the Gospel this morning, I could see 8 young kids walking to school together. They were wearing identical coloured coats, except one. I wondered how she felt not being like the rest.

When we stand up for anyone who is different from the rest of us, we are paying the price of being in the ‘Christ cause’.

Jesus tells His followers that they will soon be going through troubling situations, which will end with His death. He told them they would be sad, and they would cry and weep because of His suffering. He then assured them that they would endure because God was with them, and eventually their hearts would be "filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you." (16:22) This would occur when "you see me again". Jesus was telling them about the resurrection.

We need to keep that message in front of us as we face the pressures, sufferings and dangers of modern living.

I received a letter this week. A friend reminded me that God is "our leader and anchor". She was echoing what Jesus is saying here. In life and in death, and in every situation in between, we need to keep the image of the cross or the likeness of Jesus/God in our minds, as a reminder that God/Jesus is our ‘leader’ to move us forward into the future with confidence, and our ‘anchor’ rooting us in the foundation of our God of love.

(Today's post submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 15:1-27

"I am the vine, you are the branches" (15:5)

Outside my library window stands an enormous apple tree. Last summer, when we first occupied our new home, its leaves provided a cool relief from the hot sun. In the autumn, almost overnight, it deposited its leaves in a neatly shaped pile. Over the winter, it caught a little snow, waved briskly to the north winds and waited for spring.

Spring has arrived.

Yesterday Helen said, ‘I can see the buds coming out already’.

They are beginning small, rolled up in a small bundle to ease through the birth canal of the branch. Soon it will spread widely, and once again life will be seen in all its brilliance.

I wonder if Jesus, as a child or as an adult, observed the relationship among the roots, trunk, branches and leaves or fruit of the tree. He probably did and concluded that it was a similar relationship between God and a person.

A person gets life from God (Creator). We are nourished by God, just as the sap of life flows from the trunk into the branches bursting into new life. The leaves or fruit become the outward expression of the inward life and energy.

‘I am the vine (roots, trunk, branches)’, said Jesus, ‘you are the leaf (fruit)’. This means that to be productive one must be connected to the source of life. It also means that occasional pruning is needed in our lives to remove the deadwood so that the new vines can grow and flourish.

A tricky verse is number seven, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it". It is tricky because the implication is that we can ask for ANYTHING and we will get it. The reality is that if we are really united with God, the things we ask for will not contradict the nature of God. The great philosopher/theologian Augustine wrote, "Believe in God, and do what you like". He knew that if a person really believed in God, that person would only want to do what pleases God (God is love).

A spring exercise – sit and observe a tree. Look at its roots (as much as possible), trunk and branches, and reflect upon the nature and purpose of God/Jesus. Then concentrate on the developing leaf, and reflect upon your life and relationship with God/Jesus. Finally, think of what you are becoming.

(Today's post submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 14:1-31

I was four years old.
We lived in a two story house.
It was winter.
The evenings were long and dark.
Maybe I was a little scared.
I wanted to feel the security of being with family.
I lay on the family sofa
Listening to the radio, or
Hearing the stories from the community story-teller.
I fell asleep.
That is all I remember about that day.

The next morning
I woke in my own room.
The night before, my father took me, asleep, and Carried me UPSTAIRS to the bed prepared for me.
When I asked my father what had happened
He said, "You fell asleep, so I brought you upstairs, and
I decided to let you sleep fully clothed, because
You did not need to be disturbed."

My father could have said, like Jesus,
"In my house are many rooms, I have prepared one for you.
I picked you up and took you to your room, so that,
Where I am, you can be also."

Jesus is saying to those who believe in Him,
Through my death and resurrection, I give you eternal life.

Jesus is saying to you and to me:

Do not be afraid
At the moment of your death, I will be there,
Waiting for you.
Then I will bring your soul to that special place that
I have reserved for you.
Do not worry … I am never late … I will be there ...
I am here with you at this precise moment ... now
Let not your heart be troubled .. do not be afraid.
Amen …. So be it.

(Today's post submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 13:21-38

I saw a talk show recently about a woman who had been betrayed by her boyfriend. To gain revenge, she posted his name, photo, and address online, and accused him of cheating, lying, and illegal acts. She had been hurt by his actions, and her goal was to make him feel the same degree of pain as she felt.

In today's reading, we discover that, not just one, but two of the chosen twelve will betray Jesus.

These men are about to bring pain and, eventually, death to Jesus. He knows their actions will not only hurt Him, but will also hurt his family and other friends. He has the power of the heavens at His command. He knows their actions ahead of time, and has all the resources available to either stop them in their tracks, or to exact brutal revenge on them.

So what does He choose to talk about in this moment?

Love.

"...love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then every will know that you are my disciples." (13:34-35)

Jesus is watching His friendships, His safety, and His ministry crumble around Him. And yet, He continues to preach about love. He continues to love His friends, and asks them to love each other in the same way.

What a lesson to all of us!

Jesus doesn't ignore what is about to happen to Him, but He also doesn't try to lash out and bring pain to those who will hurt Him. Instead, He offers them a loving and generous spirit, and challenges us to do the same.

Would you be able to follow this example?

John 13:1-20

In today's reading, Jesus does a lowly and humble act: He gets on His knees, and washes the feet of His disciples.

Last year, my friend, Anne, was telling me about her weekend, and this phrase slipped out, "Well, I was washing this woman's feet...". What? Why would you be washing a stranger's feet?

Anne works for the Out of the Cold program, which provides temporary shelter for Toronto's homeless in the winter months. Anne's chosen job is to wash the feet of the homeless visitors. She soaks their feet in hot water, and cleans them with soap. She cuts and cleans their toe nails. She offers to give a foot massage with scented moisturizer. Some of the visitors aren't comfortable being touched, so not everyone accepts this offer. She dries their feet with soft towels. She then gives them clean socks and, when possible, new winter boots.

Anne is a dignified, professional woman, but she is willing to humble herself to serve the "least" in our society.

Jesus knows that He is the Lord and teacher of this group. He wants to be respected in that way. But He lowers himself in service to His friends and followers to set an example of how they should treat each other.

We sometimes become obsessed with keeping our status in our homes, churches, and workplaces. Yet Jesus shows that service is more important than status.

We may not have the opportunity to literally wash someone else's feet, but there are many ways that we can still serve those around us. How can you incorporate service to others into your life?

John 12:37-50

"...many Jewish authorities believed in Jesus; but because of the Pharisees they did not talk about it openly, so as not to be expelled from the synagogue." (12:42)

Doesn't this still ring true today? How many of us hide our Christianity from our colleagues and non-church friends for fear of being ostracized?

Two years ago, I stopped singing secular music to sing gospel music full-time. Although no one 'officially' stopped being my friend, many of my former 'fans' suddenly stopped coming to my shows. One such person said, "What's with the Jesus thing"?

"The Man in the Fiery Furnace" is the true story of Freddie Sun. Freddie was sentenced to 10 years in a prison slave labour camp in China for his Christian beliefs. Throughout his time in prison, he continued to give God all the glory, even testifying to his fellow prisoners.

As I read Freddie's story, I was overwhelmed by his undying commitment to Jesus, even in the most frightening of circumstances.

It made me realize how trivial my own fears can be. Who cares if certain people don't like my "Jesus thing"? Who cares if some people choose not to listen to my music?

Our lives should only aim to please one person - Jesus.

What will people think,
When they hear that I'm a Jesus freak?
What will people do when they find that its true?
I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak.
There ain't no disguising the truth.

(D.C. Talk)

John 12:12-36

"When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me." (12:32)

When I first read this line, I assumed it was talking about the resurrection, or maybe even the ascension. But John goes on to explain that Jesus is actually talking about His crucifixion - "In saying this, He indicated the kind of death He was going to suffer." (12:33)

To the people of His day, crucifixion was a punishment saved for only the most heinous of criminals. It was public and humiliating. It took hours, and the public was free to watch as each of your bodily functions began to shut down.

In a very literal sense, Jesus knew that His recent fame would draw a large crowd to His death scene. If the death of Jesus was a quiet, private affair, it would have been much easier to fabricate a resurrection. In being "lifted up", Jesus could prepare the crowd for what was about to come next.

But perhaps Jesus saw even further into the future, into our days. If not for the death of Jesus, crucifixions would only be a gruesome footnote in history books. How does this type of death still speak to us today?

For Christians and non-Christians alike, the image of Jesus on the cross is instantly recognizable, and culturally powerful. It is shown in countless painted and film images. We sing of the cross in hymns and songs.

This man, barely clothed, weak from beatings, with nails in His hands and feet, stretched out in a painful position, speaks to us of love and sacrifice. He seems to be calling out to us. And we are all free to hear that voice individually, receiving a personal call from Jesus.

Singer-songwriter, David Phelps, interpreted the image this way, "You lived and died with arms open wide."

Another musician, Jimmy Wayne, sings about the cross in his song, "I Love You This Much". In the song, a young boy has spent his life seeking love from a distant father. At the father's funeral, the now-grown man looks up and sees the true Father on the cross, and realizes he has been loved all along.

The image of the cross has brought countless people to their knees, overwhelmed by the love and sacrifice of Jesus. In His public death, in being "lifted up from the earth", Jesus has given us a powerful and eternal symbol of God's love and glory.


So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

(George Bennard, 1913)

John 11:55-12-11

Jesus said, "You will always have poor people with you..." (12:8)

What a depressing statement! When we look around our world today, we see that the words of Jesus still ring true.

A quick Internet search reveals frightening facts: “The lives of 1.7 million children will be needlessly lost this year (2000) because world governments have failed to reduce poverty levels.” "A few hundred millionaires now own as much wealth as the world’s poorest 2.5 billion people." In the United States alone, 37.0 million people, over 12% of the population, live in poverty (2005).

Studies continue to tell us that we have all the resources needed to end poverty; we're just not using them properly.

So what are we supposed to do about it?

It's easy to look at Jesus's statement, and assume the worst. 'Well, Jesus said we'll always have poor people, so I guess there's nothing we can do about it.' This kind of attitude is common, but somewhat understandable. The problem is so overwhelming, it's easy to think that our small contribution will not have any lasting effect.

But this attitude also shows the danger of taking Bible verses out of context.

We see many times, in the Gospels, that Jesus was generous and loving towards the poor and marginalized people of His society. Likewise, we, as Christians, are called to care for the poor and marginalized in our society.

There are many resources, locally and internationally, where we can contribute our time, treasure, and talent to help alleviate, if not eliminate, poverty in our world.

But let's add another level to this story. What if Jesus didn't only mean financial poverty? What if He was also saying, 'You will always have spiritually poor people with you'?

Aren't we also called to address this need in people as well? This is a need that runs across all levels of society. If anything, we sometimes see greater spiritual need in those with great material wealth. Great earthly riches can sometimes be a barrier between us and God.

I believe Jesus is calling us to serve all the poor of our society. He wants us to offer bread to the hungry, and living bread to everyone we meet.

John 11:1-54

A few years ago, you could hardly turn on a Southern Gospel radio station without hearing a song about Lazarus. It seemed like every songwriter was finding a new way to tell this story. It is a story that rings in our hearts for many reasons.

The first is the obvious: Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead! What an incredible moment! Up til now, we have seen Jesus heal the blind, the lame and the ill, but nothing like this.

But there are more messages in this story.

Jesus does not arrive when Lazarus is dying; He arrives 4 days after he dies. Lazarus is already in the tomb. By His actions, Jesus is telling us that it's never too late to trust in the power of God. God can step into any situation, no matter how dark, and still bring light, hope, and life.

This story also contains, what is probably, the shortest verse in the Bible: "Jesus wept." (11:35) What a powerful image. God is crying!

I love this moment because it reminds me that Jesus is not just fully divine, but He is also fully human. He sees his friends, people He truly loved, in grief, and He feels their pain.

But I think it's more than this. Jesus knew that He would die soon, and He knew that His death would be public and violent. When He saw the family of Lazarus grieving, He could also see His family grieving for Him. He could imagine His own mother, with tears streaming down her face. He could see His friends and followers screaming in anger and disbelief. The pain of this thought was too much to bear. Jesus wept.

What does this story mean to you? Please feel free to leave a comment with your answer...

John 10:22-42

"Happy St. Patrick’s Day", emailed a friend.
"Who was Patrick anyway", I inquired.
And the conversation continued.

The Gospel reading today is very similar to the above conversation.

People: "Tell us the plain truth: are you the Messiah (Saviour)?"
Jesus: "I have already told you, but you do not believe me."
And the conversation continues.

So my question to you today is, ‘Who is Jesus?’

My answers …
To the deaf man, Jesus is the one who gives back his hearing;
To the thief on the cross, Jesus is the one who brought him to eternal life;
To the woman caught in adultery, Jesus saved her from a horrible death;
To the disciples in the boat on the stormy waters of Galilee, Jesus could control nature;
To the man born blind, Jesus restored his ability to see;
To Peter, Jesus gave him the ability to walk on water;
To the 10 lepers, Jesus cured them to become accepted within the community;
To the man with the speech impediment, Jesus was the one who enabled him to speak openly;
To the 5000 hungry people, Jesus was the one who could feed thousands;
To the wedding host, Jesus was able to provide wine for the party;
To the widow at Nain, Jesus brought her son back from the dead;
To the epileptic boy, Jesus brought healing so he could live a normal life;
To the man with the crippled hand, Jesus enabled him to work for a living.


NOW YOU CAN ADD TO THE LIST (through the comment section of the blog)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

"Who is Jesus?"

"God."

(Today's post submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 10:1-21

"I am the good shepherd..." (10:11)

Our study guide poses the question – What modern day metaphor can replace ‘shepherd’ to describe the relationship between God and God’s people?

We could not come up with a substitute. Maybe you can. However, I can think of individuals, who have ‘shepherded’ me during my lifetime. Let me give you an example.

Last evening, the phone rang and Mary’s two daughters advised me that Mary had finally left this world and has gone to God’s other house.

Mary was a shepherd.

She did not dress like a shepherd. In fact, on her 90th birthday she arrived at her party in a red convertible sports coupe, wearing a bright red dress. In earlier days, Mary would be serving meals at the Church, raising money at school events, and giving to the less fortunate in the community.

In 1941, she and her husband Harry, as newly weds, moved into a recently built house on a new street in north Toronto. I remember that date because we often joked about our coincidence. You see, they moved into their new home the same year that I was born.

Mary lived in her house until the day she died, and she was always ready to welcome others into their new home. When we were up to our ears in unpacking cartons during our 1990 move, Mary came to our door with a pot roast to welcome us to the neighbourhood. She felt that we may not have time to cook, and a hot meal may be appreciated. It was. It was the first of countless acts of hospitality Mary would shower upon us.

Mary was a ‘good shepherd’. She worshipped her God regularly, she cared for God’s people in a myriad of expressions, and she lived her life as a ‘good and faithful’ shepherd for God.

Maybe Mary and people like Mary are the modern day metaphors explaining what our relationship with God should be like.

(Today's post is submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 9:1-41

"One thing I do know; I was blind, and now I see." (9:25)

‘The proof is in the pudding’ so the old adage goes, at least that is the way the blind man saw it.

He was having his 15 minutes (or longer) of fame. He probably preferred not to be there.

No doubt, he was happy to finally be able to see physically. Now he could see the multi coloured flowers, the aqua sheen of the lake and the hue of people’s eyes. Since birth he had been denied these pleasures. Now, like a 24/7 documentary, the world was been rolled out for him to experience in an enhanced dimension. No doubt, he was savouring every morsel.

‘For every pleasure there is a pain’, claims an perceptive person. For the blind man the pain came in the form of the Pharisees, who were building their case against Jesus to destroy Him.

The Pharisees summoned the man and his parents to appear before them to explain what had happened. Their response was very coy. You have to read the whole chapter to feel the courtroom drama being portrayed by the prosecutors and the defendants. In fact, have a friend read it with you as if you were reading a script. The dialogue is riveting and the conclusions surprising.

Later, Jesus encounters the previously blind man, and they talk about spiritual blindness, not physical blindness.

This is where we enter the scene.

Jesus wants us to see God in all that is happening in our lives, but especially when we are ‘healed’ from our sins. The procedure is simple, claims Jesus in other parts of the Gospel, you only have to repent (be sorry for your sins) and God will forgive you.

Think about ‘spiritual blindness’ in your own life this Lent and act on it today. As the Gospel song reiterates, ‘if you don’t believe me, ask the blind man, he saw it all’.

(Today's post submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 8:31-59

"They picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and left the Temple." (8:59)

I can imagine the followers of Jesus spreading the word, ‘JESUS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING’.

That little bit of humour is not to belittle the seriousness of the situation, however sometimes humour helps to short circuit a tense situation. This was a tense situation.

A few minutes earlier, Jesus told the crowd that if they knew the truth, the truth would set them free.

Jesus tells the truth, about Himself, and the truth caused Him to hide, like a fugitive, or risk serious injury.

My father, a schoolteacher, would remind us that if we always told the truth, we would not have to remember what we said to cover up an untruth.

In this encounter with this crowd, Jesus happens to mention that he had seen Abraham. Abraham had lived 2000 years earlier, so some perceptive individuals knew that this man, who was in his early thirties (even though they thought He was fifty), could not have met a person born 200 decades earlier.

Jesus’ response infuriated them even more when he said, "I am telling the truth, before Abraham was born I AM." (8:58)

Here Jesus is admitting to being I AM, that is GOD. I AM is the name God suggested that Moses would use when he was sent to Egypt to lead God’s chosen people out of slavery into the freedom of the promised land.

The crowd did not accept Jesus as the great God, I AM, so they reacted by wanting to destroy not only the messenger, but the message as well.

Lent is a super time for us to reconnect or enhance our relationship with I AM.

Spend 3 minutes in silence working on the relationship.

POSTSCRIPT – I AM – the I implies a oneness of you and God, and AM means that with God there is no past or future, only the present.

(Today's post is submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 8:12-30

"I am the light of the world." (8:12)

One summer our very young daughters wanted a volunteer to stay up all night to see the sun rise. A vote was taken and I was conscripted. It involved two overnights, since they each selected different dates and places to see the sun rise.

It was a long wait. We filled the time watching television, eating, playing games and and other amusing activities to keep us awake.

Then it happened.

Slowly at first. The deep darkness lightened slightly. We could see the light whipping over the horizon, bouncing along the water, changing shadows into real trees and houses and filling the sky with a brilliant blazing red hue. We imagined that every corner of the land and every crevice of the rocky coastline were now alive with the light. As we recounted the second when dawn appeared, we too felt that we were filled with the light of a new day.

I believe this parallels our relationship with God. Isaiah wrote that the people who sat waiting in the darkness have finally seen a great light. Jonah tried to run away from God, until the light of God’s mission to save people snapped on in his mind.

In the reading today, Jesus is trying to do the same thing. He taunts the Pharisees that if they knew God they would know Jesus. He tried to turn on the light of their souls, but as the comedian said, ‘there was nobody home’.

An interesting detail in this story is that Jesus was teaching in the room "where the offering boxes were stored" (8:20). It would be a busy place as people came to, as we say, ‘give their collection’. Many people would come daily to do their duty, Jesus was there to show them WHY they were doing their duty.

Same with us.

We need the light of Jesus within our personal lives to guide us, especially during troubling times. Every society and nation needs a guiding light to indicate what needs to be done and where it should be heading. God/Jesus is the light to follow.

Let the light so shine within you and away from you so that people may see that you have decided to follow the ‘true light’ of God.

(Today's post is submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 7:53-8:11

"In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death..." (8:5)

Which is more important – the Law or people?

Which is more important – the Law of humans or the love of God?

Throughout His life, Jesus was challenged constantly with these questions.

Here was a woman caught in the act of adultery. The Law dictated that she should die. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees wanted to discredit Jesus, so they brought her to Him, and asked what he would do.

Jesus faced this kind of challenge many times during his short 3 year ministry. On other occasions he answered the question with one of his own. Here he does the same thing. He says to her accusers, ‘the person without sin should cast the first stone’. (8:7)

Knowing these learned men would take a while to decide and act, Jesus amuses Himself by writing in the gravel.

A few minutes later, He looks up and realizes that only He and the woman remained. I guess all the wise men decided they all had sinned.

He sent the woman away forgiven, with a suggestion to turn her life around. We are never told if she did. And it is not important to the message of this Gospel incident.

Jesus wants us, His followers, to put people first, not to judge others and to become more Godlike.

Lent gives us a golden opportunity to try.

How is it working for you.?

(Today's post is submitted by guest writer, Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)

John 7:1-52

"Stop judging by external standards, and judge by true standards." (7:24)

The Jewish authorities, and even the crowd of people listening to His teaching, are continuing to criticize Jesus. They object to His healing on the Sabbath. They dislike that He is from Galilee. They question the wisdom of a man who "... has never been to school". (7:15)

They refuse to look past the earthly, practical points, and see the glory of God shining through Jesus.

I've been blessed with the opportunity to visit many different churches. Some have stained glass windows and liturgically-based worship. Other have contemporary buildings with large screens shining with praise chorus lyrics. Some churches kneel to pray; others lie down. Some of these churches believe every word of the Bible is literal and must be fully accepted as truth. Others encourage questioning and critical thinking of our holy writings.

What amazes me the most, however, is how these churches criticize each other!

When I go to a traditional church, they criticize 'flamboyant' dancing and praise bands. When I go to a contemporary church, they criticize 'boring' organ music and intercessions.

Aren't we missing the point?

Like the crowd around Jesus, we are judging externally. We are assuming that because someone worships with hymns, or dancing, or even snake-handling, they are, somehow, not truly worshipping God. We decide that they are not really going to connect with God unless they change to our form of worship.

But if we judge by "true standards", we are forced to see that all of these churches, despite their differences in prayer, music, and preaching, are all in the business of the same thing: Worshipping the One True God, through His Son, Jesus.

Jesus asks the crowd to look past all the external details, and to see Him for who He truly is. Isn't that something we can apply to our Christian lives as well?

John 6:60-71

I have an idealized vision of what it would be like to follow Jesus. I imagine throngs of people hanging on His every word, and living newly passionate lives. I imagine a faithful crowd that grows bigger every day.

But today, we find out that not every one wanted to stick around. After hearing about "the bread of life", people in the crowd complained that the teaching was too difficult, so "...many of Jesus's followers turned back, and would not go with Him any more." (6:66)

As we read the Bible, it becomes very apparent that human nature really hasn't changed in 2000 years. Today, many people get all fired up when first introduced to Christianity. They are inspired by the music and the teaching. They love the social community and the programs of their local church.

But soon, they are asked to apply these teachings to their lives. Perhaps they are asked to stop lying, or to give up a destructive habit. Perhaps a crisis comes into their lives, and they are asked to lean on God and not blame Him.

I'm reminded of the parable of the sower and the seed. These are the people of the rocky soil, who, "...hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." (Mark 4:16-17)

For many people, change is difficult. They are perfectly willing to join in the joyful worship, but they are not willing to commit fully to the message of Christ. For some, even a small change is too much. They just give up.

But God, also, has not changed. 2000 years later, Jesus still loves us. God still wants to draw us to Him. The words of Simon Peter are still true today: "...You have the words that give eternal life. ...you are the Holy One who has come from God." (6:68-69)

John 6:22:59

At the start of today's reading, the crowds have been looking for Jesus. But He tells them, "...you are looking for me because you ate the bread and had all you wanted, not because you understood my miracles." (6:26)

Jesus knows that the crowd is hungry for bread, but He wants to offer them more. He wants to offer them "the bread of life" (6:35)

There is a popular theology today called the "Prosperity Gospel". This way of thinking basically says that God will reward your faith with good health and material wealth.

This is a theology for those seeking physical bread...and cars, and houses, and big screen TVs. Its main targets are those who feel left behind by society, and who are looking for God to "bring them up" in the world. Of course, what if they don't become rich or healthy? Does that mean God doesn't love them?

Jesus is preaching something entirely different. He can provide physical bread. He proved that to the 5000. But now, He wants to provide something different.

Jesus is offering a spiritual food, through Him, that will satisfy you for all the days of your life. He is offering unconditional love and comfort from God. On the last day, Jesus promises you will be raised to life with Him.

The Prosperity Gospel offers short-term satisfaction. But Jesus is offering you something far more generous, far more satisfying: He is offering life everlasting.

That's better than any car...

John 6:16-21

Today, we read the infamous story of Jesus walking on the water. This story has become a modern-day challenge to illusionists around the world. Select magicians have mastered the illusion of walking on water. TV's Criss Angel has even performed the feat in a public swimming pool, walking across the water, with people still swimming all around him in the pool.

But all magicians agree that it is a stunt that requires an enormous amount of planning, equipment, and technical prowess. There is an understood agreement that a single man, 2000 years ago, with no technical resources, could not have pulled off this kind of ''illusion''. For Jesus, this was a true miracle.

I love watching this illusion on television. It intrigues me, and there's something quite beautiful about it. But the disciples in the boat did not feel this way. They were terrified. Here, in the middle of the night, in the middle of the storm, was their master, Jesus, walking on the rough waters.

At this moment, Jesus showed He had power over everything. He could control water, wine, bread, fish, health, sickness, and now the properties of science and nature. And soon, He would prove He even had power over death. No wonder the twelve were afraid.

But Jesus shows us even more in this moment. His words are "Don't be afraid...It is I" (6:20). In a moment when they are terrified, Jesus asks the disciples to recognize His presence, and to allow that to be a calming force for them.

This story is not just for the twelve. It is for us as well. How awesome to know that in the midst of our darkest, most frightening hour, Jesus is calling out to us, "Don't be afraid...It is I".

John 6:1-15

Today's reading is the famous "feeding of the five thousand".

We are told that a large crowd gathered "because they had seen His miracles of healing the sick." (6:2) At this point, I think it's fair to say that people came to Jesus expecting to see miracles. The power of Jesus was so strong that he could make a lame man walk, and could heal the illness of a child without even seeing him face to face. Why then, would he do a miracle using something as simple as bread?

The boy has only 5 loaves and 2 fishes. A very small amount of food. Yet, Jesus takes that small offering, and uses it to feed 5000 people. That's the number of people in my Mom's hometown.

Can't God do the same with us? We bring our small offerings of time, talent, and treasure to God, and He uses them in ways we cannot imagine. Our few dollars are added with other people's offerings, and used to build schools and wells in developing countries. I can give an hour to help arrange some flowers for my church, but when ten people give that same hour, we can fill the sanctuary with Easter lilies.

And my favourite example: On my own, I can sing a song of praise. But it's only when I join with the voices of a choir that I can sing Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.

The little boy could only contribute a small amount of food that day, yet Jesus did miraculous things with it. He will do the same with whatever we offer Him. As Kittie L. Suffield wrote, "Little is much when God is in it!"

John 5:19-47

"But I have a witness on my behalf which is even greater than the witness that John gave: what I do, that is, the deeds my Father gave me to do, these speak on my behalf and show that the Father has sent me." (5:36)

Jesus is telling those around Him to look at His actions and they will see all the proof they need that He is the Son of God.

In the secular world, Christians sometimes have a bad reputation for being hypocritical. We preach about giving to the poor, yet we have expensive technology in our homes. We say that everyone is created equally by God, yet we don't give everyone equal status in our businesses and churches. We preach unconditional love, yet our society teaches us to only love those who 'deserve' our love.

Perhaps, this is the time for us to look at our deeds.

More often than not, we pay more attention to the actions of those around us than we do to their words. We all know the parent who tells their child not to smoke as they're lighting their cigarette. Or the teacher who screams at their students to talk nicely to each other.

Are we doing deeds that reflect our Christian beliefs? Do our lifestyles match our words? Do we worship one God? Do we honour our mother and our father? Do we love our neighbours as ourselves?

The rest of the world is watching the church and the Christian community. Your neighbours, friends, and colleagues are watching you.

Do your deeds show that you are a child of God?

John 5:1-18

So far, Jesus has been performing lots of miracles, and he's building quite a reputation. The government official with the sick son knew He could ask for Jesus's help, because he'd heard of the other miracles of healing.

Today, Jesus heals a man who is crippled. But when the man is questioned about who healed him, the man can't reveal Jesus's name, because he doesn't even know who He is.

Imagine this moment: You're suffering from stomach flu. You're rolling around on the ground with intense pain in your abdomen. Your body is rejecting everything you've eaten in the past day. A stranger walks up to you, and says, "Get up and be well". If you're like most people, you'd probably have a few choice words to say to the stranger.

But not this man. Jesus tells him to get up and walk, and he does. This is not a man who had seen Jesus heal other people. We are told he didn't know Jesus, so he couldn't have been influenced by his reputation as a miracle worker. He couldn't even have known that this was the man they were calling the Messiah.

So why would he get up and walk for this stranger? Clearly, there was something so powerful about Jesus, so authoritative, that the man trusted His words. Jesus contained an energy that could not be denied.

Sometimes, we just need to trust in Jesus. Not because of His stories and reputation, but just because of who He is. Just because He's God.

John 4:43-54

"...'None of you will ever believe unless you see miracles and wonders.'" (4:48)

I can imagine Jesus saying this with some frustration. He came to preach a message that would bring people closer to God, but many people were just coming for the 'show'.

We are still obsessed with miracles today. An Internet search of "miracles" brings up 19,400,000 hits. A recent TV show chronicled the journey of a magician who is investigating whether or not Jesus could have used magic or illusion to perform His miracles.

An online article questions why we never see Biblical-type miracles today. The article suggests that, in the Old Testament, humanity was still very immature, and God needed to perform miracles to prove His power. Now that we, as a society, have reached a 'spiritual maturity', God no longer needs to perform miracles to prove His worth.

I don't know if this is a fair argument. Are we really that different from humans 2000 years ago? Aren't some of us still asking for proof that God is real? The 19,400,00 Internet hits would seem to suggest it.

I think God knew that His humans, His own creation, needed this kind of proof. I think that's why Jesus did miracles - to provide undeniable evidence of the power of God. But I think there must have been times when the fully-human part of Jesus got a little frustrated. Why couldn't these humans just hear the word of God and believe?

In our world, we can't rely on miracles for our faith. I've been a Christian my whole life. I've seen God work in some awesome ways, but I can honestly say I've never seen a dead person rise up and walk, or the Atlantic Ocean part down the middle.

This is the moment when faith must take over. This is the moment when we need to trust that this is a miracle-working God, even if those miracles are never posted on the Internet.

John 4:1-42

Today's reading contains the story of the woman at the well. The woman wants to fill her jar with water, but Jesus offers her "life-giving water" (4:10). She is so excited by her exchange with Jesus that she leaves her water jar at the well so she can run back into town and tell people she has met the Messiah.

In Biblical days, water meant work. You had to walk a fair distance to the well, carrying a large jug. You then had to draw the water out of the well, and then walk the same distance back home with the now-heavier water-filled jug. You had to be careful not to spill the water, or else you'd have to do the whole trip over again.

But the woman is so excited at meeting Jesus that she just leaves the jar at the well. For her, it is more important to spread the message of Jesus than it is to bring water back to her house.

Sometimes, I think we need to lay down our practical concerns, put away our work and burdens, and just spend a little time getting excited about the Good News of Jesus.

This woman knew that the jar would still be there when she got back. She knew she could pick up the water later. She wasn't being irresponsible or foolish. Instead, she was just taking a moment to celebrate the joy of connecting with Jesus. She understood that the practical things will always be there, but the Living Messiah was a blessing to be shared with others.

Like the hymn says:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

(Helen H. Lemmel, 1922)