Tag: repentance

Daily Forgiveness

Barbara Weber

John 13:6-10 WEB

Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” [7] Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.” [8] Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.” [9] Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” [10] Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.”

In the Bible, we read that all people have sinned (1 John 1:8). Moreover, it says anyone who denies they have sinned is a liar. So, to those of us who have made Jesus our Lord and Savior, we need to repent daily. We are saved out of the world but we live in the world and we trudge through the muck and mire of the world. Therefore Jesus needs to wash our spiritual feet daily with his forgiveness. The above passage says we are already clean but we still need daily forgiveness.

We still need the dust and briars cleaned off our feet. As we walk with the Lord, we do so on the stage of the world. Thus, during our walk, our spiritual feet get dirty. This can be hard for Christians to face. We recognize with our heads the Bible says all have sinned, even those in Christ. However, seeing our own sin can be difficult. We need moments where we have insight into our own selves. We must look in the mirror of self and see the area shrouded in darkness.

When we can see our sin, we are being honest with ourselves. It may make us feel inferior to others to admit we have sinned. In the world, we are taught not to let others see our weaknesses. But in Christianity, we are praised for our weakness because it gives place to God’s strength. In the above passage, Peter wanted no part of Jesus washing his feet. Yet the Lord told him it was necessary for him to be completely clean, so he complied.

Lord, please help me evaluate my spiritual health accurately. Reveal sin to me and wash me clean with your forgiveness. Help me grow in Christian maturity and repent of the sins you show me. Give me the courage to accept your correction. Help me face the truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

I and the Father are One

Barbara Weber

John 10:30-33 WEB

I and the Father are one.” [31] Therefore Jews took up stones again to stone him. [32] Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?” [33] The Jews answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

This is one of Jesus’ most bold statements. He claimed to be equal to God. The Jews were outraged by Jesus’ statement that he was one with God. They became so upset they took up stones to kill Jesus. Jesus asked them, “for which work do you stone me?” Regardless of the miracles and wisdom Jesus demonstrated to the Jews, they would not believe he was from God. Instead, they were determined to destroy the works of God wrought through Jesus.

Why did the Jews want Jesus dead? In our day and age, many mentally ill people say they are God. We don’t persecute them, instead, we pity and dismiss them. It was likely the same in Jesus’ time. There were probably many people who thought they were from God or had a revelation from God. So, why did the Jewish leaders reject Jesus instead of just ignoring him? They rejected him because people were listening to him.

Not only were people listening to Jesus, but people were believing in his message. This was perceived to be a threat to the positions and status of the Jewish leaders. The leaders had their positions at the will of the Romans. They feared the Romans more than they feared God. More, Jesus was perceived to be a threat to their positions. In short, they were jealous. In their jealousy and self-preservation, they despised the goodness of God and rejected Jesus.  

Lord, please forgive me for harming others because of jealousy. Reveal to me any jealousy that I do not recognize and lead me into repentance. Please give me a genuine love for all people so that I celebrate their successes instead of feeling threatened. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Saved by Love

Barbara Weber

John 9:23-25,33-34 WEB

Therefore his parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.” [24] So they called the man who was blind a second time, and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” [25] He therefore answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.” [33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” [34] They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.

Chapter 9 of John is the story of the blind beggar. Throughout the chapter, there are 12 references to the blind man, and 1 reference to the beggar. This really moves me. All my life I have heard this story called “The Blind Beggar.” Yet in the chapter about him, there is only one small reference to his lifestyle. Jesus did not humiliate this man by bringing up his shame. Instead, he comes alongside the man to heal his vision and to heal his heart.

Religion will humiliate a person for their sins. Love does not. Love covers a multitude of sins. In this story of the blind man, Jesus demonstrates his love. For example, Jesus never called him a beggar; Jesus never rebuked him for his sin. In the end, Jesus leads the blind man to repentance and to the safety of a right relationship with God.  John chapter 9 reveals Jesus was intent on healing and restoring the once blind man.

It’s clear Jesus healed the once blind man. It’s also clear Jesus was intent on healing this man on the inside. First, he healed his eyes so that he could see. Next, he gives the man a command which allows him to take a step of faith. Finally, he finds the man who was blind and leads him to salvation. Jesus demonstrates the gospel in this chapter. He leads a sinner to repentance through love.

Lord, help me grasp what true love looks like in a relationship. Help me love all people and help me lead sinners to repentance. Anoint me with the grace to love, Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.

God’s Seal of Approval

Barbara WeberLeave a comment

John 6:26-27 WEB

Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. [27] Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.”

How can we tell when God has sealed, or approved, someone for a task? How did God seal Jesus? God sealed Jesus through the testimony of John the Baptist and the miraculous signs which Jesus did. Signs and wonders accompanied Jesus. God used miracles as signs of Jesus’ task and calling.

Jesus was also blessed. He had decent clothes, or at the crucifixion, the soldiers would not have struggled to get his clothes. They were nice. Also, Jesus was from Nazareth, but he seems to have a house in Capernaum. Jesus stopped working when he went into ministry, how did he pay for these things? Jesus may have saved some money while he worked, but that would contradict part of his message. It seems likely people were supporting his ministry.

So, God used signs and wonders and ministry support to show approval, but there is another sign. The preaching of repentance also accompanies the one whom God approves. Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached repentance. Another, Paul the apostle, was always encouraging believers to turn from sin. Many of the biblical writers wrote about sin and repentance. Preaching repentance is a mark of the one sealed by God.

Lord Jesus, help me recognize and honor the ones you have sealed. Give me a discerning Spirit so I can recognize when you have set your approval on another. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Law vs. Spirit

Barbara WeberLeave a comment

John 1:22-25 WEB

They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” [23] He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” [24] The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees. [25] They asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”

Pharisees are concerned with the rules. They are legalists. Pharisees went to John the Baptist and asked him who he was. They could recognize that he was anointed, but they could not discern his purpose. The Pharisees were more focused on being in control of John’s authority to act than they were interested in knowing what God was doing.

Pharisees had religious control of the region. John must have seemed like a threat to them. You can see in the passage how rude the Pharisees were to him. They demand he answer for himself. But, they had asked John a question only God could answer. Since Pharisees only got revelation from scriptures they walked away from John. They did not value that he was bringing people to repentance.  

Lord Jesus, please help me know the Bible and practice its teaching while I keep my inner ear tuned towards your voice. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen

Before Christ

Barbara WeberLeave a comment

John 1:6-9 WEB

There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. [7] The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. [9] The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

John the prophet was commissioned by God to announce the coming of Christ (Mark 1:2). This is not the same John who wrote the Book of John. This is John the Baptist who is also called the Forerunner of Christ, or Elijah who is to come (Luke 1:17). John was called baptist because he preached repentance followed by baptism (Mark 1:4).

It’s interesting, the testimony of Christ was a message of repentance (Acts 19:4). John spoke to the general public but often he aimed his comments at religious and political leaders. And, not just any religious leaders, but the Pharisees (Mt 3:7). That is significant because the Pharisees were the godliest people in the land.

If the godliest people of the day could not discern Christ (John 12:42), how can we be sure we do not miss Christ? It’s important we understand the first announcement of the coming of Christ (Gen 3:15, Luke 1:31). We’re at a time when we all expect the millennial reign to come at any moment, so it seems pertinent we can recognize when somebody is announcing Christ.

Lord Jesus, please help me recognize the signs of your second coming. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.