John 5:8

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 5:8 

“Jesus said to him, Arise, take up your pallet, and walk.” – John 5:8   

Over the next week we will be looking at seven miraculous signs performed by Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of John.  These signs show that Jesus was not just some ordinary man but was truly the Son of God.  Today we will look at the third sign which is the healing at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath.

We are entering a time in chapters three thru five that lay out a shift from mere reservation and hesitation about Jesus to outright and sometimes official opposition to Him. The first point of controversy regards the Sabbath.  In chapter five we see that Jesus went into Jerusalem when the people were preparing for a feast to celebrate this import day. In Jerusalem, by the sheep gate, there was a pool named Bethesda, Bethesda being Aramaic for ‘House of Mercy’, where many would wait for healing. “In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.]” John 5:4-5. Those who were sick or disabled would lie there, for as long as needed, for an angel to stir up the waters, then they would race to the water, for the first one to enter would be healed. Now, an interesting point is that the pool of Bethesda was used to provide water for the temple.

Now there was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus came to the water, He had compassion on this man. “When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, Do you wish to get well?”  The sick man then answers, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming another steps down before me.” John 5:7. The answer this man gives is a sad one.  He was there for he greatly wanted to be healed.  However, being disabled he was unable to get up and go into the water himself, and there was no friend there with him that could help him into the stirred-up waters.  By the time he would have reached the water, someone else had already beaten him to it.

However, Jesus then responds to his answer by telling him, in our focus verse, “Arise, take up your pallet, and walk.” John 5:8.  Jesus showed compassion for him, but He provided the healing to him in a surprising way. He simply told the man to get up, taking his pallet with him, and walk.  “And immediately the man became well and took up his pallet and began to walk.” John 5:9a.  I tend to think this was a complete shock to the man, however in faith he followed Jesus’ command.  We read of a similar incident where Jesus is talking and an invalid is lowered through the roof for Jesus to heal.  And Jesus uses the same wording to that man as He did with man at the pool. “And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. And being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.” Mark 2:3-4.  Then, in healing the man, He said, “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” Mark 2:11.

After this, the Jews came to this man. “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” John 5:10.  “But he answered them, He who made me well was the one who said to me, Take up your pallet and walk. They asked him, Who is the man who said to you, take up your pallet, and walk?” John 5:11-12.  They were upset that the man followed the leading of someone to break the Sabbath law by carrying the pallet.  However, this man did not know who it was that told him to pick up his pallet and walk. However, in a later verse, “Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you. The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.” John 5:14-15.   

This was a sign to the Jewish leadership that He was more than just a simple man, but that He had authority over them. He told them, “But He answered them, My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” John 5:17 For this reason, the Jewish leaders were trying even harder to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was also calling God His own Father, thus making Himself equal with God. It did not occur to them that because a remarkable healing had taken place, they ought to glorify God for it. No, the only thing that troubled them was Jesus’ transgression of the Sabbath (as they had decreed it should be kept). The problem, of course, was that they were so wedded to the traditions with which they had overlaid the law that they could see nothing else. They were infuriated that someone had upset their cozy little empire, especially one who declared Himself the Son of God.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

John 4:50

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 4:50   

“Jesus said to him, go your way; your son lives. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he started off.” – John 4:50

Over the next week we will be looking at seven miraculous signs performed by Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of John.  These signs show that Jesus was not just some ordinary man but was truly the Son of God.  The second sign which we will look at today is where He healed the son of a nobleman who was deathly ill.

In the beginning of the John chapter four, we find Jesus knew the pharisees were greatly irritated because Jesus was doing more than John the Baptist.  “When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were.)” John 3:1-2. Many of the Jewish leadership were upset with John the Baptist and what he had done, and to find out Jesus was making more disciples than John had, they we more displeased with what Jesus was doing. And probably because of this He decided to go to Galilee and chose to go through Samaria and it is at this time that He ministered to the Samaritan woman at the well.

After this event with the  Samaritan woman, Jesus arrives again in Cana, and there He meets a royal official of Rome, probably one connected by birth with Herod Antipas.  Herod was tetrarch of Galilee from 4 BC to 39 AD and not properly a ‘king’ at all; but he was popularly considered one. “And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” Mark 6:14. This nobleman, finding out that Jesus was in Galilee, went to Him regarding his sick son asking for His help. “When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him, and was requesting Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.” John 4:47. Both here and in verse forty-nine this official is requesting Jesus come down and heal his son.  It appears that he is approaching Jesus out of desperation, not concerned with who He was, but having heard that Jesus can perform miracles. 

Now Jesus responds in a somewhat confrontational fashion. “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” John 4:48. And this was not just intended toward this man, but to the Galileans as a whole. The Samaritans had believed without any miracle. The Galileans, he said, were less disposed to believe him than even they were and though he had performed miracles enough to convince them, yet, unless they continually saw them, they would not believe. Then in the next verse, He asks Jesus again. “Sir, come down before my child dies.” John 4:49. Then Jesus tells Him, “Go your way; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he started off.” John 4:50. This brings out an interesting thought. God may not do it how we want in answering our prayers, in this case having Him go home alone rather than Jesus going with him.  As Colin G. Kruze writes,   “It is also worth noticing that although Christ does not grant his desire, He gives him far more than he asked. For he receives the assurance that his son is even now well. So our heavenly Father often does not comply with our prayers in every detail but goes to work in an unexpected way to help us, so that we may learn not to dictate to Him in anything.”

The royal official, after hearing the words of Christ, headed back home.  And while heading home, he was met by some of his slaves. “And as he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So, he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. They said therefore to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So, the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed, and his whole household.” John 4:51-53.

This man’s son was healed. However, the story does not end there. John adds, so he and his whole household believed. His faith in the promise of Jesus concerning his son’s healing and seeing that faith rewarded led the official to greater belief in Jesus and resulted in his whole household coming to believe in him. And in those days, normally when the head of the house believed, the rest of the household followed. And I believe this was a reason Jesus performed this and other miracles, and this is a great example.  The fact that the royal official and his household believed and exercised true faith in Jesus I believe shows this may be what John, in including this information, wanted his readers to understood.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

John 2:3

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 2:3   

“And when the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, they have no wine.” – John 2:3

Over the next week we will be looking at seven miraculous signs performed by Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of John.  These signs show that Jesus was not just some ordinary man but was truly the Son of God.  The first sign we will look at is where He changed water into wine at a wedding in Cana.

Jesus and His disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana. “And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the wedding.” John 2:1-2.  This wedding is said to take place on the third day, a note that connects this story with those in John 1:19–51. And along with Jesus and His disciples, Jesus’ mother was also invited and present. And as seen in our focus verse, they ran out of wine during the celebration. According to theologian J. D. M. Derrett, “their unexpected presence at the wedding may account for the wine shortage. Since guests were to provide some of the wine, it is also possible that the supply ran out because Jesus did not contribute, either because of his last-minute arrival or because of his poverty.” It is also understood that wedding celebrations could last a week, with the final financial responsibility falling on the groom. To run out of supplies would be a horrible embarrassment in a “shame culture”.

When the wine does run out Jesus’ mother told Him they had run out of wine. Jesus then replies, “Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:4. Jesus was not being insulting by calling her woman, it was a normal way of addressing a mother or wife and had an endearing meaning. In fact, when Jesus was on the cross, He referred to Mary in the same way. “When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, Woman, behold, your son!” John 19:26. Also, the phrase ‘what do I have to do with you?’ is probably better rendered as the ESV translation puts it, “what does this have to do with us?” And He explains this with the phrase, “My hour has not yet come.” John 2:4b. The reference to His “hour” means that Jesus was constantly working from a divine timetable. So, He was not going to reveal His power sooner than the Father intended. This is clarified in John 5. “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 5:30. Based on this verse, I believe Jesus received an OK from the Father to do what was necessary, for it would be wrong to perform a miracle if the time and place are not according to God’s will.

I also believe His mother understood this as well. She responded in such a way so as not to pressure Jesus. “His mother said to the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it.” John 2:5. Mary does not waver in her conviction that He will help by perform something to bring about a solution. Then Jesus tells the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.” John 2:7.  There were six waterpots, made of stone, which could hold twenty or thirty gallons each.  After the pots were filled and brought back to Jesus, He then told them, draw some out now, and take it to the headwaiter. And they took it to him.” John 2:8. “And when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, Every man serves the good wine first, and when men have drunk freely, then that which is poorer; you have kept the good wine until now.” John 2:9-10. Jesus did act, performing His first miracle. He turned the water into wine, but He did so in a very subtle, subdued way. Only the servants, Mary, and a few disciples even knew what He had done. The miracle was to introduce the disciples to His ability, not to show off or to go public with His power. “This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.” John 2:11.

As we can see, the turning of water into wine was the first sign, or miracle, Jesus performed.  This sign, as seen above, helped His disciples to believe what He said about Himself and who He was; the Son of Man. “Jesus answered and said to him, because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these. And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” John 1:50-51. Jo

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 4:9

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Matthew 4:9 

“And he said to Him, “All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.” – Matthew 4:9    

Over these three days we will be looking at, in Matthew, the temptation of Jesus.  There were three specifically mentioned in Matthew 4, which we will address. God sent Him out to be tempted. “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 4:1. These three testings’ were not for God to see what happens, for God knows all things. Isaiah said the following regarding this idea. “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” Isaiah 46:9-10.  God also is showing the contrast between Adam and Eve and the Christ.  Jesus proved Himself by not giving into Satan’s temptation as Adam and Eve did, which was not to God but to the world.  Also showing that temptation itself is not a sin, but our response may be.

With the last temptation, the devil takes Jesus to a high mountain.  In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is taken to Mount Nebo to look upon the land that He has promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” Deuteronomy 34:1-4. However, unlike this situation with Moses, the issue is not that Jesus is permitted to see the kingdoms of the world; instead, Satan offers Him world dominion if He will worship him. “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, all these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9.

This was quite a temptation, for what Satan offered was rule over all the earth but without the sacrifice on the cross.  Without the pain, humiliation and all the suffering that was associated with crucifixion. In essence, Satan’s temptation was for Jesus to receive what the Father promised without the physical cost of death, which meant no paying the penalty for the sins of the people. However, Jesus would have nothing to do with it. “Then Jesus said to him, begone, Satan! For it is written, YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.” Matthew 4:10. And as the others, we find this in the Book of Deuteronomy. “You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.” Deuteronomy 6:13. 

Satan tempted Jesus to believe that someone else could provide for Him in a better way than God could. And we need to be cautious with our eyes open, for this is the way he appeals to us.  Whether it is power, money, success, or the ability to pursue personal interests.  Jesus again reached into the scriptures to answer Satan, and as always interpreting it accurately.  We can see a personal lesson, that being the Bible is our only authority for right and righteous living.  Old Testament Israel bought the lie that God had competition.  However, Jesus did not. He wanted to be mastered by nothing and no one except the true God.  And this should be our mindset as well.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 4:5

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Matthew 4:5 

“Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple.” – Matthew 4:5

Over these three days we will be looking at, in Matthew, the temptation of Jesus.  There were three specifically mentioned in Matthew 4, which we will address. God sent Him out to be tempted. “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 4:1. These three testings’ were not for God to see what happens, for God knows all things. Isaiah said the following regarding this idea. “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” Isaiah 46:9-10.  God also is showing the contrast between Adam and Eve and the Christ.  Jesus proved Himself by not giving into Satan’s temptation as Adam and Eve did, which was not to God but to the world.  Also showing that temptations itself is not a sin, but our response may be.

The second temptation regards testing God. Jesus had thwarted Satan in the first temptation, so now Satan moves on to another.  In our focus verse we read, “Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple.” Matthew 4:5.  Jesus is now taken to Jerusalem, the Holy City.  The word pinnacle refers to an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. It  looks like a small spire. Many believe the highest point was the ‘wing’ or ‘portico’, but it is unknown as to the exact place.

Again, Satan uses the conditional statement found in the first temptation. “If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.‘” Matthew 4:6.  This time, in using the ‘if you are the Son of God’, Satan is now quoting scripture, just as Jesus had done in the first one.  The scripture quoted is, “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:11.  He misused this scripture in his attempt to mislead Jesus.  The psalm speaks of times when we find ourselves in difficult times, God is there to help us.  This does not mean we should deliberately put ourselves in these situations, but this is what Satan was telling Jesus.  In essence, ‘go ahead and jump off this building, nothing is going to happen to you.’  However, we are not to test God by manufacturing a difficulty, which is what voluntarily jumping off the building would be.  Jesus said this by quoting another verse in Deuteronomy.  “YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.” Matthew 4:7b.  Jesus quoted a verse as well, though His was accurate in His rendering and meaning. 

As the verse in Deuteronomy says, we must not put the Lord our God to the test.  We see this clearly in Exodus. “And he named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?” Exodus 17:7. We must not go to Him seeking proof from Him via some miraculous sign.  If a miracle is necessary, He will make it happen.  But to do something to make a miracle necessary, such as jumping off the temple, is not good and is simply putting God to the test.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 4:3

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Matthew 4:3 

“And the tempter came and said to Him, If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” – Matthew 4:3 

Over these three days we will be looking at, in Matthew, the temptation of Jesus.  There were three specifically mentioned in Matthew 4, which we will address. God sent Him out to be tempted. “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 4:1. These three testings’ were not for God to see what happens, for God knows all things. Isaiah said the following regarding this idea. “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” Isaiah 46:9-10.  God also is showing the contrast between Adam and Eve and the Christ.  Jesus proved Himself by not giving into Satan’s temptation as Adam and Eve did, which was not to God but to the world.  Also, temptations itself is not a sin, but our response may be.

The first temptation regarded hunger. “And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.” Matthew 4:2. It is possible to go forty days without food but not without water, especially in an arid environment. The understatement regarding Jesus’ hunger is probably intended to illustrate the serious handicap He had in this battle.  The tempter Satan’s words show that Jesus truly was the Son of God.  Stewart Weber in his commentary states this might be better translated “Since you are the Son of God”.  Satan knew who He was and made it very plain that he did.  This same wording is used later in Matthew by the unbelievers who ridiculed Jesus on the cross. “And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Matthew 27:39:40.  I believe this was not a coincidence and that they were lured into using these same words by Satan, who used them first in our focus verse.

This first temptation was Satan tempting Him to rely on Himself instead of on the Father. Jesus often stated this, but no clearer than here. “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:37-38. This temptation follows the pattern found in the first epistle of John. “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” 1 John 2:15-16. Jesus was not going to allow His hunger to cause Him to go against the will and the desires of the Father. The Father sent Him out to be tested.  Would He rely on the Father or His own ways?  His answer was clear. “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” He quoted Moses as found in Deuteronomy 8:3.  Food is important, but it is not our primary provision for life, but rather God’s word, every word that God has spoken to His people. In other words, we must place an emphasis and priority on our spiritual needs over our earthly needs.

And this is an important truth for us to comprehend.  When we are tempted, do we rely on God to bring us through or do we attempt to do it ourselves? God allows all things for our good.  Note how Paul prayed to God regarding His temptations.  “And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. 

We must realize that we are not sufficient to work thought every temptation.  Often, we need God’s help. And as He said in the verse above, His grace is sufficient.  The Father knew He needed food, and after the temptations He provided it to Him.  Paul also said, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.  Also, “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19. God knows every need we have, and He will provide for us truly what we need. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

John 15:20

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 15:20 

“Remember the word that I said to you, A slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” – John 15:20 

Jesus in this verse is eliminating any surprise His disciples could have when persecution comes upon them.  In the two previous verses He introduces this concept to them “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.” John 15:18. He is telling them not to be surprised when the world comes against them, for they hated Him prior to hating them.  And the reason was the message He was presenting, which the disciples will continue to declare after He is gone.  The world hated Jesus because He taught a message that appeared contradictory to their beliefs. He was essentially telling them that it was the message they hated, and because He delivered it to the world, their hatred moved to Him as well.  And because He is calling them to deliver this message after He is gone, they will hate them as well.

Then in the next verse, He clarifies His point. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:19.  If they were of the world and taught their ways, this would not be an issue. The world loves its own, and thus is a society of rebels that have turned their backs on God to pursue their own ways and desires. And these ways were contrary to what they were teaching.

Jesus’ focus was to warn the disciples that their mission would not be easy. He had told them essentially the same thing earlier. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.” Matthew 10:25. It was important that this idea be fully understood, for soon they would be on their own.  He was encouraging them to stay strong and not to give in and abandon their calling, Judas had already left to betray Jesus to the Jewish leadership. Therefore, this was intended for the remaining eleven. . “Jesus therefore answered, that is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him. so, when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. And after the morsel, Satan then entered him. Jesus therefore said to him, what you do, do quickly.” John 13:26-27.

However, next He states the opposite idea, that being “if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20b.  If they persecuted me (and many of them did), they will persecute you also; if they obeyed my teaching (and some of them did), they will obey yours also. After Jesus ascends, they will have the same results Jesus had.  They will be doing God’s work here just as Jesus did when He was here.  If those in the world rebel and deny the message Jesus gave, they will deny their presentation of the same message.  And if they accept the truth of the message from Christ, then they will receive theirs as well. 

And He says all this because they do not know the one who sent Him. “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.” John 15:21. Essentially, the peoples responses to Jesus’ disciples, whether positive or negative, are ultimately based not on who they are, but on who Jesus is. And the reason for this is because they do not know the Father who sent Jesus here.  The implication in this statement is that if they had truly known God, they would have recognized the revelation of God in Jesus Christ.  The Jews had their own perception of who God was which was not revealed in Christ, the promised Messiah. 

This is important because those of us who are saved are the disciples of Christ.  And we must understand we will be persecuted for our beliefs and at times hated by those who want nothing to do with Christianity.  However, this should not stop us from presenting the good news of salvation to a lost people. We should never back down from declaring the gospel, for maybe some will not accept it, but if one hears us and accepts the message and becomes a Christian, it will be worth all the persecution we have experienced.  This is our purpose here, and there should be nothing that prevents us from being a witness to a lost world.  Be strong and stand firm, not being intimidated by anyone.  The message we have is the most important message ever presented here and will make an incredible difference here that will last for all eternity.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

1 Corinthians 13:13

Verse of the Day Devotion:  1 Corinthians 13:13 

“But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13   

In first Corinthians 12, Paul is writing about spiritual gifts which are given by the Holy Spirit to the Church, distributed to each as He chooses.  Therefore, one Christian may receive one type of gift while another receives a different gift.  However, in chapter 13, he discusses the three gifts that are not only common to all, but those three which will remain forever, for they are eternal gifts.  These being faith, hope and love.  The word translated “abide” in our focus verse is the Greek word menō meaning not just to be here now, but also to remain, stay and not to depart.  This same word is used in the Book of Acts where Paul tells the centurion, “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” Acts 27:31. The soldiers needed to stay and remain in the boat to save everyone in the ship.  And then in Hebrews we read, “For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one.” Hebrews 10:34.  Again, the word translated abiding is the same Greek word menō.  Here the idea is that their property may be seized here, but in the next life in heaven, it will remain eternally.

So, based on the Greek word menō, the three gifts faith, hope and love will remain forever, not like the gifts which are distributed to some. “Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.” 1 Corinthians 13:8.  In this verse, we see a contrast of three gifts which will go away and the three gifts in our focus verse. 

The Corinthian church members were priding themselves on the fact that they could speak in tongues and demonstrate other attention-getting gifts. However, Paul reminds them of the gifts that the Corinthians so desired were but temporary; faith, hope, and love, the foundational gifts, are permanent and therefore more to be desired.  Paul then corrects them by reminding them of that which is better.  “But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.” 1 Corinthians 12:31.  

The three gifts, faith, hope, and love are gifts that are present today and will be with us forever.  Faith in the Son of God will not cease in the eternal state; we will not stop trusting Jesus just because our faith has become sight.  “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-7. Today, we have faith aside from sight. In eternal life, we will continue to have faith but it will be in conjunction with sight. If anything, our faith will grow for our trust in Him will be greater.  As for hope, Jesus is our Blessed Hope.  “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” Titus 2:11-14. Our hope will not end simply because Jesus, our blesses hope, has come. For the entire time we are there, our expectations will always be for good because we are eternally with the foundation of our hope.  And finally, love.  We must remember that the basic and essential part of God’s nature is love. “And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”  1 John 4:16. God is love; therefore, love is eternal, both eternity past and eternity future.

There is a vast difference between the gifts given to selected Christians, i.e.: tongues, prophecy, the gift of knowledge, etc. However, the three mentioned in our focus verse are eternally with us who are Christians and enter our everlasting home with Jesus for He is our blessed hope,  love embodied, and our faith will be secure with Him.  What a beautiful life to look forward to.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

John 15:1

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 15:1 

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” – John 15:1 

Over the next few weekdays, we will be looking at seven verses where Jesus declares “I AM”, and then gives a metaphor regarding what He is.  Today, we will look at the seventh and last of these, “I am the true vine.”

Jesus is now preparing the disciples for their work they are to do after He ascends into heaven,  Judas has already left to betray Him.  They were sitting in a room together when Jesus told them one would betray Him, and He showed it would be Judas. “Jesus therefore answered, that is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So, when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. And after the morsel, Satan then entered him. Jesus therefore said to him, what you do, do quickly.” John 13:26-27. And then further down, “And so after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.” John 13:30.

Jesus wanted His friends, not only those eleven, but those of all time, to know that He was not going to desert them, even though they would no longer enjoy His physical presence. His living energy—His spiritual reality—would continue to nourish and sustain them just as the roots and trunk of a grape vine produce the energy that nourishes and sustains its branches while they develop their fruit. Jesus wanted us to know that, even though we cannot see Him, we are as intricately connected to Him as the branches of a vine are connected to its stem. Our desire to know and love Him and the energy to serve Him will keep flowing into and through us as long as we “abide” in Him.

Jesus then goes further in verse four. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4.  He is saying that no branch can even live, let alone produce fruit by itself.  Cut off from the trunk, a branch is dead. Just as a vine’s branches rely on being connected to the trunk from which they receive their energy to bear fruit, Jesus’ disciples depend on being connected to Him for their spiritual life and the ability to serve Him effectively. And the fruit we produce is from the Holy Spirit, not of ourselves.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23.  What we do for Jesus, what fruit we produce is purely through Him, and the only way we can truly serve Him is to be rightly connect to Him in a faith and love relationship. 

Then looking one verse further, we read, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6. No believer can achieve anything of spiritual value independently of Christ Jesus. He also reminds us that there are some who are “in” Him who bear no fruit. But these are not, as some would suppose, true branches that just happen to be fruitless. All true branches bear fruit. Just as we know a healthy, living tree by the good fruit it produces, so do we recognize fruitless branches as having no connection to the True Vine. And therefore, we read in Matthew, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:15-20.

In closing, Jesus was telling the disciples the only way they can bare fruit is if they rely on Him and be connected to Him after He goes.  And the same is to be said of us.  If we try to do the work of Christ through our own strength, we will not be successful, for no fruit can be produced if we are not connected to Him, just as no branch can produce fruit if it is not connected to the vine.  And He, as our focus verse says, is the true vine. He is our source of all things good. So, we depend on Jesus for everything, starting with our very life—“For in Him we live and move and have our being.” Romans 5:10.  And this includes reconciliation with God through Him by which no one can serve God effectively until he relates to Jesus Christ by faith. Jesus is our only connection with the God who gave life and who produces in us a fruitful life of righteousness and service. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

John 14:6

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 14:6

“Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” – John 14:6 

Over the next few weekdays, we will be looking at seven verses where Jesus declares “I AM”, and then gives a metaphor regarding what He is.  Today, we will look at the sixth of these, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

Jesus is now preparing the disciples for what is coming soon, that being His death. “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” John 14:1. It is Jesus who is heading for the agony of the cross; it is Jesus who is deeply ‘troubled’ in heart and spirit. “Now my soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, Father, save Me from this hour? But for this purpose, I came to this hour.” John 12:27. And He was also troubled by the fact one of His beloved disciples would betray Him. “When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.” John 13:31. Yet on this night of nights, when of all times it would have been appropriate for Jesus’ followers to lend him emotional and spiritual support, he is still the one who gives, comforts, and instructs. For they, too, are troubled, not because they are rushing toward pain, ignominy, shame, crucifixion, but because they are confused, uncertain of what Jesus means, and threatened by references to his imminent departure.

Jesus now gives the reason for His departure; it is to the disciples advantage. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3.  The reason is now spelled out: Jesus’ departure is for the disciples’ advantage. True, he is going away, but he is going away to prepare a place for them, and he will come and get them so that they may be where he is. What more could they ask for?

Then in verse four we read, “And you know the way where I am going.” John 14:4.  Jesus said they knew the way He was going; however, we see in the next verse they did not get it. “Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” John 14:5. Thomas’ question sounds as if he interpreted Jesus’ words in the most obvious way, such that it was a physical destination He was referring to. He wants an unambiguous destination, for without such a destination how can one meaningfully speak of the route there? Jesus then answers him with our focus verse, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6. 

In this verse, He states three things that He is.  First, He is the way.  Jesus used the definite article to distinguish Himself as the only way. The idea is of a way, path or route to a specific destination. Jesus here is in essence telling them to follow Him, just as He did in their initial calling to them. He is the only route to salvation and their new home they will have with Him. And this salvation is only found by following Him. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

Second, He is the truth.  This and the last one can be derived from the first, that He is the way. He is the truth because He is the only true path to salvation. The Jews believed that salvation came from doing the deeds of the Law.  And there are many religions today who claim to have the way to eternal peace and life aside from Christ.  However, there is only one way to salvation, and that is through Christ and His way which is true. 

And lastly, He is the life. He is the source of our eternal life, again because He is the way to this wonderful existence.  “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I live, you shall live also. In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” John 14:18-20.    

In these words, Jesus was declaring Himself the great “I Am,” the only path to heaven, the only true measure of righteousness, and the source of both physical and spiritual life. He was staking His claim as the very God of Creation, the Lord who blessed Abraham, and the Holy One who inhabits eternity. He did this so the disciples would be able to face the dark days ahead and carry on the mission of declaring the gospel to the world.  And this is what we are called to do as His disciples.  We are to follow His ways and not deviate, gripping ahold of the truth with everything we have, and by these we have access to life forever as He does and has freely given to us. 

I want to close with a quote from the book, “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas à Kempis.  It was first composed in Medieval Latin around 1418 A.D. 

“Follow thou me. I am the way and the truth and the life. Without the way there is no going; without the truth there is no knowing; without the life there is no living. I am the way which thou must follow; the truth which thou must believe; the life for which thou must hope. I am the inviolable way; the infallible truth, the never-ending life. I am the straightest way; the sovereign truth; life true, life blessed, life uncreated.”

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.