John 9:7 (NASB) Jesus said unto him, “go wash in the Pool of Siloam,” (which is translated, Sent)
In parentheses the author of this passage seems to be telling us about a hidden meaning correlated to the pool being called "send" or "sent." The idea of Jesus being the one “sent of God” is obviously seen here. But the root of the meaning of “sent” has no direct correlation to Christ, it comes from the water flowing down from the stream right up to the outer wall of Jerusalem, the stream “sent” waters flowing to the city.
But there is a hidden message, one not quite as obvious, unless you study the Jewish culture and traditions of that time.
According to the SDA Bible commentary this event In John 9 took place right around the Feast of Tabernacles. According to the New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible: at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, as part of the end of their celebration, the Jewish people would go out from the city, beyond the wall, down to the pool of Siloam, near the Temple, there they would gather water, bring the water into the Temple and pour it over the altar.
The Feast of Tabernacles had a twofold symbolism. It was a festival of thanksgiving at the end of harvest time and also for seven days the people would live in tents. This was so that they could remember how their forefathers dwelt in tents in the wilderness for forty years. Jesus knew the Feast of Tabernacles was fresh in the people’s minds. Possibly they had just recently hauled buckets of water from the pool to the altar. The people could associate with going to the pool and gathering water on the last day of the Feast. The pool because of its close proximity to the temple was a source of water for cleansing purposes in the temple. Although the Feast of Tabernacles was the final holiday of the Jewish year, it began five days after Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement (the symbolic end and total removal of the existence of sin.)
The Feast of Tabernacles was a time of joyous celebration, the highlight of the year. The event completed the year of rituals for the sanctuary services. It was a dramatic change from Yom Kippur, the most solemn time of the year. At the end of the Feast of Tabernacles symbolically the wandering in the wilderness is over, the time of harvest is come (the second coming of Christ to redeem the earth.) By pouring water over the alter, the people were starting fresh for the new year of rituals to begin. The next Jewish festival to come was the Passover. In the next Passover, the time of fulfillment was to take place, Christ was to die.
So Jesus sent the man formerly born blind to the pool of Siloam where the last event of the Jewish calendar had probably just taken place, where the waters seemed to represent a cleansing and a fresh start. But also pointed forward to the start of the new year of sanctuary services, in which Christ Himself was to be the fulfillment as the true Lamb of God who was to die as the Passover Lamb.
In sending the blind man to the pool of Siloam Jesus was calling out to the Jews at that time, and down the ages through all time to the entire world- “I want to open your eyes! See that the time of fulfillment is now beginning. The true Lamb has arrived and the true sacrifice will take place at the very next Passover, I will be ready for the slaughter. Will you open your eyes and see what is about to happen or will you be blind to what I am going to do for you?”
Compare this story with a time in your life that God showed you something important that He wanted you to see? What kind of thing has God worked out in your life that seemed to be telling you something? Explain what happened and what you think God was telling you?
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Matthew 14:28,29
Matt. 14:28,29, (NLT) Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water." "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
Jesus sent the disciples out on the boat in order to cross over to the other side, and again like once before a storm arose. This time Jesus was not in the boat with them to calm the waters when they thought they were going to die. They had learned that if Jesus was with them they would be safe. But this time Jesus was not with them. The storm was getting bad, it was the middle of the night, all they could think to do was row as hard as they could to get to the shore. Then suddenly they saw a spirit coming for them, was it the angel of death that took the lives of the firstborn in Egypt during the plagues? Was the angel of death now coming for them? They were not thinking clearly, this was a time of stress, they were tired and scared, and there was someone or something moving, walking on the water. That would be enough to freak anyone out. They had to be thinking, why did Jesus send us out on this boat? “We must be about to die.”
When fear reached the stage of hopelessness, Jesus tried to reveal Himself to them, coming to their rescue, but they didn’t recognize Him. Jesus called out to them and told them not to be afraid. He tried to tell them to have courage, I am on my way! In the storm once before, Jesus was right beside them asleep in the storm. This time Jesus wanted to take the storm out of them before He took them out of the storm of life.
They all must have wondered if it really was Jesus or just their imagination. But Peter, impulsive as always, asked Jesus to tell him to come out on the water with him if this was really happening. Jesus didn't say, "Sorry, Peter, but water-walking is Just for Messiahs only." No, he said one simple word: “Come.”
Peter climbed out onto the stormy waves and started walking on the water! But almost immediately after he started, he took his eyes off Jesus and started to regret this crazy idea. “Help me Lord” he shouted, as he began to drop beneath the waves. Immediately Jesus was at his side and lifted him up and walked with him back into the boat.
God calls us to do impossible things by faith. And sometimes, like Peter, we step right out to do them without thinking. And that is when Satan hits us upside the head. Life reminds us that drowning is a real possibility. Although it must have taken a lot of faith for Peter to take that first step out of the boat in the middle of the night with gust of wind and rain knocking him off balance and big waves rolling right
toward him. “What was I thinking?”
What kind of boat did Jesus tell you to get in? It is inevitable, if you are in Jesus’ boat long enough Satan is going to send you a storm. To have faith it is not always a requirement to walk on water. But it is a requirement to keep your eyes on Jesus and recognize His presence coming to your rescue, or possibly He has been beside you all along and you forgot He was there. Don’t let the circumstances make you forget that Jesus is never far away. If you want to walk on water like Peter did, you can. Storms are God’s specialty, claim the promise He made to Peter, “come.” The promise Jesus has always made to us, “come unto me” is ours to claim. If He is on the water, then there is no better place for you to be than there with Him too.
Remember Peter didn’t choose to go on a boat ride on his own. Jesus sent him. Be like Peter and believe you can do the impossible, if Jesus called you to be where you are, but the situation looks impossible, then it is time to do the impossible. It is time to climb out of the boat.
Describe the last storm of life you remember being in? Explain in detail how you responded to the situation? Did your response fall into one of these categories:
1. Did you try to row to the shore to get to safety as quickly as possible?
2. Did you quit and call the coast guard to rescue you out of the boat?
3. Did you ignore the storm and wait it out?
4. Did you forget Jesus was asleep in the boat and wake him up and request He calm the sea for you?
5. Did you say “Take me with you Lord,” please, take me out on the water with you?
Summarize why you think your response to the storm fit into one of these five categories? Or share and summarize your own different category?
Jesus sent the disciples out on the boat in order to cross over to the other side, and again like once before a storm arose. This time Jesus was not in the boat with them to calm the waters when they thought they were going to die. They had learned that if Jesus was with them they would be safe. But this time Jesus was not with them. The storm was getting bad, it was the middle of the night, all they could think to do was row as hard as they could to get to the shore. Then suddenly they saw a spirit coming for them, was it the angel of death that took the lives of the firstborn in Egypt during the plagues? Was the angel of death now coming for them? They were not thinking clearly, this was a time of stress, they were tired and scared, and there was someone or something moving, walking on the water. That would be enough to freak anyone out. They had to be thinking, why did Jesus send us out on this boat? “We must be about to die.”
When fear reached the stage of hopelessness, Jesus tried to reveal Himself to them, coming to their rescue, but they didn’t recognize Him. Jesus called out to them and told them not to be afraid. He tried to tell them to have courage, I am on my way! In the storm once before, Jesus was right beside them asleep in the storm. This time Jesus wanted to take the storm out of them before He took them out of the storm of life.
They all must have wondered if it really was Jesus or just their imagination. But Peter, impulsive as always, asked Jesus to tell him to come out on the water with him if this was really happening. Jesus didn't say, "Sorry, Peter, but water-walking is Just for Messiahs only." No, he said one simple word: “Come.”
Peter climbed out onto the stormy waves and started walking on the water! But almost immediately after he started, he took his eyes off Jesus and started to regret this crazy idea. “Help me Lord” he shouted, as he began to drop beneath the waves. Immediately Jesus was at his side and lifted him up and walked with him back into the boat.
God calls us to do impossible things by faith. And sometimes, like Peter, we step right out to do them without thinking. And that is when Satan hits us upside the head. Life reminds us that drowning is a real possibility. Although it must have taken a lot of faith for Peter to take that first step out of the boat in the middle of the night with gust of wind and rain knocking him off balance and big waves rolling right
toward him. “What was I thinking?”
What kind of boat did Jesus tell you to get in? It is inevitable, if you are in Jesus’ boat long enough Satan is going to send you a storm. To have faith it is not always a requirement to walk on water. But it is a requirement to keep your eyes on Jesus and recognize His presence coming to your rescue, or possibly He has been beside you all along and you forgot He was there. Don’t let the circumstances make you forget that Jesus is never far away. If you want to walk on water like Peter did, you can. Storms are God’s specialty, claim the promise He made to Peter, “come.” The promise Jesus has always made to us, “come unto me” is ours to claim. If He is on the water, then there is no better place for you to be than there with Him too.
Remember Peter didn’t choose to go on a boat ride on his own. Jesus sent him. Be like Peter and believe you can do the impossible, if Jesus called you to be where you are, but the situation looks impossible, then it is time to do the impossible. It is time to climb out of the boat.
Describe the last storm of life you remember being in? Explain in detail how you responded to the situation? Did your response fall into one of these categories:
1. Did you try to row to the shore to get to safety as quickly as possible?
2. Did you quit and call the coast guard to rescue you out of the boat?
3. Did you ignore the storm and wait it out?
4. Did you forget Jesus was asleep in the boat and wake him up and request He calm the sea for you?
5. Did you say “Take me with you Lord,” please, take me out on the water with you?
Summarize why you think your response to the storm fit into one of these five categories? Or share and summarize your own different category?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Romans 12:9-14, 20-21
Rom. 12:9-14, 20-21 (KJV) "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
The context of this passage is in reference to the body of Christ. Therefore it describes the type of love we should have for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Brotherly love like God expects from us is the same kind of love the Son of God revealed when He came to die for us. God trusted Adam and Eve, he gave them Paradise, and they betrayed Him. The world has rebelled against God. We are so undeserving of the reckless forgiveness God has freely provided for us. Because of Gods compassion for us we should have the same kind of reckless love for our brethren. God was not narrow minded and turned off by our filthy condition. Anyone else would have taken one look at our planet and said, "those people down there are just gross, we need to just stay away from them." But God decided not to leave us in our filth to rot. God was broad minded enough to see potential for our restoration. When anyone else would have said, "They made their choices, now they will have to suffer the consequences." God said, there is no sacrifice too great I am not willing to make in order to save them.
Dan's paraphrase of Rom. 12:9-14, 20-21
Brotherly love is to be sincere and without hypocrisy. Don't just say that you love the people you fellowship with, but let your actions prove it. Definitely don't let your actions differ from your words. God knows the motives behind everything you do. So let your true motive always be for doing good. Having an evil motive should be far from you.
If you want to show your brothers and sisters in Christ that you really care for them then you need to learn ways to express your affection to them. This may include, small gifts of appreciation, greeting them with a hug, thoughtful notes and cards, remembering their birthdays and anniversaries, just look for anything that meets their everyday needs. Reach out to them socially, emotionally and spiritually. Be like a mentor, the goal is to demonstrate brotherly love. The key to making a relationship is starting with getting to know one another, so open up and learn about one another.
Build trust, if you tell them you are going to do a favor for them, get to it right away, procrastination shows your disinterest in them and tells them that you really don't care. If they want you to pray for them, don't just offer to pray for them later, why not pray with them right now about it. Together the two of you can pray fervently in the spirit with one another.
As brothers and sisters in the family of God you should be active in ministry together, and as you serve God, share the hopes and dreams you have for following Christ and then rejoice with one another as you see your dreams come true. When times get tough don't be a fly by night friend, but be there for them, be a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on. Be available for prayer in the spur of the moment, hard times are good times to be instant in prayer.
Give freely of what you have if your brothers or sisters need it more than you. If there is a need, open up your home and say my door is open to you, my refrigerator is your refrigerator.
There may be people in the church that have not treated you right. They may have talked about you behind your back or slandered your name. When this happens make sure you return their evil with kindness. Don't do to them as they did to you, but rather go pout of your way to seek to do extra special things for them. Difficult time happen to everyone, so be sure you are the first to come to their rescue. If something bad happens to them, don't give in to the temptation to rejoice in their suffering, rather weep with them in their pain.
Describe how you have been shown love like this by someone you have fellowshiped with? Have you show reckless love toward a brother or sister in Christ before, explain what you did?
The context of this passage is in reference to the body of Christ. Therefore it describes the type of love we should have for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Brotherly love like God expects from us is the same kind of love the Son of God revealed when He came to die for us. God trusted Adam and Eve, he gave them Paradise, and they betrayed Him. The world has rebelled against God. We are so undeserving of the reckless forgiveness God has freely provided for us. Because of Gods compassion for us we should have the same kind of reckless love for our brethren. God was not narrow minded and turned off by our filthy condition. Anyone else would have taken one look at our planet and said, "those people down there are just gross, we need to just stay away from them." But God decided not to leave us in our filth to rot. God was broad minded enough to see potential for our restoration. When anyone else would have said, "They made their choices, now they will have to suffer the consequences." God said, there is no sacrifice too great I am not willing to make in order to save them.
Dan's paraphrase of Rom. 12:9-14, 20-21
Brotherly love is to be sincere and without hypocrisy. Don't just say that you love the people you fellowship with, but let your actions prove it. Definitely don't let your actions differ from your words. God knows the motives behind everything you do. So let your true motive always be for doing good. Having an evil motive should be far from you.
If you want to show your brothers and sisters in Christ that you really care for them then you need to learn ways to express your affection to them. This may include, small gifts of appreciation, greeting them with a hug, thoughtful notes and cards, remembering their birthdays and anniversaries, just look for anything that meets their everyday needs. Reach out to them socially, emotionally and spiritually. Be like a mentor, the goal is to demonstrate brotherly love. The key to making a relationship is starting with getting to know one another, so open up and learn about one another.
Build trust, if you tell them you are going to do a favor for them, get to it right away, procrastination shows your disinterest in them and tells them that you really don't care. If they want you to pray for them, don't just offer to pray for them later, why not pray with them right now about it. Together the two of you can pray fervently in the spirit with one another.
As brothers and sisters in the family of God you should be active in ministry together, and as you serve God, share the hopes and dreams you have for following Christ and then rejoice with one another as you see your dreams come true. When times get tough don't be a fly by night friend, but be there for them, be a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on. Be available for prayer in the spur of the moment, hard times are good times to be instant in prayer.
Give freely of what you have if your brothers or sisters need it more than you. If there is a need, open up your home and say my door is open to you, my refrigerator is your refrigerator.
There may be people in the church that have not treated you right. They may have talked about you behind your back or slandered your name. When this happens make sure you return their evil with kindness. Don't do to them as they did to you, but rather go pout of your way to seek to do extra special things for them. Difficult time happen to everyone, so be sure you are the first to come to their rescue. If something bad happens to them, don't give in to the temptation to rejoice in their suffering, rather weep with them in their pain.
Describe how you have been shown love like this by someone you have fellowshiped with? Have you show reckless love toward a brother or sister in Christ before, explain what you did?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
I Corinthians 13:4-8
1 Cor 13:4-8 (KJV) "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth."
Love is showing kindness. Kindness that is an end in itself. Love that doesn't expect a return. The kindness we share has the end goal of kindness alone.
Dan's paraphrase of 1 Cor 13:4-8
Love quietly waits for unpleasant situations to pass and through it all love remains kind. Love does not compare its lot in life against any body elses lot. He who has love does not need to show it off to other people nor does he want to be a show off himself. Love behaves right by being compassionate, sympathetic, empathetic, respectful, courteous, supportive and generous. However, love never does any of these things for ulterior motives. Someone without love may try to irritate the person with love in cruel ways but love will continue to show patient understanding toward them. Love will not imagine ways to get back at them. Love even becomes sad when tragedy falls on those who have provoked him and love is happy for them when they come to know and experience genuine love for themselves. Love puts up with all sorts of garbage because love has incredible faith that great miracles will soon take place and turn the garbage into treasure. Love has the power to fulfill the highest aspirations and accomplish unfathomable good. Love claims all the promises of God, not only for himself but for others also. Patiently trusting that everything will work out in the end, there is nothing love cannot fix. Although nothing of this earth will last forever, love is not of this earth. The love we have shown to others will never go away, its effects will follow people enriching lives in unimaginable ways and its ripples will only become wider encompassing the universe throughout eternity.
Describe how God's love has made a difference in your life? Compare your personal experience applying love with the ultimate love described in this passage?
Love is showing kindness. Kindness that is an end in itself. Love that doesn't expect a return. The kindness we share has the end goal of kindness alone.
Dan's paraphrase of 1 Cor 13:4-8
Love quietly waits for unpleasant situations to pass and through it all love remains kind. Love does not compare its lot in life against any body elses lot. He who has love does not need to show it off to other people nor does he want to be a show off himself. Love behaves right by being compassionate, sympathetic, empathetic, respectful, courteous, supportive and generous. However, love never does any of these things for ulterior motives. Someone without love may try to irritate the person with love in cruel ways but love will continue to show patient understanding toward them. Love will not imagine ways to get back at them. Love even becomes sad when tragedy falls on those who have provoked him and love is happy for them when they come to know and experience genuine love for themselves. Love puts up with all sorts of garbage because love has incredible faith that great miracles will soon take place and turn the garbage into treasure. Love has the power to fulfill the highest aspirations and accomplish unfathomable good. Love claims all the promises of God, not only for himself but for others also. Patiently trusting that everything will work out in the end, there is nothing love cannot fix. Although nothing of this earth will last forever, love is not of this earth. The love we have shown to others will never go away, its effects will follow people enriching lives in unimaginable ways and its ripples will only become wider encompassing the universe throughout eternity.
Describe how God's love has made a difference in your life? Compare your personal experience applying love with the ultimate love described in this passage?
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