Pastor Mary Haley

Intro: For the past three weeks in our L.I.F.E. (Living In Fellowship Everyday) Lessons Class, I have been teaching a series on the Fruit of the Spirit. Scripture reveals the truth of Christ’s pure character and holy love; therefore, as believers in Christ’s salvation, we are to allow ourselves to experience the necessary change to our fallen nature that only God can bring to pass. God does the work of producing fruit in us, so his righteousness can be revealed through us; then, he receives the respect, honor, and glory. That means we must be open and let go of the selfish corruption of our human nature in order for God to bring spiritual regeneration; produce righteous fruit in our lives. We must stay connected to the Vine—Jesus—if we are going to benefit from the work of God to recreate us in the image of Christ (John 15:5).

Today we continue our passage that began yesterday as the apostles move forward to share the gospel message [Good News] of salvation. The apostles prayed and asked the Father to empower them to perform signs and miracles as a way to share the gospel of grace; a way to make the presence of God known. God answered their prayers and they began to bring healing, deliverance, and revelation to the people. Attitudes and lives began to changed; people wanted a relationship with this life-changing God. This spiritual growth empowered by God, angered the religious leaders who desired the credit for teaching and modeling authentic piety and holiness.

We see how fruitless religion can be as we witness the jealousy of these religious leaders in our passage; the leaders are hypocrites of the faith and they are afraid the people are beginning to see it. The apostles were given more respect than these leaders, because the purpose of the apostles was to help people connect with God and learn to live giving Him respect, honor, and obedience. The religious leaders wanted respect and honor for themselves; actually, they demanded it. Even though the apostles were not free from opposition or persecution, they made obeying and pleasing God their highest priority and fear did not stop them. They knew their part was to bear the fruit of the Spirit; love that would draw others to God. Truly, not only did God work miraculously through these men, he demonstrated His power to take care of them so they were able to fulfill the purpose God had for them. Make pleasing God your highest priority and allow the Holy Spirit to produce supernatural and righteous fruit in you. Others need the spiritual nourishment from the fruit you bear.

Acts 5:17-25 (NLT) The Apostles Meet Opposition
17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”

21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.
When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”

24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”

Prayer: Father, thank you for being the Source of my salvation and righteousness. I yield to the work of the Spirit to make me grow toward maturity. Let the fruit of the Spirit be apparent in my life, so others will want you, too. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: King Herod the Great built a porch—Solomon’s colonnade—as a way to improve his relationship with the Jews. It was beautiful with amazing columns and sheltering areas. Jesus taught there and performed many miracles on the porch. After Jesus died and ascended, the apostles began to teach in this area once again. However, the people were hesitant to align themselves with the apostles for fear of suffering the same persecution. Fear always comes to stop the gospel; for this reason, we must allow the love of God to rule in our hearts. As well, some of the people had heard about how the Holy Spirit dealt with the sins of Ananias and Sapphira—they died because they lied to God and other believers. This passage remains a great lesson for believers; being a Christ follower is a serious commitment to the gospel of Truth that requires integrity.

In spite of any danger of persecution, the apostles prayed and asked the Father to allow the Holy Spirit to use them to do amazing miracles in Jesus’ name—healing, deliverances, blessings to bring wholeness—in order to reveal Christ to the people. Don’t miss the apparent oneness—integrity—of the apostles’ faith and connection with the Spirit, because God answered that prayer. Through the righteous prayer of these believers, the Spirit brought joy to people through miracles and many were brought to salvation. These miracles of healing and deliverance worked to convince people of the power of Christ’s Spirit to change lives. Luke reports in our passage people were supernaturally healed. Luke was a doctor, so we can trust he knew when a person had been touched by God. These miraculous signs and wonders performed by the apostles drew multitudes of people into saving faith in Christ. Throughout the book of Acts, people are draw to Christ through miracles that reveal God’s love, forgiveness, and outstretched hand to them. Have you prayed and asked the Spirit to use you in miraculous ways in order to draw people toward salvation?

Acts 5:12-16 NLT The Apostles Heal Many
12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

Prayer: Father, I pray for believers worldwide to have the ability to perform miraculous signs and wonders that lead others to saving faith in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Several weeks ago, we looked at this passage as we explored the mercy, holiness, and grace of God flowing from the cross of Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches God is holy and when we do not acknowledge his sacred sovereignty and holiness we demonstrate irreverence toward him. In the past, God had already set up and communicated the system of how his presence—the Ark—was to be carried; poles on the shoulders of the Levitical priests. However, in our passage, God’s system is not being followed. Instead, David does not consult God and decides to move the Ark consistent with the methods of the Philistines—an ox cart. As a result, God’s anger brings death to the innocent yet irreverent actions of Uzzah. What started out with great joy ended in sorrow; instead of blessing a curse. It’s a picture of the Old Testament Law and God’s response when his people are unwilling to obey.

David, upset with God’s judgment, decides to leave the Ark at Obed-edom’s home; a Levitical priest. David finds himself confused because he thinks since his intentions were good that should have been enough. Sometimes, we can be tempted to think God doesn’t care how something is accomplished; just git ‘er dun! However, that is not the truth. God cares that we honor his holy words of wisdom and instruction. Uzzah’s death was unnecessary and came because of disobedience to God’s Word. This is a great lesson all by itself as to why we need the work of the New Testament message of repentance and grace. But, there’s more…

Today, as we look at the same passage, our focus will be on the blessing that flows from the presence of God—the Ark—that is being stored at Obed-edom’s home for three months. When God’s presence moves into Obed-edom’s home, goodness rolls in with him. God abundantly blesses the whole household; because God’s presence is honored. So much so that David hears about this blessing in Jerusalem and decides he wants that blessing for the whole nation of Israel. So, David humbly returns to where the Ark is being stored at Obed-edom’s home and moves it back to Jerusalem; but, this time in the proper manner following the commands of God. Lesson learned.

Blessings come in a grace bathed relationship with God through the sinless Son, but we need to understand the love and honor that God deserves and requires. Christ makes grace abundant and our place is to follow the Word, worship and glorify the Lord with our lives. Now, the Lord is present in his people and grace is available for our every need. Blessings upon blessings are found in God presence.

2 Samuel 6:1-15 (NLT) Moving the Ark to Jerusalem
1 Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. 2 He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. 3 They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart 4 that carried the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark. 5 David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.

6 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. 7 Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this [irreverence]. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.
8 David was angry because the Lord’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today.

9 David was now afraid of the Lord, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of the Lord back into my care?” 10 So David decided not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 11 The Ark of the Lord remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.

12 Then King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration. 13 After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. 15 So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many lessons you always bring your children about your heart and the revelation of your ways of living in Christ. Holy Spirit, help us to obey and enjoy every blessing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today from Revelation, the Woman represents God’s faithful people—Israel—who are waiting for Messiah; the crown of twelve stars represents the twelve tribes of Israel. The Child is Jesus Messiah—Satan, according to the gospels, certainly tried to use Herod to kill the world’s Savior (Mat 2:16-18). The Dragon is Satan and his horns and crowns represent his power over the kingdoms of the world that allow him to rule. The stars that plunged to the ground represent the rebellious angels who fell with Satan. The desert represents a protected place from Satan.

I cannot imagine how the apostle John was able to emotionally handle all the things he saw when the Lord allowed him a vision of heaven; he had to have been covered by the grace of God. John sees the conflict between good and evil; between God and Satan. John also sees the source of all sin, evil, and the wickedness of Satan. As well, John witnesses the persecution and suffering of people who await God’s deliverance; to be taken away from the temptation and effects of evil against God’s people. Michael, the high-ranking archangel of God, has an assignment to guard believers. Satan and his angelic demons used free will to rebel against God (2 Peter 2:4). Keep in mind every living creature has free will to either choose or reject God.

With Christ’s death on the cross and his resurrection, Satan—the accuser—was defeated. You do not need to fight with Satan; you do need to resist him which is very different. We cannot serve two masters, so like the holy angels we will always need to choose to stand with Christ. Satan comes against God’s children because of their faith in Christ as Savior. We must call upon the Lord to fight our battles as we stand strong by faith in God’s promises. The Holy Spirit brings us the power to submit ourselves to God; then, we resist the devil and he will leave us (James 4:7). The key to gaining victory over evil is drawing near to God, because when we do so God draws near to us. Satan, a fallen angel, is not God’s equal; God is the all-powerful Creator, so as we draw near to God he surrounds us with his love and protective care.

Revelation 12:1-12 (NLT) The Woman and the Dragon
1 Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.

3 Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.

5 She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.

7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
“It has come at last—
salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters
has been thrown down to earth—
the one who accuses them
before our God day and night.
11
And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
that they were afraid to die.
12
Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!
And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!
But terror will come on the earth and the sea,
for the devil has come down to you in great anger,
knowing that he has little time.”

Prayer: Father, thank you for your Word, because so many things in it point to my need to stay focused on you as Savior and Master. Holy Spirit, please continue to give me the power to resist anything that you say is unrighteous; help me to be inclined toward holiness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

April 18, 2022

Today we are going to look at verses 6-8 from chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians. It is important to know that up to this point there is a man from the church at Corinth that has been having a sexual affair with his father’s wife (5:1). Apparently, everyone at the church knows, but their own prideful lives keep them moving forward and not addressing their fellow brother (5:2). So, Paul has instructed them to remove the man from the church and to turn him over to Satan in the Name of Jesus Christ (5:3-5). This removal might seem harsh at first, but we must remember that these believers, who are godly did not “gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path,” so now they too must “be careful not to fall into the same temptation” themselves (Gal 6:1).

As we look at this situation, are you asking yourself…wait, why is this spiritual family all not mourning for their brother’s hard place of sin, and why are they not praying for him to repent and turn back to Christ? Well, Paul identifies the cause of their indifference to the man’s sin as their own arrogance (5:2), which is now why we see that they are boasting for their own “success” (5:6).

The “success” of the church does not reside in one message, or in one performance, or in one person. Rather, the “success” of the church resides within the collective hearts of its believers as one spiritual family connected to Christ. Also, sin is sin…having an affair is sin and intentionally turning a blind eye to your own brother’s affair is sin.

Paul describes it perfect in an example of yeast (or in many translations as leaven). Yeast is used in making bread, when a little is added to flour it spreads throughout all of the flour. Paul uses the Passover celebration as an example, in today’s passage, because he knew it would be familiar to many. In preparation for the celebration, Jewish households remove all yeast (leaven), and they make and eat only unleavened bread. Much like the dough, Paul wants us, as Christ followers, to cleanse out all of the old dough (that contains yeast…or sin) and replace it with new dough (that does not contain yeast…or sin).

So, yesterday was Easter, let’s commit to throw out the old, wicked bread of sin and move forward with only the new bread of life, Jesus.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 NLT

6 Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. 8 So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being my new bread of life. Help me to live for You each day, and to be repulsed by sin in my life. Help me to be an encouragement to my fellow brothers and sisters, and to shine Your loving light on areas when they need help with their sin. Please allow my spirit to be open when my brothers and sisters shine a light on my sin. I pray for Your church, Lord. I pray for C2C Church, Lord. May You connect us to one another more than we’ve ever been connected, because You want us to be connected as one to you, Jesus. I pray all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Holy Saturday—A New and Holy Identity

Peruse: John 19:38-42 (TPT) Jesus’ Burial
38 After this, Joseph from the city of Ramah, who was a secret disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jewish authorities, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. So Pilate granted him permission to remove the body from the cross. 39 Now Nicodemus, who had once come to Jesus privately at night, accompanied Joseph, and together they carried a significant amount of myrrh and aloes to the cross. 40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in strips of linen with the embalming spices according to the Jewish burial customs. 41 Near the place where Jesus was crucified was a garden, and in the garden there was a new tomb where no one had yet been laid to rest. 42 And because the Sabbath was approaching, and the tomb was nearby, that’s where they laid the body of Jesus.

Ponder: Jesus changes lives. Even through his death he changed lives. He changed the life of the repentant criminal who hung on the cross next to him. He changed the Roman centurion’s life as he watched Jesus take his last breath and realized he was truly the Son of God. And, Jesus changed Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus’ lives. How do we know? They came out of fear and hiding to ask the Romans for the body of Jesus so they could get it ready for burial. Yes, Jesus changes lives when we begin to understand his identity as Truth…he is the Living God! May we walk in the Truth each day for the glory of the Father.

Prayer: Lord, life with you requires change. Thank you for laying down your life, so I could be changed by you from the inside out. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good Friday—An Attempt to Kill Holy Life

Peruse the following Scriptures:
John 18:1-8 (TPT) Garden of Gethsemane
18 After Jesus finished this prayer; he left with his disciples and went across the Kidron Valley to a place where there was a garden. 2 Judas, the traitor, knew where this place was, for Jesus had gone there often with his disciples. 3 The Pharisees and the leading priests had given Judas a large detachment of Roman soldiers and temple police to seize Jesus. Judas guided them to the garden, all of them carrying torches and lanterns and armed with swords and spears.

John 18:12-13 (TPT) Arrest
12 Then the soldiers and their captain, along with the Jewish officers, seized Jesus and tied him up. 13 They took him first to Annas, as he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.

John 19:10-11(TPT) Trial
10 Pilate said, “Don’t you know that I have the power to grant you your freedom or nail you to a tree?”11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. This is why the one who betrayed me is guilty of an even greater sin.”

John 19:16-18 (TPT) Crucifixion
16 Then Pilate handed Jesus over to them. So the soldiers seized him and took him away to be crucified. 17 Jesus carried his own cross out of the city to the place called “The Skull,” which in Aramaic is Golgotha. 18 And there they nailed him to the cross. He was crucified, along with two others, one on each side with Jesus in the middle.

John 19:28-30 (TPT) Death
28 Jesus knew that his mission was accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said: “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting nearby, so they soaked a sponge with it and put it on the stalk of hyssop and raised it to his lips. 30 When he had sipped the sour wine, he said, “It is finished, my bride!” Then he bowed his head and surrendered his spirit to God.

Ponder: The Lord of all Creation was crucified at the place called the Skull—a skull-shaped hill in ancient Jerusalem. He was nailed to the cross—by his hands and feet—and above him at the top of the cross was a placard stating his crime: King of the Jews. Jesus surrendered his Spirit, so humanity could choose to gain his Spirit—It is Finished! When Jesus said, “It is finished” it was another way of saying, “Paid in full.” We can enter into eternal life and fellowship with God.

Humanity no longer has to walk in darkness; the Light of the World has brought believers salvation and the wisdom of God. We can now live as children of the Light; all empowered by grace. The Good News of Great JOY—abundant LIFE—awaits believers each day.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the sacrificial way you have loved me—paying my sin debt. Guide me by your Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Maundy Thursday–Washed by the Holy

Peruse: John 13:1-6, 12 (TPT) Jesus Washes Feet
1 Jesus knew that the night before Passover would be his last night on earth before leaving this world to return to the Father’s side. All throughout his time with his disciples, Jesus had demonstrated a deep and tender love for them. And now he longed to show them the full measure of his love. 2 Before their evening meal had begun, the accuser had already planted betrayal into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

3 Now Jesus was fully aware that the Father had placed all things under his control, for he had come from God and was about to go back to be with him. 4 So he got up from the meal and took off his outer robe, and took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ dirty feet and dry them with his towel. 6 But when Jesus got to Simon Peter, he objected and said, “I can’t let you wash my dirty feet—you’re my Lord!”

12 After washing their feet, he put his robe on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I just did?

Ponder: The disciples are in the Upper Room with Jesus. In the midst of the Passover celebration, Jesus knows he will soon lay down his life to be the sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. He deeply loves and accepts His disciples, yet He understand they need a lesson on assuming the proper posture before Father God, as well as the proper attitude about themselves and one another. The enemy is present in their midst; Satan is busy making plans to kill the Holy One and is using Judas as a host. But, Jesus knows the plan of the Father in bringing salvation to the world involves the betrayer, so he turns to the remaining disciples and makes modeling truth to them his focus.

Jesus humbly bends down and washes the dust/filth of the world from the feet of his disciples. Jesus does the same for us. Holiness must wash over every disciple; we are to live separated and distinct from the world. Holiness is only gained from a humble relationship with Jesus. We cannot pursue holiness without Christ. Peter understood the message, but it took awhile. He then wrote about it later in his letter to believers everywhere. “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy” (1 Peter 1:14-15).

Prayer: Lord, you have washed my soul so the soles of my feet can follow you into a new inheritance of grace and power. May my life reveal the respect I have for your authority and holiness. Help me live my life in a full measure of love for you and for others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Holy Wednesday–Betraying the Holy

Peruse: John 13:21-22, 25-32 (TPT)
21 Then Jesus was moved deeply in his spirit. Looking at his disciples, he announced, “I tell you the truth—one of you is about to betray me.”

22 Eyeing each other, his disciples puzzled over which one of them could do such a thing. 25 Then the dearly loved disciple leaned into Jesus’ chest and whispered, “Master, who is it?”

26 “The one I give this piece of bread to after I’ve dipped it in the bowl,” Jesus replied. Then he dipped the piece of bread into the bowl and handed it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 And when Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus looked at Judas and said, “What you are planning to do, go do it now.” 28 None of those around the table realized what was happening. 29 Some thought that Judas, their trusted treasurer, was being told to go buy what was needed for the Passover celebration, or perhaps to go give something to the poor. 30 So Judas left quickly and went out into the dark night to betray Jesus.

Ponder: We have all betrayed the Holy Word of God—the Messiah—haven’t we? Isn’t it amazing that Jesus is aware of humanity’s ongoing betrayal and yet loves and chooses to die for this sinful world anyway? Throughout Scripture, we note the Messiah loves those who love him, as well as those who hate him. However, the cross of the Messiah stands between that which is holy and evil; it calls for a decision and commitment. We cannot just have an opinion about the cross, we must choose it for salvation. On the cross Jesus became the substitutionary sacrifice for sin. So, we need to accept the Savior’s work in our behalf to separate and protect us from evil, as well as the future action of judgement God will take against evil. If you want to look back into the Old Testament to see more imagery, you will find the Messiah is the Passover Door [the Holy One] who separates the faithful from the sinful world, as well as the Passover Lamb [the Holy blood] who protects the lives of the faithful from the judgement of God.

In our lesson today, John the beloved disciple [faithful to the Holy] is on one side of Jesus and Judas [filled with Satan] is on the other. In a matter of days Jesus will repeat a similar position as he is raised on a cross between an unrepentant criminal headed for hell and a newly forgiven believer headed for life in paradise. The bowl of judgment sits before every person. May God help humanity run to the outstretched arms of our Savior so we stop betraying the Holy Word of God.

Prayer: Lord, my heart turns to your Word; I know my salvation comes from you each day. Thank you shedding your blood for my sin. Give me spiritual eyes to see and help me partake of the Bread of Truth that leads to eternal life with you. Continue to separate and protect believers while we remain in this evil world, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Holy Tuesday–Holy Disciples

Peruse: John 12:20-26 (TPT) True Seekers
20 Now there were a number of foreigners from among the nations who were worshipers at the feast. 21 They went to Philip (who came from the village of Bethsaida in Galilee) and they asked him, “Would you take us to see Jesus? We want to see him.” 22 So Philip went to find Andrew, and then they both went to inform Jesus.
23 He replied to them, “Now is the time for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Let me make this clear: A single grain of wheat will never be more than a single grain of wheat unless it drops into the ground and dies. Because then it sprouts and produces a great harvest of wheat—all because one grain died. 25 “The person who loves his life and pampers himself will miss true life! But the one who detaches his life from this world and abandons himself to me, will find true life and enjoy it forever! 26 If you want to be my disciple, follow me and you will go where I am going. And if you truly follow me as my disciple, the Father will shower his favor upon your life.

Ponder: In our passage today, Jesus is preparing his disciples for His death. Jesus must lay down his physical life, so His followers may enjoy new spiritual life in Him. What does new spiritual life as a disciple of Christ look like for you? As disciples, we are to be made new in the image of Christ; the salvation Christ offers brings sanctification (holiness). By faith, we begin to produce the spiritual fruit of righteousness that is revealed in our physical lives. For me, three words in our passage stand out to bring some answers on how a disciple victoriously enters this new life: 1) detaches, 2) abandons, and 3) favor.

First, new life does not mean we “pamper” ourselves—embracing the temporal things of this world and living with passion to fulfill all pleasure. Never forget we have been called out of the world by name for a spiritual journey of faith. Instead, a disciple “detaches” or separates from the power of the world and its ways. “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other” (Mat 6:24). Second, a disciple “abandons” himself or herself to the work of Christ. In this context, abandon means to give oneself over unrestrainedly; this means we must abandon our own plans in exchange for the will and pleasure of God to produce righteousness in us. Remember the seed that must grow in us is God’s Word and it is the “thorns” or pleasures of this world that chokes out spiritual life (Luke 8:14). Lastly, if we are willing to follow Jesus wherever he leads, then the Father will shower us with “favor” or grace—a spontaneous gift from God for the undeserving. Grace is God’s power and resources for His disciples to live holy. “From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16).

Prayer: Lord, there is so much I want to learn from You, as well as many ways I need Your comfort, today. Yet, the most important thing I can articulate in the moment is to simply say I need You, Jesus! I want to be a life-grain that produces a harvest of righteousness. Help me to live detached and abandoned in the fullness of Your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.