July 31 - For This Purpose

John 12:27-36

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. (John 12:27 ESV)

Jesus could have saved himself. He didn't have to suffer for us. He had a choice. However, as the Son of God he chose to bridge the gap between Heaven and Earth. He chose to become the mediator. The Way.

As he told his followers, it was "for this purpose" that he has come. Not to be a good moral teacher. Not merely to perform miraculous healings. And not to stir up the religious elite. He came for the express purpose of restoring humanity to the relationship God intended.

Have you ever set out to do something with a purpose? Have you ever let something interfere? I know I have, and often do. The truth is that we're not quite on par with Jesus. We're pretty far off the mark.

But he maintained. He persisted. To the point of death. He knew his purpose, he embraced his purpose, and he fulfilled his purpose.

We can find our own purpose in this life. Chances our that the seeds for God's great purpose for your life have long since been planted in your soul. Look for your purpose, embrace your purpose, fulfill your purpose.

July 30 - Whoever Hates Life

John 12:20-33

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25 ESV)

We hoard. We gather. We save. We are trained, and intrinsically inclined, to get as much as we can of something we deem valuable and keep it close to us. So, when we fall into that age old pit of aggressively embellishing our own self-worth it becomes second nature to want to maintain our comfortable status quo, reduce any risk, and seek after people and pleasures that reinforce our false self-opinion.

Jesus set a different standard and humanity has spent the last two-thousand years missing the mark. I constantly miss it. It is hard for someone like me. The problem? I like myself too much. Because a lot of the time I think I am much more awesome than I actually am.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely believe that we all have value, we all have worth, and we are all of us deeply loved by God. But the problem is that sometimes we love ourselves in all of the wrong ways. We love ourselves, but not enough to embrace truth. We love ourselves, but not enough to put God first. We love ourselves, but not enough to make the hard choices, even when they will be the better choices.

I am not one that thinks Jesus is looking to martyr every believer, but I do believe that every believer has to be willing to measure the potential cost of following Jesus. You can not live the fully devoted Christian life and love yourself more than you love your Savior. If and when you find yourself in that dangerous place you have become your own savior, and a poor one at that. Love life. Love it enough to hate it.

July 25 - Jesus' Reputation

John 12:12-19

The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” (John 12:18, 19 ESV)

For about three years Jesus had travelled the countryside. He was preaching, performing miracles, and turning the people toward the truth of the Kingdom of God. The sick, demoniacs, outcasts, crippled, and even the dead—all kinds of people were dramatically impacted forever by the ministry of Jesus. As he made his way to Jerusalem, the final destination of his public ministry, his reputation preceded him.

The religious elite didn't know what to do with him. He operated from an authority they refused to acknowledge, and failed to comprehend. He performed miracles that both baffled and humbled them. Their pride, their wallets, and their power were in trouble.

The reputation of Jesus still precedes him. To the hurting, the outcast, and the needy Jesus is still the answer. Those who hear and comprehend the full measure of his work are irrevocably changed by it. There is no going back. Jesus' impact on lives initiates a passionate focus for the Kingdom of God that religion cannot contain, mankind cannot fathom, and the forces of hell cannot deter.

It is the reputation of God who became a man by virgin birth. A lowly carpenter who became an authoritative teacher and preacher. A perfectly holy life lived in selflessness. A man who was crucified for the sins of others. A death that was temporary. A resurrection that was real. A reign that is eternal. Jesus' reputation is reputable, it is rare, it is reality. And it will change your life if you let it.

July 15 - Why Was?

John 12:1-8

“Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (John 12:5 ESV)

Why did you this? Why did you do that? Why did you buy whole milk? Ever had someone question your every action, motive, and method? Jesus did. He was under consistently uncommon scrutiny of a kind we would be hard pressed to fathom.

Jesus' doubters questioned him and challenged him on a regular basis. His followers questioned him. His haters demonized and bemoaned him. In large part everyone in Jesus' life had some kind of opinion they were hoping to push on him.

Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was already up to his untruthful duplicitous tricks by the time the ministry team passed back through Bethany. He was overseer of the ministry's limited and meager money supply. So when Mary lavished such a wonderful and extravagant gift on Jesus it did not set well with him. He took an opportunity to chastise Mary under pretenses of charity. Actually it was selfishness at work.

Some days I feel a little like Judas, I find myself defaulting to selfish arrogance. I wrestle with thoughts of perceived supremacy. I question God, his methods, his means, and his motives. The silly thing about all of that is that the responsibility for any problem, whether actual or conjured, lies solely with me.

It's not my right, it is not your right, to question the way that God chooses to work. "Why was it done this way?" Is really just another way of telling God, "I think Im smarter than you."