April 2025 Devotions

April 1

Beginning today, we are going to go through the Gospel of John together in a survey study.  In my years of study in Bible college, I found survey studies to be some of the most beneficial to me personally. Hopefully over the next weeks we will glean from this devotional study an overall understanding of this gospel. 

This gospel was written by the Apostle John.  We firmly believe in the inspiration of Scripture, that God the Holy Spirit inspired the writings of the Bible.  He did so in such a way as to preserve the personality of the writers while at the same time so guiding them as to guarantee the integrity of their writings.  Because of this, we have confidence in Scripture that it is inerrant, fully preserved and guaranteed by God to be trustworthy. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16; Psalms 12:6-7)  

The apostle John is referred to in the Bible as the beloved apostle. (John 13:23; 20:2) It was John whose head was leaned up on the bosom of the Son of God on the evening of the last supper.  John's writings contain much about love; the love of God for the world, (John 3:16) for his own, (John 13:1) and the love that his children are to have one for another. (John 13:34-35)  It is beyond question that the Lord Jesus loves all of His own, but John held a special place in the heart of the Son of God. 

John was the brother of James, the first of the apostles to be martyred for Christ. (Acts 12:1-2)  He, James and Peter formed that inner circle three that where chosen by Christ for what seemed to be special privileges above the rest.  See Matthew 17:1; 26:37; Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51.  The reason for this is unclear.  Perhaps it was because Peter seemed to be a leader of the apostles, being used of God to preach the first Gospel message in Acts 2.  James was the first apostle to be martyred, and John was the only apostle not to suffer martyrdom according to secular history.  As such, he was chosen to live out the entirety of his days, a long life, as a type of bulwark for the early church.  Used of the Lord to write five of the books of the New Testament, John was certainly used of the Lord Jesus to establish and strengthen the early Church, and has been used by Him to advance His cause in the world over the past two thousand years.

April 2

Please examine carefully the chart on the next page.

This chart was taken from Jensen’s Survey of the New Testament, which I found on the PreceptAustin website.  It provides a good overview of the entire book, and could help us in an understanding of John’s presentation of the Lord Jesus in his Gospel.

April 3

John 1:1-3

Compare theses verses with the following: Matthew 1:1-17; Mark 1:1-9; Luke 3:23-38.  Genealogies of the Lord Jesus are provided in Matthew and in Luke, but none in Mark and John.  Matthew presents Jesus as the rightful heir to Israel’s throne as the “Son of David.”  The genealogy provided proves this to be true.  Luke presents Jesus as the “Son of man,” tracing His ancestry all the way back to Adam, the first man.  Mark presents Jesus as the “Servant of Jehovah,” (Mark 10:45) and servants have no need for genealogies.  John presents Jesus as the “Son of God,” very God incarnate. (John 1:1,14,18; 10:38; 14:1-9)  As such, God the Son has no need for a genealogy.   As Paul wrote, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in th e world, received up into glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16)  John’s theme is “Jesus is the Son of God.”

April 4

An excellent outline of John is given in the Scofield Bible.  Please note the following outline, doing a quick overview of the passages in each division of the outline.

1. Prologue: The Eternal Word of God Incarnate In Jesus The Christ, 1:1-14

2. The Witness of John the Baptist, 1:15-34

3. The Public Ministry of Christ, 1:35 - 12:50

4. The Private Ministry of Christ to His Own, 13:1 - 17:26

5. The Sacrifice of Christ, 18:1 - 19:42

6. The Manifestation of Christ In Resurrection, 20:1-31

7. Epilogue: Christ the Master of Life and Service, 21:1-25

April 5

Messianic Signs in John

The Jews in Jesus’ day requested of Him “signs,” proofs that His message and claims were true.  In John 4:48 we read, “Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” Were the Jews wrong in asking for signs? In one respect they were not, for Isaiah prophesied of such in Isaiah 35:5-6, and in other Old Testament passages Messiah was portrayed as having these miraculous powers.  

Please note the following “signs” found in the Gospel of John:  2:11, Water turned to wine; 4:46-54, Healing the official’s son; 5:1-9, Healing the paralytic; 6:1-15, Feeding the 5,000; 6:16-21, Walking on the water; 9:1-12, Healing of the man born blind; 11:1-16, The raising of Lazarus from the dead.  The “signs” were proofs offered to verify that the Lord Jesus is the Messiah, the very Son of God Incarnate.   

April 6

The “I ams” in John

Please read Exodus 3:13-14.  Exodus 3 records the call of Moses.  In this call for Moses to return to Egypt, he enquired of the Lord’s name, saying, “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them.”  God’s reply to Moses’ question was, “I AM THAT I AM; and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” God was saying to Moses, “I am the self-sufficient and eternally existent God.” 

The Lord Jesus used that title for Himself when He spoke to His adversaries saying, “Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) In John’s Gospel, Jesus uses that thought “I am” several times.  See the following: John 6:48,51; 8:12,58; 10:7,9,11,14,36; 11:25,46; 14:6; 15:1,5.  Our Lord Jesus is the Great I Am!  Amen!

April 7

“…whosoever believeth….”

A key word in John is the word “believe” and its kindred words.  Below are listed some interesting stats on how many times the words are found in the New Testament, and how many of those times they are found in the Gospel of John.  Just under half of the New Testament reference to belief in Christ are found in John’s Gospel.  That all important and well known verse in John 3:16 sums it up nicely, “…that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  Keep on believing!

“Believe” in John

- found 124 times in NT

- found 52 times in John

“Believeth” 

- found 41 times in NT

- found 17 times in John

“Believest”

- found 8 times in Nt

- found 3 times in John

“believed”

- found 94 times in NT

- found 27 times in John

- “Believing”

- found 8 times in NT

- found 2 times in John

April 8

The Purpose of the Gospel of John

See 20:30-31

Compare the above Verses with John’s statement in 1 John 5:13.  God’s desire for humanity is that all place faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  John’s writings were given for the purpose of assurance, of assuring all who place faith in the Lord that their faith has blessed them with forgiveness, salvation and eternal life.  

With that in mind, can you see how it behooves you and me to read John’s Gospel, his epistles, the Book of Revelation, and really all of God’s Word?  Beloved, there is no greater source of assurance than a steady diet of God’s Holy Word.  It is food for the soul, strength for the inner man.  Through the Word of God we find wisdom to guide our lives, warnings to aid in the protection of our lives and hope to thrill our lives with a blessed anticipation of glorious things to come.

Father, fill our hearts and minds with Your Holy Word.  Grant us a hunger and thirst for its truths, and help us not to neglect giving ourselves to its study and application in our lives.  Amen!  

April 9

John 1:18

Consider John’s theme, God the Son, while ever keeping your eyes on the man, Jesus.  Note the number of times that name, “Jesus,” is found by itself in John’s Gospel.  Jesus, of course, is His human name, while Christ is His Diving Messianic title.  

•  “Jesus Christ” is found three times; 1:17; 17:3; 20:31.

• “Jesus” is found alone as His name 253 times, an emphasis being placed on His humanity.

• The phrase, “Son of God,” is found 10 times.

• The title, “Son,” is found 45 times.

John reminds us that the humanity of the Lord Jesus cannot be separated from His Deity.  He is very God Incarnate; with “Incarnate” speaking of His humanity, while at the same time being very God.  

As being fully human, our Lord can be sympathetic with the sons and daughters of Adam, fully understanding the difficulties and trials they face.  See Hebrews 4:14-16.  As being God Incarnate, He can sympathize and through His Divine power can empower, enlighten or enlarge His own depending upon their need.  What a glorious Savior and Lord!  

April 10

John 1:1-14

I.  Prologue: The Eternal Word Incarnate in Jesus the Christ

By definition, a “prologue” is a preface or introduction to a literary work.  There is no more important literary work in all the world than the Word of God, and John’s Gospel is definitely an inseparable part of God’s Blessed Book.  You will note that there is no genealogy of the Lord Jesus given in John’s Gospel, but rather in this introduction we are taken back to the eternal past; “In the beginning” when there was nothing but God.  The “Word” in Verse 1 is the Lord Jesus, Who was “In the beginning…with God,” but is also described as, “…and the Word was God.”  In John’s very first verse our Lord is declared to be “God,” and that reality will be affirmed throughout the Gospel.

In this prologue Jesus is introduced as very God, and is introduced in His humanity through the ministry of His forerunner, John the Baptist.  Notice He is given the titles, “The Word” and “The Light,” and declared to be the One through Whom all can have the hope of being “sons of God” through the New Birth made possible through belief “on his name.” (See Verses 6-13.  The First Advent of the Lord Jesus is summed up by John in Verse 14; “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your great condescending grace, in becoming flesh that we might behold Your glory.  

April 11

John 1:15-34

II.  The Witness of John the Baptist

Compare this passage with the following: Isaiah 40:1-5; Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6.  The forerunner, John the Baptist, was very important person.  The prophesies concerning his ministry were designed by God to identify the Messiah when He made His appearance.  John’s ministry was powerful, greatly effecting the land of Israel, bringing many to repentance and a closer walk with God.  He did indeed prepare many hearts for the coming of the Lord Jesus.  Note the following New Testament references that dealt with John the Baptist and his ministry: Matthew 3:1-17; 11:1-19; 14:1-12; Luke 1:5-25; 57-80.  John was in essence the last of the Old Testament prophets declaring the coming of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, in His first advent.  Like John, you and I who know Jesus Christ as Lord need to be proclaiming His Second Coming!  Amen!

April 12

II.  The Public Ministry of Jesus Christ: 1:35 - 12:50

Scripture Reading for Today: 1:35-51

The day after Jesus’ baptism He officially began His public ministry; a ministry that would last approximately three and one-half years.  One of the first things Jesus did in that public work was to begin gathering His disciples that would become apostles.  The first selected for this great privileged work were Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael.  The unnamed disciple of Verse 37 was most likely John, the brother of James, who often did not name himself in his writings.  

As you read through the passages concerned with the public ministry of Christ, keep in mind that a primary purpose of this ministry was the training of the apostles that they might carry on His work after His ascension.  Naturally His goal was reaching the lost and bringing them to faith, but the training of the Apostles was of the utmost importance.  They  would be used to preach His Gospel, organize His Church and be used of the Holy Spirit to establish and defend the doctrine that would guide His Church.  The Church exists today due to the work of these God-called men, and her continued existence depends upon we who have been brought to faith in Christ through the ministries of those before us.  See 2 Timothy 2:1-2.  Let us be faithful to our charge to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 1:3) 

April 13

John 2:1-25

This chapter contains the first of Jesus’ miracles and His first cleansing of the Temple. (Compare with Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46) The miracles of the Lord Jesus were sign gifts given to those of His day as evidence of His being the fulfillment of Messianic prophesies found in the Old Testament.  These miracles were proofs of His authority as Messiah, and evidence of His authority was seen in His cleansing of the Temple.  While He was not of the priestly tribe of Levi, as Messiah He possessed all authority in reference to the Temple and the religious life of Israel.  

Please note the statement made by the Lord Jesus when cleansing the Temple; “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.” (Verse 16) One of the prophesies of the Messiah is that He would be God Incarnate. (See the following prophesies: Isaiah 9:6-7; Psalms 110:1) Remember, the theme of the Gospel of John is Jesus, the Son of God, Very God Incarnate.  Look for the evidence of that theme as you read through John’s Gospel.

April 14

John 3:1-36

Two main thoughts are dealt with in Chapter 3; the first being the conversation of the Lord Jesus with Nicodemus, and the second being concerned with John the Baptist’s message of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.  Jesus’ declared the purpose of His first advent in simple terms when He said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) His conversation with Nicodemus is an illustration of that purpose.  An interesting study is that of Nicodemus’ three appearances in the New Testament; John 3:1-21; 7:50; 19:39.  It would appear that Nicodemus did become a believer in the Lord Jesus, especially in that final appearance in John’s Gospel.  In that passage, Nicodemus fully associated with the crucified Lord in aiding in His burial.

One statement made by John the Baptist is a goal that should be the heart cry of every follower of Christ; “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  May that ever be the desire of our hearts!  Amen!

April 15

John 4

The Samaritans were considered unclean by the religious Jews of Israel.  That area had been peopled by Gentiles after the fall of the ten northern tribes of Israel to the Assyrian Empire.  The Jews that had been left after the Assyrian invasion intermarried with those Gentiles, and thus had produced a mixed race of people.  To the religious Jews, this rendered them unclean.  Thankfully, the Lord Jesus did not share in that opinion, but saw them rather as souls in need of His salvation.  While most traveling from the province of Judaea to Galilee would have traveled around Samaria rather than through Samaria, it is said, “And he must needs go through Samaria.”  He needed to go through Samaria for He would meet there a woman at a well that He would win to himself, and then many people from a nearby city would be reached by His saving grace.”

When He did return to Galilee, Jesus was confronted by “a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.”  Jesus healed the son without ever seeing him.  He simply said to the father, “Go thy way, thy son liveth.”  When the nobleman returned to his home, he found that his son had been healed at the very time Jesus had spoken His words of healing power.”  John notes that this was Jesus’ second miracle.  It should be noted that Jesus does not always choose to heal, but that His healing power has never been diminished.  In fact, every saved soul is a testimony of the healing power of Jesus Christ, for the greatest sickness is that of the sin sickness of the soul that only the Lord Jesus can heal.

April 16

John 5

A controversy is dealt with in this chapter that started as a result of the gracious healing of the cripple man at the pool of Bethesda.  Because the man was healed on the Sabbath day, the Jews sought to slay the Lord.  In the Gospel of John, the term “Jews” is used primarily of those descendants of Abraham that lived in Judaea.  They considered themselves to be far superior than those of Galilee, and certainly more than the inhabitants of Samaria.  The fact that Jesus was of Nazareth, and that He had no special connection to the religious leaders of Judaea made Him inferior in their eyes.  Imagine that!

Please note carefully some of the profound statements made by our Lord in this chapter.  See those truths expressed of His connection to the Father, truths that His opponents understood completely.  Their anger was intensified, “…because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” See Verses 21, 23, 24, 29, and 39.  One of His greatest indictments against His adversaries is found in Verse 46 where He said, “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”  

This is an amazing chapter filled with great and deep truths about our Blessed Lord.  One interesting statement He made in this chapter provides an important observation concerning the study of the Bible.  He said, “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”  The only way to really understand God’s Word is to look for the Lord Jesus in all its truths.  From Genesis to Revelation, Jesus Christ is the theme and consistent message God intended for all humanity to be found in His blessed Word.  Do you want to have a better understanding of the Scriptures?  Just keep looking for Jesus in its blessed pages!

April 17

John 6

Two of Jesus’ great miracles are found in this chapter, the feeding of the five thousand and His walking on water on the Sea of Galilee in the midst of a great storm.  So many profound lessons are gleaned just in these two incidents.  The feeding of the multitude teaches us that however great the need, our Lord is fully capable of supplying that for His own.  It teaches us that He doesn’t need great abilities or great supplies to do His work in the world, just souls that are willing to allow Him to use their meager supplies or abilities to demonstrate His great power and grace.  The lad’s lunch reminds us that little is much when God is in it.  His walking on the water reminds His followers that He is ever the Master of the storms they are called upon to endure in this life.  And, beloved, there will never be a storm that you will face that He is not in that storm with you.  

The incident of the feeding of the multitude occasioned Jesus’ teachings on Him being “the bread of life.”  Jesus said, “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” Bread is called the “staff of life,” a term first used reportedly in the 1600’s to depict the significance of bread as a staple of the diet of mankind around the world.  The people that had witnessed the miracle of the fishes and the loaves were intrigued by Jesus’ power and provisions, and sought to follow Him.  He saw through their reasoning, for they sought Him because they “were filled” by His miraculous power, and not because of their belief in Him as the Son of God, the Messiah that was prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures.  The message these people needed to understand was stressed by the Lord when He said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” This is still the message mankind needs to understand today.

April 18

John 7

The Feast of Tabernacles was a Jewish feast that was to serve as a reminder of God’s gracious provisions for Israel during the years of their wilderness journey.  For forty years they lived in tents, fully dependent upon God for their every need, and He graciously supplied those needs.  “His brethren” in Verses 3 and 5 refers to the siblings of the Lord Jesus, for at this point they did not “believe in him.”  While the Lord did not respond to their challenge, He did later go to Jerusalem during this feast in order that He might appeal to thirsting souls, promising to meet their soul’s need. 

During this feast in Jerusalem, priests would draw water from the Pool of Siloam, carry it to the Temple and pour it out at the altar as a symbol and reminder of God’s miraculous provision of water from the smitten Rock during the wilderness journey of Israel.  How appropriate then is this invitation given by the Lord Jesus!  See 1 Corinthians 10:1-5.  As the Smitten Rock, Jesus could provide that which would forever satisfy the thirsting of the souls of sinful humanity.  Oh, that sinners would come to Smitten Rock to find that which their thirsting souls so desperately need!

April 19

John 8

In Chapter 8, a woman who had been caught in a terrible act of darkness was brought to the Lord Jesus in an effort of entrapment.  The accusers that brought her were not interested in justice or judgment, just in finding something in the Lord Jesus that would enable them to charge Him before the people.  The sinful woman was merely a pawn in their wicked scheme.  Jesus dealt with the hypocrites that brought her in wisdom, and He dealt with the fallen woman in grace and mercy.  This incident occasioned His teachings on Him being the “Light of the world.”

As the “Light of the world,” the Lord Jesus delivers souls from the darkness of sin (Verse 12), exposes the wickedness of the unregenerate and hypocritical (Verses 14-16), and provides that which liberates the soul and enlightens the path of the redeemed (Verses 30-32).  

Some of Jesus’ harshest words to His opponents is found in Chapter 8, none more direct than those of Verse 44.  The topic in question has been darkness and sin, and Light and victory over darkness.  The problem with His adversaries is pointed out in Verse 44. They were enslaved to sin, and in servitude to their “father the devil.” So it is with all mankind. Only the Lord Jesus, the Light of the world, can liberate the soul and illumine the lives of those who believe in Him.

April 20

John 9

“And it was the sabbath day….” Couldn’t the Lord have healed this blind man on Friday or Sunday?  This is not the first time He had stirred opposition due to healing on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.  Of course, this just pointed out the hypocrisy of His opponents, and their defiling of God’s Holy Word through their traditions.  It magnified the hardness of their hearts in their misinterpretation of Scripture, and their hypocritical condescension toward anyone who did not agree with their self-righteous ways.  

See how the Lord dealt graciously with the man that had been born blind.  He healed him of his blindness, then sought him out after his mistreatment by the religious leaders, bringing Him to saving faith through His own power and kindness.  

Did Jesus forget it was the Sabbath?  Did He fail to remember the problems He had earlier for this same reason?  No, beloved, this day of the healing of the blind man was planned in eternity past, and was fulfilled just as planned that the Lord’s gracious power and infinitely wise teachings might be revealed.  The truth revealed in this Chapter is summed up in Verse 39; “And Jesus said, for judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”

April 21

John 10

Keeping sheep through the years has helped me to better understand Jesus’ teachings in Chapter 10.  Now we have never had great numbers of sheep.  We have thirteen now, and that is the largest flock we have ever had.  While tending sheep for us is not really now as it was in Jesus’ day, there have been so many lessons that we have learned from working with these animals the Lord chose to compare with His own, His “sheep.”

The Lord’s sheep, those people which believe and trust in Him, have “entered in by the door,” have heard the Shepherd’s voice calling them and have become His followers.  Because they have heard and followed the Shepherd, they are saved!  They have been given eternal life and eternal security.  No man is able to pluck them out of the Father’s hand, held securely in the Savior’s hand.  Jesus laid down His life for the sheep so they could be His sheep and know Him, the Shepherd.  Aren’t you glad that you are one of Jesus’ sheep?

April 22

John 11

“…I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live….”

John 11 is a chapter filled with hope.  Jesus made the promise that when a believer dies, “yet shall he live.”  The blessed thing about this chapter is that Jesus proved His promise, and His power to keep that promise to be true and trustworthy.  Every family has endured what we are reading about in this chapter; the death of a loved one and the grief that follows.  Martha and Mary, along with Lazarus, were dear friends of the Lord Jesus.  The death of their brother caused these two dear ladies great sorrow, but Jesus turned their sorrow into joy.  What a blessed hope we have as followers of the Lord Jesus!  All of our dear loved ones that have died in faith we will see again someday, and just as Martha and Mary were reunited with their brother, so shall we be reunited with those who have gone on before us.

“Jesus wept.”  This is the shortest verse in the Bible.  Interesting!  For Jesus knew that He was about to turn all of the sorrow and weeping into joy and rejoicing by raising Lazarus from the dead.  So why did He weep?  Perhaps because He knew that their rejoicing would be short-lived, for Lazarus and his two sisters would all face death again.  Perhaps His weeping was for death itself, which was never God’s intention from the beginning.  Whatever the case, He is a blessed Savior who is able to touched with our sorrows!  

April 23

John 12

A statement made by the Lord Jesus in Luke 12:51 is worthy of note when considering John 12: “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nah; but rather division….” That division is evident in our Bible reading today.  There are those in this chapter who believe in and love the Lord Jesus.  We see that in the supper that was prepared and served, and in Mary’s act of worship during that supper.  It is evident in the Triumphal Entry in Verses 12-16.  Those who hated the Lord Jesus, refusing to believe in Him or follow Him are also clearly seen.  So intense was their hatred, they considered killing Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead because many believed in Jesus because of that miracle.  

After the request of “certain Greeks,” Jesus spoke of the “hour” of His being “glorified.”  That glorification is explained in Verse 24, where He spoke of His death on the Cross.  He here gives an answer in response to the request of the Greeks; that being that in order to really see and understand the Lord Jesus, we must see Him in light of His suffering on Calvary, and those who really “see” Him must be willing to follow Him as true disciples.

Verse 43 is an important revelation.  Some believed in Jesus, but refused to make that belief public because they were too concerned about what that outward profession could cost them.  Let us never fear what people may think of us, or how they will respond to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Be bold in your faith!  Some may criticize or ridicule, but the Lord will be pleased!  Pleasing and honoring Him is what really matters.  Amen!

April 24

John 13

 “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

This is one of the more touching scenes in all of God’s Word.  The Lord Jesus is with His own just before that which was ordained in eternity past is about to transpire.  The next days will be most difficult for the followers of the Lord Jesus, and He ministered to them on that evening out of great love.

This chapter is filled with love.  In love the Lord Jesus served His disciples in washing their feet.  He taught them a great lesson on the subject of needed regular spiritual cleansing, and even warned them of those difficulties soon to be facing them in love.  Having demonstrated His great love for them, He then commanded them to love one another.  

Far too much is covered in this great chapter for a simple devotion to expound, but a most important statement was made in Verse 17.  In the strictest sense of the word, Jesus was talking about His disciples loving and serving one another.  They had been recipients of His great love throughout their time with Him, but that evening HIs love was demonstrated clearly in His assuming the role of a servant in the washing of their feet.  However, this verse reveals an important guide for all of God’s children always, that being that knowing His Word is only part of the equation.  It is knowing and doing, personally understanding His Word and then putting it into action in the life that makes one “happy.”  Happiness is finding and knowing the will of God through His Word, and then obeying and doing it practically in life.  May He ever help us to find that true happiness!  Amen!

April 25 - 27

John 14 - 16

Please take the next few days to read and absorb the great truths found in these three chapters.  These words were spoken by the Lord to His disciples on that final evening prior to His arrest in the Garden, and His subsequent sufferings that followed.  Consider the importance Jesus placed on these teachings in light of the fact the He fully knew what He and His disciples were shortly facing.  Meditate on the great revelations given in this chapters on the ministry of the Holy Spirit; His glorification of the Lord Jesus and His indispensable service in the lives of the followers of Christ.

Knowing what He and the disciples were facing beginning that very evening and lasting over the following days, Jesus knew His teachings on the Holy Spirit were most important, and He also knew how important it would be for His disciples to depend upon one another in love.

Beloved, these chapters are of most importance to us as Christ’s disciples.  We all face times of difficulty when our faith will be tested to the extreme.  His love for us and our love for one another, and also the comforting ministry of the Holy Spirit will take us through those challenging times.

These chapters were recorded in God’s Word especially for Christ’s own.  Read them prayerfully.  Seek God’s wisdom and direction as you do so.  Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He makes these truths real in your life.  Write your own commentary on these chapters, noting what they mean to your personally.  May the Lord make these chapters the strengthening and comforting solace for your soul that He intended them to be.

April 28

John 17

John is the only writer that recorded this prayer of the Lord Jesus, prayed on the evening of His betrayal and arrest.  Please note very carefully the relationships Jesus spoke of in this prayer; His relationship with the Father, His relationship with the disciples He had walked with for the past several years and His relationship with those who would become His disciples after His ascension back to heaven.  Notice also the importance Jesus placed on the Word of God in this prayer, and its importance to His followers.  You will also see Jesus’ references to the glorification of Himself and of the Father.  

There are so many important aspects of this prayer, none more important to us than that which He prayed in Verse 15; “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”  The Lord has chosen to leave His own in this evil world that they might be His witnesses.  It is through their witness that others will become followers of the Lord Jesus.  What He did pray was that His followers, while in this evil world, might be kept from its evil.  “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” May He keep us from the world’s evil through the sanctifying power of His Holy Word!  Amen!

April 29

John 18-19

These chapters deal with the arrest of the Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, His trials before Caiaphas and Pilate, and the crucifixion.  Please consider the following questions for today’s devotion:

1. What happened in the Garden and later before Pilate the proved that the Lord Jesus was control of this entire situation?  See Verse 6; Verses 16-18, 25-27 with 13:38 and Matthew 26:34; Ch. 19:10-11.

2. Facing the horrors of the trials, and later the crucifixion, what was utmost of importance to the Lord Jesus beyond fulfilling the Father’s will in His sufferings?  See 18:8.

3. Compare Pilate’s question in 18:38 to Jesus’ statement in John 14:6.  If Pilate had asked that question in sincerity, waited for the answer and then responded in faith to that answer, what to him would have been the result? See John 8:32

4. One of the two men that volunteered to take the Lord Jesus off the cross and attended to His lifeless form was Nicodemus. What would make you think that Nicodemus had become one of Christ’s followers?  See 19:38-42 with John 3:1-5; 7:50.         

April 30

John 20-21

1.  Chapters 20 and 21 are concerned with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and His post-resurrection appearances prior to His ascension.  All four of the Gospels cover the details of the resurrection of Christ.  Why is that important?  See Romans 1:1-8 and 10:9-13.

2. Jesus pronounces a blessing upon future believers in John 20:26-29.  How are believers blessed?  John 3:16; 5:24; 6:40.

3. Why did the Holy Spirit have the events of the life of Christ recorded in the Gospels?  John 20:30-31.

4. What message did the event on the sea of Tiberius send us concerning our work for Christ?  See 21:1-7 with John 15:5.