When Jesus offers the woman at the well “living water,” she is confused because, in their culture, it meant fresh moving water, such as rain, springs, or rivers. There was no such source anywhere in the vicinity. This concept of never thirsting spiritually again is beautifully displayed in John’s vision of the new “garden of Eden.” The water of life will flow like a river from God’s throne. If we trust in the redemption Jesus offers us, he says this living water will become “a fresh, bubbling spring within, giving eternal life.”  

Questions for further thought:
1. What is the difference between standing water and flowing water?

2. How can a Christian’s spiritual life be similar to water – either stagnant or moving (and fresh)?

Challenge: Revelation 22:17 issues an invitation to anyone who thirsts. Consider how you can share this “bubbling spring” you have with someone who is thirsty. How would you describe Christ’s offer in a down-to-earth way to someone you know? Pray for an opportunity and the courage to do so!

As followers of Jesus, we will be resurrected when he returns for us one day. Then he will destroy all his enemies – the last enemy being death itself – and present the Kingdom to God the Father. In that glorious future, God will live in the presence of his people and remove every sorrow and pain. He will treat believers as his beloved children, showering us with blessings. What a beautiful picture of redemption as God makes the whole earth new!

Questions for further thought:
1. How can we switch our focus from the ‘end times’ to a wonderful new beginning?

2. When you think about the new heaven and new earth, what do you picture? What will it be like?  

Challenge: Journal your questions, doubts, fears, and praises regarding the future. Sometimes when we write out our conflicting thoughts on paper, they seem less powerful. God welcomes your honesty and may even answer you through your own writing. He wants to provide us with peace as we trust in him.

The beginning of this passage gives us a magnificent vision of Christ as a holy warrior and our righteous King. This is nothing like the description of Jesus usually taught to small children in Sunday School! This scene shows us that when the time comes, he will obliterate his enemies, allow the vultures a “great banquet,” then throw the beast and false prophet into the fiery lake.

Questions for further thought:
1. Jesus is labeled “Faithful and True,” “the Word of God,” and “King of all kings and Lord of all lords” in this short passage alone. Which of his many names has the most impact on you and why?

2. What emotions does verse 15 invoke within you?

Challenge: The “sharp sword” coming from Christ’s mouth represents God’s word which people experience one of two ways: grace or judgment. The person who accepts his word and repents receives grace. The person who rejects God’s word experiences judgement which leads to death. Remember that his word is unchanging and it is not our job to make it into something soft, fluffy, or comfortable – it’s a double-edged sword!

John’s vision of four horses and their riders represents several destructive world powers. The white horse whose rider carries a bow symbolizes war and conquest. The red horse with a sword bearing rider represents violence and slaughter. Economic imbalance and social disfunction are represented by the black horse and its rider with a scale. Finally, a pale green horse carries the rider, Death, and his friend, the Grave. Obviously, the effects of sin and evil in our world are terrible.

Questions for further thought:
1. How have these symbols been manifested repeatedly throughout historical and current events?

2. How does this passage remind us to put all our hope in our Lord alone?

Challenge: Go back and read the previous chapter in Revelation (chapter 5). Consider why the Lamb is the only one worthy to open the scroll. How does this intense heavenly worship of Jesus inspire your own worship?

Jesus offered his own blood, not the blood of an animal. He entered the heavenly Tabernacle, not one on earth. Unlike sacrifices under the old covenant, his perfect sacrifice secured our redemption once for all time. This is why he is the only one fit to completely destroy evil forever. His great love for us, which motivated this sacrifice, will also spur him on to provide the perfect existence we were always meant to have with him.

Questions for further thought:
1. Why is sacrificial blood required for our forgiveness?

2. Jesus has many names/roles (Savior, King, Lord). What do you think about his role as our High Priest?

Challenge: Read all of Hebrews chapter 9 and consider how the new covenant Christ has established is far superior to the old covenant.

This week we have been talking about the redemption found in no other but Jesus Christ. For all who would receive Him and believe upon His name, He bore all their sin as He bought them out of sin’s slavery and the Father’s righteous wrath. Will you stop at this point and seriously consider whether you have ever personally received Christ by faith as your Lord, King, and Savior from sin? Whether the words are “saved”, “born again”, or “eternal life”, all describe one reality – new life in Christ. When you receive Him as your Savior and Lord, God gives you a new birth. The result is new emotions, new thoughts, and new power to perform- in fact a new identity in Christ! Jesus Christ is the light that keeps shining in the darkness. True light and life come only from Him. You were made by Him and for Him. The ball is in your court. What will you do with this Jesus?? 

Questions for further thought:
1. In what ways have you searched and looked for satisfaction or safety apart from Jesus Christ?

2. What was the result to question #1?

Challenge: Do you need encouragement? Expect to receive from God more than you could ask or imagine as the Holy Spirit gives you understanding and brings light into your life.

​The Jews as a nation did not receive Jesus as their Messiah. However, this national rejection was not complete. Some Jews did come to saving faith in Jesus Christ as some Jews today are doing the same. The Christian church is built up of individuals who through personal faith receive Jesus Christ as God’s unique Son, the light of the world and the only Savior from sin. In our day, we often hear the terms “making a decision for Christ” or “asking Christ into my heart”. However, faith in Christ is never merely a man-made resolution or emotional impulse. John talks about receiving (action that results in Jesus Christ occupying the center place in our thoughts, conversations, home life, and outward activities) and believing (expresses the definite decision to accept the facts about Jesus as true, to love and desire to belong to Christ, and to commit to live in the light of that belief). When we do that, like John, we will experience the fullness of God’s power and grace concentrated completely in Christ. Grace that will never cease; truth that will never compromise! Now that is something worth living for!

Questions for further thought:
1. How does verse 14 present Jesus as the unique Son of God? Describe some of the qualities that make Him unique.

2. John the Baptist had a purpose and aim to his life. What would you say is your main purpose of your life and your personal aim?

Challenge: Ask God to give you a willingness to place your life, your loved ones, your time, your possessions, your plans fully in His hands. Wait expectantly as God works through your life!

Verse 6 introduces us to John the Baptist who preceded the Son of God as a witness so people would believe in Jesus Christ as the light of the world. John’s witness opened the door to joyous faith, but the majority spurned the opportunity to welcome the long awaited Messiah, Jesus. Jesus Christ, the light of the world, came into the world, becoming man to “give light to everyone.” However, the world that He made did not recognize Him. In this passage, the world refers to a system of society or sphere of human life that chooses to live apart from God. In many ways, He came to that which was His own and He was rejected at every turn. 

Questions for further thought:
1. Who were Christ’s “own” who did not receive Him, and how do people today reject Him?

2. What does John say a person must do to become a “child of God?” (See also 1 John 5:12)

Challenge: Read and meditate on John 1:12. Do a word search in a Bible concordance or Biblegateway.com on the key words in the passage. (ie.. Believed, receive)

This Gospel introduces Christ with the same majestic words Moses used of the Creator in Genesis 1; “in the beginning”. Verses 1-2 lay out three essential truths about the Son of God; (1) His eternal pre-incarnate existence, (2) His eternally distinct personal existence, and (3) His eternally divine nature. The Word was with God and the Word was God. Belief in the deity of Christ is a central theme in the Christian faith. In the beginning, the Son shared with the Father His place when all things were created, however that is not all. The words “by Him” or “through Him” signal that the Word is the agent or means of creation. (See Colossians 1:16) It then talks about Jesus as the source of all life and all light that shines from God’s righteousness. However deep the darkness in the world, it cannot overcome the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Questions for further thought:
1. From John 1:1, give three phases about “the Word” that describes Jesus Christ before He “became flesh”. What is the importance of each of these phases?

2. What do the words “light” and “darkness” mean in John 1:4-5? What examples of light and darkness do you see in the world today?

Challenge: Consider and ponder your answer to question #2. How do you see your role in God’s redemptive plan? How do you see yourself being the light rather than the darkness?

Few words can conjure up such a reaction as the two words we are looking at today. Redemption is probably a familiar term; however, are you aware it is a term relating to a buying back from slavery? The imagery behind this word comes from the ancient slave market. It meant paying the necessary ransom to obtain the prisoner or slave’s release. The only adequate payment to redeem sinners from sin’s slavery and its deserved punishment was “in Christ Jesus”, and was paid to a Holy God to satisfy His justice. The second word is less familiar and you may have never heard it. It is propitiation and it refers to Christ’s sacrifice and its significance in the appeasement or satisfaction of God’s righteous anger at man’s sin against Him. Christ’s violent death satisfied the offended holiness and wrath of God against those for whom Christ died. In this, God could be both just and the justifier of fallen man who would turn to Him. Wow! 

Questions for further thought:
1. When you think about what lengths Christ went to redeem you and me, what thoughts come to mind?
 
2. Maybe you’ve never considered you had to be purchased or redeemed by Christ. How does that make you feel?

Challenge: Think about the slavery imagery that these words portray and answer these questions: Am I a slave to sin or a slave to Christ? To what evidence will I point to back up my answer?