11-4-2017

Good Morning All,

         John 20:31; “ but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

       Our discussion in confirmation class always has this question for the students, why do we have the Bible?  One time, a student said it kept their TV stand level.  I appreciated the honesty but that wasn’t the direction I was aiming at.  So I tried again, why do we have the Bible?  Most of the answers will spin towards history as in, by having the Bible we know about Moses, Elijah and Jesus.  Sometimes the answers turn to morality as in we know what is right and wrong.  “The Bible tells us what is the right thing to do and what the wrong thing not to do” is a standard answer.  Sometimes They just sit and stare.  This is when we turn to this verse.

    This portion of John’s Gospel is always kind of fascinating to me.  John is patiently and carefully telling us his account of Jesus’ resurrection when he stops and shifts gears.  It is almost like the TV character who, in the middle of a scene, will stop and look at the camera and explain to the viewers how this situation began or is going to go.  Sorta of like Dobie Gillis used to do.  Here John gives us an explanation that really should pull everything together for us.  In the verse prior to this one, John tells us that Jesus did many things that are not in this book but these were written so that you may believe.  We have this book (John’s Gospel for sure, but really the entire Bible) to form our faith, to build our faith, to encourage and strengthen our faith and to keep us in a faith that gives us peace.

    So God gives us the Bible the words of comfort and hope that we need to survive this world and the tribulation that we will experience.  This is the method that God chooses to communicate with us.  It is through His Word that God communicates to us that we have forgiveness, Baptism into Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to have faith and obedience, the nourishment of Holy Communion, the fellowship of our redeemed brothers and sisters, the promise to hear our prayers and the invitation to use all these gifts so that we may have life and have it in its fulness.

    This is why it is so important that we spend time in God’s Word.  This is how He talks to us; this is how he tells us of His love.  It is the purpose of the Bible to give you life and to strengthen that life as you continue your journey of life.  It is by a time, even a short time, of daily devotional time that God builds in you faith.  A faith that keeps you in the right mind, in the right knowledge and that knowledge is that first and foremost, you are a redeemed, baptized child of God and nothing can change that, you are held safely in His loving hands and nothing can pluck you away from Him, lastly, you have the victory over death that Jesus won.  Hold on to that and let God’s peace keep you in his grace.

Gracious Father, we thank you for your great gift of salvation.  We thank you for your gift of life.  Strengthen us by your word that we may always know the wonders of your grace and experience the depths of your love.  Be with those who struggle with this world’s trials.  Guard them with your Spirit, in the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret