Little Beaver State Park, Beaver, West Virginia
If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ~ II Chronicles 7:14
They promised rain would begin around 10:00pm last night and continue throughout today. They kept their promise, something weathermen seldom seem to manage. Why is that? We believe it to be the only job where you can be wrong the greatest percentage of the time and still keep your job. 😊
We decided to stay home today and begin Pastor Mike’s series on the Gospel of John. His first message was more of an overview, but next week? He’ll begin to get into the meat of it, and as always, we’re certain it will be spectacular.
For today, this is what we gleaned from the message, although I will in no way, shape or form, do it justice. I encourage you to visit green.thechapel.life and listen to the message(s) yourself. You won’t find a better teacher.
If you’re a novice to scripture or to Jesus in particular, start by reading the Gospel of John. If you’re already a student of scripture, this book is not only for the novice, but is also full of deep and rich things to learn about Jesus and His message for us.
The book of John is much different from the other three Gospel books – Matthew, Mark and Luke. These three books are similar to each other in that they’re more historically focused. Sort of a “this is what happened” approach. But John is completely different, plus he wrote much later.
Mark was written first and shortly after Jesus’ walk on earth – around the late 30’s to 40’s. Matthew was second and written about the same time. Luke, probably in the 60’s.
John didn’t put his thoughts to pen until probably sometime in the 80’s when he was most likely 75-85 years old. After a life living for Jesus.
The book doesn’t have a “Jewish feel” to it, even though John was, and it’s most likely because the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem fell by Roman hands in 70AD and the Jews were scattered. He’s writing as an older man to a different culture, and he’s very selective with his information. He presents Jesus differently.
So who is John? His father, Zebedee owned a fishing business on the Sea of Galilee, that John and his brother James (also an apostle) worked. They were partners with Peter (the apostle) and his brother, Andrew. John’s mother may have been Salome, one of the women mentioned in Scripture as supporting Jesus and His ministry. John was first a disciple of John the Baptist along with Andrew and they were the first two disciples of Jesus.
John and his brother, James were also known as the “sons of thunder” because they were the first to voice desires to rain down judgment on people who gave Jesus a hard time. He was brash and young (probably no more than 20 when he started following Jesus) and an idealist.
But 55 years of walking with Christ changes you. Now, all you’ll find from John is love and life.
In his gospel, he never calls himself by name, only an unnamed disciple or as “the disciple Jesus loved”, which may sound arrogant, but really is better translated as “a disciple loved by Jesus” as we all are. And why wouldn’t he use his name?
He wants to disappear. He wants the focus of his message to be on Jesus. He tells us in John 20:30-31 that he’s writing “so you might know.” He wants us to know Jesus. To really know Him. There are 35 “Class A” miracles of Jesus recorded in the Gospels. John only gives us seven. These seven are a declaration of Jesus’ identity and His authority as God. Several times John records Jesus telling us (paraphrased), “If you don’t believe I’m in the Father and the Father is in Me, believe the works I’ve shown you.” Or “If you don’t believe My words, believe the works.” People always want proof.
It’s very important to John to convince you that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Creator of the universe. That Jesus is I AM and John wants us to know that he was there as an eye witness.
There is plenty of evidence to convince the mind of the truth. It’s the will that refuses to see the truth.
“I believe! Help my unbelief” ~ Mark 9:24
The rain slowed to a spit of drizzle by the time we finished up.
“Let’s go for a walk.”
The original plan was to just walk on the asphalt around the campground, but you know us . . .
And since the original plan was to just walk around the campground, neither of us took our phones along.
Here’s what you missed –
Many gorgeous, full-bloom white dogwoods, a field of yellow wildflowers of some kind, a 6-7” worm trying to make it’s way across the asphalted road, trees with drops of rain clinging to the tips of their leaves, a deserted camping area, and a good-sized herd of deer scampering through the woods. Ok, to be honest, we just saw a very small glimpse of white-tailed movement way off in the distance, so there wouldn’t have been a picture of them anyway.
And then it started raining again. We made it back just in time to miss the larger stuff.
We spent the rest of the day doing some planning and organizing – Mother’s Day, a week-long trip with our three oldest grandsons and other assorted research and blogging.
Today was also my Mom’s Mother’s Day banquet. I’m sorry to have missed it – again. ☹