12 May 2020

Devotional Notes Psalm 132+John 20

MORNING
Psalm 132
B1 What does this mean?
C1 David’s care of the Ark
D1 Hardships Compare 1 Samuel 17-30.
E1 Promises in hardship See 2 Samuel 7.
E2 Desire for proper worship
F1 In the days prior to Messiah coming, proper worship was in Jerusalem.
F2 When Messiah came even now, worship is not at a physical place but with the heart.
F3 John 4:20-24 NRSV Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
D2 Dedication
E1 Proverbs 16:3 NRSV Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
E2 Psalms 119:38 NRSV Confirm to your servant your promise, which is for those who fear you.
D3 A desire for doing God’s will is nice, but our actions express our true beliefs. God’s promises are not just words but will be fulfilled.
C2 God’s promises
D1 At the present day, it seems if these promises have been unfulfilled. The time is coming when all will be fulfilled. Jesus will reign in Jerusalem, Jerusalem will be safe, and worshipers will worship in peace.
D2 2 Peter 1:3-4 EMTV As His divine power has granted to us all things pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 through which have been given to us precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through these we may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
B2 How do I apply this to my life? Realize hardship will come but hope in God. Dedicate ourselves to God and His ways.

EVENING
John 20
B1 What does this mean?
C1 Witnesses Come to Jesus’s Empty Tomb
D1 A number of witnesses testify that the tomb was empty even though it was guarded by the Roman soldiers.
D2 Verse 2, they might refer to the Jewish authorities or the Romans. John and Peter were suspicious of the women’s testimony or so it appears.
D3 One thing we can learn is that the tomb was empty. For a more detailed offering of proof, see Gary Habermas site.
C2 Mary Magdalene Is Witness to Jesus Alive
D1 Jesus didn’t reveal Himself at first as a teaching point. He knew what Mary believed but wanted her to know and to reinforce the information of everything to her.
D2 Some see an error in verse 12 because Matthew and Mark state only one angel. It is suggested that only one is mentioned because he was the one who spoke.
D3 Some see an error in verse 14, too. If she knew what Jesus looked like, why didn’t she recognize Him now? Most likely she was in grief and thought He was dead. She simply was not expecting a live Jesus there talking to her.
D4 Verse 17 is another puzzling event. Why couldn’t she touch Him? The Greek word for touch is ἅπτομαι háptomai and doesn’t mean to just lightly touch but to firmly touch as grasp, hold, cling, etc. John 20:17 GW Jesus told her, "Don't hold on to me. I have not yet gone to the Father. But go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
C3 The Disciples Are Witness to Jesus Alive
D1 Note Jesus says, “Peace to you,” two times. Jesus is not coming to frighten them, judge them, scold them, but brings peace to them. Peace with God.
E1 John 16:33 GW I've told you this so that my peace will be with you. In the world you'll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world."
E2 It is available for all if one repents and believes: Matthew 11:28-29 EMTV Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
D2 Jesus remains the God/man (God the Son and the Son of Man) eternally.
D3 Verse 23 also causes false ideas that people can forgive sins in God’s name or authority. Steven J. Cole says: “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” The gospel that we proclaim is not so much about Jesus helping people with their personal problems but rather about God forgiving their sin through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. G. Campbell Morgan (The Gospel According to John Revell], p. 321) wrote, “The ultimate reason of the mission of the Church in the world, is to deal with sin.” Romans 3:23 declares, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Jesus didn’t die to save us from personal failure or shortcomings, but from the just wrath of God against our rebellion and sin. [It is worth reading the whole comment].
C4 Thomas Is Witness to Jesus Alive
D1 Thomas did not believe all the witnesses had seen and heard about the Lord Jesus (verse 25). He declares the conditions for his belief (verse 26). He is shocked but now believes (verse 27). All of which leads the Lord Jesus to declare: 29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, you have believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen yet believe.”
D2 We have a reasonable faith, not a blind faith. The Scriptures wrote about the resurrection, the faithful men and women who had seen and heard declared the resurrection, and Jesus had prophesied His resurrection. It would be most reasonable to believe that Jesus was alive.
C5 The Goal of John’s Gospel
D1 Regarding verses 30-31: J. C. Ryle in his expository thoughts mentions 2 possible interpretation. The first would be that John refers to all that Jesus did in His ministry, while the second would be all the miracles after His resurrection proving that He was alive.
D2 Regarding the importance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ one can begin by reading 1 Corinthians 15.
B2 How do I apply this to my life? Christian belief is most reasonable.

I hope to have a devotional every day on John’s Gospel starting with the last chapter of Luke’s Gospel. This is the way I do my devotions. You may notice grammatical and spelling errors. It is my hope you will also start or continue in your daily reading and thinking about the Scriptures. I do this Monday through Friday. It is a 3 year plan of reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the Old Testament, which takes 3 years, and reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the New Testament once a year for a total of 3 times. So, I read through the Old Testament 1 time and the New Testament 3 times over a period of 3 years. I do this Monday through Friday and use Saturday and Sunday for other devotions.

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