Open the Bible UK Daily

“This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.”John 6:40Maybe you are not sure if what God wills is really for you. Let’s consider the words of Jesus together:“This is the will of my Father…”Some of us could be described as strong-willed. Once you get hold of something, you won’t let it go. How strong is the will of almighty God? When He determines to do something, nothing will stop Him.“Eternal Life”Jesus tells us here what God has determined to do. God has a gift and He wants you to receive it—the gift of eternal life! This is more than life that never ends. Eternal life will be forever blessed, because it will be a life in the presence of God.“Everyone…”The Father’s will is that everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will have eternal life. Everyone! You can’t get more inclusive than that.“Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him…”God offers eternal life, but there is something for you to do: “everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him” (6:40). The first statement is explained by the second. To look on the Son means to believe in Him. To trust who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised.“…should have eternal life”You might say, “I used to believe, but I have wandered away. It’s too late to come back.” Listen, it is the will of the Father that everyone who believes in the Son should have eternal life.You might say, “I have sinned in a dark and twisted way, and I don’t feel that there’s a way back to God.” Listen, it is the will of the Father that everyone who believes in the Son should have eternal life.Everyone! There is no question about the will of the Father.Is there something keeping you from God? Listen, it is the will of the Father that everyone who believes in the Son should have eternal life.

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”John 6:38How did Jesus get the will of God done? Here are two ways:Jesus came down from heavenNotice Jesus tells us that He came “down from heaven.” His life did not begin in the manger. Before He lay in the arms of Mary, He was at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.He says, “I have come down from heaven.” No prophet, no religious leader could ever say this. Heaven was and is His home. Why did He come down from heaven?Jesus was ready to do whatever it took to get the Father’s will doneJesus’ mission is to get the will of God done: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mat. 6:10). Jesus is telling us, “This is why I came into the world. I came to do the will of Him who sent me. He gave certain people to Me. And His will is that nothing given to Me will be lost.”Jesus went to the cross in order to get the Father’s will done. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Mat. 26:39).Jesus went to the cross. He laid down His life as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all who would believe, and that is how the will of God to redeem the people He had given to His Son was accomplished.Take in the wonder of Jesus willingly coming down from heaven to face the cross for us so that God’s will would be done.

“I have come... not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”John 6:38-39Here is another reason Jesus came into the world: to do the will of the Father. Jesus gives us an inside look at God’s will for every believer.1. All who come to the Son are gifts from God the FatherIf you are a believer in Jesus, you are a gift from God the Father to His Son. Here’s how you can know that this is true: All who have been given by the Father come to the Son. So if you have come to the Son, you know that you were given by the Father.2. No one who is given to the Son will ever be lostJesus says, “I have guarded them and not one of them has been lost” (Jn. 17:12). Not one of them has been lost! On the last day, Jesus will stand in the presence of His Father with all who believe around Him and say, “Here I am, and the children you have given me” (Heb. 2:13).3. Everyone the Father gives to the Son will be raised on the last dayAt death, the soul is separated from the body. For a believer, to be away from the body is to be with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). But that is not the end for the body. Jesus says He will “lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day” (Jn. 6:39).Jesus came to bring you—body and soul—into His presence forever. Your body will be restored and raised to a new level modelled on the resurrection body of Jesus.“And this,” says Jesus, “is the will of God.”Thank God for the reassurance that if you come to Jesus, the Son, it is not simply your decision. It is also God’s will.

I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.Luke 5:32Why doesn’t everyone respond positively to Jesus’ call to follow Him? Here are three different ways people respond:1. I am too good to need repentanceLet’s accept for a moment that you are living a good moral life. Are you sure that you have nothing to repent of? Does your conscience never trouble you? Have you loved God with all your heart and have you loved your neighbour as yourself?Stop kidding yourself! “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). That’s why Jesus came: “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Lk. 5:32). So, if you keep insisting on your own righteousness, Jesus has nothing to offer you.2. I am too bad to find repentanceAren’t you glad that Jesus did not come to call the righteous? None of us would be called. And if none of us were called, none of us would follow. And if no one followed, no one would ever be changed.Jesus said, “I have come to call sinners to repentance.” You can put your finger on that word “sinners” and say, “This means that Jesus calls me!” Jesus came to bring grace for you. He came so that change would be possible for you. He came so that the joy of a new life could be yours.3. I will follow Jesus and pursue repentanceChange happens in the company of Jesus, so follow Him. Trust yourself to Him, and you’ll have the joy of discovering what He can do with your life.Which of these three would you say has been your response to Jesus?

Levi made [Jesus] a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.Luke 5:29What comes to mind when you hear the word repentance? Do you imagine humiliation, shame, and being hard on yourself?Here are three things about repentance that people often find surprising:1. Repentance brings joy, not regretIf repentance is being hard on yourself, why would Jesus say that there is joy in heaven whenever a sinner repents (Lk. 15:7)? Repentance is something to celebrate! That’s why Levi’s first act is to hold a feast.Repentance is not a miserable journey of self-loathing and regret. Repentance brings joy in heaven, and if there is joy over repentance in heaven, there will be joy in repentance for you.2. Repentance happens, not before, but as you follow JesusSome people have the idea that you have to clean up your life, get your act together, and get rid of your baggage before you can follow Jesus. That would be a barrier that none of us could ever get over. Repentance happens in the company of Jesus. The message is not “Repent so that you can follow Jesus.” It is “Follow Jesus and you will be able to repent.”3. Repentance is not a one-time thing, it actually deepens over timeHere is a helpful definition of repentance from J. I. Packer: “Repentance is turning from as much as you know of your sin, to give as much as you know of yourself, to as much as you know of your God.”Packer’s definition helps us to see that as you see more of yourself, more of your own sin, and more of God, your repentance will deepen. As your repentance deepens, you will become more like Jesus. And, as you become more like Jesus, your joy will increase.What would keep you from beginning, or travelling further along the path of repentance today?

Leaving everything, [Levi] rose and followed him.Luke 5:28This was an irreversible decision. Peter, Andrew, James, and John had a trade to return to, but the Romans would not have welcomed back a man who left his tax booth.Jesus called Levi to a completely different life—not to add believing in Jesus to his old way of life, but to leave his old life for something new. When you follow Jesus, here’s what you will have:A new identityThis man was known as a tax collector. Now he would be known as a disciple. People would remember what he had been, but it would no longer define him.A new communityWhen Levi held a party in Jesus’ honour, he had a long invitation list. But he became part of a new community. The other disciples would never have had anything to do with Levi before, but they became his brothers.A new missionJesus came to call sinners to repentance. That became Levi’s mission too. Jesus came to do the will of the Father. Levi’s new mission was the same.A new nameLevi is better known by another name—Matthew—and most likely it was Jesus who gave it to him. Matthew means “Gift of God.”This brings us to something wonderful: Levi was used by God to compile the Gospel of Matthew. Who better to keep records of all that Jesus did?Levi could never have known what Jesus would do with his life, and the only way to discover what Jesus can do with your life is to step out in faith and follow Him. Are you ready to become more than you are right now?Which of these do you most long for: a new identity, a new community, a new mission, or a new name?

[Jesus] said to him, “Follow me.”Luke 5:27Notice that this command of Jesus is completely open-ended. “Follow me.” What will this mean for Levi? Jesus gives no specifics.When students are looking around universities, the admissions department will say, “Here’s our course. And here are all the marvellous facilities we have on campus. And here’s what we can offer by way of bursary or future career options.”If you are being recruited for a job, human resources will say, “Here is the mission of our company, and here is where you can contribute. And here are the salary and benefits. There is a great future for you here.”But there’s nothing like that here. Just two open-ended words: “Follow me.” To follow Jesus is to share His life. It involves going where Jesus goes, doing what Jesus does, believing what Jesus says, suffering what Jesus suffers, and finding joy in who Jesus is.It’s easy to see what following Jesus meant for the disciples during His ministry on earth. But the gospels make clear that following Jesus is to be the pattern of our lives now that Jesus has ascended into heaven.The last words of Jesus that John records are His words to Peter, “Follow me!” (Jn. 21:22). The call of Jesus to us is the same as His call to these first disciples: “Follow me.”How will you respond to Jesus? Are you willing to go where Jesus goes, do what Jesus does, believe what Jesus says, suffer what Jesus suffers, and find joy in who Jesus is?

[Jesus] said to him, “Follow me.”Luke 5:27Why would Jesus choose a man like Matthew the tax collector to be a disciple? Wasn’t it obvious that a man like this, known for his collaboration and corruption, would be a liability?Luke tells us that the Pharisees “grumbled at his disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’” (5:30).The disciples were probably asking the same question: “Jesus, why don’t you stick with fishermen? We may not have a fancy education like Levi, but we are known as hard-working people who earn an honest living.”So why did Jesus call Levi? “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Lk. 5:32).The call of Levi is a marvellous sample of grace. Jesus calls the least likely, the least deserving. To Levi, who had practised extortion, Jesus said, “Follow me.” To the thief on the cross, a violent man, He said, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk. 23:43).And who would have imagined that Jesus would call Saul of Tarsus, who hated Christians? He described himself as a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent person. “But I received mercy.” Why? Because “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:13, 15).That’s grace! “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak... to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised... so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Cor. 1:27–29).If there is hope in Jesus for Levi, the thief on the cross, and Saul of Tarsus, there is hope in Jesus for you and for every person you will ever meet.Reflect on Jesus’ choice to call the least likely and the least deserving.

“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”Luke 5:32Luke records the story of Levi, who became one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. His is a remarkable story. We are told that Jesus “went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth” (5:27).The fact that Levi was a tax collector tells us two things about him. The first is that he was brilliant. He was likely an educated man who spoke three languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. He would have been a skilled accountant who kept meticulous records.Second, Levi was part of a system riddled with corruption. Tax collectors were local people who worked for the Roman regime. They were hated because they collaborated with the oppression of Roman rule and because they were notorious for extortion.Why would anyone collaborate with the oppressor? Well, there was a great deal of money to be made. Tax collectors could add a surcharge that they kept for themselves.Levi had chosen a path for making a lot of money and enjoying a comfortable life. He had no conscience about adding to the burden on his neighbour to make life better for himself.We are told that Jesus “saw” this man “sitting at the tax booth” (5:27). Jesus saw him in action. What the tax collectors did was a breach of the eighth commandment, “You shall not steal”; the ninth commandment, “You shall not give false witness”; and the tenth commandment, “You shall not covet what belongs to your neighbour” (Ex. 20:15–17).Levi was actively engaged in breaking the commandments of God, as much as a man robbing a bank, lying in court, or taking another person’s life. But Jesus said to this man, “Follow me.”How would you have reacted to this man taking advantage of poor and vulnerable people?

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.Matthew 10:37–38Jesus is speaking here about a family member who puts pressure on you to stop following Jesus. Will you listen to Jesus who says, “Follow Me”? Or to a loved one who says, “Give Him up”?Jesus tells us how to make this decision. We must count the cost, and there are two sides to this calculation.1. Count the cost of following Jesus“Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Mat. 10:38). A cross will always be present in your life. The cross may change, but in every season there will be some cost in following Jesus.2. Count the cost of not following Jesus“Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father... but whoever denies me... I also will deny” (Mat. 10:32). One day, Jesus will return as Judge on the Day of the Lord. To some He will say, “Enter into the joy of your master” (25:23). To others He will say, “I never knew you; depart from me” (7:23).When you make your decision, make it in the light of the day of Christ’s return. When you ask, “Am I going to confess Him before men?” You must also ask, “Do I want Him to confess me before the Father?”If you follow Him, He will say of you on that day, “He’s Mine! She’s Mine!” And you, by His grace, will enter into the world of peace and love that God has prepared for all who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).Have you counted the cost of following Jesus? And of not following Him?

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”Matthew 10:34Jesus never endorsed or promoted violence. The gospel can never advance by violence or conquest. So, what did Jesus mean when He said that He came to bring a sword? The meaning of any passage of Scripture will often become clearer when we look at the context.What went beforeJesus said to His disciples, “Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake” (Mat. 10:17-18). The sword is in the hands of those who oppose Jesus, and it is raised against His disciples.What comes afterThen Jesus told His disciples that those who oppose us will include some in our own families. “I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother… And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Mat. 10:35-36).Perhaps you have a son or a daughter who has walked away from faith in Jesus. And now there is a tension between you. The effect of the coming of Jesus has been a distancing between you and someone you love!Think about this in the life of Mary. At the temple, Simeon said to her, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also)” (Lk. 2:34-35).How Mary must have grieved over the hatred of the world toward Jesus. The coming of Jesus brought a sword that pierced the soul of Mary. His coming will bring a sword for us too.How have you experienced a “sword” against you because of Jesus?

They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.Isaiah 2:4Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace” (Mat. 10:34), but these words are really good news. Here’s why: God has promised that one day, there will be peace. Crime and violence will cease. A world of wars will give way to a world of love.When will that day come? “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples… nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Is. 2:4).When will there be peace on earth? When God judges between the nations and decides disputes for many peoples. The Bible refers to this as “the Day of the Lord.”When Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace,” He is saying, “The Day of the Lord has not yet come.” If Jesus had come to judge between nations, He would not have come as a baby. He would have appeared in a blaze of glory, with an army of angels.So here is the most basic question of Christmas: Why was Jesus born as a baby? Because He did not come to “judge between the nations” or “decide disputes for many peoples.”He did not come to judge the world, but to save it. He came to make a way in which sinners like us (who would never be qualified to enter the world of peace and righteousness that He will bring) might be saved.He was born as a baby, He went to the cross, and He rose from the dead so that when He does come to judge and settle disputes, we may be saved.Aren’t you glad that when Jesus came into the world the first time He came as a baby, instead of in power and glory?

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”Matthew 10:34Jesus, the master teacher, again anticipates a misunderstanding. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.” It would be entirely natural for those who believe in Jesus to think that was why He came.God had promised a day when a Messiah would come, a child would be born, a son would be given. The government would be on His shoulders, and His name would be “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6).When Jesus was born, angels said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace” (Lk. 2:14). So, it would be natural for believers then and now to think that the coming of Jesus should mean peace on earth. But Jesus says, “Don’t expect that. Do not think that I have come to bring peace.”We need to hear these words of Jesus. Two thousand years have passed since He was born, years filled with wars and violence. When we sing Christmas carols and hear the angels’ song about peace on earth, we might reasonably think, These are nice sentiments, but they are a long way from the world in which we live today.If Jesus came to bring peace, the last two thousand years have been a spectacular failure. But Jesus is clear: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.” If you thought that the birth of Jesus would lead to a world of peace, that would be a misunderstanding.If you are honest, have you found yourself feeling disappointed that Jesus has not brought peace to the world?

God... condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.Romans 8:3-4This is good news. The reason Jesus came is that you may be able to live a new life that is pleasing to God. And this life is made possible for you by the power of the Holy Spirit.A man was serving time for theft. In prison, he heard the good news of Jesus Christ and was wonderfully converted.When he was released, the man knew that he would face a great struggle. Most of his old friends were thieves, and it would not be easy to break the pattern of his old way of life.On his first Sunday of freedom, he slipped into a church. The Ten Commandments were on a plaque at the front, and his eyes were drawn to the command that seemed to condemn him: “You shall not steal.”That’s the last thing that I need, he thought. I know the battle I’m going to have. As he kept looking at the plaque, the words took on a new meaning.He had read these words as a condemning command: “You shall not steal!” But now it seemed that God was speaking these same words as a liberating promise: “You shall not steal.” God was promising that the Holy Spirit would make it possible to overcome his old way of life.When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God will give you His Holy Spirit so that you can live a life that is pleasing to Him. His power will make the difference between a struggle in which you are destined for defeat and a battle in which you will have ultimate victory.In what area of your life do you need to believe God’s promise of victory through the power of the Holy Spirit?

God has done what the law... could not do. By sending his own Son... he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.Romans 8:3-4It is a wonderful truth that Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law for us. But what Paul says here is that God sent His Son into the world so “that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us.”How is that possible? How can you live the life to which God calls you? Perhaps the greatest misunderstanding of the gospel is that Jesus was simply a good moral teacher who told us how to live. And that if we want to please God, we must follow His teaching.Maybe you are saying to yourself, “If I really focus and exercise self-discipline, I can live a life that’s pleasing to God.” That’s what the Pharisees did. But if you try this, you’ll soon find that it is unsustainable.You are trying to be something that you are not, and sooner or later, you will say, “I can’t do this anymore. I have to do what I really want to do.”The only way you can live the life to which Christ calls you is if righteousness becomes your deepest desire. That is why Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” You are trying to live a righteous life, but unless the Holy Spirit brings you to a new birth, you “cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3).Christ calls you to pursue a life of love, a righteous life, and that is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.Have you been trying to please God in your own power?

“Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew 5:20This is an astonishing statement. The scribes and the Pharisees devoted their entire lives to the pursuit of righteousness. How could our righteousness ever exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees?Jesus was scathing in His critique of the Pharisees, first, because their righteousness was arrogant. The Pharisees liked to pray where they could be seen. Jesus said to His disciples, “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret” (6:6).The Pharisees liked people to know what they were giving. Jesus said to His disciples, “When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (6:3–4).Then Jesus was critical of the Pharisees because their righteousness was external. “You clean the outside of the cup... but inside they are full of greed and self–indulgence” (23:25). Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.It would be easy to say, “This is why we need to trust Jesus as Saviour, so we will have His perfect righteousness, which is far better than that of the Pharisees.” This, of course, is true. But it’s not what Jesus is saying here.Jesus is calling His disciples to the pursuit of a righteous life, a righteousness that is better than the Pharisees, a righteousness that is humble and that comes from the heart.Can you see some ways in which the righteousness that you are pursuing may be arrogant or external?

“I have not come to abolish [the Law or the Prophets] but to fulfil them.”Matthew 5:17Jesus came into the world to fulfil the law and the prophets, and He did so in His life and in His death.1. In His LifeIsaiah said that a virgin would conceive and bear a son (Is. 7:14). And when Mary bore Jesus, that prophecy was fulfilled. Micah said that the One who would rule and shepherd God’s people would come out of Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2, 4). And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, that prophecy was fulfilled.Jesus fulfilled the prophets in His life. And Jesus fulfilled the law in His life. “He who sent me is with me… I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (Jn. 8:29).By God’s grace, we can sometimes do the things that please the Father, but only Jesus could say, “I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” He fulfilled—lived out—all that the law requires in His life.2. In His Death“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Gal. 3:13). The prophets spoke about a suffering servant who would be “pierced for our transgressions” (Is. 53:5).In Psalm 22, David depicts a man whose hands and feet are pierced, who is mocked, whose garments are divided by casting lots, and who cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Jesus fulfilled the prophets in His death. And Jesus fulfilled the law in His death. The law prescribes blessings for obeying God’s law and curses for breaking it. We have an obligation to the law that we have not fulfilled. And that brings a curse.But Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law in His life, and He paid the penalties of the law in His death.What if Jesus hadn’t fulfilled the law or the prophets?

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.”Matthew 5:17A good teacher always anticipates misunderstanding, and here, Jesus corrects a false assumption about why He came into the world.Perhaps you have thought the message of the Bible is that we are all sinners, but Jesus paid the price of our sins, so now we can get on with our lives much as we did before. This would be a complete misunderstanding.Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.” Then He says, “Truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (5:18).One day, heaven and earth will pass away, and God will create a new heaven and a new earth. This old planet will finally be released from its pain and its groaning.When that day comes, the law will pass away because its work will be done. The righteous will be declared “not guilty,” and the wicked will be condemned.When that day comes, the prophets will pass away because all that they predicted will be accomplished. Faith will be turned to sight: God will be with His people, and He will wipe away our tears (Rev. 21:3–4).When “all is accomplished” (Mat. 5:18), the law and the prophets will pass away, but until that day, the law and the prophets remain. The law stands as God’s definition of righteousness. God tells us what a good life looks like, and it would be a complete misunderstanding to think that because Jesus came, we have no more duty towards the law of God.How have you been thinking about the role of the law in your life?

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.John 1:14At Christmas, we celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. God came down from heaven and entered our world. Why did Jesus come? The entire New Testament answers that question.Paul tells us that Jesus came to reconcile us to God. “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor. 5:19). John tells us that “the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 Jn. 4:14).Hebrews tells us that He came to “destroy the one who has the power of death” and to bring “many sons to glory” (Heb. 2:10, 14). Revelation tells us that He came to ransom people for God “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9).Does Jesus Himself ever speak directly about why He came into the world? Yes. Perhaps the best-known example is “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn. 10:10). What a marvellous promise!On other occasions, Jesus speaks indirectly about why He came: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Lk. 19:10). “The Son of Man came... to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45).But there are seven occasions where Jesus tells us directly and personally why He came into the world. Three of them are recorded in Matthew and Luke. Four of them are recorded in John. Over the next month, we are going to hear from Jesus’ own words about why He came into the world.Of the many reasons mentioned today, which one sounds most important to you right now?

A leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”Mark 1:40This man knows that Christ has the ability to make him clean, but does He want to? So the man comes to Jesus and asks. He begs Jesus—on his knees.There’s humility here. This man is not saying, “Why did you let this happen to me? You owe me.” And he isn’t saying, “Jesus, if you do this for me, I’ll do something for you.” What does the Son of God need that you can give to Him?Some people are so absorbed with themselves that they’re always asking, “Why should I be interested in Christ?” This man sees the real question: “Why should Jesus be interested in me?”If you come to Jesus thinking that you are offering something to Him, you will never receive anything from Him. Come to Christ empty-handed. Ask Him to give you what you do not have. Then you will be in a position to receive.Maybe you are thinking today, I need to be forgiven. I feel insecure. I lack purpose. I feel powerless. I wish someone would rescue me. I lack joy. I certainly don’t feel very glorious.Get to the point with Jesus today. Many people do not receive from Him because they never get to the point of making the ask. Cut through the fog of a vague faith that makes little difference to your life. Bring Jesus to the point of your need. Then ask him!Ask Jesus to give you what you do not have. And as you ask, believe in Him and trust Him to change you. And He will answer, “I am willing!”Are you ready to ask Jesus to do for you all that He has promised to do? Come to Jesus today. His good and perfect will includes your good and His glory.

In every one of Jesus’ promises, He tells us something about our relationship with Him. Yoke yourself to Christ: Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you (Mat. 11:28–29). Come to Christ: All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out (John 6:37). Follow Christ: Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Mat. 4:19). Obey Christ: If you love me you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever (John 14:15–16). Confess Christ: Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven (Mat. 10:32). Trust Christ: Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me (John 14:1). See Christ: I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory (John 17:24).You can build your life on the rock-solid promises of Jesus Christ.Is there something about your relationship with Jesus that you’ve been avoiding or neglecting?

Let’s review the rock-solid commitments that Jesus Christ has made to us:1. He will give you rest“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mat. 11:28). This is the promise of forgiveness. Jesus will reconcile you to God and cleanse you.2. He will never drive you away“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). This is the promise of security. Jesus will never give up on you. You were in the Father’s heart before the world began. Christ died to save you, and He lives to keep you.3. He will make you useful“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mat. 4:19). This is the promise of purpose. When you come to Jesus, your life gets caught up in the sweep of God’s redeeming purpose for the world. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21).4. He will confess you to the Father“I also will acknowledge [him] before My Father who is in heaven” (Mat. 10:32). This is the promise of salvation. The reason there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus is that He claims us as His own. Those who are with Him have nothing to fear.5. He will give you the Holy Spirit“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16). This is the promise of power. We need to know what God calls us to do, and we need the power to do it.6. He will bring you into heaven“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself” (John 14:3). This is the promise of joy. Christ opened heaven’s doors through His death and resurrection.7. He will show you His glory“I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory” (John 17:24). This is the promise of glory. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).Which of these promises do you need to lean into today?

“I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may... see my glory.”John 17:24Will you see Jesus’ glory with your eyes, or will you simply understand it more fully in your mind? One of the great Puritan writers, Thomas Manton, says it will be both.There is a glorified eye as well as a glorified mind. Job said, “Though... worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:26, KJV). You will see the Son of God as the disciples saw their risen Lord.But there’s more! Angels do not have bodies, they are spirits, and spirits do not have eyes. And yet, angels always behold the face of the Father in heaven (Mat. 18:10). So not only will we see Christ’s glory with our eyes, we will perceive and know and grasp His glory with our minds.F. F. Bruce, in his commentary The Gospel of John, points out that the disciples had seen the divine glory in the incarnate Word on earth (John 1:14). But he says, “They will see it [Christ’s glory] more fully when they live in the presence of the glorified Lord—not, perhaps, because he will then be endowed with more of that glory but because they will be better able to behold it.”Isn’t this what Paul was getting at when he said, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12). Praise the Lord! One day we will see Him face to face!Is seeing Jesus your great aim in life? How are you pursuing Him this week?

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory.”John 17:24John 17 records the prayer of Jesus, immediately before His suffering. This prayer is divided into three parts: First, Jesus prays for Himself (17:1–5). Second, Jesus prays for His disciples (17:6–19). Third, Jesus prays for all believers (17:20–26).John 17:24 is part of our Lord’s prayer for us. Here is something amazing to think about: the Son of God, on His knees, praying for you. Did you know that Jesus prayed for you?“I do not ask for these only [the disciples only], but also for those who will believe in me through their word” (17:20). If you believe the apostolic message, if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you have trusted your life to Him, this prayer is for you.Jesus describes believers another way here: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me” (17:24). Who are those “whom you have given me”? We already know: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37).Those who come to Christ, those who believe the apostolic message, are the gift of the Father to the Son. And here we have Christ, on His knees praying for us. Now what does Jesus Christ pray for us? He wants us to be with Him and He wants us to see His glory.What is your response to Jesus’ prayer here?

“I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am.”John 17:24The Son of God is saying to the Father, “I want these believers, those You have given Me, to be with Me in heaven.” Jesus wants you in heaven.Jesus is about to go to the cross. He is going to wear the crown of thorns. Nails will be driven into His hands and His feet. He is going to be plunged into utter darkness. If you were to ask Him, “Jesus, what do You want to get out of this? Why are You doing this? What is all this about?” He would say to you, “I want those the Father has given Me to be where I am.”Being with Christ is the greatest joy of heavenThere will be so many things for us to do and to enjoy in the new heaven and the new earth. But being with Jesus will be your greatest joy. Christ Himself will lead you into the joys and splendours of heaven. “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water” (Rev. 7:17).Paul said, “To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). If you live for this world, to die is loss, because everything you lived for gets left behind. But if you live for Christ, to die is gain, because you get more of Christ, you go to be with Christ, and that is far better.On a scale of 1 to 10—(1) unmoved to (5) sceptical to (10) elated—how do you respond to Jesus’ words here? Why?

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself”John 14:3Jesus explained the purpose of His death and resurrection when He said, “I am going to prepare a place for you.” That’s why He went to the cross. That’s why He went to the grave. That’s why He rose on the third day.Jesus did these things to open heaven for His people. He did it to remove all that would keep us out, all that would stand in our way of entering everlasting life. And Jesus says to us: “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself” (14:3).Suppose you are buying a new car and you would like a particular model, with particular options, and a particular colour. So, the dealer says to you, “We don’t have that one in stock right now. I can order one for you. We’ll have it transferred. It will be here in a couple of days. But I need you to pay for it up front.” If you have paid the full cost of purchasing the car, you will come back to that dealer to receive what you’ve purchased and take it home.Jesus Christ laid down His life to purchase you. You can be certain that He will come back to take you home.On a scale of 1 to 10—(1) fearful that He won’t; (5) haven’t thought about it much; (10) confident and joyful—where is your level of confidence that Jesus is coming back to take you to heaven? Spend some time reflecting on John 14:3.

We who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.1 Thessalonians 4:17Jesus will take all His people to the Father’s house. He gives you His word on this, and He will do it in one of two ways.If you die before Christ comes, He will take you to the Father’s house without your body: “We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). You will receive a new body when He returns.If you live until Christ comes, He will take you to the Father’s house in the body, which will be transformed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:51).Either way, if you die before Jesus comes or you live until He comes back, it is Jesus who is taking you to the Father’s house.Paul tells us how: “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thes. 4:16-17).Jesus is coming back for us! It may or may not be in your lifetime, but He will surely come. What a day that will be. Come, Lord Jesus!Can you begin to imagine how Jesus will fulfil His promise to take you to heaven?

I go to prepare a place for you.”John 14:2We are not to imagine Jesus working around the clock to get heaven organised before the second coming. If He can create the cosmos out of nothing with a word, then He can get heaven ready for believers with a single command.When Jesus says that He is going to prepare a place, it means that through His going, the place will be prepared. He is going to the cross; He is going to the grave. He is going to die; He is going to rise. And it is through His death and resurrection that He opens up the way for us to enter the glory of the Father’s house.Imagine you’re playing in the Rugby World Cup Final. You’ve just been passed the ball, and for a moment, the pitch opens up in front of you—there’s a real shot at a length-of-the-field try. The crowd is cheering and your heart pounds as you begin to run. But then you see them—massive defenders coming at you—their names are Law, Sin, and Death. Then there is another one—bigger, meaner, and uglier than the others—Satan himself. There is no way you can get past these guys. They stand between you and the try line, and you know that they will flatten you before you get there.But then—out of nowhere—a teammate comes running towards them. They are looking to take you out, but your teammate comes and takes them out, opening your way to the try line. This is what Jesus has done for us on the cross. “I go to prepare a place for you.” Sin and death can no longer keep you out!In your own words, what does it mean that Jesus went to prepare a place for you?

“In the world you will have tribulation.”John 16:33Where do people get the idea that if you follow Jesus you can expect a life that is free from failure, disappointment, and loss?This is precisely the opposite of what Jesus Himself said. Jesus confronted His disciples with the realities of life: “In the world you will have tribulation” (16:33). Then He established their hope in another world: “I go to prepare a place for you” (14:2).If your hope is established in this world, you will be shattered by failure, disappointment, and loss. What are you going to do when you experience a loss that cannot be replaced in this world, a disappointment that remains for a lifetime, or a failure that changes the course of your life?Jesus is establishing His disciples in a faith that can stand through the misery of personal failure, the sorrow of gut-wrenching disappointment, and the pain of irreplaceable loss.But, in order to do that, Jesus must establish their hope in another world: “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:19). Here’s our hope: “In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (15:20). Jesus’ answer to our failure, disappointment, and loss lies in the Father’s house.Don’t we have the Holy Spirit now? Doesn’t Christ say that the Spirit is with you and in you? Yes, and the Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.Where is your hope? Is it based in this world or in the world to come?

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”John 14:1-2When Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” He is not saying, “I will make this world a better place for you. It will get better over the centuries.” Or “As you get older, the experience of failure, disappointment, and loss will recede.”This fallen world will always be what it is—a fallen world. With all its blessings and joys, our experience of life in this world is scarred with failure, disappointment, and loss. So, Jesus establishes our hope in another world. Sin, disappointment, and loss are woven into the fabric of this world. Any attempt to suggest that we can live in this world without them is naive at best. Grasping this truth will bring stability to your faith.Some Christians are thrown into confusion when suffering comes. They feel that since they have faith they should somehow be insulated from failure, disappointment, and loss. And when a crisis comes, they lose their moorings. The foundations of their faith are shaken. They lose themselves in questioning how God could allow this to happen. But Jesus is telling us that the world, as it is now, is not the way it will always be. He is preparing a much better place for us.How does it help you to know that this world is not all there is?

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”John 14:23The Bible speaks in several places about Jesus living in us. In Ephesians, Paul prayed that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:17). And in Colossians, Paul spoke about “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Knowing that Jesus is with you and in you by His Spirit, here are three encouragements to take with you today:1. You are never alone.There is no greater truth than this when you experience loneliness. Jesus does not say, “I will visit you from time to time.” He says, “I will make My home with you.” Christ will be at home with you until you are at home with Him.2. You are called to obedience.The truth of God’s presence in your life is the greatest incentive to holiness. When Paul had to deal with some folks at Corinth who had opened the door to obvious sin in their lives, He said to them: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?” (1 Cor. 6:19). “So glorify God in your body” (6:20).3. You have strength for today.This is the truth that you need when you feel washed out, exhausted, and your own strength is gone. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is with you and in you!Which of these did you most need to be reminded of today?

“You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”John 14:17Suppose you go to the doctor, and you are diagnosed with some serious condition: “This will need treatment, and there are two ways we can go. The first is surgery, but there is an alternative, and it’s noninvasive.”At this point, most people would be focusing on the second option. Most of us would like to avoid surgery, if at all possible. We want the noninvasive option, and if that’s not possible, then give us the minimally invasive option.We naturally think the same way about faith. We would like to have a minimally invasive faith. But notice what Jesus says here about the Holy Spirit: “He lives with you and will be in you” (14:17). Now that’s invasive! The Spirit of God will live with you and will be in you.What does a noninvasive faith do for you—believing that there once was a man called Jesus, that He was God, and that He rose from the dead? How does that make a difference in your life? How can that comfort you in suffering? How can that give you strength to face the world today?Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit will be with you and in you.” Jesus gave Himself for us on the cross. Jesus gives Himself to us by the Holy Spirit.We participate in all that Jesus has accomplished for us by the Holy Spirit. The work of Christ does indeed “invade” every aspect of the true Christian’s life.How have you seen change in your life since you became a believer in Jesus? Has this change been noticed by others as well?

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.”John 14:16-17How do we know the presence of Jesus in our lives today? In what way is He with us? And how exactly does He help us?After Jesus rose on that first Easter morning, He appeared to His disciples multiple times over a 40-day period. Then He was visibly taken up into heaven as the twelve disciples watched (see Acts 1). After He returned to the Father in heaven, the resurrection life of Jesus was communicated to the first disciples by “another Helper,” the Holy Spirit.Notice what Jesus says here about the Spirit: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper” (John 14:16). The disciples already had Jesus as their helper. But now Jesus is returning to the Father, so when Jesus talks about “another Helper,” He is telling the disciples that this helper will do for them what Jesus had done for them. This helper is the Spirit of truth and He will be with them forever (14:17).Jesus Christ has ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven where He intercedes for us. But He is present with us by His Holy Spirit.When are you most aware of Jesus’ presence with you?

“Everyone who acknowledges me before men...Matthew 10:32Obedience to Jesus here is not simply calling yourself a Christian. The hardest days of your life will be your greatest opportunity to confess Him. Here are five ways to confess Jesus:1. Confess the glory of Christ in costly obedienceThe Bible tells the story of Mary pouring perfume on Jesus’ feet. Mary could not think of a better use for this treasure, so she poured it on Jesus, and in doing so, she confessed His glory.2. Confess the presence of Christ in lonelinessPaul writes from prison about friends who let him down (2 Tim. 4:9-11). But instead of turning his disappointment into bitterness, Paul confessed Christ: “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me” (4:17). What are you going to do when other people let you down?3. Confess contentment in Christ under financial pressureWhen Paul faced financial struggles, he might have said, “Why did Jesus allow this?” Instead, he used his need to confess Christ: “I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:12-13).4. Confess the sufficiency of Christ in sickness & painWhen Paul faced “a thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7), he pleaded with the Lord to take it away. But the Lord said, “No.” So Paul used his own pain to confess Christ: “[Jesus] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (12:9).5. Confess the sovereignty of Christ in sorrow & lossJob’s wealth was plundered, his children died, and his wife said: “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). But Job said: “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (1:21). Your confession of Christ in trouble will reverberate through heaven and hell forever.Is there an opportunity for you to confess Christ in your circumstances today?

“Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.”Matthew 10:32If you only read this verse in isolation, it might sound like Jesus is saying that salvation is by works: “If you do this for Me; I will do that for you.” But this is not the message of the gospel.We are saved by the blood of Jesus, not by an act of confession. There is no redeeming power in confessing Christ. Redeeming power lies in the Christ who is confessed. This Christ becomes ours by faith, and our confession is one evidence of faith in the Christ who saves us.That is how we should understand the words of Jesus here and how we should understand these familiar words: “If you confess with your mouth, that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). Redeeming power lies in the Christ who is confessed, not in the act of confessing.Jesus is not talking to unbelievers, but to His disciples.Notice, this whole chapter is about Jesus speaking to those who have already made a commitment to Him: Jesus “called to him his twelve disciples” (Mat. 10:1). This isn’t evangelism—calling unbelievers to confess Christ. This is for Christians. He’s challenging us.Jesus is not talking about something easy, but something hard.When you first hear this verse, it sounds like an easy thing to do. Here’s the Lord Jesus Christ, and what does He want me to do? “Everyone who acknowledges me…” (Mat. 10:32). So, that’s what we have to do—we have to acknowledge Jesus and accept that He’s the Saviour and say we believe in Him—nothing terribly difficult about that… until you consider the context.Are you tempted to interpret these kinds of sayings in the Bible as things you must do in order to be right with God? Why or why not?

“Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”Matthew 10:32-33The word ‘acknowledge’ (or confess) in the Greek is homologeo. Homo means ‘one’ and logeo means ‘word.’ Put them together and it means “to be of one word,” or to say the same thing.Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). So, to confess Jesus is to say, “Jesus is my way and my truth and my life.” You believe it. You own it. You do not say, “This is what Jesus says, but I have a different view.” Or “I’m not so sure about that.” You say, “I follow Him as my Lord. I listen to Him as my Teacher. I trust in Him as my Saviour.”Maybe there was a time when you said to God “I’m done with you.” Maybe you made some kind of commitment that was the opposite of faith in Christ. What does this mean for you now?Peter denied Jesus three times, and afterward he wept bitterly. Then, after the resurrection, Jesus spoke with him. He did not say, “Peter, I’m sorry, but you’ve denied Me, so now I’m denying you.” He forgave Peter and restored him, not only to fellowship, but even to ministry.So, we can be confident that Jesus was not saying, “If you have ever denied Me, you are gone forever.” Jesus was saying: “If you continue to deny Me, I will deny you.”If the second part of the verse means, “If you continue to deny Me, I will deny you,” then clearly this is how we should understand the first half. Jesus was not saying “If you ever said that you believe in Me, then you’re okay.” He was saying, “If you continue to confess Me before men, I will confess you before My Father in heaven.” Jesus is calling us to a confessing life.Have you been denying Jesus? Are you ready to begin confessing Him?

"Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."Matthew 10:32–33If you were to make a list of the greatest days of your life, you’d probably have a few to choose from. They would likely include graduations, weddings, birthdays, and retirements.But Jesus speaks here about a day so momentous that it will outshine any other day of your life. One day you will stand in the presence of God, and on that day, you will see the Son of God. You will hear His voice. He will speak to you.On that day, the Son of God will either confess you or deny you. To confess you means He will say to the Father, “This is [put your name here], and she belongs to Me.” To deny you means the Son will say to the Father, “This is [put your name here], and he has nothing to do with Me.” Every person will hear the Son of God say one of these two things.Jesus makes it clear that what He says about you then is tied to what you say about Him now: “Everyone who acknowledges me before men [that’s what you say about Jesus now], I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven [that’s what He will say about you then], but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (10:32–33).What are you saying about Jesus now with your thoughts, words, and actions?

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.Matthew 4:19For centuries Evangelicals have had a clear understanding of the message of the gospel. The message is the incarnation and the atonement. God became man in Jesus Christ. Christ died on the cross for our sins and broke the power of death by His resurrection. This Christ offers forgiveness of sins and peace with God, new life by the power of the Holy Spirit, and entrance, not into the hell that we deserve, but into everlasting joy in the presence of God.Evangelicals have also had a clear understanding of the mission of the gospel. The mission is to proclaim this gospel to people in every culture, inviting them to receive what Christ offers by coming to Him in faith and repentance, trusting Him as Saviour, and following Him as Lord. But there is an inherent offence in this gospel-the uniqueness of Jesus as Savior, the guilt of our sin, and the judgment of hell-nobody likes these things.Liberalism did not accept the inspiration and authority of the Bible, so it selected certain truths and discarded others. The message of liberalism is not the incarnation and the atonement. It is the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men. God loves you and we need to love each other. That's true, but you don't need an incarnation or an atonement for that. You don't need repentance and faith in Christ for that. There's no hell to be saved from in that.A new message led to a new mission. Liberalism changed the church's mission from individual salvation to cultural transformation. Instead of saying, "Our ministry is to lead people to repentance and faith in Christ through the gospel," they say, "Our mission is to change society."Jesus says, "I will make you fishers of men." God's method of changing society is to change the individuals who compose it.What is your response to the message and mission of liberalism?

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.Matthew 4:19Here are seven observations suggested by Jesus’ analogy of fishing.1. Some people are really good at fishing, but anyone can do it.You don’t have to know much about fishing to catch a fish, and God gives some people special gifts of evangelism, but every Christian can play a part in drawing other people to Jesus.2. Fishing requires great patience.You throw out a line or a net, and then you wait. Many of us have loved ones who we long to see won to Christ. Fishing requires great patience.3. Fishing teaches how to deal with discouragement.The disciples had toiled all night, and they caught nothing (Luke 5:5). Anyone who enjoys fishing has a story like this. You haven’t caught anything today? Get up early and go out again tomorrow.4. Christ invites us to come fishing, not go hunting.Some Christians sound more like hunters than fishers. But there is an art to fishing, and Peter gives us wise counsel: speak with gentleness and respect (1 Pet. 3:15).5. The church is a fishing boat, not a pleasure boat.It’s easier to have a ministry that is about ourselves. But Jesus does not say, “Follow me and I will take you on a delightful cruise.” He says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”6. Fishing is hard and sometimes dangerous work.Have you seen the television programme Deadliest Catch? Fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Read the book of Acts and you will see that pioneer evangelism is up there too. The best fishing is often done in the most difficult waters.7. There’s great joy in catching fish.Have you ever seen someone looking miserable about a fish they just caught? Of course not! Catching fish is fun, and there is far greater joy in seeing a person come to faith in Jesus.Which of these observations is most helpful to you?

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”Matthew 4:19What did the disciples gain from three years of following Jesus? What will you learn from following Jesus that will make you effective in bringing people to Him?A new interest in peopleThe disciples lived in a world of fish, nets, and boats. But Jesus brought them into a world of people. They didn’t like the crowds at first and wanted to send them away. They stood in the way of children and tried to stop people from other cultures from coming to Jesus. Yet, after following Jesus, these men gained a new interest in people. Peter, a fisherman, became a shepherd to the flock of God. Where did he learn this? From following Jesus.A new clarity about JesusWhen Jesus calmed the storm, the disciples said, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mk. 4:41). After three years of following Him, Peter was able to say, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat. 16:16). But they still did not see that He must die for sins and rise again on the third day. They continued to follow Jesus, and on the day of Pentecost, Peter threw out the gospel net and the Spirit brought 3,000 souls to Christ that day (see Acts 2).A new confidence in God’s powerFollowing Jesus, the disciples saw lives changed. They saw those who were possessed by evil spirits, set free; those who were sick with various diseases, healed. They saw what God can do, and their faith in Him grew.Ask God to increase your love for people. Ask Him to give you more clarity about Jesus. Or ask Him to increase your confidence in Him.

“Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”John 6:37Jesus says, “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Not now, not in the future, not ever.Not only is this a marvellous incentive for sinners coming to Christ, it is a wonderful assurance for believers who have come to Christ. “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”The Son will not cast out any who come. They are the gift of the Father. That is why they’ve come. The Father never gives unwanted gifts. The Father gives them, and the Son keeps them.Do you ever wonder if Christ will tire of you when He sees how weak your faith is? Never! Do you wonder if He might lose interest when He sees how slow you are to change? No! Never!You need to hear this when you have fallen into temptation and Satan says, “Well, there’s not much Christ can do with you now.” Look to Christ. He says, “I will never cast you out.” There will never come a time when He will say, “I am done with you.” No! Never!What happens if you get Alzheimer’s at the end of your life, and you get confused, and you’re not clear about your faith? Do you think you could be lost? No! Never! “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (6:37).What do you most fear would cause God to turn away from you? Tell Him and reflect again on Jesus’ words here in John 6:37.

…I will never cast out.John 6:37When you move toward Jesus, He is there for you, ready to receive you. He won’t drive you away. The word comes is in the present continuous tense. “Whoever is coming.” “Whoever is on the way.” Think of the prodigal son on his way home. He hasn’t arrived yet, but he’s on the way.If you are stirred with some sense of your own need today, if you feel drawn to Christ, you can be sure that the Son of God sees you coming. His arms are stretched out to receive you. He says to you, “I won’t drive you away.” You have every reason for hope in Jesus Christ today.Use this as an incentive in coming to Jesus. We don’t know how fast the prodigal son walked back to the Father, but he may have walked slowly. He probably expected a long lecture on wasted money and wasted years. Maybe that’s one reason he stayed away so long. But now he is desperate, so with his head hanging he begins the long trudge home.Put yourself in his shoes. You expect to be raked over the coals, and you hear a voice calling your name. You look up and your father is running toward you—his arms reaching out, tears running down his face. When you see that, you will run too.When you see the love of God, you will gather the courage to repent. As you come to Christ, look ahead of you. You will see the outstretched arms of Jesus. “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Once you have come to Jesus, look back and see, look back and see the eternal love of the Father, who gave you and drew you to the Son. “All that the Father gives me will come to me” (6:37).Do you need to look ahead or look back today?

“Whoever comes to me…John 6:37The first camera was on God the Father who gives certain people to His Son. The second camera is focused on the sinner who is coming to Jesus.Jesus invites all people to come to Him: “Whoever comes to me…” You cannot get more inclusive than that. The great truth that the Father gives certain people to the Son never excludes a person who wants to come to Christ. If you have an interest in coming to Christ, you can take that as a sure sign that the Father is working in your life.Those who come to Jesus see something great in Him. John Bunyan wrote a whole book on this one verse. He asked the question: What have you found in Christ?Bunyan’s point is simple. Those who come to Christ are drawn to Him. That means that we see something in Him that is compelling to us. The world sees little of value in Christ, but to us who believe, Christ is the treasure in the field, the pearl of great price. What have you found in Him?Bunyan makes this point: What Abraham found in Christ made him ready to leave home and go to another country. What Moses found in Him made him glad to give up the comfort of a palace in Egypt and suffer with the people of God. What Daniel found in Him made him live with integrity in a godless world, even when it meant being thrown in a den of lions.What have you found in Christ? Coming to Christ involves seeing something in Him that draws you. You see a love that compels you, a purity that draws you, a glory that lifts you.What you see in Christ weans you from your sins. It makes you tired of living for yourself. You find yourself saying, “I want to be holy. I want to be forgiven and at peace with God. I want to live for Christ and give my whole life to this Saviour who loved me and gave Himself for me!”What have you found in Christ?

“All that the Father gives me...John 6:37Jesus speaks about believers as the Father’s gift to Him. The Father gives people to the Son.The people who are given to Christ come to Him. Who are these people the Father has given? How do we know who they are? They are the ones who come to Him. They come because they are given.How do these people come? “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (6:44). The Father gives certain people to Jesus. He draws these people to Christ, and they come to Him.How many who are given to Jesus actually come to Him? All of them! “All that the Father gives me will come to me” (6:37). Nothing can stop these people from coming to Christ.We get used to working with percentages. How many contacts turn into sales? How many students end up graduating? How many aeroplanes arrive on time?It is a common practice for airlines to overbook their flights. The logic is simple. In any group of a hundred people who have tickets, there will be some who, for various reasons, don’t make it to the airport. The airlines assume that a certain number of people will drop out.If we ask how many of the people God gives to His Son actually come to Him, the answer is: 100 percent. On the last day, Christ will stand in the presence of the Father, and He will say, “Behold, I and the children God has given me” (Heb. 2:13).Jesus is not saying, “I’ve got most of them.” He is saying, “I’ve got all of them!” If you have come to Christ, you can have complete confidence in Him. He goes on to say that He will, “lose nothing of all that [the Father] has given me” (6:39).How certain do you think Jesus wants us to be about this?

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”John 6:37These are among the greatest words ever spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ. They take us to the heart of our salvation. Perhaps this simple illustration will help you to see why.One of the joys of watching football on television is that you see more than you would see if you were at the game... and it’s often warmer.When your team scores a goal, the replays show you what was happening from various points of view, so that you get a fuller picture of all that was going on. You see the play. Then you see it from the reverse angle. Then you see it from the camera on the goal line.You are looking at the same event, but the different camera angles give you a fuller picture. Placed together, they show you things that were happening in the play that you would have missed if you only saw one angle.This verse gives us three camera angles on the one event of our salvation. One camera is trained on the activity of God the Father: “All that the Father gives me...” A second camera is turned toward the sinner coming to Christ: “Whoever comes to me...” And a third camera is focused on Christ receiving the sinner: “I will never cast out...”The Father gives, the sinner comes, and the Son receives. These are the three great movements of our salvation. Viewing these pictures side-by-side will help you to see more clearly what God has done for you in Jesus Christ.Which of the three camera angles are you most familiar with?

“Come to me... I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you... and you will find rest for your souls.”Matthew 11:28-29When Jesus says that you will find rest for your soul, He doesn’t mean sleep. He’s saying, “I will put an end to your inner turmoil. Bring your hurts and fears, your regrets and disappointments, your anxieties and your inadequacies to Me. Bring the pressures and troubles of your life to Me. I will give you peace that passes understanding. My peace I give you.”This rest is Christ’s gift. It is not a process. It is not like a prescription or a formula that could be obtained from different sources. It is the gift of the living Christ to you.J. C. Ryle in his book Old Paths says, “Rest such as this is the privilege of all believers in Christ. Some know more of it and some less; some feel it only at distant intervals, and some feel it almost always; few enjoy the sense of it without many a battle with unbelief, and many a conflict with fear. But all who truly come to Christ know something of this rest.”Let the weight of your burdens draw you to the Saviour today. As your load becomes heavier, you have more reason to come to Him. The wearier you become, the more you need to yoke yourself to Christ. This is a marvellous way to view the pressures of your life. Use them as a reason to draw near to Christ today.Will you take the Saviour at His word today? Will you come to Him and receive what He offers?

“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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.”Matthew 11:28-29Jesus is saying the same thing in two different ways. We know that because He makes the same promise: “I will give you rest…You will find rest for your souls.”What do we have to do to find this rest? The condition is stated in two different ways. “Come to me,” and “Take my yoke upon you.” These are two ways of saying the same thing—come to Christ and commit to Him. Coming to Christ involves taking His yoke upon you.The yoke was a wooden beam that tied two animals together so that they walked and worked in tandem. Be very careful who you get yoked to. In business, in friendship, and supremely in marriage, ask, “What am I tying myself to?”Jesus says, “Bind yourself to Me. Walk with Me.” Coming to Christ means taking His yoke upon you. This sounds like it is going to be tough. Maybe you are thinking, I am struggling enough as it is, and now you are telling me that Jesus wants to put some yoke around my neck?Do you think your life would be easier without Christ? Do you feel that if you cut loose from Christ, then your restless heart would finally be free? Are you afraid that if you follow Him, He will lay some great load on you? As long as you think this you will never come to Him.Listen to what Jesus says: “I am gentle and lowly in heart… My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (11:29–30). It’s the way of the sinner that is hard. To be yoked to Christ means that the Son of God pulls your load with you.What could be better than to be yoked to Jesus Christ and have Him pull your load with you?

“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”Matthew 11:28Notice that there is something for you to do: “Come to me.” Either you will do this, or you won’t, and Jesus says your experience depends on this.Jesus doesn’t say, “Practise spiritual disciplines.” He was speaking to the most religious people in the world whose faith had become a burden. They were doing their best to live godly lives, but they felt crushed by their own attempts at pleasing God.Is that you? Are you burdened by the sheer pressure of trying to live a good life? Maybe you are doing your best, but your life is a relentless treadmill and you are weary.Conservative wisdom says that you find rest by living a moral, disciplined life. Liberal wisdom says that you find rest by following the impulses of your own heart. But this rests on the massive assumption that your heart knows good from evil. Follow the impulses of your own heart and your life will always be restless.You won’t find rest in spiritual disciplines or in your heart. Jesus says, “Come to Me and I will give you rest!” Why doesn’t He say, “Believe in Me and I will give you rest?” The word “believe” might leave the impression that it’s all in the mind.When Christ says, “Come to me,” He indicates that there is movement. The prodigal son was in the far country until one day he said, “I will arise and go to my father” (Luke 15:18). That’s more than believing.Were you under the impression that Jesus’ rest comes to you automatically, or only as a result of more effort (e.g. spiritual disciplines)?

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises.2 Peter 1:3-4For the next four weeks, we are going to look at what Jesus Christ is willing to do for us. Seven times in the Bible, Jesus specifically said He will do something for us. I will give you rest. I will never cast you out. I will make you fishers of men. I will confess you before My Father in heaven. I will give you the Holy Spirit. I will take you to be with Me. I will that you will see My glory.These seven commitments that Jesus makes to us are rock-solid promises. When Jesus Christ makes a commitment, you can be certain He will keep it.Make it your aim to pursue one of these as you read this month’s devotional: If you are a Christian today, take a step back and see the scope of all that is yours in Christ. See the big picture, find joy in it, and thank God for it. If you are not yet committed to Christ, perhaps you have been exploring these things, you have been drawn by them, and that is why you are reading this, but they are not yet yours. Discover all that Jesus Christ offers to you, and how you can receive it from Him.Consider praying this prayer: Heavenly Father, help me cross the line from exploring to receiving, from investigating to believing, from observing to following. May all that Jesus is willing to do, become what He actually does in my life.

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.1 John 3:2Notice that John uses the word “know.” He’s talking about assurance. So what do we know?We know that we will see Christ“We know that when he appears… we shall see him as he is” (3:2). The Christian life is a life of faith. We love, trust, and follow a person we have never seen. But it will not always be so. Jesus said, “I will come again.”On the night He was betrayed, Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory…” (Jn. 17:24). And here John says, “We shall see him as he is.”We know that we will be like Him“We know that when he appears we shall be like him” (1 Jn. 3:2). Not only will we see His glory: We will share it. And that means that we will see a reflection of the Lord’s glory in each other.Your spouse, if he or she is a believer, will be made perfect. Your family member with health struggles will be strong in body and mind. Your friend who fought with depression will be radiant with joy.We know that we are children of God. We know that we will see Christ, and that we will be like Him. God wants you to live in the joy and peace of knowing that these gifts are yours. So, hear His promise: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God” (5:1).Spend some time thanking God for the promise that we will see Christ and we will be like Him.