The Pharisees Should Come to Munger on Xmas Eve

Some quick geographic notes. Galilee is the northern part of Israel; Jerusalem is in Judea, which is separated from the Galilee by Samaria. Bethlehem is a little town near Jerusalem.

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The Old Testament prophets had foretold that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem; Jesus, however, was raised in Nazareth in Galilee, and did much of his ministry there. So, this is why the Pharisees are sure that Jesus can’t be the Messiah—since he’s from Galilee. But, we know what they don’t: that he was raised in Galilee, but born in Bethlehem.

The Pharisees should come to Munger on Christmas Eve, and then they would hear the Christmas story:

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. [Luke 2:1-7]

Today’s Scripture

John 7:45-52

Rivers of Living Water

It’s a dramatic scene: on the last day of the Festival of Tabernacles, after keeping a low profile, Jesus stands up in the midst of the crowds in the Temple Courts and shouts:

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” —John 7:37-38

What a beautiful image of life in the Holy Spirit—when he is at work in your life, it feels as if an inexhaustible source of refreshment and joy is flowing through you.

Yes, Lord!

Today’s Scripture

John 7:32-44

The Only Way to Know If What Jesus Says Is True

Jesus says that there is only one way to know if what he says is true:

You just have to do it.

“Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” —John 7:17

We wish it were vice versa, but it isn’t. We wish we could somehow find out if what he says is true before trying to actually do what he says, but that’s not how it works.

Just do it. And then you’ll know.

Today’s Scripture

John 7:14-31

Tent Camping in the Bible

A little background on today’s passage:

When the Lord brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before eventually entering the Promised Land. During that 40 year period, they lived in tents, and at the center of the encampment was the tabernacle, the place where God’s presence manifested itself. (You can read about this in the Book of Exodus.)

As the Lord prepared the people to enter the Promised Land, he gave them a series of laws to guide their national life. One set of laws dealt with religious holidays. The last holiday mentioned was the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles, which was meant to remind the Israelites of their time wandering in the desert:

“‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”

Leviticus 23:39-43

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Even today, Jews in Jerusalem will move out of their houses and apartments for a week and live in temporary shelters, in observance of The Festival of Tabernacles.

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Today’s Scripture

John 7:1-13