Seeking Eternal Life

Read John 8:31-38

Hi and welcome to this week’s Reedy’s Devotional Moments. In the movie A Few Good Men, there is a famous line. Colonel Nathan Jessep (played by Jack Nicholson) was on the stand in court and the pressure was being piled on by lawyer played by Tom Cruise who said in the heat of the moment “I want the truth” in which the Colonel fired right back saying “you can’t handle the truth”. Truth, what was considered as truth years ago has changed significantly over recent times. Social media and fake news have changed the narrative of truth so what I consider as truth you may not. This has particularly been highlighted throughout the pandemic when one group will say that this is the truth while another group would totally disagree.

These days truth is seen as “relative” meaning that it can differ according to individual viewpoints, and some would argue that there is no absolute truth. Jesus though thought differently. He boldly declared that He is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6 NIV). He declares Himself to be the truth. On another occasion He said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV). And so, for many of us Christians, we believe that Jesus’ teachings are truth and when we come in faith to accept them as absolute truth, then we will be set free. How this is taught may change these days, but one thing I do know is that people’s experiences are real and are often hard to argue against. For example, I know that when I put into practice Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness it frees me from being enslaved by the perpetrator’s grip over me or when I persist in prayer as Jesus taught, that I’m set free from worry and experience His peace that He’s got my concern. Most importantly I experience immense hope that I am saved because of my belief in what Jesus has done for me on the cross. No matter what those around you think of Christianity, keep believing in Jesus as the Truth and He will set you free.

Let’s pray. Father in Heaven. While many can’t handle the truth of the gospel, help me to keep trusting you and your ways. May the faith I have in you set me free from any attitudes or feelings that are not of you. Help me to love all people, including those who hold different beliefs to me, but in your time, may they discover freedom that only you can offer. In Christ name I pray. Amen.

David Moyes

I Am The Messiah

John 4:21-26 (NLT) Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. [23] But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. [24] For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” [25] The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” [26] Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!”

A few things that really stick out to me In John’s Gospel and story of the Samaritan woman at the well is that she is the first person to whom Jesus openly reveals himself as Messiah. This is also the longest private conservation Jesus had with anyone in the New Testament (John 4:7-26).

This is significant in a few ways:

1. Jesus is a Jew, and the woman is a Samaritan and their groups of people do not ever mix with each other so to even acknowledge a Samaritan is a big deal.

2. Not only does Jesus acknowledge her he provides to have the longest private conversation with anyone in the New Testament.

3. When he reveals himself as the Messiah, he uses the title “I AM” this is the Old Testament word for God and so Jesus by saying I AM the Messiah is Himself claiming to also be God.

Prayer: Dear God. Thank you that Your love crosses all cultural barriers. Help me to cross barriers to tells others that Jesus is the Messiah. In Christ's name. Amen.

Paul Voigt

The Lamb of God

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 NIV)

The idea of Animal sacrifice is so foreign to us. These days we can be put in jail for treating animals cruelly. Yet Animal sacrifice was God’s way of showing just how costly our sin is.

Year after year an innocent lamb was chosen to be sacrificed as a remembrance of God freeing Israel from slavery in Egypt. This is what the Passover was about.

The animal’s blood would be sprinkled on the alter and later, they could eat the sacrificed lamb. The lamb selected had to be without blemish – perfect. Imagine sacrificing your prized breeding lamb! It was a costly sacrifice of a precious possession.

When it came time for God to free His creation from slavery to sin, God didn’t ask us to offer something costly or precious to us, instead, he offered a sacrifice of great cost to himself.

Every aspect of the Passover lamb was fulfilled in every detail by the Lamb of God - Jesus

Jesus was the perfect lamb of God, he was without blemish, and was sacrifice, His blood spilt for the forgiveness of our sin, and now we remember His sacrifice by sharing a meal.

John recognized Jesus as the TRUE lamb of God from the very beginning, that esus came to save, redeem and ransomed us from slavery to sin. .

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for the price you paid, that I may live in freedom from sin. All honour and praise to you. Amen

Robbie Townsend