Live to Love Scripture Encouragement

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Let’s notice that Jesus’ words are a reply to Nicodemus’ recognition that Jesus has come from God and that God is with Him. This verse is very popular in evangelism. I want to encourage us today by noting 4 facts. First, what Jesus said in this statement is true. Jesus...

John 3:1-2 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” John wrote in 2:23, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which H...

John 2:24-25 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. These two verses are insightful. First, Jesus did not believe in man’s believing as a result of merely undeniable facts, such as signs. The word entrusting comes from the word pistis (faith), which comes fro...

John 2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. The things Jesus did in the temple took place during the Passover, which means His coming death and resurrection were on top of mind. Surely He could not observe the Passover Sabbath week without thinking that He was the substance of the events. He was the la...

John 2:20-22 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. To the unbelieving, the church of Jesus Christ is an absurdity. Notice that the Je...

John 2:19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Today, we look at Jesus’ answer to the Jews’ demand that He show them a sign to verify His authority to cleanse the temple of the corruption He found there. First, I want you to notice there’s a play on words here. What Jesus did in the temple was a sign that the temple was to be destroyed. It was prophetic...

John 2:18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Today, we consider the reaction of the Jews to Jesus’ zeal for His Father’s house. Of course, they didn’t understand it. It’s interesting to me that His disciples remembered Psalm 69:9, but the Jews did not. “For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You...

John 2:15-17 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume me....

John 2:14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. We read today about a tremendous demonstration of Jesus’ love for God, the people, and holiness. This is one of two times Jesus cleansed the temple of corruption. Both times were necessary according to the Law of Leviticus 14:34-40. When you enter the land of Canaan,...

John 2:12-13 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days. The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Let’s begin with a couple of facts. The distance from Cana to Capernaum was around 16 miles (which is almost 26 kilometers for my friends in other countries). The journey from Capernaum to Jerus...

John 2:11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. Today, I want us to be encouraged by the glory of God in Jesus Christ. We learn from this verse that the miracle of changing water to wine was a revelation of Jesus’ glory, which had an impact upon His disciples. First, consider that the glory Jesus manifested was given...

John 2:8-10 And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves...

John 2:6-7 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. First, let’s recall what happened at the wedding in Cana. Jesus and His disciples were attending a wedding, probably of a family friend. A serious problem arose when the supp...

John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” It seems obvious that Mary had some responsibility at the wedding that involved the serving of the wine. It was probably an act of love for dear family friends. Giving directions such as this indicates she had some jurisdiction over the servants. At this point, she introduced Jesus into the situation and gave Him jurisdict...

John 2:4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” Jesus’ answer to His mother first strikes me as disrespectful, but we know it wasn’t. You’ll notice He didn’t ask, “What does that have to do with Me?” Perhaps it was another way of saying, “Their problem isn’t our problem.” Then He brought up a timing issue. “My hour has not yet come.” So what en...

John 2:3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Well, that was a big problem and quite embarrassing to the host. We don’t know at what point the wine ran out, but it became the setting for Jesus’ first miracle. Mary brought the situation to Jesus. Since Jesus is with us, we need to remember that every problem we encounter should be brought to Him. Let’s look a...

John 2:1-2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. We can’t be encouraged enough to live our lives with Jesus. In this verse, we see that both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. I guess the hosts knew that if they invited Jesus, they had to also invite His disciples....

John 1:50-51 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” We’ve been talking the last two days about the supernatural work of God in our lives and in...

John 1:49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” Yesterday, we noted the supernatural element in our love and concern for others as we live to love with Jesus. The Holy Spirit can give us a personal knowledge of people as He helps us be attentive to them. Nathanael’s conclusion from Jesus’ revelation that He knew him indicates another supernatural work...

John 1:47-48 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Did you notice what Jesus did to draw Nathanael? Jesus’ comment revealed that Jesus knew him to some degree that was important...

John 1:45-46 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” For our encouragement today to live to love with Jesus, I would like to note two things. First, let’s be encouraged by the Spirit-led...

John 1:43-44 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Jesus calls everyone to follow Him. Matt. 16:24. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” And again, John 12:26, “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me.” Let’s consi...

John 1:42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter). Names are important. Obviously they are identifiers. The name, Simon, was the most popular name in the first century Hebrew culture. It is a derivative of Simeon. It means to hear or to listen or to understand. In Matthew 16, when Jesus told S...

John 1:40-41 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). It’s hard to imagine Andrew’s excitement when telling Simon Peter that they had found the Messiah. The nation of Israel had been waiting for Him since the time of Abraham and all mank...

John 1:38-39 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when Jesus and the two disci...