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At this juncture in John, the Holy Spirit inspires the author to write about the different reactions of the world to Jesus ranging from opposition to unbelief to perplexity. Even Jesus' own brothers did not trust in Him!

In the context of Moses' reminder that it is not their righteousness that brought them into the promised land, he reminds them of their history as a rebellious and obstinate people as well as God's history of faithfulness and mercy.

The gospel - and Jesus - are offensive to unbelievers; not "winsome" but offensive! Apart from divine intervention, no one will come to Jesus. And yet, as Peter proclaims, there is nowhere else to turn for eternal life!

In the human tendency to take credit for what others have done, the LORD warns Israel (and us) not to take credit for what He has done. It is not by the righteousness of man that God brings His blessings - no, we are a stiff-necked people, rebels at heart but for the grace of God.

On the verge of entering the promised land, Moses is compelled by the Spirit to warn the people of the danger of forgetting the LORD, His covenant and His works. Especially in times of plenty, all of us have a tendency to forget it is the LORD who gives us every blessing, even the covenant of grace that leads to salvation.

In this tough saying regarding Jesus' teaching on His being the bread of life from heaven, Jesus clearly touches on the inability of men to come to Him apart from divine intervention and on the necessity to take part in Christ.

The life of God's people is marked by a history of God's work on their behalf. They are called to obey God's commands because of His history with them; a history of training, discipline and provision as a Father to a son.

There is no denying that believers are a gift from the Father to the Son and that left to our own will, none of us will believe in Jesus. The good news is that the Father sent the Son to save some - of whom He will not reject - and will give those eternal life!

Moses is inspired to give the people a look at the ideal Promised Land: filled with blessings while the people joyfully trust in and follow the LORD.

The crowd's understanding of religion as performance-based, proof-based, or prosperity-based is addressed by Jesus in this teaching as He claims to be the "Bread of Life."

This text is bookended by the demand to keep the commandment(s). The point is that Israel (as are we) is to do so because of what the LORD has done for us and how much He has loved us. As His personal property, we gladly obey the law because He has chosen and loved us.

When Jesus fed the 5000, the crowd was there because they were attracted to Jesus' signs. The disciples failed the test of faith as they failed to understand what Jesus was capable of doing. And even after this fabulous miracle, the people misinterpreted the offices of prophet and king that this miracle revealed. Are you, too, attracted to the signs or to the Sign Maker? Jesus (not the signs) is the object of our faith!

In the midst of enemies seeking His life in their accusations of blasphemy, Jesus brings the evidence of His identity including men, works, the Father and Scripture. He has the testimony to show that He was sent by the Father and is the Christ, the Son of God.

You would think that receiving tremendous blessings from the LORD would make a people grateful and faithful but the heart of men is deceitful. Moses warns the people of the promise not to forget the LORD of the covenant.

In light of opponents seeking to kill Him, Jesus doubles down on His claims in relation to the Father as the Son of God. The ramifications for life, death, and judgment are tremendous!

This central teaching in the book of Deuteronomy reveals both the core doctrine of the exclusive relationship between believers and the one true God as well as the expected reaction to that core truth in active, devoted love to Him.

Easter message

This particular miracle of Jesus healing a man at the pool of Bethesda brings up all kinds of questions but in the end serves as additional prove that Jesus is the divine Son of God. Trust in Jesus, the Christ!

The problem with Israel upon hearing the LORD speak to them the ten commandments was not their words or their immediate reaction but their hearts. This is exactly why all of us sinful human beings need a Savior!

Back in Galilee from His sojourn in Samaria, Jesus encounters a royal official who is searching Him out in hopes that his sick son will be healed by Jesus. Jesus calls this man (and all of us) out for any faith in a sign rather than in the person of Jesus. And yet, true faith did come to this man and his household as well as the healing of his son.

This text references the formative event at Mt. Sinai for the nation of Israel. All the assembly hear the LORD give the 10 commandments and it was such a fearful experience that the people begged Moses to be their mediator. Indeed, God's Word and standards do not change and without the mediation of Jesus we would have no hope before the Living God!

2025 Bible Conference Weekend

Part 2 of Dr. Guy Waters addressing the topic "The Sufficiency of Scripture," this time focusing on the area of worship.

Dr. Guy Waters presents his opening address for our 2025 Bible Conference on "The Sufficiency of Scripture."

Listen to the woman's pondering of Jesus' identity as she goes from "crazy Jew" to Messiah! Hear the only public claim of Jesus to be the Messiah prior to His trial! Come and see!

The "don't" commandments beginning with the 6th build on one another to create a covenant community that is living in harmony with one another when faithful and obedient. How vital it is for the church to value life, marriage, property and truth not only to a watching world but to live together in covenant under our Lord!

In this amazing encounter between Jesus and a woman from Samaria - a divine appointment - Jesus offers living water. In the ensuing conversation, Jesus reveals the sinful condition of this woman as well as an answer to an age-old debate.

The fourth and fifth commandments, being the two "positive" commands or obligations, stress the continuity of the covenant relationship between the LORD and His people and were made for the good of the people to live in peace with Him and with each other.

In this section, the apostle John gives us John the Baptist's testimony regarding Jesus Part II. Jesus, the Christ, is preeminent and it is a joy that Christ would increase while John the Baptist would decrease!

The prologue and the first three commandments serve as a foundation to the law in relationship to the LORD. These commandments are best understood in the covenant relationship of the LORD with His people!

The Light has come into the world. Left in our natural state, none of us will come to the Light. Praise be to God that the Holy Spirit regenerates some of us that we might come to the Light!

In this introduction to the law, Moses indicates both the value God places on life by selecting the Transjordan cities of refuge and the high value He places on the law and covenant.

This most famous of passages is often mistaken to mean something other than what was intended. It does not promote universalism or religious pluralism. It clearly shows God's love for the world in that He opened one way for salvation through faith in the One Savior. For that, it was a tremendous love!

In this text, Moses (inspired by the Holy Spirit) is both a realist - the people will turn to idolatry when they are settled in the land - and an optimist - those who seek the LORD with all their heart and soul will neither be abandoned nor corrupted by the LORD. They are His chosen people and the LORD will move heaven and earth for the faithful remnant to discipline them and restore them to Himself.

"You must be born again." It takes a supernatural act of God for us to see the Kingdom (and the things of God) and to enter the Kingdom of God. Without this act, we will neither receive the Lord's testimony nor understand heavenly things. Yet with this act, along with faith, we will have eternal life!

Several themes of Deuteronomy crop up for the first time in this text - covenant, teaching the next generations, an emphasis on fearing God... In these short verses, Moses tells the people three times to "be careful" and twice to "be exceedingly careful." We so quickly turn away from the LORD that this is an apt warning for all of us!

As Moses transitions in his speech from a focus on the historical work of God with Israel to the law, he mentions the greatness of God in prayer, the greatness of the law in relationship between God and the people, and what makes a nation great.

This text is a description of the victory of Og and the distribution of the Transjordan land to the 2 1/2 tribes. In it, we find God's faithfulness and evidence to abstain from fear in fighting God's battles. And in it, we find that God's people who fear, trust and obey Him will also find that He fights for them!

John records that this miracle where Jesus turned water into wine is the first of His "signs." He also tells us (20:30-31) that this sign was chosen to "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ." Come and explore how this sign points to Jesus as the Messiah.

The testimony of John the Baptist pointed his own disciples to follow Jesus. These disciples, in turn, recognized in Jesus some true titles (likely without fully understanding) including Messiah, Son of God, Rabbi, and King of Israel. John's Gospel gives this testimony to us and prompts us to tell others to "Come and see!"

With the focus shifting from the disobedience at Kadesh Barnea before the 40 years of discipline to the movement towards the promised land in the crossing of the Brook Zered, Moses clearly reviews the sovereignty of God over Israel and all the nations, bringing comfort and encouragement to a new generation and to us.

The Apostle John takes very seriously the testimony of John the Baptist. This extraordinary historical figure clearly points out Jesus as the Son of God and the Lamb of God, filled with the Spirit and giving new life to His people.

In recalling the events surrounding the rebellion of the people in the whole spy debacle and its aftermath, Moses also reminds those about to enter the promised land of God's wrath for disobedience. We need turn no further than this text to know how much God hates sin and the rebellious sinner.

Along the theme of John's purpose - that we should believe that Jesus is the Christ and that by believing we should have life in His name - John begins with the first human witness: John the Baptist. It is not his baptizing but his testimony that is of interest to John. Jesus is the divine Son of God, the Word become flesh to dwell among men!

In comparing this recollection of the events of Numbers 13, the "rest of the story," so to speak, shows us how the whole spy event was due to the doubt and hesitation of the people to obey the LORD's command to take possession of Canaan. It was, of course, a faith problem at heart - which is generally our problem when we refuse to obey the LORD in just about any area of life.