John 3;7&8 7.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’8.  The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the...

John 3;6 6.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. We are simultaneously, at the same time, saint (holy, one who is righteous) and sinner, (one of our souls three enemies, the devil, this world, and our flesh).  Our great problem is realizing that our...

John 3;4&5 4.  Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born.”5.  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter...

John 3;1-3 1.  Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.2.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless...

John 2;23-25 23. Now went he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did;24.  but Jesus did not trust himself to them,25.  because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself...

John 2;18-22 18.  The Jews then said to him, “What sign have you to show us for doing this?”19.  Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”20.  The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise...

John 2;17 17.  His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for thy house will consume me.” It is not with the stones, the porticos, or the courtyards of the temple that Jesus was so passionate about, but rather us, “living stones”.  (see, 1 Peter 2;5) The temple in Jerusalem was precious to Jesus, not the structure, but the...

John 2;15&16 15.  And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.16.  And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; you shall not make my...

John 2;14 14.  In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. Sadly, it would seem that where ever true religion and worship of God happens, man’s corrupting greed is never far behind.  Like road grime on a brand new car,...

John 2;13 13.  The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. When I think of going on vacation, for me that meant, “Going up north.”  I still thrill to get into the piney woods, clean air, and cold waters of Michigan… No matter the elevation or compass location in...

John 2;11&12 11.  This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.12.  After this he went down to Caperna-um, with his mother and his brethren and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days. The term glory...

John 2;6-10 6.  Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.7.  Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.”  And they filled them to the brim.8.  He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the...

John 2;3-5 3.  When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”4.  And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not come.”5.  His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” When my wife tells...

John 2;1&2 1.  On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;2.  Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. The phrase, “on the third day…’ occurs often in scripture; Jonah (three days in the great fish), Solomon (the child that died),...

John 1;43-51 43.  The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.  And he found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”44. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.45.  Philip found Nathana-el, and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and...

John 1; 35-42 35.  The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;36.  and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said,  “Behold, the Lamb of God!”37.  The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.38.  Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to...

John 1;30-34 30.  This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me.’31.  I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”32.  And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a...

John 1;29 29.  The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Up to this moment, the Jews who had been questioning John were searching for the coming King.Their concern was like Herod’s, political.  They were looking...

John 1;24-28 24.  Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.25.  They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”26.  John answered them, “I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know,27.  even he who comes after...

John 1;22&23 22.  They said to him then, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us.  What do you say about yourself?”23.  He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” John’s...

John 1;21 21.  And they asked him (John the Baptist), What then?  Are you Elijah?  He said, “I am not.”  Are you the prophet?”  And he answered, “No.” These shrewd questions asked by the priests and Levites, (sent by “the Jews”, meaning the chief priests) were consistent with the hopes and fears of all...

John 1;19-21 19.  And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”20.  He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” Why did John answer the priests and Levites by first telling them who he was...

John 1;17&18 17.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.18.  No one has ever seen God;  the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. Luther teaches us the law has three uses or functions.  1. It “curbs”...

John 1;15&1615.  (John bore witness to him, and cried, “ This is he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.’”)16.  And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. Is there a difference between ‘mercy’ and ‘grace’?  Yes.  Mercy...

John 1;14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. Children have a great capacity for faith, their reason and logic are not developed enough to tempt them to doubt and skepticism....

(“…he gave them power to become children of God.”   John 1;12b).  John 1;1313.  Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God; Natural physical birth involves all of these, blood, the will of the flesh, and the will of man....

John 1;11&12 11.  He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.12.  But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave them power to become children of God. To “receive” Christ Jesus, (either as an infant in Holy Baptism, or as an adult through...

John 1;9&10 9.  The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.10.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. Ultimately, Christ’s coming into the world will be fully and finally completed on the last Day.  On that Day,...

John 1;6-8 6. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.7.  He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.8.  He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. “A man sent from God”, these words underscore the...

John 1;5 5.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The ancient war between our God of life (light) and the rebellion of Satan (darkness) continues.  We know in the end Satan’s darkness, (sin and death) will forever be ended, and death itself will be swallowed up in victory. Life and...

John 1;4 4.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. Biological life, physiological existence, is not the “life” verse 4 is referring to.Although we see some hint of the pursuit of eternity in biological reproduction and the sacrificial devotion required of it.  Yet, passing on one’s genetics to posterity is not...