John 11 (résumé): The death and resurrection of Lazarus

 Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha at Bethany and he was very ill so they sent word to Jesus who was very close to Lazarus, but Jesus was slow in coming. Jesus said: "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going to wake him up". When Jesus finally arrived at Bethany Lazarus had been buried for 4 days but Jesus said to Martha that he would rise again. Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life". Then Mary joined Jesus and Martha weeping, and Jesus wept. Then they went to the tomb and they took away the stone and Jesus called out with a loud voice: "Lazarus, come out!" And when he came out Jesus told them to take off his grave clothes and let him go. Following this miracle the high priest and religious leaders increased their plotting against Jesus because many were believing in the Lord and they feared the momentum of faith would become unstoppable. 

John 10 (résumé): The Shepherd and his Flock

Jesus now teaches that the man who doesn't enter the sheep pen by the gate is a thief, but the shepherd enters by the gate and calls his sheep by name. The sheep follow the shepherd because they know his voice and Jesus says I am the gate for the sheep and whoever enters through me will be saved. "I am the good shepherd" said Jesus "and I lay down my life for the sheep". Then the Jews insisted on a plain answer as to whether Jesus was the Christ. Jesus said he had already answered by his works because "the miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you don't believe... because you aren't my sheep... but believe the miracles that you may learn that the Father is in me, and I in the Father".

John 9 (résumé): Jesus heals a man born blind

Then Jesus healed a man born blind by spitting and making mud pancakes and putting them on his eyes so that when he washed off the mud in the Pool of Siloam he regained his sight. The disciples asked about the cause of the blindness and whether it was his sin or his parents? Jesus said neither was the case but so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. However the Pharisees felt provoked by the healing especially as it was done on a Sabbath. They also raised questions about the genuineness of the healing and whether Jesus was in fact a sinner. So the man answered "Whether he's a sinner or not I don't know. But one thing I do know. I was blind but now I see". Then Jesus explained the Gospel to the man who had been healed yet had been ill-treated by the Pharisees as a consequence, and the man said: "Lord, I believe, and he worshipped Jesus". Jesus said "For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who will see will become blind!" 

John 8 (résumé): The validity of Jesus' Testimony

(John 7:53 to 8:11 is not found in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts)

A woman caught in adultery was bought before Jesus to see whether he would apply the law to her and have her stoned. (Where the man was I have no idea!) Jesus called those present without sin to cast the first stone, and as nobody did this Jesus said neither did he condemn her. "Go now and leave your life of sin" Jesus concluded. Then Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness... I stand with the Father who sent me... my witness is the Father who sent me... I am going away... where I go you cannot come... you are from below and I am from above... when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am... the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone... and many put their faith in him". Then Jesus said to the believing Jews "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free... for everyone who sins is a slave of sin... but if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed". The non-believing Jews however were angry because Jesus said they needed setting free. Then Jesus went on to say that "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desire to murder... and he is a liar and the father of lies... I am telling you the truth. Why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says". Then the Jews said that Jesus was a demon-possessed Samaritan... Jesus replied that he was not demon-possessed... I tell you the truth, if a man keeps my word, he will never see death... and the Jews asked if he was greater that Abraham who died?... Jesus answered that the Father glorifies him... but before Abraham was born, I am!... so they tried to stone Jesus!"

Old Cow Pen

I have been preparing my sermon for this coming Saturday at Curral Velho (Old Cow Pen) which is about a two and a half hours drive west of Patos. The church there is led by Tica and her husband Ramos. Sacha will take the service at the Green Pastures church in my absence. Ramos is an excellent cook! 😋

I have finished my summary of Luke's Gospel, chapter by chapter, thus completing 997 chapters of the Bible which is 84%. Now it's on to the 21 chapters of John's Gospel to complete the gospels. The 1000th chapter of the Bible is "You must be born again... God so loved the world"! 

Our toilet/shower project is going ahead well. The new toilet in the Tamandua Community is greatly appreciated by Damião, Márcia and their 5 children. The second recent toilet was built at the Barra de Oitis Community for Raimundo, Felícia and their 3 children. The third recent toilet was built at Patuscada Community for Deusimar, Camila and their little boy Antonio aged 2. Deusimar is away orange picking in the south of Brazil now in order to survive. 

John 7 (résumé): Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles

 Jesus' brothers went to the Feast of Tabernacles but Jesus went secretly alone and the Jews were looking out for him. Only half way through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple and begin to teach. The Jews were amazed and Jesus said: "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me". Then some questioned if Jesus was the Christ and others tried to seize him unsuccessfully because his time had not yet come. On the other hand "many in the crowd declared their faith in him" amazed at his miraculous signs. Then Jesus said: "I am with you for a short time... you will look for me and not fine me, and where I am you cannot come". Then on the last day of the Feast Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice: "If a man is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me streams of living water will flow from within him". Such declarations by Jesus generated conflicting opinions with some in favour and some against. 

John 6 (résumé): Jesus feed 5,000 and walks on Water

Jesus saw a great crowd and questioned how to feed them and the disciples said it would cost a fortune! However Andrew presented a boy with 5 loaves of barley bread and 2 fish so Jesus gave thanks and then proceeded to distribute to all 5,000 men, and 12 basketfuls were left over at the end! After this the disciples went across the lake in a boat and had gone 5 or 6 kilometers when Jesus caught them up walking on the water, and the disciples were terrified! The crowds then went after Jesus and he said they wanted more loaves and fishes, but they should rather focus on "food that endures to eternal life... for the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world... give us this bread they said... Jesus answered I am the bread of life...  he who comes to me will never go hungry... and everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life... everyone that listens to the Father comes to me... I am the living bread that came down from heaven... and whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life... this is the bread from heaven which makes you live forever". Many disciples deserted Jesus because they found his teaching hard but Jesus said "the words I have spoken are spirit and they are life". In the face of many deserting Jesus he asked the 12 disciples if they wanted to leave also? Peter replied: To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life".