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Esther Griggs

The word

God’s Word

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The Book of Hebrews begins, “God who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son” As we look to john 12:37-50, John writes about the fulfillment of the words God spoke through Isaiah, how Jesus embodied the words of God and how God’s word is everlasting life.

God’s Word Through the Prophet

One of the proofs of a true prophet was fulfilled prophecy. John writes that despite all the miracles Jesus performed, they did not believe. He tells his readers the reason is fulfillment of the words of Isaiah. When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, with His train filling the temple, he spoke of the Lord Jesus. “Lord who has believed our report?” and “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their heart,” The word of God spoken by Isaiah the prophet was by their rejection of Jesus, validated.

Jesus Embodies the Word of God

Still there were those who believed in Jesus They kept quiet because if the Pharisees knew, they would be put out of the synagogue. John says they loved the praises of men more than the praise of God. To believe in Jesus meant belief in God. The life of Jesus was a light. Those who believed walked no longer in darkness. Jesus embodied the word of God; however, some rejected Him and the words He spoke. Those rejected words would become that which will judge them in the end.

His Word, Everlasting Life

Jesus made it clear that the words He spoke came from God the Father. The words of the heavenly father were and are everlasting life. As His Father told Him to speak, those were the words that He spoke. To hear the words of Jesus was to hear the words of God, words of everlasting life. John writes about the fulfillment of the words God spoke through Isaiah, how Jesus embodied the words of God and how God’s word is everlasting life.

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Cross of ChristThe Light

For One Purpose

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Jesus was born into a Jewish family. He could have had an amazing career or married and had a family. The choices were before Him as He grew and became a man. Still, Jesus chose one purpose, despite the means necessary to do so, and was the light of the world.

One Purpose

One desire drove Jesus forward. He yearned to glorify His Father in heaven. This one purpose directed His choices. When the choice weighed heavy, His purpose held Him. It became the objective of His prayer, one His Father heard and answered by saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd heard it. Some thought it thundered while others insisted it was the voice of an angel. Jesus said the voice came not for His sake but for theirs.

Despite the Means

Jesus further explained that if He was lifted up, He would draw all peoples to Himself. John writes, “This He said signifying by what death He would die.” The Jews understood being lifted up as death by crucifixion. At the same time, it reminded them of when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. When the people looked at Moses, they were rescued from the bite of the serpent. Jesus, in like manner, would be lifted up and He would draw all peoples to Himself. It was time for the judgement of the world and the casting out of the ruler of the world.

The people understood from the law, that the Christ would live forever, so how could this man speak of death. Besides, who was this Son of Man? It was a stumbling block to them.

The Light

Jesus then spoke of a temporary light. It was a blinding light. “Walk while you have the light, believe in the light,” He told them “that, you may become sons of light.” If you don’t stay in the light, the darkness will overtake you and you won’t know where you are going.

In the first chapter of John, he identifies Jesus as the true light of the world. Now with the death of Jesus at hand, they must believe the light in order to be sons of light. They must believe in Jesus.

After these words, Jesus departed. He was hidden from them. God gave Him the privacy He needed after giving the lesson. Jesus chose one purpose, despite the means necessary to do so, and was the light of the world.

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Followers of JesusJesus' Teaching

A Lesson for Seekers

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Jesus was between the praises of Him as King and His impending death on the cross. As a human, this God knowledge, was a heavy weight. His choice was to glorify His Father by being obedient and He knew going through a cruel death was the price. At this time some Greeks wanted to see Him. Jesus, hearing of these seekers, used a grain of wheat as an illustration and then gives an application.

“If it dies, it produces much grain”

Seekers

John writes that these men were Greeks who had come to worship. God never was exclusive to the Jews. He did however choose them as the vehicle to proclaim Himself to the world through His Son Jesus. When His Son came, it was to the Jews first. Yet here were God-fearing Greeks and this group wanted to see Jesus. They came to Phillip first who then told Andrew. Together, they went to tell Jesus.

A Grain of Wheat

The cross and resurrection were before Jesus. The time had come. He told Phillip and Andrew, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.” Then He tells them a simple story about a grain of wheat. He wants to be understood. First, He says, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.” Then He states it differently. “If it dies, it produces much grain.”

The Application

What was He trying to tell them? He continued.

“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life,” Jesus said.

Somehow in the grasping and clenching of our lives, there is death. Yet in the releasing of it all to our loving Heavenly Father, there is not only life for ourselves, but the life is reproduced. At a baptismal service recently, it was so beautifully depicted, the symbol of being buried with Christ and rising to newness of life through His Spirit.

Jesus further spoke to servanthood. To serve Him, is to follow. “Where I am, there My Spirit will be also,” He told them. The Father honours anyone who follows Jesus. To follow Jesus, to be His servant, means being as the grain of wheat. It will bring not only fruit, but them, the Father, will honour. Jesus, heard of these seekers, used a grain of wheat as an illustration and then gave an application.

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worship

King of the Jews

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The Jewish people, in their early days, influenced by the nations around them, wanted a King. Within their prophecies God promised a coming king.  In the years Jesus walked the earth, they wondered about Him, and after feeding the 5,000, some wanted to make Him their king by force. Jesus knew their thoughts, but, on that occasion, He left for a mountain to be alone. The timing and their reasoning were off. Jesus followed the leading of His Father when it came to timing. The day after Mary anointed Jesus, He fulfilled prophecy. Jesus entered Jerusalem, on the colt of a donkey by those who did not know His time of visitation.

Jesus Entered Jerusalem

The multitudes were coming into Jerusalem for the Passover feast. Many wondered if He would come. They really wanted to see this Man who had healed the sick and now there were reports He had raised a man from the dead. When they heard He was coming, they ran out to meet Him. It was a grand moment as people waved palm branches and shouted praises. At one point some of the Pharisees told Jesus to quiet His followers. Jesus responded by telling them, if the people didn’t shout out the stones would. He entered, as the fulfilment of prophecy, to the people singing from King David’s own works, “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.”

On the Colt of a Donkey

 Jesus entered on the colt of an unridden donkey which He had requested His disciples to gather for Him. It was an act of humility, for a servant king.  Most Kings rode in on great steeds amidst the sounds of trumpets. Jesus, however, rode on the colt of a donkey amid praises, in an act of humility. Again, it is a fulfillment of prophecy from the words of Zechariah, “Fear not, daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming sitting on a donkey’s colt.”   

Did Not Know

When we read Luke’s account of this day, we learn that Jesus wept as He neared the city. The Son of God, the soon to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords, knew what would bring them the peace they so desperately needed, yet they rejected Him. They did not know that Jesus came as God’s Son for their salvation. John writes, “His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him.” Jesus fulfilled prophecy and entered Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey to shouts of praise, by those who did not know the time of His visitation.

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Cross of Christ

Whose Plan Was it Anyway?

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Lazarus having died, and lying in a tomb for four days, is alive! God had indeed performed a miracle. The onlookers, however, responded differently. Some saw it as absolute proof of the deity of Jesus, while others ran to the Pharisees. “Have you heard what Jesus did? He raised a man from the dead!” As God worked to fulfill His plan for redemption through His Son Jesus Christ, the Jewish Religious Leaders fell right in step. Their anger, jealousy, and fear caused them to ask “What shall we do?” The miraculous event of Lazarus’ resurrection caused a disturbance. It compelled the leaders to pull the council together, to scheme a plot, invoking the question, “Whose plan was it anyway?”

Behold the Lamb of God.

A Disturbance

As members of the public flagged the Pharisees about the latest miracle of Jesus, they erupted. They pulled the council together. “What are we going to do? This man works so many signs!” “What will happen to us? Everyone will believe in Him and then what? We’ll lose our place and our nation to the Romans?” Fueled by anger, fear and jealousy, a more sinister determination arose; to be rid of Jesus.

A Plan

Caiaphas was the High Priest for the year. Everyone listened. “Don’t you know anything?” he asked them. “Don’t you know it is more expedient for one man to die than the whole nation?” The thing was, he was prophesying. John the author tells us he didn’t do it on his own authority. He was proclaiming the word of God that not only for their nation, but that all the children of God scattered abroad would be gathered together as one, through the death of this one man. Jesus had to die.

Whose Plan Was it Anyway?

They devised a plot and issued the command, “If you see Him, report it.”

The Passover was at hand. People were coming to Jerusalem to purify themselves for the great feast that God had set in place. They wondered if Jesus would still show up. As a righteous Jew, He came to all the festivals. However, Jesus didn’t walk among the Jews in the same way anymore. He went out to the wilderness and stayed with His disciples. God’s plan was falling into place. The Lamb of God, destined to take away the sin of the world, was nearing the altar. The miraculous event caused a disturbance. It compelled the leaders to pull the council together, to scheme a plot, invoking the question, “Whose plan was it anyway?”

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Alive in ChristBody of ChristGratitude

Three Steps to A Miracle

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Jesus heard the cries of His dear friends Mary and Martha, along with their Jewish comforters, as they mourned the death of Lazarus. To Mary, He offered the right words to grow her faith. Yet, when Mary fell at His feet, deep compassion overcame Him. Today we come to the part in the story where Jesus took action. “Where have you laid him?” He asked. In this passage, there are three steps to a miracle; absolute trust in God, allowing Him room to work, and active participation.

Step One: Absolute Trust in God

Jesus, still groaning in his spirit, arrived at the tomb. “Take away the stone,” He said. Martha, however, expressed her concern. “Lord, he has been in there for four days. It is going to smell awful!” The teacher takes her back to their earlier discussion. “Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?” Martha, reeling emotionally, the stench of death in her nostrils, needed to hear the teacher’s reminder, “Did I not say?” The first step to the miracle demanded absolute trust in the word of God.

Step Two: Allowing Him Room to Work

The second step meant allowing Jesus room to work. It meant the stone had to be taken away. Despite the smell, the stone which kept Lazarus entombed, had to be removed. Next, Jesus lifted his eyes toward heaven, and prayed. He needed to elevate those around Him to the heavenly throne room. They needed to know and believe that God the Father had sent Him, and always heard His cries. Jesus offered His Father the gift of gratitude. It opened heaven and earth, touching the depth of God. Then He the Son of God, the resurrection and the life, cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

Step Three: Active Participation

The third step involved active participation. Lazarus had died. He had been in the tomb for four days. When he responded to the voice of Jesus, he came out stiff, in his grave clothes.

At this place in history, the Jews wrapped the deceased body before placing it a tomb. Lazarus came out the same way he had been put in, bound hands and feet, with a cloth about his face. “Loose him and let him go.” Jesus said. They were responsible to set him free! To remove the bands which kept him from living a new life, became their appointment.

In this passage there were three steps to the miracle; absolute trust in God, allowing Him room to work, and active participation.

How often do we pray for miracles? Do we desire the glory of God? Are we making room, clearing the way for Jesus to lead? As He leads, are we willing to follow? Will we unwrap those He has called to life, enabling each one to live, move and have their being in Him? Father God, empower us as the body of Christ!

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Jesus Encounters

If you had been here: Mary

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

As the story in John 11 continues, Martha goes to tell Mary Jesus has come. He is asking for her. Mary doesn’t wait around, nor do her comforters. When she sees Him, she falls at His feet and echoing the words of Martha says, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” This time Jesus responds differently. There are no words. In this life and death situation, Jesus moves into Mary’s grieving, struggles with emotional pain, and then takes action.

“If you had been here.”

Mary’s Grieving

Each individual encounter with Jesus is personal. This was Mary, the one who sat at His feet to listen to His teaching, rather than fuss about with her sister in serving Him. Though she voiced the same words as Martha, Jesus responded differently. Was the position she took of falling at His feet; the utter abandonment of all she was in that moment, to Him, the reason for the difference?

Emotional Pain

Jesus weeps. When he saw not only the tears of Mary, but those of her comforters, it moved Him. John writes, “He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.” And I wonder. He knew his own death was imminent. He knew He would be calling Lazarus out of the grave. He had just declared to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Did the God part of Him overwhelm His human heart? He had breathed life into Adam and Eve, making them living beings. Death and grieving were not in this plan. Still, Satan, the great destroyer, because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, broke through. Centuries of dying and death followed. Here it was, this deep darkness wreaking havoc on those He loved. He felt deep compassion.

Takes Steps

However, Jesus does not stop here, and become just another comforter. Nor does He become stuck in the pain of grief. “Where have you laid him?” He asks. He is the Master of Life. “Come and see,” is the response. Still the argument of who He is continues. Some see His compassion, while others, observe what they think He should have done. Jesus knew who He was and what He was about. He was about His Father’s business. In this life and death situation, Jesus moved into Mary’s grieving, struggled with emotional pain, and then takes the first steps.

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Jesus Encounters

“Lord, if you had been here” Martha

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, rushed to meet Him. By this time, her brother Lazarus has already been in the tomb for four days. She and her sister Mary have been surrounded by comforters, but, the One they desired most, didn’t come. They knew the stories of His mighty works, especially the healings. And yet, He had not come. “Lord, if You had been here.” These words stung with the accusation of neglect. Still, Jesus, in this encounter with Martha, listens as she talks through her pain, speaks into it and then commands her declaration of faith.

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

Martha’s Pain

Martha’s belief centered on the physical presence of Jesus. “If you had been here.” Yet there is more. She knows that He has a special relationship with God. “Whatever You ask of God, God will give you.” There is still something that can be done for her, she just doesn’t know what exactly she needs. Jesus listens and then He speaks.

Jesus Speaks to her Pain

Jesus speaks to Martha’s grief. “Your brother will rise again.” Martha believes in the resurrection of the dead and she tells Jesus of her belief. It only goes, however, as far as her understanding; what she has come to accept in her limited experience with God. Jesus, having come from the Father knows the end from the beginning, and in this painful time, He knows He is the answer for Martha.

Jesus Commands Her Faith

Jesus tells her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She needs to declare her faith in this time of grief. Jesus is asking. What does she believe? Yes, she believes in the resurrection, she believes that Jesus has a special relationship with God. But, when it comes down to life and death does she see this teacher, this good friend, this worker of miracles as the resurrection, as life? The great miracle Jesus has in store for her hasn’t happened yet, but she declares her faith. “I believe You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Jesus, in this encounter with Martha, listens as she talks through her pain, speaks into it, and then commands her declaration of faith.

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Followers of JesusJesus' Teaching

Following Jesus Doesn’t Always Make Sense

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Good friends of Jesus: Mary , Martha, and Lazarus, lived in Bethany. Mary is known throughout history, for her lavish expression of love to Jesus, when she poured the expensive perfume on His head. When Lazarus became ill, Jesus was notified. His response confused His disciples. Following Jesus didn’t make sense until they understood His purpose, followed His direction and did so, despite unbelief.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27 NKJV

His Purpose

Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. When He heard about the sickness, He stayed where he was for two more days. To His followers it didn’t make much sense. Surely, the Healer would rush to His side or at least pronounce healing over him, especially being those He loved so deeply. Instead, He spoke to the overwhelming circumstance, “This sickness is not unto death, BUT for the glory of God, that the Son Of God might be glorified through it.” (John 11:4) There were bigger issues at work in this situation.

His Direction

After the two day delay, Jesus says, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples questioned Him. “Have you forgotten something?” they asked Him, “Don’t you remember they tried to stone you the last time we were there?” But Jesus told them the necessity of working while it was light. It is important to use the opportunities when the light is present. Then He told them that Lazarus was asleep and He needed to go wake him. When they misunderstood, He told them Lazarus was dead and He was glad for their sake. The events to take place before them, would solidify their faith in Him.

Confessing Unbelief

Thomas, known as the doubter, fulfilled his character by saying, “Let us also go that we may die with Him.” He let it out, his fear, his disbelief. Jesus knew what was in His heart and how his belligerent following would eventually rest in faith, knowing Jesus the Christ.

Following Jesus doesn’t always make sense until we understand His purpose, follow His direction and do so despite our unbelief.

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Jesus' Teaching

One More Debate

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The Jews, had heard enough! It was time for action. Reaching down, they picked up stones to throw at Jesus. However, Jesus was up for one more debate. “Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” In one more debate, the Jews reveal their doubts about the identity of Jesus, who then offered one more defense, before moving on.

“believe the works that you may know”

Their Doubt

Jesus performed many good works, in order to glorify His Father in heaven. It didn’t make sense that they wanted to kill Him. The Jews therefore explain that the works are not the problem. The real issue bothering them is that He makes Himself out to be God when they only see His humanity.

The Defense of Jesus

Jesus then points out to them a passage from their law, which is actually Psalm 82:6. “I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.'” Right there, the author, to whom the word of God came, called them gods. Jesus goes on to tell them the scripture can not be broken. He, Himself is the fulfillment. Jesus stood before them, as He whom the Father set apart and sent into the world as witnessed by John at His baptism. Yet they called Him a blasphemer. Once more He puts out the invitation. Look at the works. If they are not the works of the Father then don’t believe. But believe the works then you will know and believe that the Father is in Me and I am in Him.

Jesus Moves On

They could not see. Again they tried to take hold of Him but He escaped. Then Jesus moved on. He went beyond the Jordan to where John was baptizing.. Many came to Him. They had heard the words of John. Although John had not performed the miraculous works as Jesus did, all the things He had said of Him were true. The next phrase states, “And many believed in Him there.” Jesus gave ample opportunity to the Jews, to hear His words, and to question Him. In this final debate, the Jews reveal their doubts about the identity of Jesus, who then offered one more defense, before moving on.

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