June 24
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SIN NO MORE
Now it was the Sabbath on that day. 10 So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” 11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” 13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” 15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.
– John 5:10-16
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In this miracle, the man who suffered for 38 years was able to walk because Jesus healed him. A bunch of Jewish leaders were concerned about who healed this man for it is not permissible in the Jewish law to heal on the Sabbath. Interestingly, they were grilling him to tell them who didn’t follow the law not to work on the Sabbath. They interrogated the healed man and didn’t stop until they found out who did the healing on the day that wasn’t allowed. They didn’t even care if the healing relieved that man from his 38 years of suffering because they were more concerned with following the law and ensuring that other Jews do so. Jesus had slipped away from the crowd so the man couldn’t remember who healed him. Later, Jesus found the man in the temple and reminded him that since he had been healed, he should not sin anymore so that he will be spared from the worst. This was a warning for that man. In those days, illness or sickness was a result of sin. Jesus reminds him that God’s wrath may come upon him if he continues to sin. Long suffering is nothing compared to the consequence of continued and habitual sin. Jesus is referring to the eternal punishment of those who continue to walk in darkness.
Our sin nature automatically comes out in us, but in the Spirit, we can let Jesus rule over our minds and hearts and soul. This is the miracle that he brought to this man who couldn’t walk for 38 years. It is symbolic of salvation for his entire soul even though it manifested physically by his inability to walk. We need to remember that hell is far worst than any affliction or suffering we will encounter if we don’t give up sin.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it easy for those who are saved to forget the gift and miracle of salvatio
Tag Archives: ILMA BARAYUGA-DOHERTY
THE HEALING AT BETHESDA ILMA’S VLOG
June 23
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THE HEALING AT BETHESDA
After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. 3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] 5 A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” 9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.– John 5:1-9
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The Easton bible dictionary says that Bethesda means a house of mercy, a reservoir or “a swimming bath” with five porches, close to the sheep-gate or market mentioned in Nehemiah 3:1 as well as John 5:2. Eusebius the historian (A.D. 330) calls it “the sheep-pool.” It is interesting that there were a multitude of sick people here waiting for the moving of the waters for them to get healed.
There was a man lying there who had been ill for 38 years according to verse 5. Why do you think Jesus picked this man among those many ill and sick people? The man was very vulnerable. He wasn’t able to get near the water and no one is helping him. Doesn’t it remind us of how many of us can be spiritually ill and have been many years unsaved, helpless to overcome our sins? Jesus asked the man if he wished to get well? Why did he have to ask that question when he knew very well the answer to that? We see that the desire to be healed was important for the miracle to happen otherwise, Jesus didn’t have to ask such question. If we are willing to rise up from our helplessness and follow the invitation of Jesus to be healed, we will receive a miracle. Acknowledging our helplessness is an act of humility. When Jesus asked the man to get up and walk, he followed and he was able to get healed. Three factors are important for miracles to happen. Faith that you will receive it, humility in your helplessness without God, and obedience to what He says.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think faith, humility and obedience are important in order for God to bring about miracles?
HEALING OF THE OFFICIAL’S SON AT CAPERNAUM ILMA’S VLOG
June 22 I
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HEALING OF THE OFFICIAL’S SON AT CAPERNAUM
46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” 49 The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. 51 As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. 52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household. 54 This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
– John 4:46-54
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After Jesus came from the city of Sychar, in Samaria where he stayed there two days, he headed for Galilee and while he was by Cana, a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum which was 16 miles from Cana, where he met Jesus, begging him to heal his son. In verse 48, Jesus commented that unless they see signs and wonders, they will not believe. It is interesting that this royal official still humbled himself to come to the Lord for healing of his son. It just goes to show that no position, titles or wealth can protect us from diseases or calamities. This father was diligent to track down Jesus’ whereabouts. It was 16 miles and yet he had the faith that Jesus will heal his son. There was no distance needed for Jesus to heal that boy. The father’s faith was enough for Jesus to do that miracle. His obedience to go home and his trust in Jesus’ words “Go, your son lives”, were key ingredients in the miracle. Trust and obey the Lord seems to be the formula for miracles he had done. Faith is essential in order for God to move into the situation. It didn’t indicate that the official was still worried after he talked to Jesus nor did it say that he rushed home to make sure he got his miracle. He seemed calm enough and sure that his son was healed and knew it was at that seventh hour when Jesus told him so. What confidence! Do we have this faith that brings about miracles?
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think trusting and obedience are key to bringing about miracles?
A PROPHET’S HONOR ILMA’S VLOG
June 21
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A PROPHET’S HONOR
43 After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast. – John 4:43-45
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Bibleref.com explains the context of this statement of Jesus about prophets not honored in his own country. In John 4:3-5 we hear that Jesus left Judea to go into Galilee and had to pass through Samaria in a city called Sychar. In John 4:40, we learn that Jesus stayed in Sychar for two days. In verse 43 which is the beginning of this study, he leaves this place to go back to Galilee. Verse 45 says He was welcomed. When Jesus has His next confrontation, it will be with the Pharisees in Jerusalem as recorded in John chapter 4. All of this raises the question of what John means by this remark, and why he included it in this place in his gospel. Scholars offer several ideas. The most reasonable is that Jesus is returning to the region of Galilee, but not to His local hometown of Nazareth. The ensuing verse 46 says that Jesus returned to the town of Cana, where He had performed His first miracle (John 2:11). Nazareth, however is closer to Sychar than Cana – Jesus would have passed right by it. Once Jesus arrived in Cana, He was there long enough for a local official to hear about His arrival and make a journey to see Him (John 4:47). Cana and Capernaum are about 25 miles apart, so this wasn’t a short time. This would put John’s remark about a prophet’s honor in context. Jesus is going to Galilee, the region, but bypasses His hometown of Nazareth, since the people there have no particular interest in His message.
From this scholars’ source, we get to understand the context of Jesus’ statement about prophets not being honored in their own town. It is an irony how someone gifted with prophecy is looked down upon those who actually know that prophet. Isn’t this so similar when our own family do not recognize some of our spiritual gifts and reject them? It is interesting how Jesus skipped going to his hometown since they aren’t interested in His message. How often do some Christians force evangelizing those who are not interested in salvation? Jesus never chased people to listen to His message. So, why do we make a mission field of those who reject His gift of salvation?
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REFLECTION
• Why is it harder to evangelize to those closest to us like friends and family?
THE GIFT OF BELIEVING ILMA’S VLOG
June 20
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THE GIFT OF BELIEVING
39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”– John 4:39-42
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John continues to expound on the miracle of the Samaritan woman at the well in the following verses. Notice that most of those people who are recipients of the miracles of Jesus were unnamed: the healing of the widow’s son, the royal official’s son in Capernaum, the paralytic at Bethesda, the blind man at Bethsaida, the boy at the feeding the feeding the 5000 who gave his one piece of bread and fish that Jesus multiplied. It is immaterial who receives the miracle. The important thing is who performs the signs and wonders, Jesus himself.
In John 20:30-31 says that “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
We witness another radical change that Jesus did when He approached a Samaritan woman at the well. He broke the long tradition of Jews not speaking with the Samaritans. He didn’t care about the laws and rules created by man because He is above them. He is God himself. The gift of salvation was not only for the Jews but for mankind. It is interesting how the Samaritans responded to the declaration of the woman at the well when she said that Jesus was the Messiah. They all believed and wanted Jesus to stay in their town. It was a miracle, a gift from our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, we see many people who won’t even care to receive the gift of believing. They reject Jesus, just like the Pharisees and Scribes did. “To believe that Jesus is the Son of God” is to have access to eternal life. We are given a choice to accept or reject the greatest act of love by God, to believe that Jesus is His son so that we may have eternal life with Him.
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REFLECTION
• What do you think the source of unbelief is?
• Why do some Christians manifest unbelief in their lives even though they claim that they have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior?
ONE SOWS AND ANOTHER REAPS ILMA’S VLOG
June 19
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ONE SOWS AND ANOTHER REAPS
35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”– John 4:35-38
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The symbolic meaning of harvest in Scripture encompasses two main areas: God’s provision for us and God’s blessing for others. An article from gotquestions.com says that throughout the Bible, the harvest carries spiritual significance. It is used in parables (Luke 8:4–8) and as a metaphor for spiritual growth and health (2 Corinthians 9:10; James 3:18). The harvest has always been a beautiful and important part of life on earth, the time when the year’s work bears fruit and the people are fed. It is symbolic of bounty, health and abundance. Israel celebrated the time of the harvest with a feast, appropriately called the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16).
Previous verses relate Jesus talking to the woman of Samaria. What was Jesus talking here of in verse 17 that one sows and another reaps? He purposely passed by well because he knew that the Samaritan woman would be there. The sower here is Jesus. He was sowing spiritual salvation to this woman who was looking for something to fill her life. Jesus offered salvation to her and defied the gap between Jews and the Samaritans. He tells his disciples that He began to do the work of his Father, that is to bring salvation, even to these lost Samaritans. Jesus tells them to continue to harvest that which he has started. In other words, he is asking his disciples to open their spiritual eyes and behold what he already begun and reap the spiritual harvest of his purpose to save all of mankind. Jesus has labored and he wants his followers to reap what he has done.
Spiritual growth is something that the Lord expects us to walk into. It is sad to watch many Christians not be concerned about their own progress in intimacy with the Lord. We sometimes forget that our role here on earth is to continue bring people to know Christ and make disciples of all nations so we can bring glory to God.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think John used harvest in this story as a comparison to spiritual growth?
DOING GOD’S WILL IS NOURISHMENT ILMA’S VLOG
June 18
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DOING GOD’S WILL IS NOURISHMENT
27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” 28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. –31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.- John 4:27-34
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At this point of the story about this Samaritan woman whom Jesus intended to meet at the well, we can observe the amazement of the disciples who watched Jesus defied the protocol not to talk to Samaritans if one is a Jew. They couldn’t even voice out their questions about the radical act of Jesus approaching and talking to a Samaritan woman. I am certain that Jesus knew what they were thinking. He is God after all. The disciples avoided the question and diverted to asking him to eat. They were offering Jesus food for the body but the Lord speaks to them about spiritual nourishment that comes from doing the will of God. Yet, the disciples didn’t understand spiritual things because at this point Jesus have not died yet on the cross, so they do not yet have the Holy Spirit living in their hearts to teach them about spiritual things. So, they were wondering if someone else have brought food for Jesus. This is an interesting conversation where the disciples are talking about fleshly things and Jesus is speaking about spiritual things. So, the disciples didn’t comprehend what Jesus was saying. Isn’t this what happen to most of us often? We miss out the lesson because we are looking at it in the worldly perspective? Because we are humans, we are limited in understanding, but once, we become believers, we have the Holy Spirit living in us who will make us see things beyond what we can understand. We are given the power to have discernment and wisdom to do the things that the Father ask us if we believe and obey. Once again, the writer John gives us an amazing picture of Jesus purpose when he came down on earth: salvation for mankind. The physical nourishment is not as important as the spiritual food that comes from doing God’s will.
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REFLECTION
• What has God been asking you to do for his will to be done here on earth?
WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH ILMA’S VLOG
June 17
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WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH
15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” 16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” – John 4:15-26
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In this story, we finally get to the purpose why Jesus came by Samaria to meet this woman. Since Jesus is God, he probably already knew how this woman would respond to his invitation to salvation. Jesus broke protocols between the Jews and the Samaritan by speaking to this woman but he must have known that she would also want the living water that Jesus’ offered. She didn’t realize that she had been searching for something to quench her thirst and didn’t know where to get it. Jesus reveals himself to her as the Messiah. There is a very important message in verse 24 that Jesus requires from believers, that is, to worship Him in spirit and truth.
It is interesting that we associate worship with singing psalms and hymns but Jesus requires us to worship in spirit and truth. Many churches place so much emphasis on performance when they worship in their Sunday services. Do we really worship God in spirit when we look like the “world”? We miss out the “truth” part in the worship requirement of God when we don’t even meditate on Scriptures or live holy lives.
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REFLECTION
• What does it really mean to worship God in truth and in spirit?
• Can we worship God without knowing Him and his word? Why or why not?
THE WELL OF LIVING WATER ILMA’S VLOG
June 16
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THE WELL OF LIVING WATER
7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? 12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”– John 4:7-14
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There was a long history of the conflict between the Jews and the Samaritans that dated back in the days of King Rehoboam where the Jews hated the Samaritans and they never spoke to each other. In this story, we see Jesus defying the protocols between Jews and Samaritans by speaking to a Samaritan woman. So, the woman was bewildered why a Jew would even talk to her and ask her for a drink. In John 4:4, it says that Jesus had to pass to Samaria. He had a plan to meet this woman. It wasn’t coincidence. He came to save this woman who had been thirsty all her life for living water and she didn’t even know it. Jesus starts a conversation with her by asking for water to illustrate what he already knows about her. He knew that she had been searching for something to quench her spiritual thirst. In verse 12, she began to wonder who this man was and asked if he was greater than Jacob. His reply illustrated the actual dilemma she was in. He assured her that if she drank the water he gives, she won’t be thirsty at all anymore and that it will be a well of water that springs up to eternal life. Jesus was explaining to her the difference of what his kingdom can offer versus what the world gives. The difference between Jacob’s well and Jesus’ well is that the water from Jesus’ springs from eternal life which means that when you have Jesus in your heart, you will never be feeling empty again. He fills you up and quenches your thirst.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think Jesus defied the protocol of not associating with Samaritans?
• Why did Jesus pass by Samaria to meet this woman? What was Jesus’ agenda?
RESTING AT THE WELL AT THE SIXTH HOUR ILMA’S VLOG
June 15
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RESTING AT THE WELL AT THE SIXTH HOUR
Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3 He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. 4 And He had to pass through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob’s well was there. So, Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
– John 4:1-6
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Jesus and his disciples walked on foot. Jesus knew that the Pharisees were going to make a big deal of his disciples baptizing more people than John the Baptist so, he left Judea. Though John talks about Jesus’ divinity in the earlier chapters, we are shown here how he is also fully human and experiences the limitations of a human body. He was tired and needed to rest. Verse 4 tells us that he had to pass by Samaria, the purpose of which we will know in the later part of this chapter. He sat resting at Jacob’s well. John refers to the time of day as the “sixth hour.” There is some debate over which time system John uses in his gospel. Roman time, which starts at noon, would make this around 6pm which is most likely. However, we can see that John’s clock is interpreted differently from version to version. Some bible translations are more modern in their mention of the time. The other possibility is that John may be using the same time-system as the other gospels, which start the day at 6am. So, Jesus may be sitting at the well at noon or at 6pm. Either way, this is hot and inconvenient hour of the day to get water at the well.
In this story, we get a glimpse of Jesus’ humanity. He gets tired of the religious leaders constant grumbling, walking miles and miles in the heat and yet mindful that he needs to meet someone at the well. We know that the next part of the chapter talks about the Samaritan woman whom he purposefully planned to save. It is interesting that despite all the tiredness and challenges that the religious people posed on his ministry, he still continued to take on the work of bringing others to salvation. John, once again gave us a character sketch of the faithfulness of Jesus to follow God’s purpose to save people from their sins as we are about to witness how He interrupted the Samaritan woman’s living in a state of sin, hopping from one man to another in the ensuing verses. What a loving God!
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REFLECTION
• How do we know that Jesus was both God and human in this story?