Mineral Springs Church of Christ Podcast

As he continues the series on the gospel of John, Aaron Hill discusses a familiar passage, John 8:1-11. Though it is familiar, it is a text that is not found in most ancient manuscripts and so is excluded from many translations. While some may or may not believe it is a reliable part of the gospel of John, the text does teach important principals. The Pharisees bring a woman to Jesus. They report that she has been caught in the act of adultery. They say that the law says that she should be stoned, and they want to know what Jesus has to say about it. Their intentions are to trap Jesus so they can declare that He does not keep the Law. Jesus doesn’t fall for their trick, however. He responds that whoever is in the group who has not sinned should throw the first stone. They gradually drift away, leaving the woman alone with Jesus, who tells her to go and stop sinning since no one has condemned her. He shows grace to her. He knows that the Law highlights the need for grace, but the Pharisees don’t get the purpose of the Law. They don’t understand that they have been talking to the Lawgiver! Neither we nor they can justify ourselves or save ourselves. Jesus Himself was the only One in the group that day who had a right to throw stones, yet He offered the woman grace. Whether this short passage should or should not be included in the New Testament, it teaches an important principle: we deserve condemnation, but Jesus has offered us grace if we will accept it.

Minister Aaron Hill continues his series on the gospel of John in chapter 7 with Jesus still at the Feast. The leaders had commanded the officers to arrest Jesus earlier in the week, but they hadn't yet arrested Him yet. When questioned, their response was that no man had ever spoken like Him before! Other "messiahs" had appeared on the scene. They were killed and remained dead. Their followers scattered. They sought to build an earthly kingdom against the powers in charge, but their rebellions were quashed. Jesus, on the other hand, though He died, rose again on the third day. His followers may have fled initially, but they regrouped, and their message about Jesus spread like wildfire. Jesus didn't seek to build an earthly kingdom. He came to bring salvation, salvation that hinges on "Who," not what! The Jewish leaders of the day were more focused on following the rule of Law instead of knowing the God of their fathers. 

Minister Aaron Hill continues his series on the gospel of John by discussing Jesus' authority as illustrated in John 7. Jesus is still in Jerusalem at the feast. The people there have conflicting ideas about Him. They wonder how He can speak as He does, not having studied under any of their esteemed teachers. They marvel at the miracles and signs He performs. They know what He claims, but they don't believe it. They are astonished that Jesus still walks among them knowing the Jewish leaders are intent on killing Him. They do not understand that the Jews can't lay a finger on Him unless He wills it to be so. They don't understand His authority, the authority to give life rather than temporary satisfaction. They cannot comprehend that nobody is like Him, that He can give life to ANYONE. Jesus cannot be confined! He invites people to come unto Him. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38).

Minister Aaron Hill continues his series on the gospel of John as he looks at John 7. As chapter 7 opens, Jesus is in Galilee. He hasn’t gone to Judea because the Jews there were seeking to kill him. Because it is about time for the Feast of Booths, His brothers encourage Him to go. They say it is so that His disciples can see His works. Even though His own brothers don’t believe in Jesus as Messiah, they do believe in His miracles. Jesus tells them He won’t go because His time has not come. Jesus is focused on God’s will while His brothers are focused on their own wills. Perhaps they seek fame by association though they themselves don’t believe. 

Like Jesus’ brothers, we often seek our own wills rather than the will of God. We crave fame and fortune for ourselves. We value the teachings of men rather than the message of God. We seek to build our social currency. We are concerned more about our outward appearances than to our hearts. Instead of willing our own wills, we should focus on willing God’s will.

While we may often read scripture to see how it applies to us, we should recognize that scripture is more about Jesus than it is about us - a lot more. Jesus knows His disciples question Him. He loves them anyway. They don't understand all He does. He loves them anyway. Jesus' words are spirit and life. His words are what can give us true life, and He offers everyone true life. Some of His own disciples walked away from Him, but if we walk away from Jesus, to whom will we go? He is the Holy One of God. Jesus came to save the world. He knows us in all of our messiness, and offers us life anyway. Do we want the same for others? Minister Aaron Hill continues his series on the gospel of John as he discusses the last verses of John 6.

Minister Aaron Hill moves forward in his series on the Gospel of John as he continues through the passage in John 6 that follows the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, picking up in John 6:41. People have been fed, yet the Jews are grumbling, and Jesus knows it. They grumble because they know Jesus; they know His family. They question how He can say what He says. He tells them that only those who are drawn by the Father can come to Him. Later in John, Jesus will say that when He is lifted up, He will draw all people to Himself. All people will have the opportunity. Everyone will be able to come, but everyone won't come. Jesus says, though, that everyone who has heard and learned from the Father will come to Him. Those who hear and learn come and believe and have eternal life. Jesus promises eternal life in Himself.

Continuing his series on the gospel of John, minister Aaron Hill picks up in John 6:30-40. Although the people have just witnessed the miracle of Jesus providing bread to a multitude, they still ask, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?" They compare His miracle to Moses providing manna in the wilderness. Jesus reminds them that Moses didn't provide the bread for them; it was His Father who provided for them, going on to say, "For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." When they remain focused on the physical, Jesus tells them plainly, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." Knowing their unbelief, He declares to them, "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus IS the bread. He IS the only way. He is an all-satisfying Savior!

Who do we trust? Trust is not easily earned, but in Jesus' day, as in our day, people look for someone they can trust. As minister Aaron Hill continues his series on the gospel of John, he looks at John 6:22-29. The people here have just been fed, and because they have been fed, they follow Jesus from that place where they have eaten to the place to which Jesus has traveled. Jesus  tells them that He knows why they have followed. He tell them, "You are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves." They were following Him because of what He had given them to eat. Their desires were physical, for the physical life that the food he had given them would sustain. They follow, hoping for more. He admonishes them not to work for food that perishes but to work for food that endures to eternal life, food that He, the Son of God can give them. People want a personalized Savior. We want what God can give but on our terms. Unfortunately, we don't often want to change to receive what He has to offer. Our first response should be trust what Jesus can do for us and not what we can do for ourselves.

Minister Aaron Hill continues his series on the gospel of John by looking at John 6 and the miracle of feeding the five thousand, a miracle recorded in all four gospels and one that occurs soon after the death of John the Baptist. This is obviously an important event given that all four gospel writers include it. Jesus' ministry attracted many followers, but for what were they following Him? What did they believe about Jesus? What was their motivation? John 6:2 tells us they followed because they had heard about Jesus healing people. What do we believe about Jesus? What is our motivation? God has the ability to give us everything we need, but that doesn't mean that's what He desires for us. Jesus wants us to see who He is, the Son of God who sustains life. 

While it might make us uncomfortable to realize it, we all begin from a state of unbelief. Minister Aaron Hill continues his series on the gospel of John discussing the final verses of chapter 5 in which Jesus addresses his listeners’ unbelief. Unbelief is characterized in many ways. One is that a person does not have God’s Word abiding in them. Jesus will not abide in us if we do not abide in Him. Another is that people look in the wrong places. We might search the read the Bible daily, but if we’re only reading the words and not looking to know Jesus through those words, we are misguided. People who don’t believe often don’t have a desire for Jesus. Perhaps they desire glorification for themselves instead of seeking the glory of God. Jesus is not concerned with receiving glory from humans. He doesn’t need us. He doesn’t seek our will. He seeks only His Father’s will. People who do not love and trust Jesus do not have the love of God within them. Unbelievers will accept people who come in their own names, but not Jesus who came in the name of God. How can we glory from one another when we do not seek The Glory from the only God? Growing strong in faith is tied directly to giving glory to God. It is also true that people often just don’t believe what’s right in front of them. Jesus was right in front of the people of His day, and many refused to believe. We must not fall into their error.