Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, special ones.

It really is another awesome picture from this window of glorious sunshine across the entire treescape. Above is a clear sky with not a cloud in view. But it’s cold. I did my little trick to avoid having to handle the dogs by driving about 80 yards down the highway to a turnout—then did my jog alone along the road from there.

Becki and Thano just returned from dropping off the little boys back home. They were with us for Thanksgiving Day. We had a great time with family and friends in Dallas.

I’m not sure exactly how my day will take shape. But I do know what I’m NOT going to do—and that’s to get out there with the materialistic mobsters to participate in Black Friday sales—competing for stuff.

Have a great Friday.

Love, Dad/Ray.

John, one of Jesus’ close disciples, is clearly the author of this piece of recorded history. John chooses to use a form of literary styling where he speaks of himself in the third person. So John himself was an eyewitness of this entire story and presents himself as “The man who saw it…and his testimony is true.” Let’s complete verse 35: “He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.”

Notice John’s statement of purpose: SO THAT YOU ALSO MAY BELIEVE. He wants to affirm that this is not just some made-up fiction—“I was there. I saw it all with my own eyes.” But since YOUR BELIEF is his main aim, he is also implying, “Don’t just take my word for it. Check out these Old Testament prophetic predictions that demonstrate their amazing fulfillment in Jesus’ life and death by crucifixion.” Three times in this reading John makes reference to things happening in a certain way “that the scriptures might be fulfilled” (19:24, 28, 36). Those scriptures confirm the TRUTH, encourage your BELIEF, and support your FAITH.

I believe we have before us another absolute statement that GOD’S WORD WILL BE FULFILLED, NO MATTER WHAT. Furthermore, I believe that YOU AND I PARTICIPATE IN THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S WORD, NO MATTER WHAT. What I mean is this: Our individual choices are the core factors that determine which roadway of Biblical fulfillment we travel. And for sure, both roads are going somewhere—both have benefits and/or consequences. Consider a passage like Hebrews 10:39: “But we are not of those who shrink back (choose a course away from God) and are destroyed, but of those who BELIEVE (choose a course that seeks God) and are saved.”