21 days of prayer and fasting

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Day Nineteen

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John Chapter Nineteen

For 21 days we will be looking at the 21 chapters of John as a church while we go through 21 days of prayer and fasting.

Today Bianca Burke walks us through John chapter 19.

The Meaning and Significance of John 19:30 - 'It Is Finished'

One of the very last words uttered by Jesus on the cross, “It is finished” in John 19:30, is one of the most important and poignant. The words, “It is finished” are found only in John 19:30. The Greek word translated “it is finished” is tetelestai, an accounting term meaning paid in full.

Jesus is saying in “It is finished” that the debt owed by man to his Creator on account of Adam’s sin is finally and forever dealt with. Jesus, with “it is finished,” is saying not only does He take away mans’ sin, but now He removes it as far as the east is to the west, for it is finished, done, signed and sealed because of the blood of Jesus.

When Jesus said, “It is finished” on the Cross, it means that He provides the only solution to mans’ sin and the only way to God through Himself. It is only through the death of Christ that Christians can put to death their sin and put on Christ.

In His death and resurrection Jesus defeated death in principle and with His decisive victory over death, He is now triumphant over death and the grave.

“It is finished.” And so, what is finished now for us? Thankfully, we are finished with any idea that we somehow must earn our way into heaven. That’s a good thing because we couldn’t do it anyway. We’re finished with rationalizing our sin and excusing it away. Instead, we can repent, confess our sins, receive God’s forgiveness and seek God’s help to do better. We’re finished with focusing only on ourselves. Instead, we can serve our neighbour in love. We’re finished with keeping track of our good works. Since Christ has finished the work for us; there’s nothing to add to it. Salvation is a free gift, accomplished on the Cross of Calvary.

So simply trust in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and in his finished work of redemption. “It is finished.” Jesus dies with the cry of victory on his lips. This is not a moan of the defeated. This is not a weary sigh of relief. Rather it is Jesus’ triumphant cry that now He has fully accomplished the work He came to do. The goal has been reached. With these words, Jesus shouts His victory over sin, death and the enemy. “It is finished.” But it is not over, not by a long shot. No this is just the beginning. The beginning of a whole new life, opening to you and to me.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Day Thirteen

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John Chapter Thirteen

For 21 days we will be looking at the 21 chapters of John as a church while we go through 21 days of prayer and fasting.

Today Bev Gregory (our Lay Delegate member of the Leadership Team) walks us through John chapter 13.

In John 13 we see that this chapter is all about preparation and love. Jesus is fully aware of everything that is to take place, He is aware of His divine origin and His destination.

Jesus was spending His last hours preparing His disciples for what was to come. Jesus sets the disciples an example of servant hood by washing their feet.

Imagine the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who calls God His Father, laying aside His clothes and girding Himself (girding means assuming a servant’s attire) picking up a towel, to wash not only the dust but every piece of detritus that clings to their feet, why? Because it was an example that He wanted His disciples to follow, that they all had to take on the role of a servant. He spent those last hours teaching His disciples and through His actions us, we too are called to be servants, we must humble ourselves in our love for others.

Jesus shows us that love costs. He is preparing to die for us, there is a price to pay when we love others and serve them, it can even be sacrificial, as Jesus’ love for us was when He went to the cross for us.

Jesus wants us all to be servants to serve each other, not valuing ourselves more highly than anyone else. We are to humbly and obediently obey the call to love our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those in society and those on the fringes of society, the hurting, lonely, broken and the forgotten.

When Judas went off to betray the Lord, Jesus continues to teach His disciples even though He was troubled in His Spirit. He gives His disciples a new commandment to love one another, by this He says everyone will know you are my disciples.

The world will know we follow Jesus when we love and serve each other and give generously of our time to those who need to know of God’s love and forgiveness, God’s love will radiate through us and draw others to Him.

This was the example that Jesus was showing to His disciples, an example of a gospel of love.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Day Ten

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John Chapter Ten

For 21 days we will be looking at the 21 chapters of John as a church while we go through 21 days of prayer and fasting.

Today Alexa Leech walks us through John chapter 10.

John 10 discusses the parable of the Good Shepherd told by Jesus to the Pharisees. It reads:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and they sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

The relationship between the sheep and their shepherd in this parable is powerful. The sheep not only know their shepherd’s voice, but they follow that voice with blind, unadulterated trust. The shepherd not only tends to his sheep, but he cares for them deeply – he knows them by name.

I read a story recently of a group of Turkish soldiers attempting to hijack a flock of sheep near a hillside in Jerusalem during WW1. When the shepherd awoke to the scene of his flock being led astray, he did what he hoped would bring them back: he called out to them with a distinctive call. The sheep heard his call and returned back to him without hesitation. The soldiers knew they could not override the power of that familiar and authoritative voice.

Do you know the Shepherd’s voice? His name is Jesus. Can you hear Him call out to you when you are being led astray, and do you run back to His cover of safety upon hearing Him? This passage tells us that they this comes only to steal, kill and destroy. The voice of the this is often appealing, and it likely sounds different to each of us. Whether it be temptation, envy, gossip, worry, or hopelessness, one thing is sure – it is never the truth. The sheep instinctively know to flee from the voice of a stranger, and God desires the same for us. The more familiar we become with His voice, the more natural it becomes for us to abide in Him, follow him, and respond to the truth.

Reflection:

Where, when, and how do I hear the voice of God most clearly? How can I make time for that daily?

What lie(s) has the enemy convinced me are true in my life? What is one practical step I can take to surrender them to God?