SWORD for John 15:5

S - Select the Verse/Passage to Study

John 15:5

W - Watch the context of the Text

John 15: 5 is part of Jesus Speech to his disciple before his crucifixion. Before the topic of branch and vine, Jesus talk about the role of the Holy Spirit, and after Jesus talk about the Persecution that His disciple will go through.

O - Observe the important Word

Remain - also can mean as Reside. Dwell in someone's place, or filling up the empty space in someone's heart.

Bear Fruit - Produce a result. Growth in Christ must produce something. A Renewal in way of life and spirit.

R - Reflect on the Message

A Person need to remain/reside in Jesus for the renewed life. However, Jesus need to fill the empty space of their life as well. We are living in the world where a lot of people live with the emotional emptiness. Many tries to fill that emptiness with temporary joy, and find its never satisfying. Only Christ in our heart can fill that emptiness.

The result of Christ in our heart is a change. The fruits we produce, never because of our effort but a continual work of Holy Spirit in our heart. The process of fruit produced in our heart is a long journey just like the real fruit in real life. It must go through many process before a tree can start to produce fruit. However, fruit is the significant sign of a healthy tree. Only when Jesus is remain in us than the fruit can ever be produced.

D - Develop a New Walk in Faith

By the Grace of God my prayer today will be to:

INVITE Jesus to enter my heart to reside and lead me in my path of Christian Walk

ALLOW Jesus to work in my life and help me develop and grow to become a transformed person in Him

ACCEPT that change can never happen on my own strength but through Him who has the power.

New Devotional Method Called SWORD

I am in a process on developing a new Devotional Acronym for the purpose of Singapore Youth Training Camp this coming June in Singapore. Now, despite the depth of DIVER, some who has used it says that DIVER will take a long time to get to the practical and devotional Lesson of the material.

I got part of SWORD from the FAST Program that i've been doing with some of the newly baptized member in our church and through the experience with them, i come with something that has emphasis on practical lesson without neglecting the important part of exegetical work of the text. However, i dont think one exegetical approach will ever cover the whole lesson of the Bible Completely. This method i use is just to help develop the habit, and the student grow and learn deeper about the Bible they may come with their own method or without any method at all.

Since this Acronym is still a "prototype", there will be change along the way.

For Your Love

I am a big fan of the song of the 80's. One of the song that i really love is a song by Stevie Wonder, with the title "For Your Love" The lyrics of that song really touch my heart and express the greatest feeling of love between two lovers.

Jeremiah 31:3 express the same feeling of God towards His people. As we see at the context of the Passage, this particular chapter was written in the time when Israelites had turned their head away from God. As the result, they have to go through the exile and invaded by different foreign kingdom. Yet, God gave them the assurance that His love appeared from the past or far away (in more modern translation) for the people of His heart.

God's love was defined in the word 'ahaba olam' or everlasting love in NIV. The word 'ahaba' often referred to described the loving relationship between husband and wife. The love of Jacob over Rachel, was described with 'ahaba' and that is the reason why he endures the bond he has to go to redeem her from Jacob's father in law. The same expression can be found in the book of Songs of Solomon where Solomon describe the feeling of 'ahaba' over his bride.

However, when the word constructed with the additional word of 'olam' it brought the word meaning furthermore. 'Olam' is the word that describe the vast and unmeasurable distance or intensity. Yet God's love here, was described unmeasurable.

Reflecting on this verse, Stevie's song "For Your Love" suddenly rang on my head once again. God of the universe, wants to have the best relationship with us once again. In the context of Jeremiah, the Israelites had abandoned Him once, but He wants to rebuild that relationship once again. In our context, we might been in the place,time, action, or even attitude that against His desire for us but yet, He said i want to love you with the love that cannot be measured.

Those of us who are married, or in the serious relationship, this verse surely can be something that you can experience yourself. When you say i love you to your spouse or partner, that feeling of happiness when your partner is around, that explosive feeling when they hold your hand, or probably just that awkward emotion when they sit beside you. That is the feeling that God have for each one of His people. God is in love, 'ahaba' with His people. This is the reason why, often God is described as 'jealous' in other verses because the love that He has is indeed possessive, a love that require the other side to be faithful to the commitment that has been made but on the same time redemptive when the other side fall short from the standard and ideal of that relationship.

With this kind of love, isn't it hard not to feel joyful and grateful? That God of the universe, the creator of heaven and earth, the owner of every single cell of the organism, the Lord of all Planet and Galaxy, yet fell in love so deep with us? That despite His business of taking care of planet, yet He still takes His time to write a love note for us, sending a bouquet of flower at our table, and if He has a Facebook account, He is proud to write at His status as "In a Relationship" with us, and His Interest is "Human Being"

It is hard for me to comprehend this wonderful message of the Bible, yet grateful that He is indeed in love with me.

DIVER for Jeremiah 31:3

D - Define the Context of the Text

1. Nature of the Text: Saying of the LORD

2. Observe the text surrounding the text: the verse is part of a speech in which God promise for a restoration of the people of Israel. (Vs.1-22)

I - Identify the Structure of the Text:

(statement) The LORD appeared to us in the past saying:

"I have Loved you with an Everlasting Love" (A)

"I have drawn you with loving kindness" (A')

The statement A and A' is considered as hendiadys, in which two expression led to the same ideas. It was confirmed in the hebrew text (BHS).

The noun "ahaba" in which the word "everlasting love" constructed first, before the verb "aheb" in which the emphasis was placed on the word ahaba itself.

V - Verify the important word:

Everlasting love: ahaba olam

Ahaba - noun

The Word Ahaba, is often used in the expression of love between husband and wife. The same word "ahaba" appeared in the story of Jacob and Rachel (Gen 29:20) to show the love that bloom between the two person, the same word ahaba appeared in the book of Songs of Solomon. At least 4 times (and more) the word ahaba is used to express the passion and love between Solomon and his lover. However, the word is not limited to the relationship of husband and wife. Jonathan and David loving relationship was described with the word "ahaba" as well even though it is not very common

Olam - noun

The word "olam" appeared 300 times in the Old Testament. This word used to describe the distance that are not measured. Most of the time, the word described the future with no end, vast and unmeasurable.

Draw: mashak

This word, in this particular verse described as "to extend", that in a distance God is reaching out into His subject. It was His action.

Loving Kindness: hesed

This word is not just a simple loving kindness in english expression. The Hebrew word itself often used in the term where covenant relationship exist. Means, its binding legally, morally, and completely both parties that went into the relationship. The word often used to describe God's love toward human, in particular the story of the patriarch and exodus. Where covenant theology is the main idea of how God relates to His people.

E - Explore the Cultural, Historical, and Archeological Background

The text was part of God's promise to the remnant of the northern Israelites after the the Assyrian conquered Israelites in 722 BC. Vs.5,6,9 is the internal evidence of this event

R - Read the Theological Message:

1. What is the message for the first hearer: that God loves them despite their rebellion and unfaithfulness

2. What is the message for the present hearer: God's love goes beyond who we are and what we can imagine.

The Song of The King

Psalm 45

It is pretty obvious at the beginning of the Psalm the writer talks about a song that is dedicated for the King. It is unknown to whom this king is referred to but most likely it is dedicated to David.

The songs described the wonderful and prosperous life of the king and divided into several character. Verse 5 describe the handsome demeanor of the king, while verse 6 explain the strong character of him as a warrior.

Significantly, the word justice was at the center of the passage following the chiastic structure of the whole text. The king was described as the being blessed by God because of His love of Justice and hates evil. This is indicated by the expression of "for this reason" that was repeated twice. Once for his outside appearance - vs.5 and for his inner strength - vs.7

Interestingly however, that a long part of the songs was dedicated to described a blessing that come in the form of womanly love of princess. at least 6 verses, (9 - 15) describe the wonderful passion that the king will feel on the presence of the Princess.

Lesson from this text for my Life:
1. Love Justice and Hate Evil - It is obvious that God does give his favor for those who love Justice and hate evil. We are living in a world where being evil is almost equal as being smart. People has no cares for the welfare of other human being, as long as you survive than you are just simply showing the people around you that you are on the top of the food chain.
Talking about personal conviction of life - it gives you the sense that obeying God's law is indeed important for life. It is the essence of life, the power that brings reviving energy for soul. Living within God's presence then become your passion of life.

The Glory of Ressurection

Main Text: Matthew 12:38-42

Why Jesus really special? Is it because of his ministry in this world? or because of his love for this world? What made him so special

If we talk about good people who live and serve other, Jesus is definitely not the ONLY one one who has done charities work.
People like Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, has done so many good things for others as well. Even Rihanna and Katy Perry too

Celebrities like Michael Jackson has more charities than Jesus can ever have while Bill Gates donates more money than Jesus to help others.

It seems that Charity and Service is one of the MOST influential aspect that made Jesus more than any other, but there is one thing that made him absolutely special.

Matthew 12:38 Gives one small hint into that ONE thing that made Jesus absolutely special.

The Pharisees asked Jesus for a what so called as sign of his claim as the Son of God. Now interestingly, Jesus has performed at least 9 recorded miracles as he come into this moment of conversation with them. Jesus has performed healing, long distance healing, exorcism, and even resurrecting a person from death! However the Pharisees still could not be convinced that Jesus is the true messiah.

Being tired of their stubbornness, Jesus then said to them "but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah" and referred to the time when Jesus will die and resurrect on the third day.

Yes resurrect and bring the true message of restoration to all people.

Restoration is God's big plan. While He does help us today by patching up our request for quick fix here and there throughout our life, God's bigger concern was to remove the true source of all problem. Sin

All the charities that has been done today, is God's small patch for human suffering, however He also looking forward for the permanent of restoration of this whole world and that started when the Son finally conquers Sin through his Resurrection.

It is important to notice as well, that both example (Nineveh and Queen of the South) was a foreigner, or in our term today non-christian, unbeliever, or whatever we like to label those who are not having the same faith like Christian. A word of warning there, especially from the context of the conversation. The Pharisees have seen and heard, 9 different miracles but it doesnt change their perspective over Jesus. Often time, Christian can be so fascinated with their own jargon and term, they did not see the true sign of all - The Resurrected Savior of all.

When The Hero Become Villain

Main Text: Matt 12:22 - 37

This is one of those ridiculous theme where Jesus was accused of coming from the dark side of the force. He is the "bad guy". He comes with the power from the devil!
It is very easy for us to claim something too good must come from bad side, when we put our jealously first even efore we know the person. Second, we often do that when we think that we are the most right one since the beginning.
it is obvious that the Pharisees just looking for some trouble with Jesus. They dont know where the power of Jesus come from but one thing they know - they couldnt do what Jesus is able to do. What a pity to them.
Having said so, i believe that Christ must be the center of our thought knowing that at the end all of us are indeed his follower. Without that ability, we will always end up in the same place accusing Christ coming from the Dark Side