Nicodemus. From John chapter 3. He was a leader of the Jews, a respected man, someone who had studied and knew God's Word. And yet He came to Jesus with questions.
Jesus walking on the water in John chapter 6. Defying all that we call true. Surely you would sink, right? Surely you would be horrified and afraid of the wind whipping up the waves! Surely Jesus was more than a man.
Healing the man born blind from John chapter 9. The people said it themselves, "never has a man born blind been able to regain His sight!" That was before Jesus. Nothing is impossible for the Son of God.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd, as He states in John chapter 10. No one else will ever care for me like He does. No one else has the authority to do so, nor the heart, nor the will, nor the ability. He laid down His life for me. Who else is like my God? No one.
Jesus knew Peter would deny Him. He knew all the disciples would run. He knew that Judas would betray Him. And He continued on down the path toward His own crucifixion, and my redemption. Knowing it all ahead of time didn't deter Him. I'll say it again, there is no one like my God and Savior!
In John chapter 15 I see Jesus' promise to me, and His plea with me: Abide in Me, and I in you. Because without Him I am nothing, I can accomplish nothing, and I have no hope in this world. Jesus spoke the picture of branches being unable to bear fruit unless they were actually attached to the vine.
Whom do you seek, indeed? The Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He asked them this simple question. I wonder how many of them REALLY found Him that night? How many of them realized that they were arresting their own Savior? The story is in John chapter 18.
The story of Jesus restoring Peter after his denial is found in John 21. Jesus asked Peter 3 times, "Do you love Me?" And Jesus told Peter that despite the denials, He had important work for Peter to do. Set everything else aside and love Jesus more than all of it.
I found grace in painting these this last fall. I had been struck with the beauty of a mosaic and decided I wanted to try painting something similar. These were hard, but so very rewarding! Like others for my church, they are 8' square and they hang all around our Worship Center.
