Things to Come - Rapture of Saints

It will be private
1. Christ will return from heaven just as He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11)

It will be personal
2. Christ Himself will descend from heaven to the earth's atmosphere with a shout, voice and trumpet (John 14:3; 1 Thess 4:16-17)

It will be powerful
3. The souls of those already dead will return with Christ (1 Thess 4:14; 2 Cor 5:6-8)
4. The bodies of the dead will be raised immortal and incorruptible and be reunited with their souls (1 Cor 15:42-44,52-53; 1 Thess 4:14-16)
5. The bodies of the living will be changed to become immortal and incorruptible (1 Cor 15:51-53)
6. Both the dead and the living will be caught up together to meet Christ in the air (1 Thess 4:17; John 14:3)

It will be purposeful
7. Together all will return with Christ to His Father's house in heaven to be with Him always or at all times (John 14:2-3; 1 Thess 4:17, 5:10)

It will be preparatory 
8. As the church is raptured, the Holy Spirit will also be taken away from the earth (2 Thess 2:7)

It will be prompt
All this will take place suddenly: caught up (1 Thess 4:17), in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor 15:51-52)

John 15

Satisfaction of living is fruit-bearing (John 15:1-3)
Secret of fruit-bearing is abiding (John 15:4-6)
Strength of abiding is obeying (John 15:7,10,14)
Seed of obeying is knowing (John 15:15)
Sign of knowing is loving (John 15:9-10)

Tom Bentley

Obedience in John 15

Obedience affects our prayer (John 15:7)
Obedience authenticates our passion (John 15:10)
Obedience appropriates our position (John 15:14)

My Meditations for Christmas 2012

John 18:37

...to this end was I born...

Christ's Humanity

He presented pure humanity to God.

He brought manhood to heaven.

...for this cause came I into the world...

Christ's Deity

He presented perfect Deity to man.

He brought Godhood to earth.

The Conception in the Womb

...was I born...

* He Who inhabits eternity (Isaiah 57:15) dwelt in space (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:31) and time (Matthew 2:2).

The Coming into the World

...came I into the world...

* Only Christ could come into the world (contrast with John 16:21 - everyone else was born into it) because He existed before the foundation of the world with the Father (John 16:28).

* The Father sent and Christ came willingly (contrast John 3:17 with John 3:19; 1 John 4:9 with Hebrews 10:5).

* The usage of the phrase "into the world" is mainly found in John's gospel and mainly describes Christ either coming or being sent into the world which is no surprise as John's emphasis is the Son of God who existed from the beginning (John 1:1-3).

The Characteristic of the Witness

...that I should bear witness unto the truth...

* Christ is the truth (John 14:6)

* Christ is full of truth (John 1:14)

* Christ manifests the truth (John 8:40,45 - words; Psalm 33:4 - works)

The Challenge for the Willing

Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

* Are you of the truth?

* Are you hearing His voice (John 10:27; Revelation 3:20 contrast with Song of Solomon 5:2-3)?

Behold...(John 19)

John 19:5 - Behold the man!
cf. Zech 6:12
Loftiness of Christ
The Sinless Man

John 19:14 - Behold your King!
cf. Zech 9:9
Lowliness of Christ
The Sovereign Monarch

John 19:26,27 - Behold thy son! Behold thy mother!
Loveliness of Christ
The Sympathetic Master

Ways past finding out

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. - John 8:3-6 (emphasis added)

The Lord's actions stands in stark contrast to that of the scribes and Pharisees. When faced with those who were impatient and lifted up with religious pride the Lord was patient and stooped down in loving humility.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! - Romans 11:33