(Oops! I forgot to post these notes from last week!)
My Summer time Bible Readings with 11 year old Jessica.
John 4:27-38
Any questions?
J – What are benefits (John 4:38)
That means rewards or the good things. Like if you work to clean your room and someone else gets to play in it. They get the benefefit of the clean room.
Do you understand what he means when he talks about his food?
J – Sort of, kinda, – not really.
Well, what does food do for you?
J – It makes you not hungry?
Why are you hungry?
J – You haven’t eaten for a while? I’m just guessing.
You need food because you need energy. So what is Jesus saying about what gives him energy (John 4:32-34)?
J – It’s funny when they say “Did someone bring him food?”
But what is Jesus saying about what gives him energy?
J – He says his food is to do God’s work. He uses energy to do God’s work?
Do we use energy when we get food or get it?
J – Get it.
So he’s saying that doing God’s work gives him energy. So the disciples didn’t understand why he was talking to her, but Jesus was doing Gods work by teaching her.
John 4:39-42
So what do you think was Jesus’ and God’s work in that place?
J – It was making more Samaritans to believe in him because they saw him for themselves.
John 4:43-54
Any questions or anything that you think was cool?
J – It was cool that Jesus was just standing there and said “your son will live” and he did. He didn’t even have to go there.
I think that’s cool too. Notice that the man believed, but he still checked the time and then he really believed. You know why?
J – No.
Because even though he believed he still had some doubts. It cool to me because I can be like that sometimes and Jesus wasn’t mad at him for not having a lot of faith at first, he still healed his son. So that means Jesus won’t be mad at me if I don’t have a lot of faith at first.

My Summer time Bible Readings with 11 year old Jessica.
Have you heard this story before?
J – I remeber Jesus being by a well with someone.
What does he mean by living water (John 4:10)?
J – I don’t know, water from God probably?
He did say that it was God’s gift. Why does he call call it ‘living’ water?
J – Because it’s from God and if you’re with God you’ll never die?
But what is it, is it really water?
J – No, I don’t think so.
Then what is it?
J – I think it’s the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is from God. God’s spirit & the Holy Spirit will give eternal live
I think that’s a possibility, but Jesus uses an example or a symbol here with the water and he doesn’t say exactly what he’s taklking about so it could be the Holy Spirit, that makes sense.
J – Looking at the text that’s what I thought.
“Looking at the text”?
J – That’s what we did in school last year with Mr Ward.
Since he didn’t say, it could mean other things too, right? What else do you think it might mean?
J – Thats really my only guess.
I think might mean his teachings or his way of life as well as the Holy Spirit. In other words he could teach her a new way to live and a new way to look at life and everything.
J -Why did he use water as an example?
Water is very important to life. Without water, we will die. Also, that woman was asking about getting water. And water was important to Jesus’ ministry, because he baptised. In fact, Jesus might have been talking about baptism too. He just came back from baptising and later, after Jesus dies on the cross, we learn that baptism is for our forgiveness of sins – the way we make things right with God – and when we recieve the Holy Spirit.
J – Did the woman know that Jesus wasn’t really talking about water?
Not at first, look at what she asks him in John4:11:

“Sir,” the woman said, “you don’t have anything to get water with. The well is deep. Where can you get this living water?

and then again in John4:15:

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water. Then I will never be thirsty. And I won’t have to keep coming here to get water.”

J – But that’s not true.
She will still need real water, won’t she? Do you think she understood at the end?
j – Yes I think so.
It’s hard to say for sure, but I think so too.

My Summer time Bible Readings with 11 year old Jessica.
John 3:1-20
Dou you have any questions?
J -Why did Nicodemus go at night?
He was a Pharisee, which was like a leader in the Jewish ‘church’. Do you remember what the Jewish leaders thought about Jesus?
J – I don’t think they liked him.
Right, so Nicodemus went at might because he did want the other Pharisees to know he was curious about Jesus.
What does Jesus say at the end (John 3:19-20) about things done at night?
J – I understand 19 more than 20.
What does 19 mean?
J- Jesus came to help people believe in God, but people love to do what Satan want them to do.
It says, not that they loved to do evil, but that they loved the dark because they did evil. That way no one would see what they did.
J- At church my class talked about light and dark. We talked about the light being God and dark being Satan.
A lot of times in the Bible that’s true, light=good, dark=evil.
So if we’re dong bad things do you think it always means actual darkness (John 3:20)?
J – No
What does it mean if its not just darkness
J – I don’t know maybe jealousy or something like that?
When you play hide and seek do you always hide in dark places?
J – Usually not, unless its dark out.
This talks about people hiding so others can’t see them.
J – Basically hiding their sin so no one else can see.
Right. Are you tempted to hide your sin, to do what your not supposed to do when we or you teachers are not looking?
J – Yes.
But God can see, God always knows. You can’t hide from God. Jesus says that people who follow God won’t hide what they do, because they are trying to do the right thing. Not only that, but when they are in a place that’s hidden, they won’t want to do bad things. When you are not around Mom and Dad or teachers, what kind of things do you do or want to do? What words do you say? The things you do when there’s no one watching says a lot about the kind of person you are.
John 3:21-36
Question
J -Why did John talk about a bride and groom?
It’s an example. Remember why John said he came? He came to prepare the way for Jesus. So he means that it’s not about him any more, Jesus is here. Just like when there’s a wedding people don’t look at the friends once the bride and groom arrive, the people shouldn’t be concerned about John now that Jesus is here.
J – I have another question. What’s a witness?
Witness means to see. You see something, you witness it. ‘To witness’ also means to tell about what you what you know or have seen.
J – Like I witness you typing right now?
Yep.

My Summer time Bible Readings with 11 year old Jessica.
John 1:35-42
J – Why did he call Simon Cephas?
Later He said “on this rock I will build my Chucho” and Peter helped start the first Church of Christians.
John 1:43-51
What do you think Jesus is doing with all these people?
J – I don’t know
Do you think it sounds like he’s getting ready to do something important?
J – Yes.
He’s getting ready to start his ministry of teaching people about God, so he needs helpers. Why do you think he needs helpers?
J – Maybe so they can become disciples and they will go to heaven when they die and be with him.
But that’s not why he would need a helper.
J – Oh, but that’s what was on my mind. Maybe because there are a lot of people and then he can have more than one to preach at different places.
OK, that’s a possibility. I think it’s so when he went back to heaven they could keep on teaching and teach others to do it too. The story of Jesus has been told my men for about 2000 years since he died on the cross.
John 2:1-11
This is one of my favorite miracle stories. What do you think of it?
J – I don’t know what I think
Do you know how much a gallon is?
J – Like a milk jug
Yes, 20-30 of these.
J – We don’t have room in our ‘fridge for that!
Do you want to know why I like this story?
J – Yes.
Jesus said to his mom that it wasn’t his time, do you know why?
J – No.
I think he means it wasn’t time from him to start his ministry & start doing miracles to show people who he was. But his Mom sort of makes get involved, right?
J – Yes
What does Jesus do?
J – He turns the water into wine.
So Jesus, who was God and ruler over everything, changed his plans and obeyed his mom. He was a son on earth so he had to do what a son would do.
You should remember that. 🙂
John 2:12-24
J – What does is mean in John 2:17 when it says “My great love for your house will destroy me.”?
It’s kinda like saying his love for God’s temple will drive him crazy. It’s a way of saying how much he cares for gods house.
J – So there were sheep and cattle in it?
Yes
J – I don’t think we’d put sheep and cattle in the school [we have Church in a middle school].
But we do bring things to church that distract us from God sometimes, and not just toys and stuff. Sometimes we bring distractions in our mind that keep us from understanding what is taught at church.
What if we knocked the school down (John 2:19), could we put it up in 3 days?
J – Nope and I don’t think they’d like it if we knocked it down.
The Jews didn’t like the sound of it either and wondered Jesus was up to.

My Summer time Bible Readings with 11 year old Jessica.
John 1:1-18
This passage can be confusing, do you have any questions?
J – I can’t remember.
It talks about Jesus, how he was around from before the begining and after the end.
J – Forever and always. There’s no begining to Jesus and there’s no end to jesus. I think his life is like a circle, it keeps going and going.
I like that.
Do you know about the apostle John and John the bpatist?
J – I know there is two, but not the difference.
This talks about John the Baptist, he came first, before Jesus, to announce that Jesus was coming. That’s what God said would happen.
J -Was Jesus with God before he was born?
Yes, it says that here in John 1:1-2 – Jesus is called the word & the light.
It talks about John and Jesus in another gospel, they were cousins like you and Tim. Just like Tim was born a few months before you, John was born a few months before Jesus.
This is says how Jesus who was God came to be a man and in Luke it tells how he was born in a barn, with the cows.
John 1:19-28
J – Why did they want to know who he was?
Remember it said John gave witness (John 1:15), so he was talking about Jesus in publlic. And the leaders, priests, levites, pharasees, wanted to know why he was preaching in public and what he was about. They thought he might be the savior, but he wasn’t. He told them he was the one to prepare the way for Jesus, to tell people to get ready, the savior is coming.
John 1:29-34
J -What happened to him being born?
That’s in Luke.
J – Is this after he rose from the dead?
No.
J – Was Jesus already on land?
He was. It was after he was born and grew up.
J – Now he’s going to baptize with the Holy Spirirt? That’s what it ssys, right?
Not yet, that happens later. We can read about that in Acts.

A year or two ago, my oldest daughter and I used to read the Bible together in the mornings. We didn’t do it for very long, but she evidently remembered it. A few weeks ago she asked when we could do it again, so I decided this would be a good summer time activity.
We decided to read together on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and we got started this past Wednesday. I’m going to try to post notes on our conversations, these are the notes from Wednesday and today.
I asked her what she wanted to read and she said Psalms, so that’s where we started. I think that’s a bit deep at times for an 11 year old, so I asked if we could switch over to reading John so that’s what we’ll be doing come Monday.
This will likely be as good for Dad as it is for Jessica (or Emily, who’s 9 and will join us sometimes). We’re reading from the New International Reader’s Version, or NIrV.
Wednesday – Psalm 1
What is the law of the lord (Psalm 1:2)?
E – His commands.
J – The Bible.
If you were a tree, where would you want to be (Psalm 1:3)?
J – Near a streams of water
Would you want to be straw (Psalm 1:4)?
J – No!
Do you want everything you do to turn out well (Psalm 1:3)?
E – Yes
So, what should you do?
E – Obey God’s law.
What does it mean to be Godly (Psalm 1:6)?
J- It means you trust in God & you are a Christian. You read the bible and you believe that God is there and you trust him like a good friend – like you’ve been friends since in kindergarten.
Being Godly is more than that. It means you obey God (Psalm 1:1) and do the things you he wants you to do.
What can you do today that you learned from Psalm 1?
J – Be good and obey Mom and that would be just like obeying Jesus.
Friday – Psalm 2
God is using symbols in Psalm 2:6. Symbols are like the walk sign down town shaped like a man.
Psalm 2:1-5 are not symbols, but are talking about big general ideas. It talks about nations and kings in general, not specific kings or countries.
J – ‘Big Idea’ reminds me of veggie tales.
What do the nations do (Psalm 2:1-2)?
J – Plan evil.
How do nations stand against God (Psalm 2:1-2)?
J – Like smoking is bad and if one person smokes, another might follow their example and then another ..
Especially if a leader of the nation does evil then the people will follow.
J -Like the president or the government.
yes
God talks about a son, who is that?
J- Jesus
But this was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born. How did the person who wrote this know about Jesus?
J – Maybe God told him somehow?
I think so.
The end is the part we should think about because the rest is mostly symbols & big ideas, but the end talks about Jesus.
Does Jesus really rule (Psalm 2:8-9) like we think about rulers?
J -No
But he’s in charge isn’t he?
J – Yep.
What does it say we should do with Jesus (Psalm 2:12)?
J -Obey him completely or he will be angry.
Most people don’t like to think of Jesus being angry, but this says disobedience makes him angry.
J – If people knew that God created us they would be grateful because if it weren’t for God we wouldn’t be here and some of our favorite things have happened. Like graduating from 5th grade.
What does it say about our way?
J – Our way of like leads to death.
What does our way mean?
J -I don’t know.
Well, there’s God’s and our way. Can you think of something that God wants you to do that you don’t?
J – Hmmmm – Oh, I know, read the Bible but I don’t always read it.
That’s a good example because in the Bible we find out who God is, what he’s like and what he wants us to be. I don’t read my Bible as much as I should either, so I’m glad we’re doing this together.
If we don’t read at all or rarely, then we won’t know about him and that way – which is our way – leads to death.
Do you think God means death like a funeral?
J – It’s hard to explain, but I think it means death in Jesus.
I think it means heaven or hell
J – That’s what I mean.

Ephesians 6:4 – “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Fits with what Patrick said. Teach them that God’s way is good and how to follow it.
Ephesians 6:6-8 – If this is how slaves were to act, how then should I act as a mere employee? Or as a spouse? A church member? Sometimes it can be hard to do the right thing, to obey and authority or to respond with sincere respect and submission. But, it is good to remind ourselves, God is watching and he will reward me. Of course, truly following this passage would mean not doing the good looking for reward from God, but think it’s OK in the spirit of the passage to be comforted by its expectation.
I never noticed before, as I do now, the pairs of relationships addressed here in Ephesians 5-6. Paul has instructions, and challenging ones, both both wives and husbands, parents and children, slaves and masters. Their instructions are complimentary – wives must submit, but husbands better love them on the same level as Christ did the church; children obey, but fathers, don’t provoke them; slaves obey, but masters, remember they serve the same God in heaven. there is more responsibility laid on the leader’ to create and environment where the obedience is possible and even easy.
In both Ephesians 6:11 & Ephesians 6:13, Paul says to put on the full armor of God. Don’t leave any piece off. Though it may seem that your burden is lighter, you are left exposed. That involves truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, the word of God and prayer. It’s too easy to leave one of these behind, or to put one down in order to pick up another.
In Ephesians 6:12 he reminds us that we are fighting a battle that is largely hidden in another realm. The battle s within our hearts and souls. Who will we be there, where no one but God can see?

Ephesians 5:1 sums up the previous section – Imitate God, not the world. Don’t do as everyone else does, as you used to do, but do as God would do, as Jesus did.
Ephesians 5:3 in the NIV has been used more literally than the ESV would allow. The NIV speaks of “not be even a hint of sexual immorality” which has often been used to dis-allow things like being alone with your boyfriend / girlfriend, living with the opposite sex, etc. (The NIV say the same thing about impurity and greed, but I don’t recall that being emphasized. Applying the same standard, my new car might be “a hint of greed” I guess. But I digress.)
In the ESV the same passage says “sexual immorality … must not even be named among you”. This comes across more as emphasis than command on behavior. In other words, this is so unbecoming a disciple of Jesus, we shouldn’t even speak of it! The application may be similar, i.e. double dating, but the ‘feel’ of it is very different. It speaks to the heart, the mindset, whereas the traditional view of ‘not a hint’ was more focused on behavior.
Ephesians 5:5 speaks of an inheritance, or rather a lack of one for those who live in immorality, impurity or greed. Back in Ephesians 3:6 Paul talked about being heirs as well, equally for both Jews and Gentiles. What’s also interesting is that Paul declares in no uncertain terms that a life characterized by sexual sin (immorality and impurity) or by greed (the ESV says ‘covetous’) will result in no inheritance. It seems that American Christianity rails against the sexual lifestyle, but turns a blind eye to greed & materialism. In fact, many ministries even preach that God wants you to be wealthy or successful.
What does Paul mean in verse 11 when he says to expose deeds of darkness? The easy interpretation of searching out sin and exposing it does not fit with the rest of the gospel, but I cannot think of what he may mean. Any ideas?
It’s easy to get bogged down in these specifics when the point is a continuation of Paul’s theme from chapter 4, that is for us to be different people, called out and separate. For us to think about who we are and what we do. He does not set out to give us rules and guidelines for every situation. Instead, he longs for the people of God to be able to live wisely, carefully, to understand God’s will. (Ephesians 5:15-17)
It is in that spirit that we should read Ephesians 5:22-33. Not as commands to be carried out, but as a calling to a new level of love and respect, a new mindset for marriage. It occurs to me that these two directives, for wives to submit and for husbands to love like Jesus, are in both tension and harmony. When both are practiced, each is easier to do, when one is missing the other is profoundly more difficult. For example, if a man is not laying his life down for his wife, how difficult is it for her to submit to him? And if she fights him every step of the way, how much more difficult is it for him to love her like Jesus?
But when the man is respected, his love for the wife soars and when the wife is loved, her respect for her man soars. God’s plan is good.

Ephesians 3:1-13 – I love how this entire passage is sort of an aside. Paul starts in verse 1 “For this reason I, Paul, ..” and then interrupts himself a few words later in verse 2 ” – assuming that you have heard of …”. He picks it back up again in verse 14 “For this reason I …”
The aside is simply to reiterate to these gentiles that God was watching out for them. So much so that he picked out Paul specifically to preach to them. God gave Paul, and the other apostles, access to a profound mystery. Not any of the mysteries that you and I would think of – what is the trinity, how was Jesus God and Man, how are we reborn at baptism. This “mystery of Christ” was “that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” Doesn’t sound to mysterious to you and I, does it? In fact, we take this truth for granted, but in that culture I suspect it would be profound. It had been for centuries, Gods people and the rest, the Jews and the Gentiles. This separation was right and proper and God ordained. How could it be that these two could be made one? Only God could do o and he did in Christ, giving both the same inheritance.
What’s really cool is in Ephesians 3:9-10, that the church would make known the power of reconciliation. That we would “bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known …” (ESV) Not only the intangible reconciliation of God to man, but the very real, visible and touchable reconciliation of Jew and Gentile. At the foot of the cross Jew and Gentile are one.
Perhaps the church today can do this same thing, revealing the reconciliation of God in our own fellowships. Can we bring the instrumental and non-instrumental together? How about the ICOC and the ‘mainline’? Are we not all “fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel”?
Paul goes on and makes his point in Ephesians 3:14-19, which is this. Don’t settle for a shallow gospel. He nearly begs God that the Ephesians would understand how grand this faith that they have is. He says it is rich, broad, long, high and deep and that it surpasses knowledge. Paul’s amazement with God and his love and his plan is obvious in this passage. It’s as if he’s saying “See it’s like this. No,no, that’s not good enough, it’s like THIS! No, I don’t think you understand it! It is so amazing! See, it’s like … ”
After all those superlatives, after nearly wearing himself out trying to get them to understand, Paul goes on in Ephesians 4:1 to call them to live “in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called”. What does that look like? Verses 2-3: Humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, love and “eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.” This is in the context of Paul’s continual reminder throughout the letter that God has made Jew and gentile one. Two who were separate and who did not understand or know each other. If God has gone to all this work to unite Jew and Gentile, shouldn’t they be eager to maintain it? Since they are different people with different histories and a history of division, what would it tale to maintain this unity that God had established through his Spirit? Just what Paul calls for: humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another, and love. You were tow, and now are one. Resist becoming two again, after all there is only one body, spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism and God.
In Ephesians 4:11-16, Paul indirectly charges the leaders with the unending work of striving toward perfect unity. Each of us leaders have been established by God to equip the members for the work of ministry and build them up until we are mature, not subject to the schemes of men and doctrinal fads. “When each part is working properly, he says, the body as a whole will grow.
As I read this, I feel as though we in the US are far to individual in our faith. Paul, as seen here, saw the the health, growth and maturity of the saints collectively, not individually. We tend to see our faith as a personal, individual thing. I think we deprive the Spirit of opportunities to work and our vision is shortsighted. Look at verses 15-16 in the ESV (emphasis added):

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We are the joints that equip the church, if we take our faith as our own, as personal, we deprive the church of what may be an essential ligament and therefore limit her growth. Of course we, as only a ligament, are very limited in what we can do on our own as well.
It’s interesting to me that after all that attention to telling these Gentiles that they are no different than the Jews in Christ, Paul then calls them in Ephesians 4:17 to “no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” I suspect, if he were to write to a primarily Jewish audience, he would tell them to “no longer walk as the Jews do, in the futility of their minds.” His point is to leave the old ways behind and embrace the new live in the likeness of Christ. And he goes on in verses 25-32 to describe some of the new ways they should live.

There’s a distinct contrast in Ephesians 2:1-10 between the then and the now. Once dead, walking in sin, children of wrath, sons of disobedience. Now alive in Christ, raised up, seated with Christ in heavenly places. It’s a reminder of where we’ve come from and where we are – and why: By grace, through faith. “And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8, ESV. We have nothing to boast about, we could have done none of it without God.
Ephesians 2:11-22 carries a common theme of Paul’s writings, the common salvation of both Jew and Gentile. He points out that before Christ, the Gentiles were separate from Go and His promises, “having no hope and without God in the world.” But then points out that Jesus destroyed that division, “that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two”. No, both Jew and Gentile follow the same path to God through Jesus. We are joined together, unified on our journey to God. The message of the cross is a message of reconciliation and unification on many levels, not just God to man, but Jew to Gentile as well.
Paul goes beyond just being friends or being nice to each other. He makes a point at several places in this passage to call the Jew and Gentiles together “one”. Not two men standing together, but “one new man”. Not two bodies of believers walking together, but “one body.” It’s not a truce or even a treaty, it’s a merging of nations into a new nation, “a dwelling place for God”. It’s a powerful thought and one we would do well to meditate on and pursue.