{"id":210,"date":"2019-02-23T19:05:20","date_gmt":"2019-02-23T19:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salvationarmy.ge\/?p=210"},"modified":"2019-03-10T19:30:37","modified_gmt":"2019-03-10T19:30:37","slug":"did-some-greeks-influence-gods-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salvationarmy.ge\/en\/2019\/02\/23\/did-some-greeks-influence-gods-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Did some Greeks influence God\u2019s \u2018NOW\u2019?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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<\/a><\/div>

If you have read my\u00a0blogs over the past weeks<\/a>, you know that I believe the answer is \u2018YES\u2019. Before I explain why, I believe that everything John chose to include in his gospel, is there for a purpose:\u00a0<\/p>

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.<\/i>
John 20:30-31<\/p><\/blockquote>

Nothing is included by chance. Even something that may seem like insignificant information, can in the stringent edited narrative of John be of vital importance for the understanding of who Jesus is and what his salvation means.\u00a0<\/p>

For John it was important to include that Philip and Andrew told Jesus that some Greeks had said:\u00a0\u201cWe would like to see Jesus.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0It seems as this was the clue Jesus was waiting for. His reply was:\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThe hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified!\u201d<\/i>
John 12:23<\/p><\/blockquote>

The story does not tell anything about a personal meeting between Jesus and the Greeks, however, I assume that they were in the crowd of witnesses to Jesus\u2019 exclamation and the events that followed.\u00a0<\/p>

So why did the statement\u00a0<\/i>\u201cWe would like to see Jesus\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/b>influence God\u2019s \u2018Now\u2019?\u00a0<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>

John\u2019s purpose was to communicate that the gospel is for the \u2018whosoever\u2019, not limited to God\u2019s chosen people. Greeks were synonymous with Gentiles\u00a0(1).\u00a0<\/div>
When representatives from these folk-groups expressed a longing to see \u2018Jesus\u2019 \u2013 I believe Jesus received the clue\u00a0\u201cmission accomplished\u201d<\/i>\u00a0=\u00a0\u201cGod\u2019s NOW\u201d has come<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0This was confirmed by two Jews (= Philip and Andrew) telling Jesus about the desire of some Greeks.\u00a0<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>

There is nothing that is a stronger hindrance to experiencing God\u2019s \u2018Now\u2019 than racism. Today this \u2018plague\u2019 is influencing even communities carrying the name \u2018Christians\u2019. The combination Christian and racism is impossible, because\u00a0\u2018in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek\u2019<\/i>\u00a0(2)\u00a0\u2013 we are all human beings.\u00a0<\/p>

\u2018Manna\u2019 for today:\u00a0<\/p>

Unity in Christ influences God\u2019s \u2018NOW\u2019!<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>

\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014-\u00a0
(1)\u00a0Paul shared this belief:\u00a0\u201cthe gospel of Christ \u2026 is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.\u201d\u00a0<\/i>Romans 1:16\u00a0
(2)\u00a0Galatians 3:28a
NB \u2013 this reflection is linked to\u00a0General Brian Peddle\u2019s \u201cCall to Mission \u2013 NOW\u201d<\/a><\/p>

Words by Colonel Jostein Nielsen<\/em><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you have read my\u00a0blogs over the past weeks, you know that I believe the answer is \u2018YES\u2019. Before I explain why, I believe that everything John chose to include in his gospel, is there for a purpose:\u00a0 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this…Continue reading Did some Greeks influence God\u2019s \u2018NOW\u2019?<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":211,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nDid some Greeks influence God\u2019s \u2018NOW\u2019? - The Salvation Army Georgia<\/title>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/salvationarmy.ge\/en\/2019\/02\/23\/did-some-greeks-influence-gods-now\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Did some Greeks influence God\u2019s \u2018NOW\u2019? - The Salvation Army Georgia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you have read my\u00a0blogs over the past weeks, you know that I believe the answer is \u2018YES\u2019. 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The context is Jesus\u2019 conversation with a grieving Martha. Together with her sister Mary, Martha had just buried Lazarus, their brother. Jesus said to her:\u201cI am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/salvationarmy.ge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/191012eng.jpg?fit=233%2C396&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":220,"url":"https:\/\/salvationarmy.ge\/en\/2019\/02\/09\/did-the-samaritan-woman-influence-gods-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":210,"position":1},"title":"Did the Samaritan woman influence God\u2019s \u2018NOW\u2019?","date":"February 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week(1)\u00a0I asked\u00a0the same question related to Mary,\u00a0the mother of Jesus. Today I visit Jacob\u2019s well near Sychar in Samaria and follow the conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman. 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