Encounter

By Graeme Cann

Encounter is a collection of daily readings from the New Living Translation of the Bible designed to take you on a journey that Jesus took three years to travel. You will walk in his footsteps through Judea, listen in to conversations he had with individuals, experience confrontations with those who opposed him, witness amazing miracles and be moved by his wisdom and teaching.

You are invited to not just simply read this book but to use it as a way of encountering Jesus Christ and engaging in a life-changing exploration of the whole gospel narrative. Such an exploration will raise many questions, answer some of them and set you on a journey that has the potential to be life-changing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: May 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9780228857167

Graeme Cann

Graeme Cann was an angry child, despite having a wonderful family. At 17 he had a profound spiritual experience which changed his life’s direction. In 1962 he married Julia and they joined the staff of The Leprosy Mission. For 16 years they helped pioneer ElKanah to both wounded people and those who ministered to them. The Christian Counseling Association of Australia was born out of a vision that Graeme and others had. Julia and Graeme have 4 children and 14 grandchildren.

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Copyright © 2021 by Graeme Cann

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-5715-0 (Hardcover)

978-0-2288-5714-3 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-5716-7 (eBook)

Acknowledgements

I am profoundly grateful to all those who in the richest ways have inspired me to pursue a path of service to others. My parents, my siblings, my children and grandchildren, my numerous mentors and a myriad of people who for all sorts of reasons have accompanied me on portions of my journey. I am especially thankful to my wife Julia, who doubles as my proof-reader and editor. She has for 60 years tolerated my weaknesses, encouraged my strengths, laughed at my jokes, supported me in my struggles and challenged me to aspire to be what God has called me to be.

I am also thankful to God whose love and forgiveness changed my life and gave me a new direction and a life purpose. I have sought to honour him by sharing much of what he has taught me.

Finally, I am grateful to the team at Tellwell Publishers for all their assistance in publishing this book.

Foreword

My wife Julia and I have had the indescribable privilege of being Pastors for a very long time and as very ordinary flawed people we had and still have much to learn. I am sure that we have made many mistakes and have frequently demonstrated our weaknesses and our frailties but the God we love and serve has been lavish in his gifts of love and forgiveness.

As we reflect on the past sixty years it is like God told us way back in 1962 that if we put our feet where Jesus put his, he would look after the rest. There is not a doubt that although, despite our determination to do so, we did not always keep our side of the bargain, God never failed to meet his; and seeking to encounter Jesus at every stage in our lives has been a wonderful blessing.

This book seeks to take you on a twelve-month journey in which you are invited to experience a daily encounter with Jesus. My goal in writing it is not so much to attempt a scholarly treatment of the Gospels but to capture the heart of God and demonstrate that to be one with the Father in our pilgrimage through life is not only desirable but imminently possible. For it to be possible is a direct consequence of God’s unlimited grace and mercy. For it to become desirable takes a conviction on our part that there is nothing in this world that compares with a relationship with God the Father through Christ the Son.

Our prayer is that your appreciation of the unlimited love of God and your experience of his unconditional forgiveness and acceptance will grow to become deeper and richer with every daily devotion you take time to read, every special verse you ponder and every prayer you pray.

THE CREATOR STEPS INTO HIS CREATION.

MATTHEW 1:18-22

JANUARY 1st

When the Apostle John said, The Word became human, and made his home among us, it was the shortest but most profound Advent statement in the Scriptures. Mark simply tells us that John the Baptist came telling of the One who was to come. Matthew and Luke on the other hand, give detailed historical accounts of the birth of the Christ, who would be called Jesus. Matthew writing for a predominantly Jewish readership begins with what he calls a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and Abraham. This is really a genealogy of Joseph.

Today we begin a wonderful journey together. Jesus has come. God is with us. He has saved his people from their sins and throughout this year we are going to put our feet where Jesus put his. His life on earth was remarkable and his death and resurrection opened a new door for those who believed in him.

PRAYER. As we walk in the footsteps of Jesus, we are excited Father, about what we are about to learn from our Teacher, Master and Lord. Amen

WORDS TO PONDER. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a Son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God is with us. Isaiah 7:14.

THE MESSIANIC MESSENGER ARRIVES.

LUKE 1:57-80.

JANUARY 2nd.

When Isaiah had spoken prophetically of John, he had said, He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him! The Father sent the Son. The Spirit spoke through John to prepare his way. The Trinity was fully involved as the Lamb of God, the Chosen one, the Christ, came to fulfill the words of Isaiah, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favour has come. Isaiah 61:1-2

Does it not amaze you today, that the same Spirit who lived in John the Baptist, who came upon Jesus, who led him into the wilderness, who raised him from the dead, dwells in you?

PRAYER. Holy Spirit of God who breathes the very life of God into us and brings the presence of Almighty God into every moment of our life we worship you with the Father and the Son. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:13

FROM HEAVENS GLORY TO A BETHLEHEM STABLE.

LUKE 2:1-20.

JANUARY 3rd.

He came to be our Saviour. For the Jews, the Saviour was always coming to save them from their enemies, but in hindsight we now know that He came to save us from our sin. He came as the Messiah. He is the promised one, the coming King, spoken about by the prophets down through the ages, and waited for expectantly by every generation. The angel called him Lord. The Word had become flesh!

When the shepherds heard the angel’s message, they went immediately to Bethlehem, saw the baby lying in a manger, then told everyone they met what they had seen and heard. As I read this it inspires me to instead of making a New Year resolution, I should write a New Year mission statement, which includes a commitment to making the Good News known to as many people as I can. After all, that is what our Saviour, Lord, and King, has asked us to do.

PRAYER. Father the announcement that a Saviour had come, means that there is Salvation for all who believe. That the Saviour is the promised King, means that there is a Kingdom to which we belong, and that our Saviour and King has come to be Lord means that we have someone to obey and serve. We thank and worship you. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. He is the light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel. Luke 2:32.

GIFTS FIT FOR A KING.

MATTHEW 2:1-12.

JANUARY 4th.

It is likely the Magi did not arrive till Jesus was nearly two years old and by that time living with his father and mother, maybe with family or friends. However, regardless of when it occurred their visit was important for at least two reasons. Their visit was important, because Herod, when he heard that they believed a new king had been born, was obviously afraid, although the religious leaders were dismissive. Herod’s fear led to the murder of boys born during the past two years. Another reason their visit was important, was the significance of their gifts. Each gift had a spiritual meaning. Gold was a symbol of earthly kingship; frankincense was a symbol of deity, and myrrh, an embalming oil, spoke of his death.

PRAYER. My heart is full of praise, Father. The coming of Jesus was not an accident of history. It was always in your divine plan and happened exactly as you said it would. For this I thank you. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, Abba, Father. Galatians 4:4-6.

PRIORITISING THE FATHERS BUSINESS.

LUKE 2:41-52.

JANUARY 5th

Jesus’s response to his parents is worth reflecting on. Basically, he questioned why they needed to search. They should have known, that, I must be in my Father’s house. Despite being only twelve, he knew for sure that he had been sent by the Father.

Of course, we know that although this event took place twelve years after the ‘Word became flesh,’ that Jesus is indeed the everlasting God and even though he was to many just a boy from Nazareth visiting Jerusalem, he and his Father are ‘still one.’ He had seen and heard what no one else had. He had been with the Father in creation, in fact nothing was created that was not created by him. He was Immanuel, ‘God with us.’

PRAYER. Father, the mystery of the incarnation is far too deep for finite minds. What we know is that you, in your amazing love and grace, found a way to identify with us. Thank you, Father. Amen

VERSE TO PONDER. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Hebrews 2:17.

CHRIST THE ETERNAL WORD.

JOHN 1:1-9.

JANUARY 6th.

John begins his gospel with a with a theological reflection on the incarnation. First, he introduces us to Jesus as the eternal Word, not as a baby in a manger. The Word was with God from the beginning. In fact, in the most amazing expression of divine community, the Word was God. God the Creator created everything through the Word. The Word gave life to everything and that life is a light that shines in the darkness. The Word is the true light, and he gives light to everyone who comes into the world.

Next, John introduces to John the Baptist. Not as a baby in his mother’s womb but as a fully developed prophet of God, sent by God to tell people about the light. He was not that light, but he came to bear witness to the true light. Tomorrow we will reflect on his testimony. Sufficient to say that this is the man of whom Jesus said, I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist.

PRAYER. Lord your divine plan, formulated before the world began, is centred in Jesus Christ, your Son and now our Saviour, Priest and King. For this we thank you. Amen.

VERSE TO PONDER. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children to glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into salvation. Hebrews. 2:10

THREE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS.

JOHN 1:10-13.

JANUARY 7th.

John begins by establishing the fact that the Creator God took on human form. Jesus the Saviour was God in the form of man. He was the Word who had existed from the beginning. The Word who was with God and indeed, was God.

In becoming human he came to God’s chosen people and they rejected him. Later in his Gospel John tells us that despite all Jesus wonderful signs and miracles most of the people did not believe that he was the Son of God. But to all who believed him and accepted him he gave the right to become children of God. John now introduces the concept of spiritual re-birth. They are reborn-not with a physical birth, resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. The supernatural process by which God is reborn as a human child, is the same process by which believers are reborn and become children of God.

PRAYER. Father, as we celebrate your supernatural birth in Bethlehem. We thank you for our supernatural rebirth. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. He saved us, not because of the righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5.

THE WORD BECAME HUMAN.

JOHN 1:14-28.

JANUARY 8th.

Now let us look at three things John the Baptist says about Jesus. First, when speaking to the crowds about Jesus, he says, This is the one I was talking about when I said, Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me. (vs 15). When the religious leaders asked him who he was, he answered them, I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, clear the way for the Lord’s coming. (vs23). Finally, when they asked him what gave him the right to baptise, Matthew tells us he replied, I baptise with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God, but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am. So much greater that I am not worthy to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Matthew 3:11)

For John the Baptist, the coming of Jesus was personally transformational. It gave him his life’s purpose. It caught him up into the plan and purposes of God for the world. I ask myself what the incarnation has meant for me. Has it been transformational? Has it given me my life’s purpose? Have I been baptised in the Holy Spirit and fire? When we answer yes to those questions, the story of the baby in a manger throbs with wonder.

PRAYER. Jesus I am in awe of you both as God and man. I am not worthy to be your slave, but you have made me your child. I long to be a true reflector of all that you are. Amen

VERSE TO PONDER. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called, Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

THE LAMB OF GOD.

JOHN 1:29-34

JANUARY 9th.

The ‘Lamb of God’ is a very apt title for Jesus, although I suspect that its true meaning was not understood till three years after John the Baptist used it. The Jewish people of course understood the significance of a lamb offered as a sacrifice to God. For them, sacrificing a lamb was the way to access God’s forgiveness.

Jesus’s purpose was to save his people from their sins and his ministry was a demonstration of his love and power as the Son of God. But His ultimate plan was to offer himself, the Lamb of God, as the one and only sacrifice for sin. To achieve this, he had to live life without sinning and without fault. Paul, writing to the Corinthians said his sacrifice was to be offered once and for all and brought the end to all further sacrifice for sin.

John then tells the pharisees that he has been baptising with water so that Jesus might be revealed to Israel. What did he mean? John’s sermons highlighted the truth that all had sinned, and that their sin separated them from God, and he called them to repentance. Matthew tells us that when the religious leaders came to hear him, he told them "prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. (Matthew 3:8)

PRAYER. Father thank you that Jesus was not only my sacrifice for sins but is also my High priest through whom I have access to you. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. This high priest (Jesus after his ascension to heaven) of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. THE FATHER SPEAKS.

LUKE. 3:21-22

JANUARY 10th.

John has already told us that Jesus is the Word, who was with God and indeed was God. He describes him as the one through whom all things had been created. We understand that John is describing the function of the triune God and is referencing the creation narrative in Genesis where the writer also talks about the Spirit moving over the waters.

In whatever way we understand the mystery of the Trinity, this much is clear; the Bible is consistent in its insistence that God chooses to connect to mankind through the three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Son fulfills a plan conceived in the mind and heart of Father by stepping into the world and fully immersing himself in the human condition. As he now steps through the doorway of Johns baptism into the fulfillment of why he came, the Spirit and the Father tangibly and powerfully identify with him. The Spirit descends in the shape of a dove and rests on him, and a voice, clearly Gods, declares his love for his Son and the greatest rescue mission in history begins.

PRAYER. Father I worship you as my Creator, Saviour and indwelling Holy Spirit Amen.

VERSE TO PONDER. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11.

WHAT JOHN THE BAPTIST SAW AND HEARD.

JOHN 1:29-34.

JANUARY 11th.

It seems appropriate that John’s testimony should be recorded here. All his life he had lived with the knowledge that God had a specific task for him to fulfill, and he dared to believe in and obey God. And because he did, he got to baptise the Son of God and he saw the heavens open and the Spirit descending and resting on the Christ. The prophet who once described himself as a voice shouting in the wilderness, clear the way for the Lords coming, now says that because he has seen what God said would happen, he can testify that Jesus is the chosen one of God.

What we have talked about today happened two thousand years ago, but the good news then was that he is the ‘God who comes.’ Today’s good news is that the God who comes is the God who is here. He is here, every day as our Saviour, Master and Friend bringing light and life into our lives.

PRAYER. Father, I thank you that you are the God who is here. Each day is filled with your presence. Every sin is forgiven, and every wound is healed. Thank you for coming into my life and my world. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘clear the way for the Lord’s coming! John 1:23.

MINISTERED TO BY ANGELS.

Mark 1:12-13

JANUARY 12th.

The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals and the angels took care of him. This short statement is all that Mark has to say about this crucially important event in Jesus’s life. Yet, for all its brevity it is nevertheless revealing when it comes to understanding the setting in which Jesus was tempted. There is no time for Jesus to prepare himself for the next forty days except to be baptised and to receive the Holy Spirit who descended on him like a dove. He is now physically alone, he is in a wilderness, he is hungry, and he is living among wild animals. While he is there, Mark says, he was tempted by Satan.

Temptation is never the same as abandonment no matter how fierce the trial. Jesus was hungry and surrounded by wild animals but protected by angels. Marks message to the non-Jewish believers to whom he wrote his gospel was simple. ‘You will experience temptation and trial, but God will never abandon you.’

PRAYER. Thank you, Father for your abiding presence. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. Romans 8:37.

STANDING ON THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD.

MATTHEW 4:1-4.

JANUARY 13th.

Religious people have always struggled with a tension caused by two hungers. On one hand we hunger after all the benefits our faith offers us, yet we continue to struggle with all the hungers driven by our needs and passions. Jesus is addressing these two hungers here. He has a temporary hunger for food, but he is driven by another hunger. That hunger is for unbroken intimacy with the Father, and he is declaring to Satan that he will not compromise the primary hunger for the secondary.

We too, as followers of Jesus live with the tension of two hungers, both of which represent needs that are valid and acceptable. Our Master has shown us that no matter how valid our secondary needs might be, they must be subservient to our primary need for intimacy with the Father. Fulfilling temporary needs at the cost of nurturing and preserving our relationship with the Father will lead us into sin and disobedience.

PRAYER. Thank you, Father that you have promised to be our provider. Teach me to trust your faithfulness. Amen

WORDS TO PONDER. Therefore, don’t worry about these things saying, ‘What will we eat?’ ‘What will we drink?’ ‘What shall we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:31-33.

DO NOT TEST THE LORD YOUR GOD.

MATTHEW 4:5-7.

JANUARY 14th.

The second temptation recorded in Matthew occurred when Jesus was standing at the top of the temple and Satan tempted him to throw himself off to prove God’s promise that, He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hand’s, so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. Jesus again replies with a word direct from the Father. The Scriptures also say, ‘you must not test the Lord your God.

Many of the most powerful temptations occur when we are faced with the desire to take a pathway that will lead us away from intimacy with the Father, but when we focus on his love for us, that truth empowers us to resist the temptation, and continue the pathway he has called us to walk. Jesus described that pathway in these words, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6. It is by receiving Him by faith that we find the way to God, the truth about God and the abundant life that he has promised.

PRAYER. Father, temptations and trials are the ways that Satan attempts to distract me from pursuing an intimate relationship with you. Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. My sheep listen to my voice; and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me. John 10:27-28

YOU MUST WORSHIP AND SERVE THE LORD YOUR GOD. LUKE 4:5-15

JANUARY 15th.

Satan claims that he has been given all authority over the kingdoms of the earth and he is willing to give Jesus that authority if he would bow down and worship him. Jesus’s reply was, "Get out of here, Satan! For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ It is important to notice that Jesus does not rebuke Satan for his claim that he has been given authority over the earth but simply rejects the temptation on the basis that it is only possible to worship and serve one God.

This interchange is a reminder to us that the same choice given to Jesus is the choice we are faced with every day of our lives. Who will you worship? Who will you serve? We cannot be undecided or double minded about this choice. Later Jesus was to teach his followers that they could not serve two masters, because they would hate one and love the other. It is interesting to think that it might be possible to hate one master and love another yet serve the one you hate.

PRAYER. Father God, I have chosen to serve you with my whole heart and to give my allegiance to no other Master but you, and I thank you for the enabling presence of the Holy Spirit. Amen

WORDS TO PONDER. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus Romans 8:1.

RABBI, YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD!

JOHN 1:35-51.

JANUARY 16th.

Much has been written about Peter’s Spirit inspired confession, You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God but according to John his confession was not the first. When Jesus tells Nathanael that he knows all about him, he exclaims, Rabbi, you are the Son of God and the King of Israel. Did he say this because Jesus had displayed his knowledge of him? No. He said this because in Jesus own words, Here is a genuine son of Israel- a man of complete integrity.

It is important to notice that Nathanael’s confession was inaccurate in one aspect. He saw Jesus Kingship, as being limited to Israel. Jesus tells him that his understanding is too small. You will see greater things than this. I tell you the truth, you will see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth. John 1:51. The King of Heaven and Earth!

PRAYER. Father, as you found Nathanael, you have also found us. As you knew him even before you met him, so, you know all about us before we came to you. We thank you that though you know us, you love us absolutely. Amen.

WORDS TO PONDER. Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways. For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?" Romans 11:33-34.

COME! FOLLOW ME.

MARK 1:16-20.

JANUARY 17th.

Let us reflect on how Jesus trained his disciples to be ‘fishers of men.’ First, he taught them about his Father and the Kingdom of God. Second, he modelled compassion for the poor and needy. Thirdly, he sent them out two by two to preach the Gospel as they had heard him do it. Fourthly, he modelled a personal prayer life. Fifthly, he prepared them for the day that he would be no longer be with them physically and promised them that he would send the Holy Spirit to be the constant presence of God in their lives. Finally, after his death and resurrection he commissioned them to go into the whole world, making disciples and baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, promising to be with them always.

After Jesus’s ascension they continued to learn and grow in wisdom and knowledge. Following Jesus will always be a learning experience. We have much to learn about him and about ourselves that will continue to enrich whatever ministry he calls us to.

PRAYER. Help me Father to always be willing to learn and grow that I might know you richly and trust you fully throughout all the days of my life.

WORDS TO PONDER. (The words of Paul after having been a Christian for more than 30 years.) I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead Philippians 3:10.

THE MASTER ESTABLISHES HIS AUTHORITY.

MARK 1:21-31

JANUARY 18th.

The first miracles that Mark records, occurred in Capernaum on a sabbath day. On that day he declared his authority through his teaching and demonstrated it through casting a demon out of a troubled man, healing a woman who had a life-threatening fever; and then in the evening, he ministered to a crowd of sick and demon possessed people who crowded into the city to be healed. It was a momentous day that both established his popularity with the masses and his enmity with the religious leaders of the day.

Early the next day, Jesus rises whilst it was still dark and goes to a solitary place. The previous day he had come from a solitary place where he was tempted by the devil and ministered to by angels. Now he returns, this time to pray and to be alone with the Father. According to Mark this new day was going to be as full as yesterday and the way he prepares himself is to renew his relationship with the Father, and to affirm his complete dependence on Him.

PRAYER. Father, thank you for revealing the secret behind living my life with spiritual authority. Teach me to be passionate about