The Master's Plan

John 15:1-26 provides us with some very familiar passages! As we quickly recognize key the words here in this opening portion of John 15, it is important to look more closely at some of the lesser requested lines that deepen the meaning of what Jesus is saying here. These passages have many parallel meanings, that not only apply just to his disciples, but also apply to us and our  personal faith.

This part of the Gospel of John, is actually an address by Jesus to his disciples about the nature of how God is weaving a plan in the world amongst the faithful, those growing in faith, and the astonishing role that the disciples are about to play. Jesus is laying out how the process works: "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."( John 15:5) He explains this process as he also shows them the future for himself when he tells them: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

He further explains the changing relationship that he has with his disciples as he distinguishes them from being simple servants who do the will of a master without understanding the plans of the master, who will now become 'friends.' This will mean that as a 'friend' they are brought into the confidence of the master and therefore, will know the plans and are integral parts of the plan. Here is when we see something being formed that is much more then just a band of men who simply trail behind Christ as followers. Moreover, this band of men  will inherit the most incredible mission on earth for all time.

Jesus relates also, that as they inherit this mission, they will not become the center of great affection but instead often the center of great hatred. This is a daunting promise that would turn most people away. Who needs to be hated?  But as Jesus explains more deeply the  details of the plan, He also eludes back to what John has told us at the very beginning of this Gospel—that Jesus is the "light of the world." Light shines on Truth and so he gives us this line that initially may appear a little confusing when he says: "They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin."( John 15:21-22)  Here Jesus is telling the disciples and us, that because He is the 'light of the world," He illuminates all things in our lives- good and bad.

This brings us back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve seemed unaware of their nakedness until they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Suddenly, they are searching for fig leaves.  With Christ, He is forcing all of us to look at the sin in our lives; to not just buy into the cultural idea that all people are naturally good; that even when we think we are sinless because we have no arrest record, sit in church on a regular basis and pray a lot, we may be full of sin because that is really our nature. This is hard stuff to face up to.

In these times, we see whole churches and denominations, more today then ever, that have adopted the secular thinking that we are all OK- just a little messed up now and then. Many of these churches rarely speak to their congregations about sin. They deem it as intolerant and judgmental and they fear above all else that the Truth of Christ will cause people to run out the door. They forget to add that if we are all sinners ( Romans 3:23), then we most defiantly need the gift of salvation of Christ. However, here is the catch,  they also do not speak about salvation because they scoff  and ridicule the idea that anyone needs to be saved.

Yet, that was and is the plan of the Lord God. It appears that the plans of the  Almighty have been laid out more then we know. I was struck by the last words in this passage: "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning." (John 15:26-27)  From the beginning? Is Jesus talking about: "you have been in my ministry from the start."  No, it is much more then that. Again, we see an elusion to that phrase in the opening in the book of John ( He was with God in the beginning). More importantly, we are being told that the disciples were not accidentally picked out of the crowd. They were planned. We often marvel at the scenes where Jesus walks up to these men engaged in their livelihood, and presto they walk off with Jesus. They don't say, "please let me check with my wife," or "I left something on the stove."  They just go and keep going and keep following. Maybe it was not as simple as the Bible makes it out to be but we have no indication that they fought this decision.  Would you or I be so easily ready to leave? I have considered that Jesus had some very engaging powers in order to make this happen. But I think the real answer is here in this text. It was planned – from the beginning. Gods hand. Gods plan: Abraham, Moses, David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, … JESUS…..and Peter, James, John, Matthew, Bartholomew, James, Thaddeus, Simon, Andrew, Philip and Judas. Plans—from the beginning of time—all things created.

"O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago."  Isaiah 25:1

 

Laurie Erdman

 

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Togetherness

John 14:15-31

Jesus said, “When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am
in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (verse 20)

Much has been asked, discussed, and debated about the Trinity over the years. Although the Bible never uses the word Trinity, it clearly describes a God who reveals Himself in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and yet remains one united Being. It’s an incredible concept and one seemingly impossible for us to fathom.

One facet of the Trinity that has been quite inspiring and amazing to me is that of relationship. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in perfect harmony. They know each other’s thoughts. They are united in purpose. They are known completely, and it’s good. There is no fear, no defensiveness, no brokenness in their relationship. They are in constant, perfect community. They are One.

In today’s passage, Jesus tells His disciples that He’s sending them another Advocate, the Holy Spirit, that God will soon live in them, rather than near them. The promise of the Holy Spirit is for all who trust in Jesus as their Savior. God lives in us. We are Jesus’ body; we’re in Jesus. We are connected – to God and to each other. Our relationships aren’t nearly as perfect as the connection within our Triune God, yet Jesus describes our relationship with God and with each other as being much like His relationship with His Father. We can expect, as we grow together – and especially as we look forward to life in this new home Jesus is preparing for us – that the connection, the community, the unity will be significantly better in time.

Thank you, God, for desiring relationship with us and for your unyielding effort to connect with us. Thank you for sending Jesus to save us and your Holy Spirit to guide, comfort, and live inside us! Work in us, so that we will be more united with you and with your people.

A Place for Me?

There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you. ( John 14:2-3)

Much has been written about the lack of "interest" in heaven by modern Christians. To switch the old adage, have we become so earthly minded that we are of no heavenly good? Jesus told us in today's reading that there is more than enough room in His Father's house for all of us. He was as certain of his return -- "I will come and get you" -- as He was of His departure -- "I will only be with you a little longer. " How certain of this are you?

I am in the midst of reading the book Heaven by Randy Alcorn. It is a fascinating book that encourages Christians to use biblically inspired imagination to fuel our understanding and longing for heaven in the same way our Christian forefathers once did.

In his book, Alcorn wrote this of modern believers: "I believe there's one explanation for why so many of God's children have such a vague, negative, and uninspired view of heaven: the work of Satan. Satan need not convince us that heaven doesn't exist. He need only convince us that heaven is a place of boring, unearthly existence. If we believe that lie, we'll be robbed of our joy and anticipation, we'll set our minds on this life and not the next, and we won't be motivated to share our faith. Why should we share the 'good news' that people can spend eternity in a boring, ghostly place that even we're not looking forward to?"

What is your impression of the above quote? Do you see any truth in his statement?

Would the Father have put in place a plan of salvation for us were there not something "worth it" for believers on the other side of death? Would he have sacrificed His Beloved Son if heaven were simply the "default destination" for all people? Do we long for and teach our children about what is promised in eternity for those who know that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life?" Are we any less invested in our earthly existence than those around us that deny the realities of both heaven and hell?

Those questions are worth thinking about today as we ponder the reading from John 14. If we are not looking forward to heaven, than we certainly have misunderstood what was waiting for us in hell. And if we don't tell those we love about the certainties of either heaven or hell when we die, then we should not be surprised when they are not interested in learning about "the way, the truth and the life."

Anyone who believes Christ's death and resurrection did not deliver us from anything or prepare the way to anywhere, does not believe the words of Jesus himself. And for those of us that profess faith in Him, maybe we could spend some time thinking about the place that He has prepared for us. If we are harboring a secret fear that heaven does sound a bit boring, let's confess that. We can ask the Holy Spirit to create in us a holy, reverent, God-inspired longing for our eternal home.

And finally, let's ask God to give us the courage and passion to proclaim the words of Jesus that have become so controversial: " No one can come to the Father except through me."

Heavy Reading

Notice the reference to The Passover has occurred several times.  Once again, we acknowledge that much of what the writer John wrote in this Gospel is rather heavy reading isn’t it?  Foot washing ceremony – notice that Jesus was fulfilling the role of what a household servant would do normally.  Such humility.  Have you ever shared in a Christian foot washing service?  It is a practice in some Christian groups.  Judas Iscariot…what do you think of a man like that?  He was chosen/selected by Jesus.  He was treasurer of the group.  He heard the same words and lessons from Jesus as the other disciples.  He had the same opportunities to witness the miracles of Jesus.  Some folks have said he was destined to betray Jesus, so he just couldn’t help himself.  I don’t think we believe that, do we?  Remember, he made his choice – it was his decision.  Vs. 30 – can be thought of in a symbolic sense.  When Judas turned his back on Jesus, he went off in the darkness of night!  We must never forget that it is always night, and dark, and lonely when you turn your back on Jesus.

 

Donald E. Pardun

Getting Down in the Dirt

John 12:20-50

Today's reading contains one of my favorite images from the gospel. Jesus tells his listeners, "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels -- a plentiful harvest of new lives."

When the racks of seed packets show up in stores in late winter, I usually buy a few, even though I don't have any room left in the garden. Those cheery little packets of seed with the bright, colorful pictures of flowers or vegetables contain so much promise. I love them. I buy a few and put them in the box in the garage with the other seed packets (opened and unopened) that I've acquired over the years. And there they sit.

Those seeds have great potential, but sitting in a packet, they're nothing. They're dead. They'll sit there for years and years, and every time I go look at them, they're still just seeds. Nothing's changed.

And the bulbs I have stored in a box look like dried pieces of wood or clods of mud. They do not appear to have any life in them at all. If I don't get them into the ground soon, they'll shrivel up and really die.

When Jesus spoke of the kernel of wheat, he was speaking of his own death. Like a seed being planted, Jesus would have to die and be buried. And then like that seed or that bulb, life would burst forth from something that seemed dead.

But Jesus wasn't just speaking of his own resurrection; he was also speaking of reproduction, of multiplication. The seed not only springs to life, it produces even more seeds which, if similarly planted in the soil, produce even more.

When we speak of starting a new church, we call it "church planting." The image is fitting. Jesus began with 12 disciples -- 12 seeds, if you will -- who spread the gospel message throughout the region, planting more seeds that grew into churches that produced more seeds, . . . and the cycle continues.

We are the current crop of seeds carrying the gospel message, but too often we're quite content to sit in a packet in a box on a shelf, a picture of great potential that will never be reached.

Unless we get down in the dirt.


Drew Clausen

If He Wants You to Live

John 11:51-12:19

Desperate. Ironic foolish contradiction. Stubborn unbelief.

Here were the leaders of a nation; feeling their own power, prominence, & privilege threatened; conniving and clamouring not only for themselves but also fearing the end of nation. And, their best move is to plot to kill the Man sent from God, and also to kill the man the Man had raised from death to life!!

When all the people heard of Jesus' arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus. (12:9-11)

Jesus has proven by Lazarus' resurrection that He is Lord over life and death. Some saw, all had heard how Jesus had called Lazarus back from the grave. And their best plan?! Kill Jesus, and kill Lazarus too!

Did it not strike any on the Sanhedrin (but perhaps Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea) that if God the Son gives a person Life; if He wants him to live, death can never have him?!

How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
...Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
Psalm 62:3,5,6

I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
Where, O death, are your plagues?
Where, O grave, is your destruction?
Hosea 13:14

O Jesus, help me to live in this certainty and hope today. Death around me! Death in me! Death because of me! But if You want me to live, I will live!!

PPaul