Love one another

Before the Festival of Passover, Jesus knew that his time had come to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them fully. Jesus and his disciples were sharing the evening meal. The devil had already provoked Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew the Father had given everything into his hands and that he had come from God and was returning to God. So he got up from the table and took off his robes. Picking up a linen towel, he tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he was wearing. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand what I’m doing now, but you will understand later.” “No!” Peter said. “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t have a place with me.” Simon Peter said, “Lord, not only my feet but also my hands and my head!” Jesus responded, “Those who have bathed need only to have their feet washed, because they are completely clean. You disciples are clean, but not every one of you.” He knew who would betray him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you is clean.” After he washed the disciples’ feet, he put on his robes and returned to his place at the table. He said to them, “Do you know what I’ve done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, because I am. If I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you too must wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example: Just as I have done, you also must do. I assure you, servants aren’t greater than their master, nor are those who are sent greater than the one who sent them. Since you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.

When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. Little children, I’m with you for a little while longer. You will look for me—but, just as I told the Jewish leaders, I also tell you now—‘Where I’m going, you can’t come.’ “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.” (John 13:1-17, 31b-35, CEB)

This is Maundy Thursday. We get Maundy from the word mandatum which is the word for command. Because we see in the passage above after Jesus shows the disciples how to love one another he tells them, “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples when you love each other.”

Even Judas was included in the action of washing the feet. The one who hands Jesus over is shown what love is. And Jesus knew what Judas was going to do. So we can not exclude those who we do not like or know are treating us badly. We are commanded to love one another.

So Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

παραδώσει με.

After he said these things, Jesus was deeply disturbed and testified, “I assure you, one of you will betray me.” His disciples looked at each other, confused about which of them he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was at Jesus’ side. Simon Peter nodded at him to get him to ask Jesus who he was talking about. Leaning back toward Jesus, this disciple asked, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It’s the one to whom I will give this piece of bread once I have dipped into the bowl.”Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. After Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” No one sitting at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. Some thought that, since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus told him, “Go, buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So when Judas took the bread, he left immediately. And it was night. When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. (John 13:21-32 CEB)

surely one of you will παραδώσει με. Paradosei me is the transliteration of that phrase. The word παραδώσει is the third person singular future active indicative of the word παραδίδωμι (paradidomi) which means to hand over. So Jesus is saying one of the 12 will hand him over.

Judas, of course, is the one he is talking about. We know that from the foreshadowing and the knowledge we have of knowing the end of the story. But the disciples didn’t know this.

And here we read when Satan entered Judas according to John. And why didn’t John do anything after Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas? Jesus just told him that the one he gives the dipped bread to is the one who will hand him over. Why didn’t John stop Judas?

Why don’t we stop those around us from doing the harm they do to the church?

How do we hand Jesus over?

Loving People. Loving God.

See Jesus

Some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” Philip told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Human One to be glorified. I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their lives will lose them, and those who hate their lives in this world will keep them forever. Whoever serves me must follow me. Wherever I am, there my servant will also be. My Father will honor whoever serves me. “Now I am deeply troubled. What should I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? No, for this is the reason I have come to this time. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard and said, “It’s thunder.” Others said, “An angel spoke to him.” Jesus replied, “This voice wasn’t for my benefit but for yours. Now is the time for judgment of this world. Now this world’s ruler will be thrown out. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” (He said this to show how he was going to die.) The crowd responded, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Human One must be lifted up? Who is this Human One?” Jesus replied, “The light is with you for only a little while. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness don’t know where they are going. As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light.” After Jesus said these things, he went away and hid from them. (John 12:20-36, CEB)

Some Greeks come and find disciples and say they want to see Jesus. And Jesus responds about wheat falling to the ground and dying… Really Jesus?

But think about it. The Greeks want to see Jesus. And Jesus is talking about dying, and then that seed bearing much fruit. Jesus is about to be lifted up on the cross to die for all of us. And in doing so he will call all people to God.

Seeing Jesus is seeing God and seeing Jesus is seeing the way that our lives have to change. We need to love all of creation as God loves us.

God found us when we were not worthy of God’s love and lifted us up and washed us off. God’s love is boundless and fully available to all.

We need to help the world see the love that God has for them.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

Nard

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume. Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), complained, “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would take what was in it.) Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.” Many Jews learned that he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. The chief priests decided that they would kill Lazarus too. It was because of Lazarus that many of the Jews had deserted them and come to believe in Jesus. (John 12:1-11, CEB)

Judas complained about the Nard being used on Jesus because he wanted to steal money from the common purse for their expenses. Because according to Luke Judas carried the money bag and would steal from it.

But honestly, what do we have here? We have a woman who lost her brother and the person that brought him back to her is at her house for dinner and she repays him for bringing her brother back in a way she knows how. She anoints Jesus’ feet with the burial perfume and wipes his feet with her hair. Did she know he was about to die? Did she know what was going to happen? Or was she trying to give him a portion of what he had returned to her?

We get so hung up on how others spend and use resources when we should be worried about how we use resources and look out for those around us. God is calling us to love the world around us and do we do that, or do we just look out for ourselves?

Follow Jesus and love the world out loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

Needs

After Jesus said this, he continued on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As Jesus came to Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he gave two disciples a task. He said, “Go into the village over there. When you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say, ‘Its master needs it.’” Those who had been sent found it exactly as he had said. As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “Its master needs it.” They brought it to Jesus, threw their clothes on the colt, and lifted Jesus onto it. As Jesus rode along, they spread their clothes on the road. As Jesus approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole throng of his disciples began rejoicing. They praised God with a loud voice because of all the mighty things they had seen. They said, “Blessings on the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens.” Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, scold your disciples! Tell them to stop!” He answered, “I tell you, if they were silent, the stones would shout.” As Jesus came to the city and observed it, he wept over it. He said, “If only you knew on this of all days the things that lead to peace. But now they are hidden from your eyes. The time will come when your enemies will build fortifications around you, encircle you, and attack you from all sides. They will crush you completely, you and the people within you. They won’t leave one stone on top of another within you, because you didn’t recognize the time of your gracious visit from God.” (Luke 19:28-44, CEB)

What do you need?

And we all know that there is a difference between a need and a want. I want an 86 inch HDTV with surround sound but I need food and water and shelter even without a TV.

I find it interesting, and I know I have typed this same sentence year after year on Palm Sunday, that there is only one thing that Jesus ever says he needs.

This text is for Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered into Jerusalem for his death. And we have this reading every year, where Jesus sends disciples ahead to get a donkey, or a colt and donkey, depending on the gospel. But it is actually the only thing that Jesus ever says he needs. Jesus needs a donkey. Because it was prophesized that the Christ would ride a donkey into the city. So Jesus needs a donkey. Not to not go to the cross, or anything else. He needs a donkey.

So what do you need?

What do we need?

God needs us to love as God loves us.

Loving People. Loving God.

Prepared

The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover, was approaching. The chief priests and the legal experts were looking for a way to kill Jesus, because they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. He went out and discussed with the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard how he could hand Jesus over to them. They were delighted and arranged payment for him. He agreed and began looking for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them—a time when the crowds would be absent. The Day of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John with this task: “Go and prepare for us to eat the Passover meal.” They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?” Jesus replied, “When you go into the city, a man carrying a water jar will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters. Say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher says to you, “Where is the guestroom where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?” ’ He will show you a large upstairs room, already furnished. Make preparations there.” They went and found everything just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal. (Luke 22:1-13, CEB)

This passage has at least 2 things being prepared.

  1. The Time for Jesus to be handed over
  2. a meal with friends

And the second wasn’t just any meal it was the meal to remember the Exodus, the passover of the final plague.

What do we prepare for as we are about to enter the week before Jesus’ death for all of us?
Have we prepared this season of Lent for this most holy week?
What preparations have we missed?

Judas was doing what he thought needed to be done to fulfill the calling of being a disciple, or was it just pure evil? Jesus said you can not serve 2 masters. The text above and the gospels say that Satan had entered Judas to allow for what had happened. But was it Satan? the texts say that, but…

Do we prepare our lives to follow where Jesus is leading or do we blame external forces for leading us to selfish things?

Have you prepared? It is never too late.

Loving People. Loving God.

One source

It was appropriate for God, for whom and through whom everything exists, to use experiences of suffering to make perfect the pioneer of salvation. This salvation belongs to many sons and daughters whom he’s leading to glory. This is because the one who makes people holy and the people who are being made holy all come from one source. That is why Jesus isn’t ashamed to call them brothers and sisters when he says, I will publicly announce your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you in the middle of the assembly. He also says, I will rely on him. And also, Here I am with the children whom God has given to me. Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he also shared the same things in the same way. He did this to destroy the one who holds the power over death—the devil—by dying. He set free those who were held in slavery their entire lives by their fear of death. Of course, he isn’t trying to help angels, but rather he’s helping Abraham’s descendants. Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way. This was so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, in order to wipe away the sins of the people. He’s able to help those who are being tempted, since he himself experienced suffering when he was tempted. (Hebrews 2:10-18, CEB)

Jesus came to be like us, to help us see the love of God in the flesh. Jesus didn’t come to help angels, but to help the descendants of Abraham. Jesus came for us.

To show us that all people, those who are holy, and those being made holy all come from God. There is no distinction, all means all. All y’all as we say in Texas are children of the most high God and are holy and being made holy.

Jesus helps us who are tempted to be selfish and look after only ourselves to know that God expects and wants something more of us. God wants us to love like God loves us. When we were nasty and covered in sinfulness and shouldn’t have been anywhere near God, God stepped down from heaven and reached out a hand and took us and cleansed us. When we were unlovable God still loved us.

Go and do the same.

Loving People. Loving God.

drift away

This is why it’s necessary for us to pay more attention to what we have heard, or else we may drift away from it. If the message that was spoken by angels was reliable, and every offense and act of disobedience received an appropriate consequence, how will we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? It was first announced through the Lord, and then it was confirmed by those who heard him. God also vouched for their message with signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit, which were handed out the way he wanted. God didn’t put the world that is coming (the world we are talking about) under the angels’ control. Instead, someone declared somewhere, What is humanity that you think about them? Or what are the human beings that you care about them? For a while you made them lower than angels. You crowned the human beings with glory and honor. You put everything under their control. When he puts everything under their control, he doesn’t leave anything out of control. But right now, we don’t see everything under their control yet. However, we do see the one who was made lower in order than the angels for a little while—it’s Jesus! He’s the one who is now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of his death. He suffered death so that he could taste death for everyone through God’s grace. (Hebrews 2:1-9, CEB)

We need to pay attention to the message we have heard or we may drift away. We need to remember the message we first received, not what others tell us the message is or what the world tells us the message is, or what organized religion tells us what the message is.

Humanity is just a little lower than the angels and we have control over everything, and we need to remember the love with which we were given control or we will push to have our own way and not let those who do not fit our understanding be a part of things.

When we think the rules are all that we drift away from the original intent, love.

We need to love everything and everyone. That is what God created us for.

Love. Love Out Loud!

Loving People. Loving God.

Clear as day…

Jesus took the Twelve aside and said, “Look, we’re going up to Jerusalem, and everything written about the Human One by the prophets will be accomplished. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He will be ridiculed, mistreated, and spit on. After torturing him, they will kill him. On the third day, he will rise up.” But the Twelve understood none of these words. The meaning of this message was hidden from them and they didn’t grasp what he was saying. (Luke 18:31-34, CEB)

Jesus went with the 12 and told them as they were going, we are going to Jerusalem and the Human One will have everything done to him that the prophets said would happen. He will be ridiculed, mistreated, and spit on. After torturing him, they will kill him. On the third day, he will rise up. But the disciples were thick and didn’t get it. Now is it they didn’t get that Jesus was the Human One, the Son of Man? Or did they not understand what Jesus said to them?

Did they know Jesus is the Son of Man, the Human One?

Did they just not want it to be true?

Sometimes we ask for a clear statement like this from God and when we get it, we don’t get it either. But I think it is usually because we don’t like what we have heard so we act like we don’t get it.

Clear as day, yet we still don’t understand. But God still loves us.

Loving People. Loving God.

Anti…

Little children, it is the last hour. Just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really part of us. If they had been part of us, they would have stayed with us. But by going out from us, they showed they all are not part of us. But you have an anointing from the holy one, and all of you know the truth. I don’t write to you because you don’t know the truth but because you know it. You know that no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? Isn’t it the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This person is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, but the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, what you heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you will also remain in relationship to the Son and in the Father. This is the promise that he himself gave us: eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are attempting to deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains on you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you the truth. But since his anointing teaches you about all things (it’s true and not a lie), remain in relationship to him just as he taught you. And now, little children, remain in relationship to Jesus, so that when he appears we can have confidence and not be ashamed in front of him when he comes. (1 John 2:18-28, CEB)

Anti is a word that shows what a person or thing is against. We try to make it look better by doing Pro instead of Anti, but what is the Pro word here that means Antichrist?

Antichrist is the one who is the opposite of the Christ. The devil maybe or maybe not. Many want to say that the emperor was the antichrist. Anyone that leads us away from where Christ is leading us is technically an antichrist.

So what is the Pro word? Would it be Pro-satan? Pro-devil? Pro-selfish?

Right because the one we all know and have heard arguments for is Pro-life. Which is actually anti-abortion. And it is possible to be Pro-life and Pro-choice. Pro-choice is not pro-abortion. But it seems we get caught on these.

What we need to remember here is the passage above where if one is anointed and teaches and professes Christ they are not the anti-christ. They are a part of the kingdom. They are a part of the inheritance that is for all of us.

So be pro-christ not anti-christ and love as you go.

Loving People. Loving God.