Jesus is rejected by the Jews

Again the Jews were divided because of these words. Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?”Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” The Jews took up stones again to stone him.Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ —and the scripture cannot be annulled— can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. Many came to him, and they were saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many believed in him there. (John 10:19-42, NRSV)

Once you are following Jesus you are in the Father’s hand and nothing will ever take you from there.

We are safe in the hand of our Father and our Shepherd Will always lead us.

We are safe with Him!

Jesus and Abraham

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing what Abraham did, but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are indeed doing what your father does.” They said to him, “We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.” The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (John 8:39-59, NRSV)

You are not yet fifty years old how is if you have seen Abraham?

Have you seen God?

Have you seen Jesus?

Do we know who Jesus is and believe it?

Why does it seem so hard for those speaking to Jesus to get it?

Would we be like the Jews then and not get it?

Do we even get it now?

True Disciples

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.” (John 8:31-38, NRSV)

We have never been slaves to anyone because we are descendants of Abraham. Really! Did you forget about all the countries you were captive in? Oh and What about Egypt? When things are going our way we forget about the bad times. But in God, none of those times matter because God has set us free and given as a new life.

We have been adopted and given a permanent place in the household.

So know you are a beloved son/daughter. And always have a place here.

Change

Jesus replied, “You do not understand17 what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” ~ John 13:7-8

I have this picture hanging on the bulletin board in my office. It is a postcard I received at my call in Texas from the publishing house of the ELCA promoting a new resource. But it speaks volumes that we sometimes forget. Change isn’t something we only get from a vending machine. Meaning many things. Change isn’t something that happens always when we want it. Imagine if we would know everything that was going to happen and could make a choice between options. I used to love reading books that allowed you to do this. If you want Sally to go for a bike ride turn to page 45, if she stays home and does homework turn to page 14. But this isn’t the way life works. Change sometimes comes at us when we least expect it and can seem to not always be good. But really it is how we accept it and move with it that makes how it really affects us and the world around us.

As I said in my sermon on February 25 Jesus said this to Peter the night He washed the disciples’ feet, and Peter wanted nothing to do with it because that isn’t the way it is done. That is against what society says should happen and this isn’t the way we have always done it.  Jesus told Peter, “You don’t understand…” This is a new way to think about things and the way that society wants or the way we have always done it is not necessarily the way we are always going to do it.

You see change isn’t good or bad. It is different than what we have known. And different can help us grow. Grow as disciples, grow as beacons of His love in a world that needs to see Him. So don’t let change be anything other than what it is, a growing edge for all of us. And know that when Jesus washes your feet you are clean and set as a messenger of His love to the world.

Be the change the world needs to see

Jesus Foretells His Death

Again he said to them, “I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” Then the Jews said, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.” They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Why do I speak to you at all? I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him. (John 8:21-30, NRSV)

I love the line in this reading: Why do I speak to you at all?

I can imagine Jesus saying it shaking His head. Like what are you all hearing? Am I speaking a different language? Why don’t you understand?

I wonder if Jesus would have looked at me this way also?

I wonder if He still doesn’t look at me this way.

Do you always get Jesus?