What’s love got to do with it…

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” (John 14:15-21, NRSV)

Admit it…

You read the title of this devotion and you started singing…

And then you thought, how does that go along with the reading?

Well you see the reading starts with “if you love me, you will keep…” And it ends with “and keep them are those who love me…”

Love and keep, keep and love. Very important here, and this text is centered in love.

You see we have to love as Jesus loved. And it is about keeping the commandments, not as in following all of the rules so we don’t get our hands slapped, or to get tot the right place.

We can not follow enough rules or regulations to make it. It is not possible. We do what Jesus did to show the world His love, not to ear our place.

Love is the key and we are called to Love each other as He has loved us.

So go and love, not as a gushy feeling, but as a call by the one who loved you when you were far from lovable!

And here is a bonus:

near

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD. I will keep your statutes. I cry to you; save me, that I may observe your decrees. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I put my hope in your words. My eyes are awake before each watch of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. In your steadfast love hear my voice; O LORD, in your justice preserve my life. Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near; they are far from your law. Yet you are near, O LORD, and all your commandments are true. Long ago I learned from your decrees that you have established them forever. Look on my misery and rescue me, for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes. Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your justice. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not swerve from your decrees. I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands. Consider how I love your precepts; preserve my life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever. (Psalm 119:145-160, NRSV)

I cry out to God in my isolation and wonder where He is…

Have you ever felt like God had abandoned you?

You know that Mother Teresa spoke about the dark night of the soul, where she felt like God was not near her!

The woman who has led and continues to lead many into service of God, and did many wonderful things to advance His mission felt like God had abandoned her…

We can feel that way, like we are all alone, but the psalmist tells us the promise of God is He is near. And all of His promises are true! No matter how far we think He is from us, really all we need to do is turn around and there He will be, right by our side, all the time. We are never alone, for He will preserve our lives according to His steadfast love and He will be near us always!

liar

LiarThose who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:10-12, NRSV)

If you do not believe in the Son, or the testimony He gives you have made Him a liar…

And the witness is the life that God has given us, and that life is in Jesus – the way, the truth, the life!

And if we do not believe this, then there is no life in us and we have made Him and our life a lie…

That is the picture here… The face of a girl/boy who is a liar…

That is also what we are if we make His testimony false… A Liar.

lose nothing…

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.” Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves.No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. (John 6:35-48, NRSV)

That I should lose nothing of all that he has given me…

Whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty…

Well I must not have ever come to Jesus or believe in Him because I get hungry and thirsty all the time!

But I know I have come to Him and I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I believe in Him! I came to Him in my baptism at age 19, when I was put under the water, and raised to new life in Him. And I believe that He is always with me and that is what has gotten me through the years and times of darkness.

And because of this, I will never be lost to Him.  I will be held tightly in His hand and I will be raised up with Him on the last day. It is a promise we can hold on to.

We have to hold to the promises and know that even when we do not understand, as the Jews didn’t see Him for who He really was, that He will not lose His grip on us.

So know you have been drawn to Him, and you are in His grip and He will never lose you!

Truth

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.”Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.” The Jews replied, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” (John 18:28-38a, NRSV)

What is truth?

Why do we ask the questions we do?

What are we seeking when we seek the truth?

Are we looking for the answers we want?

The answers we have already determined to be the correct answer?

The truth is hard to swallow because it is not always what we want. We need to be open and ready to accept what we have known and what we have learned is not what is true.

A prime example of this is Pluto. Once a planet, then it was not a planet, and now maybe is a planet again… What is it?

But the ultimate truth that Jesus is savior and through Him we have access to the Father, will not change. But our understanding of who Jesus is has to be who Jesus is and not who we want Him to be.

There is no exit for the truth, but it is the way and the path that Jesus has set before us. So do not use your own GPS, but follow the way and know that that will always lead you to the truth.

forgetful…

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. (John 8:31-36, NRSV)

We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone…

What about that little stay the nation of Israel had in Egypt? Remember Joseph and his family?

Are they not a part of this lineage as well?

So weren’t we slaves, freed by God once?

So God has to come and free us again….

and again….

and again…

You see any one who commits sin is a slave to sin. Any of us who allow the wants and desires of this life take the place of God in our lives and follow after those things become a slave to those things.

Only when we truly focus on and allow Jesus to be the center of or lives are we free. We are all slaves to sin…

We are all sinners, yet at the same time we are saints, set free in Christ to be a dutiful servant of all!

So don’t forget your sinful nature or the fact that we are all slaves!

But rejoice in the fact that Jesus loves you and cleanses you and makes you a saint, ready to serve everyone!

stronghold

The fear of the LORD prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked will be short.
The hope of the righteous ends in gladness,
but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
The way of the LORD is a stronghold for the upright,
but destruction for evildoers.
The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse. (Proverbs 10:27-32, NRSV)

The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright…

If you are following after the Lord and doing His will, then you have nothing to fear! for your world will be a stronghold against the enemies of God and the wicked will not be able to penetrate the walls of the defense around you.

You will live a long life in the fear of the Lord and be filled with hope. This does not mean life will be without battles or suffering or strife… But it does mean, if you follow the Lord and do His will that He will always be with you and will be shelter and shade for you and give you the strength to go on. He will be your stronghold. So follow Him and know that His promises are good!

Father vs God…

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. (John 14:1-14, NRSV)

This text is the cause of many battles.

This text is heard at many funerals

This text brings comfort and fighting…

This is one of the many I Am statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John. I would argue it is probably the most well known I Am statement.

This passage is also well known for it’s portrayal of the Father’s Mansion of many rooms… A dwelling place that is so large there is a room for all of us.

I want to say though that the dwelling place, or the Father’s Mansion is not a place at all, but an existence. It is not a physical location we will be transported to someday, but is a way to live, a dwelling of being.

And that leads us to the I Am statement.

This statement of Jesus. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This statement has been used as an exclusive statement, meaning it has been used to exclude people from those going to the place of the mansion… But what if the way, the truth and the life are a tautology? What if Jesus is saying the same thing 3 times in a different manor? Meaning the way, the truth and the life are all the same thing… In Jesus the way is clear, the truth is made known and we have life. Like the place of the mansion is not a physical one, but it is absolutely being in the presence of God! For you see Jesus Himself tells us in this verse, this I Am statement is not prohibition on who is not included, but a promise to those who are, He follows the above sentence with “If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” From now on you do know and have seen.

We do know and have seen the Father, because in Jesus we have the way to the Father, the truth or our familial relationship with the Father and life in the Father.

And also notice that Jesus did not say “No one comes to God except through me.” He said no one comes to the Father… No one can have the familial relationship that I do with the Father, unless they come through me. You can have a relationship with God, as the Jews do, without having a Father/Son/Daughter relationship…

So is it an exclusive or inclusive statement? Doesn’t matter because for those of us with life in Christ we have the familial relationship and the promise. And that promise is for all who know and have seen. It is a promise and not a prohibition!

Worship

worshipMake a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100, NRSV)

We can not come to church…

We tell our children on Saturday night and Sunday morning that we will be going to worship, because we can not go to church. We are the church. All of us together are the church.

We gather in an assembly to worship. And that is something we do. Not something that is done for us, or to us. It is an action we do to the Lord. We give Him honor and respect, and deem Him worthy of our praise.

The psalmist of Psalm 100 has a lot of action we do:

Worship
Come
Singing
Enter
Give

We do these things in honor and glory for God. These are not things done to or for us, they are things we do for God!

So do not think you are coming to worship to recharge your battery, you are coming to be a full participant in a declaration of how worthy our God is! We are not spectators but full on participants in an adoration of the one who made us!

So Worship the Lord with gladness and let the whole world know how much you love Him by show it!

other sheep

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” (John 10:11-18, NRSV)

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.

Who are these other sheep?

Well look around your neighborhood…

We see many different denominations, and even in the denominations sometimes we have more than one congregation…

Do we all look alike?

Do we all worship in the same manner?

Do we all say the same prayers?

Sing the same songs?

Many of us will have the same readings every week, but there will still be differences among us…

Yet we all worship the same God and participate in the Eucharist. And when we do that we are joining together at God’s table as one united holy and apostolic church! We are one flock, with one shepherd.

It is not hard to see who the other sheep could be. Jesus has other sheep beyond what we see, and He loves them as He loves us.

So let us accept the others who will be coming, as Christ accepted us, and look upon what unites us (Christ) instead of the differences we think separate us!