Asking Him

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

ASKING HIM

John 14:8-14

8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

NIV

Jesus had just told them that if they knew and have seen him, they also know and have seen the Father and Phillip makes that bizarre request. What did Jesus just say? We have seen the Father? Alright, Lord, show the Father and that will be enough. What? Did he not hear what Jesus said? Maybe he did not believe what Jesus said. It seems Jesus was taken back a bit by the response of Phillip. “How can you say that”? Jesus then goes into a discussion of how He and the Father are one. This gives us the whole idea of the perfect triune aspect of God. Jesus does not include the Spirit at this time, but we know he does later. He does go on to explain all the miracles he did are a result of being one with the Father or having the Father in him and he in the Father. But here is the biggest issue it seems we need to deal with. Jesus told them and we would have to believe he meant everyone, that if we had faith in him we would do what he has been doing. In fact, Jesus says we will do even greater things then he did because he is going to the Father and that whatsoever we ask in his name, he will do it. Hold on just a minute! Did he actually say that we could ask for anything in his name? Yes, he did! Why then do we fail so much in asking for anything? Is it we really do not believe him? Yes, we also say that it has to be in accordance with his will.

1 John 5:13-15

 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.

NIV

Maybe we get stuck on this issue, his will, and spend too much time trying to determine his will, rather than just asking anything in his name. Maybe we want to give ourselves an “Out” rather than simply believing. Granted, we most likely should not ask him to give us a million dollars or something really self-centered. Maybe we should be asking for things that bring glory to the Father. What about doing greater things than Jesus? What does that mean? What did he do? He healed, he taught, he spoke the truth, he brought glory to the Father. He fed people, he turned water into wine. He led people to God. That doesn't seem too much, does it? Why do we think we cannot do that also if we ask Jesus to do it through us? We do have to say we have had some super fabulous miracles in our lives. However, do we get caught up in the ideologies of the world too much and start looking to human effort, rather than faith in Jesus? It seems many believers spend much of their time trying to live a holy life, rather than doing greater things than Jesus did, by simply asking him for anything in his name and watching him do it. It seems it does appear easier to do things ourselves, then trust in Jesus. Sure, we know we cannot save ourselves and we have to believe in him for salvation, but after that, what else to we believe in him for? We think it is time to get back to pure belief. To start believing in Jesus for every aspect of our lives, doing greater things than he did, whatever that looks like, we are ready. We know that we are in Christ and he is in us and that we and the Father are one, we are one with Christ, we are united with God, so then we should be living as though we are, asking him for whatever brings him glory.

Way, Truth, Life

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

WAY, TRUTH, LIFE

John 14:5-7

14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." 

NIV

We already dealt with verses 1-4, but it is good to include them as so we can see the next words in context. Now that Jesus said that they know the way to the place he is going, Thomas responses that he does not know where Jesus is going so how can he now the way. Hasn’t he been listening? After three years of spending every waking moment in the presence of Jesus, hearing every word Jesus has spoken and it seems he hasn’t heard or understood a thing. Jesus, being the loving Savior that he is, explains it as plainly as it could be. He tells Thomas and of course the others that he is the way and the truth and the life. This is one of the most famous words Jesus has spoken. We know them, we quote them and we believe them. Why is it so difficult for some people to understand Jesus is the only way to get to the Father?  We should not even consider praying to God unless we pray in the name of Jesus. We certainly cannot go to heaven unless we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is not about being a good person. It is not about acting all holy and righteous. It is not about doing good deeds. Although all those things are good things, they will not gain us access to God or eternal life. Jesus is the only way. There is no other way. It is not as if we wanted to travel to some destination and we took a look at a map and found we could get to our destination several different routes. There is only one route, one path we have to take in order to get to the Father. Whoever said, “there are many paths to God” is simply a liar, or they are just a stupid or foolish person. There is only one path to God, Jesus. Jesus answers the question of the ages, “Who is God, what does he look like?” If we know Jesus, as we certainly can know him, we know God. Besides we have the entire Old Testament where God reveals himself to his creation through so many ways, it would be impossible, if we read with reason, not to know God. We not only know the character of God through his words and actions, we have the Spirit dwelling within us witnessing to our spirit who God is. People simply suppress that truth because they do not want to be accountable to God for their deeds which are considered, by God, as evil. This also does not mean because we know God and have the Spirit testifying within us about God and about Jesus being the only way to the Father, we are perfect human beings either and that we still have sin, which is again considered, by God, as evil. But we know it, we are convicted of that fact and we repent and try to live a life pleasing to him for we know he is the only way, he is the truth and he is the life. We cannot have any of that without Jesus. We cannot go that way, we cannot understand the truth, and we certainly cannot have life unless we go by the way of Jesus. All other ways are wrong, they are lies and they lead to death.

Final Destination

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

FINAL DESTINATION

John 14:1-4

14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 

NIV

Our destination is not the grave, but a room in the house of God. That old song about there is a mansion just over the hilltop might make us think about all of us having some great mansion in the mountain of God, but the Greek word simply means an abode, a staying place. This implies a permanent place, someplace that will not be taken from us or that we would have to leave. Wherever and whatever we have in this temporal life on earth can be taken from us and it is for certain we are going to have to leave it. It seems there is a lot of troubled hearts over this temporal residence. Some people are filled with so much anxiety over so much that is only temporary. There can also be anxiety about what happens after death. Jesus tells us that we should not be anxious about what happens after we die. Because we trust in God and in Jesus, because we have put our trust in him, accepting him as our Lord and Savior, we are going to heaven. There is no doubt whatsoever. Jesus has told us that he has gone to prepare this place for us and that he is coming back to take us to be at home with him. So many times we plan trips to a certain destination, just as we most recently did when we went to Israel. So much planning, we spent over a year, getting ready. We had meetings at church, learning the spiritual significance of places we would be. We spent way more time in preparation than we did at the destination. But our final destination, heaven, is going to be quite different. Of course, we are now spending a lot of time in preparation for this final trip. But when we get there we will never ever leave it to return to our temporary residence again. Although we are spending much time getting ready, it really is just a jump in faith. It is not as though there is really anything else we need to do in order to make the journey with the Lord to that place he has prepared for us, other than putting our trust in him. We cannot buy this place, we cannot earn this place, we cannot repay him for this place he is giving us, we can only trust in him. Sure, we desire to live a life worthy of our calling. Yes, we desire to live in a manner that pleases him. Of course, we want to know as much about him and his word as we can. But the simple fact remains, in order to get to heaven we just have to trust in him. He is the only way we are going to make that trip. He is the only way we are going to get to that destination. We cannot even live a life worthy of him, without him. We are incapable of being pure and holy and righteous without him. Our whole life is completely dependent on him. He is the only way to our final destination. Some day we will be home at last.

Loving One Another

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

LOVING ONE ANOTHER

John 13:31-38

31 When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  36 Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."  37 Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." 38 Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

NIV

There is so much here in the words of Jesus regarding his glorification and that he is glorifying the Father in his obedience to the cross. But what he says to his disciples in respect to him only being with them only a little longer has a double meaning as well as the fact they cannot go where he is going. Did he mean the cross, the grave or to heaven? He did tell them they will follow him later. Some of them did find their way to a cross, and the grave. As far as their following him to heaven is a topic which has been debated. When we die, do we sleep as some scripture makes reference to, or do we leave the body to be in the presence of the Lord instantly upon the death of the body?

Dan 12:1-3

12:1 "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

NIV

1 Cor 15:50-53

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

NIV

Both of these scriptures would suggest that in fact, we do sleep in the dust until the last day, or what some say the rapture of the saints.

2 Cor 5:6-10

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

NIV

Here Paul implies that when we leave the body we are with the Lord, however, the question is when are we away from the body? Is it immediately upon death, or is it when we are all awakened from our sleep? It seems this is sort of an unanswerable debate, however, the point is we will follow Jesus to rise to be in the presence of God. If we do sleep, it is just as it is as we sleep now. We have not the remembrance of the time we are asleep, in fact, we really cannot remember actually falling to sleep, we just do and at some moment later we are awake. We have no knowledge of our being asleep. So it matters not which the case is when we die the next thing we will know is that we are in the presence of God. In the meantime, we are to live in this body loving one another. That could be a topic of an entire book in order to do justice to how that looks for us to love one another. Yet that is the point of what Jesus is telling us. It seems much effort is applied to many of the commands, or what we think are the commands. Throughout time believers have made up lists of ways they think is following Jesus. The do’s and don’ts are their main concerns. No drinking, no smoking, no dancing, no movies, no roller rinks, no bars, no, no and more no’s. It is a little more difficult to enumerate the “do’s” for we have never heard their expression of the list. However, Jesus makes it clear the only do which covers all the other do’s is to love on another. If we love each other we would do no harm in any way whatsoever to each other, in fact, we would put the others needs ahead of our own. Maybe we need to work a little more on this loving. Let us leave this exchange about Peter willing to lay his life down for later because we have to focus right now on this loving. There seems to be more to do in this area of loving one another.

what About Jesus

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

WHAT ABOUT JUDAS

John 13:21-30

21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."  22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means." 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, 28 but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

NIV

Of course, we know the open story in this narrative. It was the Passover and they all were in the upper room. John does not record the actual events of the meal as others do, but he gives us a greater picture of the divine nature of Jesus. John gives a great deal of the conversation at the dinner table than any of the others, but not the act which we now celebrate as communion. However, there is another picture here which is not so obvious, but we wonder if that does have some relevance to our lives. This is the story of Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus. It is not so much about his betrayal or that he was a thief, having helped himself to the money purse. The story here is about the fact the other disciples had no idea about who Judas really was, and what he had been doing and he was the one who would betray Jesus. The fact they asked who it is, indicates they had no idea about Judas. He appeared to be just a much a disciple as they. He appeared to want to know as much as they did. He was the one who appeared to be so concerned about the poor when Mary had poured that expensive perfume on Jesus. Of course, we know now, it was because he would rather have the perfume sold and the money put in the purse, so he could help himself to it. But what is so interesting is all this dishonesty was kept from the others. He deceived everyone, except Jesus. Yet Jesus kept him close to him, knowing this had to be, so the plan of the Father would be accomplished. This leads us to think of how Judas was anything other than transparent. Could that be the case in the community of faith we live in? Are we all hiding some character flaws from others? Surely we are not thieves or that we would betray Jesus, but do we have flaws that we are transparent about? This is not to mean that we should stand in front of the whole congregation and enumerate our secret sin, or that we have some secret sin to confess. But, are we as honest about our flaws as we should be? Do we always want to look good, pure and holy and righteous in front of everyone? When asked, in that polite way, “How you doing?” How do we respond? “Great, Praise the Lord” or “Well, I am having a struggle right now, could you pray with me?”  That is not to say we are always having a struggle, or that everything is not great. However, are we always honest, or are we in fact being a little deceiving? Are we being just a little like Judas?

Humility

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

HUMILITY

John 13:12-20

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. 18 "I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'   19 "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. 20 I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me." 

NIV

Again we are in the upper room and Jesus and his disciple are just about ready to eat the Pascal meal, in celebration of the Passover. As was the custom of the Jewish people, someone, normally a household servant would wash the feet of any guest either as they entered the house, or more likely prior to reclining at the table for dinner. As there were no household servants present, someone was going to need to carry out this servant role. It would only make sense Jesus would be the one to do that. Again, everything he said and did was a teaching moment. Although some of our post-modern churches today have foot washing services, this is not what Jesus intended. He was not instituting another ordinance of the church such as he did with baptism and communion. Although this foot washing is not a regular celebrated service, Jesus did not intend for us to wash each other’s feet. He was teaching his disciples the principle of humility. This was going to be especially needed in their role as the founding fathers, so to speak, of the church. They were going to be looked up to by many of the new believers. These are the men who lived with Jesus, who walked around with him, who he sent out and they did miraculous things. We immediately think of Peter and John going to the temple and Peter telling the lame beggar that he did not have silver and gold, but as he had, in the name of Jesus stand up and walk. The lame man not only walked,  and he went leaping and jumping praising the Lord. The people were lifting up the disciples and it would have been easy for them to get filled with pride, being puffed up how they were so special. Jesus wanted them to know humility was the key. They were not greater than the Master, or the one who sent them. They needed to remember everything is about Jesus, not about them, and to remain humble. This is the most difficult task of the modern-day pastor, remaining humble. The people in the church have a tendency to lift up their pastor, to look up to him for leadership, as the spiritual authority of the church. He knows more scripture than any of them. He is righteous and upright, living an example for them. How difficult it is to remain humble, to have the servant's heart when everyone looks up to them. This does not mean the pastor should be cleaning the floors or washing everyone’s feet, or whatever else servants or hired hands would do. This is being a servant of Jesus Christ first and foremost, recognizing all authority come from him. This also applies to each member of the church, the body of Christ. We are not to think more highly of ourselves then we should. We should prefer one another over ourselves. This carries the meaning we should not lift up any “one”, but lift up everyone. Just as the members of our physical body serve all the other members, so then as we are members of the Body of Christ we should serve all the other members. This certainly requires humility as Jesus taught by washing the feet of his disciples.

Always Teaching

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

ALWAYS TEACHING

John 13:1-11

13:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.  

2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" 7 Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."  8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."  9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" 10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."  11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

NIV

We are about to share in the Passover meal with Jesus and his disciples. Everything is in place and they have all arrived in the upper room. We also know from this narrative Judas is also ready to betray Jesus, and Jesus knows it too. We also know Jesus came from God and that he was going to return to God. This should give us a great deal of confidence as we continue to live out our lives. For we too came from God and will return to God. That sounds a little strange, but if we consider God knit us together in our mother’s womb, and that he knew us before the foundation of the earth and knows the number of hairs on our head, then how can we say we did not come from God? We also know at the end of this earthly life, we will go to be with God. As well as we say we are in Christ and he is in us, so it still applies that we came from God and we know we are going to be returning to God. However, Jesus is God and we are not, so there is still quite a difference here regarding Jesus, being the divine Son of God who was from the beginning coming to earth in the form of his creation, man. As always, everything Jesus does and says is a teaching moment. Here he washes his disciples’ feet before the meal. There is much said about this event and his conversation with Peter. Some scholars are of the opinion the Jews performed a ceremonial washing before the Pascal meal, although there may not be sufficient evidence for that view. This exchange between Peter and Jesus contained two truths for us to understand. First, Jesus was showing them the humility of being a servant, although he was the master. He always shows an example of how we are to live. All too often we fall short of his example. It is so easy to get caught up in self and our wants or our feelings, in essence, being self-centered rather than Christ-centered. What about this servanthood attitude, that Jesus was giving us an example? As we will see, Jesus tells them to now wash each other’s feet. There is also this second truth where Jesus tells Peter he is clean, just his feet are dirty as well as unless he washes them they have no part of him. Let’s see this truth he teaches. Unless we are washed by Jesus, washed in his blood, we are not part of the Body of Christ. This has everything to do with accepting Jesus for our salvation, for being born again, being made pure and holy by the blood of Jesus. There is no remission of our sin unless by the shedding of his blood. Although it is true he died for all mankind, it is necessary for a person to accept being washed by Jesus in order to be a part of him. There is also this truth that although we are clean, our feet need to be washed. We can see Jesus is telling Peter that although he took his bath, the dirt of the world has made his feet dirty. We have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus and we have been made holy and righteous in the eyes of God, but the world can still dirty our feet, so to speak, That is to say we can still be influenced by the dirt of the world, the ideologies, the ways of the world, and so before we partake of the Pascal meal, the Lord’s Supper, we need to have Jesus wash our feet. We should not take this meal lightly, or in an unworthy manner, as we are admonished by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. Is it always good to approach the words of Jesus to see his teaching, his truth, because he is always teaching.