John 17:11-13

“And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” vs. 11

In this story John pictures Jesus at the end of his ministry, meeting with his disciples for one final moment of communion and instruction. Earlier in the gospel it had been made clear that God loved the world, but here we see it further described as a dangerous environment for the disciples. Another way of saying this is to affirm the world as being good and broken at the same time. Indeed, most of us have experienced the world as exactly that. We marvel at the goodness and beauty of it, but also know that in its brokenness it can be a dangerous and threatening place. All of us know people who have gotten caught up in the ways of the world and who have been sorely injured as a consequence. Here, Jesus prays fervently that his disciples might be protected, and most particularly he prays that they might be one, even as he and the Father are one. The implication is plain. Of all the protection plans our minds can devise, the most secure will be found in the  context of community. It is as we are bound together in love that we find the unity and safety God desires for us.

Thought for the Day: How are we protected by community?

John 17:6-10

“for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.” vs. 8

The gospel of John does a masterful job of connecting the Creator of the Universe directly to Jesus of Nazareth. In his familiar prologue, the gospel writer makes the claim that the Word through whom all things came into being is the source of all life and light. Moreover, he says clearly, this Word later became flesh and dwelt among humans as Jesus, the one he later calls Jesus Christ. In today’s passage, part of what is known as Jesus’ high priestly prayer, it is implied that this basic truth was a central part of the faith that was closely held by Jesus’ disciples. Among some there is a reluctance to believe that Jesus is the unique source of divine inspiration. They feel that there have been others, perhaps even many others, in whom and through whom God has chosen to speak. Most of us do acknowledge that there have been wonderful spiritual leaders in the other great faith traditions. In fact sometimes we will gladly make use of their sayings and writings in developing our own spirituality. But at the same time we yearn to believe that there’s something special about Jesus, that through him we can know the truth about God and the way of salvation. There’s no doubt that’s how John felt, and there is a blessing in feeling the same way!

Thought for the Day: What is the uniqueness of Jesus?

1 John 5:9-13

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” vs. 13

The gospel of John was written so that readers might come to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, so that through believing they might have eternal life. It seems that many people did become believers, and it is to these persons that this epistle is addressed. The letter is meant to bring assurance, it’s a reminder that because they believe they do in fact have new life. All of us need that assurance from time to time. It’s one of the reasons that many make worship a part of their weekly routine. We don’t come to be convinced that the good news of Jesus is true–we already know that. But it feels good to be told that we already have what we have been promised. And blessed are those preachers who are able and willing to say those words clearly and regularly! We don’t gather to be yelled at or threatened, nor do we much like frequent calls for repentance. We are there to be reminded of God’s unconditional and sacrificial love and to be assured that we are a part of the family. There are other voices in our worlds and we regularly hear words that could cause pain and humiliation. As believers we don’t need to listen to that stuff! We are in Christ and Christ is in us, and that’s all we need to know.

Thought for the Day: What assurance is most precious to me?

Psalm 1:4-6

“for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” vs. 6

The psalmist was certainly no nihilist, i.e. one who believes that life is meaningless and that there are no eternal values. Rather, he had a strong conviction that there is a right way to live, a way that is looked over and protected by the Lord. He also believed that there was another way, one that was pretty much a dead end. While some of us might lack his dualistic perspective, i.e. the notion that good and evil are separate and distinct, we cannot deny that some ways of living are less fraught with brokenness than others. And there does seem to be a connection between trusting in the Lord and the presence of love and joy in our lives. To put it simply, there are blessings that are the companions of faith. If that weren’t the case it’s doubtful that there would be anyone who would even bother to be a believer! At the same time it has to be said that we are called to be disciples, not so that we can pile up the goodies, but that we might be servants, and be willing to give ourselves in generous caring for others. Such sacrificial and unconditional loving, walking in the way of Jesus, has always been a hallmark of the Christlike life.

Thought for the Day: Why is dualistic thinking so appealing?

Psalm 1:1-3

“Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;” vs. 1

If we’ve managed to compile a decent track record in the game of life, we will most certainly agree with the words of the psalmist. We only have to be marginally aware of what’s going on in the world to know that blessings abound when we make wise choices. While things do come our way as surprises, the general direction of our path is not determined by picking a card from the Chance deck as in the game of Monopoly. For the most part we do have agency, and the decisions we make do have significance. If we do as the psalmist suggests, and close our ears to the advice of the wicked and avoid the ways of sinners and scoffers, we will greatly increase our chances of finding happiness. While obviously there are no guarantees, there are great advantages to living a god-fearing, values-driven life. And what’s even better is knowing that God continues to love us even when we wander, and is always ready to offer restoration and a new start. And forgiveness is not a placebo! Once we get back on track, we have the same opportunity as others to make life-enhancing choices and discover again that our pasts do not define our futures. 

Thought for the Day: What does my choice-making record look like?

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

“Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’” vss. 24-25

Judas had been one of the disciples and later was commissioned by Jesus as one of the twelve apostles. During Jesus’ ministry these Twelve were sent to towns and villages as missionaries, bringing the good news in the same way as Jesus had been doing. Since the number twelve was significant for the Jews, when Judas betrayed Jesus and later died, the community of believers made it their first order of business to find a replacement. Two of their company met the requirements–they had been disciples from the beginning–but Peter wanted the Lord to make the choice. So they cast lots! There was no interview, no references were sought–essentially they flipped a coin, and Matthias got the Lord’s vote. At that point the ruling circle was again complete and the faith community could go on with its mission. Interestingly, Matthias is never again mentioned in the New Testament, though tradition indicates that he preached in Judea and was stoned to death by the Jews. Later on Paul taught that others too could be called as apostles and given special missionary responsibilities. In fact, any of us who feel a call to proclaim the good news of Christ to others can be thought of as an apostle–and we certainly need more than twelve.

Thought for the Day: What is my special call?

John 15:13-17

“You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.” vs. 16

When we hear that Jesus has chosen us to be his disciples we are not surprised. It’s a familiar part of the gospel story that we’ve grown up with. We know that we have been called to proclaim the good news to all the world. It’s who we are, we are the chosen people! But in practice our thinking is often twisted, and many actually seem to believe that they have chosen Jesus. Some can even point to the hour and the minute when they gave themselves up to the Lord. It’s like we say, “I’m pleased to tell you Jesus that after considering a multitude of alternatives, I have decided to follow in your footsteps.” Included in that process will be a number of choices, first, a denomination, and then, after shopping around for a bit, we choose a congregation. What often gets lost for us in all of that is a sense of call. And that isn’t how Jesus operates. In truth, he chooses us, equips us with every good gift, and then appoints us to produce enduring fruit. And that makes all the difference in the world. And while we may not like this–we’d rather be in charge of our destiny–those who humbly acknowledge their call, will find great joy in blooming where they are planted. 

Thought for the Day: When did Jesus choose me?

John 15:9-12

“I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” vs. 11

These words are said in the context of Jesus’ last conversation with the disciples and indicate that he was well-pleased with them, and that their presence brought him joy. We know that feeling, that sense of satisfaction that a parent can have in looking around a festival table at the gathered faces of children and grandchildren. It’s a joy that bursts from the heart, and that is expressed with words of appreciation and love. Jesus tells his disciples that he wants that same joy to abide in their hearts, and that it would be enough for them, so that they would never have to yearn for anything more. As the centuries have passed joy has continued to be experienced among the followers of Jesus, and it’s often unrelated to external circumstances. It’s not the same as happiness, and we’re not talking about the fleeting joy that comes our way from time to time, the rejoicing that might come from a hole-in-one, or an unexpected Christmas gift. In fact, the joy that comes from the presence of Jesus can even be felt in times of sadness and suffering. We feel it in the surprise of exuberance in the most random situations, and the delight that pops into our minds in the course of daily living. What a blessing it is when people of joy populate our circle of friends! They are truly a gift from God!

Thought for the Day: What’s the difference between joy and happiness?

1 John 5:4-6

“for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.” vs. 4

We’ve gotten a good look at the ways of the world in recent years, and it’s not been a pretty sight! The environment is taking a beating, tensions between nations explode into wars, thousands are being killed, starvation and hunger are rampant and millions of refugees are on the move. In that scenario John’s optimism seems far-fetched. He believed that faith in Jesus Christ and the power of love would change everything, that the ways of the world would be overcome. What’s really bizarre is that faith has spread all across the globe and there are believers in every land, yet it doesn’t seem to have made a bit of difference. Christians have proven to be even more blood-thirsty and cruel than the most ungodly pagans. People of faith have adopted the ways of the world!!! But not everywhere! Pockets of resistance are present in the most unlikely places and some people have made sacrificial love the foundation of their lives. They live the Sermon on the Mount, pray for their enemies, and generously reach out to the broken and deprived. Sadly they are few in number–Christian faith has become generic and disconnected from Jesus–but they do make a difference. And as Jesus once said, “A little yeast can leaven the whole loaf.”

Thought for the Day: What is generic Christian faith?

1 John 5:1-3

“For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome…” vs. 3

It’s really not that difficult to be a follower of Jesus! All that is necessary is that we keep God’s commandments! And what are God’s commandments? Well, John’s not talking about the Ten Commandments that we learn in Sunday School or the 613 commandments that we can dig up out of the Hebrew Scriptures. He’s talking about the Jesus commandments, the ones that are laid out in the gospel of John. And to put it very briefly, he has in mind faith and love. We’re pretty familiar with the love commandment, the one Jesus laid on his disciples after the Passover meal, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.” Admittedly, that’s not always so easy to do, but at least we usually give it an honest effort. But faith is the commandment that gets us into the community of lovers–it’s the first step in following Jesus. Generally we don’t think of it as a commandment–it seems like more of an invitation–but it is something we are called on to do. Like the love commandment it comes from the gospel of John where the writer says plainly that those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God will receive eternal life. And that’s why this writer says the commandments are not burdensome–they should be as natural as breathing for those who love God.

Thought for the Day: Which is more difficult: believing or loving?