trying to find His way
“For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them.” (John 17:8) The disciples somehow sensed that Jesus’s message was God’s message.What they heard from Jesus, and saw in Him, rang true for them.They did not understand it fully, but they believed it to be true anyway.When I hear Jesus’s message through the…
“What then is the difference between an admirer and a follower? A follower is or strives to be what he admires. An admirer, however, keeps himself personally detached. He fails to see that what is admired involves a claim upon him, and thus he fails to be or strive to be what he admires. . . . Admirers…
“Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” (John 17:1) When Moses asked to see God’s glory (Exodus 33:18-19, God revealed His glorious love.“The compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. (Exodus 34:6-7)This is Who God is, and this is the glory…
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) This pretty much sums it up what it means to trust in Jesus.This world is still filled with trouble – misery, injustice, despair and death.This world is not moved by love, but by hate and hurt, violence and cruelty.We…
“History reminds us that appeals to orthodoxy are never made in a vacuum. Sometimes, orthodoxy is nothing more than a baptized version of the prejudices of the age. Christians throughout the centuries appealed to orthodoxy in defense of slavery, war, the burning of “witches,” the Crusades, colonization, and the persecution of so-called heretics. Simply calling…
“‘Do you now believe?’ Jesus replied.” (John 16:31) The disciples say that they finally see and understand and believe.To which Jesus says, ‘Really, do you really believe now?’Jesus is not being critical, but He is gently challenging.Its easy to say ‘I believe’ when things are going easy.But what about when life gets hard, or believing gets…
“I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” (John 16:26–27) I have sometimes heard it stressed that God only loves me because of Jesus.It is as if Jesus stands between us and…
“Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (John 16:23) I have asked many things through the years that I did not receive.The ‘name it and claim it’ thinking doesn’t work, nor do I think it should.The key to this is what it means to ‘ask in My…
“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22) Jesus is explaining how He is leaving (dying) but will come back (rising).His coming back will change everything, grief will be changed to joy.We will experience restored fellowship with the…
“When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:13) Jesus is not promising that we will fully understand everything.This is not a guarantee that our theologies will be totally right.Truth is not merely true information, but ultimate reality.The way things are supposed to be, the way God made…