“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:20-23

Jesus is praying for me. His prayer for me is to experience community with other believers that imitates the community and oneness that he shares with the Father. He continues to pray that I will experience community with them as well, oneness with the Trinity. (more…)

“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away.” John 16:5-7a

As Jesus warns his followers of what is about to happen, they completely miss it. They are filled with grief, which seems like an expected response, but Jesus’ response indicates that their grief is based on their own personal concern over their loss of the physical presence of Jesus and what this will mean for them. They are so caught up in their own little worlds that they totally miss the significance of Jesus’ words in v.5, that he is going to the Father. (more…)

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15: 12-15

(My apologies for not posting this on Friday)

I am sure that these words of Jesus were extremely meaningful and powerful to those with Jesus when he spoke them. The idea that he would invite them into the more intimate relationship of friendship would have been amazing. However, as we read these words with the understanding of hindsight, I believe they are even more powerful. (more…)

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. John 14:23-24

Why do I push back against the idea of love and obedience being bound together? I admit that at times when I read Jesus associating my love for him to my obedience, I get a bit uncomfortable. Is it because I don’t want to obey? I don’t think so. Is it because I get uncomfortable with what my obedience says about my love for him? Maybe. Is it because I don’t like authority and being told that, “if you love me you will ____(Fill in the blank)__?” That probably plays a role. Truth is, I don’t really know. I just know I bristle sometimes. And it bothers me that it bothers me. (more…)