We Believe; Help Our Unbelief

The journey through Holy Week and beyond helps us with our unbelief.

The disciples had been through a lot with Jesus; they’d seen multitudes fed, demons rebuked, people healed, and the dead brought back to life. There was still confusion in their minds about who Jesus really was, but some were starting to believe he just might be the Messiah. His teachings were profound at times, confusing at other times as he loved to speak in parables – requiring them to think deeply about what meaning was behind his words and stories. They knew they were headed toward Jerusalem, but they seemed to believe it was for a different purpose than Jesus told them. Three times, he told them what he was going to face. Here is the third passage:

While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised.” (Matthew 20:17-19 NRSV)

Could he have been any clearer? And yet, the Bible tells us the disciples responded in different ways. Matthew tells us that Peter initially rebuked him; in another place we read they were distressed; in still another we read they did not understand what he was saying. Is it so much they didn’t understand the words he was saying, or was it they simply refused to believe what he was saying could be true? We can only speculate what was in their hearts, but being human like they were, I can easily see their refusal to believe that Jesus was going to die in such a manner. After all, he was just getting started. They believed in him, yet they dealt with unbelief.

The triumphal entry

They reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives and Jesus instructed two of his disciples to go get a specific donkey colt. He told them they would see the colt immediately after entering the village. He even told them what to say to the owner of the colt. We can only imagine what was on their minds. How did he know the colt would be there? How did he know how the owner would respond? What was going on here?

You know the story:

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:6-9 NRSV)

This reception was nothing like Jesus had prophesied. Perhaps he was wrong; perhaps he wouldn’t be arrested. Perhaps he was the king they wanted him to be. It was odd that he rode a colt instead of a stallion, but his reception must have been reassuring. It was a great moment – until they reached Jerusalem. First the crowd wonders, “Who is this?” Then Jesus clears out the temple and chastises the merchants. His authority is questioned, he denounces the scribes and Pharisees, and he cries over Jerusalem saying:

“For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Matthew 23:39 NRSV)

Didn’t they just say those very words as he began his descent into Jerusalem? Some did; we just read that passage. But the citizens of Jerusalem didn’t make that proclamation. No, Jerusalem, as Jesus described, “is the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it.” (Matthew 23:37 NRSV)

By now the disciples’ emotions must be reeling. They wanted to believe, they needed to believe, yet there were questions as they still dealt with unbelief.

The Lord’s Supper – Holy Thursday

We come to what is now called the Eucharist (also known as Holy Communion and Lord’s Supper). Here Jesus demonstrated servant leadership by washing the disciples’ feet. He demonstrated mercy and grace by washing Judas’ feet. He introduced the elements of bread and wine as representing his body and his blood of the covenant, “which is poured out for you.” He told us to eat and drink “in remembrance of him” – so that we would always remember his identity, his relationship, his love, his mercy, his forgiveness, his sacrifice, his dedication, his willingness to become our sin so that we could be gifted his righteousness.

He again tells the disciples he must go away, but he would not leave them alone. He tells them about the Holy Spirit – the Comforter – the Spirit of truth – who would always be with them (us). He gave them a new commandment – to love one another – just as he loved them. He prayed on their behalf and talked of their communion with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He told them they don’t belong to the world, and because of this, the world would hate them. He told them they would be persecuted, but they were to continue to testify about him. He told them they would be full of sorrow, but then their sorrow would turn to joy. Then he prayed for them.

Questions arose. We know of two specific questions: Thomas wanted to know how to follow Jesus if they didn’t know the way. Jesus said, “I am the way.” Philip said, “show us the Father,” Jesus answered, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” Do you believe those answers were satisfactory? I rather doubt it. I’m guessing they raised more questions. Lord, we believe, but please, please help our unbelief.

Good Friday

Jesus and the disciples leave the Upper Room and head to Gethsemane – a beautiful garden full of olive trees – where Jesus loved to pray. Here Jesus pours his heart out to the Father and says the words we aspire to say, “Not my will, but yours be done.” A large weaponized crowd arrives from the chief priests and elders, Peter cuts off the ear of a servant of the high priest, Jesus heals the man, the leaders arrest Jesus and take him to Caiaphas, the disciples flee, Jesus is beaten and mocked and placed in a prisoner’s dungeon below Caiaphas’ house. Has the disciples’ unbelief started to weigh more heavily than their belief?

The next morning Jesus is shuffled between Pilate and Herod. Pilate keeps asking Jesus if he was the king of the Jews. Jesus simply said, “You say so.” The crowds screamed, “Crucify him; crucify him.” Pilate washes his hands and turns Jesus over to be mocked, spat upon, beaten and adorned with a crown of thrones before being led to the cross.

Jesus makes seven statements from the cross (see our suggested Good Friday service), then he surrenders his spirit and dies. He is buried by Nicodemus and Joseph, and the grave site is covered with a large stone and sealed. At this point, you can imagine the disciples’ belief is at an all-time low. They certainly saw nothing good about this Friday. Their hope was gone. Their dreams were dashed. The one they thought was the Messiah to relieve them from Roman rule is dead. What to believe? “Lord, help our belief and our unbelief. We feel anything but good.”

The day is good because of what it represents – forgiveness, inclusion, redemption, reconciliation, salvation, newness of life.

Holy Saturday

There is not much mention of this day in Scripture. You can safely assume it was a day of mourning for the disciples. It was a day of wondering what happened – what did we just witness? Where do we go from here? It was some time before the church looked at Holy Saturday as a day of recommitment. It was a day of rejoicing – knowing Jesus destroyed the power of death and helped us see death as a part of our journey with him that leads to spending eternity with the triune God. Looking back, Holy Saturday reminds us that even when things look bad, we know Jesus is alive and present with us. When hope seems lost, we stand up because we know the author of hope. Holy Saturday helps us; but it was a day of incredible unbelief for the disciples.

Easter

The women go to the tomb and everything changes.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:2-10 NRSV)

Grief turns to joy – He is risen! The disciples want to believe. A couple of them run to the tomb to confirm it is empty. Other disciples encounter Jesus on the way to Emmaus. Jesus appears and many believe, but Thomas is not with them. He still has unbelief. Jesus appears again and tells Thomas, “Touch me, see that I am real.” Thomas is the first to proclaim Jesus as Lord and God. Jesus meets the disciples at Galilee and commissions them. Matthew said:

When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. (Matthew 28:17 NRSV)

In John’s gospel we read that even after seeing the resurrected Jesus, some of the disciples went back to fishing. We don’t know all the story. Perhaps they were tired of waiting for Jesus to do something; perhaps they were still a bit discouraged simply because they didn’t know what it all meant; perhaps they were all dealing with the guilt of deserting Jesus; perhaps they wondered if they were still needed. They believed; but they struggled with their unbelief.

Again, Jesus shows up, gives them a bountiful haul of fish, restores Peter, and tells them to wait in Jerusalem.

And beyond

Let’s read the rest of the Matthew passage:

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20 NRSV)

Over a span of forty days Jesus spent time with the disciples and spoke about the kingdom of God. He then told them to wait in Jerusalem for the “promise of the Father.” Then they watched him ascend. And they believed. Much of their unbelief had passed.

We know the rest of the story. We know what happened at Pentecost. We have the Acts of the Apostles telling us the story of the early church. We have nearly 2,000 years of history showing us how the words of Jesus have come to pass – over and over again. Yet we still struggle with unbelief.

Jesus, do you really have all power and authority over heaven and earth? Then why is this happening?

Jesus, am I really forgiven, redeemed and reconciled? Then why do I feel shame and guilt?

Jesus, are you really with me always, to the end of the age? Then why do I feel so lost, so lonely?

Jesus, are you really going to return? When?

God knows we struggle with unbelief. He knows we get caught up in the cares of the world. He knows we get consumed with worry over family and friends, work and the economy, wars and terrorism. He knows we believe, and he knows we struggle with unbelief. And that’s why it is vital for us to remember that Jesus is the center of the center. That’s why it is so important to focus on the worship calendar – because it keeps us focused on Jesus. It reminds us that he was promised, he did come, he did go to the wilderness and defeat the enemy, he did heal people, he did cast out demons, he did descend into Jerusalem, he was arrested and tortured and crucified, he did rise from the dead, and he did ascend to the Father. That’s why Holy Week is so important for us to focus on.

Paul tells us if we don’t have the resurrection, we have nothing. If Jesus is still in the grave, we have no hope. But he is alive. He is in us. He has forgiven us because he loves us. He has adopted us into the communion he shares with the Father and Holy Spirit. He is leading us toward healthy church. He is reminding us we’ve been called to reach out to others and love them just as he loves us – the Love Avenue. He is telling us to make disciples – the Faith Avenue. He reminds us that he has all power and authority, so we need fear nothing, so we worship – the Hope Avenue. And

he comforts us by telling us we are never alone.

Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief.

Rick Shallenberger

New & Improved GCI Branded Microsite

The GCI Microsite is a resource we provide to help you have a professional and easy to customize a website. This month, we added support for events to our GCI easy website template (aka “Microsites”). You could use this, for example, to promote your Easter service, or other special services during Holy Week on your website.

To see this in action, check out this demo website: https://micro.gci.church/garwood/

You’ll see the Good Friday service featured both in the 4^th banner and the left feature block farther down the page. There is also a new “Events” page in the menu. These items only appear when you have added at least one event in the site editor. By default, we select the earliest occurring event to feature, but you can also prioritize which event(s) are featured by checking a box on the event page. If there are ‘featured” events, we choose the earliest occurring “featured” event to feature.

Each event has its own details, and you can customize the images used for featuring the event.

And you will find all of this on your website by clicking “Edit” at the bottom, then clicking the “Events” tab in the editor.

If you do not have a microsite and are interested in setting one up please email support@gci.org

A Heartache for Our Neighborhoods

Jesus’ heartache for humanity informed his mission. Does it inform ours?

By Heber Ticas, Superintendent, Latin America

We often express a feeling of deep sorrow and anguish for others as a “heartache.” We use phrases like, “my heart aches for you,” “my heart is torn,” or “my heart is broken.” We are moved as we observe the pain, anguish, and misery that our fellow neighbor may be experiencing. In our shared humanity, it is impossible not to be moved. Although these experiences usually tend to occur around those who we are already in relationship with, there are times when the strings of our hearts are tugged by a story or event that it’s not as close. Events in our community, our state, our country can pull at our hearts – even across the world as we experienced while watching events unfold in the Ukraine.

As a church body, we are called to participate in Jesus’ everyday mission in our neighborhoods and communities. We want to do this in such a way that we discern what the Lord is already doing. This discernment is not possible unless we move from the interior walls of our insulated community, and into the fiber of our neighborhoods to discover the Jesus movements amongst those who are not yet in relationship with the Lord. As we move outside the walls, we must open our eyes to see and our minds to discern. I would encourage you to pray that the Lord would give you a heartache for your neighborhood. That your heart may ache for those who struggle with marital relationships, parent-child relationships, alcohol abuse, sickness, grief, and the many circumstances that tend to surround people’s lives.

I am convinced that this is what we find in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Not only did he empty himself to join our ranks, but he did it in such a way that he embodied his ministry. He moved outside the four walls of the synagogue and engaged the pain and anguish of his community. His heart ached as he encountered those who were struggling and suffering. This should not surprise us. The mission of God flows from the love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; “For God so loved the world.” Consider Jesus’ heartache in the following passages:

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, when he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Mathew 9:35a – 36)
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it (Luke 19:41)
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Mathew 11:28)

In these few passages we can discern the common thread of Jesus’ heart as he encountered people. I have not even mentioned the many times we read “Jesus had compassion,” and the times he paused to see and engage the stories of individuals.

Our missional engagements and missional postures have got to be informed by the incarnate mission of our Lord. As we embed ourselves into the fiber of our communities and discover those who labor and are heavy laden, our hearts will not be the same. We will find ourselves distressed in our Spirit just as Paul in the city of Athens. I strongly believe that this heartache can be the catalyst to move a congregation into the Love Avenue with passion and a sense of greater expectancy for missional participation. Our heartache can turn into an overwhelming joy as we point people to Jesus and experience the satisfaction of seeing lives transformed by the power of the Spirit.

Join me in praying to the Father for our hearts to be torn and broken for those who journey through life without the hope that we enjoy in Christ. May God give us a heartache for our neighborhoods. May he open lanes for us to engage and build lasting relationships that would facilitate coming to Jesus along with those who are seeking his rest.

Welcoming Guests and Visitors

Prepare now for the guests and visitors the Spirit will lead to your church.

By Daphne Sidney, Superintendent Australasia

Have you considered how it might feel to be a first-time visitor to your local worship service? While long-time members may be very comfortable surrounded by familiar faces and friends, it is easy to forget how that first encounter with church might feel.

In the positive, I have heard stories of members who recount their early days as newcomers to the church – and how much they appreciated the brethren who befriended and included them. They appreciated the hospitality of being invited to a member’s home for a meal and the intergenerational friendships which were formed. In the negative, there are too many stories of new people who didn’t know where to fit in, or worse, wondered if they ever would.

When we discuss inviting newcomers to our worship services – and it is such a joy to see new people coming to church – I hope we view this through the lens of the transforming work of the Spirit in his church, and not about filling seats. Jesus Christ’s most important work on earth is that of building his church – his body – but it doesn’t always equate to our pews being filled. We’d love to have our churches full, but that’s not our motivation. Our joy comes from participating with Jesus in reaching out to others so his body is built his way. We want others to know the joy of knowing Jesus. We ought never to allow our enthusiasm to be reduced or minimized by the negative, transactional thinking that we’re just trying to get numbers.

When a visitor graces us with his or her presence, do we see that visitor as someone precious to Jesus and precious to his Church? It makes a difference, and leads to the question: do we genuinely value the Church ourselves as Jesus Christ values his Church?

What better passages of Scripture could we find than the masterpiece which Paul wrote from prison – the book of Ephesians – which is full of praise and worship and provides a beautiful understanding of Christ and his Church.

Jesus loved the Church so much he gave himself for it – demonstrating the great sacrificial love he has for the church. Paul writes:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church… (Eph 5:25-27).

Notice how relational this is. Paul uses the metaphor of a marriage – a loving relationship between husband and wife – to describe the loving, intimate and special relationship between Jesus and his Church. The church is precious to Jesus, and all who enter its doors are also precious to him.

Jesus also refers to the church metaphorically as being his own body – the body of Christ. With this imagery we see the church as the locus of Christ’s activity.[1] The church is an extension of Christ’s ministry and in this way, we see how the early New Testament church was birthed and multiplied. Empowered by the Spirit the disciples began to boldly witness as they had been told:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

In the church today we are also empowered by the Holy Spirit, as we cultivate a sensitive heart to where the Spirit leads us. As the word says, be ready to give an answer to those who ask of the hope that is evident in us. We don’t need to be anxious about what we might answer, as we are exhorted more on how our answer is to be given – we are to respond with gentleness and respect. These are relational terms. John Dickson, a Christian author and speaker, once lamented how he indulged himself so much in arguing his point, that he lost the person. Dickson has since learned the value of humility and using the power of words to encourage and uplift others.[2] The Spirit will help us, and his presence helps us be mindful of those around us and of their needs. He wants us to seek out visitors and make them feel welcome and appreciated, just as we give attention to someone at church who is standing all alone, or to someone who needs a word of kindness or encouragement.

There are often opportunities to encourage and help a visitor participate in praise and worship throughout the service. When there is a scripture reading, speak assuredly of his praises, highlight the worth-ship of God, giving encouragement to a visitor to participate in the praise and worship of God. The writer of Hebrews talks about offering the sacrifice of praise and sharing this with others:

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased (Heb 13:15-16).

Other scriptures confirm how this sacrifice of praise expresses itself in communal worship.

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20).

Sing with your heart, inspiring visitors to join in the worship. Uplifting music and praise can be very healing and encouraging to them as the focus turns to God, his love, his great compassion and care for us.

This is all part of being hospitable and welcoming to guests. From the car park to the end of the service, we would like our guests to feel welcomed and to have that sense of belonging.

More than all the strategies which can be implemented, it is about presence – what people feel and sense. We might meet in rather ordinary halls, but the presence of God can be felt in a church that is abiding in the trinitarian love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Evident is a sense of the presence of God and of love and a unified spirit, made alive in and through Christ. This sense of presence and inclusion will not lend itself to cliques but rather to inviting people into open circles of love and friendship.

Consider inviting a visitor or guest to sit with you. Explain the proceedings; help with their children; show them the amenities. Perhaps more importantly, lend an ear to their story, listen attentively with patience and compassion, and simply be present with them.

In reflecting on my own experiences, I remember finding such characteristics in a rather unexpected place. I was invited to a service being held in the basement of an old church building – a place essentially designated for the homeless, the poor and the marginalized. Well, it is hard to describe the wonderful atmosphere there –love and warmth radiated in the room. I was greeted with smiling, joyful faces, personally accompanied to my seat, and given a hymn book. I felt incredibly looked after and included. No doubt this delightful group understood inclusion and how important it is to feel like you belong.

This reminds me of Paul’s assertion of the connectedness of the body and the inherent worth and dignity of all, regardless of social status and background.

For we were all baptized into one Spirit so as to form one body – whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (I Cor 12:13).

May this cultivate in us a deepening gratitude for the grace we have received and may we seek ways to extend this grace as we welcome others into the body of Christ. Let us be intentional to pray for newcomers, that they too may receive the blessings of love and belonging which we have.

[1]Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology USA 1985 p.1036

[2] Dickson, John. Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life Love and Leadership. Harper Collins (Au)

I’m Feeling Left Out…

What is the place for long-time elders and other church leaders within the new focus on the Love, Hope, and Faith Avenues of a healthy church?

By Glen A Weber, Central Region Support Team, Coach

Leadership in our denomination has been on a constant trajectory of growth over the past few decades. I began serving in ministry in late 1972 (fifty years ago next fall). Church leadership involved having a pastor and occasionally an associate pastor if the church was large enough. Pastors would often ordain elders. Typically, the standard for ordination of an elder was based on the qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3/Titus 1, but rarely with any job description. Elders served “at-large” simply being “pillars” in the church and occasionally serving the pastor by preaching, leading Bible studies, anointing the sick and similar duties. Similarly, deacons and deaconesses were also ordained – based on their service in the church.

Many years later, GCI began to focus more intentionally on the “ministry” being performed and began to appoint and “commission” leaders for specific ministries – worship, children’s church, youth, hospitality, etc. Because of this new focus on commissioning ministry leaders, we stopped the practice of ordaining deacons and deaconesses. We also stopped focusing on titles and positions and gave more focus to mission and ministry. It was a good move for where the Holy Spirit is leading us.

As President Greg Williams began to focus us more on team-based, pastor-led leadership, our pastors also needed to make significant changes. It has not been easy for some of our pastors to transition from having to make the bulk of the day-to-day decisions, to working with a team of leaders who are more than capable to make decisions on their own. It takes more training – and frankly, it forces our pastors to function more like Jesus did – raising up, training, leading and sending a team into effective ministry.

Within the team-based, pastor-led approach to ministry, Greg Williams also introduced the concept of three Avenues – the Hope, Faith and Love Avenues. Hope (all aspects of the weekly worship service), Faith (helping people grow in their faith, discipleship) and Love (engaging with the neighborhood around our church) have become the three legs of a strong leadership process that allows us to reach new people, disciple all members, and more easily connect new people into the life of the church. These Avenues help us focus more on developing emerging leaders – an absolute necessity for the future of GCI. In my forty-eight years of pastoral ministry in GCI, I have never been more excited about the strong foundations on which our congregations are being built!

However, as the Avenues have been developing, some other congregational leaders – elders, ministry leaders, Advisory Council members, etc. are sometimes feeling side-lined and wondering where you fit into the new leadership structure. “What is my part now? I’m feeling left out!” “Am I being put out to pasture?” Only if you choose to go out to pasture. Our new focus on the Avenues and developing emerging leaders might not leave you “in charge” of a mission or ministry, but it never stops you from having an impact. Young leaders need mentors; they need encouragement and affirmation; they need your prayers; they need your support.

The Avenues are designed to make sure each congregation has a healthy focus on all three areas of the ministry of Jesus. This means an adjustment in our systems within our congregations. Budgets, mission, and ministry are now built around the three Avenues.

Some of our readers will have been invited to become an Avenue Champion. That means you are being put in a position of recruiting others to participate on your team. The team will work with the pastor and the other Avenue Champions to develop that aspect of their congregation. This opens more opportunities for current and future members to participate in one of these key areas of ministry.

Hope: Worship team, hospitality team, greeters, ushers, and more as needed.

Faith: Connect groups (of many types), Bible studies, topical workshops and other formats to help members grow in their faith.

Love: Planning and executing engagement activities outside the church walls, fundraising through community sponsors, and positions to be developed as appropriate for your church.

As an elder, retired pastor, or former church leader, I suggest you look for opportunities to share your passion, your gifts, and your maturity with the Avenue that draws your interest.

Here is a thought from pastor, author and leadership trainer, Terry A Smith (www.terryasmith.com) from his podcast – Sept. 19, 2021 “What Could Go Right?”

You must develop a possibility instinct. You must see the potential of a preferred future. Your first thought should be, What if?” What if you take off your old church hat (the one you have maybe worn in service for decades) and begin serving in every way possible – with an attitude of possibility – and Jesus will provide you a new hat that will thrill your heart!

Five years ago, I retired from full-time ministry and all official responsibilities within GCI. My wife and I moved away from the congregation we were serving in Los Angeles and moved to Colorado. My wife and I had determined that we would attend a GCI congregation, so we began attending the local congregation in Arvada (a city in the northern part of metro Denver). I also began attending the other GCI congregation that continues to meet on Saturday. I thoroughly enjoyed both congregations and simply began supporting and serving the pastors and others in the congregation. For five years, I have been attending both congregations and loving on them. I still don’t have an official position. I’m simply striving to be the most supportive member and local elder that I can be. Sometimes I am invited to preach or enter into leadership meetings and sometimes not. Has it been different for me? Sure, I’ve actually been freed up to really love people and the church and serve as needed.

Because I had been trained and certified as a GCI coach, I continued to coach a few interns/pastoral residents and a couple pastors after my retirement. Over time, I was asked to do group coaching with pastors from the North Central Region (Five Voices) and later pastors in our Central Region (Hope Avenue, at first). I am now coaching nearly thirty people (many in groups of 5-6).

Rather than feeling a little “left out.” our congregational leaders (elders, deacons, deaconesses, former advisory council members, etc.) can now be freed-up to really enjoy serving the members, Avenue champions and pastors in new and exciting ways. In 1 Peter 2:5, we are told that we are living stones being built into a spiritual/holy temple. Where does your brick fit now? It’s a good question to pray about.

Church Hack: Easter Prep

Easter Sunday is the most attended church service every year. It is also a great opportunity to invite those who don’t normally attend to visit your church, whether you are meeting online or in person. Here are some steps to make your Easter service last beyond the Hope Avenue experience on Sunday. #GCIchurchhacks

Check out the links on page two for resources and graphics for your Easter service.

https://resources.gci.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-CH3-Easter_Love_Ave_Pkg.pdf

The God of the Open Tomb

Telling our youth about God’s willingness to bend reality for us gives them a taste of how good and glorious our God is.

When I was the director of New Heights Summer Camp, it seemed like we got a significant rainstorm every year. The storms were rarely dangerous — more inconvenient than anything else. Once every decade or so a major storm would hit the area and cause flooding. Those larger storms were not to be taken lightly because they were far more disruptive and potentially dangerous.

One summer, we got several alerts that one of those big storms was headed our way. It was only the second or third day of our seven-day camp, and I was concerned about the impact of the thunderstorm. Looking at the size of the storm and the velocity of the wind, it was a real possibility that we would have to relocate half the camp to ensure everyone’s safety, which would not be fun for anyone. I began to worry, and my stress level rose as I strategized with my staff. Then one of my leaders said, “We should pray.”

Those three simple words snapped me out of my worry and reminded me of the greatness of our God. In that moment, I remembered that we served a God who commanded the storm. I remembered at that same camp a few years before, my predecessor, Jeff Broadnax, faced a similar situation. He led our camp in a prayer where he asked God to tell the storm to “cut it out.” And it did! The storm broke within an hour or so after our prayer time.

Prompted by the Holy Spirit, I told our staff to gather our campers for a time of prayer. I explained the situation to the camp and told them that we serve a mighty God who can command storms. I asked for three volunteers from the senior camp to pray on behalf of the camp. They prayed powerful prayers in the direction of the storm, once again asking God to tell the storm to “cut it out.” Then we waited. And we waited. Twenty minutes after the storm was supposed to hit, we saw no sign of it. One of our staff called up a live satellite image of the storm. It was massive! The thunderstorm covered the entire region…except for a thin corridor over our camp. It was as if there was a shield over us that parted the storm. I stopped camp again to show the campers the goodness and power of our God. It was a moment I will not soon forget, and I am sure it made an impression on our campers.

As we celebrate Easter this month, my mind turns to that empty tomb. In Luke we read:

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:1-3)

That empty tomb was a demonstration of God’s strength to save, and his determination to make everything new. Jesus has the power to take his own life back and give us new life. Every Easter should remind us that we serve a wonder-working God, whose love and power can transform us and our world. We need that reminder in this present evil age. In a world with so much darkness and despair, we need to be reminded of the might of our God. It is good to remember that we already have the victory in Christ and nothing in this world can change that. He is stronger than anything in this world, and he can suddenly change everything. This is a message our young people need to hear.

In our work with children and youth, let us not be afraid to introduce our young people to a God who bends reality for us. He is not a genie, working magic to satisfy our wishes. Rather, he is a loving God who blesses us in a way that is best because it is his good pleasure. In speaking to your young people about the significance of Easter, consider sharing your own testimony. Instead of retelling the story of the resurrection, tell them how the empty tomb changed your life. Tell them a story about how God told a storm in your life to “cut it out.” Give them a taste of the greatness of the God we serve, and reasons why they should put their trust in him. Instead of just telling them about the empty tomb, help them to experience its power.

By Dishon Mills, US Generations Ministry Coordinator

Gospel Reverb – Resurrection Fish Fry w/ Jeff McSwain

Building a Love Avenue Team w/ Aron Tolentino & Joshua Kho

Sermon for May 1, 2022 – Third Sunday of Easter

Psalm 30:1-12 • Acts 9:1-6, (7-20) • Revelation 5:11-14 • John 21:1-19

This week’s theme is resurrected restoration. The call to worship Psalm emphasizes healing and recovery from the Lord that prompts eternal gratefulness. A reading from Acts recounts Paul’s transformation from a persecutor of the church to a chosen instrument of the Lord. The Gospel reading from John reports the appearance of the resurrected Lord to Peter who is restored and commissioned to feed Jesus’ sheep. The Book of Revelation points to the source of all restoration with the vision of angels singing praises around the throne of God to the Lamb who was slain.

The Dawn of a New Day

John 21:1-19 (NRSV)

Easter Sunday is a big day for the Christian Church. Celebrations abound with music, drama, decorations, and food that are rarely seen on other Sundays. It is also the day most churches have their biggest day of attendance. But Easter is more than just one big special day. It’s a season. In fact, we have seven Sundays to celebrate Easter this year. We find ourselves today on the third Sunday after Easter, barely halfway through the season. I’m sure you have noticed that after Easter Sunday the remaining Sundays in the Easter season look like business as usual. The heightened celebration and crowds have dwindled back to the regular ebb and flow of a typical church gathering.

We may be disappointed and wish every Sunday would look like Easter Sunday. But if we are honest with ourselves, this dynamic of the Easter season probably reflects our own worship of the Lord more than we would like to admit. Every day is not High Easter in our daily lives. In fact, some days our lives don’t reflect the fact that he is risen at all. We are just going about our lives “business as usual.” Sound familiar? If so, the text we have before us may be just the reminder we need. It’s the story of Peter and other disciples, who have met the resurrected Lord on Easter Sunday, but seemed to be returning to their lives as it was before they even met Jesus. I guess if it happened to Peter, the one Jesus chose to build his church on, we should not be surprised that it can happen to us. But, we will see that the Lord does not intend for us to remain stuck there. Let’s take a look at how it played out for Peter and his fellow fishermen.

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. (John 21:1-3 NRSV)

This story begins with seven disciples gathering at the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had already appeared to them so we may be left scratching our head as to why they are out fishing. Peter is recorded as saying, “I’m going out to fish.” Notice his orientation. He is no longer acting like a a man who dedicated himself to following Jesus, he is choosing for himself what he is going to do. One could say he is returning to a self-determined approach to life. Not only that, but he is also influencing the other disciples to follow him in this self-determined decision. Peter was called to be the one who would lead the early church. This doesn’t appear to be a good start for leadership. Instead of leading others to be followers of Christ, he has led them to follow himself.

Have you seen yourself ever slip back into self-determining patterns of thinking and acting? It happens to us all. Let’s face it, the culture we live in celebrates and continually barrages us with the temptation to “be your own man” or “be the captain of your own ship.” Self-determinism is a virtue that must be attained in a culture where self-worship runs rampant. We are called to be followers of Christ, but we often find ourselves, just like Peter and his fishing mates, returning to our boats and tackle, as if Easter Sunday meant Jesus had decided to move on without us.

Peter and the other disciples give us a glimpse of how a self-determined life will look apart from Jesus. They proceeded to answer for themselves a series of questions in order to fulfill their self-determined quest. They determined for themselves what they would do – go fishing. They determined for themselves where they would go – out to sea. They determined for themselves how they would do it – by boat. They determined for themselves when they would do it – at night. This self-initiated task in the end produced for them a net full of NOTHING! We are reminded that Jesus told his disciples that apart from him they could do nothing. Been there? You return to your boats, make your best plan, gather your favorite tools, and give it all you got, only to end up with the same results before you knew Jesus. Nothing! Nothing worth counting anyway. Usually, we end up with less than nothing – often making a mess of our lives and dragging others down with us. So far, we have a pretty dismal start for our third Sunday of Easter. But don’t go away, the sun hasn’t come up quite yet.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. (John 21:4-7 NRSV)

It was “early in the morning” when Jesus appeared on the shore, and everything begins to change. Although Easter Sunday has come and gone, with Jesus, it is always the dawn of a new day. The disciples did not recognize Jesus. They answered for themselves every what, where, how, and when question but they did not have an answer to the “who” question. Who was this man on the beach? Jesus asked a question of his own with, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” Here Jesus gives the disciples the opportunity to admit that their way is not working. After fishing all night with nothing to show for their efforts they are honestly able to admit that the only answer they have is “No.”

We can note that Jesus’ timing is for our good. He could have saved the disciples a lot of toil by showing up earlier, but Jesus waits till the morning. This is Jesus’ third appearance to the disciples in John’s Gospel. By appearing at sunrise, Jesus offers a reminder of Easter morning. Jesus also has the disciples in a place where they are ready to cast aside their pride. They are now ready to listen to another voice other than their own. A mature disciple, in time, learns that the voice worth following is the voice of another who loves us so much we want to turn our ears toward him. When Jesus said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat,” the disciples followed his instructions, leading to a catch so great they were unable to haul into the boat.

With this miraculous catch, the disciples were able to realize that, “It is the Lord!” Jesus helped them answer the only question that is truly important – the “who” question. And he does this by reminding them in very personal ways of who he has revealed himself to be through his relationship with them. The disciples no doubt remember when Jesus first told them to cast their net on other side of the boat – with the same results. When we fall back into our self-determining patterns, forgetting who our Lord is, Jesus is gracious and loving in his approach to us. He comes to us in ways we can recognize, often with little reminders of who he is as we have come to know him.

Notice how Peter finally saw who was standing on the shore. His eyes were opened when one of his fellow disciples said to him, “It is the Lord.” Peter’s excited response is comical. He jumps off the boat and swims to shore. It seems that seeing Jesus also helped Peter see the futility of being captain of his own destiny. He couldn’t abandon ship fast enough. This is why it is so important as we gather together as fellow disciples to remind each other of who the Lord is. How often is it that we can’t see the Lord present with us until someone reminds us who we have lost sight of? There is something about a brother or sister in Christ coming alongside you in your times of doubt and confusion to remind you of who Jesus is. To remind you that it is the Lord who is with you, who is calling you friend and calling you to himself. Many a self-determined life has been turned back to the Lord thanks to a faithful disciple who shared what the Lord opened his eyes to see. May it be so with us in our relationships with one another.

But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21:8-14 NRSV)

Now that Peter is following Jesus again, and not his own self-made plans, he has rightly reclaimed his calling as the one upon who Jesus said he would build his church. Notice the disciples in the boat are now following Peter to the shore where Jesus is, and not out to sea. As Peter follows Jesus with self-abandonment, the other disciples follow suit. This is the primary calling of any church “leader.” It is to be a follower of Christ.

When all the disciples were on the shore, we find that Jesus is already cooking some fish. Jesus does not need our catch, but he invites us to participate in what he is doing. Jesus tells them to bring some of the fish they had just caught, and then he invites them to a communion style breakfast. Jesus gives them credit for the catch of fish they just hauled in. Even though they know it was Jesus who was the one that enabled them to catch the fish, Jesus doesn’t mind sharing his glory. This is the Lord the disciples had grown to know during their time with him. He was not a Lord like the religious and political tyrants of their time. He was a glorious Lord who shared all that he has with them. After this invitation we see that “None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” The “who” question had been settled for these disciples.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:15-19 NRSV)

It’s after receiving this communion type meal that Jesus restores Peter to the ministry of feeding the sheep. In the series of three questions to Peter about his love for Jesus, Peter is once again brought face to face with the futility of his own self-determined love and loyalty to the Lord as he is reminded of his three denials. This shot to Peter’s pride hurts, but ultimately leads him to the admission that the Lord knows “everything.” Jesus even predicts that Peter will not waver from his new orientation of following the Lord over following himself. Jesus contrasts how Peter once lived by going where he wanted, but who will now remain faithful in following another even when it leads to death. Peter will grow more and more to look just like Jesus.

After this we see a new Peter who is ready to follow rather than lead. And his role as “leader” in the church is defined clearly as one who nourishes and takes care of the sheep that belong to the Lord. And he will do this by feeding the sheep only with that which the Lord has fed him. And that doesn’t mean literal fish. John records Jesus feeding the disciples with bread and fish in a communion fashion. Peter is charged to feed the sheep with only what he receives from the Lord. In this way, the church is the place where sheep are fed by being reminded of who Jesus is with his word and are invited into his presence at the communion table.

In summary, when Jesus shows up everything changes. Night turns to day. Fruitless fishing becomes an abundant catch. Toiling at sea becomes a rest on the shore. As Jesus answers the “who” question for us, we can reach a point where we place our full confidence and faith in the Lord who knows all things. We can leave our boats of self-determinism and let go of our frantic desire to be captain of our own destiny. As we do so, we are fed by the Lord and are invited to participate in his feeding of his sheep. And we do that by obeying Jesus’ last words to us in the passage: “Follow me!”

Small Group Discussion Questions

From Speaking of Life

Can you think of other examples where power led to corruption?
Contrast how the world typically thinks of power and how Jesus displayed power.
Discuss the difference between being masters of our own fates and captains of our own souls with being people who trust and rely on God’s grace.

From the sermon

The sermon noted how our Easter season celebration tends to dissipate after Easter Sunday. Can you see this parallel in your personal walk with the Lord? In what ways do we return to “business as usual” even after being encountered by the risen Lord?
The sermon pointed out how Peter was returning to living a “self-determined” life instead of following Jesus. Share how you have seen yourself slip back into self-determining patterns of thinking and acting instead of being a follower of Jesus.
How does the cultural inclination of self-determinism create damage in the church? What do you see in Jesus’ teaching and in his life that would counter the cultural fixation of self-determinism?
The sermon indicated that Jesus waited till “early in the morning” before appearing to the disciples to give them the opportunity to come to the end of their self-determined efforts. Do you sometimes wish Jesus would have showed up earlier than he did in your life? Can you think of examples where you had to come to a place where all your self-determined efforts amounted to “nothing” before you could recognize Jesus and what he was giving you?
The sermon pointed out how Jesus helped the disciples recognize him by personal reminders of his relationship to them. Can you think of times when Jesus reminded you of something personal in your relationship with him that helped you recognize him or know he was talking to you?
The sermon related how Peter’s eyes were opened when one of his fellow disciples said to him, “It is the Lord.” Can you think of times when it was another believer that helped you see Jesus when you had lost sight of him? What does this say about the importance of our fellowship with one another in the Lord? How might we help one another see Jesus?
The sermon claimed that the primary calling of any church “leader” is to be a follower of Christ. How does being a follower of Christ best equip one to be a leader in the church? What difference does it make for church leaders to first be followers?
After restoring Peter, Jesus instructs him to feed his sheep. According to the sermon, what should be the main diet the sheep are fed?

Sermon for May 8, 2022 – Fourth Sunday of Easter

Psalm 23:1-6 • Acts 9:36-43 • Revelation 7:9-17 • John 10:22-30

On the fourth Sunday of Easter we witness how Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls his people to himself. Our call to worship Psalm speaks of the Shepherd who cares for every need of his sheep. In Acts we read about Peter calling to Tabitha, and at the sound of his voice she follows, even from death. In Revelation we are greeted by the great scene of every believer who has been washed in the blood of the Lamb, and who have followed their Lord into eternity. Finally, in John Jesus declares to us that his sheep will hear his voice and follow him – that we are safe in the hands of the Father and the Son.

Rapt in Anticipation

John 10:22-30 NRSV

Read, or have someone read John 10:22-30 NRSV.

Most people don’t like being left in anticipation – they want to know what happens next – it brings them comfort and security. Good writers know this; that’s why they use things like cliff-hangers and foreshadowing to build the anticipation – knowing that you will keep reading or watching in the hope of returning to a place of certainty. The only thing worse than our favorite character in a novel being killed off, is the hint that they might be.

Share an example of what builds up an excited anticipation in you such as the example below.

For me it’s a cliff-hanger at the end of an episode of one of my favorite shows. You won’t see a stoic face when I finish a TV episode that ends on a good cliff hanger. There’s no bemused smile, just a furious impatience at not having all my entertainment needs immediately actualized. While the anticipation might not be killing me, it sure is killing my time as I Google theories on YouTube about what could happen next!

For the Jews who came to Jesus in our passage, they approached Jesus as though he were a character in such a story. Let’s look at how they spoke:

The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24)

Those coming to Jesus wanted to know the end of the story; how could they make plans for the future when a potential messiah was on the loose? False messiahs had come and gone before, and the Jewish people were desperate to see the real Messiah arrive and bring about the change they were looking for. Yet Jesus had not revealed himself as the Messiah – this was a classic “Is he? Is he not?” narrative!

Or was it? Jesus’ response is telling and probably didn’t contain the spoilers they were looking for:

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.” (John 10:25-26)

Jesus sees through the people’s desire to view the Messiah like the next big thing to chat about around the water cooler. Why do these people want to know if he’s the Messiah? So they can follow him? This seems unlikely. Jesus tells us right here an important point. These are not people of his flock; even were he to declare himself the Messiah here and now they would not follow him (quite the opposite we find out.) They’re not seeking the Messiah to follow – they’re seeking the next big story, the scandal of the year. They’re seeking resolution to their anticipation – they want to know not if Jesus is the Messiah – but if he is going to claim to be the Messiah. Because if he does, the sparks are going to fly – that’s when the story gets juicy. And those posing the question intend to be part of the story.

A Messiah besieged

The Greek word that’s translated “gathered around” in verse 24 has sinister connotations – it’s only used one other place, in Luke 21:20 to describe the Romans surrounding Jerusalem before destroying it – in other words, a siege. And given we know that these very people tried to stone Jesus, it colors our understanding of the narrative. So, when they tell Jesus “Don’t keep us in suspense!” there are other motivations at play. It might help to read the passage in a more mocking tone, given we can see their ill intent.

Yet amidst all of this, Jesus takes the opportunity to continue his lesson. The context for our passage is rich, it is part of Jesus’ last public address before his crucifixion in the gospel of John. And we are told he is speaking at Hannukah – the Festival of Dedication. It’s wintertime, and the group are gathered in Solomon’s Colonnade, a section of the temple that allowed people to shelter from the cold while still hearing teaching. Hannukah reminded the Jewish people to beware of false leaders who lead you astray. Ezekiel 34 would frequently be read during this time, a passage that warns Israel to avoid the false shepherds and cling to the Good Shepherd.

So as the people huddle together for warmth, teaching and discussion Jesus has already made an incredibly bold claim – he is the Good Shepherd (John 10:14). This is what he is referring to when he tells them in verse 25, “I did tell you, but you do not believe.” In no uncertain terms, Jesus has declared who he is to the people who are now questioning him. And they knew it too – in verse 33 they tell him their reason for stoning him is that he has claimed “to be God.” Throughout his ministry Jesus has avoided the question of messiahship, as it would have hindered his ministry. Yet here he does not shy away – he gives the group besieging him exactly what they want. Why?

All for the sheep

The clue is in what he says next, and just as importantly, who he says it to:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” – (John 10:27-30)

Jesus has already established for us that those who are besieging him are not his sheep. Yet the words he speaks here are words of incredible encouragement to anyone who would identify as a follower of Jesus. They are words of great encouragement to us. Jesus is speaking to all his sheep – any who are included among those huddled from the cold in Solomon’s Colonnade, to believers scattered around the globe for the past 2,000 years, and to us. There is one clear message conveyed to us here, we have heard his voice; we are to follow.

This section of Scripture teaches us three things about our life in Jesus:

Being part of the flock is to both receive a gift, and be a gift
Eternal life is just that, eternal
We are secure in the hands of the Father and the Son
Being part of the flock is to both receive a gift and be a gift

Without delving too deeply into the incredibly complex debate of predestination right now, this we can say: our ability to hear the Shepherd and follow is a freely given gift from the Father. But what is more, we are also a gift to Jesus from the Father – given and received in love, by the power of the Holy Spirit who has opened our ears to hear Jesus.

This certainty reassures as – there is nothing we can do to escape the love of God, which we have been given by the Father, received by the Son, through the Holy Spirit. The fullness of God’s triune being has defined what it means to be one of his children.

Eternal Life is just that, eternal

Perhaps when you’ve tried to conceive the concept of eternity, you’ve either struggled to conceive of it at all, or you went too deep and ended up in an existential crisis induced panic attack. It is a hard concept to get our heads around. But here Jesus summarizes the eternal part for us beautifully, we shall never perish. We know from John 17:3 that eternal life is coming to know God fully – life forever with God. And now, this passage tells us we will not cease to exist in this life with God. Perhaps this not ceasing to exist thing is a bit easier to conceptualize than the living forever bit, and certainly it induces fewer existential crises.

We are secure in the hands of the Father and the Son

Jesus tells us that not only can we not be plucked from his firm and almighty grip, but that furthermore we are also in the grip of the Father. In this statement he makes it clear that in giving us to Jesus, the Father does not let go of us. It is the certainty of our place in the fold of God that allows the apostle Paul to write this:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).

We need fear no thing and no one for we are in the hands of God, safe and secure.

Jesus concludes this passage with a clear statement of unity with the Father – “I and the Father are one.” This statement is referring to unity of will and purpose. He is reaffirming the certainty of purpose that God has toward his sheep, the future is secure in his hands. There’s no villain coming back from the dead for a final scare, no ironic defeat for the heroes at the last moment, no bogeyman that spirits us away from our life in God.

This is the good news of the Good Shepherd. Though our lives might sometimes have the drama of a serial TV series, we don’t have any cliff hangers, we need not wring our hands in rapt anticipation of how the story ends. We know for certainty the parts that matter:

We will know God amid his abundant gift-giving love.

We will not perish.

There will be no twist endings.

Glory be to God.

Small Group Discussion Questions

Questions for sermon

What is likely to get you buzzing with anticipation?
When you’re anticipating “what’s going to happen next” in your life, do you remember to bring God into the equation? How would the “what next” question look without him?
When you contemplate eternity, do you draw a blank? Does it help to think in terms of “not perishing” to frame your attempts to comprehend eternity with God?
Gush a little bit about how great it is to have your future certain and secure in God’s hands – it’s good for the soul.

Questions for Speaking of Life

Do you have a mondegreen of your own you’d like to share? (A mondegreen is a misheard lyric that totally changes the meaning of a line of phrase in a song.)
Have you ever had a time where you’d rather not have God as your shepherd? Why? Was it due to a misunderstanding about him, or something you didn’t want to have to change?
How does knowing God is the Good Shepherd (as opposed to a bad one!) help us understand the rest of Scripture?

Sermon for May 15, 2022 – Fifth Sunday in Easter

Psalm 148:1-14 • Acts 11:1-18 • Revelation 21:1-6 • John 13:31-35

Our theme for this week is all hail King Jesus. Our call to worship Psalm gives us a picture of every creature – from those in the fathomless depths to those sitting on thrones – bowing the knee to the true King. Acts 11 gives us the story of the gospel going from the Hebrew people into all the world, exactly according to plan. Revelation 21 shows us the final picture of the New Jerusalem—the new heavens and earth—where Jesus reigns forever. Our sermon comes from John 13, where King Jesus shares with us the secret to living like his royal family: Love.

Jesus, A Candid Shot

John 13:31-35 ESV

Read, or have someone read John 13:31-35 ESV.

Muhammad Ali standing in triumph over Sonny Liston. Albert Einstein sticking his tongue out for the camera. Jackie Onassis standing regal in black next to her son as he saluted at JFK’s funeral.

These are some of the most famous pictures in recent history. They don’t just portray a person; they encapsulate a moment. These candid shots capture the personality, the ethos of the person by getting the context just right for just the right moment.

Ali’s braggadocio and twentieth century optimism. Einstein’s mad genius. Jackie’s proud stylishness even in her most tragic moment. Theses photographs capture who they are.

There are many moments like this in the life of Jesus, but one of the most poignant takes place in John 13. The opening of the chapter sets the scene:

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. (John 13:1-4 ESV)

In this verbal crescendo so many things come together: Jesus’ death, Judas’s betrayal, and the enthronement of Christ. And the Lord’s reaction in this quantum moment is to wash feet. This act was the work of a slave, considered one of the lowliest duties.

In that culture, slaves were a common sight. They were part of daily life. They weren’t particularly loved or hated—they were just necessary. They were treated, for the most part, with consistent disregard. Slaves were essentially appliances.

And this is what Jesus chooses to do. This is the picture—like the boxer, the genius, the President’s wife—that encapsulates who he is.

Let’s look at this famous moment and see what we can learn:

The example
The command
The indicator

The example

On a spring day in 1981, a mentally disturbed young man attempted to assassinate then Pope John Paul II. He shot the Pope four times, with each bullet making contact, and the pontiff was critically wounded. The Pope made a slow but full recovery. Two years later, he visited the young man in prison to forgive him in a private conversation. One of the most famous pictures of his ministry was taken of him gently talking with his would-be killer. That’s the heart of someone who understands forgiveness, who learned from Jesus’ example here in John’s gospel and elsewhere.

To really explore the depths of John 13, we need to pay attention to the sequence of events. The disciples come together for the Passover meal. They eat together. Jesus gets up to wash feet and has the famous conversation with Peter, addressing the fisherman’s trademark enthusiasm.

Jesus then finishes the slave’s work of washing feet and reclines back at the table. It’s shortly after this that he dismisses Judas to do his dark work, and the narrative goes on.

Let’s pause right there – it’s easy to ignore that detail. Jesus washed Judas’s feet! Knowing what he was just about to do, knowing that Satan would enter Judas momentarily. Jesus knew this and didn’t hesitate for a moment to wash Judas’s feet. Those feet might have still been damp when Judas left to betray him.

Pull even further back, and you see how people sat at the table. Famously, John sat next to Jesus and rested his head on Jesus’ chest at the end of the meal. This would have been a common placement for a guest of honor at a meal. But look how Jesus signifies that Judas will be the one to betray him:

Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. (John 13:26 ESV)

Why was Judas right there to receive the morsel of bread? Because Judas was seated right next to Jesus! Whether he was placed there by someone else or took the place himself, we don’t know. But Jesus shared the table—right next to him—with the man he knew would betray him.

This is the example. This is that candid shot of who Jesus is: sharing a dish with his betrayer, washing the traitor’s feet. Jesus shares that example before he starts commenting on it at all. He speaks to the disoriented, uncomfortable disciples to say: “This. This right here. What I just did, this is what the kingdom is like.”

Then John punctuates this scene with his characteristic use of light and dark in describing Judas:

So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. (John 13:30 NRSV)

The command

“A new commandment I give you…” (John 13:34)

And with these words, Jesus unlocks all of human history and human potential. This is the hinge it all hangs upon: love, even before you are loved. Love, even when you don’t receive payment or reward, even when your love is unrequited. Love because loving is its own reward. Love for its own sake, just like Jesus did in washing feet, even those of Judas.

In the culture of the time, there was a steady exchange of honor. I honor you by getting you a gift, you honor me by getting me a gift. I honor you by showing you hospitality, and my honor profile is raised in the community, which means status and better connections and networking. There was a strong cultural exchange of quid pro quo.

And we see the same in our society as well. Giving gifts with the expectation of getting something back. Networking to make connections that will pay off in the future. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. Yet in ancient times and in our own, we all know there is something more. There is something better about giving freely, something that brings us joy and meaning and lightness of heart. Even when there’s no one there to applaud the action, we know that selfless giving brings us some of our greatest joy.

Jesus articulated what that “something more” is all about. He made sense of the human journey and the very human urge to give and told us: That’s the key. Giving before we are given to, participating in generosity: these urges to give are the only reason that humanity has survived, and they are the key to humanity thriving.

CS Lewis articulates it vividly:

Meanwhile the cross comes before the crown and tomorrow is a Monday morning. A cleft has opened in the pitiless walls of the world, and we are invited to follow our great Captain inside. The following Him is, of course, the essential point. (Lewis, the Weight of Glory)

To know Jesus, to follow the servant’s way of Jesus, is to walk through that cleft in the “pitiless walls of the world.” Instead of dog-eat-dog, instead of the brutal cycle of seeking and losing status, we’re invited to follow the Lord who scrubbed toes, who took the posture of dishonor because he knew it was his greatest glory. We’re called to be truly free to love.

The great irony of Jesus’ enthronement begins. The language and detail of Jesus’ crucifixion the next day portray his passion as his enthronement. He is given a purple robe (Mark 15); he is given a reed in his hand in a cruel imitation of a scepter (Matthew 27); and he is coronated with a crown of thorns. When this king is exalted, he is “lifted up” (John 12) onto the rough wood of a cross.

Jesus calls us along this royal path. He calls us not simply to love our neighbors as ourselves, but to love as he loves––without expectation, without caveat, without condition.

The indicator

Think about who is in the room when Jesus speaks these words:

Peter – a leather-neck hot-head
Simon the Zealot – a terrorist who fought Rome with violence
Matthew – a tax collector who made his money by selling out to Rome
Thomas – a self-protective skeptic
John–A young follower of John the Baptist who was likely half revolutionary and half confused mystic.

And several others who were all over the map in terms of loyalties, backgrounds, and character. These are the people to whom Jesus gives his great commandment and gives a workshop on how the commandment is to be lived out in daily life. He then gives the primary indicator of the people who follow Jesus:

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 ESV)

Jesus started with an intensely divided group to show what Christian unity would eventually look like. We have biblical records of infighting and one-upmanship in the ranks of the apostles, but Jesus knew this, and still chose them. He then gave them this dubious indicator of his presence: If you love each other, they’ll know you belong to me.

Two great theologians, John Wesley and George Whitefield, were huge influences in England’s Evangelical Revival in the 1700s. In a time without internet, television, or much media to speak of at all, these renowned orators would have been some of the biggest pop stars around. And these two were famous theological rivals. They wrote against each other and spoke against each other, holding differing views within the same faith. Their disagreement was as famous as their reputations.

At one point, one of Whitefield’s followers ventured the question, “We won’t see Wesley in heaven, will we?”
Whitefield replied, “No.”
The man then conjectured, “So you don’t think Wesley knows Jesus?”
Whitefield declared, “No! He will be so close to the throne of God and we so far away that we won’t be able to see him from where we sit!”

Years later, when Whitefield died, he requested that Wesley himself would speak at the funeral. So, great disagreement fomented between these two men, great differences in the theological details of their understanding of faith, but also great love.

That’s the indicator. That’s our first and last witness to the hope that is within us: love. For Jesus to bring together his group of twelve, and for us still to hold fellowship as the 2.5 billion Christ-followers in the world today, is the primary indicator that we are his disciples. Think of the love that works in a complicated relationship like that of Wesley and Whitefield, or those of differing political opinions, social classes, racial backgrounds, economic levels—this is the other-worldly love that Jesus is talking about, and it transforms everything it touches.

So, let’s look at what happened in that moment, in the upper room, over a clay basin of water, centuries ago:

The example – Judas’s feet were washed clean when he left to betray Jesus. Our Lord took the posture of a servant, even to his betrayer as an example of what his kingdom looks like. Where can we take the posture of a servant in our daily lives? Where can we take it as a church in our community?

The commandment – Jesus unlocks the key to the surviving and thriving of humanity: Loving, while expecting nothing in return. The only way our race will survive is if we learn to give and love without expecting to have our back scratched in return. To do this is the way of Jesus, and the secret to true freedom. Do we love first? Do we preemptively love others?

The indicator – “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” the old song goes. Wesley and Whitefield show us that even before we can have our theology hammered out to the last detail, we can still share love. The apostles – very different men from radically diverse backgrounds – eventually served, and some even died alongside each other because they had Christ’s world-stopping, self-sacrificial love for each other. How can we experience this harmony? How can we be an agent of healing in our church family?

The great theologian Francis Shaeffer called love and unity the “final apologetic.” We can argue the logic of the Christian story with eloquence and undeniable force, but the “final apologetic” that brings people to faith is not clever presentation; it is love.

This year’s theme in Grace Communion International is “Compelled by love.” His love compels us to listen to others, to honor each other’s opinions, to respect each other’s differences, to look at others as beloved children of God. His love compels us to reach out to neighbors and friends and share God’s love and life with them, telling them that they already belong to God, and we want them to know the one they belong to. We are compelled by love, because otherwise, as Paul said, and it still rings true, “If we have not love, we are nothing.”

Small Group Discussion Questions

Questions for sermon:

Can you think a candid shot (in news or movies or other media) that captured the essence of a person?
What do you think of Jesus’ relationship with Judas, especially in that last night? Even though Jesus knew he would end up the way he did, Jesus chose him. Why?
Talk about yourself for a minute. If someone was to take a candid shot that would encapsulate the best of you, what would you be doing?
We don’t have slaves in most of the world today. In our time, what’s the equivalent of washing feet? How do we serve in this way?

Questions for Speaking of Life

We talked about how the story of redemption—from the giving of the law to the resurrection of Jesus—is all one story. No mistakes, one grand narrative. Have you thought of it that way before? Is that a helpful perspective?
God’s people are marked out by faith and love, rather than customs and traditions. Are those things—faith and love—more difficult to practice than keeping certain customs?
Do you think of yourself as part of Jesus’ grand narrative of faith? How might that change our perspective?

Quote to ponder:

“Our love will not be perfect, but it must be substantial enough for the world to be able to observe or it does not fit into the structure or the verses in John 13 and John 17. And if the world does not observe this among true Christians, the world has a right to make two awful judgments which these verses indicate: that we are not Christians and that Christ was not sent by the Father.” ~Francis Schaefer, American theologian

Sermon for May 22, 2022 – Sixth Sunday of Easter

Psalm 67:1-7 • Acts 16:9-15 • Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 • John 14:23-29

This week’s theme is the Lord’s hospitality. The call to worship Psalm is a song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, which includes a prayer that all people of all nations will join in. The selection from Acts records the hospitality of Lydia as a response to having her heart opened by the Lord. The Gospel text from John records Jesus’ words regarding those who are at home in the Father’s love. A reading from Revelation presents an inviting vision of the New Jerusalem whose gates are always open.

Significant Peace

John 14:23-29 (NRSV)

This week we enter the Sixth Sunday of Easter, with only one more Sunday left to celebrate. But this Sunday will precede Ascension Thursday, with the story of Jesus departing from the disciples and returning to his Father. Many churches may choose next Sunday to close out their Easter season celebration with this story, if they do not hold a special Thursday service. So today gives us an opportunity to prepare for that event. Hopefully our journey through the Easter season has been one of encouragement and hope. Recounting the appearances of Jesus to his disciples has given us an encounter with the risen Lord as well. But with Ascension Thursday around the corner, along with the close of the Easter season, it’s sometimes easy to think, “Well, that was good, what now?” Have you ever faced a time when you wondered if your encounters with the Lord were over? It seems to happen right after a spiritual high – a time you know God has been present in your life. These highs can sometimes be followed by a perceived spiritual low – when we question if God is still present.

You wonder if Jesus’ disciples saw his ascension as a sudden and unexpected end to their celebration of his resurrection. Very much like we can feel during those times we question God’s personal presence in our lives.

Jesus knew his disciples would not understand his departure with his ascension any more than they understood his departure at the cross. So, he takes time to comfort and encourage his disciples by helping them understand what he is doing. Our text for today revisits Jesus spending time with his disciples before his departure to encourage them. In his words to them, we also can hear him speaking comfort and encouragement to us for those times we question what he is doing.

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone 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 NRSV)

The passage begins with “Jesus replied.” So, we should look back to see what he is replying to before moving forward. The context of this passage is the conversation Jesus is having with the disciples at the Lord’s table. He has told them that he is going away, and Judas (not Iscariot) is puzzled. He, along with the other disciples, thought Jesus was going to reveal himself as the champion of Israel, restoring the Jews to power. Judas’ question is, “Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Have you ever had that question? If we know the Lord, we know what truth and freedom really is. We know the love of the Father for the whole world. We also know what the world puts forth as “love” is a sad substitute, and often even a justification for hate.

When we know him personally, for who he truly has revealed himself to be, we are set free to live in faith, hope, and love. But when we look around, it is painfully clear most do not see this reality. Most are still caught in the bondage of sin, where knowing God is the last thing desired. The manipulation, the lies, the endless violence and exploitation that plays out day in and day out in our world may drive us to ask the same question: “Lord, why have you shown yourself to me but not to everyone else? Wouldn’t it be better if the whole world could see you for who you are as well?” We want everyone to see what we are seeing, and to believe what we believe.

Have you ever wondered how people make it through the really tragic times of suffering without knowing Christ? Sometimes, we are shocked why everyone wouldn’t see the beauty of the gospel when so much is wrong in the world. But then we remember our own darkness that we were called out of. We know the Spirit must open their eyes like he did ours. So, we ask, “Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

We may also identify with the disciples who had gathered around the table with Jesus in this way. They thought they had signed up for something bigger than themselves. They thought they were going to be part of Jesus overthrowing Roman rule and setting Israel free. But, if Jesus was talking about leaving, then their dreams of being part of this historic movement were coming to an end.

Like every other human on the planet, we want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We desire to be part of something that is significant. We don’t want to just live mediocre lives, we want significance. So, we search for significance in all kinds of ways that typically just leave us empty and hollow. But when we meet the Lord, we know we have encountered the most significant person and purpose in all human history. And it is an exciting privilege to be included in what he is doing. So when Jesus doesn’t move as fast as we would like, or worse, when he moves in a direction that seems like he is done, or at least done including us, we may feel like he is letting us down. The original disciples must have been feeling much the same way when Jesus told them he was going away.

Thankfully, Jesus does answer our question. And he does so in a way to remind us of a much bigger picture. Like the disciples around the table with Jesus, what they were excited about fell short of what Jesus was actually doing. How often do we think that we have now finally arrived at something really significant? We may think, “now, I’m part of something that will give my life meaning, something that others will have to take note of.” Maybe it’s landing that job you have dreamed of your whole life. Or, maybe it’s finally having a family of your own, or attaining a level of independence that was once beyond your reach. It can be any number of things we see as giving us significance. And they may be very good things, or it could even be something not so good. But, whatever level of significance we rise to, it doesn’t take long to realize we still have a desire for more. Deep down we know we are made for more. Our souls continue to long for an elusive significance we seem unable to give ourselves. Jesus’ response to Judas may be a good reminder for us as well.

Jesus responds with a picture of his relationship of belonging to the Father. A relationship of obedience grounded in love and not duty. Then he goes on to say that this is the relationship the Father wants to share with the whole world. The disciples wanted Jesus to give Israel a place in the world. But Jesus was up to something far greater. He is giving the world a place in Israel, a place in himself as the Son of God who is in relationship with Father and Spirit.

The disciples may have felt their significance was at risk, but in truth they were settling for far less than what Jesus had in mind. Often, we do the same. We see Jesus as a way to fulfill our dreams and goals and miss the fact the Jesus is our dream and goal. We overlook the relationship Jesus brings us into and then set our sights far short of the goal. In knowing Jesus and his Father by the Spirit, we will find a significance that we cannot give ourselves. It is a significance, a relationship of love, that is to be received as a gift of grace. Only, it is so wonderful, so beautiful, that we find it hard to believe and difficult to grasp.

Jesus’ departure is a gift that provides the means of growing into and receiving more of the relationship he has brought us into. Jesus’ leaving is his way of being more fully with us. Jesus locates this gift as the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:25-26 NRSV)

Notice the Holy Spirit is not bringing something new or different than what Jesus has already given. Jesus is the Word of God already spoken to us. But the Spirit will continue to teach us, to help us unpack the significance of who this Word, Jesus, is to us and who we are in relationship to him. The Spirit not only teaches, but also reminds us of what Jesus has already said. The picture here is a significance we never move from. The Spirit aims to move us deeper into this truth, but he is not moving beyond it, as if there was something more that Jesus held back. Sometimes we may be tempted to think of Jesus in this way.

We may think to ourselves that now that we know who Jesus is, we can move on to deeper waters. Now, perhaps that we got our theology right, we can get to the real business of doing ministry, doing something significant with our lives. But when we think like that, we are revealing that we don’t fully know who Jesus is. By God’s grace, the Holy Spirit is sent to help us know him more. We will discover that there is nothing more to move on to, nothing more significant than what we have in Christ. Note that I did not say that we have nothing more significant than what we already experience. Our experience of Christ has a lot of room for growth, in this life and in the next, and we will find it the most significant thing in the universe! The Son’s relationship with his Father is the most significant and eternal relationship there is, and we are invited to participate in that relationship.

In that relationship we will find that our longing has been answered, fully satisfied in Jesus. The striving for significance will cease. In light of the great significance our inclusion in the Trinity gives us, we can trust that what the Spirit is doing in our present lives is of great value and significance. Even the mundane is majestic.

On top of this, Jesus also shares with us his peace.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.” (John 14:27-29 NRSV)

Jesus contrasted this peace with the peace the world offers. The best the world has to offer is a “cease-fire” or temporary peace of conflict avoidance. But Jesus gives us a peace that continues even in the middle of our conflict and chaos. The significance we gain in belonging to Jesus is one that is accompanied with peace, because nothing will ever separate us from the Father.

Jesus knows the disciples are discouraged and afraid because he had told them he was going away and coming back. He seems to indicate that their fear and discouragement has something to do with their love for him. If they loved him, Jesus says, they would be glad that he is returning to the Father. It appears that the love the disciples have for Jesus is a possessive love. They can’t think of him going away as a good thing because they want to keep him around for their own purposes. But love for Jesus means we trust him in what he tells us. If he needs to go away, we can even be glad about it, even if we don’t fully understand why, because we know in the end it will be for our good. This doesn’t mean we are not sad at his departure, but it is a sadness that is fitting to the undergirding peace and joy that comes in trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Jesus and his Father don’t do anything to our harm.

To love Jesus and his Father is a peace and freedom on a scale the world can never offer. And even this love is a gift of God’s grace. And notice how Jesus ends this passage. He is telling the disciples that he is leaving for a good purpose. He intends to build their faith. How often do we hold back telling someone some news they don’t want to hear, but need to hear for their own good, simply because we do not want to upset them or hurt their feelings? Thankfully, our Lord loves us enough to upset our feelings, which are fleeting, in order to build our faith in that which is permanent. Jesus is committed to bringing us into his significant peace with his Father, that he shares with us by the Spirit.

Small Group Discussion Questions

From Speaking of Life

Can you think of a time that you settled for less?
What examples can you share of settling for less in a relationship?
How did hearing that Jesus never settles for anything less in his relationship with us strike you?

From the Sermon

Do you ever ask the question that Judas asked, “Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Why do you think we ask this question?
The sermon said we often try to find significance in many different ways that only leave us empty and hollow. Can you think of ways we seek significance in the wrong places?
Can you think of times where you felt significant in your walk with Christ but then circumstances changed that threatened your significance? What can these experiences tell us about where we are looking for significance and importance?
Jesus had to lead the disciples to see that what he was doing was even bigger than they had imagined. Can you relate experiences in your walk with Jesus that he led you to see a bigger picture of what he was doing than what you were originally thinking? How do these experiences affect our trust in Jesus?
The sermon stated that Jesus’ relationship with his Father is the most significant and eternal relationship there is, and we are invited to participate in that relationship. Are there times when you think knowing Jesus and his Father is not enough? Are you tempted at times to think there must be something more significant than just knowing the Son and his Father by the Spirit?
Contrast the peace Jesus gives us with the peace offered by the world! What are some differences?
Can you think of times or examples that kept you or someone from sharing something important with another to keep from hurting their feelings? Can you think of some examples in the Gospels where Jesus hurt someone’s feelings because they needed to hear something important? What do these examples tell us about Jesus’ love for others?

Sermon for May 29, 2022 – Seventh Sunday of Easter

Psalm 97:1-12 • Acts 16:26-34 • Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 • John 17:20-26

This week’s theme is our response to seeing the salvation, goodness and love of God in our lives. In the call to worship Psalm, the psalmist tells us that because the Lord reigns, the whole earth should be glad. In Acts 16 we see the jailer who was overseeing Paul and Silas rejoicing because of his new faith in Christ. In John, we see Jesus praying that an unbelieving world will come to know that he loves them. And in Revelation it is promised that all who come to God will be filled with the fullness of life.

The Impassioned Prayer of Christ

John 17:20-26

Have you ever overheard someone praying for you? Whether it was a parent, a friend, or someone from church, it’s humbling to know what that person wants God to do in your life and what desires they are hoping God fulfills for you.

This prayer that Jesus is praying is part of an on-going prayer that starts at the beginning of chapter 17. Let’s keep in mind that Jesus is not giving a sermon here or even a to-do list for the church, as there was no church at that time. This is a prayer. And it is a prayer that allows the disciples to peek behind the curtain into the relationship between Father and Son. This allows the disciples to see the kind of things that the Trinity feels for the disciples and what their intentions are for them. And for us as well.

Let’s take a closer look at the impassioned prayer that Jesus prays for his disciples. A prayer that he prays within earshot of them. In the first few verses he prays for unity. After that, Jesus prays that they would see his glory, and lastly, he will pray about their intimacy with the Trinity.

“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—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)

In this first section, we see Jesus not only praying for his disciples, but for us and for all those who will come after us. His prayer is for unity in the body of Christ. That just as he and the Father are one, we would be one with each other.

Jesus prays that we would be unified in a such a way that at last the whole world will know that Jesus is Lord. And that would be accomplished by the way that we are in union with each other. Is the fact that there are literally thousands of denominations in the Christian church an indictment against us for our lack of unity? Perhaps, if we focus on the differences. But what if we focus on our agreement in Jesus? Isn’t this what Jesus is praying for – our unity as brothers and sisters in Christ? Unfortunately, we do focus on so much other than our unity.

The body of Christ is often guilty of insisting that if you are a Christian, you will stop doing certain things. That is true. We stop hating other people, we stop worshipping idols. But some take this idea and turn it into legalistic specifics, that by your outward conformity to their standards you will either be qualified or disqualified from their fellowship. But that is not unity, that is uniformity. It’s vital to understand we don’t all have the same interpretations, or maturity in the Lord, or have the same giftings or callings.

Ultimately, uniformity trespasses over the relationship that each of us uniquely has with our Savior and Lord. It holds us to a standard that our Lord has not asked of us.

The church has never been, nor will ever be in complete agreement on this side of heaven. What Christ desires and prays for us is that we would be one in love. We are to be perfected in love, and that through this love a lost world will see Christ.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24)

In this verse we see Jesus praying that the disciples would be where he is and that they would see his glory. The same glory that Jesus had with the Father because of the love that the Father had for him. So, what exactly is glory? It seems to be one of those mysterious religious words that gets thrown around in sermons and worship songs.

In this passage, the Greek word for glory is doxa. This has to do with ascribing worth and value to something. It is giving an accurate assessment of an object or person. In this instance, it is to recognize, value and to have an accurate assessment of God’s character and nature. It is being in agreement with who, and how God is.

Have you ever been told something negative about someone you haven’t met? Did it color your opinion of them even before you met them? This happens often. Then when you finally meet that person, you found out that many, or most of those negative things you were told about them were not true.

Of utmost importance to God is that we have an accurate representation of him. That as we see him for all that he is, we couldn’t help but honor, esteem and respect him and his ways. And this is the God we see in Jesus. And in having seen love itself in personal form how can you not love in return? This is giving glory to God.

When we see Jesus, we have seen the Father. In fact, that is where our view of God needs to start – not from the Old Testament, but from the life of Christ. For no one has seen the Father except the Son. (John 6:46)

Jesus desires his disciples – which includes you and me – to see his glory and to be in agreement with God’s character and nature as seen in Christ Jesus. Also, to acknowledge his sovereign right to his creation. To entrust ourselves to him and to the life he desires to live in and through us.

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:25-26)

In the last part of this impassioned prayer of Christ, Jesus affirms that he has made known the Father to his disciples. His desire was that they would share in the love relationship that exists within the Trinity.

Before the very foundation of the world, before humanity was even a gleam in the Father’s eyes, this relationship of unity, glory, and intimacy existed. This greatest of all loves is the foundation upon which creation itself exists and is held together. God is not looking for automatons to blindly follow orders though coercion and ultimatums; he woos our hearts to participate in what has always been on his heart since the beginning of time. His desire is to draw us into that intimacy.

Through the Holy Spirit, we experience an intimacy that transcends all of our human relationships. It is an inseparable relationship where the Spirit of Christ has taken up residence and promises to never leave us. There will never be a moment when the Spirit of God is not present in your life. God has made a way for us that we would never be without him.

When we are captivated by our intimate union with God, it becomes easier to love our brothers and sisters in the faith. And as we do, the lesser things of this life begin to fall away. It is here where we truly begin to glorify God in our practice of unity. And in turn, an unbelieving world can start believing in a God worthy of praise and worship.

In Hebrews 7:25 we are reminded that, “He always lives to intercede for them.” Could it be that Christ is still praying his impassioned prayer over us? That he is still praying that the church may be one, that we would see and share in his glory and to participate in the intimacy with Father, Son, and Spirit? Perhaps we should join him in praying for these things as well.

Small Group Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions:

How does it feel when you hear someone praying for you? How has that affected your relationship with them?
What are some ways that the church can practice unity? What would a unified church look like in your own congregation?
What does glory mean to you? And how do we give glory to God?
How do we recognize our intimacy with God?
Hebrews 7:25 says that Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. What do you think he is praying over us?