“Betrayed For My Salvation” (Holy Thursday)

Scripture: John 13:21-30

Jesus is “troubled in spirit”. He had just completed the task of washing his disciple’s feet – all of them, and not just the ones who were worthy of that gift, not just the ones who were willing to receive that gift – all of them! Peter would relent and allow the washing, even though he was very uncomfortable with it; Judas would be “washed”, even though he was about to turn his back on his Lord! Foot washing was a sign of welcoming into the life of a home, and even Peter and Judas received that invitation.

And Jesus knows that one who has just accepted his “welcome” will soon turn away him. What does it really mean to accept Jesus’ offer of welcome? It means, basically, that we are accepting the Lord’s offer of become part of his life and way. Peter and Judas had both accepted that offer of grace, and in spite of that, Jesus would soon be betrayed by one of his own. How would any of us react to that level of deception? How would any of us feel if someone who was that close to us, not only turned against us, but left to join up with the ideals and plans of our greatest enemy?

And in anger, Jesus proclaims “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” This was the first time he spoke of betrayal, and it would have hit those who were present very hard. And they all began to wonder who this traitor might be. And there is no question that each of these men feared that they might be that one. But no one was willing to actually ask the Lord out loud! So Peter quietly encourages his friend John to ask the Master, and the Lord answers in such a normal way – he doesn’t actually answer! He says that it will be the person who he gives the dipped bread to.

Passover gives a great significance to every portion and every item in the meal. The maror and matso were dipped into a bitter sauce, or combined with a bitter vegetable, as a remembrance of the “bitter” time in Egypt. The sauce could be made of horseradish or beetroot, without any additives like vinegar or other liquids that would dampen the taste. The symbolism was in memory of the thick mortar that the people were forced to make and use in their forced construction labor. It was a “bitter” memory of burdens that brought no benefit to the people - only to their oppressors. As Jesus handed the bitter dip to Judas that night, it reminded the Lord of 1) the bitterness of who was about to betray him, and 2) the bitterness of why he had to accept that betrayal at all.

The first bitterness was especially poignant because it wasn’t an obvious enemy who was working against him – it was one of his inner circle, one who had been with him, and had listened to him, and had just allowed him to welcome him in the washing of his feet. He was one who was celebrating the most holy meal of all Israel, and would soon betray the Messiah of Israel.

The second bitterness would be representative of the relationship that the world in general has with the Christ. And in the context of today, this bitter burden is the failure of all who call Jesus Lord, to live a Godly life that would reflect the hope that is offered through faith in Christ. Our sinfulness is very possibly the greatest bitterness that our Almighty God has to endure. But the truth is that sin should be our burden, not God’s! And yet, he took that bitter dip away from us, and placed it upon himself.

Judas is the one who the Church recognizes as the Betrayer, and certainly, he was on that night. But if we are perfect honest with ourselves, we betray the Lord every time we stray from the divine way that Jesus lived and died for. And he never hesitated to claim the bitter load of Calvary, so that we might know the joyful blessing of a complete and whole relationship in him.

Tonight, we will celebrate three gifts that Jesus offered us on that Passover night. The first will be a washing of hands. Jesus told his disciples “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14-15) Except that we will wash each other’s hands. The second gift will be the eating of a bitter herb. After you have washed your friend, there is a plate of “bitter herbs” (Romaine Lettice) and a dip that will probably linger in your mouth for more than a few minutes. Please take a piece of the lettice, dip it, and eat it, remembering the bitter sin in your life that Jesus has taken upon himself. The third gift will be Holy Communion, when we celebrate the Body and Blood of Christ that is our only hope of a sweet life in glorious salvation.

Jesus accepted the bitterness of betrayal, and denial, and hatred, and lies, and torture, and crucifixion – all so that we might know the precious life that we can have in him.

“Shameless in the Word”

Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-10

Today is Palm Sunday – the day we sometimes describe as Jesus’ “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem. The day of Passover was nearly upon the people, and as this would be one of the three great high festivals for Israel, many people had flocked to the city to sacrifice and to celebrate. But the truth is that Israel didn’t really understand what they were celebrating!

It had been some 1,200 years since that first “Passover” – the night when Israel had been spared the penalty of death that settled upon the firstborn of Egypt. And what was the means of that release from death that so many would suffer? It was the faithful obedience to God’s plan of salvation for the people - those who were called his “chosen”.

It would be a sign of things to come, but the people never understood. The prophets would tell of the “suffering Servant”; they would tell of the sacrifice that Messiah would make on their behalf; they would share the truth of what the lamb’s blood on the door posts meant for them, but they never fully understood.

They clung to their own version of the salvation that Messiah would bring, and it was about as far from the truth of God as anything could possibly be. While they sang out songs of Hosannas in the name of the Son of David – pleas for rescue by Messiah – it wasn’t so much a rejoicing in Jesus, as it was for the teaching and prophesy that he brought. Jesus was, for the multitude, a prophet and rabbi of renown, not the long awaited Messiah of God. (Matthew 21:6-11) For many, he was the reincarnated Elijah – the Prophet who would herald the coming of Israel’s Liberator, not the Savior Himself, who had already come!

The celebratory crowds missed the revelation of both that entry day, as well as their own rescue from oppression in Egypt. They only saw the day as a sign that God’s Emissary was on his way, and not as God’s Saving Presence among them; they only saw the blood of Passover as a hope of deliverance from the hatred of earth, instead of the sacrificial Blood that would free them from their own sin and death.

But the prophets had always given the truth to them, and they just didn’t understand!

Read Isaiah 50:4-5

As this passage opens, Yahweh Adonai, or “Sovereign Lord” is introduced as the theme of these 6 verses. The prophet is telling us that the Mighty and All Authoritative God has given him the following message for his people. He confesses that out of his sleep – out of his ignorance, if you will – God has wakened him to a new day and a new life that the word is about to fill him with. Not only are his ears open and ready to hear, but God has also prepared his tongue to share this divine message with others.

But the Lord doesn’t only stir up, wakens up his faithful – he can use whomever he wishes. Remember that Cyrus the Persian was “stirred up” to not only release the Jews from Babylonian captivity, and allow them to return to the Promised Land to rebuild the temple, but he offered them troops to protect them on their journey, and food and sustenance for the long walk, and wealth and treasure to restore the glory of their sacred place. (Ezra 1) Remember that Saul the persecutor and executioner of early Christians, was blinded and “stirred up”, so that he could witness to the world that Jesus Christ had become his Yahweh Adonai. (Acts 22:12-16)
And we are also stirred up in the same, loving, and grace-filled ways that has stirred many through the centuries.

The point is that when the Lord gives us instructions, gives us a glimpse into his realm of thought and plan, it is almost never for our benefit - it’s for us to share with others, and for us to use to bring blessings upon all who may hear it. And notice that God doesn’t expect that the message will just be repeated over and over again by rote – the prophet, the messenger of God, comes to know and understand what it is all about!

And Isaiah reminds us that when we receive a call from our Great and Glorious King, we are to present it to the world in exactly the same way we have received it. No changing it to make it easier on us, no modifications or adjustments to make it more palatable for the listeners, no holding back or hesitating or seeking a better time to share it – we offer it when and as it is given.

Read Isaiah 50:6-7

Some may read these two verses as a lament – a sorrow over the fact that some will reject the word we bring to them, and will hate us, and insult us, and at times, will even attack us. But notice that Isaiah doesn’t see their denial this way. “I will not be disgraced.” he writes! And Jesus gives us the very same advice.

Luke 6:22-23 – “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you, and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.” It may not be a pleasant thing to experience, but when does the world reject the message that we bring? When we are right on track with God’s truth! And when does the world love us? When we share the word that sin has brought! That was true for the prophets of old, and it has been true for every persecuted Christian throughout the countless years past.
And in John 7:6-7 we read that our time to testify to the glory of Jesus Christ has come, and that the hatred that comes from the world is not directed against us, but rather against the Lord. And why does the world hate Jesus? It’s because the word of God that comes to us from Christ “testif(ies) that what it (the world) does is evil!”

So Isaiah is telling us, and Jesus reinforces the thought, that when the people of earth denounce us for our discipleship in Jesus Christ, we are to take it as a compliment, and not to fear their animosity. When we witness to the grace and glory of Christ, the world will always see it as a condemnation of the glory that they want to bring onto themselves; when we proclaim that they can be forgiven for their worldliness simply through faith and trust in Jesus, they will hate the implication that their ways go against all that God stands for; when we offer them the opportunity to know eternal life through Christ, they will ridicule the thought that there is anything other than the beauty and pleasures that they know here and now.

And through it all, we must stand solid on the Rock of Faith, and know that the shame that they try to force on us is, in all truth, glory, and that the shame they bring is actually on their head.

Read Isaiah 50:8-10

The prophet exhibits the most pressing example of confidence in God, and the call that comes directly from him, that we might ever see. God will defend his messengers against every attack, every accusation, every ounce of hatred, every judgmental word that the world can ever produce! The prophet even tells them to “Bring it on! If you are so confident that I’m wrong, tell me to my face, and we’ll discover just who is right and who is wrong!” (Zechariah 3:1-7)

No one – no human, no earthly king, not even Satan or his disciples – can ever stand against the word of Almighty God. Their attitudes and their condemnation will, one day, dissolve in the mist of the Lord’s judgment, and will vanish from all memory. And the only ones left standing will be those who lean on the life and ways of Jesus Christ.

This is the glory and celebration of Palm Sunday, and it is not in the hollow cheers of the earthly crowds. It is the power of God at work on behalf of the lives of the faithful that is being celebrated today. The hatred of earth would soon be redirected away from us, and placed squarely on the back, and head, and hands, and feet of Jesus Christ. The Blood of the Pascal Lamb would soon be released for the rescue – for the salvation - of all the world’s people, if they will just claim it for themselves.

May our Hosannas for the Son of David be placed where they so deservedly belong – fully upon the Son of Man and Son of God. May our prayer today be this – “Save me, Lord Jesus, and send me to share your marvelous message of hope with the lost and hurting and hateful people of earth, and may they be stirred to have ears to hear and arms to embrace, and hearts to love, just as you, precious Savior, have so loved them. Amen.”

“Build Up For Me”

Scripture: Mark 4:3-12

For the past three weeks, we have considered some of the most basic and vital issues of our Christian faith. We have seen that first and foremost, faith requires our trust and acceptance in all that Jesus is, taught, and stands for. And when our belief has been established, and we truly know who and why Jesus is, we make a commitment to Christ to set the ways of earth aside and begin to become more and more like him. And as our ways continue to change, and as we continue to grow in the Lord, we will discover that our citizenship in the world will no longer hold the importance that it once did, and our allegiance will be refined and reoriented to become a commitment to the Lord God Jesus.

And as each of these phases of faith can never be the end-all of our Christian life, that there is always something more that we can gain, we eventually discover that the fullest expression of our life in Christ is to become a witness to the grace and glory of our Almighty God to the people of earth. And the purpose of our witness? To invite others to begin Believing, and Becoming, and Belonging to the Family of God by faith in the Son of Glory – the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our fourth step in faith is the part that all too many Christians fail to remember – far too many church people think that being active in worship, and that participating in committee and missional work is enough. But the truth is that it is anything BUT enough.

John 1:7 tells us that the reason John the Baptist came into the world was so he could testify to the light (Jesus) so that “all might believe in him.” And in verse 9, we read “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”
In Acts 22:12-15, Paul testifies that God, through Ananias, told him “You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for?”

Both John and Paul (the evangelists, not the Beatles!) were chosen to testify to the world about Jesus, so that all might come to believe in him - and every Christian is also called to be a witness for Jesus Christ.

Today, we consider what our witness, our testimony, can mean to the kingdom of God.

Read Mark 4:3-4

Jesus taught with parables because they incorporated everyday situations, ones that the people would understand very well, to describe the unique ways of God. Sowing seed and raising crops was one of those jobs that practically everyone did, and the lesson that Jesus was offering could be learned in a very natural and recognizable way.

In that day, sowing was always done by hand through a means that we know as “broadcasting”. Handfuls of seed would be thrown out on the soil, without any concern as to where the seed landed – the only intent was that the sowing would cover as much land as possible. And depending on where the seed landed, some of it didn’t grow all that well, while some didn’t have a chance to begin growing. And that becomes the first point of Jesus’ lesson.

And the point is this – that our testimony to the grace and glory of Jesus Christ doesn’t always take hold in the lives of those who hear it, but that can never be seen as a problem for us! Jesus offers 3 obstacles to the seeding – or in the intended lesson, to receiving the word of God.

The first problem with the sowing is that some seed will fall outside the field and onto the adjacent, beaten down path, where the birds eat it up. From the gospel’s point of view, the seed, or the word of God, doesn’t even have a chance to “sprout” in the heart of some hearers. And what keeps it from germinating? In the parable, it’s the birds, but in the lesson, it’s because of the one who hates and fears that precious word the most – Satan himself.

Satan is the source of all opposition to sharing the word of God. Ever since he was ejected from glory, he has been the hatred that has keep countless millions of people from experiencing the grace of Jesus Christ. Satan is the one who destroys some of the seeds of faith that we sow, and the people never have the chance to Believe.

Read Mark 4:5-6

Some seeds fall into skimpy soil – soil that is cluttered with foreign objects that can never provide the nourishment to sustain the newly sown seeds.

Life can be full of objects like those rocks. The burdens of life can easily preoccupy our thoughts and our time – things like our jobs that can literally consume us at times; things like financial struggles that hobble us, that drive us away from our vision of other aspects of life; things like difficulties in our relationships, and major health issues. These, and other “rocks” of life will not only never be able to nourish and support us, they sap our strength and our desire to live better.

But isn’t there something that “sowers” can do to restore “good soil” to the rocky lives that are missing out on the fullness of a life in Christ? Possibly, but the truth is that 1) we seldom have the expertise or resources to actually care for those needs in any effective way, and 2) the best way that we can help those folks is to lead them to effective and skilled help, and then continue on our way of “sowing”.

Seeds need nurture and depth of support if their growth is to achieve its full potential, and seeds that are never sown are seeds that never will grow. And the seeds of faith need vision and nourishment if they are to grow to fullness in Christ. When we allow ourselves to truly Belong to the Lord instead of to the world, the “faith seeds” will grow within us, and we will Become who we were intended to be.

Read Mark 4:7-8

Thorns can also prevent seeds from growing strong and tall. They compete for the nourishment and sun light that the new growth so desperately needs, and the seed’s development will be seriously stunted.

The difference between the rocks that obstruct the new growth, and the thorns of Jesus’ parable, is that the rocks were there before the seeds were sown, while the thorns grew up with the grain. They’re both equally destructive, but the thorns increase in strength while the seeds are trying to do the same. And at some point, the thorns will usually win the race, and the tender stalks of grain are overwhelmed.

In our walk in faith, we begin to grow in Christ, but as our trust in the Lord grows, the ways of earth are also growing, and sometimes we have trouble understanding the difference. The ways of earth can seem far easier to follow, and far more acceptable, if we aren’t careful. The thorns that grow within our faith can actually have a strange sense of “beauty” and a lot of “neon” that beacons us to allow them to grow stronger in our life. And faith suffers.

And once the thorns begin growing in our lives, the time will almost certainly come, if we aren’t diligent, when we can’t tell the difference between them and the good “grain” of Jesus. And once the thorns take hold, there is little we can do to defeat them.

The obstacles to faith can seem overwhelming at times. But take heart – the opportunities that lie ahead for the seeds that fall on the good soil – on the open and receptive heart - can be greater than anything we could ever imagine. The gospel message will always face extreme and sometimes violent opposition, but the faithful are called to understand that the “birds” and “rocks” and “thorns” that come against faith have not only been defeated, they have been sentenced to destruction! And the harvest of the faithful will exceed all of our efforts – the thirty, sixty and hundred fold increase that Jesus speaks about will be the result of each of our efforts, as long as we remain faithful to the Lord’s call on us.

Ephesians 2:21-22 – “In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you to are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Colossians 2:6-7 – “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

The “Building Up” in Christ requires that we sow the seeds of faith as far, as plentifully, as lovingly, as faithfully as we possibly can. Will we experience problems in the sowing? Of course, but we have to remember that our call is not in the Building UP – we are simply the ones who are to sow the seeds of faith. And when we do our job, the Holy Spirit can do all the rest. But conversely, if we don’t sow, the “Building Up” will never happen.

Read Mark 4:9-12

Our District Committee on Evangelism is preparing to offer opportunities this fall to help us in our sowing, and I pray that each and every member of our congregation will attend, and learn, and enthusiastically pick up their bag of seeds, and head into the mission field. That is the Lord’s call on our church – are you ready?

Then what are you waiting for?

"Stones"

Note: We are part of a group the holds Sunday evening worship during the Lenten season. We rotate between a number of churches each year, with one of our pastors offering a reflection each evening. This year, we decided to reflect on several "Symbols of Easter" for our worship - this is the one that I was asked to offer this evening.


Scripture: Matthew 27:57-60

When Pastor Mary Jean suggested that we use the “symbols of Easter” for our preaching theme this year, everyone enthusiastically agreed. But I wasn’t at breakfast the day the theme assignments were handed out, and when I heard that I would be preaching on “Stones”, I began to scratch my head – Stones? What did Easter have to say about rocks? I remembered other examples of stones in scripture, but Easter?

It wasn’t more than a few minutes, though, before it became an “a-ha!” moment – of course there was a Stone at Easter! It had been rolled away from in front of the tomb!

But then I began to think about all of the other references to stones throughout the word.

There were the stone tablets that God wrote his commandments on for Israel – twice! (Exodus 19-20:21, 32,34:1-28) The Word of God couldn’t just be written on Parchment – it would have been too fragile – his word was eternal, and stone was the most permanent way they had to preserve that precious way.

There were the stones that Jacob rested his head on the night he dreamt of angels ascending and descending on a ladder that reached from heaven to the earth. In the dream, the Lord God Jehovah confirmed the covenant that he had made with Abraham, and when Jacob woke up, he set his “stone pillow” up as a pillar, and because he sensed the presence of God there, named the place Bethel – “the House of God”. (Genesis 28:10-22)

After Israel crossed the Jordan on dry land, Joshua was told to send 12 elders, one from each tribe, back to the middle of the dry river bed, where each was to pick up a stone which would be laid together to form a memorial on the west side of the river. And they were told to teach their children that this was the place where the Lord halted the flow of the Jordan when the people entered the land of covenant. (Joshua 4:1-7)

On one occasion when the Philistines came against Israel at Mizpah, Samuel was offering up a sacrifice to the Lord before the army went into battle. And while he was still sacrificing, the enemy attacked, but the Lord God “thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.” Samuel set a stone up as a memorial, naming it Ebenezer- “the stone of help” - with these words – “Thus far has the Lord helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:5-12)

These stones were used as memorials to God’s presence and work and word for Israel. But there are also many instances where stones represent worldly obstacles to our walk in faith.

During Jesus’ time in the wilderness, Satan challenged him to jump off the top of the temple, because scripture said that the angels would protect him, and would keep him from dashing his foot against a stone – that he wouldn’t stumble, or be injured. (Luke 4:9-13)

Stones were used to create walls to keep enemies out of their cities.

Being “stoned” to death was the punishment for murder or for blasphemy (for using the Lord’s name in vain or for intentionally going against God’s word). (Leviticus 24:21-23)

And the examples go on.

And on Good Friday, when Jesus was laid in the garden tomb, a stone was rolled in front of his resting place. (Matthew 27:57-66) But what was the significance of this stone? Was it to be an obstacle? Or was it to work to the glory of God? Or was it to convey some important message?

That stone was intended to keep animals and the public out of the tomb, and to keep odors inside and away from the public. And the Jewish leaders and the Romans were so concerned about the security that this Stone would provide, that a guard of soldiers was placed in front of it, and Pilate’s seal was placed on that stone. No one was to ever see inside of that tomb again.

But on the third day, after Sabbath was over, the women came to finish caring for the body of their Master, and were wondering kust how they would ever get inside to do their work! But as we all know, the obstacle had been removed for all to see that the Lord Jesus Christ was no longer imprisoned by the powers of earth.

The stone at Jesus’ tomb was intended to be an obstacle to the faithful, a symbol of the finality that death held. But Almighty God’s plan was to use that same stone as a memorial to the power of the Resurrection, and as a symbol of the eternal life that, first, belonged to Jesus, and later to all who believed in him.

When I was attending Licensing School about 15 years ago, our small group would meet every morning for a time of devotions and reflection before we began the day’s classes. The last morning that we were there, I arrived at our study area early, not sure if the others would come or not. I started to read from the book of Joshua, and as I considered the story of the stones being taken out of the Jordan, to become memorials to the Lord God Jehovah, it struck me that I was to become one of those very stones.
The Lord had rolled back the chaotic waters of earth from my life, and lifted me up so that I would never be inundated by their confusion again, and he set me on high ground to be a memorial to the grace he had filled me with.

And today, I tell you that we all must be memorials to all that the Lord has done in our lives, and to never squirm back into that ugly river bed that we know as the ways of the world, again.

When the stone was rolled in front of Jesus’ tomb, it was the world’s response to the Message of Hope that Jesus offers to everyone. For the world, it was no better than a message of death.

That same stone, when it was rolled away from the tomb, became the Lord’s sign that the world has no power to contain, or even minimize, the promise of heaven. For those who believe, it is the hope of life.

The stone that continues to stand as an open door, and not a closed one, symbolizes the promise of scripture – that the Word of God and the Church of Jesus Christ will never submit, will never be overcome, will never be bound by the “gates of hell”! (Matthew 16:15-19)

The Stone of Easter is our reminder that the promise of God is for all who believe in Jesus Christ as the Redeemer, and as the Risen and Living Savior of their lives, and that promise will stand forever.

Amen!

“Belong to Me”

Scripture: John 17:6-19

For the past two weeks, we’ve been thinking about what it means to walk with Jesus. We’ve seen that we need to believe in the Lord – in all that he taught, and all that he has done on our behalf. And when we believe, we also begin to closely follow him, and watch what he does, and learn why he does what he does.

And after following, and watching, and learning from him, we discover that we truly like what we see, and make the decision to become more and more like him. But as we read with the children today (2 Corinthians 11:4), the winds of earth will also be blowing through our lives, and sometimes they carry us away from the Lord instead letting us fall into the loving arms of our precious Savior. But if we decide to stay with him, we will continue to grow and change and choose to become one with him and his life.

Today, we consider the third step in our life with Christ – that of surrendering our ways, and claiming the new relationship that he offers us. It’s about choosing to join God’s family. But as with any family, there are standards that define them, and when we become part of that family, we have to either accept them, or try to change them, and in the family of God, it is only God who has the final say on the collective way, and our only option is to accept them as they are.

And as we come to understand the Lord’s new way, we learn that it is no longer a matter of our trying to meld our old life with this new relationship – that by following the Lord Jesus, and listening to his teachings, we discover that his way is actually the better way for us.

Read John 17:6-9

One of the significant differences between John’s gospel and those of Matthew Mark, and Luke, is the depth of his treatment of the time from the Last Supper until Christ’s ascension. As an example, Matthew spends 3 chapters to cover this same period, while John uses 8. His writing about the Last Supper itself involves 5 chapter alone, and our reading today is part of his final prayer before departing for Gethsemane.

This portion of his prayer is for his disciples, and it is, without a doubt, passionate. John’s emphasis on Jesus’ final Passover Feast shows the Lord’s one last effort to teach his followers about the way of God. He has already prayed for himself, and has proclaimed that his time has now come. He tells the Father that his mission has brought glory, not to him, but to God Himself, and that the life he is about to enter will bring the full knowledge of the Lord to each of those who follow him. And he asks the Father to bestow glory upon the Son.

But now the prayer turns to his disciples. His ministry has not been centered upon himself, but rather on revealing the Father, and his way, and his word, to those who have been with him for these past few years. The Jesus we have come to know through the gospel writers continues be that humble power that we have grown to love.
He remembers that his ministry has never been his own idea, but was totally based in all that the Father has given him. This prayer, right from its inception, has reinforced the relationship that exists between the Father and the Son. It reflects on the gifts that each produces for the other, and each offers honor and authority beyond themselves. And Jesus now knows that his disciples are fully aware of who he is, even though they will still have a few problems with that truth, and that they understand, at least to some degree, the relationship that exists within the Divine Family.

And this section concludes with the thought that his prayer is for no one except his immediate band of followers. We might wonder why he doesn’t lift up the world, that they might also believe in him! But we have to remember that so far, the prayer has centered on the relationships that are, and not so much on those that are to come.
Just as in any family, we need to be intentional in strengthening the connection that we currently have with those who are closest to us, for if we ignore those, and focus on the new ones that we are trying to cultivate, the ones that are already so important to us will slowly begin to fade.

I have two younger brothers who live quite a distance away, and it’s been a while since we have been able to spend time together. But we manage to stay in touch through texts and emails that we send almost weekly. We share pictures, joys, hurts, memories, and struggles, and we offer each other encouragement, and sometimes advice, which usually is more of a remembrance and reflection of the days when we were growing up. We can be strangely close at times!

Each of us has other relationships of course – our children, our churches, and other friends, but we are trying to intentionally stay close to those who are already part and parcel of our lives. And so does Jesus. And so must we.

Read John 17:10-12

In the first portion of this prayer, when Jesus was praying for himself, he addressed the glory that he had brought to the Father, and the glory that he needed to come back to him. Now, as he continues his prayer for those who have, and will, give their lives to and for him, he tells the Father that they, too, are bringing glory to the Son. He prays for those who will remain to continue the ministry that he has begun.

Jesus will no longer be in “the world”, but his disciples must remain in it for a time. We need to understand, though, that when Jesus uses the word “world”, he isn’t speaking strictly of our physical planet. He is referring to the attitude that the people of earth show toward him – and it isn’t nice! The “world” that Jesus speaks about is the people’s arrogance toward him - their hostility, their hatred, their refusal to listen to the heavenly message that he brings. He will soon leave all of that behind, but his family of believers will be staying, and he is concerned for their well-being.

Jesus turns proactive on their behalf, and prays for protection by the name that is both God’s and his – the family name, if you will, and he prays that by this protection - this blessing - that they will receive the same “Family Name” that he and the Father already enjoy.
What a prayer! By faith, and by becoming more like Jesus, he prays that those who are so close to him will no longer be just friends and students – that they will now be “one” with both him and the Father – that they will now be part of their Family.

And what keeps them safe and protected? It is by being granted, and claiming, the name of “Christ”! The family of Jesus Christ, known as Christian, brings with it, not only an obligation to stay close to the ways of the family, but it will also bring presence, and purpose, and direction, and guidance, and relationship – it brings a sense of BELONGING to a greater destiny than we have ever known before!

Read John 17:13-19

Think, for just a moment, about the words and phrases that we are reading here.
The full measure of Christ’s joy has become ours.
We have been given the full word of God through Christ.
By faith, we are hated by the world because we are no longer one with them - for now we are one with another.
In this new relationship with the Father and Son, we must remain within the hatred of “the world”, even while we are protected from them.
Jesus sanctifies us, purifies us, grows us - for the time he will send us out into the world, to minister to the people in the Name that is above all names – the Name that now defines us.

The glory that rests upon the Father and Son, is now our glory. And it only comes to those who belong to the Family!

And what comes to us by belonging to the Family of God? Well, more on that next week!

“Become Like Me”

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28

Last week, we began a four week series with the thought that “Believing” in all that Jesus was and taught was the first step that we had to take in his name. But believing in Jesus involves more than just accepting who He is – just as important is our submitting to His authority, as well as staying in communication with Him through a rich and meaningful prayer life. But as vital to our faith as following Him and talking to Him is, this is far from being the “end all” of faith.

Today we consider the second aspect of faith – that of “Becoming” more like the Lord as we strive to live like him, trust in him, serve like him, and love like him. Of course, this has been the call on the Church for 2,000 years, and for 2,000 years, the Church has endeavored to do that very thing. But as we all know, during those 2 millennia, the Church has never come close to “Becoming” like Jesus, even though we claim his glorious name as “Christians”.

Becoming like Jesus is easier said than done. But still, we must try.

Read Matthew 16:21-23

The theme of “Suffering Servant” is a significant part of the gospel message. All of the gospels treated this issue in similar ways – some approached it more directly than the others, but it was still an obvious premise for them all. But it is also true that God’s prophets have always had a difficult time in proclaiming the Lord’s truths to the people of earth. Their words have been ignored, these messengers themselves have been attacked, the message has been torn apart and changed to suit the needs of earth, and the people have become confused over which direction they should follow and believe in.

Even the disciples struggled in understanding and accepting Jesus’ words. In today’s text, Peter, who in the previous few verses had just proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the long awaited Messiah, had now apparently forgotten what the prophets had said about their Savior - Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is especially direct in proclaiming the “suffering” that Messiah would endure. The image that Israel always seemed to focus on was reflected in Isaiah 9:6-7 – that the Savior would be known as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” But in spite of what the entirety of scripture proclaimed, Peter was committed to only a portion of them.

And when he expressed his objection to Jesus’ suffering at the hands of the priests and Pharisees, the Lord quickly informed him that not only was he completely wrong, but that in denying the fullness of his mission to earth, he was acting like the people of Satan’s world, and not one of God’s own.

Peter, and the subsequent Church, has always struggled with the fact that God’s plan, including the part that would place Jesus in the hands of the Romans who would lead him to the horrors of Calvary, had been in place since the Beginning. None of us wants to be the reason that our Savior would be hated, that he would have to take our punishment upon himself, that God would have to die for our sins, but this is the only way for us to know the Lord and his eternal life.

While Peter may have intended his statement to be one of love and support for his Master, it was actually an obstacle, coming against what Jesus had to do, and against the very essence of his divine being. Peter had, unwittingly, moved to a position that stood in direct opposition to all that Jesus stood for.

Read Matthew 16:24-26

Peter had been expressing his own desires – he didn’t want Jesus to be persecuted, he didn’t want Jesus to be hated, he didn’t want Jesus to die, but the Lord was now telling him that if he ever wanted to be one of the Master’s own, he had to set his own desires and ways aside, and to be committed to following the same road that the Lord was on. Notice, though, that the disciples weren’t being told to pick up Jesus’ cross – they were to carry their own cross, whatever that may entail, and to follow him regardless of where it may lead them.

“Reject all of those things you once held dear, accept the new life that comes by faith in me, regardless of what that may require, and follow in the same direction that I walk.” Jesus’ way and our way, our Savior’s life and our life, the way of Messiah and the way of his disciples must be inseparably linked, and must extend throughout this life and into the next

And the Lord’s statement that “whoever loses their life for his sake, will find it” isn’t simply referring to a physical death – it is actually about surrendering the ways of this life and all of the pleasures and promises that revolve around it, in favor of coming to know a new life that is centered on Jesus and his ways and promises. The point is that these two types of lives are mutually exclusive – that while they both may exist, and while both may be calling us to live in their way, we have to choose to follow either one or the other. Each must exclude the hopes and promises that the other offers, and if we don’t choose, the world’s way will prevail.

Psalm 49:5-9 expresses this very sentiment – that our trust in the things of earth is nothing more than evil, and that our escape from this dependency is nearly impossible! It is costly beyond imagination, and none of us is capable of paying the penalty for release. And while the psalmist doesn’t specifically say so, it is only by God’s grace that we can be freed.

Read Matthew 16:27-28

Matthew’s proclamation is directly and obviously focused on Christ’s return for the Judgment. And it is, without question, the answer to Psalm 49’s condemnation. Jesus tells us that each and every person will receive the judgment that we individually deserve. And before anyone thinks that our own perfection in this life will be the deciding factor, it is not. The “doing” that is mentioned is whether we have traded, surrendered, lost this life on behalf of Christ, or not.

The question at Judgment will be this - have we made a commitment to do all that we can to become more like Jesus? Not in some superficial way, not in some modified way, not in some misinterpreted way, not in some other god’s way, but in the one and true way of Christ. So the question remains – what must our life look like if we are truly becoming more like the Lord Jesus?

I think the secret, and for most people it is, lies in Matthew 22:34-40, in which Jesus tells us that there are two commandments that we must follow, and which are the basis for every other commandment that God has given us – that above all else, we are to love our God with every ounce of our being (Deuteronomy 6:5), and when we do, we are to also love our neighbor as well as we love ourselves (Leviticus 19:18). In Luke’s version of this command, he follows up with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:28-37), which Jesus uses to clarify just who our neighbor is, and how that second love must be tied to the first!

Loving God and his ways, and not just some fluffy, frilly, simplified version of him, is about as easy and clear-cut as loving our neighbors of earth! But that is what “being like Jesus” is about – letting his life define and describe that very love for us. And what did he teach and demonstrate?

First, in Matthew 5:17-20, he addresses the thought that he had come to overturn every law that the nation had depended on. And in response, Jesus said that the Law of God and the word of the Prophets would always be intact, and that his coming was solely intended to explain what each meant for us.
Second, he demonstrated what Godly love truly looks like, when he forgave the woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-8:11), when he taught what being unclean (sinful) was really about (Matthew 15:1-20), when he revealed the way of salvation to Nicodemus (John 3:1-21), and through the many other truths that he taught during his ministry.

“Becoming like Jesus” can never be described or achieved through our own understanding and purpose – it can only be revealed and gained by discovering and following the life and love of Jesus Christ Himself. And when we commit to that love, and begin to love and live like Jesus did, and grow in that example every day, it is then that we will be well on our way to “Belonging” to Jesus.

But more on Belonging next week.