Faith

Conditions apply – Monday, 5th Week in Easter – Acts 14:5-18/John 14:21-26

Read also https://www.pottypadre.com/we-are-no-gods/ based on the first reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles

I have long held that obedience is the fruit of love. When you obey it means you love the other enough to trust them. But to obey is also to do as you are asked, not as you wish. It means you surrender your will to the will of another.

When God gave us the commandments, they were not a negotiated deal or a fruit of intense discussion. They were given, they were to be obeyed because we were supposed to be ‘his people’ who loved him. Sadly, it is the fickleness of the human race that wants unbridled love and acceptance without the demands of being attached to that which brings guidance. We want to follow our understanding of God without his commandments and in return we promise him some vague ‘spirituality’ that we claim to have.

Jesus is clear, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15) “They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me.” (John 14:21). If we do this then the Father too joins in the is love fest leading to a revelation of the love of Jesus to each of us who love him.

In the Gospel passage of today, Jesus has been teaching after having washed the apostles’ feet. What is interesting is, that this last supper has Jesus revealing himself completely and the apostles struggling with their acceptance of his words and actions. Peter did not want his feet washed. Philip was not satisfied and wanted to see the father and now Judas (not Iscariot) asks “how is it that will you reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

Who is this Judas? Judas or Jude is called “son of James” and listed among the Twelve in Luke 6:16. He appears again in a list in Acts 1:13. He is believed to be the ‘Thaddaeus’ of Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18. So this is the one who is the cousin of Jesus and the patron of the hopeless.

Jude wants to know why Jesus only reveals himself to his disciples and not to the world. Jesus’ response is that anyone who responds to Him with love will certainly experience His love. The love of Jesus is not for some, it is for all but conditions apply. The ‘world,’ by definition in John’s gospel, consists of those who turn their back on Jesus, his message and his love and that is why Jesus says, “He who does not love me does not keep my words.” So, in answering Judas, Jesus repeated the themes from the previous verses. Jesus would be revealed to and among the disciples through love, obedience, and union with the Father and the Son.

Finally, to those apostles and to us who love the lord, Jesus assures us all that he will not leave us alone. The word, parakletos is translated variously as Advocate, Comforter, Counselor, or Helper, and describes a Spirit who remains at our side forever (v. 16) to represent us, defend us, argue our case, give peace, or provide counsel as needed. the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, will help us to remember Christ’s teachings and to interpret those teachings for our immediate situation. The Paraclete, the one who stands beside us day and night, will make all things clear.

This is still an encouraging word today. The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, stands beside us to guide us. If we follow, the Spirit leads us to truth. If we obey, the Spirit leads us to life. But the blessings are not automatic. We must follow; we must obey. Conditions apply!

Spread the love ♥
       
Continue Reading
Faith

I will do it – Saturday, 4th Week of Easter – Acts 13:44-52/ John 14:7-14

 Read also https://www.pottypadre.com/closed-door-open-window/ based on the first reading taken from the Acts of the Apostles

There is incredulity and extreme clarity, scattered over seven verses. Jesus has just answered Thomas’ question and then declared that no one comes to the father except through him and that knowing Jesus one knows the father. Philip is clearly not satisfied. He seems to reflect the never ending, insatiable world of doubt in the face of one more act of God’s love. He is not satisfied with the words and promises of Jesus. Like Thomas he wants to touch and feel and see and analise; “show us the father” he says.

It would be good to recall that the apostles are still sitting at the table of the Lord’s supper. He has washed their feet and has begun a private and intimate teaching. He has taught in public but now teaches privately from chapter 13 onwards. The Lord has been with the apostles for three years and one can understand the frustration when he says to Philip, “have I been with you all this time and you still do not know me?”

It is always difficult when you have to explain yourself repeatedly to others especially those closest to you. You would assume that our lives, our needs and our actions should have formed a thought pattern in the heart and the head of those around us and yet so often we are misunderstood and misjudged. Here were his closest friends who want proof, “show us the father.” If the doubts and barbs of the Jewish establishment were not hurtful enough here was one in the inner circle who wanted to be “satisfied.”

How can you say such things? that seems to be Jesus’ response. ‘To have seen me is to have seen the father’, is the response of Jesus. ‘The father and I are one for the father is in me.’ So, Jesus has to explain once again his unity with and dependence on the Father. Jesus explained why He was the only way to God; because He was and is the perfect representation of God. To know Jesus is to know God. Jesus repeated something emphasised in the Gospel of John; that Jesus lived and spoke in constant dependence upon God the Father and did nothing outside His authority and guidance.

In verse eleven Jesus tells Philip and the apostles, “believe me.” Jesus calls on Philip and the others to believe Him, not only to believe in Him; this seems to be a more personal appeal. Faith includes a recognition and acceptance in the words of God; for what Jesus says is true. This, for the believer, cannot be a matter of theory it has to be an act of faith.

This personal appeal to ‘believe him’ is followed with a promise and it backed with Jesus’ assurance. We who believe him will share in his ministry. We will do the same works that he has done and in fact we will do greater works. We just have to ask and Jesus will do it. (John 14:13). These great works that we are to do is not for our glorification, it is for the Father’s glorification through Jesus (John14:13) but we have to ask in his name (John 14:14).

Each one of us has the power to work these ‘greater works’ that Jesus speaks of. However, it demands faith in Jesus. So put your trust in his word and cling on to his promises.

Spread the love ♥
       
Continue Reading
Faith

The fate of their faith – Friday, 4th Week in Easter – Acts 13:26-33/John 14:1-6

Read also https://www.pottypadre.com/speaking-truth-to-power-2/ based on the first reading of today.

Jesus has spoken of betrayal and death (13:21-30), and has been himself “troubled in spirit” (13:21.). Judas is, even now, in the midst of betrayal (13:30). The disciples can imagine danger lurking in the shadows, not only for Jesus, but for themselves. Jesus knows Peter will fail him and at once we need to understand that it does not shock Jesus that we fail. Human as we are, we want to die for the Lord but often we can’t live through a day for him and we fail him. The Lord surely is disappointed but he does not deny us.

Obviously, the mood in the room has changed. Twice already, Peter has been mildly chastised but chastised all the same; he did not want Jesus to wash his feet and now again when he is told he will deny the Lord. The room must have been filled with despair. If the de-facto leader of the apostles was to fail the Lord what would be the fate of their faith?

Jesus steps in, as he always does, to comfort the troubled hearts of the apostles and to comfort us; “do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe in me also.” It is very easy for our hearts to be troubled. We would like to live each day with a song on our lips but life always has a way of throwing us some lemons. Thinking positively, and making lemon juice with the limes thrown at us is a choice we could make but that is certainly not enough. We must train our hearts towards trusting in God and this is why Jesus gently admonishes the elven, “do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Jesus calls the disciples to believe, not because of the situation but in spite of it; to be assured of things hoped for, to be convicted of things not seen. Jesus does not say there won’t be troubles he simply says when that happens do no trouble you heart for you need to trust. That trust must be placed in God and in Jesus.

Interestingly, Jesus assures them of a place in his father’s house. Even though we know that the apostles failed Jesus and he knew at the last supper that they would have failings; he still assured them of a ‘dwelling place’. This is a dwelling place filled with grace for those who loved him but yet had failings. This is not just any dwelling place, it is ‘the’ dwelling place of The Holy Trinity. There is no scarcity of space in this dwelling place for we are assured that there are many dwelling places for all and they have been prepared for us by Jesus himself.

Thomas is bewildered by all this conversation of this dwelling place. This very logical thinking man who has sadly been burdened by the title ‘doubting’ is actually seeking clarity. Perhaps while all the rest chose not to ask the obvious question, Thomas could not control himself. ‘We do not know where you are going so how will we know the way?’ Here is honest Thomas for you!

Think about it; it is the ‘questioning’ and ‘seeking’ Thomas whose question prompts Jesus to pronounce one of the most widely quoted words of salvation. “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except though me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus didn’t say that He would show us a way; He said that ‘He is the way’. If we ask for the directions and someone tells us to turn left here and to turn right there, we are likely to get lost. However, if the person leads us to the destination, we are assured of getting there. That person becomes, for us, the way. Jesus does not simply point us to the Father, but is himself the pathway.

Jesus didn’t promise to teach us a truth; He said that ‘He is the truth’. The truth sets us free (8:32). Jesus is the truth in the flesh, and will leave us in the hands of the Spirit of truth (14:17; 15:26; 16:13). Jesus is the opposite of the devil, about whom he says, “there is no truth in him” (8:44).

Jesus didn’t offer us the secrets to life; He said that ‘He is the life.’ For the Jewish people, the Torah was the book of life. It instructed people in life-giving faith and practice. Now Jesus becomes the life-giver. He says, “I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly” (10:10).

Jesus’ solution to perplexity is not a recipe; it is a relationship with him….abide in me

Spread the love ♥
       
Continue Reading
Faith

Making bad choices – Thursday, 4th Week in Easter – Acts 13:13-25/ John 13:16-20

Read also https://www.pottypadre.com/change-of-guard/ based on the first reading of today.

The Gospel of John is broadly divided into four sections. The prologue: 1:1-18, the book of signs 1:19-12:50, which covers the seven signs that Jesus worked. We then have the book of Glory -13:1-20:31 and finally the epilogue: 21:1-25. Our text of today is from the book of Glory that covers the supper at which Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and then launches into a long private teaching with his disciples; this is also call the ‘farewell discourse’. Finally, the book of Glory ends with the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Our text is the tail end of the washing of the feet. Jesus has commanded his disciples to do as he has done and he chose to become slave and wash the feet of the disciples. What Jesus has done in effect, is to precede practice before the theory lesson. In most cases, one is subjected to the theory class before one is sent to a practical session. Christ washed the feet of his disciples and then gave them the principle by which the disciples must live. By human standards, a servant or a messenger is not greater than the master or the one who has sent the messenger, yet the Christians is not to operate in this way. A Christian disciple must live the commandment to imitate Christ and wash the feet of the slave. This is love in service, love in action!

Yet this is not an easy teaching (as are many of Christ’s). Jesus said to his disciples., “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do it.” There are two IF’s in the sentence. Waving a Baptism certificate does not make you a disciple and even more, a disciple may not put Christ’s teachings in practice. The true disciples is the one who ‘hears the word of God and does it.’

Christ knew that every disciple is not devoted to him. He cites Judas (though not mentioned by name) as a case in point. Christ chose Judas and he says it, “I know whom I have chosen.” It is not that Christ made poor choices; he chose Judas to fulfill the scriptures. This does not make Judas a pawn of God or a victim of God’s plan but rather Judas had long given his soul to the devil. We are told in hindsight that he used to help himself to the common fund.

It is this betrayer who would sit at the most intimate gathering of love; at the last supper and yet choose to give in to satan’s temptation rather than the humble gesture of love and service that Jesus invited him to imitate. Judas made a choice; a very, very bad choice. Christ describes this bad choice as ‘the one who ate his bread and now lifts his heel’ in an attempt to kick and strike the Lord in rejection. How heavy that sentence should way on all our souls when we too have lifted our heal against the Lord when we chose the world over his commands.

Jesus was not looking for a group intervention or a counselling session for Judas. He was simply making clear that this was to happen and remembering the course of events the apostles may believe. The faith is transmitted through the Gospels so that we too may believe and in believing be saved.

Spread the love ♥
       
Continue Reading
Faith

Can you hear his voice? Tuesday, 4th Week in Easter – Acts 11:19-26/ John 10:22-30

Read also https://www.pottypadre.com/no-solo-artist-this-one/ – reflection on the first reading.

Scripture tells us that winter has set in and Jesus is in the temple at the time of the festival of dedication (or Hanukkah), three months after the feast of tabernacles. John’ Gospel is a play on words so when he says “it was winter,” it hints that there is a spiritual chill in the air.

Jesus is in the portico of Solomon, also called the “Porch of Judgment. According to Josephus, Solomon’s Portico was a double-columned porch on the east side of the Temple near the court of the Gentiles. It was about 23 feet wide and the columns were about 40 feet tall. Josephus claimed they were white marble with cedar-panels for a ceiling.

It is here that the Jews (read Jewish religious authority) gather around Jesus. The preceding verses tell us that the Jews were divided after Jesus’ teaching on the good shepherd discourse. Clearly Our Lord was finger pointing at the Jewish religious establishment as the bad shepherds who abandon the flock when they were attacked by wolves. This time the division against Jesus ran so deep that some thought that he was out of his mind and had a demon. (John 10:19). “Why,” they ask “should one even listen to him.” Yet for those who had seem him heal the man born blind, they could not turn their eyes to the reality of what they saw and who he was. (John10:21)

Now that Jesus is in the temple for the festival, the Jews demand clarity from Jesus; “tell us plainly, if you are the Messiah.” This is not the first time that public opinion is divided over Jesus. In John 7:40-44 we hear that some think he is a prophet, others the Messiah. Such was divided public opinion that we are told that some wanted to arrest him.

At no point has Jesus been ambiguous; clarity has been his hallmark. Yet from the ones who cannot or rather do not want to acknowledge the reality of Jesus as the Christ, these questions keep coming up. Jesus is emphatic, “you do not believe.”

John’s gospel uses the word “to believe,” over 98 times. This accounts for a little less than half of the occurrences in the entire New Testament (241 times). In the Gospel of John, believing is not a matter of the head but in the person of Jesus Christ as Messiah. It is Jesus as Messiah that the Jews reject.

So clearly after having admitted in John 10:16 that Jesus has ‘other sheep that do not belong to THIS (Jewish) fold that he must gather.’ Jesus now declares that those who refuse to believe in him as Messiah are not his sheep (John 1026), they do not belong to him; they belong to another shepherd or another sheep fold. Note that Jesus has made every effort to win over these sheep, to convince them but it is they who ‘refuse to hear his voice’

But those who are his sheep listen to his voice and he gives them eternal life because he is the source of life. This gift of eternal life is a promise that is repeated several times in the Gospel of John. There are about 37 uses of the word life in the Gospel of John, of which about half refer to eternal life. It is this precious gift that the sheep who hear his voice receive.

Finally, in a clear and unequivocal answer to their original challenge, he tells his questioners: “The Father and I are one.” The power that the Son has is the same as the Father’s. This is not an unequivocal statement of divinity but points in that direction. And Jesus’ listeners hear it in that way.

Spread the love ♥
       
Continue Reading