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Journey Through John, #10, John 1.35-43

March 31, 2020 0 Comments

Hi Friend,

If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a part of the movement Jesus started. If you are new to this movement  you may have heard church people talk about discipleship. 

A disciple is literally a student-follower. When we talk about discipleship we are not talking about life in a classroom. Rather we are talking about a life in relationship with Jesus — in real time and in real life.

The text for today is John 1:35-43  — Pause now and read it.

35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”39  “Come,”he replied, “and you will see.”So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon

.40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which when translated is Peter).


This passage has all kinds of discipleship moves:
John has disciples; but he keeps pointing to Jesus: “Look, the Lamb of God!”
The two disciples then leave John and follow Jesus.
Jesus turns around and sees them following and asks, “What do you want?”
The two disciples call him Rabbi and ask, “Where are you staying?”
Jesus says, “Come and you will see.”
Jesus spends the day with them.
One of the disciples, Andrew goes to find his brother, Simon.
Andrew announces the possibility that Jesus is the Messiah they have been expecting.
Andrew brings Simon to see Jesus.
Jesus looks at Simon and says, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated is Peter).

So many discipleship moves here. For the Church in the world we keep pointing to Jesus. We are not looking for disciples for ourselves. We are actually discipling people to Jesus. Jesus is The Disciple-Maker. I believe Jesus is still doing what he does in this text and we get to be a part of it.

Three Discipleship Moves we make with Jesus


Jesus keeps asking: “What do you want?”  — This is the first direct word we have from Jesus in the Gospel of John. A question: What do you want? Every disciple of Jesus must answer this question. Do I really want to be with Jesus. What are the desires and affections of my heart?

Jesus keeps spending time with people:  He invites those who wonder about Him and what He is up to in the world, to “Come and see.” — Every disciple of Jesus must settle into being with Jesus and being where Jesus is taking them in the world.

Jesus keeps changing lives: Every disciple of Jesus must be in relationship with the One who can change their character from shifting sand (this is what the name “Simon” portrays) to being a person with a rock-solid and well defined core (this is what the name “Cephas” or “Peter” portrays). 

As friends of Jesus we keep pointing people to him. Sometimes they must “leave us” to follow Jesus for themselves. We may experience some grief in that. But, we can rejoice because we are together in the Fellowship of the Lamb. That’s what its like to really be the church. We must always anticipate and rejoice in the allegiance of each disciple to Jesus. It’s this freedom in discipleship that calls the church back from being cultish, controlling and toxic. It’s this movement in discipleship that spreads the Gospel around the world and in each generation.


Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, We come to the fellowship of Jesus the Lamb by your invitation. Thank you for this grace. Transform our lives and make us solid people who are able to join you in the life-changing movement of redemption and love. We want to be with you! Grant us the courage and the capacity that John the Baptist had to treat people as friends who belong to Jesus.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Take time now to write your own prayer and response to God from this text.

Our next reading will be from John 1:43-51.

Change, Discipleship, Journey Through John's Gospel

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Journey Through John, John 1.19-23 — Who are you?

March 26, 2020 0 Comments

Dear Friends,

Why does a submarine have many compartments? Why can these compartments be sealed up and shut off from the rest? 

Most of us realize the answer. But I’ll state the obvious. A submarine has many compartments that can be sealed off as a safety measure; if the integrity of the hull is breached in one area, the whole ship won’t go down and stay and down; just that room will be sealed and flooded.

Most of us realize that like a submarine our lives need a diversity of compartments. Typically we live and gather up our sense of purpose in one or more compartments relationally: our work, our hobbies, our family, our friends, our health, our wealth or lack thereof. All these relationships provide input on who we are.

But at the core — Who are you?  What are you all about? What do you have to say about yourself?

John the Baptist is the major character in our readings for the next few days. But he keeps pointing to another character as the lead. John was clear about himself and his purpose. But his clarity confused folks who came to ask him, “Who are you?”


19Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

21They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”

22Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”
John 1:19-23

John’s point of reference for answering the question “Who are you?” and “What do you say about yourself?” is the Lord. His point of reference for personal identity is God and what God is doing in the world through him — pointing to Jesus.

John was clear about what he was not: “I am not the Messiah… Elijah…. or the Prophet.”

John was clear about who he was and what he was about. So he was able to say, “I am this!”

What a glorious grace! He’s living this purpose in his 30’s. Is there hope for us? Yes! I believe there is hope for all of us — younger or older.

John’s clarity of purpose derived from his relationship with God and the Lord’s calling on his life:
 

“I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

If you have never pressed in on this question: Who are you? What are you all about? Now is good time to do so.

Disruptions in our lives can drive us into serious consideration of the question as we deal with the grief of sealed off compartments.

Perhaps it’s good to begin with questions to the Lord Himself: Lord — how do you see me? What do you want my life to be about?

Don’t try to rush the answer. I went through a season of purpose re-evaluation and exploration a few years ago. The experience went like this: clarity seemed to come quickly — almost all at once — but the process had taken months and was built on quite a few years of relationships and experiences. We will get to the other side of this pandemic. Clarity forged in this season will be priceless.

To begin — sit with the question and sit with Jesus.

Who are you?

Let’s pray:

Our Heavenly Father,

We delight in you and the reading of your Word today. You have a plan and a purpose. You shall not be thwarted. Grant us clarity of purpose by Your Spirit and your Word. We don’t have to see your whole plan. But we do desire to see you. Let our lives in this world also point to Jesus. For some of us the Covid-19 pandemic has torpedoed our plans and even our sense of purpose. Whole compartments of our lives have been shut to us. We must retreat to you. Help us Lord. Let your church be a voice calling out in the wilderness so that minds may know Him, and hearts may have their affections set on Him.

In Jesus Name We Pray,

Amen.

I will continue exploring John 1:19-28 in our next reading.

For your own spiritual journey: Please take time to read the text and write your own prayer to God.

Change, Journey Through John's Gospel

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anxiety squeezes your mind

March 12, 2020 0 Comments

Here’s a reflection on Covid-19, change, and uncertainty.

When we are anxious or worried our mind is squeezed into a tighter and more narrow view of ourselves and the world. It’s not a comforting hug. It’s a death grip.

You may be feeling squeezed right now by a constant barrage of information and uncertainty. Such anxiety squeezes God out.

Jesus spoke to a crowd of folks who were used to being squeezed by anxiety. He knew he was speaking to many who counted on each day’s work and each day’s decisions in order to make it into the next. The poor make multitudes of decisions everyday, asking themselves questions designed for survival. They are constantly working out opportunity cost. This is how scarcity works.

If I buy this I won’t be able to purchase that.
If I buy this will I have enough at the end of the month?
If I don’t buy this who in my family will miss it?
If we don’t get enough work in this day,
what else will we have to miss out on?
If I don’t get this now it won’t be here for me latter.
What’s going to make me feel better?

The answer to that last question is so important.
When anxiety runs deep it makes all of us poor.

Some of us have become masters of managing scarcity in order to make aspects of our lives work. Students are masters of this with time and their own energy. However, as I also discovered, students are masters of scarcity until they are not! We cannot be in control of everything all the time!

Jesus offers another way through His presence and the promise of His peace. To the anxious His words must have sounded outrageous.

Matthew 6:24-34, NIV

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.


Jesus is brilliant.

Jesus knows that when we worry we have settled for a different master than our Heavenly Father. He knows that when we worry we have set our hearts and the issue of our security on other matters. He knows that when we worry we can settle for shortsighted acts of unrighteousness (like hoarding) in order to secure the future for ourselves. He knows that when we worry we are not able to see the opportunity of His Kingdom in each and every day.

Ugh! I write this with compassion for you and for me.

When the world worries are we going to act with love?
When the world worries are we going to live open to Jesus and His Kingdom?
When the world worries will we make adjustments with them and find the opportunity in this moment to love?

You and I can love by taking the advisable precautions.
You and I can love by reaching out to another and listening.
You and I can love by sharing resources from what we have.
You and I can love by praying with another and setting our hearts and lives together before our Heavenly Father.
You and I can love by reading the Word of God together.
You and I can love by setting our hope on Jesus.

The danger before us is not just a matter of what we run out of. The danger before us is a matter of believing we are alone.

Pause. Watch a bird. Look at flower. Locate yourself in this world.

Pray. Enter the embrace of God in His communion — The communion of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Locate yourself in His Communion.

Pastor. Reach out to someone else and invite them into the realities of Jesus’ Kingdom with you. Locate yourself in relation with others.

Change, Society

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Prayer of the People, 29 December 2019

January 2, 2020 0 Comments

Heavenly Father,

We are grateful for the grace that has brought us into your communion — the communion of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Glory to your name forever and ever.
You created us and gave us the breath of life.
You redeemed us from the ravages of sin and death through the Cross of your Son.
You have filled us with your Holy Spirit and keep pouring your love into our lives.
We cry out to you — Abba Father!

Thank you for your care for us in this past year.
You have given us wisdom when we didn’t know what to do.
You have brought strength when we felt so weak.
You have been our comfort when we felt alone in our grief.
You have provided what we needed when we did not know how our needs would be met.
You have disciplined us when we went astray.
You have sent friends to give us a word of encouragement or correction.
You have sourced love, joy, and peace through your Holy Spirit. 

In the world’s leaders we hear and see a pattern of domination. Lord, help us to choose humility and service in how we relate to all people just as Jesus did.

In the student movements and protests, we hear a cry for justice. Lord, show us specific ways this week we can act justly and live mercy for our neighbours.

In the cry of the poor, we hear indictment at our ease and greed. Lord, we want to live in a way that stores up riches in Heaven. 

While we look back on 2019, with the best photos of this and that, the best and worst moments being paraded out, we acknowledge how You are our best.  You are the one who knits together s our lives. Help us see Your hand in how this last year unfolded, and more importantly help us look to You to set how 2020 will unfold. We want to abide in You, to love others, and to pursue righteousness. 

We seek Your face.
In Jesus’ Name 

Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, 
forever. 
Amen.

Prepared by Craig & Ellen O’Brien

Change, Prayer

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Prayer of the People, 22 December 2019

December 24, 2019 0 Comments

Heavenly Father,

You are in control — in control of the light, of the night, and of our lives.

We turn to You for peace this season, for comfort, and for joy. We enter by your grace into your communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Help us immerse our thinking in Your humility, Your love, Your wisdom, Your truth, Your wellness.  During this season, we are busy with festivities. And then sometimes we pause to look back over our year with you. We catch glimpses of the wellness of soul that You have made possible. Thank you for the many good promises you have fulfilled for us. It is well with our souls!


Give us courage to approach You and to fully live into the salvation You bring to us this season.

We need Your light and Your revelation. We ask for the light of Jesus to be cast on the dark places in us as individuals and in our community. Shine Your powerful, purifying presence and light

  • In India. Shine your wisdom in the hearts of students. Give lasting hope to Muslim immigrants facing the loss of security and home.
  • Shine along the US Mexico border. Bring justice and hope to those seeking a new life.
  • Shine in the hearts of those dispersed by oppression and violence all around the world that they may know their true worth in your eyes.
  • Shine in our hearts to drive out the spirit of domination that would crush another person and refuse them the dignity of your creation.

We bow to Your sovereign will and trust Your goodness to redeem what seems lost.

When we sing “Joy to the World”  we make that our prayer, so you can bring Your eternal joy into every sphere of our lives.  You are our strength and our Joy.

In Jesus’ Name.

Please join me in praying the Lord’s prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, 
forever. 
Amen.

Change, Prayer