Love One Another

Jesus' Statue at our church. 

Scripture Reading: John 13: 31-36

Focus Verse: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 (NIV)

               After the betrayer left, Jesus tells the remaining 11 to “love one another.” He continues by telling them to: “Love one another as I have loved you.”   The teacher loved these men in the following ways: ¹

1. Selflessly-He never thought of himself. Do       we always think of the other people involved in circumstances in which we find ourselves? As I          write this, I think of a friend who very recently went to be with Jesus. This woman exemplified           what it meant to be a follower of Jesus.

2. Sacrificially-He did not set limits to how much he would give or where it would go.

     Jesus gave His life for our sins. He became sin for each of us. This is a sobering thought to me as      I read my Lenten devotionals. I realized recently that I hurt someone with a reply I made to her.           All I have been able to do is pray and ask God to forgive me.

3. Understandingly-He knew the disciples through and through.

    We know God knows us—every part of us. David wrote in Psalm 139 that God knew us before He      formed us. We have to keep this thought in our hearts, especially when we feel we have lost touch      with Him.

4. Forgivingly- He held nothing against them.

    Jesus forgave completely. He forgave the disciples for abandoning him in his last hours. In our           21^st   Century world, we see a lot of dysfunction and estrangement in families. Some of these              issues have gone on for many years. Might we have seen harmony, had we learned to forgive one        another? 

________

1. Daily Study Bible, The Gospel of John-Vol.2, William Barclay pp. 149-150. Westminster Press, Philadelphia

In The Upper Room

Scripture: John 13:18-30

Focus Scripture: “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’” John 13:18 (NIV)

      The Scene is the upper room. The time is Passover. The activity is the Passover meal. Those assembled are the Master and his 12 disciples.

      In this lengthy passage, Jesus tells of his soon-coming betrayal. Peter gets John’s attention and asks him to ask Jesus to tell who the betrayer is. Jesus gives a clue to the disciples as to which of them plans treachery. He, then, excuses Judas Iscariot to do what Judas has to do.

     This action shows me Jesus gave permission to complete the plot that the leaders had planned. In addition, this passage tells me the enemy was present. (Verse 27)

     Were the any of the disciples listening? Simon Peter seems curious but chooses to ask John to inquire as to what it means. The eleven others did not realize what the Master said to His betrayer.

      Had they realized what was unfolding, could they have stopped Judas Iscariot from what he had to do? I think not, God was in control and this happening was part of His plan.  

      In our 21^st Century world, we have many heart-breaking events in the news begging for our attention. I recently read that these harsh events come to us in order for us to pray for those involved.

Early in my Christian walk, I received instruction to pray for people on all sides of a circumstance. Later, I heard we needed to pray for the caregivers as well as those who are ill. We should pray for all those involved in troublesome events, especially when we do not understand them or their actions. 

Jesus’ Example

www.truthbookespanol.com

Scripture: John 13:8-17

Focus Scripture: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15 (NIV)

               What was Jesus really doing when He assumed a servant’s role and washed the disciples’ feet?

               William Barclay points out there is only one kind of greatness, the greatness of service.1.Anything else is selfishness. He tells us the Teacher made this fact an underlying message through the visual image of foot washing.

               When do we do service in our 21st Century church? When we do any of the following:

                             

1. Volunteer for a task.

2. Visit those who are ill.

3. Pray for others consistently.

4. Donate time and talent to ministry.

We are all servants. When we ask Jesus to come into our hearts, He bestows certain Spiritual gifts he desires us to use for the expansion of His kingdom. What we do with those gifts is our gift to Him

-------------

1. Daily Study Bible Book of John, vol. 2, William Barclay, page 139, © 1975 Westminster                   Press Philadelphia

Jesus and His Love

Scripture: John 13:1-7

Warner Sallman painting

Focus Scripture: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” John 13:1b (NIV)

               Jesus, possessor of all authority of God, washed the disciples’ feet. We wonder why He would do something that servants would do. He knew of His upcoming betrayal. He knew the hearts of the eleven others. Jesus modeled love to them. I am sure they were humbled because of this deed. It was very personal to each of them. 

               When we read this as new believers, we focus on the main action, the foot washing. As we mature in Christ, we look at Jesus’ motivation.

               Only one of the disciples, Simon Peter, spoke up and asked Jesus if the He was going to wash his feet. Jesus responded with, “You do not realize now what I am doing but later you will understand.” (John 13:7)

               We all have had times where someone did something we did not understand. Usually, it is someone in authority. Even in our relationship with Jesus, conditions come to us that are beyond our comprehension. Sometimes, we have to spend quantity time in prayer and in listening for God to give us direction.

               We should be ready to hear God’s words and allow Him to work out the condition in which we find ourselves. Jesus’ reason for all He does is that He loves each of us deeply.

Jesus Does Not Judge

Scripture: John 12:44-50

Focus Scripture: “For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.” John 12:49 (NIV)

               John says this is Jesus’ last public teaching.¹ He spends His remaining time on earth teaching the disciples.

               We hear from a young age that our last words tell others about our true selves. In this passage, Jesus tells his listeners, when one believes in Him, he or she also believes in God who sent Him.

               The Teacher tells them, and us, that He does not judge us, but God does. He also states that the words He speaks come from God the Father. Where do the words we speak have their source? Do they come from God or from our own angry hearts? We are the ones who have to decide. Only God can show us the source of our words and our emotions.

               We, who live in the 21^st Century, need to pay closer attention to Jesus’ words as we face and work through our problems and those of our world. We should pray and, then, listen.

1. Daily Study Bible, William Barclay, Book of John-Vol 2. Page 135;Westminster Press, Philadelphia

The Source of Praise

Warner Sallman  painting

Scripture Reading: John 12:37-43

Focus Scripture: “for they loved the praise of men more than praise from God.” John 12:43 (NIV)

               They Jews refrained from telling others about their faith experience with Jesus. They feared they would be put out of their house of worship. This is a very real fear in the hearts of a devout believer.

“They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

               I find these last words, our focus verse, very sad. Yet, in our 21^st Century don’t we see people every day that also have this motive? We seem to see people who do kind things not from the goodness of their hearts but their motive is so they can boast to others. They choose to do this so those who hear of their actions will build them up.

               I recently was privy to someone’s kindness and sat in on an impromptu meeting where this praise issue came up. The members of this small group were of the same mind about being thanked by other people for certain acts of kindness. The praise of man, if we accept it, will be all we get.

               Dear Father God: Please forgive us for being in love with man’s praises. Remold us to Your liking so that we reflect You to those around us. We will give You the praise. We ask this out of Your grace for us. In the Name of

Jesus, we pray. AMEN

God Speaks

Scripture Reading: John  12:27-36

Scripture Focus:

“Put your trust in the light while you have it,

so you may become sons of the light.”

John 12:36a (NIV)

            The voice of God spoke. Some in the crowd thought it thundered; others said it was the voice an angel.

            In my allied reading, Barclays Daily Study Bible-the Book of John volume 2, I read that in Old Testament days God spoke to people who faced trying times. New Testament people seemed to get away from that belief. He ends the section with this statement:

            “Our trouble is not that God does not speak, but that we do not listen.”

            My thought after I read this was, “How true!”

I shared this lengthy passage from Barclay with two of my friends. One of them pointed out that we sometimes have the habit of giving something to God and taking it back. Then we repeat the process several times. Give and take back. Again, we repeat the process until we are weary.

            When will we learn to listen?

            Maybe this giving and taking back is something we need to fast as a part of our Lenten practices.

>Personal Update: I was released from in-home therapy last Thursday. In addition, Hubby checked me out in driving both cars. I drove to Kmart and stopped at CVS on my way home. I drove solo to church yesterday. I had a few errands to run this morning. People are glad to see me out and about. I am almost back to my active self. I will try to return to my three day a week posting schedule.