Why play hide and seek?

In John 18:15 - 18, an unnamed disciple gets Peter into the audience where Jesus is being tried in court. It seems like the disciple is probably John. So, here is my question. If John is known by the High Priest, it would seem that they would know he was a disciple of Jesus. And he is given freedom to come into the trial.

Yet Peter, when asked about being with Jesus, denies it. Why? I don't understand. I always thought he was afraid and undercover. But if John was known, there would be no need for him to hide. John was safe, he would have been too. But instead Peter lied and tried to hide. (wow, that rhymes).

Anyway, why did he do it? His life doesn't seem to be at risk. He doesn't seem to be at threat of being arrested. Any ideas why He would hide? If we can figure it out, I'm sure that there is a lesson in it for us.

What do you think?

Tie Him Up Before He Says His Name Again!

John 18:12-14 is such a small section of the story, and yet it contains some interesting points to it. Jesus at this point has knocked the men down just by saying the name of God, He has healed the ear of the man who had it knocked off, and has said He will not fight with a sword. Yet notice that the first thing the soldiers do is tie Jesus up. All they know is force. They didn't have to do this. He was willing to go with them, yet they tied Him up. He had just healed one of their own, and they see Him as a threat.

Then He is taken to Caiaphas, the high priest. This is a man who spent years studying the Bible to understand God. He had lived a life beyond reproach, worked hard to know and follow God. Yet when God spoke to Him face to face, Caiaphas saw Him as a threat. He wanted Jesus killed.

I do the same thing. I get a dream or a plan going, and Jesus doesn't want anything to do with it. Whatever I have planned for my life, Jesus declares it to be destructive, anti-God, and wants to freely come and heal it. But I resist, and want to tie God up and do away with Him, at least temporarily. I'll bring Him back out later and set Him free once I've done whatever it is that I am hell bent on doing. I am the biggest fool of the three between me, Caiaphas, and the soldiers.

You see, I know Jesus. He is the savior, the healer. He has proven a thousand times to me that His way is best and that He wants my very best for me. He is not selfish, mean, or petty. Yet I want to tie Him up and do away with Him at times. When I'm weak, tired, and selfish. When I'm afraid, worried, and unsure. Then I want to be god with the smallest "g" possible.

Lord, I really am sorry. Help me to be the one who surrenders at all times, not just when it's convenient. Help me to follow, and not try to use you when it works best for me. You are God, I am not. Period. And I like it that way.

Knocked Down, But Not Out

With Jesus' time of prayer behind him, we see Him move towards His arrest and ulitmately His crucifixion in John 18. A couple of things stick out to me in this story. One, Jesus is in control of His own schedule. They don't grab Him while He is praying. He gets up, walks across the valley, and then when they come, He walks out to meet them. He is in charge from the get go. It's not something that catches Him off guard, or that He resists. He marches directly into the storm. Wow.

Secondly, notice in verse 6 what happens. Jesus asks who they are after, knowing it is Him. It's dark, and they only have torches. They say they are after Jesus of Nazareth. He answers "I am he." When He says this, they fall to the ground. Why? "I am He" is the name in Hebrew for God. In Exodus, it's the name God gives to Moses to tell the people Who sent him. It's the name the Jews held as holy, and wouldn't speak or write on their own. It's the name of God alone. When Jesus, being God, says this phrase which is one of the names of God, it explodes with the Holiness of God. This Holiness knocks the soldiers back and down.

How could they even arrest Him after this? Its an excellent example of how we get so far down our own paths that we ignore God and do the wrong things in the face of His Holiness. I do it from time to time, and have to get knocked on my rear hard to wake up. Its no wonder they missed it.

What about you? Do we really believe God is in control of the storms around us? Will we march into them with Him? Is there something that you are holding onto so tightly that you ignore His overwhelming power and holiness because of it?

Me + You = One

The last part of Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-26 is astounding. No, really, it is. Read it and see. As Jesus is getting ready to be arrested, He doesn't throw in one more prayer for Himself. He doesn't pray for the 11. He doesn't pray for His mom. He prays for me and you. His last thoughts are about us. So, what does He pray?

He prays for us to be unified. Together. To work as one. To be one in the same way that He and His Father are one. Think about that for a moment. They were separated by two realms, the physical and the spiritual. Yet, even with that separation, they grew closer with each passing day. They loved and listened to each other, and accomplished the Father's will. Hmmm....

So what does that mean for us? What would it look like for me and you, and the other millions of Christians worldwide to be one? How could we work towards being one with the believers in Kenya, China, Afghanistan, Berlin, Boston, London, and Greenland? What would it take? Could it be done?

And most importantly, why is this Christ's prayer for us? Not for us to prosper, be comfortable, have a great life, be politically active, run the world, or be great. He prayed one thing, for unity. Why?

If you read this, I really would like to hear your opinion on it. We don't ever discuss this, yet it seemed to be of utmost importance to our Lord.

Small Numbers, Great Success

As Jesus continues His last prayer in John 17:6-19, He prays a series of thoughts and ideas that have kept me sane at times. Any of us who are going to love others and care for others are going to get our heart broken. It's part of the package. There will always be folks who we pour our heart and lives into, only to have them walk away from the faith, and from us. It's happened to me dozens of times. And it wears on you. It makes it incredibly difficult to keep going, to keep giving. When I see yet another person who has so much potential, who has been shown so much grace, walk away from Jesus and deny Him, I get so mad and hurt sometimes. But God always brings me back to this prayer.

Notice what Jesus says in the prayer. He is kneeling before His Father, and claims that He got everyone to the end who He was supposed to. Everyone that He was sent for are present and accounted for. He was a success in His assignment to come and save mankind. No big surprise. Until you remember who is still with Him. He is down to the last 11 disciples, and a few women. At one point, Jesus had 20,000 people listening to Him teach. He was a rock star in His day. At the point of His prayer, He is probably down to 20 or less followers. Everyone has left, even Judas.

But notice that Jesus claims that it is these 20 He was sent for. It was for these 20 that He came. He knew all along that the 20,000 wouldn't last. People would follow for a while and walk away. He was okay with that. There is no apology from Jesus for "losing" so many. There is no anger in Him at the ungrateful crowds who used Him and split. He wasn't here for them. He was here for the small group of followers who made it to the garden with Him. And remember, He even knew that they would abandon Him temporarily over the next 12 hours. He would die alone.

But He was a success. He had done what He was sent to do.

So what of us? Should we be surprised when others show interest for a while, but then leave? Should we be discouraged that we don't have a 95% retention rate with people? No, Christ tells us not to in His teachings. The parable of the sower, where only a small percentage of the seed grows into a healthy plant. It is part of the process.

So, hold people loosely. Don't take it personally. Understand that God's plan for you is probably quite different than you think. Be faithful. And be thankful. You serve One who truly understands where you are. That is enough.

Heading Home for True North

In John 17, we hit one of my favorite prayers in the Bible. Jesus speaks with God before the arrest with Judas comes. It's almost a man's last words. I've always wondered how John knew these words. Were they said while the disciples were awake? Remember, we are told in the other gospels that the disciples fell asleep, and Jesus was alone. Or did Jesus tell John about the prayer later after the resurrection? I don't know, but either way, it's an incredibly powerful prayer.

In the first five verses, we simply see Jesus getting ready to come home. Regardless of what He knew at what stage of life, there is no doubt at this point He knows who He is, where He has been, and where He is going. Just the resolve in His voice, the strength in faith, is so powerful, it always moves me.

I want to live in such a way that my life and words clearly speak what Jesus says in the first five verses of chapter 17. Check it out:
1. There is a plan. The time has come. This is not an accident and You are in charge.
2. Do what you want with me, because I know it will point back to you.
3. You have given me everything I have so that I might be a gift to them. Use me as you will.
4. The gospel is simple and clear, know and love God and Jesus. That's it.
5. I have done what you asked, and it worked.
6. Take me home to where I am meant to be.

That is a blueprint for life worth living! All for Him, everything He gives me all goes back to Him. My life has a clear and worthwhile purpose and goal, and at the end, it is achieved. I want to live that way.

Any thoughts?

The Ah-Ha Moment

As chapter 16 in John finishes out, I love how Jesus speaks to His disciples. They don't get what He is saying, so He lovingly clears it up for them. And then they have the Ah-Ha! moment where they get it (vs. 31). Notice that Jesus tells them ahead of time that they will run from Him, but that He isn't alone even then. He comforts them before they are heartbroken.

But what of the point on the cross where God turns His back on Jesus? Did Jesus not know that part was coming? Honestly, I don't know. On the one hand, He could have been protecting the disciples by not telling them everything that was to come. He doesn't tell them every detail beforehand, so that could be the case here.

But the Bible is also clear that Jesus learned as He went, that somehow God gave Him knowledge as He got older. So maybe Jesus didn't yet know that God would separate from Him and turn His back on Him on the cross.

The whole thing is confusing to me, I have to admit. What did He know, and when? I would love to hear what everyone else understands about this idea.

Either way though, we see in Jesus this desire to care for those around Him, even as they are getting ready to dessert Him in His worst hours. What love He has for them, for me, for us! I bail on Jesus all of the time, yet He continues to love me. That is an example worth trying to follow.

I would love any feedback you may have.