May Worship

Readings:

Acts 16:9-15

Revelations 21:10, 22-22:5

John 14:23-29

When I was in high school, I had to study poetry, and I hated it. I disliked how the author never simply stated what they wanted you to know, but you had to dig deeper to understand what is being said. You had to dissect it into many parts and analyze the words to truly understand. I wanted to be able to read something and understand immediately what I am supposed to learn.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Bible is written the same way, and I enjoyed reading it. The written word of God is not something you can read through quickly and understand at first glance, rather, it takes time to break it down and truly take away the messages God is sharing with us.

At the first glance, today’s gospel appears to be departing words Jesus gives to his disciples. It appears that Jesus is telling them goodbye and offering words of comfort. And that is what Jesus is saying. But he is also saying more. When we look deeper, we can see that Jesus is also giving instructions to the disciples on how to live their lives when he is gone, and informations on what is to come.

In verse 23 Jesus says “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

This verse answers a common question, why should we obey Jesus’s teachings? We have Grace, this wonderful gift from God, that tells us we can not earn our way into heaven. It is all by God’s grace and mercy that we are saved. So why should we try? Why should we worry about following what Jesus teaches us? God will save us, nothing we can do will change that.

We follow what Jesus teaches us because we love him. Because we love God. We do it because we are asked to, and it makes God happy. We do it because God loves us and we love God.

It is like when we were children, and we would clean our rooms or help with cleaning after a meal without being asked, because we loved our parents and want them to be happy. That is why we follow what God asks of us, not because we receive a reward, but because we love God.

God does not ask much of us. Every commandment we are asked to follow fall under the two great commandments Jesus tells us, to have no other God but the one true God, and to love your neighbor as yourself. As long as we follow those, we are following all other commandments.

When we love everyone the way God loves us, we are returning the earth into the home God originally intended it to be, a place of love and peace. That is the home God wants to make with us.

Verse 24 continues with Jesus saying “Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Here we see Jesus highlighting an important distinction, the difference between choosing to not love and obey God, and loving God but sinning because we are broken humans who mess up at times. We are only apart from God when we choose to be. If we purposely choose to ignore what God has asked of us, we show God that we do not love God.This doesn’t mean we do not love God because we mess up sometimes, that is why we have grace. This shows that our choices matter, and more importantly, that we have a choice. God gave us free will, God lets us choose.

Jesus also uses this verse to share with us that the words he speaks are not his own, but he is speaking with the authority of God. Jesus is sharing with us the information God wants us to know. Jesus is also reminding us that he was sent by God to teach us, that his only purpose was not to die for our sins, but to first teach us how to be God’s children.

Verse 25 says “All of this I have spoken while still with you.”

Jesus is reaffirming that he has taught all we need to know about God and about being Christian while he was here on earth. Jesus was teaching every time he opened his mouth. Jesus was teaching when in crowds of people and when with just the disciples. Jesus used every moment that he could to teach. Jesus wants us to know him, Jesus wants us to follow him, and Jesus wants us to love God.

Jesus used the women touching his robe in a crowd and being healed because her faith in him was so great as a moment to teach everyone about what it means to have faith. Jesus used the calming of the storms that created fear in the disciples to teach that he can be trusted to always protect us. Jesus ate with sinners to teach us that everyone is worthy of his time, and everyone is welcomed into God’s family.

Jesus used his words and his actions while with us to impart upon us the knowledge we need to truly love and obey God.

Verse 26 continues “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Jesus is reassuring us that even when he is gone we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is with us everywhere, everyday. Jesus also reassures us that we are not expected to know and remember everything. The Holy Spirit is sent to continue teaching us about God and to remind us of the lessons we have already learned. The Holy Spirit is around us and within us.

The Holy Spirit often uses us to speak for it. When we speak of God, the Holy Spirit guides our thoughts and our words. The Holy Spirit uses us to teach each other about God, and to remind each other what it means to follow Jesus. We are asked to help hold each other accountable and responsible for staying true to our faith and to God. This does not mean judging each other for our actions, but rather guiding each other through love and acceptance.

Verse 27 comforts us as Jesus says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Jesus is offering words of comfort because he knows what is to come. Jesus is about to suffer a slow and painful death. He knows a similar fate awaits his disciples. But he offers them peace. This peace is not something that will be found in this world, for Jesus says he does not give as the world gives. But rather this peace will be found when we are welcomed home with God.

The world as it is now, the world we have created, is one that is broken. It is destroyed. It is full of sickness, poverty, hunger, war, and sin. It is not the world God wanted it to be. But God gave us free will, and this is what we have created.

This world can not even begin to offer what God can. Money and possessions will mean nothing when this world is gone. Anything we can take from this world will disappear eventually. All that is left is God and God’s love for us. Jesus offers us peace in life after death. Jesus offers us comfort in knowing that there is more and better to come. Jesus tells us to not be afraid in this world, because while our bodies may die, we live forever with God.

In verse 28 Jesus urges us to not be sad for his death, saying “You heard me say, ‘ I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”

Jesus is telling us that we should be happy he is returning to the Father, even if it means suffering death on the cross first. Jesus knows death of the human body does not mean death is final.

When we have faith, we receive grace, and when we receive grace, we are saved, and when we are saved, we are welcomed into God’s kingdom forever. Jesus knows God’s kingdom is greater than life on earth, and does not want us to fear leaving this world behind.

Jesus finishes in verse 29 saying “I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.”

Jesus tells of his own death, and of the wonders to come when God makes death no more, so that the disciples may be able to understand what is happening when Jesus dies. We are all able to see that Jesus spoke the truth concerning his own death, which makes it easier for us to believe that all Jesus spoke of was true. All we are asked to do is believe. To believe that there is no other God but the one true God, and to believe that he loves us, and to spread that love to everyone.

Poetry may be hard for me to understand, but God’s love for me isn’t. It may take time to sit down and truly understand the words of the Bible, but unlike how I feel about poetry, the Bible is worth the time and effort to understand. The lessons Jesus teaches us are invaluable, and are given to us because God wants us to follow him. God has chosen us to be God’s children. And God loves us so much, that God put on human flesh, came to a broken world, and died a human death, so that we may live forever with God.