If You Love Me...

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

This is one of those chapters that has so many statements of Jesus we cling to that it is hard to choose just one.  Others begin: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me... I am the way, and the truth, and the life... Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do... “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you... Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." So why choose the one above, which is in the core of the chapter?  The question of the upper room really is "Do you love me?" Though all were demonstrating love by being there, one was a traitor.  Though all proclaimed steadfast love and devotion to Jesus (especially Peter), all abandoned Him. How did they know if they really loved Him? How do we know if we really love Him?  When we, through the aid of the Holy Spirit, obey Him.

Do You Understand?

John 13:12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 

Of all the things the disciples experienced with Jesus, the evening in the upper room on the eve of the cross must have been one of the most memorable.  Jesus' words and actions left a forever impression on the hearts and minds of these followers. He told them how much He wanted to be there with them, then He washed their feet.  When He told them He had done this as an example, it was more like the culmination of a life of examples of serving. It begins with a humility He had shown above all others. As He goes on to tell them that this would not be an easy example to follow: one would betray Him and they all would at times deny Him and His call to servanthood. But the call remained and still remains to this day: humble yourselves, submit to and serve the Lord; love and serve one another.  This is the way to a life of blessing. 

Kill the Messenger

John 12:9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

Whereas the last chapter focused on Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, and all the actions and truths surround that, this chapter focuses on Jesus' next visit to the home of Mary and Martha, on His way toward Jerusalem. A big celebration was held with Jesus as the honored guest and Mary lavishly anointed Jesus' feet. The paragraph above points out that people wanted to see both men - the Healer and the healed. It also tells us that there was a bounty on both their heads.  We have seen this attitude before in this Gospel: the blind man was booted from the temple because he told the truth: Jesus had healed him. There was a big push to drown out any testimony to Christ, and there still is today.  The remainder of the chapter takes us on into Jerusalem with the triumphal entry, where people were told by the leaders not to proclaim Him King.  Many people listened to them and refused to accept Him or profess Him as Savior and Lord. But some would not be silenced.  Which are we?

Let Us Go

 John 11:7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

This chapter focuses on Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  It is such a fascinating and encouraging event that we often just skip over the other things Jesus was teaching His disciples.  Going to see Lazarus was heading toward danger, as Lazarus and his sisters lived on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Every time that Jesus went there the religious leaders became more intent on eliminating Him.  As Thomas put it: going there was a death wish.  But Jesus reminded his followers that He was the Light of the World and was not going to hide His light. He also was not going to let His friend down; He was going to raise Him up again. This was not only a demonstration of His life-giving power, but also an example for us as His followers to not back down from being a witness, and to hold the needs of others above our comforts and fears.

The Keeper of Peace

Psalm 120:6 Too long have I had my dwelling
    among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace,
    but when I speak, they are for war!

Psalm 121:5 The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
7 Peace be within your walls
    and security within your towers!”

Having made our way through the longest psalm, we come now to a group of psalms called "The Songs of Ascent." The title refers to the fact that these songs were sung as pilgrims made their way to celebrations in Jerusalem, singing them as they "ascended" up to Mount Zion.  These first three psalms focus on seeking peace.  The first, Psalm 120, begins: In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. All three of them begin with turning towards Jerusalem and calling out to God for help. The next two begin with well-known verses: 121:1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth, with the psalmist looking to the hills of Jerusalem, and 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!” As worshippers made their way to Jerusalem to seek peace, they sang these songs of thanksgiving and praise to prepare for that time. May we do the same today. 

Righteous Rules and Steadfast Faith

 

Psalm 119:

151 But you are near, O Lord,
    and all your commandments are true.
152 Long have I known from your testimonies
    that you have founded them forever.

159 Consider how I love your precepts!

    Give me life according to your steadfast love.

160 The sum of your word is truth,

    and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

164 Seven times a day I praise you

    for your righteous rules.

165 Great peace have those who love your law;

    nothing can make them stumble.

175 Let my soul live and praise you,

    and let your rules help me.

176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,

    for I do not forget your commandments.

In these final four stanzas of the longest psalm, the psalmist seems to intensify the longing of his plea crying out to God in his affliction and persecution. Yet, at the same time, there seems to be a stability of soul in his song, recognizing that God is near and that He gives life and peace to those who seek Him and trust His word.  The psalmist is convinced that God's commandments are true, and His rules are righteous. His convictions about this are what give him that stability to stand before God and continue to ask, and his obedience to God's law convinces him more and more that this is the way to live: as God has instructed us.   

The Shepherd Door

John 10:7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

You will notice in the verses above that it begins: "so Jesus again said..."  Jesus repeated Himself because He had told them this and they did not understand, so He goes into more detail.  The I AM picture He uses for Himself now is that of the caring shepherd who also serves as the doorway to the sheepfold.  No one gets in or out unless it's over His dead body.  He does that not to be mean, but because He truly loves His sheep.  The passage goes on to say that there are many false shepherds, imposters, hired hands quick to make a buck, who proclaim to have the keys to the sheepfold of heaven, but do not.  He as the Shepherd is actually the Son of the Owner, and He and His Father are on the same page concerning the sheep. They love them and have only good for them in their plan.  He loves us enough to lay down His life for us. 

Is Seeing Believing?

 

John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

The above paragraph is the conclusion to this chapter devoted to the events surrounding Jesus' healing of a blind man.  It begins with the disciples asking about the reason the man was born blind: "Whose fault was it that he was blind?" Wrong question. Jesus responded that God had a purpose in mind, even though we know that any such defect is the result of the Fall. The question was: "How can this bring God glory?" Once again, the jealous religious leaders questioned Jesus' authority to do such a terrible thing on the Sabbath and ended up kicking the healed man out of the temple.  It did not matter to them that he was now whole; he had been a blind sinner and had no hope of ever escaping that.  Jesus disagreed, so He introduced Himself to the man as the Savior.  Now the man's eyes were opened physically and spiritually.  The Pharisees had only physical sight, and they failed to use that to see the Truth before their very eyes. Open our eyes, Lord, that we may truly see. 

Who's Your Daddy?

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 

As we have seen, this Gospel is a mix of miracles and messages which distinguish Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of the world.  John began the book with the disclaimer than many had not received Him for Who He really is. That was still the case here.  He had come from God His Father and knew what He had been sent to do; these leaders were not from God, and had no clue that Jesus had been sent by Him, even though the messages and miracles bore witness to that.  The two sides go on to have a war of words about who their father was, and he was not God. They were also not living like sons of Abraham their physical ancestor. They were living as children of the devil, refusing to seek after or live for God.  It all goes to raise the question: "Spiritually speaking, who is your daddy?"

Let It Flow!

John 7:37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

After the mass exodus of followers in chapter 6, John records that Jesus' family encouraged Him to go with them to Jerusalem for the feast, where he could put on a full ad campaign to promote Himself, but He refused: it was not the time nor the way.  He however did end up going quietly with His disciples to the feast and was led by the Father to teach in the temple, amazing all who heard Him. There was great debate over whether Jesus was the Messiah or not, so the jealous religious leaders sought to stop Him from speaking.  Jesus then made one last statement, shown above, which revealed the reason for their confusion: they did not have the Holy Spirit within to discern the truth, but those who would seek Him and believe in Him would have the Spirit, who would confirm that His words wore true, and prove that He was Who He proclaimed to be: the Savior they needed and were waiting for. He is the same for us as well. 

Too Much to Handle?

John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 

These words conclude a chapter that contains two of Jesus' best-known miracles and some of His hardest statements. Having already made His case for His authority and His calling, Jesus feeds the 5000 and walks on water.  This is followed by His declaration that He is the "Bread of Life" that "came down from heaven," which again pointed to Him as the Son of God and the Source of Life.  What was so hard to swallow was not just the bread, His body, but His shed blood, which Jews were forbidden to drink. Of course, Jesus was speaking of His death on their behalf and atonement for their sins, but they were not ready or willing to receive it; it was too much to handle.  But His closest disciples did understand and were willing to stay the course and live by faith in Him.  Are you?

I Am Your Servant

 Psalm 119

124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
    and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
    that I may know your testimonies!

135 Make your face shine upon your servant,

    and teach me your statutes.

136 My eyes shed streams of tears,

    because people do not keep your law.

139 My zeal consumes me,

    because my foes forget your words.

140 Your promise is well tried,

    and your servant loves it.  

As we make our way further into the psalmist' love for God's Word, we find one of the most basic attitudes necessary is that we are God's servants. A true servant wants to please his/her master in every way, so he or she seeks out the Master's will.  In doing so, once again, the servant realizes the love of the Master, Who truly does seek the good of all His servants.  Another theme seen here is that a zeal for God's Word leads to an amazement that others do not share the same perspective of the Master, His will, and His Word. A true servant wants others to understand God's Word too. 

Love, Joy, Hope

 Psalm 119

97 Oh how I love your law!
    It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
    for it is ever with me.

111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever,

    for they are the joy of my heart.

112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes

    forever, to the end.

116 Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,

    and let me not be put to shame in my hope!

117 Hold me up, that I may be safe

    and have regard for your statutes continually!

As we return to our study of the longest psalm today, these three stanzas of eight verses (v.97-120) reveal to us the spiritual fruit obtained through the study of God's Word.  When we spend time with Him in the scriptures, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we begin to understand what love is - doing what is best for others, which in turn results in our good.  We also learn that when we follow God's ways, we find something far deeper than passing happiness; we find true joy.  Finally, when delve into the promises of God, we find hope, trusting in God's plan with an increasing assurance that all will be well and that He will see us safely through.  How much love, joy, and hope we miss when we do not commit to His Word.

Clear Sense of Identity

 John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

This chapter begins with yet another miracle performed by Jesus: healing the lame man by the pool of Siloam.  After He does so, the religious leaders give the man a hard time, the turn to Jesus, who renews His statement of authority to do such things.  The leaders recognize that by claiming such authority to heal on the Sabbath, Jesus is claiming to be God. Christ then replies above, showing He knew exactly Who He was, why He was here, and what He was to accomplish: give life.  The chapter closes with Jesus pointing them to all the other witnesses of Who He was: John the Baptist, God the Father, the miracles He did, and the truth He spoke. They confirmed His identity as the Son of God.

Not So Insignificant...

 John 4:46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

In chapter 2 we noted that Jesus' first miracle recorded by John did not seem like a big deal at the time, but it was. Without that first miracle these second one may not have happened. Word had spread what Jesus had done. Jesus was back in Galilee when this son became ill, and this official had heard what Jesus did.  He was close enough to hurry to Jesus and ask for his son's life.  He was convinced that none of this was coincidence, and as a result knew his son was healed by Jesus. 

Rejecting Light

 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

We have already seen John's introduction of major themes in his gospel, including light.  The Light has come into the world, but he was not received.  Here John develops that further. The first verse above is probably the best-known verse there is, at least in the western church, but like with any passage, we often fail to continue on to the middle of verse 18:  but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. People don't want to change; they don't want light; they often want to remain in darkness; they remain under judgment.  It is comfortable, somewhat pleasurable, and ensnaring. But the Light is still shining, extending the call to come and find truth and life. 

Do Whatever He Tells You.

John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Having given us this grand introduction into Who this Jesus is: The Word, The Truth, The Light, The Life, and so much more, John begins to record several sermons He gave, statements He made about His identity, and special miracles He performed.  This first recorded miracle seems at first glance to be somewhat shallow or insignificant, but maybe that is the point: Are we willing to trust Jesus with the less important things of life? If we will not trust Him with those, we will not trust Him with the everlasting.  We also see here an introduction to what every miracle will require: Do whatever He tells you. Give Him full authority.  If He says: "Go wash this mud off your eyes," do so. If He says: "collect whatever food you can find," do it. If He says: "Take up your bed and get going," don't lay there and think about it. This matter of obeying Him, doing whatever He tells us, submitting to His authority, is what Jesus goes on to show by cleansing the temple and telling the religious leaders they had no right to question His authority. We need to do whatever He tells us, no matter how seemingly insignificant or how challengingly difficult.

Light, Life, Truth

John 1:9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

As John began his Gospel, seeking to fill in all the pieces and questions still had after the other three gospels, he puts together so many concepts and pictures that it is overwhelming. The first of the concepts is that Jesus is True Light.  Light is essential for life (another concept John discusses here), but at the same time we would be blinded by Pure Light if we stood before Him. Jesus Christ came in balanced form. He could be seen and heard and show the way.  Sadly, many did not and still do not accept Him as the Light that we all need.  The need for light is so obvious around us, as we still seek to know which way to go and seek to discern what the truth really is (truth is another concept in this chapter) in a world bombarding us with so many messages that are not true. Christ is still full of truth, which we often are not able to handle, but which we all still need.  That really is what John sets out to do: show us that what, really Who we need is Christ, who has the Light, Life, and Truth we all need.  Let's seek it out as we go through this book. 

Struggles, Scripture, & Servanthood

 Psalm 119

73 Your hands have made and fashioned me;
    give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
74 Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,
    because I have hoped in your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous,
    and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

86 All your commandments are sure;

    they persecute me with falsehood; help me!

87 They have almost made an end of me on earth,

    but I have not forsaken your precepts.

88 In your steadfast love give me life,

    that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

94 I am yours; save me,

    for I have sought your precepts.

95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,

    but I consider your testimonies.

96 I have seen a limit to all perfection,

    but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Once again, these three stanzas of the longest psalm tie together the truth of scripture with daily life.  The psalmist has endured affliction and persecution, yet he has clung to the truth of God's Word. Its truths rise above and dig deeper than all the trials of life and are able to make us stand solid in the storms of life. In addition to this, the psalmist realizes that he has been placed in a position to be a testimony for God, as both fellow believers and opponents are watching for his response to life's problems. He knows God loves Him and he loves God and wants to show it to others.

The Difference

 Psalm 119

49 Remember your word to your servant,
    in which you have made me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
    that your promise gives me life.

63 I am a companion of all who fear you,

    of those who keep your precepts.

64 The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;

    teach me your statutes!

65 You have dealt well with your servant,

    O Lord, according to your word.

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,

    for I believe in your commandments.

These quotes from the next three stanzas of this longest psalm connect learning God's Word to a whole new outlook on life.  There is a hope and comfort, a feeling that one is loved, and a sense that life is good, even when those around harass, mock, and mistreat the one who seeks after God. All of these are wrapped up in a life of pursuing God through learning and living by God's precepts, commandments, and promises.  There is a definite different in life when we take the time to be here in God's Word. 

Worldwide?

 I Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

As Peter wraps up his letter to these persecuted believers, he once again seeks to both challenge an encourage them to stand strong and trust in God.  They are to remain acutely aware of the attacks of Satan and resist the temptation to react in fear.  He then says something we may find startling: the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. In the book The Insanity of God when believers in China, the former Soviet Union, and nations dominated by oppressive Islam find that other believers also are also facing persecution, they not only are encouraged; they also commit to pray for them.  But what of those of us who face little to no persecution. Can we truly grasp these words? Or, as the book asks: Will we easily give up what so many have endured such suffering to hold on to?

Holding on to Grace

 

I Peter 4:7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

As Peter continues to address these believers he knows are suffering for their faith, he continues to challenge them to not live for the things of this life, but to be future-centered.  He opens the chapter talking about all the evil surrounding them and how they stick out as odd amid such wickedness. They are to pursue purity in the midst of that. In this middle paragraph he goes on to remind them to stand together in unity. As the church we together hold the grace of God in our hearts and hands, to serve one another and to shine the light in this dark world.  After what seems like a concluding benediction in verse 11, Peter goes on to remind them (and us) to make sure our suffering is indeed for Christ and not our own wrongdoing. We need to do right no matter what wrong is done to us.

Honoring Christ

I Peter 3: 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

Peter knew these believers were suffering for their faith.  He also knew that Jesus had told his followers that they should not be surprised by this.  What would motivate them to stand true to Christ? A call to honor Him with our lives: by standing firm in our faith, speaking up for His name, and living by His commands, no matter what the reaction or response we receive.  In the next paragraph he reminded them (and us) of what Christ has done for us: suffering for our sins, rising in victory, and returning to the Father where He stands by the Father on our behalf.  We will stand before Him; may we stand to honor Him now.

What Freedom is For

I Peter 2:13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Peter was writing to a group of believers who were having no easy time living out their Christian faith, experiencing persecution both by religious and governmental leaders.  Their freedoms were being threatened.  Yet, Peter reminded them, they were free indeed.  Real freedom is not being able to do what you want whenever you want to whomever you want.  Those who are free in Christ are able to serve God and know that what they are doing is right, no matter what others may say or do to them.  Our calling is to show everyone respect - even those who do not serve God. We are also free from selfishness to love fellow believers in a Christ-like manner, as a testimony to His transforming power.  And we are free to live reverently before God, even if it violates man's law.  Freedom is intended to bring Glory to God. 

Powered by Grace

I Peter 1:13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 

Peter begins this letter strongly with deep truths about the salvation God has provided for us in Christ. In the opening two paragraphs he talked about the great power of the resurrection and the privilege they (and we) have to have received the grace long ago predicted by the Old Testament prophets.  It is by grace that we have been saved, by grace that they could endure persecution for their faith, and it is also grace that pulls us forward to Christ's return, enabling us to live the holy life that God has called on us to live.  Just like the love of God and the Word of God, Grace just keeps on going and keeps on giving. 

Prepared with Precepts

 Psalm 119:

27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!

39 Turn away the reproach that I dread,

    for your rules are good.

40 Behold, I long for your precepts;

    in your righteousness give me life!

44 I will keep your law continually,

    forever and ever,

45 and I shall walk in a wide place,

    for I have sought your precepts.

As we look at the next three stanzas of this longest psalm, we notice some key words the psalmist uses for The Word of God: commandments, laws, statutes, testimony, and precepts.  This last term is not one we use every day, but more of a formal term for "rule for action or behavior" which is based upon a decision that has been settled. Also of note is that these precepts are needed when the struggles of life come: when one is experiencing sorrow, reproach, and a sense of insecurity or uncertainty. We need to have these precepts in place before those things happen so we will not be shaken, fearful, or in despair.  We need to prepare ahead of time by being in God's Word. 

Please Show Me!

 Psalm 119: 1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
    who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
    who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
    but walk in his ways!

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?

    By guarding it according to your word.

10 With my whole heart I seek you;

    let me not wander from your commandments!

18 Open my eyes, that I may behold

    wondrous things out of your law.

19 I am a sojourner on the earth;

    hide not your commandments from me!

Many of you know that Psalm 119, the longest psalm and chapter in scripture, is made up of 22 sections of 8 verses each, an acrostic, with each section beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. The three passages above come from the first three sections of the Psalm. Notice the exclamation points. The psalmist has a deep desire to know and live by God's commandments. His passion is to seek after God, His Word, and His will and to stay on His path, and to not wander from it. May that be our aim today!

Bad Guys; Good Guys

 3 John 1:9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. 11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

This brief letter from John answers one overriding question from both that day and ours: What does love really look like? As we have seen in his first two letters, we know someone had received the love of God in Christ by their obedience to his Word and by their love for fellow saints.  But does that love mean that we allow them so say or do anything without correction or rebuttal? First, on the positive side, hospitality is a mark of truth faith; lack of hospitality makes the sincerity of said faith questionable. Second, when we hear someone say something contradictory to the Gospel, it is not "loving" to say it is okay. Third, actions prove the sincerity of our words.  We cannot proclaim to be His, then do what He has proclaimed as evil. 

Going too far...

 II John: 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 

John is truly the Apostle of Love, as we saw in his first letter.  That theme comes out again. Obedience - walking according to Christ's commands - is the sign that we have received the love of God in Christ. What obedience does not do is replace Christ.  Many false teachers then and now "go on ahead", adding to Christ as Savior and Lord. This devalues the person and work of Christ, making Him less than Who He is.  We must beware those who go to far, adding to the simplicity of Christ, or making too little of Who He is.

We Know

 I John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

It's a crazy world out there, with all sorts of wild thoughts about what is and is not true.  It's nothing new. As John wrote to fellow believers at the end of the first century, the world was full of lies, being held under the influence of the evil one. But as followers of Christ, we can have assurance and confidence in what is true: the one who believes in Jesus Christ as the victor over sin and death, who trusts in Him as God's sent Savior, and therefore obeys His commands - that person has eternal life and can live in victory over sin.  In this chapter John hits it from every angle, repeating the same truth different ways.  In Christ Jesus truth, love, and life all come together, and we can know we have God's presence now and forever. 

A Lot of Love

I John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

John has often been referred to as "the apostle of love."  After all, he uses the word 14 times in this paragraph alone.  But this love is not the shallow kind spoken of so often in our society.  In the opening paragraph of this chapter John warns that such shallow love has nothing to do with Christ, but rather is from deceiving spirits.  Real love - the kind John is talking about here - is connected to Christ, Whose very coming to earth demonstrated that love and sin have nothing to do with one another.  John then goes on to say that because we understand the connection between real love and Christ's death for our sins, we in no way want to have any connection with the old sinful life nor the judgment it brings.  Let us settle for nothing less than the love of God in Christ.