Category: Holy Spirit

Jesus’ comforting words

I’m still reading in John 14.  Jesus continues to talk to his friends after telling them he will be leaving.  This latest “I’ll be leaving/dying” seems to finally hit home with his disciples and they are understandably shaken.

So Jesus comforts them with his words in John 14-16.  I don’t about the disciples, but when someone says, “It’s ok, I won’t be around but this other person whom you’ve never met will be and that person will teach you.  Peace, brothers.  Don’t be afraid,” I don’t feel all that comforted.  Since the disciples don’t fully understand who is Jesus and why he is leaving, I think I can say with 67% confidence that at this point the disciples are not feeling comforted (check out 16:29-30 for their final “AHA!” moment).

Ok, so I’m not really comforted by Jesus’ words right now.  I feel the loss of a friend.  Perhaps it is because I am leaving Minneapolis and leaving several close brothers.  These are guys I love and don’t want to leave.  I’ve spent two years with some of these guys; walking, talking, encouraging, challenging, laughing, and crying.  And now I’m leaving.

Put yourself in the disciples’ sandals; empathize with their loss of a friend.  I do.

I’m going to remember what Jesus said even if I can’t feel at peace right now, “But the Counselor, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

by Categories: Holy Spirit, Jesus 1 Comment

I miss Jesus


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I think there are some really unfortunate section headings in my Bible.  One example is John 13-14. 
The scene:  The Last Supper
Importance:  Redefinition of the Passover feast in light of Jesus’ mission and impending death.
I call these “unfortunate section headings” because they disrupt the flow of some really important things Jesus is saying.  I’m going to rewrite this section as one continuous piece (with liberal use of paraphrasing).
Jesus: Guys, I’m only going to be with you a little bit longer.  I’m taking off and, just as I told everyone else, y’all will look for me, but won’t find me.  So, remember this:  love one another.  Just like I loved you, love one another.  People will see this and know that you follow me.
Pete: sir, where are you going?
Jesus: Where I’m going, you can’t follow right now, but you can follow me later.
Pete: Why not?  I’d give my life to follow you!
Jesus:  Really?  Before morning, you are going to tell people 3 times that you don’t even know me.
Jesus: Guys, don’t worry.  Trust God and trust me.  I’m going to my Father’s house to prepare a place for you.  You can’t follow now, but I’m coming back to so you can be with me again.  Besides, y’all know the way to where I’m going.
Tom: Really? We don’t even know where you are going, so how do we know how to get there?
Jesus: I’m the way, I’m the truth, and I’m the life.  No one can come to the Father except through me.  If you knew me, then you’d know the Father as well; you do know me and so you know the Father.
Phil: Just show us the Father and that’s good for us (I think the implied words are “you don’t have to go”)!
Jesus:  Don’t you get it?  You’ve seen the Father because you’ve seen me.  My words are from the Father (12:47-50); my miracles are from the Father (10:25-30); The Father and I are ONE (5:19-23)!
Reading these sections, I kinda feel the loss of a friend here.  Peter, Thomas, and Philip know Jesus is leaving.  The “why” and “where” is not readily apparent to them right now.  I can empathize with their friendship and loyalty.  I don’t know how to describe it, but I can feel their confusion.  And to be honest, the rest of Jesus’ words aren’t the most comforting to me.  I understand and believe why Jesus had to leave and go to the cross.  But I don’t like it.  I know the Holy Spirit [the Comforter] is here and that I am in the Father’s hand, but this passage makes me miss Jesus.

by Categories: Holy Spirit, Jesus, Life 1 Comment

Adorning Grace with Goodness – Part 3

Titus Chapter 3
Paul uses the same pattern throughout his letter to Titus – a contrast of a good lifestyle to a bad lifestyle.  Examples include: Ch 1:5-9 against 1:10-16; Ch 2:1-13 against 2:14; Ch 3:1-2 and 4-8 against 3:3 and 9-11.  It’s interesting to me because I tend to be verbose and wordy and I say more than I need or should to relay an idea.  Paul here is brief, but redundant, with his description of the Godly life.
My favorite part in chapter 3 is verses 3-8.  Verse 3 tells of our pre-Christ life and verses 4-9 explain how the change from evil to Christ-like happens.
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
Just like in chapter 2:11-14, Paul attributes the change in our lives to God’s work through his Spirit, made possible by his own life and death on earth.  It not new or groundbreaking exegesis, but it’s very affirming to me because these verses reveal the character of God.
God is righteous and holy.  We are foolish, disobedient, and enslaved to all sorts of passions and pleasures.  God is merciful and compassionate.  We live in malice, being hated and hating others.  God is kind and loving and he saved despite our obvious failure to be like him.  Even now, I still live with hatred and jealousy and pride, yet I have confidence that the God who saved me through Jesus the Messiah will continue to change me through the washing of rebirth and renewal by his Holy Spirit.
The letter to Titus is an affirmation of God’s character and a directive to move from knowledge of God’s character into a lifestyle of worship to God (Ch 3:8).  Our lifestyle of worship is a self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined person ready to do good works.

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Adorning Grace with Goodness – Part 2

Titus Chapter 2
Leadership, leadership, leadership.  It is Paul’s purpose for Titus in Crete; it pervades his instructions and advice; it is, or rather, should be, the goal of us today.
Chapter 2 talks about mentorship – older men to younger men and older women to younger women.  Teach the older men so that they can teach the younger men.  Teach the younger men to be like the older men.  Model in your own life how you want them to live.  Chapter 2 connects well with chapter 1.  For me, verse 11 seems like a confusing sentence to connect verses 1-10 and verses 12-15.
Verse 11 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to…” We live out godly lives because of God’s grace.  The important words here (at least for me) are “For” and the present participle “training us to…” The participle is used to connect back to a noun or verb.  In this verse, “training” refers back to the grace of God that appeared, specifically, the grace that brought salvation.  This means Jesus the Messiah and the Holy Spirit. 
Jesus connects to this thought in John 16:7-11.
7Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Jesus describes the coming presence of the Holy Spirit and his role in convicting of sin and teaching righteousness to us.  Titus 2:11-12 is an extension of Jesus’ words here; that through Jesus’ sin-conquering death and the Holy Spirit’s power and teaching enable us to live self-controlled and godly lives.  This is very comforting to me.
The God who loves us and saved us has not left us alone to live as our natural inclinations would lead us to live (Ch 1:9+).  He continues to teach us and grow us and make us more like him.  We were created in God’s image; he is turning us back to that image.
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