This morning we continue our series in the Gospel of John. And we are one of the many points in the book, where I'm not sure how I should try to teach it. Really, chapters 13-17 work as one giant section, and we are supposed to grab them in their entirety, and hear them in one setting. It's the kind of section, where the best approach, is to find yourself a nice place out in the sun, on a warm day, and sit down with your Bible and your iced tea until you're read it all. And you read that same section, once a day for maybe a week until it grabs you. Some days, it's an iced tea on the back patio. Other days, it's a pot of coffee in your arm chair.
But this approach doesn't really work for teaching, sadly. What I'm going to do, I think, is take a spiral approach to it. Every week, I'll reread the passage from the week before, and then I'll push forward. This is not going to be a perfect approach. We are still quite likely going to lose some sense of the whole if I do it this way. And some weeks, like today, we are going to break at an awkward spot. But this is probably the best I can do. And what I'm trying to say, I think, is that if you really want to understand this part of John, you're going to have to read chapters 13-17 in their entirety, maybe once a week before we get together on Sundays.
So let's reread John 13:21-30, where Jesus is troubled by his knowledge that one of them will betray him:
(21) These things, (after) saying, Jesus was troubled in his spirit,
and he testified,
and he said,
"Truly, truly, I say to you,
that one from you will betray/hand over me."
(22) They were looking at one another-- the disciples--
being uncertain about whom he is speaking.
(23) There was reclining-- one of his disciples-- in the bosom/chest of Jesus, whom Jesus loved.
(24) Then, Simon Peter gestured to this one to inquire who it was about whom he is speaking.
(25) Leaning back-- that one--, thus, against the chest of Jesus, he says to him,
"Lord/master, who is it?"
(26) He answered-- Jesus--
"That one it is,
to whom I will dip the piece of bread,
and I will give [it] to him.
Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gives it to Judas of Simon Iscariot,
(27) and after the piece of bread, then, he entered into him-- Satan.
Then, he says to him-- Jesus--
"What you are doing, do quickly."
(28) Now, this, no one knew of the ones reclining, why he said to him.
(29) For some were thinking/considering,
since the money box Judas had, that Jesus is saying to him,
"Buy the things, need, we have, for the feast,
or to the poor, that something he should give.
(30) Then, taking the piece of bread, that one went out immediately.
Now, it was night.
New stuff. Verse 31-32:
(31) Then, when he had gone out, he says-- Jesus--
"Now the Son of Man was glorified,
and God was glorified in him.
If God was glorified in him, also, God will glorify him in himself,
and immediately/at once He will glorify him.
Throughout the entirety of the gospel of John, Jesus has been talking about "his hour." This started all the way back in chapter 2, when Jesus turned water into wine. Jesus had told his mother, when she brought up the need, that his hour was not yet come.
What is Jesus' hour? It's that point in time when God will be glorified by Jesus, and when Jesus will be glorified by God. Verses 31-32 are "sort of" complicated. But Jesus is saying that his hour is here. It's started; the Father and the Son have already been glorified. And it's soon. They will be glorified.
And Judas' exit from the room marks the turning point in all of this. Judas gets up, and goes outside, and closes the door behind him, and the second you hear that "click," you know that this is the moment of Jesus' glory, and the Father's glory (H/T Michael Philiber). This is the hour.
Verse 33:
(33) Little children, yet a little time with you, I am.
You will seek me,
and just as I said to the Judeans,
that where I am going, you aren't able to come,
also to you I say now.
Jesus is not a Judean. Jesus' disciples are not Judeans. Judeans are people who have rejected Jesus, and rejected the Father. And that's not his disciples. So what are they, then? What are we?
We are "little children."
Let's read John 1:11-12:
11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. Now, to all who did receive him, who gave allegiance to his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
We are a people who have come to Jesus, and "received" him, and given our allegiance to him. And when we did that, something happened to us. We were born from above, and we became God's little children. We are God's family.
Now, even though the disciples are different than the Judeans, Jesus' words about leaving them are still true for them. Where Jesus is going, they aren't able to come.
What does this mean? We keep reading, and we don't an answer. Instead, we get verse 34:
(34) A new command I give you: that you love one another.
Just as I loved you, that also you shall love one another.
(35) By this all will know that my disciples you are: if love you have for one another.
Jesus is leaving. And we can't follow him on his road. What, then, should we do? Jesus gives us a new command: that you love one another. Jesus loves his disciples to the uttermost (John 13:1), and when he washed their feet, he demonstrated what that love looks like. Now, he calls on you to copy his example. Look around this room. Love each other-- love the people in this room-- just like Jesus loved you.
And it's by doing this, that people will know you are Jesus' disciples. Jesus is not physically present. It should be hard to tell that we are Christians. But it's not, because of the love that we have for each other.
Verse 36:
(36) He says to him-- Simon Peter--
"Lord, where are you going?"
It's like Peter doesn't even hear Jesus' words about loving one another. He wants to know where Jesus is going.
And that's the question. Do you know the answer? Where is Jesus going?
Still verse 36:
He answered-- Jesus--
"Where I am going, you aren't able, me now, to follow.
Now, you will follow later."
(37) He says to him-- Peter--
"Lord, why am I not able, you, to follow now?
My life for you I will lay down."
Peter has been paying pretty good attention to Jesus' words. He "knows" that Jesus is going to his death (John 12:7). He knows that Jesus calls his disciples to follow him, and die to themselves (John 12:23-25). And so he here points to himself, and he says, "I'm the exact type of person who serves you, and follows you, regardless of the cost."
Verse 38:
(38) He replied-- Jesus--
"Your life for me you will lay down?
Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will absolutely not crow until you have denied me three times."
All of us like to think that we will serve Jesus regardless of the cost. We think there's no way, if persecution comes, that we will fail. But maybe, we are not nearly as committed as we think. Maybe, we are far more vulnerable to failure, than we think. We need to realize that openly confessing Jesus is a costly business.
14:1 (ignoring chapter divisions):
(14:1) They must not be troubled-- your hearts.
[You] Give allegiance to God.
Also, toward me, give allegiance.
Peter is really bothered by Jesus' words that he is leaving. He's "troubled." But Jesus encourages his disciples here, that his absence is not something they need to worry about. It's okay, that Jesus isn't physically in this room. It's okay that where Jesus went, we can't yet follow. Don't be troubled.
Instead, what should we do? Jesus says, "Give allegiance." Have faith toward the Father, and toward me.
So what does this expression mean? Here, we learn a little more about what it means to have faith in God, and in Jesus. Part of what faith language includes, is "trust" or "confidence." Jesus not being present with you-- leaving you-- isn't something you need to be troubled over. You can trust him, and your Father.
But in all of this, notice that Jesus still hasn't said where he is going. So at the end of verse 1, we should have two questions. (1) Why shouldn't we be troubled? (2) And where is Jesus going? We assume something is wrong with Peter's knowledge, because pretty much no one gets everything right. But what's the truth?
Verse 2-4:
(2) In my Father's house, many rooms, there are.
Now, if not, I would've told you,
because I am going to prepare a place for you,
and if I go and I prepare a place for you, again I am coming,
and I will receive you toward myself,
in order that, where I am, also you shall be,
(4) and where I am going, you know the way."
Here, Jesus tells Peter, and the others, where he is going. He is going to prepare a place for them in his Father's house. And if that's what he's doing, then he will surely come back for you, and "receive" you.
Now, what exactly does Jesus mean here? Are we supposed to imagine an enormous heavenly mansion? A giant celestial apartment building?
And, verse 4, Jesus thinks that we know how to get there. We don't need directions, or smart phones, or GPS. We know the way.
Do we?
Verse 5:
(5) He says to him-- Thomas--
"Lord, we don't know where you are going.
How are we able, the way, to know?"
(6) He says to him-- Jesus--
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes toward the Father,
except only through me.
The way to the Father, is through Jesus. He is the one single way. He is the one single truth. He is the one source of life. Everything else is a false path, or a lie, or death.
So if you want to come to the Father, you go through Jesus. This is the most offensive thing about Christianity to many people. There is an exclusivity to Christianity. Not all paths lead to God. There isn't truth in every religion. Not all religions give a more abundant life. There is one path, one truth, one source of life-- Jesus.
Verse 7-14, I'm just going to read:
(7) If you had known me, also my Father, you would've known.
From now on, you know him,
and you have seen him."
(8) He says to him-- Philip--
"Lord, show us the Father,
and it is sufficient for us."
(9) He says to him-- Jesus--
"For such a long time, with you, I am,
and you haven't know me, Philip?
The one having seen me, has seen the Father.
How can you say,
'Show us the Father'?
(10) Don't you believe that I [am] in the Father,
and The Father, in me, He is"?
The words that I speak to you, from myself I don't speak.
Now, the Father in me abiding, He does his works.
(11) Believe [in] me, that I [am] in the Father,
and the Father [is] in me.
Now, if not, because of the works themselves, believe.
(12) Truly, truly, I say to you, the one "believing"/giving allegiance to me, the works that I do, also that one, he will do,
and greater than these things, he will do,
because I toward my Father am going,
and whatever you ask in my name, this I will do,
in order that the Father would be glorified in/through the son.
When you look at Jesus' life, and the signs that he did, understand that these mark the floor of what is possible, and not the ceiling. Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). He healed a child near death, from a distance (John 4:43-54). He gave mobility to a man who had been crippled for 38 years (John 5:-14). He fed 5,000 people (John 6:1-15). He healed a man born blind (John 9). He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11). When you read those stories, read them in light of what we just read in John 14:12. If you've committed to Jesus, you can do the same works that Jesus did. And greater than these, you can do.
Why? How?
Jesus isn't simply going to the cross. Peter understood only a third of it. Jesus is also going toward the Father, and then later, he is coming back for us. That's the answer to Peter's question, about where Jesus is going.
Jesus is going toward his Father, and then coming back for us.
So when you ask your Father in heaven for something-- for anything-- Jesus is there, "toward" his Father (John 1:2), and Jesus will do it.
When Jesus says this, it's like he knows we will struggle to believe him. This is too much. And so he rephrases his words in verse 14. He wants us to understand there are no limits, or qualifications, to this:
(14) If, anything, you ask me in my name, I will do it." ["anything" is focused in Greek]
What Jesus says in verses 12-13, is true about "anything." Anything that you ask, in Jesus' name, he will do. Jesus wants to give his Father glory, and when he says "yes" to you, what comes next brings honor, and glory, to God above.
And I've seen this over and over in the past two years. This is entirely correct. When people are healed, and freed from their sickness, and disease, and arthritis, and joint pains, and depression, and addictions, the very next thing that happens, is that God gets some serious glory (=honor).
When God heals you, you will immediately brag to your friends, and your family, and everyone you know, about how good God is. You will boast in the Lord. You will tell everyone the good news of what God has done for you through Jesus. About how his salvation, is for body, soul, and spirit. Jesus makes people whole. Jesus gives people an abundant life.
And how does he do that? When does he do that?
Jesus gives people life through you. It's when you ask, that Jesus acts. It's when you ask, that God says "yes" to his little children.
So when you step back, and stop, and look at the world, how should you see it? Should your hearts be troubled? Should you find yourself wishing that Jesus was here, because Jesus could totally help you? Because Jesus could totally help that needy person?
When you look at the world, view it with eyes of faith. When you see broken people, view them with compassion, as someone Jesus can still help.
Think about where Jesus is, and what Jesus has promised. Jesus is not still on the cross. He's not still in the tomb. He is "toward" his Father.
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Let's pause here, and think about what we've just read.
Jesus isn't physically present with us. We can't see him in this room-- he's not three pews back. And that could bother us, and trouble us, like it did Peter.
But it shouldn't. Why?
Because of what we know:
We know the Father (John 14:8).
We know that Jesus has gone "toward" his Father (John 14:12).
We know that Jesus is making a place for us there-- that God's house is big enough for us (John 14:3).
We know that Jesus will come back for us, and that we will be where he is (John 14:3).
We know, in the meantime, that Jesus says "yes" to all our prayers (John 14:12-14).
We know that we can ask for anything, and Jesus will do it so that he brings our Father glory (John 14:14).
What's required of you, then? What should you do, in place of being troubled? Three things:
(1) Believe. Trust Jesus, that what he says is true. Trust Jesus, that he has the type of relationship with the Father, that he claims to have. Trust Jesus, that he's still taking care of you. He's still the Good Shepherd. Believe.
(2) Ask. You have not, because you don't ask. Are you in need? Do you see need, all around you? Ask your Father to help. Act in faith, "in Jesus' name." [This I'll build on next, because it doesn't actually quite mean what I thought, at least in John.]
(3) Love one another (in what follows, Gail O'Day was really helpful).
The first thing Jesus said to his disciples, after telling them he was leaving them, was that we need to love each other. This is the new command Jesus gives us: We love the people in this room. And it's when we do that, that the world will know that we are Jesus' disciples.
Maybe, you hear this, and you think that it's not so hard to love each other. You think that Jesus is commanding you to do something that's easier than loving your neighbor as yourself, or loving your enemy.
But it's not really true, right? Loving one another is hard.
I was in a Sunday school class once, at a church that was tearing itself apart-- and I say this as someone who was part of the problem-- and an elder's wife (in tears) said, "Why can't we all just get along?" And I looked around the room, at who was in the room, and I thought, "The problem is right here. If this little class could figure it out, the church as a whole would be okay. We are the problem." A shameful moment.
With some Christians-- with some of you in this room-- maybe you feel like you are oil and water. You have nothing in common. You can't get along. Each of you finds the other obnoxious, or annoying, or offensive, or even dangerous. You see that person, and your blood pressure spikes. There is no grace, or kindness, or love.
If this is you, Jesus commands you to fix this. If you have sinned against your brother or sister, confess that sin to them. Be reconciled. If you know that your brother or sister has something against you, approach them.
Figure this out. And if you still can't be reconciled, and love each other, you need to get elders involved. We are not a church that tolerates unforgiveness. You will forgive each other. You will love each other. The world will know that we are Jesus' disciples. We are God's little children.
For me, the most helpful thing I've started to do, if I find myself struggling with some of you, is asking God to bless you. Anytime I find myself thinking unkind thoughts about someone, I ask God to bless that person-- to do good to them, to shower blessings on them. And what I've found, usually, is that within a couple days, I have an orientation of peace toward that person. I love that person.
Forgive each other. Love each other. Ask God to bless each other. May the world know, that we are Jesus' disciples.
Translation:
(31) Then, when he had gone out, he says-- Jesus--
"Now the Son of Man was glorified,
and God was glorified in him.
If God was glorified in him, also, God will glorify him in himself,
and immediately/at once He will glorify him.
(33) Little children, yet a little time with you, I am.
You will seek me,
and just as I said to the Judeans,
that where I am going, you aren't able to come,
also to you I say now.
(34) A new command I give you: that you love one another.
Just as I loved you, that also you shall love one another.
(35) By this all will know that my disciples you are: if love you have for one another.
(36) He says to him-- Simon Peter--
"Lord, where are you going?"
He answered-- Jesus--
"Where I am going, you aren't able, me now, to follow.
Now, you will follow later."
(37) He says to him-- Peter--
"Lord, why am I not able, you, to follow now?
My life for you I will lay down."
(38) He replied-- Jesus--
"Your life for me you will lay down?
Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will absolutely not crow until you have denied me three times."
(14:1) They must not be troubled-- your hearts.
[You] Give allegiance to God.
Also, toward me, give allegiance.
(2) In my Father's house, many rooms, there are.
Now, if not, I would've told you,
because I am going to prepare a place for you,
and if I go and I prepare a place for you, again I am coming,
and I will receive you toward myself,
in order that, where I am, also you shall be,
(4) and where I am going, you know the way."
(5) He says to him-- Thomas--
"Lord, we don't know where you are going.
How are we able, the way, to know?"
(6) He says to him-- Jesus--
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes toward the Father,
except only through me.
(7) If you had known me, also my Father, you would've known.
From now on, you know him,
and you have seen him."
(8) He says to him-- Philip--
"Lord, show us the Father,
and it is sufficient for us."
(9) He says to him-- Jesus--
"For such a long time, with you, I am,
and you haven't know me, Philip?
The one having seen me, has seen the Father.
How can you say,
'Show us the Father'?
(10) Don't you believe that I [am] in the Father,
and The Father, in me, He is"?
The words that I speak to you, from myself I don't speak.
Now, the Father in me abiding, He does his works.
(11) Believe me, that I [am] in the Father,
and the Father [is] in me.
Now, if not, because of the works themselves, believe.
(12) Truly, truly, I say to you, the one "believing"/giving allegiance to me, the works that I do, also that one, he will do,
and greater than these things, he will do,
because I toward my Father am going,
and whatever you ask in my name, this I will do,
in order that the Father would be glorified in/through the son.
(14) If, anything, you ask me in my name, I will do it.
