Too Much

"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. " - John 16:12-15

I spent 4 years working on an undergraduate in Computer Engineering, only to spend two more working on a Masters. And by this time of the year, I knew one thing.

I. Could. Not. Fit. Any. More. Stuff. In. My. Head.

It's not that I was a lazy student. It's just that, at some point, your brain gets tired of remembering things. At some point, you need to do, rather than learn. And when you reach that point, even the most amazing things can fly right over your head.

And I think Jesus recognizes that about the disciples. Yes, this is life changing, earth-shattering revelations he's providing them. But he too knows that they can only absorb so much, until they're just ready to head out and preach it themselves. After all, they were just regular folks like you and me. So he's essentially saying "school's out" - but not to be worried, because the Holy Spirit will be with them always, showing them amazing things during the day, and lighting their path at night. And that, while Jesus is finished here, he will be with them always, through the Holy Spirit.

And luckily, this carried over throughout the generations to us - that we too can be guided by the Holy Spirit. We just have to decide when we're ready to listen, and we will be taught.

The Beginning

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.' " - John 15:26-27

My little girl graduated from preschool on Friday. And during her graduation ceremony, they have a presentation with pictures about all the different things they did over the course of the year. There's pictures of them making things to eat, touring fire trucks and police cruisers (hopefully a 'tour' is all she'll ever experience...), reading books and dressing up. And while I like to think I spend a lot of time with her, I realized she's starting to have her own little life - with her own friends, her own experiences, all of which are outside of what her mom and I get to see.

This, of course, comes to no surprise to me - my seven year old's answer to "what did you do at school today?" usually involves words like "nothing", "stuff", or "math". But it's that first leap to independence they make that always reminds you that, someday soon, they'll be their own person. They'll have their own life, their own experiences, their own ups and downs. And you probably will be involved with some of it, but not all of it.

And it's ok.

And as I read the last verse above, I have to wonder if Jesus is recognizing that, very soon, his disciples will be on their own. That he'll be up there watching over them, and helping when necessary, but that they're going to go about this their own way. In their own time. That he's reassuring himself, as much as them, that they'll continue to testify and carry on his message. And that he'll have to trust that it's all going to get done.

It's a good lesson for all of us.

Goodbye

"So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs. " - Mark 16:19-20

It's taken me awhile to figure out the best way to talk about this particular moment. It's not that I don't understand what's happening, rather it's understanding the gravity of the situation - the emotions, the feeling that you're on your own, the memories of what's behind, and the expectations for what's ahead.

As a disciple, this must have been bittersweet. Jesus had already died, and the disciples were well into grieving when he came back. He's spent more time with them preparing them to spread the Good News, but now he must leave again - and this time, it's permanent. The next time they'll see him is in Heaven. And not only that, the purpose of their lives has dramatically changed. No longer fishermen, they're leaving everything behind to preach to others about Jesus.

It must have been overwhelming, to say the least.

But Jesus has confidence in them - he knows they're ready, and they just need that extra push to get them started. He's done his part, now it's their turn. So he empowers them with the Holy Spirit, and says goodbye. I'm sure it was tearful, some might already be longing to see him, but they have a mission, a purpose. One that's much greater than themselves, but one they must succeed at.

Thank God - they did!

Almost Invincible

"These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." - Mark 16:17-18

I wonder what it would have been like, to be a disciple and hear those words. To hear how safe and protected I would be, as long as I preach the good news. What wonderful things I could do now that I know I'm protected from harm!

And while Jesus is informing them of the protection they'll experience, there's a bit of an unspoken gap here - that the disciples will encounter hardened hearts. People that wont change, that wont like what they say, and will openly debate, yell or even fight with those trying to spread that Good News. And while they'll be able to perform these miracles as proof, there will always be those who won't believe them.

And that's as true as it was then, as it is today. It's an unfortunate side-effect of our humanity. That we can be presented with overwhelming evidence, and still choose to ignore it. Maybe because it makes us feel small, or less in control, or maybe even a little scared. Maybe because we think we have enough "things" to keep us happy or safe. Maybe it's because we're too embarrassed or proud to place our trust in something bigger.

But we need to be reminded that there's a loving God, looking out for us. Even when bad things happen, even when our lives are at their darkest, God is with us. And we need to remind ourselves that, while God may not clear away every branch, may not fight off every beast, He still loves us, and wants to be with us.


It's up to us to decide - do we want to be with Him?


Or do we want to go it alone?

Every Creature

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.' " - Mark 16:15-16

I'm pretty sure Jesus doesn't mean every creature - but his instruction - "go into the whole world" - was taken quite literally. And it was quite easy, because Jesus's message - that anyone can be baptized - was universal. No matter who you are, no matter who your parents were, no matter what you've done - you can experience God's mercy and forgiveness, and live in His everlasting love.

It's that simple. No exclusions apply!

Make It So

"While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.

Then Peter responded, 'Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?' He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. " - Acts 10:44-48

There's still a bit of entitlement in the air with Peter's Jewish followers - Peter's already committed major breaches in the Jewish law, which no doubt set those with him on edge. But how shocking it must have been for them to witness this event - Gentiles - folks the Jews looked down upon - have been blessed by God. What soul searching they must have had to do after this!

But, in the words of a famous 24th century captain, God is telling Peter very clearly to "make it so" - so Peter orders the baptism of these Gentiles. Not as Jews - but as Christians. He's prayed with them, preached to them, and talked right to their hearts. They've experienced the power of God. A God they've been missing out on for so many generations, and now is the time for them to follow the new path.

And from here, an entirely new religion is born. Baptized with the Holy Spirit, and sent out across the earth to preach the Good News. No matter what.

(And for fans of that 24th century captain, consider this the first "prime directive". (-: )

Impartial

"Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, 'In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.' " - Acts 10:34-35

If this were a race to see who could separate themselves from their Jewish faith, Peter would be right behind Jesus. He's saying that no nation or people - including Israel - is any more "chosen" than the rest. And for those that can (and often) trace their Jewish lineage to the Egyptian times, this flies directly in the face of one of their most sacred beliefs.

But Peter's trying to make a point - that those who believe in that God - the God of Abraham, the God of Moses, the God of Elijah, the father of Jesus - and act in a way pleasing to God are His "chosen" ones. And that includes Christians.

But that goes both ways - and we as Christians need to remember that. Peter isn't saying ours is the only path - but he is saying that our way is simply an additional path - a new way to live, to love, and to be faithful to God through our belief in Jesus.

It makes things a little simpler - and opens the door for the formation of an entirely new people. One that doesn't identify themselves as a nation, but rather a group of followers spread throughout the world with one simple goal - to act justly, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.

Across the Threshold

"When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, 'Get up. I myself am also a human being.' " - Acts 10:25-26

Cornelius (and his household) were Gentiles. And as such, it was forbidden by Jewish law for Peter (a Jew) to walk into their house. But Cornelius had made a pretty big claim - that an Angel of God had told him to summon Peter to his house to hear what Peter had to say. And not wanting to lose out on spreading the good word, Peter enters his home, and begins to talk about Jesus with them.

There's a silent testament to this as well - certainly Peter is breaking Jewish law by entering his house. That's quite obvious (he talks about it upon entering Cornelius's home). But his comment about him being a 'human being' - it must have taken a lot of self control to say that. After all, an Angel of God came down and told Cornelius about Peter -- how could you not feel a sense of importance, a sense of entitlement, to the homage paid at your feet? But Peter, knowing the whole story, and being one who physically walked with Jesus, knows he's just a servant of Jesus - just a messenger bringing the Good News, and nothing more. That Jesus is the 'big deal' - the one whom homage must be paid to.

I also have to believe that this was a pivotal moment for Peter. God has made it quite clear that this is the path that he must follow - so clear that He's preparing folks before Peter gets there. It'll help Peter later on, when he must stick to his mission, no matter what...


Note: The first reading this week is from Acts, and is quite well portioned for Lectio Divina. There's an important message throughout this reading, an example for us to follow by the disciples. That's why I've chosen to use this, instead of the Gospel.

Decisions

"Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples." - John 15:6-8

At vineyards, branches that were trimmed were often hung up to dry out - later to be used as kindling. Jesus is continuing on in his vineyard example, describing what happens when we do remain in him (we bear great fruit), and when we don't (we wither and die, and are destroyed).

While there's some similarities between what happens to those who don't believe and the common perception of hell (e.g. fire) - I don't think Jesus was trying to describe what hell is like. Rather, I think he's trying tell us that we will return to the dust (from which we came), should we choose not to follow him. Only by remaining him - believing, trusting, and carrying on his mission - can we hope to have everlasting life.

So while choosing not to believe is a scary prospect, we're fortunate that Jesus is making it quite clear as to the consequences of our decision - and to remind us that, in fact, it is our decision to make.

Stick Around

"Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. " - John 15:4-5

It's interesting that, in these two verses, Jesus uses the word "remain" five times... so it must be important that we understand what Jesus is trying to tell us. He's asking us to "remain in him", but I don't think he's just asking the disciples to stick around. Rather, Jesus is subtly reminding us that he won't be on earth forever - and that it's us that need to carry on his work. For us to truly "remain in him", we must continue to exist while keeping him close to us - while spreading the good news to others. And for the thousands of years after he walked with us, we've done our best.

Certainly we've had our ups and downs, certainly there's been folks who have used his name to advance their own agendas, but the core of who Jesus was, what he did, and his message for us has stood the test of time. He has remained with us, and is with us always.

So he's done his part. And now it's up to us to decide - will we remain in him?

Together

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.' " - John 15:1-3

I've been married for over 8 years. And throughout it all, I've found this journey to be easier, exciting and more fun than going at it alone. I've come to think of myself not as a single person, but as a partner, walking day to day in life with someone who wants the same basic things I do - someone to love, someone to share, and someone to hold on to. And I consider myself both lucky and blessed to have found that person, to know I'll always have someone that will listen to me (even if she disagrees), support me, and encourage me... and to know I get to reciprocate in kind.

Jesus is giving an example of a similar, yet much deeper, kind of love. One that only requires us to believe in him, to fully realize the benefits of that love. It's a love that fulfills and supports us, giving us the comfort in knowing we're never alone - and will never be left behind. It's something that, even in our darkest of days, we know will always be there. It's a love that requires constant nurturing on both of our parts, and a commitment that it will always be provided. All we need to do is be with Him - in prayer, in song, in helping others - and we'll never lose sight of that love.

In Control

"This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father." - John 10:17-18


If you've never had the opportunity to argue with a 4 year old, I'd suggest you try it some time - because it's often about issues related to independence. For instance, my daughter, who told me tonight that when she has kids, she's going to let them stay up until 10:00 at night. I tried to reason with her, reminding her that kids that stay up late are often grouchy, can get sick easier, and are generally not pleasant to be around. None of this mattered to her already-made-up four-year-old mind. Her kids were staying up until 10, because she gets to make the rules.

I promptly reminded her that I too make the rules, and that MY kid (her) would be going to bed at 8:00. It did not go over well.

Now, I'm not trying to compare our Savior's words with my four-year-old's focus on independence. But Jesus reminds us that his death was his decision. Not those that wanted to murder him, but an event that he himself is allowing to happen. It reminds me of his conversations with Satan while in the desert - Satan trying to get him to spring water from a rock, to throw himself off a cliff to have God save him - and again Jesus asserting his control over it all, and failing to succumb to the devil's temptations.

And again, Jesus is reminding us that, while we may think we're in control of his life, it's the other way around. He's in control, he's going to let it happen at it's appointed time, and when the time comes, he will go willingly.

When you look at it that way, it's much easier to give a little more control back to God.

But I'm still going to bed at 10.

Motivation

"This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd." - John 10:13-16

Have you ever thought about what motivates you? Not in a flashy motivational-speaker sort of way, but in a deeply personal way? What motivates you to get up in the morning? To carry on with your day? To do your best (...well, some days)?

To openly admit, and embrace your Christianity?

And what stops you? What derails your day? What keeps you from meeting your goals?

What keeps you from being open about what you believe?

For me, it's that possibility of being uncomfortable - of saying the wrong thing, or wondering if people are assuming things about me because of what I believe. It's the unknown - and that in of itself can be scary.

Jesus didn't have to worry about that. He was well aware of what lay in store for him - his purpose, his goal, and, ultimately, his end. And uncomfortable or not, he knew he only had a short amount of time to get it all done. But knowing all of that, it must have taken a lot to get motivated. After all, how do you get pumped about knowing how you're going to die? And worse, how terrible a death it will be?

But Jesus reminds us that his ultimate motivation isn't money, or fame, or the human glories of success. Rather, he reminds us that his motivation is wrapped up in his purpose - and seems to come to terms with that - to meet his Father's goals, he must fulfill his purpose. And to fulfill his purpose would mean the end of death for us all.

Now that's motivation.