New Year 2026 – The Gospel of John
Note: all Inspirations are now uploaded for the week – scroll down for Friday’s, and earlier posts…
Saturday 21st February – Romans 8:12-18 ‘True heirs’
Early in 2020 ITV showed a new period drama: Belgravia. The central character of the story was a young man called Charles Pope. Originally given up by his grandparents to be adopted, through shame that he was (so it was thought) born out of wedlock, it turns out that Charles was in fact the legitimate heir to a noble title. Overnight, his fortunes changed. He woke up one day as an obscure middle class merchant: he went to bed that night as a peer of the realm.
On one level, it’s an enjoyable fairy tale. But in Romans 8 our journey to faith is described in the same terms. Through Christ, we become heirs to something even more wonderful: we are adopted as God’s children. We might have the same body, the same genes – but our destiny has changed. We come to know our divine parent: ‘By the Spirit we cry “Father”.’ (v15) And this is not just something external – somehow at a deep level our spirits join together with God’s Spirit, assuring us that we are indeed God’s children (v16).
And although this is a lovely picture of intimacy with God, St Paul is at pains to stress that it is more than that too – then as now, children inherit the riches of their parents (or lack of, as may be the case for many of us!). And God’s divine resources, God’s inheritance for each of us, is boundless. It may involve challenges in this life (v17) – but these will pale in comparison with the glory God has planned for us (v18).
This destiny brings with it both rights and responsibilities. The beautiful right to be free from fear (v15) – fear of death, fear of punishment, fear of exclusion: in Christ, we have life, forgiveness and are welcomed into his divine, global family.
But also the responsibility to lead the new life we are called to (v13). As we saw in earlier reflections, we are born again, new creations. To lead this kind of life we need to be led by the Spirit (v14) carrying the rights and responsibilities of God’s children, his true heirs.
Charles Pope was a fictional character. But your destiny is real. You are a child of God. And because you are his child, God has made you an heir – and a new life awaits. We may battle with fear, but it no longer needs to define us. May God grant us grace to be led by the Spirit and live as his courageous, confident children today.
Friday 20th February – Romans 8:1-6 ‘The Spirit of life’
As we reflect on the work of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John, we conclude our week with two reflections from Romans 8:
I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the crown jewels at the Tower of London. It’s a long time since I went, but I still recall the sense of wonder at seeing the breathtaking, dazzling display for the first time as a child. One of the highlights is the Queen Mother’s Crown. Worn by the current Queen’s Mother at her coronation as Queen Consort in 1937, the crown is decorated with no less than 2,800 diamonds! And at its pinnacle (although it is now shown separately), is the greatest diamond of them all – the famous Koh-i-Noor, weighing in at over 100 carats and still the subject of controversy between Britain and India today.
If the bible is the story of the greatest ruler of them all – Jesus – then many consider the book of Romans to be its crown, describing the beauty of the gospel with great depth and clarity. And in this crown, chapter 8 is arguably the Koh-i-Noor – the greatest treasure of them all. If there is one chapter which summarises the heart of all the great truths we hold onto, it is Romans 8.
And what it tells us, put simply, is that God’s plan for us is life. True life, abundant life, life with God forever. It is a life conferred by the Spirit (v2) – since God is the author and sustainer of life, when His Spirit dwells in us then it cannot help but confer this life on us. We may still have to die a physical death, but our spiritual life is assured.
What does this life look like? In this first of three reflections on this diamond of all diamonds, St Paul gives us three glorious glimpses of what ‘the Spirit who gives life’ offers us. First, no condemnation (v1). Jesus took that on our behalf, that we might be free (v2). In an anxious, divided world, the reality that we live in the light of a greater and deeper, eternal freedom is a wonderful encouragement.
Second, a new government (v6). We’re not talking here about civil or national government. Rather our minds can now be governed by something other than our own inclinations and desires. This slow adoption of divine government in our lives takes time – a lifetime, for most of us! – but slowly the growing realisation that we live by a new ‘rulebook’ (the ‘law of the Spirit of life’), with a new power source, energises our faith and empowers us to lead lives that were more like the lives we were designed to lead.
And, thirdly, the outcome of this is peace (v6). We all face conflicts – with ourselves, mostly, but also with others, with temptations, occasionally within communities. The Spirit of Christ brings peace. Not with all people, all the time – at least, not this side of heaven. But slowly, steadily, our minds, governed by the Spirit, produce lives characterised by peace.
Deep down, we all think that real life ought to be about freedom and peace. The great news is that this is exactly what Jesus came to bring. The temptation for most of us is to look for this kind of life in things that can’t give it to us. But here, detailed in Romans 8, is the real deal. And may God’s Spirit increasingly govern our minds, that we might live today, and this week, in freedom and peace.
Thursday 19th February – John 14:15-17 ‘The Divine Advocate’
I must confess that I love watching legal dramas. There’s something about the intense atmosphere of a courtroom that draws you in. Something too about how truth is disclosed (or avoided), how arguments are massaged and presented, and ultimately, whether justice is served. Although many such dramas nowadays focus large amounts of time away from the courtroom – the preparations, the police interviews with witnesses, the personal lives of the protagonists – the key moment remains that time when the barrister (or advocate, to use another name for the role) gets to her or his feet, rustles their papers and addresses the witness. This is the moment when those of us watching at home sit forward on our chairs and draw a sharp intake of breath…
People need advocates. They need them in the justice system; but there are also other times when we might need them: to fight our corner, to defend those who can’t defend themselves. One of our good friends in London used to attend bankruptcy hearings with those being pursued for debt repayments, and his expert advocacy rescued dozens from destitution. An advocate is the sort of friend we need: full of energy, wise advice, and above all committed to us and our wellbeing.
There are lots of images for the Holy Spirit in the Bible, of which the most popular would be: wind, fire, and water. The dove is also well-known, as shown at Jesus’ baptism or (by implication) in the famous story of Noah. But this passage gives us another unique image, and one which is particularly important because it is given by Jesus himself. How does Jesus describe the Holy Spirit? Here, as our Divine Advocate – in fact he’s so keen we absorb it that he tells his disciples twice – v16 in our passage today, and then again in v26.
Sometimes this word is translated ‘helper’ but that’s a bit cosy, the word is a little more dynamic than that. In the original Greek it’s parakletos, which is where traditional churches get the name ‘Paraklete’ to describe the Holy Spirit. (An old minister friend of mine grew up thinking that the priest kept saying ‘parakeet’ and spent his time as a child in church looking for a parrot flying round the building!) It literally means ‘one who comes alongside’.
Hence the modern translation of Advocate. The force of the meaning is of just the sort of good advocate we have described: energetic, wise and committed to us. And, uniquely, this Advocate does not just walk alongside us, but actually dwells in us (v17). The Spirit’s heart speaks directly to ours, if I may put it like that. It is Jesus himself with us, by his Spirit.
We often talk in church about whether we’re committed to Jesus. But this passage reminds us that the more important truth is that Jesus is intensely, eternally, absolutely committed to us. Just let that sink in for a while… What a thought to kickstart our day! And may the Lord grant us all grace to sense the presence of our loving, divine Advocate, throughout our day. Amen, hallelujah!
Ash Wednesday 18th February – Psalm 51 ‘Purity and joy’
Lent begins today. We take a brief pause from John, for an Ash Wednesday reflection:
At its heart, Psalm 51 is about choosing humility in order to see life and renewal again – and as such, it also encapsulates the journey of Lent. We choose to humble ourselves not to just be miserable for 40 days but in order that we may experience God’s presence again, his goodness, his mercy, and ultimately his joy. We re-orientate our lives around God again, and so find renewal and a fresh insight into the path of life.
Particularly during the years of pandemic, many of us might feel that we’ve had Lent-style sacrifices forced upon us in recent times. So I’m not going to talk about the benefits of fasting today! Although please do those if you feel called to…. Instead, I’ve been drawn to the three verses in the middle of this psalm, and three prayers of David which might be ours this season:
Create in me a pure heart, O God. The prophet Joel tells us to ‘rend your heart and not your garments’, and this prayer echoes a similar theme. In Lent we all have the chance for a bit of open heart surgery: to examine ourselves, and let God’s purifying love and grace wash us clean. Perhaps this year, our hearts need healing, or cleansing from bitterness or anger about the way things have been the last couple of years. May this Lent act as a spiritual de-tox for us, a chance to lay down anything that scars our hearts, that the pure grace and love of Christ might flow freely again.
Renew a steadfast and a willing spirit within me. Steadfastness is an old-fashioned kind of word, isn’t it? The Boy’s Brigade motto is ‘sure and steadfast’ – wonderfully Victorian! But increasingly, I need a bit of that: that capacity to stand firm whatever life throws at us. And I like the fact that David in Psalm 51 asks not just for steadfastness, but willingness. God, make me want to stand firm. ‘I can resist everything except temptation,’ Oscar Wilde famously said – Lent is a great time for us to pray fervently for that steadfast and willing spirit which, the psalm promises us, ‘will sustain us.’
Restore to me the joy of your salvation. It might sound strange for me to finish an Ash Wednesday reflection talking about joy. Surely it’s all self-denial and hessian undergarments? But the purpose of Lent is ultimately joy – whatever we invest in for Lent should increase our sense of gratitude, our conviction that life is lived in the light of God’s marvellous grace. We simplify, we take time, we dig back to our roots, and, as we do that, we find the Lord and we find joy.
The good news is that, unlike King David, it doesn’t take an affair and a murder to prompt us to pray these prayers! But as Lent begins again this year, may the Lord grant us all grace to grow in purity, steadfastness and, ultimately, joy; may He bless us all richly in this season. Amen.
Tuesday 17th February – John 14:8-14 ‘Whatever you ask in my name’
The annual State Opening of Parliament takes place every year, usually in May. It’s an ancient ceremony, when the monarch presents the legislative proposals for the year. As part of the ceremony, once King Charles is seated in the House of Lords, a gentleman known as the Black Rod will go to the House of Commons, where the door is slammed in his face! (Thus signifying the independence of MPs.) At this point, Black Rod invokes the name of the King and invites the MPs to come and listen to the King’s Speech. This they do. The door opens and many walk across to the chamber of the House of Lords, in order to listen to the king.
Nowadays it may seem to be a quaint ritual, but the point is: the name of the monarch opens doors. Things happen when the king’s name is declared.
And what is true in this world is also true in the world to come. The name of Jesus matters. The name of Jesus opens doors in the heavenly realms.
Names, in fact, are vitally important in biblical theology. One of primary ways that human beings bear the image of God is that they name things. One of Adam’s first jobs is to name the animals. Thereafter humanity names its offspring – and usually these names convey meaning and purpose. When Moses meets God, he asks God for his name, so that the Israelites’ ‘door would open’ to him. God replies: ‘This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “Yahweh has sent me to you.”’ (Exodus 3:14) God has a unique name – usually translated ‘I am’ or ‘I am who I am’.
As Jesus is about to leave his disciples, he also wants to remind them of the power of his name. In fact, great as Jesus’ works have been, from this point his followers will do even greater things, ‘because I am going to the Father’ (v12). In other words, Jesus will not be limited by his human body. His Spirit will enable great things to be done by the Body of Christ everywhere, across the world.
These great things will be done in his name. And it’s quite a promise, isn’t it: (v13) ‘I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’ Whatever we ask. It sounds too good to be true. And Jesus knows this, which is why he repeats it, immediately: (v14) ‘you may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.’ Anything. Wow!
The key, of course, is that it has to be something which Jesus can put his name to. We can’t pray in Jesus’ name for things that would harm us or others – because Jesus couldn’t put his name to it. That said, there is still a mystery to this. Some of you may feel that you have asked for good things in Jesus’ name and they haven’t happened. We have to trust that this is because we don’t know the whole picture – that Jesus knows about bad outcomes to what seemed like good prayers.
But for all that, it’s good not to overthink it. Jesus promises to act, to change situations, to open doors when we pray ‘in his name’. Why not take Jesus at his word – what do you want to pray ‘in his name’ today?
Monday 16th February – John 14:5-11 ‘Seeing the Father’
‘I only wish I could see God – and then I would believe!’ I’m sure many of us have heard this line expressed (or something like it) by people we know and love. They want concrete proof of God’s existence: ‘if only I could see for myself…’
Today’s passage gives us a surprising answer. Humanity can see God, and thousands of people did see God, here on this earth, albeit many, many years ago. God’s name was – is – Jesus.
‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’ This is Jesus’ extraordinary reply (v9) to Philip’s question: ‘Lord, show us the Father!’ (v8). It’s an even blunter answer than the one Jesus gave to the crowds a few days previously after his arrival in Jerusalem (12:45). Here, in the intimate setting of the Upper Room with his friends, he is completely open and candid. And, in case they didn’t absorb the message first time, he immediately repeats it: (v10) ‘I am in the Father and the Father is in me.’
This is the true response to all our loved ones who long for proof: it is right here, in the life of Jesus. Jesus himself points to two specific categories of evidence to back up his claim. First, his words: (v10)’’ The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.’ Jesus taught like no teacher in the whole of human history: before, or since. Such teaching could only be divinely inspired – the words of the Father, living among us.
Second, the works: ‘Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.’ Jesus didn’t just preach, he practised what he preached, and confirmed his word with miraculous works – demonstrations of his divinity.
His words and his works – they all point to the Father. We can see God, and his name is Jesus.
This allows us to receive the hard word about no-one coming to the Father except through Jesus (v6). It sounds ‘exclusive’ – but if Jesus is the only true, complete and real manifestation of Almighty God who has ever lived here on earth, then he must be the way to the Father. And that Way is big enough, wide enough, to draw all people to himself. People from across the world: different cultures, different backgrounds, and even from different religious worldviews, have found true life, and met the true Lord of all, in Jesus. He is the pinnacle of all religious thought, and the summation of all human searching for meaning. The Way, the Truth and the Life.
As we begin our week, give thanks that we can see God, through the pages of scripture and in the depths of our hearts. And may the words and the works of the Son dwell in us, and be manifested through us, today.
Saturday 14th February – 1 John 4:7-21 ‘The Source of Love’
A reflection for Valentine’s Day:
In 2016, a new app was launched: ‘what3words’. The app divides the world into tiny squares 3m wide by 3m long and creates a unique 3-word name for each one. It wasn’t long before pretty much every serious walker or traveller put this app on their phones – if you get lost or have an accident, you just send your 3-word location and a rescue team can pinpoint your location exactly, and not have to comb a mile of wilderness trying to find you. It literally saves lives.
The world defined in 3 unique words. And here in this passage, we discover three words which condense all of the glorious wisdom of Scripture into three fundamental words, which take us to the heart of life itself: God is love.
But let’s be clear as to what kind of love is being described here. It’s not romantic love, or patriotic loyalty, or even based around things that we like or enjoy – though it can include bits of all of those. It is bigger and deeper than that. It is love defined as selfless giving.
This kind of love is Christ-centred (v9). It is also Christ initiated: ‘This is love,’ John says in v10, ‘not that we loved God but that he loved us.’ So often we start from human images of love and work back to God. But the deepest form of love comes from God, and we can only truly find it in him. God loved before we did – and as we receive this divine kind of love, then we find capacity to share that love with others. As we receive, so we give – otherwise the well runs dry.
This is why we have to centre ourselves in Christ, the heart of God’s self-giving love – as we do that, so his love fills us, and flows out of us into others: v17 ‘This is how love is made complete among us… in this world we are like Jesus.’
And not only this, the power of fear in our life is reduced: ‘there is no fear in divine love – perfect love drives out fear.’ (v18) To abide in this healing, cleansing, divine love helps us to live through that same love, and not the fears that whisper in our ear. We no longer need to be right, or important, or liked, or needed. We can simply give ourselves in love, as our Lord directs.
Today, let’s re-centre ourselves by inviting this awesome, self-giving divine love, this love of Christ, to enter our lives afresh and make us whole. And may God grant us grace to overflow in this love: back to God, and out to others. Amen.
Friday 13th February – John 14:4-6 ‘The Way, Truth and Life’
The Alpha Course has been the world’s most popular evangelistic course of the last 30 years or so. At last count, approximately 28 million people had attended one, in every kind of church, right across the globe. Its opening session poses the provocative question: ‘Christianity: boring, untrue, irrelevant?’
The answer lies in the famous verse we encounter in this passage. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. To those who think that the Christian faith is boring, he is the Life; to those who think it untrue, he is the Truth; and to those who think it is simply irrelevant, he is the Way.
This last great description of Jesus is particularly important: the earliest followers of Jesus were known as ‘followers of the Way’. Before we coined the name Christian or Christianity, it was simply called ‘the Way.’
And what is so revolutionary about this statement of Jesus is that all of this is found directly in him. He doesn’t say, ‘this is the way;’ he says ‘I am the Way.’ He doesn’t say, ‘this is the truth,’ but ‘I am the Truth.’ He doesn’t say this is the kind of life God wants, but ‘I am the Life.’ It’s all found in him. It’s not religion at all, really, it’s relationship.
Imagine being the disciples first hearing this. I must confess I feel a bit sorry for them, as Jesus tells them: (v4) ‘You know the way to the place where I am going.’ Knowing what they did at the time, I think I would be asking exactly the same question as Thomas: (v5) ‘how can we know the way?’ We don’t even know where you’re going!
Jesus’ answer is both altogether easier and more mysterious at the same time. On the one hand, he is the Way, so the solution is right there in front of them. On the other, how can a person be the Way? This, of course, is the heart of our good news. Jesus achieves on our behalf what we cannot do for ourselves. When we follow him, all of this is given to us, and thereafter we have the great privilege of being with him, becoming like him, and, ultimately, doing what he did. The Way is Jesus’ very self: his presence, his character, his vision for life.
Today, give thanks that this Way is open to us. And may the Lord grant us all grace to practise the Way, in faith, hope and abiding love.
Thursday 12th February – John 14:1-3 ‘I will come back’
Many people who would never go near a church will be familiar with this passage – it is a much-loved choice for funerals, and you can see why. In a few short verses, Jesus packs in so many wonderful promises: first, a word of comfort to all who feel in distress – as the disciples must surely have felt, after he has told them he is going away, and that where he is going, they cannot come: (v1) ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled…. believe…in me.’ Jesus is the source of peace for all troubled hearts – a wonderful promise we’ll come back to in a few days’ time.
Next there is the promise that there is plenty of room in heaven: (v2) ‘My Father’s house has many rooms.’ In the old translation, it was ‘mansions,’ but is probably best rendered as ‘dwelling places.’ In keeping with the whole message of his ministry, eternal life through him is available to all – and heaven is big enough to have a home for everyone.
Alongside this, he also reassures his friends that what he is about to do is intimately connected with preparing a place for them in this wonderful new eternal home. At this point, they can’t possibly understand how that might work; but, of course, looking back, they could ‘join the dots’ – as, indeed, can we. Jesus’ death and resurrection ‘opens up the gates of heaven and beckons us in,’ to use the words of a lovely modern song.
But what the disciples most needed to hear at this point is arguably the bit we focus on least – certainly in a traditional funeral service. It’s verse 3: ‘I will come back.’ And not just return to resume life as it is now: ‘I will come back and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am.’
To grief-stricken friends who have just learned that Jesus is going away, the word they most needed to hear is that this is not the end, they will see him again. Or, as the old saying goes, it is not goodbye, but au revoir. And when they do see him again, their union will be permanent. From that point, they will always be where Jesus is.
2,000 years later, we still await Jesus’ final ‘coming back’; but the promise remains as true today as it was for the disciples. Jesus has prepared a place for all of us, and he is sure to return and take us to be with him, forever. Much as it’s right to focus on Jesus’ presence with us now – constantly, in this life – it’s good to remind ourselves that this is only part of the good news. There is a final home for all of us, of unspeakable joy, unfathomable peace and inexhaustible love. In the meantime, let’s live every day for the Lord until this glorious future is our eternal reality. Thanks be to God!
Wednesday 11th February – John 13:33-38 ‘You cannot follow now’
Today we get to the famous conversation between Jesus and Peter – it’s one that touches most of us deeply, not least because we all know how easy it is to do: to make a bold promise in the heat of the moment, which we can’t deliver on when it really matters.
There’ll be plenty of time to reflect on what happens to Peter later in the gospel story; today, though, let’s think about the effect on Jesus. It’s possible to overlook what a traumatic effect the last few minutes must have been for him: to know that he is about to be let down by two of his closest friends – first Judas, then Peter.
It’s one thing to know that the scriptures must be fulfilled; quite another to experience the personal impact of that: betrayal and cowardice from people you love. And yet, it is very much part of the plan, one which Jesus is fully aware of, and which necessarily involves his complete isolation from his family and friends: (v33) ‘Just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: where I am going, you cannot come.’
The effect of this statement was so dramatic that the disciples appear to ignore one of the most famous commands in the whole bible – ‘Love one another’ – to get straight back to what Jesus had just said before that: (v36) ‘Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”’ Another detail it’s easy to miss! But it testifies to the huge impact Jesus’ words must have had upon them, thundering so loudly into their souls that nothing else, not even life-changing teaching, could be heard.
At this point, Jesus clarifies his first statement a little: (v36) ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.’ The irony is that, if the disciples had really understood what this clarification meant, i.e. the suffering they would experience later, they might not have wanted to ask the question at this point! Peter certainly learned very quickly the harsh reality of what it meant – something which led to Jesus’ famous reply: (v38) ‘Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times!’ Be careful what you wish for, my dear friend Peter.
It’s hard to imagine everything that must have been whizzing through Jesus’ mind at this point. All the more remarkable then, that, in the midst of chaos and despair, he can call them to ‘love one another,’ a love he had modelled to them throughout, and is about to model to its utmost. Praise God that, where he went, we could not follow – for it means our salvation. And as that thought lifts our hearts, so may it also cause us to pray for those who are called to follow the way of the suffering Saviour – may the Lord grant them all grace to do so today, and may the joy of the Lord be their strength.
Tuesday 10th February – John 13:31-35 ‘Love one another’
‘Love each other dearly always. There is scarcely anything else in the world but that: to love one another.’ So says Jean Valjean on his deathbed to Marius and Cosette, in Victor Hugo’s great novel Les Miserables. It’s a clear re-enactment of this scene in the gospels, as the hero, facing his own death, passes a final, vital instruction onto those closest to him.
Jean Valjean is himself is transformed by an act of grace. Arrested for stealing silver from a bishop, the bishops ‘saves’ Jean by declaring that he gave Valjean the silver and even some candlesticks as well. He then urges Valjean to take the second chance he has been offered and use the silver to make a new way in life. Valjean does, but is still relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert; ultimately, though, he never forgets what he learned from the bishop, as his parting words testify.
It’s a great illustration of our passage for today – and, I think, a useful one, because there’s a risk of complacency. These words of Jesus are so familiar, it’s easy to forget how revolutionary they were at the time. This is a completely new definition of love. The Greek language already had three words: eros, meaning physical love; philia meaning a liking kind of love; and storge meaning kindred or family affection. But the early Christians recognised that none of these adequately captured what Jesus meant by love – so when John came to render Jesus’ Aramaic instruction to his friends into Greek, he used the new word that Christians had invented for love: agape.
Agape means humble, selfless service, and the context makes clear why John understood this was the right way to render Jesus’ instruction: Jesus had just washed his friends’ feet, and told them to do likewise. What better illustration of the sort of love to which Jesus was referring?
And, knowing that he was about to leave them, Jesus must have felt a keen sense that he needed to reinforce his most important teaching. The foot-washing example was powerful, but having just been disturbed by Judas’ exit into the night, he realised the lesson needed repeating: ‘As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’
There’s a further reason for his command, too: not just Jesus’ own example, but the credibility of our witness to the world: ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ It’s a healthy reminder that people will notice our lives, and potentially judge our message in the light of them.
As we commit our day to the Lord, may He grant us all grace to treasure His unfailing love in hearts; and may that empower us thereby to live out this command, as best we can. As we observed a few days ago, we can never pay His love back; but we can pay it forward – today, and every day.
Monday 9th February – John 4:27-38 ‘Spiritual food’
Following yesterday’s sermon, a reflection from the passage in John we looked at yesterday:
I love food. I won’t pretend otherwise. And all food, really. I can derive as much pleasure from cheese and beans on toast as from an expensive meal or an exquisite dessert. Not that I’ll refuse the latter if you ever host me for a meal, I hasten to add.
Food is a joy. Food is also fuel. We need to eat to have the energy required for the rest of life. In our passage today, Jesus was hungry and thirsty and the disciples try to get him to re-fuel his body: ‘Rabbi, eat something’ (v31). But Jesus replies cryptically: ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing about’ (v32).
What was this ‘food’? Clearly not physical food – let’s abandon the thought that Jesus might have been hiding a pitta under his tunic, or some olives in his belt. This is clearly some sort of spiritual food. Many commentators have concluded that this is a reference to the spiritual nourishment (and discipline) of fasting, and there is much merit in that conclusion. Fasting really is a form of spiritual food, and if you’ve never tried it (and it’s safe for you to do so) I would recommend giving it a go. You’ll be surprised how alive you feel, and how close to God, if it’s dedicated to him.
But although I agree with this line of thought, Jesus does give us a much more direct answer in the text itself: ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me’ (v34). Obedience is energising. It fuelled Jesus’ life, even when he was physically hungry.
The same is true for us too. How are we nourished spiritually? Fundamentally by obeying God. As we do God’s will (in whatever form that takes) so we are ‘fed’, we are energised in our journey of faith. It becomes the fuel of our spiritual lives – even if others know nothing about it.
As you reflect, what is God calling you to do today? Dedicate it to him, cover it in prayer – and may that obedience be, not just fuel, but the choicest of spiritual food for you this day.
Saturday 7th February – Psalm 41 ‘The Betrayal’
Following yesterday’s reflection on Judas, we end this week going back to the Psalm which Jesus quotes:
When I was a teenager my uncle taught me how to shake hands. He’s a businessman and he said to me: ‘You’ve got to grip tight, Matt, so that people know you’re strong.’ His handshake used to stop the blood flow to my hand, so this is what I learned to do; as I’ve got older, I’ve eased the grip somewhat, as handshaking is meant to be a pleasant and sociable experience!
As I look back, what interests me is this idea of the importance of the projection of strength. Anything less is a sign of weakness, the suggestion that you’re the sort of person that could be taken advantage of – so you offer a vice-like grip as both a greeting and, dare I say it, a warning?
The same could be said of many people’s attitudes towards those who are less fortunate in life. Much as we like to espouse care for the weak in principle, in practice many fear that showing care will lead them to be taken advantage of, that they’ll get a reputation for being a ‘soft touch’. King David is having none of it, as he says right at the beginning of today’s psalm: (vv1-3) ‘Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in time of trouble. The Lord protects them and preserves them… and restores them from their bed of illness.’
The latter line suggests we may still be addressing the consequences of David’s affliction in psalms 38-40 – but either way, David’s trust in the Lord follows this line of reasoning: if we care for the weak, then, when we’re weak ourselves, the Lord will care for us. Perhaps others will care, too – but even if there are those who wish to see us come to harm, we can rely on God to do for us as we have done for others.
In the psalm, David testifies at the end that this has, indeed, been the case: (vv11-12) ‘My enemy does not triumph over me. Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence for ever.’ But David’s trust has certainly been tested. He has one particular person in mind, whom he considers has betrayed him: (v9) ‘Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.’
This is another psalm which is known for one verse – this last one, in fact, as it echoes Jesus’ experience with Judas – the one who shares his bread with Jesus (Mark 14:20) is the one who betrays him (Mark 14:10). But its deeper context is an encouragement for all of us to keep showing the care and compassion of Christ to those who need it – because when we need it, the Lord will give the same to us. Perhaps that is a word for some of you today, or for someone you know. Claim its truth, and may that cause you to lift your spirit in prayer (v10), and your heart in praise (v13).
Friday 6th February – John 13:18-30 ‘And it was night’
Today we come to one of the most sobering stories in scripture – Jesus’ betrayal by Judas Iscariot. The story is so famous it has entered our culture: we still use the name ‘Judas’ as a generic term for betrayal. Indeed, the identification of Judas with betrayal is so strong that the two other ‘good’ Judases in the New Testament are given different names to differentiate them: so, the second disciple called Judas is usually called ‘Thaddeus’, and Jesus’ half-brother Judas who wrote the last New Testament letter (just before Revelation) is called ‘Jude’. They can’t be called their actual name, in case we associate them with the Judas of this story!
John’s account of Judas’ betrayal largely accords with the other gospel writers, although he does add the unique detail that Judas’ disillusionment with Jesus had a partly personal motive (see John 12:6). It wasn’t just that Jesus proved not to be the kind of Messiah Judas wanted or expected; he was also stealing money and (presumably) Jesus knew of his deceit.
But in other respects, we see the same main elements: Judas had already decided to betray Jesus before the Last Supper (v2), and Jesus knew he had done so (v11). Judas’ betrayal is also a fulfilment of prophecy: (v18, quoting Psalm 41:9) ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’
It begs the question: did Judas have a choice? Was he just the unlucky one pre-determined to do this? I think we have to say that people always have a choice. It is true that the scriptural prophecy that someone would betray the Son of Man did have to come true – but Judas did not have to be that person. He chose to steal. He chose to take money for information. Even at the table, he chose to do ‘what you are about to do’ (v27). He was not a robot or a stooge – he made his own choices.
John’s last words in today’s text are poetic and chilling: (v30) ‘And it was night.’ Night in the physical sense; but also night in the spiritual sense. Darkness had overtaken Judas, and was shortly to do the same to Jesus, albeit only with his full acceptance.
The story of Judas is a sobering but healthy reminder of all our little betrayals. All the more important, then, to cast ourselves on the boundless grace of our Saviour. To remind ourselves that he came to save people just like us. His healing makes all things new. ‘Whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.’ Whoever. No-one is beyond his love. Thanks be to God!
Thursday 5th February – John 13:12-17 ‘Wash one another’s feet’
Over the years, I have taken part in a few foot-washing ceremonies – both as the washer and the one being washed. Without doubt, they are some of the most powerful and moving spiritual experiences I’ve had. I still remember my first such experience, many years ago. The pastors at our church were offering it to anyone who wished to participate. I went to the front with no great expectations – but found myself fighting back tears throughout the process.
It’s interesting to reflect that of the many commands of Jesus which we interpret literally, foot-washing isn’t one of them. Nearly every church baptises new believers, as Jesus commanded. Nearly every church shares bread and wine (or equivalent), as Jesus commanded. Only some churches practise foot-washing, and even those that do only practise it once a year – on Maundy Thursday, with only the priest or pastor washing feet.
No church that I am aware of gets everyone washing each other’s feet – just as Jesus directly commands in this passage, twice: (vv14-15) ‘Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.’
Why is that? Why do we treat this as a metaphor, rather than an actual practice? Is it just too humbling, too extreme? Or just too culturally specific? Answers on a postcard, please!
That said, we must acknowledge that, even if the literal practice is rare, the idea isn’t. The global church does agree that humble service is the way of Jesus. As he has given to us, so we then pass on to others. We may do any number of simple tasks to bless people – quiet, unglamorous, unheralded, but all true reflections of our foot-washing Saviour. As the saying goes: don’t pay it back, pay it forward.
And as we do them, Jesus makes us a promise: (v17) ‘You will be blessed if you do them.’ God always repays. God blesses those who bless others – not always in the way we expect, but somehow.
Today, let’s give thanks for those whose humble service has blessed us. And let’s pray for grace to be ‘foot-washers’ for others – whatever that may look like today, or this week.
Wednesday 4th February – John 13:6-11 ‘Unless I wash you…’
Many religions have washing rituals. We need water to make us physically clean – but water has often come to symbolise something deeper. Think of the millions who gather by the shore of the River Ganges each year for the famous Kumbh Mela ritual. Or the Mikveh bathing rituals which are an important part of the Jewish faith, and which Jesus’ mother Mary, for example, would have had to undergo in the synagogue in Nazareth after each menstrual cycle.
In the Christian faith, of course, we have baptism as the supreme symbol of coming to faith in Jesus Christ, a way of declaring that we are now joined with him in his death and resurrection to new life. This practice dates back to Pentecost, the birth of the church, and even before that to the baptism (literally ‘dipping’) for repentance initiated by John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin. In all of these practices, physical ‘washing’ denotes a deeper reality.
The same is true, but for different reasons, in Jesus’ practice of foot-washing with the disciples. As we observed yesterday, the washing of feet was something usually only undertaken by a household servant, so perhaps it is not surprising the Peter objects to Jesus’ kneeling before them. Jesus, however, is unusually blunt: (v9) ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’
What Jesus means is really three-fold: first, we need washing for salvation. ‘Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow,’ David cries out to God in Psalm 51. We all need to be washed i.e. cleansed of all that defiles us before God. This is supremely and wonderfully achieved through Jesus’ death on our behalf: in a striking image in Revelation, the angel tells John that the great multitude he sees ‘have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’ (Rev 7:14)
Jesus is keen to stress, however, that foot-washing is not, in itself, a salvation ritual. ‘You are clean,’ he tells his bemused disciples: (v10) ‘Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet.’ Which brings us to the primary reason for this particular act of Jesus: we also need washing for surrender. To have your feet washed is a powerfully humbling act, and in receiving it, we choose to receive all that Jesus has for us. We accept that we cannot make ourselves right before God, we need Jesus to ‘serve’ us and do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Peter wanted to do so much for God; but first, he needed to surrender. To allow Jesus to do for him, what he could not achieve purely through his enthusiasm or his activism.
Finally, we need washing for service. We’ll look at this tomorrow, so hold that thought!
But today, as we reflect on Jesus’ call for Peter to surrender his pride, we can see the same sort of stubborn resistance in ourselves. This is why Jesus is so insistent that Peter must agree to having his feet washed; in the same way, surrender to Jesus is a daily choice for us, too. May the Lord grant us all grace to make that choice, today and every day. Jesus, in loving response, will make all grace available to us, to live out that choice. It is the path to life.
Tuesday 3rd February – John 13:1-5 ‘Succession planning, kingdom-style’
If you’ve ever worked in the corporate world or in business, you’ll hear about succession planning: the way that leaders prepare to hand over power and responsibility after they’ve left, in particular by nurturing leaders to succeed them. It’s not a new idea – apparently Genghis Khan did something similar 800 years ago, involving his sons in leadership from a young age, and appointing a primary successor before his death. (I draw no direct comparison here with modern business!)
Today we begin what you might call the final stage of Jesus’ own ‘succession planning’. He has lived and trained a group of close friends over the last three years, but now he is approaching the climax of his ministry – something of which he is well aware: (v1) ‘Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.’ He has one more evening and night, before he leaves them. How would any of us use that time?
All the gospel writers place a strong emphasis on these last 24 hours of Jesus’ life. The events are recorded in detail, and many of us know them off by heart: the Last Supper, Gethsemane, betrayal, arrest, trial, Pilate, Simon carrying the cross, crucifixion. However, only John focuses primarily on Jesus’ teaching, on the way Jesus prepares his disciples for what is to come. Chapters 13-17 are some of the greatest and most profound in all of scripture, and one gets this strong sense of walking on holy ground whenever we open these texts, so I must confess to some trepidation as we approach these next few weeks. Thankfully it’s God who speaks, and not me! The text will do its own work in all of us.
But what strikes me at the start is how extraordinary Jesus’ interpretation of succession planning really is. In the world, it’s about the transfer of power. Here, Jesus’ form of succession planning is all about self-giving service. His primary act is to wash his disciples’ feet – the task of a servant.
It tells us everything we need to know about how to lead, Jesus-style. This is not some sort of pre-death self-loathing, or tokenistic ritual: (v3) ‘Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.’ Jesus exercises his ‘power’ precisely through humble service. Or, as he says elsewhere: ‘Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.’ (Mark 10:43)
It is nothing less than a revolution in our understanding of how things really work. It also makes no sense to those who see life through the lens of worldly power. And yet, less than 70 years after Genghis Khan’s death, his great empire split into four; ten years after that, three of those four territories submitted to the rule of a different emperor. But the Kingdom of Jesus continues to grow: 2,000 years and counting. The humble servant triumphs – with a towel around their waist.
Today, let’s give thanks for Jesus’ example. And let’s pray for all Christian leaders, that they might continue to live out the way of Christ – the Christ who loves us all ‘to the end’.
Monday 2nd February – Luke 2:25-32 ‘Moved by the Spirit’
A brief break from John, to commemorate Candlemas – ‘the presentation of Christ in the temple’ – which is today:
I love this story. I make no apologies for taking a brief pause to include it in this week’s Inspirations. Simeon has got to be one of my favourite characters in the Bible. He only appears in this one episode, but what a cameo! A lifetime of faithfully walking in God’s ways crystallised in this one moment.
I don’t know if you’ve ever got up one morning with an idea that there was something you absolutely had to do. Or perhaps you pass someone in the street and know you need to talk to them. Or maybe it’s a phone call you’ve got to make. And you discover to your surprise and delight that you called at just the right time, or the person you approached needed help, or that thing you ‘had’ to do was something you would have missed if you’d left it till tomorrow.
If you’ve had that experience, you may well have been ‘moved’ by the Spirit. Our God is a God who speaks. And still speaks today. So we shouldn’t be too surprised to get these ‘urges’ every so often.
But let’s notice that Simeon’s crowning moment is not the first mention of the Spirit in this passage. Simeon’s whole life was infused by the Spirit – the text says simply that the Spirit was ‘on him’ (v25). God can speak to anyone: but it happens a lot more often to those with whom He dwells all the time. The more we allow God to soak our lives, the more these ‘divine promptings’ are likely to happen. Like picking out your family in a crowd, it’s much easier to spot things you’re totally familiar with.
Simeon’s moment was also preceded by a prior revelation. He already knew that he would see the Messiah one day. One of the gifts of the Spirit is the gift of prophecy – the capacity to see what God is up to. And Simeon clearly had this gift: and he believed what God had told him.
So, when he got the ‘nudge’ one day that he had to go to the temple, his lifetime of spiritual soaking and seeing led him to one simple act of obedience which changed the world. And Simeon also reminds us that this kind of moment can happen to anyone, at any time – no-one is too old, or too young for that matter, to be used by God.
God still has work for us to do – why not invite the Spirit, like Simeon, and see where it leads?
Loving Lord, you alone are my hope. Lift my heart, I pray, and speak your word to me. Thank you that your Spirit still moves today. Thank you that we all have a special part to play. Amen.
Saturday 31st January – John 12:45-50 ‘All I have spoken’
The Trinity is an eternal mystery – God who is three-in-one and one-in-three, perfect unity and also perfect community: Father, Son and Spirit. They are all equally God, but they also have different roles or functions as part of the Godhead.
Today’s passage is a case in point. Jesus is the complete and representation of the Father – Yahweh – on earth: (v45) ‘The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.’ But that does not mean he is the Father himself – he remains the Son, which means he has a different role: (vv47-48a) ‘I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words.’ The Son saves, the Father in heaven ultimately judges.
But, lest we split them too far apart, the Father’s judgement rests on people’s response to the Son’s message: (vv48b-49) ‘the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.’
So Jesus is not outsourcing judgment to the Father, and the Father is not outsourcing the gospel message to the Son – they are both fully God, indivisible and fully united on everything.
It’s pretty hard to get your head around, isn’t it? And at one level, that’s the point – we are not God – we are simply invited to trust in this great God and, wonderfully, experience the amazing, eternal, abundant life he offers. This is a hard passage, and it’s not easy to talk about judgment. But, as we close our week, let’s land here, in this last verse. God’s heart is ultimately that we should be saved, that mercy would triumph over judgment (James 2:13). Jesus’ message is ultimately a reflection of the Father’s heart: (v50) ‘I know that his command leads to eternal life.’
God longs that we would know life. He sent Jesus to save us, that we might experience that life. The last few days has been a challenging read, but what a great way to end it! Jesus both brings and is the good news of the Father. May that good news bubble up in our hearts, minds and spirits today – hallelujah!
Friday 30th January – John 12:42-47 ‘The One who sent me’
If you want to know exactly what God is like, look at Jesus.
Such has been the conclusion of church leaders and scholars down the centuries. For example, Archbishop Michael Ramsey famously declared: ‘God is Christlike, and in him is no un-Christlikeness at all.’
But this is not one of those statements that has been fathomed out by clever reasoning, or mature reflection on the text of scripture, important though those are. No, this central tenet of the faith comes directly from Jesus himself, most clearly in today’s passage: (v45) ‘The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.’ In other words: If you want to know exactly what God is like, look at Jesus.
This profound revelation unfolds in two directions in our text for today. The first is a challenge; after the persistent unbelief of one group of people that we looked at yesterday, today we meet a different group: those who do believe in Jesus, but are afraid to acknowledge their faith openly (v42). John ascribes this reticence to fear of stigma and consequent loss of status: ‘fear they would be put out of the synagogue.’ He concludes: ‘they loved human praise more than praise from God.’ (v43)
If this sounds harsh, then what Jesus says makes it clear that such fear is missing the point. In seeing Jesus they are seeing Yahweh, their Lord, the very One they profess to worship and follow. How could they keep quiet about that?
Although it is easy to judge such attitudes, Jesus refuses to (v47). Candidly, frail as we are, it remains a temptation for any of us, too. If this is something we struggle with, or someone we know, let’s take heart from the other dimension to Jesus’ statement – a great encouragement: (v46) ‘I have come into the world as a light, so that no-one who believes in me should stay in darkness.’ God is light, and Jesus – the true and exact revelation of God – is the light that illumines all our paths. If we honour him in all circumstances, if we resist the temptation to hide our faith, Jesus’ light will shine brightly, showing us the way.
May the Lord grant us all grace to see Jesus as he really is, and may his light give us courage and direction, today and every day. Amen.
Thursday 29th January – John 12:37-41 ‘They still would not believe’
‘In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.’ So begins the sixth chapter of the great prophet Isaiah, someone who was privileged to witness what few people ever get the chance to see in this life: heaven itself. However, it did not initially seem to be a privilege, as Isaiah recounts: (v5) ‘”Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”’
Thankfully, Isaiah’s fears proved unfounded – he was cleansed and spoke directly with the Lord himself, who commissioned him to take God’s message to the people. And it is in this commissioning that we have the background to today’s passage. We cannot fully grasp what Jesus is sharing here unless we go back to Isaiah 6, because Jesus’ second quotation from Isaiah comes directly from Isaiah’s vision of God in that very prophecy. And it begs the awkward question: does God stop people believing? That appears to be the surface meaning of what God says to Isaiah, and at the very least gives us pause for thought.
However, it’s not the whole meaning. The context of most of the book of Isaiah – including ch6 – is the persistent, stubborn unbelief of his people. God reveals himself again and again; yet people refuse to repent or trust. So, eventually, God lets them have their wishes.
This is very much Jesus’ experience, too; today’s passage begins: (v37) ‘Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.’ It’s hard to credit, isn’t it? So many signs, and yet some people simply refuse to come to Jesus. This is why John goes back to Isaiah, partly to demonstrate that, sadly, ‘twas ever thus. There is nothing new under the sun.
But there’s also a golden thread of hope – because Isaiah’s conversation with the Lord in the throne room concludes with God saying that judgement would follow, but ‘the holy seed will be the stump in the land’ (Isaiah 6:13). The stump is, of course, Jesus – the ‘shoot of Jesse’ (Is 11:1) which will bear fruit and bring salvation – the Messiah who is here, right now, before the crowds. John makes the link clear by declaring that ‘Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.’ (v41) What an amazing thought – that Jesus was there, in that heavenly conversation, knowing that he would fulfil the Father’s word to Isaiah seven or more centuries later!
Today’s passage is both a challenge and an inspiration: a reminder that some people will remain stubborn in their unbelief, despite mountains of evidence to the contrary. On the other hand, Jesus comes anyway to just such stubborn people, people like us, with the deep longing of the Father’s heart to heal them (v40). No-one is beyond the love of God; no-one is beyond rescue this side of the grave. Let’s keep praying for those we love, and let’s give thanks that God keeps overcoming our own stubbornness. His arm (v38) is always stretched out to save.
Wednesday 28th January – John 12:34-36 ‘Becoming children of light’
At this time of year, we are familiar with the idea of light not lasting very long! In fact, as I write this reflection mid-afternoon, Jesus’ words ‘you are going to have the light just a little while longer’ rings true in a very literal sense. At this time of year, any tasks which require daylight also require us to keep an eye on the time, in case darkness overtakes us.
Jesus reminds his hearers that light being overtaken by darkness is also about to happen in the spiritual realms. Even if it is correct for his questioners to say that the Messiah carries eternal authority and therefore will indeed remain forever (v34), he wants them to know that the human life of the Messiah will be short, and about to cease (v35). The two are not mutually exclusive: as we saw yesterday, the Son of Man will reign forever precisely through his sacrificial death.
His advice is simple: believe in the light (v36), and walk in the light (v35). As he is the Light of the World, Jesus is inviting them (and all people) to believe in him. But it’s about more than just believing: since the Light (ch8) is also the Way (ch14), then we are to follow this Way – which is another way of saying, as Jesus puts it in this passage, that we are to walk in the light.
It’s a lovely image, and a very practical one: it’s much easier to navigate by light rather than darkness. If you try and do it in the dark, you won’t know where you are going (v35). Jesus’ light leads us in the way which leads to abundant, eternal life.
And as we walk in the light, something else happens: we become what we behold, we ‘become children of light.’ (v36) It’s an image St Paul picks up in his letter to the Ephesians – and here we can see how so much of what Jesus teaches has been passed down to the early Christian leaders: ‘For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth).’ (Ephesians 5:8-9)
If the fruit of the light sounds like something of a mixed metaphor, let’s not forget that most plants need light to grow – and in this case, as we walk in the light and become children of light, the ‘fruit’ that grows in us is goodness, righteousness and truth. It’s a pretty fair summary of the sort of life Jesus had in mind when he addressed the crowd in today’s passage.
So, today, may the Lord grant us all grace to walk in the light of the Lord – and let’s pray that this light may shine forth in goodness, righteousness and truth. Amen.
Tuesday 27th January – John 12:27-33 ‘I will draw all people’
Human beings have long associated glory with elevation. The winner of a gold medal stands on the top step, higher than those who come second or third (or lower). A monarch usually sits on a seat which is raised off the ground. Even in old churches, it is traditional to have at least one step from the main seating area into the area where the bread and wine is blessed. It’s a physical expression of the ‘lifting up’ which accompanies glory.
As we observed a couple of reflections ago, Jesus uses this particular phrase ‘lifted up’ to describe what is about to happen to him. It is both a literal description of his crucifixion, but also a spiritual description of what he will achieve through it. The word can also mean exaltation, which is a extraordinary description of (what was seen as) a criminals’ death, and marvellously illustrates how our amazing Lord turns everything upside-down and makes all things new.
In today’s passage Jesus himself describes this lifting up as representing three things. First, it is his destiny: (v27) ‘for this very reason I came to this hour.’ Every gospel makes it very clear that what happens to Jesus is no accident, and Jesus is supremely aware of this, including the terrible cost: (v27) ‘my soul is troubled’.
Second, it is a judgement on this world – the moment at which the forces of evil are defeated (v31). And yet, at the same time it is also, thirdly, the moment when Jesus ‘will draw all people to myself’ (v32). How can it be a moment of both judgment and invitation? Because Jesus takes the punishment which the judgement of this world decrees upon himself. The judgement is enacted upon him, so that all of us can be beckoned into the new life of God. Jesus has paid the price of judgement on our behalf.
No wonder he calls out: (v28) ‘Father glorify your name!’ To which his heavenly Father replies: ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ To those watching Jesus being executed at Mount Moriah (the place of the skull, or Calvary), it can hardly have seemed like his moment of glory, his moment of ‘lifting up’/exaltation. And yet, this is what enables to great prophesy of Isaiah to be enacted: ‘The mountain of the Lord’s temple… will be exalted (lifted up) above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.’ (Isaiah 2:5)
Praise God that he has drawn us to himself! Jesus’ lifting up has won our salvation, and his name is forever glorified. Today, let’s pray for Jesus to draw others, too – people we know and love, our community, any we are led to remember before the Lord. May the Father continue to glorify Jesus’ name again, and again. Amen.
Monday 26th January – John 12:20-27 ‘Whoever serves must follow’
If you watch a programme nowadays you may hear this message before it begins, or written near the top of the opening scene: ‘Warning: may contain content unsuitable for some viewers.’
A similar ‘warning’ could well be applied to our passage for today. It begins with some unexpected visitors – and here we can see a lovely parallel with Philip’s own encounter with Jesus in the first chapter of John (1:43-51), only this time he brings some Greek visitors to Jesus, rather than Nathanael. However, unlike the first encounter, Jesus takes the conversation in a very different direction, reflecting the different moment in which he finds himself.
‘We would like to see Jesus.’ It’s a wonderful opening request – but the rest of the passage could effectively be subtitled: ‘What would you really like to see?’ Or perhaps: ‘When you really see Jesus, and what’s about to happen, you may not like what you’re about to see as much as you think.’ Be careful what you wish for.
Let’s be clear that Jesus is not pushing these visitors away; but he does use the opportunity to be candid with those who are flocking to him, to make them aware of where this is all heading. Jesus knows he is heading towards his sacrificial death – but he makes the broader point that ‘losing one’s life’ is intrinsic to the way of Jesus (v25). For many of us that may not be literal martyrdom, but for all of us it means a fundamental change of focus: we orientate ourselves away from the seductions of this world towards another kind of life entirely, the abundant, eternal ‘zoe’ life of Jesus.
‘Whoever serves me must follow me.’ (v26) You can imagine the potential shock for Jesus’ visitors to hear these words. What, really, Jesus? Follow you like this? He does, however, add a great promise: ‘My Father will honour the one who serves me.’ We honour (serve) Jesus by actually following him – thinking like he thinks, living like he lives, loving like he loves – and receive honour from our heavenly Father in return.
This is the Way which our Lord call us to follow. As we begin this week, may the Lord grant us all grace to follow in the dust of our heavenly Rabbi, trusting that he will honour all who serve him. There, indeed, we will see Jesus.
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