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Category Archives: John

Peter & John — John 18:7-11

22 Nov

John 18:7-11
7 Once more he asked them, “Who are you looking for?”
And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
8 “I told you that I AM he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” 9 He did this to fulfill his own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.”
10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”

Dear God, it’s interesting to see what John decides to tell us and what he leaves out. He tells us about Peter cutting off the ear, but he doesn’t tell us that Jesus healed the ear or why Peter had a sword in the first place (Luke 22:36-37). He also leaves out something else important. He doesn’t tell the part about Jesus praying on the Mount of Olives and the disciples praying with Him falling asleep. Hmmm. I wonder if he carried that shame the rest of his life.

But back to Peter. I already mentioned this in a previous journal, but I think it is significant to note that Peter was, indeed, ready to defend Jesus, follow Jesus, battle for Jesus, and die for Jesus. That’s just not how Jesus needed this to work out. This is evidenced by what John tells us in verse 8 with Jesus saying, “”And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” I don’t remember Matthew, Mark, or Luke giving us that detail. At some point, I am going to do a side-by-side comparison of every story the four Gospels give us so that I can get a better look at exactly what John wanted us to know that was unique to the other three.

I was watching a documentary on Bill Murray the other day, and a guy talked about a Taoist Proverb that has a principle I’ve clung to the last few years as things have and haven’t gone the way I wanted them to. To paraphrase quickly, it seems there was a man who had a prized horse:

  • One day the horse ran away and his neighbor came over and told him it was such a shame that this bad thing had happened. The man replied, “Who is to know what is good or what is bad?”
  • The next day the horse came back, but he brought with him 10 prized wild horses. The neighbor came and rejoiced with him remarking that it was such a great thing. The man replied, “Who is to know what is good or what is bad?”
  • The next day the man’s son was trying to train one of the horses and broke his leg. The neighbor expressed sympathy for such a terrible thing happening, but the man replied, “Who is to know what is good or what is bad?”
  • The next day the army came to conscript able-bodied men to go to war. The son was left behind because of his broken leg, and the neighbor rejoiced with the man, but the man replied, “Who is to know what is good or what is bad?”

And so the story goes on and on. Peter felt like a failure that night. John felt like a failure too. And they did, indeed, fail. Judas Iscariot failed that week as well. But in all of it, your plan prevailed. You didn’t need them to fail, but you allowed for their failure. They didn’t understand that Jesus’ death was good and fighting to save Jesus by cutting off an ear was bad. But looking back and telling the story years later, John was able to see a little more clearly and understand what you were up to.

Father, I am truly sorry for my failings. I really am. But on this Thanksgiving Day, I want to thank you for working around all of my faults and flaws to not only love me, but to do you will on earth through me. Maybe things could be done better if I was better, but I am able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that you are my God, you love me, and you forgive me. Thank you.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 22, 2018 in John, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — John 14:5,8,22

21 Nov

John 14:5 NASB
[5] Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
John 14:8 NASB
[8] Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
John 14:22 NASB
[22] Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?”

Dear God, I want to look at John as writer and storyteller this morning. He gives us a unique window into the Last Supper. Thomas, Philip, and the good Judas get call outs here. I don’t know that it’s as important what they asked (they were basically all just trying to make sense of what was happening around them) as it is that John was going through the evening in his memory and these are some of the specifics he remembered. “Thomas asked Him where He was going.” “Philip wanted to see a revelation of God (that one was pretty silly of him to say—Jesus didn’t seem to like that one).” “Judas (gotta be clear which one) wanted to understand why things were so shrouded and confusing.” These might have all been things John himself wanted to ask and that’s why he remembered them. Or maybe he was remembering Jesus’ answers and then thought back to which questions had provoked each one. Either way, John is painting a unique picture of that evening. The disciples were confused, scared, insecure, and a bit intimidated.

Father, thank you for these 11 men. Thank you that you gave the early church a group of people who were imperfect but cake together to continue the work here on earth. Thank you that one day we will all follow you and go where you will go. Finally, thank you for John taking the time to write all of this down and give it to us.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 21, 2018 in John, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — John 13:36-38

20 Nov

John 13:36-38 NASB
[36] Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” [37] Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” [38] Jesus *answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

Dear God, ah, the most famous foolishly hubristic line spoken in history—Peter’s claim that he will follow Jesus to death, only to receive the prophecy from Jesus that Peter will, in fact, deny him to save his own life.

As I noticed back in one of the previous tellings of this story, Peter was, indeed, ready to follow Jesus to death. He took a sword and cut off a man’s ear. What we wasn’t prepared for was a death that required his surrender. He was willing to accept death in glory, but he wasn’t thinking about surrendering to death in humiliation.

My own paradigms can really get me into trouble. I am meeting with some board members this morning and we are talking about the programs our nonprofit offers the public. How much will my own expectations, preconceived notions and paradigms drive my opinions? That’s just one example. There are others like my children and the attitude I have about their life choices. My marriage and what I think my role is as a husband. My parents and father-in-law and what my role is as a son. I know I let my own values and ideas get in the way of what you want me to do sometimes. I’m sorry for that.

Father, help me to be flexible. Help me to be quiet and listen for your still small voice. Open my eyes and ears so that I might see and hear what you are showing and telling me. And help me to decrease so that you might increase. All glory and honor to you, oh Lord.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 20, 2018 in John, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — John 13:18-30

19 Nov

John 13:18-30
18 “I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’19 I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I AM the Messiah. 20 I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
21 Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”
22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” 25 So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” 28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

Dear God, for the purposes of what I’m doing here, I am going to work with the premise that “the disciple Jesus loved” was John referring to himself. In this instance, it is interesting to note that:

  1. John was sitting next to Jesus. Had he positioned himself there? Had Jesus put him there?
  2. Peter must have been sitting at a different part of the table because he “motioned to him” instead of just leaning over and asking talking to him.
  3. Peter had just been caught talking too much when he went through the whole foot washing thing so he decided to get someone else to do his dirty work for him.
  4. Even with Jesus explaining things to a certain extent, everyone was still in the dark and could only figure it out in retrospect.

I think that last part is the key. I heard a pastor say yesterday morning something that I’ve often said about you and how you keep me in the dark sometimes. My line is, “God keeps me on a need-to-know basis, and I very rarely need to know.” In this case, Judas had something brewing and if Jesus had let everyone know what was going on they might have stopped him. They might have protected Jesus and made him leave. Jesus didn’t want that interference or temptation, so he kept them in the dark. Their intentions would have been good, but their actions would have been disastrous for all of us.

Father, help me to be at peace in my ignorance, help me to welcome all that you bring into my path, and help me to not mess up your plans. I don’t want to get in your way. I don’t want to have my good intentions cause you problems. Guide my heart. Guide my actions. And please be faithful to the prayers I bring to you in private. I trust you, Lord.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 19, 2018 in John, Peter and John, Uncategorized

 

Peter & John — John 13:1-17

18 Nov

John 13:1-17
1Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

Dear God, I think I’m correct in stating that John is the only one who gives us the foot washing story at the Last Supper. What a remarkable thing for him to remember and convey. First, he is the narrator so he gets to add his own editorial to the story. Here’s what John wants us to know:

  • Jesus is aware of what’s about to happen to Him the next day (verse 1)
  • Jesus loved His disciples and was ready to show them how much He loved them (verse 1)
  • Jesus was self-aware enough to understand His own power (verse 3)
  • All of this prompted Him to express His love to the disciples by washing their feet (verse 4)

Then John gets to describe the scene. Everyone at the table seems to willingly accept Jesus washing their feet until He comes to Peter. I’m sure the others felt the same awkwardness that Peter felt, but it was Peter who had the courage to put words to it. Peter’s problem was that he didn’t quite understand what servant leadership looked like. Jesus was teaching a lesson.

Back when I was in my early twenties, I was the leader on a church retreat for a church out of Houston. There was a rough group of about three or four kids who went on the retreat that had mainly middle class kids. They were hard to handle. At one point, we decided to blow their minds by washing everyone’s feet, including theirs. I think it was a good idea, although we didn’t execute it very well. Or maybe we did. We kind of did it out of the blue like Jesus does here. The kids were confused, and I’m frankly not sure it did anything to change their behavior or their receptiveness of your message during the week. But as I think about it now, their reaction was pretty similar to Peter’s, but not because they had so much respect for us that they couldn’t receive our service. I think, for them, it felt more like a way we were trying to humiliate them.

As I further unpack this, I went on a retreat a couple of years ago where the leaders wash the feet of the participants. But are we getting it wrong with doing this? Or maybe not wrong, but are we accomplishing something different than Jesus was accomplishing. The premise within which Jesus was working was that He was their obvious superior. He was their rabbi. He was the Messiah. He was God. And He was now washing their feet. He was loving them. If I am with a group and decide that it is time to wash their feet, what I am communicating to them? Especially if there is no previous relationship. Am I subconsciously setting myself up as their leader?

Father, I don’t know that I resolved anything today or if I might have even gotten some of this wrong this morning. But I do think this has made me think about this story a little more. I have probably treated it a little too casually in the past and possibly done more harm than good in times like that summer at camp over 25 years ago. If I did—if I hurt those boys in any way, I am sorry. As I try to figure out the real lesson of this story—that I am to love others through serving them—help me to do it in a way that is truly sacrificial and not in a way that passive aggressively lift me up over them.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2018 in John, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John—John 6:66-71

16 Nov

John 6:66-71 NASB
[66] As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. [67] So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” [68] Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. [69] We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” [70] Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” [71] Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

Dear God, I told a friend yesterday that if you read John’s Gospel and don’t believe the first 15 verses—“In the beginning was the Word…”—then for the rest of the book, Jesus comes off as quite radical and mad. I confess that I would probably have been a person who fell away during this chapter. I need thousands of years of history to see this picture more clearly.

As for Peter, he was just keeping it simple. When it came down to it, he completely believed in you and realized that he had nowhere else to go that would be what you are. Was it an easy life, following you around? No. But it was the best life.

This makes me think of marriage to some extent. I’m grateful that I feel like you’ve given me an ability to look beyond my emotions in a given moment and fast forward to a time when the emotions are gone. What I mean is that when my wife and I were dating and I was deciding I wanted to marry her, I didn’t dream about the early years of marriage. I tried to imagine myself as a 60-year-old waking up in the morning and seeing her at the breakfast table. Would I still want to talk to her? Would I still enjoy her company? Was it a pleasant thought? I got an image in my mind, and while we have certainly encountered struggles along the way, and while I’m still a good decade shy of 60, I can gratefully say that my image has proven to be true. The grass is never greener on the other side of the fence. Peter knew that to be true of Jesus, and while I can now take that as a given in my faith, I can say that I firmly believe that there is no greener grass for me than the grass I enjoy with my wife.

Father, make me the husband and father you need me to be. I still don’t really know what I’m doing in any of these areas. I let my wife and children down all of the time. So help me to lean into my ignorance and seek out your leading. Use my ignorance to drive me into your leading in how you need me to love them, and into what you want to do to help me grow closer to you through them.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 16, 2018 in John, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — John 1:40-42

15 Nov

John 1:40-42 NASB
[40] One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. [41] He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). [42] He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

Dear God, going through John in the way I’ve been going through the other Gospels is going to be interesting. His telling of the story has an entirely different pattern and feel. I know that the other three are considered the Synoptic Gospels because they track together fairly well and John doesn’t follow their outline, but I noticed something else this morning as I skimmed through the first eight chapters. I noticed that John focuses on different things within the stories. For example, this is the only time he mentions Jesus recruiting any of the disciples. Also, he mentions more Passovers than just the last one when Jesus was crucified, and he really gives us some insight into just how confused the disciples were most of the time.

In the case of this story, we get a little better look at Andrew. We learn that he was already looking at John the Baptist and having spiritual stirrings. It was him who was hungry for more of you. He was the reason Peter found Jesus. And then it was Peter in whom Jesus saw the potential to be the rock.

So many times, we want to be the person of note. We want to be Peter. We want to be the person people look to. At least, I confess that is true of myself. But there are times when you are calling us to play a small yet pivotal role. When Jesus gathers his top disciples it almost always seems to be Peter and then the brothers James and John. Andrew, even though he is Peter’s brother, isn’t part of that special group. That wasn’t the role he had to play in the story. He was critical to this whole thing, but in a low-key way. I like how John was careful to let us know about Andrew while telling us something important about Peter too.

Father, there are time you call me to be a point person, times you call me to be a member of the team, times you call me to be a connector between others, and then times I am to stay out of it and let others do your work because you have something else for me to do. Help me to be sensitive at all times to what you are calling me to do. And thank you for how you used Andrew in this story. We all owe him a debt.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 15, 2018 in John, Peter and John

 

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John 6:30-35

10 Aug

30 They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:30-35

Dear God, this is an example of people having two different conversations while they talk to each other. The people, in their ignorance and human limitations, are speaking through one paradigm while Jesus is operating in a totally different realm. They are comparing him to Moses (while still messing up the story and ascribing the provision of manna to Moses instead of you), but he is telling them that he is you–he is God.

I have to tell you that I have done my best to come to you and eat of your bread, but there are times when I am still hungry. I put that on myself and not you. I come, but I don’t stay. I wander off. I start to chase my own nose. I let anger take over. And then I find myself hungry. At least I’ve learned enough to return to you. And you’re right–no matter my situation, there is a joy and a peace that passes understanding

I was talking with a friend this morning about some of our respective vices, and I told him that I’ve gotten better at submitting them to you by rejecting self-pity in any given situation and leaning on you for any perceived injustice I am facing. It’s my self-pity and selfishness that leads me down the trail of vice. It is my submission that leads me to freedom.

Father, those people didn’t really understand who they were talking to, and I don’t know that I would have been any different if I had been there. In fact, I do know and I wouldn’t have. I would have been exactly like them. So I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the selfishness and self-pity that I still allow to take over my heart. Make me an instrument of your peace by starting with allowing you to bring peace to my heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 10, 2018 in John

 

The Most Popular Verses

05 Jul

Dear God, I’m a devoted reader of Fred Smith’s weekly blog, and I enjoyed what I read this morning about The Soil of Partial Truth. In it, he listed the five most popular verses in the Bible. This is the order in which he listed them. I don’t know if it is by popularity or not. I’d be surprised if it was. They were:

  • Jeremiah 29:11 – …”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope…”
  • Psalm 23:4 – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, the comfort me.
  • Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
  • John 3:16 – “For God so love the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
  • Romans 8:28 – And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Instead of looking at the meaning of each verse and going into whether or not they are out of context (for example, the Jeremiah 29:11 is REALLY out of context if you read that verse alone), I want to talk to you about why we are drawn to these specific verses and what it says about what we need from you.

With the Jeremiah verse, I think it means that our psyche needs to know that you are in charge and that things are going to work out well. Now, while you are, indeed, in charge, working out “well” is a relative term and needs the broader context. But our human hearts want to know that our circumstances are going to work out well for us.

The verse from Psalms is about addressing our fears. we need your comfort during the times that we are afraid–especially of death. Whether it is our death or the death of another, we need your comfort when we are afraid. And that’s okay.

Philippians 4:13 is about leaning on you and looking to you for our strength. It’s a good one and a good reminder that we need you. The Isaiah 40:31 about those that wait on you will mount up with wings like eagles is a good one for this sentiment too.

I love the John 3:16 one because it is actually right in the middle of Jesus’ rant to Nicodemus. He’s trying to explain being born again and gets on a roll. I actually enjoy this whole speech more than just this verse. But in the end, Jesus is convincing an unbelieving Pharisee to believe.

And the Romans 8 verse brings us back to the need to know that it’s all going to be okay. I think the danger here is that we know that sometimes those who love you suffer, and we are looking at these verses and hoping that the suffering will happen to someone else and not us.

Father, I think, at the end of the day, we are just looking for your comfort, your strength, and your reassurance. We need to be reassured that you are there, we have access to you, and that, at least on the other side of death, there is hope. It would probably be good for me to sit down and some point and talk about my favorite scriptures/stories of the Bible. I wonder what looking at that collection of passages would reveal about me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 5, 2018 in Jeremiah, John, Philippians, Psalms, Romans

 

John 15:12-13

16 Jun

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

John 15:12-13

Dear God, the first step in loving others is to take my eyes off of myself.

Last night, I did one of those things some adults do that can be the biggest generator of insecurity we will experience as Americans, I went to my high school class reunion. I went to school with some very nice and good people so the evening was pleasant and I ended up staying at the bar where we met for about four hours—and the time passed quickly. But the emotions I experienced leading up to the evening are striking me now as I sit here.

  1. Will anyone remember me?
  2. Will the people there be anyone I can talk to?
  3. How do I look?
  4. How does my career stack up?
  5. How do my kids compare?

I can see where others might be concerned about things I take for granted like if they are divorced, still a closeted homosexual, have failed careers, gained a lot of weight, etc.

I think there are two things at play. First, for whatever reason, we care about what these people from X-number years ago think about us and how they judge us. Why do we care? Second, we judge ourselves against the best of each person’s life, not taking their struggles into account and we feel like we don’t stack up. I might take this person’s career, add that person’s kids, and throw in this person’s house, and put another person’s appearance on top of that and then see how my life compares with the combined ideal person.

I found myself experiencing a lot of these insecurities as I was driving to my hometown yesterday, but thankfully, I was able to take the last 30 minutes of the drive to pray to you, worship a little, and get out of myself. You were giving me an opportunity to love. You gave me an opportunity to be vulnerable. I could take my life and share the flawed parts with people. There was no reason to put any veneer on anything. In fact, humility would be a way that I could be free from Satan’s desire to make me ashamed of myself and to help others who might be experiencing shame. I purposed to try to be a good listener last night and to share my shortcomings. I don’t know if I made a difference in anyone else’s life, but I can honestly say that I had a good time.

Father, I’m going back to the second evening of events tonight. Help me to live up to this passage and love my former classmates. Help me to be willing to lay down my life for these fellow alums of my high school. Shine through me—not in a holier than thou way, but in a loving way that will draw any of them who are experiencing shame to freedom.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 16, 2018 in John

 
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