community and mutual identity

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
eight person huddling

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

John 17:9-11

Joh 17:9 “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours.

Joh 17:10 Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I am made glorious by them.

Joh 17:11 I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the name that you have given me, so that they may be one like we are one.

community and mutual identity

What kind of unity does Jesus’ prayer entail? The Father and Son had a mutual possession. Everything one owned was owned by the other. Neither held anything back as exclusively his. Each had a separate identity, but both had the same protection: the name of God.

Christians need to lean into this. We need to stop thinking of “my focus” or “my ministry” and “my reputation.” Mutual possession means that our individual gifts and purpose belong to God and every other believer as well. We are protected by one name. As much as possible, we need to stop using names to separate ourselves from and belittle other parts of the body of Christ.

Lord, thank you for our community and mutual identity.

Posted in church, cooperation, unity | Tagged | Leave a comment

fully responding to the gospel

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
opened bible on wooden surfaca

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

John 17:4-8

John 17:4 I have made you glorious on the land by completing the work you gave me to do.

John 17:5 Now, Father, make me glorious in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.

John 17:6 “I have made your name public to the people you gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

John 17:7 Now they have discovered that everything you have given is from you,

John 17:8 because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have discovered that I exited from you. They have trusted that you sent me.

fully responding to the gospel

In this prayer, Jesus mentions two gifts he had received from the Father. The Father had given him people (6) and words (8). We call these people the church, and the words we call the gospel. How does the church respond to the gospel?

  • We receive the gospel (8)

  • We keep the gospel (6)

  • We discover more truth (7-8)

  • We trust what we discover (8).

Lord, may our response to your gospel be as full and rich as the gospel itself is.

Posted in gossip, theology, trust | Tagged | Leave a comment

worth continuing forever

Posted on January 27, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
photo of man and woman holding hands

Photo by Burst on Pexels.com

John 17:1-3

Joh 17:1 Jesus spoke these things, looked up to the sky, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Make your Son glorious so that the Son may make you glorious,

Joh 17:2 since you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give permanent life to everyone you have given him.

Joh 17:3 This is permanent life: that they may discover you, the only true God, and the one you have sent– Jesus Christ.

worth continuing forever

When Jesus said, “This is permanent life” he was not redefining the hope of the saved. He had already defined it as a gift of actual life which will be permanent as opposed to the temporary lives we now live. So, he was not spiritualizing that hope. He was not saying that we think we are going to live forever, but actually, we are just going to get to know God.

What Jesus actually promised is a life that is worth continuing forever. A person’s quality of life can be measured by the quality of their relationships with their friends, family, colleagues, students, and others. Imagine a right relationship with Almighty God through Jesus Christ! Such a relationship would make life worth continuing forever.

Lord, thank you for the promise of permanent life, and the connection with you that will fill that life with significance.

Posted in eternal life, relationship with God, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

peace amid suffering

Posted on January 26, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
beautiful clouds dalsnibba environment

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

John 16:28-33

Joh 16:28 I exited from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

Joh 16:29 His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any illustration.

Joh 16:30 Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this, we trust that you exited from God.”

Joh 16:31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now trust?

Joh 16:32 Notice, an hour is coming and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

Joh 16:33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

peace amid suffering

Jesus revealed the plan of salvation, worked out by his incarnation, earthly ministry, death on the cross, and return to heaven. He revealed these things so that we would have peace – but not the peace that comes from the absence of suffering. In the world, we can have peace amid suffering. Knowing that God has a plan helps us get through the rough spots.

Lord, thank you for the assurance that you have conquered the world.

Posted in peace, plan of God, suffering, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

prayer day

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
hands people woman girl

Photo by Public Domain Pictures on Pexels.com

John 16:23-27

Joh 16:23 “In that day you will not ask me for anything. I am honestly telling you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

Joh 16:24 Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Joh 16:25 “I have spoken these things to you in illustrations. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in illustrations, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.

Joh 16:26 On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf.

Joh 16:27 Because the Father himself cares about you because you have cared about me and have trusted that I exited from God.

prayer day

The day that Jesus refers to here is this day. It started on the day that Jesus ascended to his Father. I call it prayer day. It is a special day of access to Almighty God. On this special day, we no longer have to go through an intermediary to be heard when we pray. The Father cares about us and has agreed to listen to our prayers.

Of course, the “us” is not universal. The Father has not agreed to pay special attention to everyone’s prayers. Jesus promises this special attention only to those who care about him, and trust that he exited from (was sent by) the Father.

What are we doing with our special access?

Lord, give us the wisdom to consistently take advantage of our prayer day access to the Father.

Posted in prayer, relationship with God | Tagged | Leave a comment

our sorrow will turn

Posted on January 24, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
sleeping baby

Photo by Bryan Schneider on Pexels.com

John 16:16-22

Joh 16:16 “A little while and you will no longer see me; again a little while and you will see me.”

Joh 16:17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘A little while and you will not see me; again a little while and you will see me’ and, ‘because I am leaving for the Father’?”

Joh 16:18 They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”

Joh 16:19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me; again a little while and you will see me’?

Joh 16:20 I am honestly telling you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.

Joh 16:21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her hour has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.

Joh 16:22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.

our sorrow will turn

Jesus wants to give his disciples hope for the future beyond his own death here. He also knows that after his resurrection he will return to the Father and there will be a long age before his Bride sees him again. He speaks of the reality of weeping, mourning, sorrow, and pain. Let no Christian think she is out of God’s will when she goes through times of adversity.

On the other hand, Jesus asks his disciples to focus on his return in the future. Our sorrow is real but it will turn to joy as soon as he returns to us.

Lord, give us the strength to hang on during the age of sorrow. Joy is on the way.

Posted in second coming, suffering | Tagged | Leave a comment

Many mountains more

Posted on January 23, 2019 by Jefferson Vann

atmap

John 16:12-15

Joh 16:12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now.

Joh 16:13 When the True Spirit comes, he will guide you into all the truth. Because he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.

Joh 16:14 He will glorify me because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Joh 16:15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.

Many mountains more

As I write this, a wall poster hangs to my left, featuring a map of the Appalachian Trail. My wife and I hiked more than half of the 2000 mile trail so far. We climbed numerous mountains in the process, but there are still many mountains more.

Jesus revealed mountains of truth in his short stay upon this planet. But there are still many mountains more. He sent the True Spirit as a Discipler to guide us into that truth that we were not ready for. The completion of the New Testament was part of that mission. Answers to our specific prayers for guidance is within his job description too.

Lord, thank you for the truth, and your guide who leads us there.

Posted in Holy Spirit, revelation, truth | Tagged | Leave a comment

Exposed

Posted on January 22, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
white dove on white bird figure stand

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

John 16:8-11

Joh 16:8 When he comes, he will expose the world in connection with sin, righteousness, and judgment:

Joh 16:9 In connection with sin, because they do not trust me;

Joh 16:10 in connection with righteousness, because I am leaving for the Father and you will no longer see me;

Joh 16:11 and in connection with judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

Exposed

The greatest sin the world has ever committed is being exposed by the Holy Spirit today. That sin is the failure to trust in Jesus.

The greatest righteousness the world has ever witnessed is being exposed by the Holy Spirit today. That righteousness was the relationship between the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit reminds us of that pure righteousness in the absence of Christ on earth.

The greatest judgment the world has ever witnessed is being exposed by the Holy Spirit today. That judgment is not the future judgment day, but the present day, because our world’s ruler – Satan – stands condemned of betrayal and apostasy.

Lord, thank you for the light which your Holy Spirit has flooded our lives with – exposing your truth, and Satan’s lies.

Posted in Holy Spirit | Tagged | Leave a comment

Advantageous for us

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
white dove on white bird figure stand

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

John 16:5-7

Joh 16:5 But now I am leaving for him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you leaving for? ‘

Joh 16:6 Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

Joh 16:7 Nevertheless, I am saying the truth to you. It is advantageous to you that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Discipler will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.

Advantageous for us

It was advantageous for us that Jesus returned to heaven. Although we certainly look forward to his return, we have the other discipler, the Holy Spirit, who continues his ministry among us and through us.

Lord, thank you for sending the Discipler,your Holy Spirit.

Posted in discipleship, Holy Spirit | Tagged | Leave a comment

When their hour comes

Posted on January 20, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
black and white cemetery christ church

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

John 16:1-4

Joh 16:1 “I have spoken these things to you to keep you from getting tripped up.

Joh 16:2 They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, an hour is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.

Joh 16:3 They will do these things because they haven’t discovered the Father or me.

Joh 16:4 But I have spoken these things to you so that when their hour comes you will remember I said them to you. I didn’t say these things to you at first, because I was with you.

When their hour comes

Jesus and his disciples had enjoyed at least the toleration of the religious community in which they operated. But Jesus predicted that the hour of opposition, persecution, excommunication, and martyrdom was coming.

That hour has come for many followers of Christ today. If it is not that bad for you right now, be thankful. But also be careful, because any society that does not openly follow Christ is liable to turn against his disciples.

Lord, give us the courage to be faithful to you when the hour of persecution comes.

Posted in commitment, courage, faithfulness, persecution, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment