When they call you ‘Lord’

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:17-22

Joh 12:17 That was why the crowd (which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead ones) was testifying.
Joh 12:18 This is the reason that the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign.
Joh 12:19 That was why the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you’re getting nowhere. Look, the world has gone after him!”
Joh 12:20 But some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival.
Joh 12:21 That was why they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and say to him, “Lord, we want to see Jesus.”
Joh 12:22 Philip goes and says it to Andrew; then Andrew and Philip go and say it to Jesus.

When they call you ‘Lord’

Philip finds himself serving as an emissary to Jesus here. The Greeks honor him with the designation Lord (κύριε) – the same title that they use for Jesus himself. John apparently provides this information to his readers for two reasons: it highlights what the Pharisees had complained about – that the whole world had gone after Jesus, and it establishes a context for Jesus’ teaching about self (soul) denial in vss. 23-26.

As children of God, followers of Jesus, we do have a certain status and serve as emissaries of Christ. It is right for those serving Jesus to honor us as his representatives. We don’t always receive that honor. Often those who reject Christ take out their animosity for him on us. That is all part of the job. We should be prepared for either reaction, and recognize that our connection to Christ may put us in the limelight, or send us to the cross.

Lord, whether they love us or hate us, may it be because of you.

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All a blur

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:12-16

Joh 12:12 The next day, after hearing that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, the numerous crowd that had come to the festival

Joh 12:13 took palm branches and went out to meet him. They kept screaming: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who is coming in the name of the Lord– the King of Israel!”

Joh 12:14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just like what is written:

Joh 12:15 Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion. Notice, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.1

Joh 12:16 His disciples did not understand these things at first. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and that these things were done to him.

All a blur

Usually we understand things when we experience them, and then they get blurry when we try to remember them. But for the disciples, the last days of Jesus in Jerusalem were the opposite. While they were experiencing Jesus’ final debates, trials and crucifixion, things were all a blur. Later, after his resurrection, when Jesus was glorified, the Holy Spirit lifted the fuzzy film from their consciousness, and helped them to understand exactly what had happened. I can think of two reasons for this. First, the disciples needed to allow Jesus to experience the cross without their interference. Secondly, they needed clarity after the resurrection in order to communicate the gospel and lead the church.

Lord, give us the wisdom to keep following you even when we do not clearly understand what is going on. But give us clarity when we need to share your gospel and lead your people.

1Zechariah 9:9.

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A display item

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:9-11

Joh 12:9 That was why a large crowd of the Jews found out that he is there. They came not only on account of Jesus but also so they could see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead ones.

Joh 12:10 But the chief priests had resolved to also kill Lazarus,

Joh 12:11 because many of the Jews were deserting them and were believing in Jesus on account of him.

A display item

When I served as a missionary in the Philippines, I went to a few weddings. You never know exactly who is going to show up to a Filipino wedding. Lots of people are invited, but usually a lot more people show up. It can be a management nightmare. Such was probably the case for Martha. People were coming from all over Jerusalem because they wanted to see Jesus, and Lazarus.

Lazarus had gained celebrity status when Jesus raised him from the dead. He was now a display item in the museum of Jesus’ works.

Lord, change us so much by your Holy Spirit that we become display items, drawing people to you.

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two opportunities

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 12:4-8

Joh 12:4 But Judas Iscariot – one of his disciples, (who was about to betray him), said,

Joh 12:5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?”

Joh 12:6 But he didn’t say this because he was concerned about the poor people, he said it because he was a thief instead. He carried the money-bag and had access to what was put in it.

Joh 12:7 That was why Jesus said, “Leave her alone; it was for the day of preparation for my burial that she has kept it.

Joh 12:8 Because the poor people you are always having among you, but me you are not always having.”

two opportunities

Jesus is not against being generous to poor people, and I am grateful for that. But I am also grateful for this story, because it validates times of extravagant worship. Sometimes we need to get together and just love on Christ. Until he comes again, we will always have needs that demand our attention. But we dare not let those needs crowd out the joy of his presence, or the opportunity to show our appreciation to him.

Judas saw an opportunity to capitalize on the business aspect of charity. Mary saw an opportunity to worship. It is no secret whom we should try to emulate.

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Two women who took charge

Posted on December 9, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

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John 12:1-3

Joh 12:1 That was why – six days before the Passover – Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.

Joh 12:2 That was why they made a banquet for him there; Martha was managing it, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.

Joh 12:3 That was why Mary took a litra1 of perfume, pure and expensive nard,2 anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Two women who took charge

We had just met Mary and Martha in the previous chapter, as they first mourned the death of their brother, then celebrated his resurrection after Jesus arrived. Both women appear in this scene as well, and both are taking charge of the situation. Martha is doing more than merely serving at this banquet. The word διακονέω is sometimes used of administrative management, and we get the impression from the text that this banquet was of sufficient size to require many servants, who would need to be supervised.

Mary took charge by offering a very special gift: the anointing of Jesus’ feet. Jesus knew and later explained the reason for this gift: she was preparing him for burial. In this tense moment, Mary showed her appreciation for him and acknowledged what nobody else wanted to admit. His days were numbered.

Lord, thank you for those who step up and take charge. Thank you for the leaders in our lives.

1The Roman λίτρα, or pound, was a weight of 12 ounces in a Roman measure, about 325 grams.

2Oil from a fragrant plant native to India.

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Set apart for sacrifice

Posted on December 8, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

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John 11:54-57

Joh 11:54 That was why Jesus no longer walked publicly among the Jews but went away from there to the less populated area near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and he stayed there with the disciples.

Joh 11:55 Now the Jewish Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the less populated area to set themselves apart before the Passover.

Joh 11:56 That was why they were looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple: “What do you think? He won’t come to the festival, will he?”

Joh 11:57 The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he is, he should report it so that they could arrest him.

Set apart for sacrifice

Jesus’ bringing his friend back to life marked the point where the religious leaders in Jerusalem could no longer tolerate him. They had marked him for death, having already convinced themselves that it was for the good of their nation that he must die.

Interestingly, the Sanhedrin (or at least a group of influential members of it) had put the word out that everyone should look out for the appearance of Jesus in public in Jerusalem. The people wondered whether he would dare show his face in public again.

I was just reading a book about William Tyndale, the 16th century English scholar who dared to translate the Bible in English, and was pursued by the Catholic ecclesiastical hierarchy. Tyndale was able to avoid arrest for many years by fleeing from England, and doing his writing elsewhere.

But Jesus could not avoid his fate. It was in Jerusalem that he would die – in behalf of his nation, and in behalf of us. He set himself apart for that sacrifice.

Lord. Thank you for setting yourself apart for a sacrifice that sealed your fate, and bought forgiveness for us.

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Political reasons

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

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John 11:45-53

Joh 11:45 That was why many of the Jews who came to Mary and experienced what he did believed in him.

Joh 11:46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and said to them what Jesus had done.

Joh 11:47 That was why the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Sanhedrin together and were saying, “What are we going to do because this man is doing many sign miracles?

Joh 11:48 If we let him act this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and lift both our place and our nation.”

Joh 11:49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all!

Joh 11:50 You’re not considering the fact that it is to your advantage that one man should die in behalf of the people rather than the whole nation perish.”

Joh 11:51 But he did not say this from himself, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die in behalf of the nation,

Joh 11:52 and not in behalf of the nation only, but also to gather together the scattered children of God into one.

Joh 11:53 That was why from that day on they plotted to kill him.

Political reasons

The Sanhedrin was ostensibly a religious ruling body. But it is interesting that both ideas that they bring up here are political reasons to condemn Christ, not religious ones. They did not object to Jesus here because of his teachings, or his view of scripture. They rejected him first because they were afraid of losing their nation to the Romans. Caiaphas added a new reason – a prophetic word. But even that prophecy was motivated by a need to preserve the nation. Caiaphas knew that Jesus’ death would appease the Roman sense of Justice, and preserve the pax romana.

How many of our deeply felt religious ideas are merely political theories in disguise?

Lord, give us the good sense to seek your kingdom, and to keep our political ideas separate from that pursuit.

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come out here

Posted on December 6, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

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John 11:41-44

41 That was why they lifted the stone. Then Jesus lifted his eyes up and said, “Father, I am giving thanks to you because you have heard me.

42 But I know that you always hear me, instead – because of the crowd standing around here I said this, so that they may believe that you sent me.”

43 After he said this, he screamed with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out here!”

44 The dead man came out with the feet and the hands tied with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

come out here

Jesus’ command to Lazarus (δεῦρο ἔξω) was for him to come out of that tomb, and join the crowd outside. He did not command Lazarus to come down (καταβαίνω or κατέρχομαι). He was sleeping in that tomb, and was woken up by his Savior. He was unconscious before the words of Christ brought him back to life. Such is the case of all the dead. Our hope is not death, but rescue from death.

Lord, we who are alive await your word to transform us. Those who are asleep await the same word.

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no matter how long

Posted on December 5, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

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John 11:37-40

37 But some of them said, “Wouldn’t he who was able to open the blind man’s eyes also have made it so that this person would not die?”

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved inside himself again, came to the tomb. But it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, there is already a stink because it is four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I say to you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

no matter how long

Martha had gone to retrieve her sister, Mary, who had stayed home with the townspeople, in mourning. Mary came out to join them. They seem to be expecting something. I think they are expecting the resurrection of all the dead. But Jesus asked to be taken to a particular tomb – that of Lazarus, their brother. Martha points out that Lazarus would be stinking by this time.

Jesus wants Martha to keep believing, and he wants her to know that nothing will be an obstacle when he raises the dead. He wants us to know that too. No matter how long it has been, no matter what condition the bodies are in – even if there are no bodies any longer – Jesus is going to raise the dead.

Thank you, Lord, for your promise to raise the dead.

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he cares, he conquers

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Jefferson Vann

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John 11:31-36

31 The Jews also, who were with her in the house comforting her saw that Mary got up quickly and went out. They followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to cry there.

32 As soon as Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!”

33 That was when Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, he was deeply moved in his spirit and shook himself.

34 “Where have you put him?” he asked. “Lord,” they told him, “come and see.”

35 Jesus wept.

36 That was why the Jews said, “See how much he cared about him!”

he cares, he conquers

God has given us a glimpse into his innermost being. He has shown us how deeply moved he is by our grief over the death of our loved ones, because he also weeps. The Son, who reveals the character and person of the Father, cries with us at our funerals.

He has also conquered death. He will raise all of those who sleep in death at the resurrection when he returns.

Thank you, Lord, for caring about us. Thank you for the promise of resurrection.

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