This week’s Gospel reading from the Lectionary is a passage that is used at funerals quite often (John 14:1-14). This passage is very comforting and it assures us that if we are in a right relationship with Jesus, there is a place for us in heaven, a place prepared by Jesus himself! This passage is part of the “farewell discourse” as told by the author of John’s Gospel.
Jesus begins this passage by comforting and reassuring the disciples. The verb translated as “troubled” (tarasso in Greek) has already been used three time in John’s Gospel (11:33, 12:27, 13:21) and all three are used to describe Jesus’ condition of distress and agitation in the face of the power of death and evil. Jesus also tells them (and us today) how we can live a life with certainty as to where we will be when we die. Jesus is quoted as saying, “Believe in God, believe also in me.” (v. 1b NRSV) These two verbs should be taken as an imperative. In other words, Jesus is telling his disciples and you and me today that we MUST believe in God and believe in Jesus so that we will have life eternal with them in heaven. Jesus is telling his disciples this as he prepares them for his death. Through their eyes of faith, the disciples should be able to see that Jesus’ death is the culmination of his work. Jesus came to die for our sins, paying a debt we cannot pay and this was all part of God’s plan of salvation for the world. Jesus offers us the gift of grace, forgiveness and life eternal but we are required to believe—believe both in God and in Jesus. It is in believing that we learn to do what Jesus did! So then, stop asking (what would Jesus do) and start doing what Jesus did! He demands no less! Amen. Comments are closed.
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This blog consists of reflections written by the minister each week for the Sunday bulletin. We hope that you enjoy the musings! Archives
January 2020
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