John 10-14We are heading into the wordy Jesus, the one whose "red letters" just fill up page after page in my old Bible. This is a Jesus that at times I find myself thinking, "What in the world are you talking about?" Yet this is also the Jesus I turn to when I really need a word from God. What does that mean? Maybe that God's otherness is just the comfort I so often need.
But that doesn't mean that this section is not full of enough questions to keep a person busy for a life time. It seems to me that right off the bat Jesus hints that there are some who are sneaking into the kingdom. Can you do that? How often do I try to do that--get in without anyone knowing that I am there, that I am following Jesus? But then comes that line that just throws a kink in all our ideas about missions and evangelism--"I have other sheep not of this fold." How far are we willing to take that? Sure, we will let the Methodist and the Lutherans in (have to say that since Anita grew up Methodist and Deanna grew up Lutheran!) but what about those "other ones?" And what about the Other Ones--those who don't even call themselves Christians? Is Jesus going to corral them into the kingdom too?
Now before I get accused of blasphemy (again) let me remind you that was the accusation aimed at Jesus. In the winter (I actually like the little details that John throws in) the religious leaders are ready to stone him! (That would make our rituals a bit different would it? How do you make the sign of the stone? OK, now we are really heading into the world of blasphemy!) Who are the others that we religious types have sought to stone? And how often do we run away at the first sight of that kind of opposition?
Jesus ran away--for a season. but then decides that he will go back. And I love Thomas's reaction--Let's go so that we can die with him. So why don't we ever talk about Faithful Committed Thomas?
The whole Lazarus story has enough material for a year of sermons don't you think? Why did Jesus wait? What do we do with Martha's reprimand of Jesus (even though the actress on the recording didn't want to go there with Jesus--there are some things we just can't do even now!) What do we do with Martha's lie to her sister? (Jesus never asked about her!)
Through it all however is such deep truth! Jesus cries! He grieves! We hear the anger and the negotiating from Lazarus' family and friends! These are real grief responses--the very ones that we so often try to shove under the rug when we are going through grief! There is a wealth of lessons for us here!
Seeing isn't believing! Some of the those who saw Jesus raise Lazarus went to the Pharisees announcing that they had to do something with this man less he bring down the whole kingdom. And isn't that exactly what Jesus is seeking to do--bring down or in the kingdom? Just not the one we want, the one we have. And so the leaders do what is expedient, what is necessary. They decide that he has to go!
Now before we crucify them, perhaps we need to think of all the times when we choose to do what is expedient, what is necessary. How often do we fail to do the things that we really should do--like the disciples! How dense are they? I mean, if I heard Jesus say, "The one I give this bread to is the one who will betray me," and then gives the bread to Judas, I really hope I would at least say, "Hey Judas, what is going on?"
And did you catch that John doesn't have a "Last Supper?" It is just supper, the day before Passover. Instead of communion John gives us foot washing. Just interesting what caught on in the church!
One last thing, Phillip asked Jesus to show them the Father and "That will be enough." Is it? What is enough for me? For us?
I think that John just has too much! Too much for me to take in! Tomorrow is Sunday, so there won't be a blog, but instead I hope you will join us at Providence as we continue to imagine the Kingdom of God. But feel free to add your comments!
2 comments:
This was one of my favorite passages, and blogs, so far. You are so right, Don! I do not always understand what this Jesus means, but I find his words so comforting. Something in me says that here is Truth. It must be that "God's otherness is just the comfort I so often need." Wow! That's good stuff!
I also love that the otherness of God allows those we would label "other" to sneak into the Kingdom, and Jesus is right there holding the gate open for them. No, not only that, he IS the gate that opens for them. It seems so different from the "narrow way that few will find" that we've heard about in other gospels, doesn't it?
Now, finally, we come to Lazarus. I love this story!!! Pretty much everything about it is fantastic, and rings so true to what I see of life and death. This was one of the passages I chose for my grandmother's funeral, because there is so much real grief here, and there's Jesus right in the midst of it, weeping! You're right, I was a bit disappointed that the actresses on the CD didn't portray the anger I always imagined coming from both Martha and Mary. I always heard especially Martha yelling at him, "Where were you?! We sent for you and you didn't come!" Her heart is broken by grief, and we so often lash out at anyone we can find to blame in those situations. I love that she gets angry with Jesus, and that Jesus takes it, and then he weeps too. I've heard so many theories on what was behind those tears, why Jesus wept. I'm confident that he was a complicated enough person that there is not one single answer to that question. I think there were a lot of thoughts and emotions behind those tears, just like there almost always are behind mine. I love that Jesus shares that with me, with us. He has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead, but he also has the brokenness to weep like we do.
For years I have been wondering, why does only John have the Lazarus story??? Weren't the others there too? If you knew THIS story, why would you not tell it?!? This is as good as it gets!
I had forgotten that the leaders also wanted to kill Lazarus, which makes sense, I guess. As walking talking proof that Jesus is something special he was a threat. But it seems almost comical to me, when you think about all the other people in the story who have already been touched in some way by Jesus's "signs." Are you gonna kill the woman at the well, and the paralyzed man, and the man born blind, and everyone who drank that really good wine at the wedding in Cana, and all the 5000 plus who ate the multiplied fish and loaves?! If you try to eliminate everyone who knows Jesus's power, the body count is gonna get pretty high here!
The disciples had definite communication problems. If they had just spoken up more, maybe they would've caught on sooner to what Jesus was doing. (And I say this as much about myself, as someone who doesn't always speak up when I should.) Just like when they found Jesus talking to the woman at the well, they don't say anything when Jesus and Judas have what must've been a very tense interaction at the table. The text tells us they wondered what was going on, but they keep quiet.
The end of chapter 14 has some of the most beautiful words of comfort in the whole Bible I think. "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you." And "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid." Just beautiful. Yeah, this is definitely the Jesus I go running to when trouble comes, the weeping Jesus, the Jesus of unworldly peace.
I'm always a day behind and Don and Stacy said it all! I too LOVE this section - and enjoyed hearing it, listening as if to Jesus' voice itself.
I have to say I do not care for the women actresses in this audio drama - the voices are whiny and the parts are weakly read - not that I am any judge of acting - but they leave me wishing we had some REAL women reading. I find it distracting.
Anyone else feel that way?
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