John 8:46-59 (NRSV)

Which of you convicts me of sin?  If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?  Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God."  The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.  Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge.  Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."  The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'  Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, 'He is our God,' though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word.  Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad."  Then the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am."  So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Again, we leave our weekly progression through Mark and we take a detour into the Gospel according to John.  Today we are faced with Jesus being confronted again by the “Jews” who wish to convict him of blasphemy.  The daily lectionary repeats the exact reading that we heard on February 11, 2012; give or take a verse.  The idea that gets my attention today is that they call Jesus a Samaritan, which is ironic because Samaritans do not believe in the resurrection (and Jesus rises from the dead).

The questions continue about the identity of Jesus, and about where his power and abilities come from.  They have now come to the conclusion that Jesus must have a demon.  Jesus tries to explain that his abilities and his glory comes only from God, and that God is the source of all and the judge of all.  Jesus tries to explain his connection to God by telling them that he was before Abraham.

The call that I hear today is “be a keeper of the Word.”  Jesus says that whoever keeps his word will never taste death.  Therefore, everlasting life is the reward of being a “keeper of the Word.”  How do we keep the Word of God, which we know to be Jesus the Christ?  We keep him in faith and practice.  We keep him in trust for others.  To be keepers of the word, we need to be a sharer of the word.  In order to do this, I suggest that we live as St. Francis suggested, “preach the Gospel at all times.  When necessary, use words!”

John 18:28-38 (NRSV)

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate's headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover.  So Pilate went out to them and said, 'What accusation do you bring against this man?'  They answered, 'If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.'  Pilate said to them, 'Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.' The Jews replied, 'We are not permitted to put anyone to death.' (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)  Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?'  Jesus answered, 'Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?'  Pilate replied, 'I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?'  Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not from this world.  If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.  But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.'  Pilate asked him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.'  Pilate asked him, 'What is truth?'  After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, 'I find no case against him'

“What is truth?”  Pilate’s question is extremely profound, and jumps out at me in this reading.  I expected Jesus to answer him, but he doesn’t.  I think that the lack of answer, in itself, is an answer.  Jesus says that those who belong to the truth listens to him.  Pilate seems to be fascinated and in search of meaning for his own life.

The Jewish leaders have Jesus is taken to Pilate, the Roman Governor of the region, hoping that he will convict Jesus of a crime punishable by death.  In the reading, Pilate questions Jesus about his claims of identity and his guilt.  Jesus doesn’t deny being a king, but tells Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world.

It is interesting that the leaders have chosen this course of action.  They have accused Jesus before of blasphemy, which is punishable by stoning.  However, they tell Pilate that they are not allowed to put anyone to death.  It may be that the feelings about who Jesus is are so split that they are deadlocked about how to handle the situation further.  Not wanting to make the decision themselves forces the leaders to take Jesus to Pilate.  This would make Pilate the bad guy to the ones that thought Jesus was innocent, and would save face for the leaders that didn’t want him around.

So often we make decisions in this life based on the evidence that is presented, but often that evidence isn’t everything.  The whole story is hidden from our understanding.  Like Pilate, who is being forced into a decision between the life and death of Jesus, we search for the truth that isn’t readily accessible.

The call today for me would be to exercise caution when making decisions.  Pilate is forced into a quandary and makes the decision that Jesus is not guilty of any crime.  The only thing standing at this point is the accusations by the Jewish leaders who present him.  We know that this is not the end, but for now it seems like Pilate has made the proper decision.

John 11:1-16 (NRSV)

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill.  So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."  But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."  Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."  The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?"  Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight?  Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world.  But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them."  After saying this, he told them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him."  The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right."  Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep.  Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.  For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."  Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

Glorified.  God will be glorified through Jesus in the most unexpected of situations.  Lazarus becomes a vehicle for that glorification, and the opportunity for the disciples to fall into a deeper belief.

Lazarus is the brother of Mary & Martha, and he is sick.  Jesus and his disciples don’t seem to be in a hurry to get to them after they received the message, and stayed back for 2 days.  All of a sudden, Jesus is ready to go to Judea again.  The disciples are quick to remind him that the Jews were ready to stone him the last time he was there (see yesterday’s passage).  Jesus tells his disciples that Lazarus has died, and implies that he will use this death to help them believe.

Thomas still doesn’t understand, but appears to be thinking about Jews that are ready to stone Jesus.  He tells the other disciples, “let’s go and die with him.”  Thomas is ready to go, regardless of the consequences.

Jesus has spent the past few days of readings narrowly escaping the ones that want to kill him.  Today, Jesus is ready to go back into the danger zone for the chance to use the death of his friend to glorify God.  Jesus is ready to take the risk to help his followers believe.

I feel the call today is trust.  Be trusting, like Thomas.  Thomas acts like he would follow Jesus to the ends of the earth regardless of what they ran into.  This implies a deep trust of Jesus, and a belief that he is who he has proven himself to be.  If we were to trust like this, then we may see the Christ glorified in the world.

John 10:31-42 (NRSV)

The Jews took up stones again to stone him.  Jesus replied, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?"  The Jews answered, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God."  Jesus answered, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, you are gods'?  If those to whom the word of God came were called 'gods'-and the scripture cannot be annulled-  can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, 'I am God's Son'?  If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me.  But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."  Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.

He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there.  Many came to him, and they were saying, "John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true."  And many believed in him there.

Blasphemy…  So, the “Jews” claim that Jesus is guilty of blasphemy.  He isn’t guilty for the works he has performed, but they say he is guilty of irreverence or impiety to God.  They thought Jesus was making himself God.  Little did they know what they were up against.  Nevertheless, they once again reach for the stones.

Jesus lets the works testify to who he is, and that he does them only by the power that has been bestowed upon him by God.  He is the one that God has made holy and sent into the world, yet he is not believed by the religious powers.  Jesus reminds them of the prophets (the ones to whom the word of God came), and how the prophets were treated.

Escaping arrest, Jesus slips away across the Jordan river, to where his ministry began – where he was baptized.  People still came to him, testifying to the signs, and believing everything that John said about him.

The Pharisees and scribes (the Jews) who challenge Jesus continue to feel the pressure of their own creation.  Jesus is upsetting the apple cart, and making life difficult for them.  However, Jesus has done nothing wrong but continues to be blamed with trumped up charges and false accusations.

The call I hear today is be who you are.  Jesus is just being who he is – God.  We are not God and shouldn’t try to be God.  I feel that the leaders are challenged because they think that they have the only path to God, and therefore get to control who comes to God and how.  Jesus provides the true way to God, through belief in him.  Only if we are true to who we are can show others the way to God.

We are working hard at putting together our Lenten series at Trinity called “Outward Signs.”  In this series, small groups will discuss what it means to be an visible sign of Christ in the world.  This takes the church gathering beyond the 4 walls, and puts it in the context of the world.

John 8:21-32 (NRSV)

Again he said to them, "I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin.  Where I am going, you cannot come."  Then the Jews said, "Is he going to kill himself?  Is that what he means by saying, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?"  He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.  I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he."  They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Why do I speak to you at all?  I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him."  They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father.  So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.  And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him."  As he was saying these things, many believed in him.  Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

“Lifted up…”  It’s almost comical that the Jews still don’t understand who Jesus is (see my comment on Jews - 2/3/2012).  Jesus seems even more frustrated with the situation, and wonders why he is speaking to them at all.  As if to say, “what’s the use?”  Jesus offers the way to eternal life and reconciliation with God, and they still don’t comprehend.

The phrase “lifted up” jumps out at me because I remember the Old Testament story of Moses in the wilderness and the serpent bites.  Moses lifted up a serpent on a pole.  When Israel looked at the serpent they were healed.  [Numbers 21:4-8]  We know that if I remembered the story, these faithful people that Jesus was speaking to do.  Jesus offers them a new healing and restoration by their belief in him and the witness of his crucifixion yet to come.  He doesn’t come right out and say it, but he does say, “when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he.”  Jesus points out to them the time when they will actually get it.

If we were to read this passage without knowing the rest of the story, it might be confusing.  I think sometimes that we assume folks know the stories, so we speak in “high context” language, and don’t explain the undertones or the missing pieces.  In reflection and study of scripture, it is important to look deep into the story and try to fully understand the truths that it holds.

The call today is clear and directly from Jesus’ words…  “If you continue in my word, and are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  We struggle every day to stay engaged with what God is doing in our life, and how we discern God’s presence with us.  Being a disciple doesn’t mean that we have it all figured out, but it does mean that we consistently strive to understand and follow Jesus.  If we are honest in our efforts, participate and nurture our souls with his teaching, then Jesus will make the truth known to us, and we will be free from sin and death.

John 7:1-13 (NRSV)

Jesus went about in Galilee.  He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him.  Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So his brothers said to him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret.  If you do these things, show yourself to the world.’  (For not even his brothers believed in him.)  Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil.  Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.’  After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret.  The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, ‘Where is he?’  And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds.  While some were saying, ‘He is a good man’, others were saying, ‘No, he is deceiving the crowd.’  Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews.

Jesus didn’t go to the festival with his brothers, but went in secret afterwards.  It is very easy to get frustrated with the way John deals with “the Jews” and their seemingly devious schemes to kill Jesus.  Much caution should be taken with the text in reference to “the Jews.”  We quickly forget that Jesus himself is a faithful Jew.  So, it’s not ALL Jews - just some.  I think there needs to be a distinction made between the folks that wanted to kill Jesus (who Just happened to be Jews), and the ones who were his faithful disciples (who are also Jews), lest we be guilty of lumping groups together and making assumptions based on their race or creed. 

There are folks at the festival of Booths that are asking about Jesus, and there is some complaining about his teaching.  They are all arguing over his validity as a teacher.  His real supporters are quiet because fear has the best of them.  For some reason, Jesus has chosen to be an observer.  He stands back and “in secret” looks over the sticky situation from the outside.  Maybe he is testing the waters… maybe he wants to learn how he is being received among the crowds and how his followers will react.  Whatever the case, he decides to go "in secret" after he told his brothers that he wasn’t going.

As a leader, I cannot begin to tell you how many times that I have tried to assess a situation this way - trying to quietly get a glimpse of things from another prospective or from “behind the scenes.”  It proves to be very helpful when trying to figure out strategies and how to effectively achieve goals.  What I think of immediately is the TV show Undercover Boss.  The show makes entertainment out of corporate CEOs working for their own companies in disguise, sometimes to be completely surprised or shocked by the people who work for them (good and bad).  I’m not suggesting that Jesus went undercover to spy on his followers, but what if he did? 

I often think that if Jesus were to return today and be among us “in disguise,” what would he find?  Would we be proud to show him all of the wonderful things we are doing to build up his kingdom on earth, or would we be ashamed because we weren’t bold enough to proclaim his message?  Maybe Jesus would be a homeless person or someone who you see at the soup kitchen.  Maybe he would be the one on the other end of the phone that just needs to talk, but your busy schedule is pulling you in the other direction. 

I feel that the text today is calling us to be aware…  be aware of who we are and how we are received…  be aware of how we act toward one another and how we respond to each others needs.  We are called to be self aware and look behind the scenes and from another prospective to possibly see things as Jesus would.