Supernatural is natural for God John 16:12-15?

Jesus spoke about what He shared with the Father and the Holy Spirit in John 16. He spoke with inside knowledge of God's very being. We humans use words like person and personality, identity and community attempting to clarify all the details about how one God could reveal God's very self in three distinct ways. The best explanation I know of is a children's bookthat compared the mystery of God being 3 in 1 to an apple's skin, flesh, and seed as 3 distinct parts of one apple.

For Jesus being one with the Father and the Spirit is normal and natural, but for us this is a mystery. Jesus spoke of the things his friends couldn't yet βαστάζειν bear John 16:12. In faith we know God is one acting in the universe as three. We live with ambiguity about how or where one person of God starts and another stops. This is Jesus' true nature but for us this is a mystery.

Jesus didn't offer a solution to the mystery. It's not a logic puzzle we can solve. Instead He made a promise that the Spirit will ἀναγγελει declare it to you John 16:13-14. The Spirit won't explain away mystery; the Spirit will declare God's work in our lives as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The mystery isn't done and gone; but the experience of God working in our lives grows. The Spirit will emphasize God's work as three distinct persons with one common will and one common goal. An old teacher wisely points to the communal nature of God starting with the Holy Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit is always communal. Why? Because God is communal. Being-in-communion. The Spirit joins father and Son. The Spirit joins us to God.” Pat Keifert Talking About Our Faith p62

We look for explanations, for the point where one starts and ends. And God isn't worried about that at all. Rather God is at work seeking the redemption of what He's made.
Pax, and thanks for reading.

Jesus promised the Spirit John 14:8-17, 25-27?

Jesus is, by nature, supernatural. Time, space, even death don't limit him. When he says he'll be with his followers it's a promise He'll keep.

Jesus' friends experienced God's presence daily. Still they had so many questions. They heard Jesus speak and saw him heal. They were witnesses of God's power and still they wondered even as they watched Jesus. Philip request to Jesus, "Show us the Father" reveals the depth of the mystery and their struggle to understand. Jesus response was direct,

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John 14:9 NRSV

Jesus' point is clear. His followers had already seen the Father through his work. And those who believe today likewise see Jesus through the work of Holy Spirit. It just comes naturally for a Triune God to work this way. We humans might call God's work supernatural. But for Jesus being one with the Father and Holy Spirit is just his natural way of being. We Humans wonder how God can act supernaturally in our world; but the supernatural is part of the everyday for God.

When you get closer to Jesus you'll come closer God the Father. When you come closer to the Spirit you'll come closer to Jesus. We have so many questions about how or why the Holy Spirit acts in our lives. The thing to remember is who it all starts with. It all starts with God. For us God's nature and activity are shrouded in mystery that makes a little sense through the eyse of faith. Jesus didn't see mystery in God's work through the Holy Spirit. For Jesus, and for believers, by faith, it just makes sense. By faith we know God is at work through the Holy Spirit. By faith we understand the Spirit doesn't come from world (John 14:17). By faith we understand the the Spirit comes directly from the Father and Son. We understand by faith the Spirit is our forever advocate who we can turn to in any struggle to find support and hope (John 14:16).

continually blessing God Luke 24:44-53

Jesus left His friends and was carried up into Heaven. And His friends went away together. The gathered in worship in the temple to bless God. We can live like they did. We can live blessing and praising God. We today are invited to be with him at all times--just as his friends were 2000 years ago Luke 24:50-51. Truth is any part of our day can be lived in and for Christ's glory. I don't think that we should confuse our work or time with family as worship--but our work and time with family can be for God's glory. Adn through prayer any moment can be a moment of connection with Jesus

Faith in Jesus in no small way a recognition of Jesus presense. Jesus is already always present--with us. His invitation is to live like His presence matters. We are invited to live in every moment with Jesus as his representatives. Some say we are asked to be Jesus with flesh on for the people of our world day

Jesus friends weren't alone as He left to return to His Father. He left them together as the church. And the Holy Spirit would soon come to kindle the fire of faith in them into a light that saves. May we live as they did--carrying Christ's light in our being for the world (2 Cor 4:5-6). Peace and thanks for reading, John.

Jesus' kind of peace John 14:23-29

Jesus offers his followers a peace the world can't give John 14:27.
His promised peace makes people whole, castes out fears, and calms troubled hearts. Jesus is offering שָׁלוֹם shalom. Martin Luther wrote "...the Hebrew word for ‘peace’ means nothing else than well-being." Martin Luther, vol. 24, Luther's Works, Vol. 24 : Sermons on the Gospel of St. John: Chapters 14-16, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald and Helmut T. Lehmann, Luther's Works, John 14:27 (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1999, c1961). This word heard in over 200 places in the Hebrew Scriptures like Isaiah 57:19 is a word of hope for all people in a broken world.

Corrie ten Boom detailed her experience of this kind of peace in her book Don't Wrestle, Just Nestle She writes of the peace she knew in God's presense prison and in concentration camps from walking close to God.

Often we had to go too early roll call, which started at 3:30 AM. Betsie and I would walk through the camp, and there were three of us present. Betsie said something, I said something, and the Lord said something. I can't tell you how but both Betsie and I understood clearly what He said. These walks were a bit of heaven in the midst of hell. Everything around us was blanck and dark, but in us there was a light that belonged to eternity.

Jesus is offering peace and wholeness for those who obey him. Jesus calls us to obey him as we hope for peace. Jesus calls to us: obey his commands. Serve (John 13:15) and love (John 14:34-35) as he does and He says peace will come. When I sin I chose to walk away from His commands. In my rebellion against God I head away from the wholeness/peace שָׁלוֹם shalom only He can give.

I'm a sinner--that means I have and sadly will again disobey God's commands. I have and will deny God's transcendent presence with me and those who my sins hurt. I have and fear I will walk away from His peace.  Jesus' command to obey sounds harsh command to my ears. I'd choose a softer word like follow. But Jesus didn't. He said obey meaning surrendering judgement and will to God. Obey means follow and trust His commands even if they don't make sense. Obeying for me, like my dog, means walking close with God in the path He's chosen. Once on the path or restored again to the path we find Christ's peace and wholeness.

In Jesus' day the Romans enforced their own kind of peace on the Mediterranean world. The Pax Romana was a military peace lasting nearly 200 years. Rome's peace came when the Roman Army beat down and defeated all other powers. This veneer of peace was enforced through fear and swift military intervention. One might imagine people tired of battle between Roman factions viewed the peace as a repreive. But others, on the Empire's edges, like Judea, fought hard against Roman occupation and oppression.

Jesus promised His followers wholeness not just the absence of open conflict. He promises a peace based not on fear of annihilation but on following in the way that leads to everlasting life. His offer of peace builds on relationship that starts with him coming to us and stepping into our lives (Mark 1:16-20) and inviting us to follow--to obey and to enter into peace and wholeness.
Pax, John

Can you love like He did? John 13:31-35?

Jesus came on purpose--to die and rise.
On the way to His cross and resurrection Jesus taught, healed, and called others to follow in his ways. The center of following Jesus is a very straight-forward sounding command: love αγαπάω agapao one another. It sounds simple--but for a sinner like me--loving like Jesus, giving the very core of your being away, involves a change of character that begins with repentence and the ammendment of life. Selfish ways end in order that Christ like way begin.

Jesus called his followers to a self giving kind of love (John 13:34). Jesus' words echo backwards to Leviticus 19:18. His words looked forward too for the church. He showed his followers how to serve others the same evening He took of his cloak, wrapped himself in a towel and knelt down like a servant to wash his disciple's feet (John 13:3-17). Jesus was then and is now turning the world's order of greatest and least completely over. The greatest of all in Jesus' mind are the servants not the served.

Loving like Jesus means serving and honoring those around us--not just seeking for our own good. Serving like Jesus means humility. Loving like Jesus involves sacrifice of the self for the sake of an other person's good. Jesus' words here make the most sense to those who know the power of the cross and resurrection. Jesus' cross is the ultimate example of αγαπάω agapao self giving love.

Jesus' resurrection is the ultimate outcome of God's self-giving love. God's self-giving love is the basis of new hope and new life. It's agape love that can overcome hate and destruction. Its agape love that always sees the child of God even in our enemies. It's agape love that holds onto hope for all God's children no matter how far gone they might appear.

The cross deserves central place in our consideration of how to live out Jesus' call to love one another as he has loved us. These words call us into to lose ourselves and live on in Christ.
thanks for reading, Pax, John

Which comes first belonging to Jesus or believing in Jesus John 10:22-30?

Which comes first belonging to Jesus or believing in Jesus?
It's a chicken or egg kind of question. I can't figure it out myself—and I don't know if I should be able to either. Maybe its the kind of question that's best to come back to later because it isn't the main question we should be asking. Maybe it's time to hear Jesus' words of promise in John 10:27 again. This is Jesus himself speaking to and knowing his sheep. And his sheep, Jesus says, will recognize his voice.
Many generations of young people have been encouraged to study and prepare for tests about the faith. And as these generations have studied and learned the facts have slowly at first and now very rapidly left the church it's become clear that the point of faith has been lost.  Faith is being in the flock Jesus spoke about in John 10:27-30.
Faith is more than facts—its trust, confidence in God to save: Theologian Diana Butler Bass tells of her 13 year old daughter wondering about her place in the church. The girl was in a confirmation class which would end with an exam. Her daughter wondered what would happen if she failed the test. Would that mean she wouldn't get confirmed—and more importantly would that mean she didn't have a place in the church. Her theologian mom was upset—passing a test isn't the point of the Christian faith—trusting in God is.
For generations American Evangelicals have battled between Arminian and Calvinist positions. Arminians insisting that humans act first choosing to believe and Calvinists insisting that God acts first selecting those who would come to faith. And maybe in this debate many have simply missed the mystery of how faith works and the wonder of Christ coming to save.
Faith is confidence in Christ. It is trust in the shepherd who is trustworthy before we ever trust in him. In the end maybe following and believe come together as David Lose suggests. Maybe this is the true organic nature of Christian faith. We aren't the only ones involved--Christ is the one leading and calling us to follow. For the Good Shepherd I give thanks today.
Pax, John

When mourning turns into dancing? John 21:1-19 Psalm 30?

My one wish for all people is joy in the Lord. Such joy starts with faith--simple confidence in God. Joyfilled believers are living witnesses to God's power to make all things new.
A joyful believer dying of cancer can share hope while dying. God given faith makes it possible. Believers see past suffering and death. Believers don't skip suffering and death--rather in faith Christians their place with God today and for always. Faith is confidence--it is knowing that God's hands are open to receive in the end and that God is with them right now. God given faith gives all the soil needed for joy and hope to sprout and grow.
Christians are free, by faith, to face terror and worry with joy. When hell seems to have broken open on earth believers like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie Ten Boom, and others reveal joy in Christ--even in places as awful as concentration camps. The very nature of faith--of knowing God is with you in all things--makes joy and hope possible.
Please don't be confused: Joy isn't happiness or an absence of trouble. Joy is living with God in all circumstances. Psalm 30 asks God:

What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Psalm 30:9-10 ESV

Jesus' friend Peter may have wondered about Jesus love and concern for him. Think what'd he'd done. The story's clear. Peter promised Jesus he'd go with even to prison and death (Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27—31; Luke 22:31—34; John 13:36—38). Just hours later, Peter denied knowing Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66—72; Luke 22:54—62; John 18:15—18, John18:25—27).
Peter went away and wept bitterly. To put it simply he mourned.

After the resurrection Peter met Jesus again. He had a moment of reckoning coming after Jesus' resurrection. It was a moment when Peter's life was turned from mourning to joy. Jesus came to Peter, who was out fishing. Peter didn't recognize Jesus on shore (John 21:4). Jesus called out to the men in the boat (John 21:5). They hadn't caught anything yet. Jesus said to throw the nets in one more time. Now the nets were nearly bursting. Peter knew it was Jesus recreating the miracle from the first time they'd met--only bigger this time (Matthew 4.18—22; Mark 1.16—20; Luke 5:1-11). Peter jumped in and swam ashore. (John 21:5-7).
On shore Jesus shared breakfast with His friends. Then He took a moment with Peter (John 21:15-19). He lead Peter through mourning into joy asking αγαπας με agapas me: do you love me with a sacrificial life giving love? Peter answered Jesus question saying φιλω σε philo se: I love you brother. Peter didn't answer Jesus question. So Jesus asked again: αγαπας με agapas me: do you love me with a sacrificial life giving love? Peter answered φιλω σε philo se: I love you brother. Peter's guilt and mourning were exposed. Peter hadn't kept his promise to Jesus--and Jesus knew the grief in Peter's heart. Now Jesus asked him a new question: φιλεις μεphiles me: do you love me brother And Now Peter could say yes. Peter knew his shame and mourned it. Jesus met Peter in his grief and reclaimed his as a brother. Peter could tell Jesus φιλω σεphilo se: I love you brother. Jesus changed his mourning to joy.

Peter's denial didn't disqualify him from serving God--Jesus' restored making him worthy. Yes Peter had denied Jesus. Yes every saint turned sinner has a past that involves denying God's transcendent presence in our lives--not much different than Peter denying Jesus is it? The key is Jesus didn't leave Peter.  And He doesn't want us to stay stuck mourning our past. Peter's mourning would turn into joy spreading the gospel. He lived out the words of Psalm 30:8.

For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:8 ESV

All saints have pasts--and that's where the Good News breaks in. People of faith, it's wrongly assumed, have no troubles or would be disqualified from serving God if they did have troubles. Such assumptions are equally dangerous and wrong. Every believer struggles. We live with knowledge of how we've let God down. We live with depression, fear, guilt, sin, shame, diseases, and temptations too they are all real--but for the God who raises us to new life our pasts and our struggles are never disqualifying. We like Peter live with the consequences of broken promises and unfulfilled dreams but God doesn't want to leave us in mourning. The God of hope who meets us in the middle of suffering and restores us to new life. The Apostle Paul wrote:

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. 2 Corinthians 4:8-12 ESV

Faith helps us see God's presence with us. Knowing God's presence, even just for a second in dark times, gives us hope and joy in the midst of very real struggles.
thanks be to God for every glimpse of the resurrection and the new life. AMEN
Pax, John