There’s a subplot that needs a conclusion, and it’s the story of Peter and his relationship with Jesus that’s been strained by his spiritual pride and insecurity. Remember Peter’s declaration? “‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’ And Jesus’ answer, ‘I tell you the truth, today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’” (Mark 14:28-30)

Peter wanted to outdo the other disciples and it had caused him to hit a brick wall. If he had simply admitted to himself that he was a half-hearted coward like the others, he would have been fine. Jesus always knew Peter’s lack, and he was fine with that, because the relationship didn’t depend on Peter’s love and devotion, but on Jesus’ generosity.

Peter had a character flaw that until this time was evident to most, but not known to him. He still didn’t get what the kingdom of God was about. He had even tried to educate Jesus on how to have a successful ministry, which earned a swift rebuke, “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23)

Peter’s faith had been in his faith instead of in Jesus, and he had always thought of himself as a leader because he tried harder than the rest to be valuable to Jesus’ mission. But he was found wanting that fateful Friday morning when the rooster crowed. But Jesus was never looking for someone special, just someone who simply lived loved.

So when Jesus showed up with breakfast on the shore that foggy morning, Peter’s heart was the intended target of Jesus’ healing.

“Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

The same question asked three times pierced Peter’s heart like a dagger, exposing Peter’s weak devotion, but Jesus blew on that dying ember and fanned it in to flame. “A smoldering wick he will not snuff out…” (Matthew 12:20) And instead of a reprimand, Jesus gives him his mission in life, “Feed my sheep”, and repeats it three times to drive it home.

Jesus was simply teaching Peter what he wants all of us to know, that he’s not looking for great people, but for people who know enough to follow the One who’s great. He wants ordinary people with whom he can do extraordinary things. Impressive people are just a distraction.

And when it couldn’t get any better for Peter, Jesus puts the icing on the cake and promises him he will die a martyr. A promise? It meant that he will finally be the fearless leader he had always wanted to be, but not through willpower this time, but through the transforming power of Jesus’ love.

And what a leader he turned out to be! Not authoritarian, but with humility, as evidenced by his advice given decades later, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, …eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1Peter 5:2,3) These aren’t words coming from someone wanting to be somebody.

But in the meantime, with Jesus and Peter walking on the beach, there’s Peter’s competitor since fishing days and his main source of irritation, “the beloved”, the author of this gospel, walking behind them and eavesdropping.

So Peter turns around and says, “So what about him? Is he going to be a martyr, too?” Jesus smiles and says, “What is that to you? Just follow me.”

That’s the message of Christ to us and to all, and for all time. “Just follow me.” It really is just that simple.

This concludes my comments on John’s gospel. I want to thank you for reading my posts. I hope you’ve found them encouraging. I’ll be taking a break from writing for a while, but if you want to be notified of any future posts, simply subscribe to this blog.

Shalom.

Suddenly Jesus is in the room! And he says, “Peace be with you,” or “Shalom.” But this common greeting takes on a whole new meaning on this night. Not only were the disciples afraid of the religious police, but now they think they have a ghost in the room.

Luke tells the story with a little more detail: “They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.”

And if this wasn’t enough proof of Jesus’ physical presence, he had a bite to eat in front of them. “And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.” (Luke 24:37-43)

The disciples’ fear turned to joy in an instant. Then instead of Jesus giving them advice on how to survive this next phase of their lives, he gives them a job, a big job: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

In other words, “As I was sent by the Father to speak his words and do his works, and to have his life in me, I now send you to speak my words, do my works, and to have my life in you.”

Now this can’t be done by mere human effort. That’s why the Holy Spirit was given. The Greek word for “breathed” here is the same word used in the Greek Old Testament for God breathing life in to Adam, which turned a body made of dirt into a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

But what about this forgiveness and unforgiveness mandate? I think Luke’s account of this scene helps us understand this better, “…and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:47)

Through their testimony all would learn of their standing with their Creator, and of the free gift of righteousness given through his Son. And the nations’ rightness with God will depend on their acceptance or rejection of their message. That’s a big mandate. But as Jesus later told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go…” (Matthew 28:18), they had all they needed to fulfill their calling.

Even Thomas, who was absent in this encounter, became convinced a week later when Jesus again appeared and offered his wounds as proof of his resurrection. Thomas later traveled with his commission to southern India where he was martyred, but not before he led many to Christ and planted a Christian community that still exists today.

Jesus takes his followers from fear and salvaging what they had left of their lives to sending them to the world with his authority and life. We have the same mission, and Jesus even calls us more blessed than these men, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (v.30)

So what’s the purpose of this whole wonderful story? That we might have life in his name. Life after death? Yes, and more than that. Social change? Yes, more than that. We can have the trans formative life of Jesus now, in this life. Why? Because he gave us the eternal kind of life that begins the instant we accept his call to turn around and follow him.

“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1John 5:12)

Mary Magdalene had intended to finish preparing Jesus’ body for internment, arriving before dawn on Sunday, perhaps for lack of sleep. What she found at the tomb seemed to just add one more cruel blow to her hopes and dreams that had been dashed by Jesus’ death.

The tomb had been broken into, and she immediately assumed that Jesus’ body had been moved to a pauper’s grave by Joseph of Arimathea’s hired hands. So she ran to Peter and John and told them that Jesus’ body was missing.

This made the disciples quite upset, and her even more distraught, and she assumed that this was just one more sign that her new life with Jesus had been too good to be true. Yet, she just wanted to know where Jesus’ body was, because his body was all that was left of her dream, and she wanted to express her love for him by making sure he had a decent burial.

Peter and John ran to the tomb and looked in and saw that the grave clothes were still there, and the cloth that had been around Jesus’ head had been meticulously  folded and laid where the body had been. The interior of the tomb had a calmness to it, in contrast to the chaos going on outside where confusion resided.

Again, we see the difference between God’s perspective and our perspective. Victorious peace instead of uncertainty. Calm versus the storm.

So the guys left and Mary stayed behind crying her heart out. “As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.” Her tears prevented her from seeing that these were not mere men sitting in the tomb.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

“At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was him. ‘Woman,’ he said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’”

“Thinking he was (Joseph of Arimathea’s)  gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’”

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means [dear] Teacher).”

“Jesus said, ‘Do not (keep) hold(ing) on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. (Or, ‘don’t keep touching me to see if I’m real–I’m still here in the flesh.’) Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ “

Jesus’ followers had started out as his disciples, then his friends and now his brothers. Our relationship with him is intended to grow. Our salvation is based on a person, not just an arrangement he has made that we mentally believe in. And it’s never Jesus’ intention to keep us at a distance. That’s our doing.

This is an amazing part of the story. Here we have two wealthy prominent men, who were closet followers of Jesus until this point, who decided to give Jesus a proper burial at great cost and great risk. Even asking Pilate for Jesus’ body could have been deadly.

The usual practice of the Romans, when executing a treasonous rebel leader was to let the body hang to rot as a deterrent to anyone else who would get ideas about overthrowing the Roman occupation. But because of the Passover holiday, or the possibility that Pilate felt some remorse for convicting someone who was no political threat, Pilate granted the two men their request.

But what I find amazing is the timing of their coming out as full blown disciples. They had kept their interest in Jesus private while he was teaching and healing people, and now when Jesus was dead they decide to make it public. And not only was Jesus dead, but the movement that he had started was also dead. But there was something that caused these two men to come out into the open at great risk to their reputations, positions, and their very lives.

Maybe that “something” was the way Jesus died that gave them the spine they had lacked until then. Jesus’ soon resurrection validated all the claims he had made about himself and all he had taught about life in the kingdom, but even while dead he turned lives upside down.

Maybe like the centurion who “…heard his cry and saw how he died, and said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39), these two men realized that Jesus, even reduced to a bloody corpse, was far more valuable than anything the world system had to offer.

So because of the holiday and its restrictions, they didn’t have time to do the normal washing and preparation that was usually done to a deceased person, so they packed Jesus’ body in seventy-five pounds of spices to preserve it until after the Sabbath, when they would come back to finish the job. And because of their handling of a dead body, they were not able to celebrate the Passover.

They gave Jesus a burial normally reserved for royalty. A fresh garden tomb and spices were not to be provided for the body of a commoner, and especially not for a treasonous cult leader. Hanging on the cross for many days and being devoured by vultures was the usual way. But even in his death, these men knew he was a king, and one worth losing everything and possibly even dying for, even though he appeared to be a failed king.

I doubt these two sat down and listed all the pros and cons of what they were about to do, or had even a theological understanding of what had transpired, but they had seen and heard Jesus, and that was enough.

There’s something about Jesus, and him alone, that makes it easy to give up everything for him.

Jesus had finished drinking from the cup of suffering for our redemption, and now he was thirsty. He drank, then he voluntarily died.

As we read John’s account of the crucifixion we notice that he leaves out some pretty major details and includes some minor ones. John wrote his account late in life, probably near the end of the first century. His audience was primarily non-Jewish Christians of the Greek culture.

Gentile believers then were heavily influenced by Greek philosophy as we western believers are today, that’s why John’s gospel runs counter to our religious thinking. While the Jews placed their value in their piety, or sin management, the Greeks valued their knowledge, whether received through education or mysticism. You know, deep stuff.

Greek philosophy had infected the first century church, and they had no problem believing in Christ’s divinity. It was his humanity they were struggling with. They had a hard time believing that the holy creator of all things could come in the form of earthly flesh and blood, because the visible was considered base and only the invisible was good. John called that philosophy the antichrist spirit of his day.

That’s why he wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” (1John 1:1), and “Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist…” (1John 4:2,3) Try throwing that term around today. They’ll put you in a straitjacket.

Many Christians of John’s day were impressed with the Gnostics, the wizards of smart, the “knowing ones”.

The incarnation is the greatest stumbling block to western thinking. God coming completely to our broken world and becoming one of us, and leaving no place to go or nothing to do to get closer to him makes it too simple. His kingdom is now as close to us as the nose on our face. Our problem is we’d like to stay at a comfortable distance where life is more predictable.

His generosity to the uneducated working class has always been an offence to those who want to climb the spiritual ladder. The problem is God came down the ladder and there’s no reason to climb up. That’s why it’s lonely at the top.

Western style Christianity gives us only two options: Cold cerebral knowledge that doesn’t transform anyone, where the only miracle performed is making time stand still on Sunday mornings. Or the alternative, which is mysticism and a “deep” pseudo-spirituality which has nothing to do with Jesus and what he taught, and I’m talking about Christians, not New Agers.

How about this detail of the story: “…one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.” (v.34) John’s story is filled with symbolic details, showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament scripture and that he meets us at our need.

Blood and water are what Jesus provided for our salvation, death and life. The blood that soaked the dust that day was human blood–sinless, yet human. And he paid for our redemption with his blood. (Jesus is still human today, and is forever human, and he taught us how humans are to live. That’s why I’m not fond of the saying, “Hey I’m only human!”)

We are to value every day in this life, living in the kingdom here and now, and displaying the life of God in our ordinary world. There’s no greater calling.

The water symbolizes the new eternal quality of life that he gives us now and forever. He washes us with his word through the power of the Holy Spirit and makes us clean from our worldy ways and gives us not an improved life but a brand new life.

So John in his gospel account is telling us westerners that Jesus is the Son of Man who thirsted, bled, died and resurrected, and gave us a new, full life that will continue through eternity.

“The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.”

The gospel accounts of Jesus’ cruel death were never written to stir up pity for Jesus, and I believe this is the reason for the lack of gory details. He only wants us to receive what he has done with joy and gratitude, yet never counting it as an ordinary death. (Heb.10:29) Dietrich Bonhoeffer described his salvation “free but not cheap”.

One of the things that separate us from the religions of the world is that we are to actually celebrate the death of our founder. And another is that since that day there has been no need for us to appease an angry God, as others (and sadly some Christians) continually find themselves attempting to do.

He wants us to receive fully what he has done with no hesitation. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.” (John 6:56,57)

Back at the Skull, we see the Roman executioners passing the time gambling for Jesus’ seamless tunic while they guard over the prolonged death of Jesus and the two thieves. So why is this included in the story when other details are left out? I believe it’s to remind us that this was no random misfortune for Jesus, but a fulfillment of scripture, a part of God’s plan from the beginning.

“They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.” (Psalm 22:18)

Does this mean that God is also sovereign in the midst of our “random misfortunes”?

Even while on the cross he was reaching out to the fallen world. Hung between two hardened criminals, one received him and was welcomed into eternal companionship with him that day, and the other would not receive him.

And even in his suffering he continued to carry out his ministry, even birthing a new kind of community on this earth, the New Testament community. Jesus joined his mother and John the disciple together as a new kind of mother and son. “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.”

Jesus had natural siblings who could take care of his mother, including James and Jude who would later become leaders in the church and New Testament writers, but as yet they were unbelievers. Jesus’ mother belonged to Jesus’ new family, a family of royal subjects who live for their King. He had said earlier, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” (Luke 8:21)

How fortunate we are when we have a spiritual bond within our natural family. That is a true luxury. But Mary at this point was the only one in her family who followed Jesus.

The spiritual bond in the community of Jesus’ followers is meant to be stronger than natural family ties, so maybe that’s why Jude introduced himself many years later as “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James”, because he knew full well that water is indeed thicker than blood.

But the mob would not be satisfied with anything but crucifixion, so that they could be done once and for all with Jesus’ popularity, “because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse”. (Dt.21:23)

Plus, the leaders were simply obeying God’s word, or so they thought. “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”(v.7) It all boils down to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” (Mt.16:15). Following scripture without following Jesus, the Word, is like children playing with matches.

“Here is your king!” Pilate prophetically announced, but the religious mob made the choice that’s been made during the whole course of human history. They chose an earthly king instead of the heavenly one. They preferred someone who predictably exploited them over someone who would lead them into the promised (yet unknown) land.

“Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have,” the Israelites begged Samuel. (1Sam.8:5) And God told Samuel, “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” (v.7) “He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.  When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.” (vv.17,18)

So lest we look down our noses at the bloodthirsty mob, let’s realize that they weren’t the only ones who have committed the sin of choosing the wrong king. It’s part of fallen human nature to chose the safety and conformity of taking the path of least resistance and choosing tyranny and abuse over the unknown path of freedom.

Remember this line in CS Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe‘?

Then he (Aslan) isn’t safe?’ asked Lucy.

‘Safe?’ said Mr. Beaver. ‘Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.’

But the religious mob was driven in their “the ends justify the means” mentality to ultimately reveal what was in their hearts. “We have no king but Caesar!” they shouted. The truth finally came out, and it’s coming out again today.

“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.” (Luke 2:34,35)

When the mob was asked what the charges were, they replied, “If he were not a criminal we would not have handed him over to you.” In other words, “Trust us, he’s no good.”

Pilate then summoned Jesus into the palace and asked him privately, “Are you the king of the Jews?” In essence, “Are you the leader of a rebellion against Rome?”

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” Interesting question. Jesus was directing Pilate to take a look at his own heart to see if he received a revelation from above that Jesus was indeed the King of the Jews in a spiritual sense, or if he simply accepted the false charge that Jesus was the self-appointed leader of a political rebellion.

Even in the presence of a pagan ruler who is about to kill him, Jesus is concerned with this man’s heart. And he blows on any spark he can see in this man in order to bring it to life. “…a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” (Is.42:3)

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” The wall went up. Pilate used race and religion to protect him from Jesus’ probing questions.

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” Jesus is telling Pilate that his kingdom transcends worldly concerns, and that in his kingdom there’s no need for self preservation, because his empire is truly the ruling empire.

That is why he could say earlier, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Mt.5:5)

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. The spark is turning into a flame again. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

Why didn’t Jesus explain to Pilate “the gospel”? The atonement, propitiation, justification, etc, etc. Why? Pilate was a pagan gentile who wasn’t even aware of the need for an atonement. He was an agnostic, a non-knower. He needed to be led from his place of ignorance to the truth by Truth himself. It’s about a person who is the truth. It’s not what we know, it’s who we know.

Up went the wall again when Pilate threw up his hands and said, “What is truth?” He retreated back into the comfort zone of his secular mindset like a turtle shrinking into his shell. But he knew enough to know that Jesus was no political threat to the Empire, and therefore innocent.

So he looked for a way to set Jesus free by offering to release him as the customary pardonee at Passover. But the crowd would have none of it. They demanded the release of Barabbas, someone more patriotic.

John writes that Jesus was led to Annas for a quick hearing. Annas was the father in law to Caiaphas, the one whose turn it was to be the high priest that year. Annas had five sons who had already had their turn being the high priest, so Annas was the honorary Most High Priest, the big one for life.

The job of the high priest was to make atonement for the sins of the people, and it’s ironic that Annas and Caiaphas  were, unwittingly, about to make the final atonement, with Jesus being the sacrificial lamb. And not only was he the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), “he has become a high priest forever…” (Hebrews 6:20). Annas and Caiaphas were working themselves out of their jobs.

So what we have here is the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, the old era to the new, and Jesus makes it happen by sacrificing himself. From now on there’s “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”. (1 Timothy 2:5) Anyone who claims to be your mediator, other than Jesus, is a usurper.

Outside in the courtyard there’s another drama going on. Peter is being questioned by a servant girl who suspects by his northern accent (which Jesus had also) that he’s one of Jesus’ cohorts (Mt. 26:73). And Peter fails the loyalty test, which we will talk about at another day. His “der hey” nearly got him busted.

“Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.’I have spoken openly to the world,’ Jesus replied. ‘I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.’ When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. ‘Is this the way you answer the high priest?’ he demanded.”

There are a couple of things to notice here. One is the obvious, that Jesus exercises great restraint for our sakes, and the second one is his answer, “Ask those who heard me”.  This is still his answer today. “Go ask the ones who have heard my words and they will tell you”. He told us we will be his witnesses (Acts 1:8), which is our primary calling, not to promote a religion or an organization, but to share Jesus’ teaching with those around us.

We can’t repeat anything we’ve not heard. Have we heard his teaching?

“Go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Mt. 28:19)

The temple guards were sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees once before to arrest Jesus, but they had returned empty handed because, “No one ever spoke the way this man does.” (John 7:32,45-46) This time they were determined to bring him in, so they had a large contingent of Roman soldiers with them who were ready for a fight.

So when they approached Jesus and his friends at night in the olive grove, Jesus stepped forward and asked them “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

Let’s back up here. There are a couple of profound things in this story. The first is that Jesus had to be identified by Judas as the leader. Jesus didn’t stand out from his people, at least by his appearance or his demeanor. He didn’t make sure he acted like he was the boss, or even worse, a politician. I wrote about this earlier in a post: http://kentonsblog.wordpress.com/2009/07/25/leading-from-the-bottom/

Secondly, the handle “Jesus of Nazareth” sums up the incarnation, God made one of us. Jesus, the Son of God, Savior, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, of Nazareth, the wrong side of the tracks, the armpit of Israel. He made himself as ordinary as possible so that not one of us would be discouraged from following him because of our background. It would be like identifying himself today as “Jesus of Gary, Indiana”, and saying it with fondness.

“I am he,’ Jesus said…When Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” What he said, more accurately, is, “I am”. Here we have a very ordinary looking person, who, when he opens his mouth to say who he is, point blank, with out any cryptic saying or parable this time, people have a hard time staying vertical, not even big soldiers.

So what we have here is a very humble, ordinary looking person declaring himself to be the “I am”, and all of a sudden the tables have turned.

So he asked them again,  ”Who is it you want?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” (and bracing themselves.)

“I told you that I am (he),” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” Which they did, amazingly, even after Peter foolishly swung a sword at one of them and whacked off an ear. The band of thugs sent by the temple leaders knew who really was in charge, and they obeyed Jesus’ orders and let the others go, and they knew he was going to his trial and death voluntarily.

Did you know Jesus’ words have the same power today, when spoken by people who really believe them? His words aren’t magic, they’re just true. He really is in charge. Really. None of your circumstances have a chance against Jesus’ words.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” (John 15:7) Is this verse used and abused by the Bless Me Club? Of course it is, but don’t let them steal if from you. If you truly live in Christ and his words truly live in you, you are dead to your own will and and his desires become yours.

(Have you ever plucked verses out of their context and stuck them on your fridge, and demanded that God make them come true without considering the verses around them? Yeah I have. The surrounding verses usually include things God is asking me to do. I don’t do that anymore.)

Jesus had earlier expressed his desire to the Father that he would be glorified, i.e. that his true self would be revealed before his departure. And even when the evil one and a willing, fallen world set out to defeat him, it made his true nature shine even more.