An Impossible Vision

A Series on Lent
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 14:12-31 

[Lent is a 40-day season of personal reflection through prayer, fasting and giving in order to prepare your heart to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. We will be following Jesus through the Gospel of John as he enters Jerusalem for Passover, and the ensuing events that led up to his trial, crucifixion and resurrection.]

 

“The more I watch Purdue, the more I think we can beat them!”

Those were the words of the head coach of the Fairleigh Dickinson University men’s basketball team during his pep talk before taking the court against Purdue. The game was destined to be a classic David versus Goliath battle.

 

FDU was the shortest team in the tournament; Purdue had a 7-foot 4-inch behemoth at center. FDU was a 16 seed; Purdue was a number one seed. FDU got into the tournament by sheer luck; Purdue won the Big Ten conference. Many experts picked them to win it all.

 

But the coach of FDU gave his players an inspiring vision; an impossible vision to most. He believed they could beat Purdue and he got his players to believe it too! Then they went out on the court and did it - only the second time in history a 16 seed defeated a 1 seed. March Madness is truly crazy!

 

The disciples were a small group of followers of an itinerant rabbi from the backwoods province of Galilee. Made up of mostly fishermen and a known sinner, they were not exactly a group that would inspire confidence.

 

Yet, during three years of ministry they had grown significantly with large crowds following Jesus all the way to Jerusalem. But it’s here where everything started to unravel. During their Passover meal, Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray him, that Peter would deny him and that he, Jesus, would leave them.

 

In a few hours, the disciples will grieve the cruel death of their friend. They will mourn the loss of unmet expectations. They may even feel betrayed by Jesus. After all, they gave up everything to follow him… and for what?

 

In order to prepare the disciples for what lay ahead, Jesus gave them a pep talk, so to speak. He needed to give them an inspiring vision; an impossible vision to most. But one that would carry them through the difficult times ahead.

 

¹² Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.              NIV

 

Wow! Was Jesus telling the disciples that they would do greater things than healing the sick, feeding the five thousand and raising the dead? Unbelievable! However, that wasn’t his vision.

 

Jesus came to earth to fulfill his Father’s plan of redemption which he had begun with Abraham. The Living God chose a small nomadic nation to bring redemption into his world. His plan had migrated through the millennia. And now, Jesus was passing the torch to his little band of believers.

 

Like the coach for FDU, Jesus was telling his disciples that he believed in them. He believed that they could take on a vision that they had no right to. It was the vision to step into God’s redemptive plan at a critical time in history, and to spread the Good News throughout the world.

This is the same impossible vision that he gives us. And by doing so, Jesus is telling us that he believes in us. That we can step into God’s plan of redemption to spread the Good News. Jesus is passing the torch to you and me.

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

 

Mr. March

A Series on Lent
Jesus comforts his disciples
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 14:1-11 

[Lent is a 40-day season of personal reflection through prayer, fasting and giving in order to prepare your heart to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. We will be following Jesus through the Gospel of John as he enters Jerusalem for Passover, and the ensuing events that led up to his trial, crucifixion and resurrection.]

 

Tom Izzo is the Hall of Fame head coach of the Michigan State University men’s basketball team.

This year marks the twenty-fifth consecutive year that he has led his team to the NCAA tournament known as March Madness. It’s more than any other coach in history. Because of his record, he’s been given the nickname of Mr. March.

 

At the end of February, the team was riding high scoring over 80 points per game. But during the Big Ten Tournament, they lost to the second to the bottom seeded team. Their confidence was shaken. How will Coach Izzo prepare his team to face the challenges of March Madness?

 

The disciples were riding high as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and later was given a king’s reception into the city of Jerusalem. They were celebrating the Passover together in the upper room when Jesus dropped a bombshell... one of the disciples would betray him. Not only that, but Peter would deny him.

 

The disciples were shocked. Their confidence was shaken. Just when everything appeared to be victorious, their world was turned upside down. How will Jesus prepare his disciples to face the challenges of the next few hours? Like Coach Izzo, Jesus will point to himself.

 

¹ “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.    NLT

 

⁶ Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.  NLT

 

The disciples can trust Jesus because he’s the conduit to the Father. Not only is he the conduit, but he and the Father are one.

 

^9b ...Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! ^10b …The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.     NLT

 

Jesus also promises that he is preparing a place for them in his Father’s home.

 

³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.  NLT

 

The disciples lived with Jesus twenty-four seven for three years. They trusted him through the good times and the bad. Now Jesus asked them to trust him again. In the same way, Jesus asks us to trust him again.

 

These verses, these promises spoken to the disciples, are spoken to us too. Jesus loves you. He’s faithful. He’s always with you. That’s way better than Mr. March.

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

 

 

Party Pooper

A Series on Lent
Jesus predicts Judas’ betrayal and Peter's denial
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 13:18-38 

[Lent is a 40-day season of personal reflection through prayer, fasting and giving in order to prepare your heart to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. We will be following Jesus through the Gospel of John as he enters Jerusalem for Passover, and the ensuing events that led up to his trial, crucifixion and resurrection.]

  

In the 1991 movie “Father of the Bride”, Steve Martin plays the role of the unwilling father. From the moment that his daughter announces that she is engaged until the day of the wedding, he puts a damper on the joy of the occasion. Finally, the wedding planner sings this familiar song to him.

 

“Every party needs a pooper, that’s why we invited you… party pooper”

 

In the third year of Jesus’ ministry, excitement was at a fever pitch. It was Passover so Jerusalem was packed with pilgrims from across the land. Jesus had recently raised Lazarus from the dead. There was chatter about the Messiah coming. Even Jesus’ closest disciples believed his time had arrived.

 

It’s not too hard to imagine that as the disciples were reclined at the table during the Passover meal, they were enjoying themselves eating, drinking and laughing. Discussing the days’ events about Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem as king.

 

It seemed as if everything they had sacrificed – leaving their livelihood, walking for days on dusty roads and eating on the move – would finally be worth it. The last three years were about to come to fruition. But at the peak of the evening, something unexpected happened.

 

²¹ …Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me”.   NIV

 

You can imagine that the conversation at the dinner table suddenly stopped. You could hear a pin drop. The disciples were stunned. They couldn’t imagine who it was. Even Peter was speechless.

 

Once Judas Iscariot left, the text tells us “And it was night”… both metaphorically and time of day. Jesus then told the remaining disciples, “Where I am going, you cannot come”. Finding his voice again, Peter questions Jesus and then boldly proclaims that he would lay down his life for Jesus.

 

³⁸ Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me Peter? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!                    NIV

 

Talk about a party pooper.

 

With the illusion of strength, Peter saw himself as the defender. He would never betray Jesus; never disown him. But the truth was that he was blind to his weakness. In fact, Peter did exactly what Jesus predicted. No doubt if I had been there, I would have done the same.

 

Thankfully Jesus doesn’t define us by our worst moments. He defines us by his love and forgiveness. And he calls us to love others in the same way.

 

³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”                     NLT

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

 

 

Keys to the Kingdom

A Series on Lent
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 13:1-17 

[Lent is a 40-day season of personal reflection through prayer, fasting and giving in order to prepare your heart to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. We will be following Jesus through the Gospel of John as he enters Jerusalem for Passover, and the ensuing events that led up to his trial, crucifixion and resurrection.]

  

When I was in high school, my parents had a Buick Wildcat. It had a vanity mirror on the passenger side that read, “Buick is a beauty too”! But the best thing about it was that it had a 325-horsepower engine with 400 cubic inches!!! 

In other words, it could go really fast, really quick!

 

On one occasion my Dad gave me the keys to the car to go to a meeting at school. It was at night during the winter. When I turned out of our neighborhood onto the highway, I put the pedal to the medal. That is, until I started fishtailing on the icy bridge over the river.

 

Having the keys to anything is significant. It carries a great deal of responsibility and opportunity. The disciples were given keys… the keys to the kingdom. It all started with the Passover meal.

 

This was a celebration for when the Israelites were freed from slavery under Egypt. During the first Passover meal, the blood of a sacrificial lamb was smeared over the doorpost of every Jewish home to protect them. It was also the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb was sacrificed.

 

The Last Super was a tsunami of epic proportions. It was the fulfillment of God’s promise of redemption to his chosen people. Jesus was to become the sacrificial Passover lamb. But how would his mission of bringing people to the Kingdom of God continue?

 

In Luke’s description of the Last Supper, he includes Jesus telling his disciples that one of them will betray him. The disciples react defensively. You can imagine the conversation. “I didn’t betray him. I’ve sacrificed everything for him.” “I’ve sacrificed more than you. I’m the greatest”. But Jesus told them this.

 

²⁸ “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, ²⁹ and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom…      Luke 22 ESV

 

In other words, Jesus passed the keys to the kingdom to his disciples.

 

In light of their argument, Jesus also gives them an object lesson in humility by washing their feet. However, he’s not just giving them a lesson in humility. He’s giving them a lesson on how to handle the keys to the kingdom.

 

When Jesus asked the disciples, who do you say that I am, Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then passed him the keys.

 

¹⁸ Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. ¹⁹ And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 16 NLT

 

Like the disciples, we also receive the keys to the kingdom with one expectation… use them. Use them with humility. Use them to share the Kingdom of God with others. Use them to accomplish great things. But above all else, use them.

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams