Our Easter weekend was punctuated with food poisoning, so we had to miss our climactic Easter vigil service on Holy Saturday. I was so sad to miss the celebration (and we were all supposed to be serving in various ways!) But then we rested as a family, and read books together on the couch, lit candles and prayed through the stations of the cross, and gave thanks for the sunshine of Sunday morning. He is risen, even when we did nothing to roll the stone away. 🙌🏻🙂 My overall impression of these familiar chapters today is one of tender reassurance, like a mother whose heart is breaking for her precious children’s inevitable pain, but is doing everything she can to prepare them for it and give them something solid - her love - to hold onto. In light of our weekend, Jesus is so very kind and excited, as if to say, “You haven’t ruined anything! I promise! The whole point of everything is my love for you, and the Father’s love for me - now all that’s left is for you to trust it (not force it or perform it or manufacture it.)” That’s Good News indeed!
I love the way God rescues and redeems moments like these--the food poisoning. And the cross. You think it's the worst possible reality. And then, surprise!
14:12 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.
Greater things? What if we lived like we actually had that power?
This reading connected to something that happened on Easter Sunday, but was not directly related to Easter, per se. Our adult Bible class is studying Acts and my husband was teaching out of chapter 4. He pointed out the connection between Peter having the words to speak before the elders and scribes because he was filled with the Holy Spirit (as Jesus promised in Luke 12:12). When I read John 14-16 this morning, I heard the same thing - that Jesus had the words to speak at the right time because He was filled with the Holy Spirit. And the connection between Father, Son, and Spirit is gloriously impossible to overlook in this passage.
We had Easter lunch with our daughter-in-law's family - it was a bouquet of in-law connections from many different branches.
For several years our Easter service has included the Flowering of the Cross. There is an actual cross in front of the podium. Matthew talks about how ugly, horrifying, cruel, and shameful the cross was, but how the resurrection turns it into a thing of hope and joy and triumph. Every person in the service walks up to the cross and puts a flower or something beautiful from nature on the cross (it has chicken wire over it to hold the flowers). The transformation is amazing and glorious and a beautiful reminder that without the resurrection we have no hope!🙌🏼
We had a “mini service” at sunrise on Easter. Taking the time to let the Father’s love for us soak in. This read was a follow up on His love for us. Knowing what is coming, Jesus offers love and hope to them. Warns them sorrow is coming, but joy will follow.
In marriage two are connected, so I with God. We do nothing separately, therefore what I ask I receive because I ask for what we, God and I, both want. This is possible through His Holy Spirit because flesh limits Jesus to one time and space, but His Spirit has no limit so all can have marriage with Him.
"What I ask I receive because I ask for what we, God and I, both want." This is the most perfect way of being. It's that "abiding" life John will keep coming back to.
It is a different experience to read this AFTER celebrating the resurrection... I wonder what it would have felt like to hear these words and not "know how the story ends" from their perspective.
The words I highlighted were, "no one will take away your joy from you." He said, "I will see you again" - the hope, the joy, the deep care Jesus has. I'm struck by how gentle He is with their confusion and their questions.
This morning reading did strike me differently as we just celebrated Reresection day. The Lent study I participated in was reflected in these chapters.
I am struck with the intimate conversation Jesus is having with us. Out of love, he is speaking truth so that we may not be afraid but find strength in his words. Jesus reveals his unfailing love for his Father (our Father) and his deep trust to obey knowing his Father has control.
In Chapter 15th Jesus gently warns that the world will hate you because it hated me first. It is not you it hates, it is that you love me. Why this strikes me is because often we get offended when we are doing the will of God by the actions of those who are blind and bound by the world. When we understand we are not the one who is attached, but the spirit of Jesus that lives in us, I find I can release the offense easier. It is not personal.
In Chapter 16, Jesus is stating again, they do these things because they do not know the Father. I sense a great compassion and sorrow from Jesus, because in Chapter 14, the oneness that Jesus has with his Father, knowing of the place prepared for all who believe; the intimate relationship and unity that leads to obedience is lost to many. I sense there is pain in Jesus heart because those of the world do not know his Father. I pray that I can have that deep understanding of that love and compassion as that leads to restoration. May my heart see as yours.
So much to soak in celebrating the resurrection. It all feels so deeply personal to me. The spirit of truth, dwelling with us. “I will manifest myself to him” “the father and I will make our home with him.” “Where I am you may be also.”
Jesus is very concerned with us asking him, very concerned with us being so intimately connected to the source of his life and union with the Father and Spirit, and very concerned with our joy.
I am late to the party, but happy to have made it!!
I love our Easter gathering because my entire family joins my husband's entire family. I'm grateful to have in-laws who don't just tolerate each other but are friends!
As I read, I kept noticing Jesus telling us to "ask anything in my Father's name." He says it OVER and OVER. I felt convicted because I am a timid and skeptical in prayer lately.
I also noticed what a tender tone Jesus seemed to have as he opened up this talk with the disciples. Like a parent talking to a child. Explaining things almost melodically. My brain heard it as a lullaby, and I've never heard it that way before.
Reading this on the heels of Holy Week is a fresh reminder of his heart’s position prior to the cross. How he paced such a hard word. He carried what could seem chaotic with care to their real hearts. How he prepared the disciples with a hard and holy conversation leaves me in awe. Abiding and Advocate are words that keep jumping out at me. Jesus ascension didn’t leave them as orphan but with an Advocate like none other. To Dwell….
Wow, these chapters really are packed full of so much to digest!
Reading this after celebrating Easter Sunday really helped to highlight for me the way Jesus talked about His return to the Father and the way He was trying to prepare His disciples for this event. Even though He was reassuring them and attempting to prepare them, there was no way they could have predicted what was about to happen.
I did get to enjoy Easter Sunday first with my church family in a packed worship service (the fullest I've seen our church building since we've been attending there), then I got to enjoy a meal with my family. It was a beautiful day together.
Our Easter weekend was punctuated with food poisoning, so we had to miss our climactic Easter vigil service on Holy Saturday. I was so sad to miss the celebration (and we were all supposed to be serving in various ways!) But then we rested as a family, and read books together on the couch, lit candles and prayed through the stations of the cross, and gave thanks for the sunshine of Sunday morning. He is risen, even when we did nothing to roll the stone away. 🙌🏻🙂 My overall impression of these familiar chapters today is one of tender reassurance, like a mother whose heart is breaking for her precious children’s inevitable pain, but is doing everything she can to prepare them for it and give them something solid - her love - to hold onto. In light of our weekend, Jesus is so very kind and excited, as if to say, “You haven’t ruined anything! I promise! The whole point of everything is my love for you, and the Father’s love for me - now all that’s left is for you to trust it (not force it or perform it or manufacture it.)” That’s Good News indeed!
I love the way God rescues and redeems moments like these--the food poisoning. And the cross. You think it's the worst possible reality. And then, surprise!
14:12 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.
Greater things? What if we lived like we actually had that power?
I'm really excited to meditate on this. I want to know what it means so I can trust it and live into it.
Big standout to me is - ASK! Ask the Father, Ask me, ask in my name,... over and over.
And our triune God *listens* and answers.
Yes!
This reading connected to something that happened on Easter Sunday, but was not directly related to Easter, per se. Our adult Bible class is studying Acts and my husband was teaching out of chapter 4. He pointed out the connection between Peter having the words to speak before the elders and scribes because he was filled with the Holy Spirit (as Jesus promised in Luke 12:12). When I read John 14-16 this morning, I heard the same thing - that Jesus had the words to speak at the right time because He was filled with the Holy Spirit. And the connection between Father, Son, and Spirit is gloriously impossible to overlook in this passage.
We had Easter lunch with our daughter-in-law's family - it was a bouquet of in-law connections from many different branches.
"gloriously impossible to overlook"--love that
For several years our Easter service has included the Flowering of the Cross. There is an actual cross in front of the podium. Matthew talks about how ugly, horrifying, cruel, and shameful the cross was, but how the resurrection turns it into a thing of hope and joy and triumph. Every person in the service walks up to the cross and puts a flower or something beautiful from nature on the cross (it has chicken wire over it to hold the flowers). The transformation is amazing and glorious and a beautiful reminder that without the resurrection we have no hope!🙌🏼
I adore flowering crosses!
We had a “mini service” at sunrise on Easter. Taking the time to let the Father’s love for us soak in. This read was a follow up on His love for us. Knowing what is coming, Jesus offers love and hope to them. Warns them sorrow is coming, but joy will follow.
In marriage two are connected, so I with God. We do nothing separately, therefore what I ask I receive because I ask for what we, God and I, both want. This is possible through His Holy Spirit because flesh limits Jesus to one time and space, but His Spirit has no limit so all can have marriage with Him.
"What I ask I receive because I ask for what we, God and I, both want." This is the most perfect way of being. It's that "abiding" life John will keep coming back to.
It is a different experience to read this AFTER celebrating the resurrection... I wonder what it would have felt like to hear these words and not "know how the story ends" from their perspective.
The words I highlighted were, "no one will take away your joy from you." He said, "I will see you again" - the hope, the joy, the deep care Jesus has. I'm struck by how gentle He is with their confusion and their questions.
So exciting to start this study!
The gentleness! Yes. He truly loves them. I think of my daughter London leaving home and the gentle way she cared for her sister as she left.
Good morning, all.
This morning reading did strike me differently as we just celebrated Reresection day. The Lent study I participated in was reflected in these chapters.
I am struck with the intimate conversation Jesus is having with us. Out of love, he is speaking truth so that we may not be afraid but find strength in his words. Jesus reveals his unfailing love for his Father (our Father) and his deep trust to obey knowing his Father has control.
In Chapter 15th Jesus gently warns that the world will hate you because it hated me first. It is not you it hates, it is that you love me. Why this strikes me is because often we get offended when we are doing the will of God by the actions of those who are blind and bound by the world. When we understand we are not the one who is attached, but the spirit of Jesus that lives in us, I find I can release the offense easier. It is not personal.
In Chapter 16, Jesus is stating again, they do these things because they do not know the Father. I sense a great compassion and sorrow from Jesus, because in Chapter 14, the oneness that Jesus has with his Father, knowing of the place prepared for all who believe; the intimate relationship and unity that leads to obedience is lost to many. I sense there is pain in Jesus heart because those of the world do not know his Father. I pray that I can have that deep understanding of that love and compassion as that leads to restoration. May my heart see as yours.
Reading that He would be leaving them and going to the Father hit strong on the Monday following Good Friday and Easter.
So much to soak in celebrating the resurrection. It all feels so deeply personal to me. The spirit of truth, dwelling with us. “I will manifest myself to him” “the father and I will make our home with him.” “Where I am you may be also.”
Jesus is very concerned with us asking him, very concerned with us being so intimately connected to the source of his life and union with the Father and Spirit, and very concerned with our joy.
So personal. So intimate.
I am late to the party, but happy to have made it!!
I love our Easter gathering because my entire family joins my husband's entire family. I'm grateful to have in-laws who don't just tolerate each other but are friends!
As I read, I kept noticing Jesus telling us to "ask anything in my Father's name." He says it OVER and OVER. I felt convicted because I am a timid and skeptical in prayer lately.
I also noticed what a tender tone Jesus seemed to have as he opened up this talk with the disciples. Like a parent talking to a child. Explaining things almost melodically. My brain heard it as a lullaby, and I've never heard it that way before.
Reading this on the heels of Holy Week is a fresh reminder of his heart’s position prior to the cross. How he paced such a hard word. He carried what could seem chaotic with care to their real hearts. How he prepared the disciples with a hard and holy conversation leaves me in awe. Abiding and Advocate are words that keep jumping out at me. Jesus ascension didn’t leave them as orphan but with an Advocate like none other. To Dwell….
To dwell!
Wow, these chapters really are packed full of so much to digest!
Reading this after celebrating Easter Sunday really helped to highlight for me the way Jesus talked about His return to the Father and the way He was trying to prepare His disciples for this event. Even though He was reassuring them and attempting to prepare them, there was no way they could have predicted what was about to happen.
I did get to enjoy Easter Sunday first with my church family in a packed worship service (the fullest I've seen our church building since we've been attending there), then I got to enjoy a meal with my family. It was a beautiful day together.