On the Trinity-Lent 17, 2015

John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

By now, the disciples are probably like deer in the headlights.  Their heads are spinning.  Jesus seems to be talking in circles.  He’s going away.  He’s coming back.  He’s sending a Counselor who is going to be with them forever, but where is Jesus?   He’s going away, but He’s not telling them where He’s going!  They don’t know this Counselor from Adam, and they do want Jesus whom they have been devoted to following.

Now He says that He won’t leave them as orphans and He will come to them.  But He’s going to be quasi-invisible.  The world can’t see Him but they can.

He’s alive but He’s going away and because He lives they will live.  (Huh?  Wait a minute.  Is there a death in here we don’t know about? We’re totally confused!!)

Then He dumps the whole Trinity on’em and suggests there is a relationship they are part of that they cannot presently comprehend, even in the slightest.

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

What does this mean??  Stop the merry go round and let me off!  I don’t understand any of this!  That would have been my reaction.  It’d be like that shell game where something is hiding under one of the shells.  Where is Jesus in all of this?

“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”  Wait a minute.  I thought it was the Counselor coming.  Aaaieee!

John 14:24  “He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.”

Ok, familiar territory.  We love You and will obey You. If only we could understand what You’re saying.

“These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” OK….(?!)  We’ve kind of heard this before… John 8:42 Jesus said to [the Pharisees], “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.”

Well, one thing is certain, they’ll have plenty to think about after He dies.

* * *

Give it Up for Lent: The need to have understanding before faith

Put it On for Lent: Faith seeking understanding.

For further thought:

• Read about Jesus’ baptism Luke 3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
• Read about the Transfiguration:  Luke 9:35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.
• If they had understood the baptism of Jesus and the Transfiguration, how would that have helped them to understand the Trinity?
• At what point, must we be content to know enough to affirm our faith?  How would you address those who seem to always want more information before they’ll believe?
• When Jesus says “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you,” what do you think it means?

* * *

You can receive these devotional studies in your email (Monday through Saturday during Lent) by entering your email address on the SeminaryGal.com home page in the space provided in the sidebar.  Let’s meet With Christ in the Upper Room.