Tawa Baptist

Light

Scriptures: John 8:12-20; 9:1-39 and 12:44-46

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Jesus guides
  • Jesus creates
  • Jesus reveals
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Today we continue our sermon series on the I am sayings of Jesus in the gospel of John. Jesus uses a number of I am statements to describe himself. These sayings tell us about Jesus’ being, his identity. What we notice is how closely Jesus identifies himself with God the Father.

Please turn with me to John chapter 8, verse 12, page 129 toward the back of your pew Bibles. This morning we hear how Jesus says: I am the light of the world. From John 8:12-20, we read… 

12 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”

13 The Pharisees said to him, “Now you are testifying on your own behalf; what you say proves nothing.”

14 “No,” Jesus answered, “even though I do testify on my own behalf, what I say is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. You do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You make judgments in a purely human way; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I were to do so, my judgment would be true, because I am not alone in this; the Father who sent me is with me. 17 It is written in your Law that when two witnesses agree, what they say is true. 18 I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me also testifies on my behalf.”

19 “Where is your father?” they asked him.

“You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

20 Jesus said all this as he taught in the Temple, in the room where the offering boxes were placed. And no one arrested him, because his hour had not come.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

There are many things we could say about light in relation to Jesus. This morning we will focus on just three things: As the light of the world Jesus guides, Jesus creates and Jesus reveals. First let us consider how Jesus guides.

Jesus guides:

A lighthouse guides ships to keep them off the rocks.

Traffic lights guide cars to prevent crashes.

Runway lights guide aeroplanes as they land.

A torch light guides your steps in the dark.

Ancient mariners guided their craft by the light of the stars.

Illuminated exit signs in a picture theatre guide you to the nearest exit.

The light of the sun (with the constant cycle of day and night) is our guide for measuring time. 

And when one of the lights on the dashboard of your car starts flashing, that’s usually a sign to indicate something needs attention. 

Light guides us.  

In the context of John 8, Jesus is sitting in the temple in Jerusalem. More specifically he is in the Court of the Women, which got a great deal of foot traffic. It was the Feast of Tabernacles (also known as the Feast of Shelters).

A ‘tabernacle’ is a tent or temporary shelter such as was used by the Israelites when they journeyed through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. God commanded the people of Israel to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles as a way of remembering the nation’s deliverance from slavery.

One of the traditions associated with the festival of Tabernacles was the lighting of four giant lamps. These lamps burned through the night, illuminating the city. The lamps were a reminder to the people of how God had guided his people through the wilderness with a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

By saying, “I am the light of the world”, during the festival of Tabernacles, Jesus was making an incredible claim. He was essentially saying, I am the physical representation of God’s presence with you on earth.

The motif of guidance is brought out more clearly when Jesus says: “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”

In other words, look to me and follow me to find freedom from the things that enslave you. I will be your security in the darkness. I will guide you through the wilderness to the Promised Land of God’s kingdom.

That was a huge claim to make in itself but Jesus takes it even further. Jesus says, I am the light of the world. Not just the light of Israel, but the light of the other nations of the world as well.

No wonder the Pharisees reacted against Jesus. To them Jesus was a tall poppy that just had to be cut down. So they said to Jesus:

“Now you are testifying on your own behalf; what you say proves nothing.”

The Pharisees are appealing to a technicality in the law of Moses which required that at least two witnesses needed to agree for their testimony to be substantiated. Basically the Pharisees were saying to Jesus, ‘We don’t believe you are the light of the world. Prove it.’ 

In actual fact Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world was evidenced based. The evidence included, for example, the testimony of John the Baptist, the wisdom of Jesus’ own teaching and the miracles that accompanied Jesus’ teaching, as well as Jesus’ alignment with the things predicted about the Messiah by the prophets of the Old Testament. Jesus’ claim to be light was even seen in the stars, at his birth, by wise men who travelled from the East with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The proof was there for those who were willing to open their eyes to see it.    

Interestingly, Jesus does not appeal to any of this evidence to support his claim. Instead he points to God the Father as his witness. From verse 17 Jesus says:

“It is written in your Law that when two witnesses agree, what they say is true. 18 I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me also testifies on my behalf.”

It is fitting the way Jesus testifies on his own behalf. You see, light is unique in that it bears witness to itself. Everything else requires light to be seen but light does not require illumination. Light is illumination. The light of the sun in the sky is self-evident. It is its own witness. [1]

God the Father also testifies on Jesus’ behalf. God does this by vindicating Jesus. That is by upholding Jesus’ words so they come true, by enabling Jesus to perform miracles that only God could do and, most significantly, by raising Jesus from the dead. Perhaps too, Jesus is referring to the day of judgement when God the Father will bear witness to Christ His Son.    

In Tolkien’s book, The Fellowship of the Ring, Lady Galadriel gives Frodo a phial of starlight and says to the Hobbit, “a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out”. Frodo uses this light in the darkness of Mordor as he faces the giant spider.

The opposite of light is darkness. Darkness comes in many forms. For example, there is the darkness of confusion. The darkness of grief. The darkness of despair and depression. The darkness of anger and violence. The darkness of ignorance and fear as well as the darkness of deceit and evil. Not to mention the darkness of loneliness and alienation.

All these forms of darkness have one thing in common. They make us blind. They rob of us of our ability to see. And when we can’t see we lose our way.

What darkness are you facing at the moment? Jesus is the light when all other lights go out. He shows us the way through the darkness, both the darkness out there and the darkness inside of us.

Jesus guides and Jesus creates.

Jesus creates:

In many ways light is the foundation of life. Without sunlight there would be no life on planet earth. Light causes plants to grow which feeds the animals and us.

Earlier in the service we heard a reading from John chapter 9, where Jesus healed a man born blind. In verse 5 of John 9 Jesus says, While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Then Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man’s eyes and said, ‘Go and wash your face in the Pool of Siloam’. So the man went, washed his face, and came back seeing.

This is a miracle of creation.

You may remember that when God created the cosmos, the first thing he said was, ‘Let there be light.’ Later he created humankind out of mud. By calling himself the light of the world and healing the man’s blindness with mud, Jesus is making a clear connection with God at creation. It’s like Jesus is creating new eyes for the man, so he can see.  

One curious detail in this miracle is that Jesus tells the man to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. Jesus gives the man something to do. He invites the man to participate in his own creation of sight.

Perhaps Jesus involves the man in this way to give him a choice in the matter. If the man doesn’t wish to see he doesn’t need to do as Jesus instructed.

Perhaps also we are meant to recognise the connection between faith and seeing. For the man to receive his sight he needed to trust and obey Jesus. That’s what faith is, trust which leads to obedience.

Yes, Jesus is the light of the world but we also have some light to bring. Our faith is the conduit of divine light. Through faith we participate in God’s creative action in the world.       

If we were to read on, in John 9, we would see how the man who was healed was interrogated by the Pharisees. Ironically the Pharisees lacked the faith to see that God was at work in and through Jesus.

The man who received new sight must have been a pretty nuggetty character. He stood up to the establishment saying, I don’t know if he [Jesus] is a sinner or not. One thing I do know: I was blind and now I see.

To the Pharisees this man was an was inconvenient truth. He represented that second witness they had asked for in John 8. Rather than accept the evidence before them, the religious leaders cast the man out of the synagogue.

It was quite sad really. The man’s healing was not meant to aggravate the Pharisees or anyone else. It was actually an invitation to believe in Jesus. But the Pharisees refused the invitation.       

Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus guides, Jesus creates and Jesus reveals.

Jesus reveals:

Plato was a Greek philosopher who lived around 400 years before Christ. One of his many gifts to humanity was the allegory of the cave.

In this allegory Plato asks us to imagine prisoners chained together in a cave. They cannot see out of the cave but are forced to look at the back wall.

Behind the prisoners (and out of sight) is a fire and between the fire and the prisoners are people carrying various objects. In the light of the fire these objects cast shadows on the back wall of the cave. The prisoners see the shadow puppets on the wall and think this is reality. They don’t know anything else.

I suppose in today’s terms it would be like someone whose entire perception of the world was formed through watching TV and playing video games.

One day one of the prisoners is set free. He makes his way out of the cave to broad daylight. Although it takes some time for his eyes to adjust to the brightness of the outside world, he eventually sees that the shadows on the cave wall were not reality at all. In fact, the outside world is far more beautiful and life giving than his miserable existence in the cave.

The free-man decides to go back to the cave to release the other prisoners but when he returns the prisoners kill him. They cannot believe the testimony of the free-man. They think leaving the cave will be harmful to them.

Contemporary movie makers have picked up on Plato’s allegory of the cave with films like The Truman Show, The Village and The Matrix. In each of these movies the main characters find their way out of the darkness of false belief into the light of reality. Light reveals the truth of their situation.    

In some ways, Plato’s allegory of the cave fits with the story in John 9. People generally, at that time, held the false belief that blindness and other disabilities or calamities were a punishment from God for sin. But this belief was just a shadow puppet on the cave wall. It wasn’t real.

Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus is not the fire inside the cave. He is not putting on a shadowy puppet show. No. Jesus is the light of the world outside the cave. The light of Jesus reveals the true situation. The light of Jesus reveals the beauty of God’s kingdom.

The man who received his sight was like a prisoner set free from the cave. Sadly, the Pharisees were like the prisoners inside the cave who could not accept any other reality than the shadows on the wall.

From John 9, verse 28 we read…

The [Pharisees] insulted [the man who had received his sight] and said, “You are that fellow’s disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for that fellow [Jesus], however, we do not even know where he comes from!”

30 The man answered, “What a strange thing that is! You do not know where he comes from, but he cured me of my blindness! 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; he does listen to people who respect him and do what he wants them to do. 32 Since the beginning of the world nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a person born blind. 33 Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do a thing.”

34 They answered, “You were born and brought up in sin—and you are trying to teach us?” And they expelled him from the synagogue.

35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 The man answered, “Tell me who he is, sir, so that I can believe in him!”

37 Jesus said to him, “You have already seen him, and he is the one who is talking with you now.”

38 “I believe, Lord!” the man said, and knelt down before Jesus.

39 Jesus said, “I came to this world to judge, so that the blind should see and those who see should become blind.”

When Jesus says, ‘I came to this world to judge’, he does not mean judge in the sense of pass a sentence in condemnation. Jesus is not wagging his finger pronouncing people guilty. He means judge in the sense of reveal the truth. As the light of the world Jesus reveals the contents of a person’s heart. 

Jesus’ presence certainly revealed the truth of the situation in John 9. As it turned out the man who was born physically blind actually had faith and therefore the spiritual sight to see that Jesus is from God. While the Pharisees, who had physical sight, were actually spiritually blind. They did not have the faith to imagine any other reality than the shadows on the wall of their cave.

It may be tempting to look down on the Pharisees or to condemn them for their lack of faith. While many of them got it wrong about Jesus, and we cannot condone their behavior, we need to remember they were like prisoners chained in a cave with only shadows to look at.

We also do well to remember that each of us has a little bit of Pharisee in us. Hopefully we are more disciple than Pharisee but, ultimately, we are all limited in our understanding. We don’t know what we don’t know. We tend to accept the reality we are presented with.

Conclusion:

In John chapter 12 Jesus said to the people in a loud voice…

“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in him who sent me. 45 Whoever sees me sees also him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.

Jesus was sent by God and therefore Jesus reveals God. Jesus shows us what it means to be truly human. To be human is to be made in the image of God. By shining a light on what the image of God looks like, Jesus reveals God.

If the world we live in (and the reality we accept) is like a cave, then we are all (at some point at least) like prisoners accepting the shadow puppets as real. The good news is, the cave of this world is not all there is. Outside the cave is the wide open expanse and breath taking beauty of God’s eternal kingdom.

Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus enters the cave not to condemn us but rather to invite us out, into the light. Not the man-made light of the fire in the cave. But the divine light of God’s kingdom, outside the narrow cave of our perception.

Our part is to trust Jesus, to follow him as we make our exodus out of the cave.  Ultimately we pass judgement on ourselves, by the way we respond to Jesus. If we follow Jesus in trust, we are saved. But if we reject Jesus in disbelief and cling instead to our chains and shadows, we condemn ourselves.

Let us pray…

Lord Jesus Christ. You are the light of the world. You guide, you create and you reveal. Shine your light on our way. Set us free from blind unbelief. Guide us in the way of truth. Lead us out of our narrow perception into the light of God’s spacious kingdom. Give us courage and faith to follow you, even though we have never seen and cannot imagine what God has prepared for those who love him. We commit ourselves to you Lord Jesus, in trust. Amen.   

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Why do you think Jesus waited for the festival of Tabernacles before saying, ‘I am the light of the world.’? What meaning (or significance) did the festival of Tabernacles lend to Jesus’ words in John 8:12?
  • What evidence (or witnesses) do we have to substantiate Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world?  
  • Can you think of a time in your own life when Jesus guided you through a dark place? What happened? How did Jesus shed light on your way?
  • Why did Jesus tell the man (in John 9:7) to go and wash in the pool of Siloam? What is the relationship between faith and seeing Jesus?
  • In what ways does Plato’s allegory of the cave connect with John 9? What (and/or who) does Jesus reveal?

[1] Refer Leon Morris, NICT John, page 390.

Tawa Baptist

Eternal Life

Scripture: John 11:1-45

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Freedom
  • Faith
  • Feeling
  • Conclusion – Friendship

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Today we begin a new sermon series on the I am sayings of Jesus in the gospel of John. Jesus uses a number of I am statements to describe himself. These sayings tell us about Jesus’ being, his identity.

Please turn with me to John chapter 11, page 133, toward the back of your pew Bibles. This morning, because we are in the season of Easter, we focus on John 11, where Jesus says: I am the resurrection and the life. From verses 1-45, we read…  

A man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived. (2 This Mary was the one who poured the perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was sick.) 3 The sisters sent Jesus a message: “Lord, your dear friend is sick.”

4 When Jesus heard it, he said, “The final result of this sickness will not be the death of Lazarus; this has happened in order to bring glory to God, and it will be the means by which the Son of God will receive glory.”

5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he received the news that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. 7 Then he said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8 “Teacher,” the disciples answered, “just a short time ago the people there wanted to stone you; and are you planning to go back?”

9 Jesus said, “A day has twelve hours, doesn’t it? So those who walk in broad daylight do not stumble, for they see the light of this world. 10 But if they walk during the night they stumble, because they have no light.” 11 Jesus said this and then added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up.”

12 The disciples answered, “If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well.”

13 Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but they thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 but for your sake I am glad that I was not with him, so that you will believe. Let us go to him.”

16 Thomas (called the Twin) said to his fellow disciples, “Let us all go along with the Teacher, so that we may die with him!”

17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried four days before. 18 Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Judeans had come to see Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother’s death.

20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died! 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for.”

23 “Your brother will rise to life,” Jesus told her.

24 “I know,” she replied, “that he will rise to life on the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; 26 and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord!” she answered. “I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

28 After Martha said this, she went back and called her sister Mary privately. “The Teacher is here,” she told her, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up and hurried out to meet him. (30 Jesus had not yet arrived in the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.) 31 The people who were in the house with Mary comforting her followed her when they saw her get up and hurry out. They thought that she was going to the grave to weep there.

32 Mary arrived where Jesus was, and as soon as she saw him, she fell at his feet. “Lord,” she said, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died!”

33 Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart was touched, and he was deeply moved. 34 “Where have you buried him?” he asked them.

“Come and see, Lord,” they answered.

35 Jesus wept. 36 “See how much he loved him!” the people said.

37 But some of them said, “He gave sight to the blind man, didn’t he? Could he not have kept Lazarus from dying?”

38 Deeply moved once more, Jesus went to the tomb, which was a cave with a stone placed at the entrance. 39 “Take the stone away!” Jesus ordered.

Martha, the dead man’s sister, answered, “There will be a bad smell, Lord. He has been buried four days!”

40 Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believed?” 41 They took the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, “I thank you, Father, that you listen to me. 42 I know that you always listen to me, but I say this for the sake of the people here, so that they will believe that you sent me.” 43 After he had said this, he called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 He came out, his hands and feet wrapped in grave cloths, and with a cloth around his face. “Untie him,” Jesus told them, “and let him go.”

45 Many of the people who had come to visit Mary saw what Jesus did, and they believed in him. 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

The main point of today’s message is that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Or to put it another way: Jesus is eternal life.

Eternal life is not the same as this life. In the context of John 11 we note four F’s in relation to eternal life: Freedom, faith, feeling and friendship. First let’s consider the freedom associated with eternal life.

Freedom:

For many of us life is incredibly busy these days. We tend to be time poor. Being short on time creates an internal pressure so that we end up feeling like a pin ball, bouncing back and forth in every direction, with little or no control over our lives. Unfortunately, being time poor lead can lead to poor decision making.

When Jesus learned that his friend Lazarus was sick, we notice he responds with freedom. For most people this would have been a difficult decision. On the one hand, Jesus’ friends needed his help urgently. But on the other hand, helping his friends meant travelling to Judea where people wanted to kill Jesus.

Clearly there was an inherent tension in this decision, a bit like being trapped in a vice of love and fear. But Jesus is no ordinary man. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Jesus does not make this decision based on temporal concerns. He makes this decision based on God’s glory, which eternal.

Jesus waits two days before deciding to go to Lazarus. In verse 9 Jesus says to his disciples: “A day has twelve hours, doesn’t it? So those who walk in broad daylight do not stumble, for they see the light of this world. 10 But if they walk during the night they stumble, because they have no light.” 

Perhaps Jesus is using daylight here as a metaphor for time. During daylight hours one is free to move about but when darkness falls you lose your freedom. The point is, with Jesus there is light (or time) and therefore freedom.   

In verse 11 Jesus added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up.”

Once again the disciples misunderstand. They think Jesus is talking about natural sleep. But Jesus is using sleep as a metaphor for death. By calling Lazarus’ death ‘sleep’, Jesus is saying that Lazarus’ death is not permanent. And if death is not permanent then it is not to be feared. There will be more time (more daylight) after the night of sleep has passed.

Eternal life leads to freedom then. This point is illustrated literally when Lazarus walks out of his tomb wrapped in grave clothes and Jesus tells the people there to untie him and let him go.

When we truly believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life, when we trust in Jesus, who is eternal life, then the tyranny of time and the fear of death lose their power over us and we enjoy freedom in our inner being.

The key to this sort of freedom though is faith in Jesus.

Faith:

In 1986 David Bowie starred as a Goblin king in a film called the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth is a musical fantasy in which Sarah, a 16-year-old girl, goes searching through a maze to rescue her baby brother Toby.

Toby is being kept in the castle of the Goblin king because Sarah had wished Toby away. Now Sarah regrets what she has done and wants her brother back.

At one point in the film Sarah couldn’t find her way through the maze. Wherever she looked she could only see wall. Sarah couldn’t see the opening right in front of her until a friendly creature pointed it out to her. Sarah had to trust the advice of one of the locals to find her way through.

That is often how we face death. We see death as a wall, a dead end, without any openings. But, with Jesus, we are able to find a way through.

By the time Jesus arrives in the village of Bethany, Lazarus has been dead four days. His body is in a tomb behind a wall of rock (a dead end) and no one (except Jesus) can see a way through. The mourners are trapped too, in the maze of their grief.  

In some ways Jewish mourning rituals were similar to Maori tangihanga (funeral protocol). It was a sacred duty to visit in person to give comfort and support to the grieving family. In Jewish and Maori thought people are connected. 

Another similarity between Jewish and Maori funerals is they last a number of days. Jews put seven days aside for the process. Like a tangi (funeral), people would be coming to visit Martha and Mary throughout the whole week. And it wouldn’t just be a fleeting visit either.   

Jesus turns up half way through the week of mourning. Martha goes out to meet him and says, “If you had been here Lord, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for.”  

Martha is not accusing Jesus here. She is not angry. To the contrary she is bravely declaring her faith in Jesus. She is saying, ‘Even though my brother is dead I still trust you. We are still friends. You are welcome here’. Martha does not tell Jesus what to do, like she did in Luke 10. No. Martha lets Jesus be Jesus and she lets God be God.

Jesus says to Martha: “Your brother will rise to life”. Martha thinks Jesus is referring to the general resurrection of the dead at the end of time, sort of like when someone tries to offer comfort at a funeral by saying, ‘We will see them again in heaven one day’.

But Jesus means more than Martha is able to grasp at that moment and he takes the conversation deeper saying: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; 26 and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus doesn’t just say, ‘I can raise Lazarus from the dead’. No. He says, ‘I am the resurrection. I am eternal life’. The very essence of Jesus is resurrection life. Therefore, to enter eternal life, one must be in Christ. And the way to get into Christ is through faith, that is, through believing in him. Not just believing that he exists but actually trusting him.

In verse 15 Jesus indicates that Lazarus’ death is so that his disciples will believe. Likewise, in verse 42, Jesus prays publicly so the people there would believe that God sent him. Lazarus’ death and resurrection serves to inspire and strengthen faith in Jesus, because faith in Jesus creates openings in walls.

Commenting on Jesus’ words to Martha, in verse 25, Leon Morris says: ‘Death is a but a gateway to further life and fellowship with God.’

This means, when we put our faith in Jesus, death is not an end in itself. Rather, faith in Jesus creates an opening in the wall of death, an opening to a new beginning. (Sort of like that line in the song Closing Time: “…every new beginning starts with some other beginning’s end”.)

Martha responds remarkably well when she says: “Yes Lord, I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who has come into the world.”

That’s an impressive answer. Firstly, Martha agrees that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Then she goes on to describe Jesus in the highest terms. Martha calls Jesus the Messiah; the anointed one, chosen by God to come into the world and save his people. Martha also calls Jesus the Son of God; which, in this context, meant that Jesus had the closest possible relationship with God that a person could have.  

Although Martha doesn’t fully comprehend what Jesus has just said to her, she is willing to take it on faith. She accepts what Jesus says as true even though she doesn’t fully understand what this means or what Jesus is about to do.

Faith usually precedes understanding. It is only after we have trusted and obeyed the Lord that mental comprehension follows.

With eternal life comes freedom. And the way to enter eternal life is through faith in Jesus. Eternal life involves freedom, faith and feeling. Deep feeling.

Feeling:

It is thought that the world’s largest and possibly oldest living organism is the Pando. (Not to be confused with Panda).

On the surface the Pando looks like a forest of individual aspen trees but scientists have discovered that all the trees have an identical genetic marker. Apparently the trees are connected by the same underground root system.

The Pando covers about 108 acres of land and weighs around 6,600 tons. The root system is thought to be several thousand years old, maybe older.

While the Pando is not eternal, in the same sense that Jesus is eternal, it does offer an analogy for eternal life. The aspen trees seen above the surface may only live for around 100 years or so, but the root system underneath keeps putting up new shoots, so the organism is continually renewing itself.

Eternal life is a deeply connected life, sort of like the Pando is connected.

In John 11:28 Martha goes back to the house and sends Mary out to see Jesus. Like her sister, Mary also says to Jesus, “If you had been here Lord, my brother would not have died.” But Jesus says nothing, at least not straight away. He connected with Martha through a theological conversation, probably because that is what Martha needed. But he connects with Mary on an emotional level.

Verse 33 reads: Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart was touched, and he was deeply moved. 

The Greek word translated as weeping here means wailing or crying loudly.[1] This is not just a few stifled tears.

Often in European style funerals people turn the volume down on their emotions. It’s not that we feel any less. We just don’t express our grief as loudly. But in Jewish culture people were more inclined to turn the volume up on their emotions. If a wave of grief sweeps over you, you wail and cry out loud. You let people know how much the deceased means to you.

It’s not that one way is better than the other. It’s just that different cultures handle grief in different ways.

Jesus lets Mary’s grief touch his heart. He makes himself vulnerable, in other words, and is deeply moved. This is an emotionally intimate moment. Verse 5 tells us that Jesus loved Martha, Mary & Lazarus. Love creates a connection. You can’t really love someone without feeling what they feel. Eternal life is a deeply connected life.

We read, in verse 35, that Jesus wept. However, the Greek term translated as wept here is different from Mary’s loud wailing. Jesus’ weeping is quiet. [2]

Why does Jesus weep? He is about to raise Lazarus from the dead so it doesn’t make sense that he is sad for Lazarus. It appears something is going on here which is bigger than Lazarus. Perhaps Jesus is in touch with the ocean of grief caused by death over the millennia. Maybe also he is anticipating his own death on the cross. Raising Lazarus seems to have cost Jesus something.

It is natural to feel sadness and to express grief when someone dies. Jesus’ tears show his connection with humanity. More than that, his tears give permission for us to grieve also. Even though, for Christians, death is a temporary thing (like sleep), it still hurts to be disconnected from the ones we love.

We need to hold on to the fact that death is not in control. Jesus is the resurrection and the life and that means he is in control. Jesus has the power to restore the life connection.

Verse 38 tells us how Jesus was deeply moved once more, only this time he did not weep. This time he was moved to raise his friend from the dead. And Lazarus emerged alive from his tomb.    

Conclusion – Friendship:

You know, when we (in the west) think of eternal life, we tend to think in terms of time. We perceive eternal life, therefore, as a never ending sequence of events; an existence that just keeps going and going and going forever. The idea of never ending time is actually quite terrifying if you think about it.

However, this may not be the best way to think about eternal life. When Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life he was indicating that eternal life is a relationship – a friendship with him in fact.

This friendship with Jesus, and consequently with God the Father, is of such a high quality that the prospect of never ending life becomes something good to look forward to. This is the Christian hope. 

Now, it’s important to understand that Christian hope is not all pie in the sky, off in the future one day. No. You see, death isn’t just when someone’s heart stops and their brain function ceases. Death happens while we are still breathing, when right relationship breaks down and our connection with God and others is destroyed. 

Eternal life (or reconnection with God) actually begins in this world at the point we put our faith in Jesus. But it isn’t fully felt or realised by us until after our resurrection from physical death.

Last Sunday, at Easter, we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection creates an opening for our resurrection. Through faith in Jesus our friendship with God is restored and we are able enjoy freedom and a deep connection in our relationships with others. 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What do you think Jesus means when he says, “I am the resurrection and the life”? 
  • How would you feel if you heard a good friend of yours was sick and needed your help? Why did Jesus take his time before going to Bethany? What was Jesus’ main consideration in making this decision?
  • How do you view death; as a wall or as a gateway to fellowship with God? Can you think of a time in your life when trusting Jesus helped you to find an opening in the wall you were facing?
  • How does Jesus connect with Martha? How does he connect with Mary? How does Jesus connect with you when you are grieving?
  • What difference does it make thinking of eternal life as a friendship with Jesus (rather than just an unquantifiable amount of time)?  

[1] Refer Leon Morris, page 495.

[2] Ibid.

Tawa Baptist

Symbols

Scripture: John 21:1-14 and Isaiah 25:7-8

Audio Link: https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/sermon-recording-4-apr-2021-john-211-14

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Mission
  • Devotion
  • Meal
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

If you have ever been to a Marvel super hero movie (like Guardians of the Galaxy or Thor or the Avengers) then you probably know that, when the movie has finished and the end credits are rolling, there is an extra bonus scene after the credits. Usually this final scene provides some crucial piece of information that sets you up to watch the next movie. It points forward to what’s coming next.

Please turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 21. John 21 is a bit like the last scene after the end credits in a Marvel movie. It’s a kind of epilogue. This is not to imply that chapter 21 is separate or unrelated to the rest of John’s gospel. It is still very integral to the whole. The point is that John 21 has a special role in pointing forward to what comes next. From John 21, verses 1-14, we read…

After this, Jesus appeared once more to his disciples at Lake Tiberias. This is how it happened. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael (the one from Cana in Galilee), the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus were all together. 

3 Simon Peter said to the others, “I am going fishing.”

“We will come with you,” they told him. So they went out in a boat, but all that night they did not catch a thing. 4 As the sun was rising, Jesus stood at the water’s edge, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

 5 Then he asked them, “Young men, haven’t you caught anything?”

“Not a thing,” they answered.

6 He said to them, “Throw your net out on the right side of the boat, and you will catch some.” So they threw the net out and could not pull it back in, because they had caught so many fish.

7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken his clothes off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples came to shore in the boat, pulling the net full of fish. They were not very far from land, about a hundred yards away. 9 When they stepped ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it and some bread. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

11 Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore full of big fish, a hundred and fifty-three in all; even though there were so many, still the net did not tear. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 So Jesus went over, took the bread, and gave it to them; he did the same with the fish.

14 This, then, was the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from death.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

This scene, from John 21, did not happen on the first Easter Sunday. It happened some weeks later. According to John’s gospel, on the first Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to Mary and then, later that evening, to the other disciples in Jerusalem.

A week after that Jesus appeared to the disciples again, this time including Thomas, who wasn’t there for Jesus’ first resurrection appearance. Now, in chapter 21, Jesus appears to his disciples a third time. Only they aren’t in Jerusalem anymore. They are in Galilee, about 70 odd miles north of Jerusalem.

We might think the symbol of Christianity is the cross but it wasn’t our first symbol. For people in the first century a cross was an instrument of torture and execution. It was a painful reminder of the threat they lived under. It was not a comfort.

Instead early Christians identified themselves using the symbol of a fish. If you met someone you didn’t know you might find out if they were a believer by drawing the shape of a fish in the dirt with your toe. At a time when Christians were persecuted it was sort of like a secret handshake. These days the fish symbol is a bumper sticker.

John’s gospel is packed full of symbols. There are two main symbols in today’s reading: one is the miraculous catch of fish and the other is the meal afterwards. Both symbols point beyond themselves to something bigger. First let’s consider the miraculous catch which points to Jesus’ mission for the disciples.

Mission:

Most of you have probably heard of the term succession planning. Succession planning is the process of identifying and developing new leaders who can replace the current leaders when they leave or are promoted to glory.

The British monarchy have a very clear succession plan. When the Queen retires or dies, Prince Charles is next in line for the throne and after him Prince William and then Prince George and so on. In the business world, succession planning involves identifying and developing internal people to fill key positions in the organization as these positions become vacant.

Jesus had a succession plan too. Jesus looked to develop internal people (his disciples) to carry on his work after he had ascended to heaven.

Peter and some of those with him were fishermen by trade. They had been up very early (while it was still dark) trying to catch fish. The miracle of Jesus’ resurrection did not do away with the practicalities of life. They still needed to eat.

A man on the shore, who they couldn’t recognize from a 100 yards in the early dawn light, asked if they had caught anything. They replied, they hadn’t. So the man suggested they try throwing their net on the right side of the boat. Perhaps he could see something they couldn’t.

When they did this, they caught so many fish (153 to be precise) they struggled to pull the net in. Even so, the net did not break.

In verse 7 we read: The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

This ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’ was most likely John, the author of this gospel. Apparently John recognised the miraculous catch as a symbol of Jesus.

In Luke 5, when Jesus called his first disciples (including Simon Peter, James and John) the Lord told the men to throw their net out again, even though they had caught nothing all night. And, on that occasion, the catch was so large the net began to break. This time though (in John 21) the net does not break.

Various commentators throughout the centuries have suggested some symbolic significance in the number of fish caught. But we shouldn’t try to find a symbolic meaning in everything. Most likely the number 153 simply shows us this was an eye witness account. Fishermen had to count the catch in order to divide it equally with everyone involved.

If anything, the large number of fish points to the abundance and blessing given by the risen Jesus. It is the presence of the risen Christ that makes the difference. What’s more, it is as the disciples, lean not on their own understanding, but instead listen to and obey Jesus, that the fish come in.

The miraculous catch is both a historical fact and a parable (or symbol) of Jesus’ mission for the disciples. Right at the beginning of his ministry, when Jesus first called the fishermen to be his followers, the Lord had said ‘I will make you fishers of men.’ Meaning, you will catch people and bring them into God’s kingdom. This post resurrection miraculous catch is Jesus’ way of reminding the disciples that they are his succession plan.

Matthew’s gospel ends on a similar ‘succession plan’ note, only Matthew puts it more plainly, with Jesus saying: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…  

Returning to John 21; if the miraculous catch is a parable of Jesus’ mission for the disciples, then the net symbolises the church universal which will not break no matter how much strain it is under. The picture Jesus gives here is full of hope with many entering God’s kingdom, not just a select few.

The image of the disciples catching people to bring them into God’s kingdom shouldn’t be pressed too far though. This is not to imply that new converts are like fish that will be gutted and eaten. No. The point is the fish need to be taken care of. Verse 11 tells us Peter himself dragged the net ashore. We notice that each fish is counted and none are wasted.

We also notice how the metaphor changes to one of shepherding, in the verses that follow, when Jesus takes Peter aside and charges him with responsibility for feeding his lambs. Three times, in verses 15-17 of John 21, Jesus tells Peter to take care of his sheep. This means Jesus wants Peter to look after the people who come into the fold of the church.

Okay, so that’s the first symbol in John 21. The miraculous catch represents Jesus’ mission for the disciples to bring people into God’s kingdom. This catching of people for God’s kingdom happens when the risen Jesus is present and obeyed.

Having said this, it should be noted that as important as Jesus’ mission is, it is not the most important thing. Devotion to Jesus is more important.  

Devotion:

Verse 7 of John 21 gives us an indication of Peter’s devotion. As soon as Peter hears that it is the Lord, he girds his loins, dives into the water and swims ashore to see Jesus. That’s how eager he is to greet Jesus. Peter is more interested in the living Christ than he is in the miraculous catch.

This reminds me of that scene in the movie Forrest Gump, when Forrest is driving his shrimp boat into the harbour and he sees Lieutenant Dan on the wharf. Forrest is so excited to see his old friend he jumps overboard, while the boat is still moving and swims to greet Lieutenant Dan.       

Jump first and deal with the consequences later; that’s classic Peter behaviour. Keen, enthusiastic and committed. The point of application for us is that Jesus doesn’t always choose the best and the brightest to carry out his mission. I think Jesus chose Peter because Peter was devoted to him.

Sometimes in Christian work it can become about us. Maybe we serve in the church to prop up our reputation and make ourselves look good. Or maybe we do outreach work to satisfy some unmet (and unconscious) need within ourselves; to make ourselves feel better. (Like ‘playing Jesus to the lepers in our head’, as Bono would say).

God sees the heart and he knows our true motives, even if we are not fully conscious of this ourselves. For the mahi (work) of mission to be effective our devotion needs to be to Jesus, rather than to the work itself. 

I am thankful for Oswald Chambers who reminds us…

“The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service to Him. It is never ‘Do, do’ with the Lord, but ‘Be, be’ and He will ‘do’ through you.”

This is what Jesus was getting at in John 15 when he said ‘I am the vine. You are the branches. Apart from me you can do nothing.’

The point is: Devotion to Jesus is more important than service to him. Peter may not have been the most skilful or articulate or intelligent of men. But Peter was devoted to Jesus, as his Forrest Gump like dive off the boat to greet Jesus shows. Yes, Peter made some mistakes. He got it wrong sometimes but, because he was devoted to Jesus, he was able to get over himself and move on with Jesus. 

We do well to remember that one day the work of mission will be over but our relationship with Jesus will never end.

If the miraculous catch is a symbol representing Jesus’ mission for the disciples to bring people into God’s kingdom, then the meal that follows points forward to a time when the mission is complete and people of all nations party together with Jesus in the fullness of God’s kingdom.

Meal:

Some of you may have given up something for Lent. Special acts of devotion like this are between you and God.

Maybe you gave up chocolate or coffee or alcohol or swearing or screen time or some other comfort. If you did give up something, then you are probably really looking forward to today, because Easter Sunday is when Lent finishes and you can finally break your fast. Easter Sunday is the day you can finally eat your Easter eggs.

It is significant that the risen Jesus cooks breakfast for the disciples. Breakfast is the first meal of a new day. John 21 describes a new day or a new beginning for the disciples and indeed for the world.

When the disciples step ashore they see that Jesus has already got some bread and fish ready for them. I love the practical thoughtfulness of Jesus here, making a meal for the disciples who were no doubt tired and hungry after a hard day’s night.

This meal of bread and fish reminds us of Jesus multiplying the loaves and fishes in John 6, to feed the multitudes. After that miracle Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life.’ The risen Jesus sustains those who believe in him with the hope of resurrection to eternal life.

At the same time, Jesus preparing a meal, also reminds us of the heavenly banquet that awaits the faithful. In Isaiah 25 the prophet talks about the Lord Almighty preparing a banquet for all the nations of the world – a banquet of the richest food and the finest wine. Here he will suddenly remove the cloud of sorrow that has been hanging over all the nations. 8 The Sovereign Lord will destroy death forever! He will wipe away the tears from everyone’s eyes and take away the disgrace his people have suffered throughout the world. The Lord himself has spoken.  

Isaiah’s vision of a heavenly meal is a parable or a symbol of what God planned to accomplish through Jesus long ago. To be welcomed to dine with a King is to receive a royal pardon. It is a great honour for it means the King considers you his friend.

But Isaiah’s parable of the banquet goes even further, for it is here that death and sorrow and disgrace are removed forever. We might think of the richest food as a symbol of eternal life and the finest wine as a symbol of everlasting joy.

Jesus fulfils this prophecy of Isaiah. Jesus’ resurrection is both a historical fact and a living symbol. Jesus’ resurrection is the first taste, the deposit if you like, guaranteeing God’s promise to destroy death and wipe away every tear.

Now while the breakfast by the Sea of Galilee is not the actual banquet Isaiah had in mind, Jesus preparing a meal for his disciples like this foreshadows Isaiah’s vision of God preparing a meal for humanity in the fullness of His kingdom.

In verse 12 of John 21 Jesus invites the disciples to, ‘Come and eat.’ Apparently the disciples were slow to come for verse 13 tells us Jesus went over, took some bread and gave it to them. Then he did the same with the fish. In other words, Jesus served his disciples.

I wonder if the disciples appreciated what Jesus was doing for them in that moment? Probably not at the time but I imagine afterwards they did. It seems the disciples were all a bit overwhelmed. Verse 12 goes on to say that none of the disciples dared ask, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord.

Perhaps the reality of Jesus’ resurrection was still sinking in. Perhaps also the risen Jesus did not look exactly the same as the pre-risen Jesus. We cannot expect someone to be the same after they have been through death and come out the other side.

Conclusion:

The miraculous catch, in John 21, is a symbol of Jesus’ mission for the disciples to catch an abundance of people and bring them into God’s kingdom.

But to be fruitful in carrying out Jesus’ mission we must be more devoted to Jesus himself than to his work. 

Likewise, the meal of bread and BBQ fish points forward to that day in God’s kingdom when the King Himself will serve the nations of the world with a royal pardon, with honour and with eternal life.  

We are all invited to that banquet. Will you come?     

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Put yourself in the shoes of the disciples in John 21. How do you feel seeing the risen Jesus? What would be going through your mind? What would you like to say to Jesus?
  • What is the meaning of the miraculous catch of fish? What is Jesus communicating to his disciples through this symbol?
  • Where does your greatest devotion lie? Are you more devoted to Jesus or to the work he has given you to do?
  • Why does Jesus prepare breakfast for his disciples? How does this meal connect with the bigger picture of the Biblical story?
  • John 21:1-14 sounds a number of symbols of hope. Discuss / reflect on the hope implied in these verses.  
Tawa Baptist

P.R.A.Y.

Scripture: Luke 22:39-54

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Prepare v panic
  • Request v repress
  • Anguish v assault
  • Yield v betray
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Please turn with me to Luke 22, verse 39, page 111 in your pew Bibles.

In this Scripture passage we hear how Jesus prays the night before his crucifixion and death. From Luke 22, verse 39 we read…

39 Jesus left the city and went, as he usually did, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples went with him. 40 When he arrived at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

41 Then he went off from them about the distance of a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed. 42 “Father,” he said, “if you will, take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 In great anguish he prayed even more fervently; his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

45 Rising from his prayer, he went back to the disciples and found them asleep, worn out by their grief. 46 He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

47 Jesus was still speaking when a crowd arrived, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. He came up to Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you betray the Son of Man?”

49 When the disciples who were with Jesus saw what was going to happen, they asked, “Shall we use our swords, Lord?” 50 And one of them struck the High Priest’s slave and cut off his right ear.

51 But Jesus said, “Enough of this!” He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and the officers of the Temple guard and the elders who had come there to get him, “Did you have to come with swords and clubs, as though I were an outlaw? 53 I was with you in the Temple every day, and you did not try to arrest me. But this is your hour to act, when the power of darkness rules.”

54 They arrested Jesus and took him away into the house of the High Priest; and Peter followed at a distance.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

The night before an exam you prepare by getting a good sleep

The night before a marathon you prepare by eating lots of carbs

The night before your wedding you prepare by learning your vows

The night before a heavy rain you prepare by unblocking your drains

The night before his death Jesus prepared by praying

Twice in our reading Jesus told his disciples to pray so they would not fall into temptation. This tells us prayer is about being prepared. It’s about building a fence at the top of the cliff, so there’s no need for an ambulance at the bottom. 

But the disciples were exhausted from their grief. While the disciples slept, Jesus stayed awake in prayer. Then when the crowd came to arrest Jesus, he was prepared. Jesus was not caught by surprise. He was in control of himself and the situation. In contrast, Jesus’ disciples were in a panic.

We note too that Jesus made a request of God when he prayed. He requested that this cup of suffering be taken away. It may seem obvious that prayer is about asking God for something. But actually making our request is not as simple or straight forward as it sounds.

Before you can make a request of God you have to know what it is you want. And that’s the tricky bit. Making a request requires us to be honest with ourselves and with God. Prayer is not a place to pretend or to say what we think God wants to hear, much less what others want to hear. Prayer is place to be real. 

Jesus was honest with God. He did not hide or repress his truth. But nor did he get what he asked for on this occasion. Instead, God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus for the ordeal that lay ahead.

Perhaps, like Jesus, you have prayed earnestly for something only to be told ‘no’. Your prayer was not wasted. Your honesty is valued by God. Your honesty shows God you trust him and it provides a necessary release for your soul.

Verse 44 tells us that Jesus prayed in great anguish; his sweat falling to the ground like drops of blood. Blood falls heavy and thick.

I don’t pretend to fully comprehend Jesus’ anguish. Was it the anticipation of the physical pain he was about to suffer? Was it the bitter realisation of impending injustice? Was it the thought of being separated from his heavenly Father? Perhaps it was all these things and more besides.

What we do know is that Jesus was alone in a crowd. No one got it. No one (not even his disciples) understood. There is a certain agony in being surrounded by people and yet knowing you are completely alone.  

Everyone suffers, sooner or later. There is no escaping it. Jesus sat with his anguish in prayer. Prayer isn’t just the words we say or think. Prayer is also the pain we hold before God.

Now it is important to understand that sitting with our anguish in prayer is not the same thing as wallowing in self-pity. The point is to face our pain squarely so that we are not afraid of it.

The disciples were not prepared to sit with their pain and who can blame them. But if we don’t face our anguish, as Jesus did, it can ambush us and quickly turn into assault.

One of the disciples lashed out with his sword, striking the servant of the high priest and cutting off his ear. But Jesus put a stop to it and healed the man.

The fourth thing we note about Jesus’ prayer is that it resulted in him yielding to the will of God.  To yield is to give way. Although Jesus did not want to suffer and die, he qualified his request with the words, ‘Not my will, Father, but your will be done’.

Jesus did not hold anything over God’s head. Jesus submitted his request to God’s purpose. To do anything other than God’s will would be a betrayal.

It is difficult to know why Judas betrayed Jesus. Had he become disillusioned? Was he trying to manipulate the situation to force Jesus’ hand? Or was he simply selfish and greedy? We don’t know. Whatever his motive the outcome was the same. Judas yielded to temptation and the evil one led him down the path of betrayal.

Jesus shows us the purpose of prayer.

Jesus prepared for his suffering and death in prayer

Jesus expressed his honest request to God in prayer

Jesus faced his anguish in prayer

And ultimately, Jesus yielded to the will of God in prayer.

Let us pray…

Lord Jesus Christ, help us to be prepared

          Deliver us from the time of trial

Lord Jesus Christ, help us to be honest with you and with ourselves

          We would prefer not to suffer

Lord Jesus Christ, help us to face our anguish without self-pity

          Give us courage and strength equal to the day

Lord Jesus Christ, help us to yield to God’s will and purpose

          Your kingdom come, your will be done. Amen.