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Tag: Lent John’s Gospel (Page 1 of 2)

Lent Reflection Day 27, 4th April

April 4, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 15:1-27

Jesus reiterates his teaching from the previous chapters using the analogy of a grapevine, where he is the vine and the Father is the gardener. This is something that would have been familiar to his disciples. Israel was meant to be God’s true vine but had been false to him (Isaiah 5:1-7) and so now there is a new Grapevine. We are called to remain in relationship to Jesus, to be part of this vine, allowing ourselves to be pruned (made clean and purified) by his words, remaining in his love and so producing fruit.

Again, we are reminded to love as Jesus has loved us. Jesus raises the relationship with his disciples from that of slaves to a master to one of friends. He has taken them into his confidence regarding everything the Father has told him.

Jesus then seeks to prepare his friends for the trouble they will face since they have chosen to follow him, and reminds them that it is all because people have rejected him, his words and his miracles. But the advocate, the comforter, will come to testify about Jesus alongside the disciples. Being persecuted is not going to be a reason to not speak up for the truth when one who is like Jesus is going to be with them all the time. Staying close to Jesus is as vital to us now as it was for them then; it provides strength, wisdom and courage whatever life may throw at us.

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 26, 3rd April

April 3, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 14:15-31

There are 4 themes we could look at in this passage.

1. The advocate (paraclete), comforter , counsellor, encourager is coming. We will not be left alone like orphans, he will be living with and in us, and he will lead believers into all truth. He is another advocate like Jesus. John is the only gospel writer to use this word to describe the Holy Spirit. We do not have to become super disciples to receive the Spirit, simply come into a relationship with Jesus through faith.

2. Jesus resurrection will bring life and proof of who Jesus is to all who believe.

3. Living in an ongoing, loving relationship with the Father and the Son depends on obedience to his commands. Although it involves a heart response, we can’t say ‘we love Jesus’ and then not live life as he asks us to. This is not just about sentimentality.

4. Jesus gives us peace of heart and mind; a peace that goes beyond what the world can give Psalm 37: 7-9.

Whilst Jesus’ death might suggest the devil has won his battle and overthrown him, Jesus is clear that his enemy has no power. Jesus, the sinless son of God, is voluntarily giving up his life in order to take it up again.

Here we see the Godhead at work together to ensure that we have all we need to be disciples, and we are never abandoned, no matter how we might feel.

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 25, 2nd April

April 2, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 14:1-14

In spite of three years of following Jesus, listening to his teaching and witnessing the miracles the disciples are still confused about what is going on, and the relationship that exists between Jesus and the Father. Maybe it’s because life has just suddenly taken a very dramatic turn with all this talk of Jesus leaving and their not being able to go with him.

V1 Jesus addresses it head on with his encouragement to trust him and the Father. A verse that we can all take hold of in difficult times. It seems hardly surprising they are confused, Jesus is talking both physically of his departure and yet also spiritually about the way to him. You can feel Thomas’ is frustration. The way is Jesus himself, and through him we come to the Father. The relationship between the Father and the Spirit is still not clear to them, as evidenced by Philip’s question. To see Jesus and to hear him is to see and hear the Father. Knowing this is hard, Jesus says ‘well if that’s too hard at least believe because of the works’. There is no such thing as a stupid question (so they say), if we don’t know or understand what God is doing, we can ask and know that he will be willing to answer us.

Then we have this extraordinary promise that those who believe can do the same if not greater works in Jesus’ name. This is because he is going and when he goes the Spirit will come. Jesus going; his death, resurrection and ascension will prepare an eternal place in God’s presence for all believers (v 2-3) and, as we will read tomorrow, usher in the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 24, 1st April

April 1, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 13:21-38

Jesus is not indifferent to the betrayal that is about to happen, it troubles him as it would anyone in that situation. (The  disciple who asks Jesus who the betrayer is was most likely John, the gospel writer, v 23, 21:20-24)

It seems likely that only those sat near him heard Jesus’ answer, and it appears strange that they don’t intervene. Maybe, because Jesus didn’t act to stop it, neither did they. So, Satan entered Judas and now he moves to carry out the devilish plan which will of course backfire on him and the devil.

Jesus knows that everything that is about to happen to him will bring glory to God and to himself. They are as one in their actions to save the world, as John described in ch. 3 v 16. He wants his disciples to be as one in their love for him and one another. Whilst the Old Testament taught them to love their neighbour as themselves, Jesus now raises the bar. They are to love each other as Jesus has loved them. This type of love will show the world they are his disciples.

Peter, in his enthusiasm to be a true follower of Jesus, seems to take the information that he can’t follow Jesus yet as a slight, and declares his willingness to die. It’s hard to imagine how he must have felt when Jesus warned him of his coming denial. Perhaps he didn’t believe it was possible or didn’t really know himself that well. It certainly didn’t stop him later on (ch 18).

Lord, help us to love as you have called us to love and be our true selves before you.

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 23, 31st March

March 31, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 13:1-20

This is the beginning of five chapters of teaching by Jesus as he prepares his disciples for his departure. John’s focus in his recounting of the Last Supper is not so concerned with the supper itself i.e. the bread and wine, but the washing of the disciples feet.

John tells us of four things that Jesus knows:

1 V1he knows his time has come to leave and return to the Father

2 V3 he knows the Father has given all authority to him

3 V11 he knows who will betray him

4 V18 He knows who he has chosen

In spite of what is coming he is in complete control of himself and his circumstances. His security comes from knowing who he is, his determination from knowing his purpose and his steadfastness from his understanding of those around him. The teaching that follows the foot washing and the warning of betrayal are motivated by his great love for his disciples, and the hope that they will not lose trust in him, that he is the Messiah.

Jesus’ taking up the place of a servant to wash the disciples’ feet causes a great consternation, expressed by Peter, that this is not right. Of course, there is a purpose to all this as Jesus prepares them for how they are to behave when he is gone.

Jesus’ deep love for his disciples today has not ended because he has ascended, it continues to flow to us through the Word and the Spirit every day.

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 22, 29th March

March 29, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 12:23-50

Here we start to get a sense of the deep emotion stirring in Jesus as he knows his time has come (v 23). Up until now John has told us repeatedly that Jesus’ time had not yet come, but now it has and he knows it cannot and should not be avoided.

The arrival of Greek visitors prompts Jesus to speak of the harvest that will come from his death not just for the Jews but all people of the earth (v 24,32). Right now is not the time for judgement, that will come but at a later date, now it  is about salvation.

In the upside down world of the gospel those who love their life will lose it, and those who don’t will receive eternal life. The call to follow is a call to servanthood, but with it comes the promise of honour from the father. This is the last time Jesus will address the crowd en mass (v 44) and it seems to me that we get a sense of the urgency Jesus feels. There isn’t much time left before his death and resurrection to teach them the truth and point them to the Father.

We have been given a choice to walk in the light or in the dark, to trust Jesus or not. The challenge is real but so is the reward.

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 19 , 26th March

March 26, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 11:1-35

The prelude to this story (vv1-16) sets the scene for what is to come. It tells us something about this family; Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and that Jesus is very fond of them. But clearly Jesus knows that there is more to this event than just Lazarus’ healing. Jesus will only do what he sees his Father doing. So he waits, knowing that Lazarus has died, but also that a greater miracle is about to take place. It is 2 days walk to the family’s home in Judea, so even if he left immediately Lazarus would still have been dead by the time Jesus arrived. This will become important later in the story. The risk in going back to Judea is evidenced by the disciples questioning his decision and Thomas’ is pessimism, but Jesus will no allow fear to stop him doing his Father’s will.

Vv17-27 clearly Martha had faith, when they asked for Jesus help, that he would have healed her brother, but now she declares her faith that Jesus can turn even this sad event around (v 22). Her response draws from Jesus the next ‘I am’ statement. He is the resurrection and the life. He asks Martha if she believes this and she declares her faith that he is the Messiah.

Vv 28-35 Mary has the same initial response as Martha believing Jesus could have done something, and expressing both her faith and her despair together. Then we see this very human response of Jesus to the sorrow of those around him. He weeps, but also there is in him a deep anger. What exactly he was angry at is not clear. For myself, I think it was at the distress that sin, sickness and death bring into the world.

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 17, 24th March

March 24, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 10:1-21

This passage continues Jesus contrasting of the difference between true and false believers using the analogy of the sheep and a shepherd.

There are two ‘I am’ sayings in this chapter, ‘I am the gate’ and ‘I am the Good Shepherd’. There are different words used in this passage between the beginning (vv1-5) and later (vv 6-13) where initially the picture is of sheep being held in a courtyard in a town which would have some sort of door and the sheep being held in in the countryside where a sheep pen would have no gate but the shepherd would sleep across the entrance in order to protect the sheep. You can’t sneak into the sheepfold, you can only come through the door, which is Jesus. Salvation can only come through him (v 9). Those who are true sheep know the shepherd’s voice and follow him, by contrast the pharisees don’t recognise his voice.

Whilst in this country we tend to round up sheep and drive them, in the Mediterranean and Eastern European countries a shepherd walks ahead and his sheep follow him. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who is willing to lay down his life for the sheep because they are his. A hired hand will not care and will leave the sheep defenceless when trouble comes (Numbers 27:16-17) . As the Good Shepherd Jesus assures us he has come to give us life to the full (Psalm 23:1-3). This is one of the first places where we hear from Jesus the beginning of an understanding that he has come to call all people to himself whether they be Jew or Gentile, that all can become part of this flock of believers (v16).

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 16, 22nd March

March 22, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 9:1-41

This is a remarkable story of one man’s encounter with Jesus and its aftermath.

It begins with the disciples asking a question ‘who sinned that he was born blind?’, and this reflects the prevailing view that all sickness or suffering is punishment for sin. There is a general connection between these two things in regard to the Fall, and some scripture implies a direct connection, but the disciple’s question is in regard to congenital affliction. Jesus rejects this idea, but sees it as the opportunity for God’s power to be displayed. There is some contention over the translation in v3 that implies God allowed it so that he could be healed. However, early Greek manuscripts had no punctuation and the words ‘this happened’, which appear in many translations, are not in the original. It could be translated  ‘Neither this man nor his parents. But that the works of God may be revealed in him it is necessary for us to work the works……etc.’

Once again we learn Jesus has healed on the Sabbath and another confrontation is set up with the Pharisees. Their efforts to verify whether a miracle has taken place or not seem almost comical. While the man’s parents tried to distance themselves from upsetting the Pharisees, the man himself is very clear about what has happened and challenges the Jewish leaders. His sincerity becomes clear in verse 38: he believes.

Jesus has come to bring light into the world physically and spiritually, answer challenge full spirituality wherever he finds it

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

Lent Reflection Day 15, 21st March

March 21, 2025 / / 0 Comments

John 8:31-59

This next discourse between Jesus and those who claim to believe in him causes another upset as Jesus sets out the conditions for being a disciple. Obedience to his teachings, he tells them, will set them free from sin. As descendants of Abraham, they believed they automatically inherited the Kingdom of God, and were incensed by the idea that they were or had been slaves. Given Israel’s history of enslavement and the current Roman occupation this seems bizarre. Jesus wants them to understand that their nationality as Abraham’s children means little if they don’t love God or him, or follow his teaching. This difference is pressed home by Jesus’ statement that they behave more as children of the devil than of Abraham. No wonder they are upset with him!

Jesus tells them he is not doing this for his own glory, his motivation is to speak truth, and God will honour him. The Jews continue to misunderstand, taking as literal his references to spiritual life and death. Finally, Jesus tells them ‘Before Abraham was born, I am’. ‘I am’ (ego eimi) makes him one with God. The penalty for this is stoning, but Jesus is hidden from them. His time has not yet come.

The Jews in this passage sound a little like those who used to claim they were Christians because they lived in a ‘Christian’ country. Discipleship is a product of following Jesus and requires a definite decision to act on his word, it is never the product of a passive acquired inheritance.

Response: Choose a word, phrase, idea or action that strikes you as significant at this moment in your life and spend a few minutes reflecting on it.

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