Reflections from October 29, 2010

Jesus had spent time with various people discussing His works and at the end said to them as written in John 12:46-50, "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

Jesus summed it all up by saying that He came as a light into a world filled with darkness. People didn't have good direction in their life because they couldn't see properly. It takes a strong, bright light, and Jesus is that light. He shines so that nothing can escape the light, there are no shadows, there's no corners of darkness. Everything is exposed for us to see. The hardest part is whether or not we believe. That's the bottom line here and what we will be judged on at final judgement.

It's interesting that people then felt the only thing one in authority would do is judge. That's what they were attuned to by the priests and pharisees, but Jesus said He didn't come to judge...only to love and to serve. Our belief in Him and the Word will be what judges us someday. So, as we said on Wednesday...Do you believe?


Jesus spent time with His disciples have their last supper in the upper room. After they ate, Jesus then washed their feet as an act of servanthood in order to show them how to love one another. With this, He gave them a new commandment as written in John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

This commandment turns out to be one of the most difficult to follow, since the love that Jesus showed is self-sacrificial. How many of us would give up our life for someone else, especially if that someone else turned us into the sheriff, like Judas did? Perhaps Jesus didn't have that in mind, but He does want us to show love, a sacrificial love, that overlooks the hurts that we endure from others, that forgives people, and that serves others. And by this sign will the world know that we are truly the disciples of Jesus Christ, when we have this kind of love.

Blessings to all