Hate is a Strong Word

A friend recently told me about a small child whose mother was Caucasian and whose father was Mexican. The child was with the mother in a store when a man nearby told the young boy with him (likely his son) horrible things about the girl. They had never seen the girl before. His comments were based completely on the assumptions he made because of her Hispanic features. He was teaching the boy to hate someone he did not know – a child like himself who was too young to have done anything to deserve another’s hatred.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” John 15:18 Hate is a strong word. Hatred often leads to killing. Indeed, that is what happened. Jesus was killed out of hatred. What about him did they hate? If I follow this Jesus will they hate me too?

“As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:19 I don’t belong to the world. People tend to fear what they do not understand and that fear can turn to hate. People also hate those who by living well make them look bad. That is what happened among those who hated Jesus. “If I had not come and spoken out to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.” John 15:22-24 Jesus spoke to them about the Father’s love for them. He did miracles to back up what he was saying about himself and his Father. Yet, they chose to not believe in what they saw much less what they heard.

I’m not aware of a lot of people walking around hating me. I run into a snag here and there, but nothing too serious. But then, I do notice that as I grow more and more in faith and as I see God working in me and through me, there are some who pull back or just simply don’t know what to do with me. I wouldn’t call it hate, but rather ‘distancing’. But the really amazing thing is that while some distance themselves from me, others are drawn to the Father through me. They literally show up on my doorstep just needing God’s love to touch them, to hug them, to reassure them that they are not alone in their struggle. It is so exciting to see them relax and absorb God’s peace as we pray together.

Somehow, I don’t worry too much about the hate. There is a peace that comes with hanging out with the Father. There is a confidence that says, “I don’t need to worry about what those who hate will do.” There is a joy deep inside that no amount of hate coming from the outside can destroy. And something that I learned from my Teacher – I need to love those who hate me. Jesus loves them too. “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing,” he said from the cross.

It Hurts!

My father has an orchard and a few grapevines and berry bushes. Every winter or early spring, he faithfully prunes the trees and vines. He knows that if he doesn’t, the trees and vines won’t be as productive. When he begins to prune he doesn’t just start whacking at branches randomly, but rather he just stands and looks at the tree or vine for a bit, he thinks about what the tree or vine needs to be more productive, and then he begins pruning. Careful and thoughtful pruning does a number of things.

· It gets rid of dead wood.

· It stimulates growth.

· It allows light to get to the whole tree.

· It allows the tree or bush to concentrate on fruit bearing instead of sustaining more leaves.

· It keeps the tree manageable and useful.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:1-4

Jesus has spent three years with his disciples. He has been teaching them and ‘pruning’ them as they went along. He has gotten rid of the dead wood – the things in their lives that kept them from understanding the love of the Father. He has taught them and shown them who the Father is and the relationship he wants with them. He has gotten them ‘cleaned up’. Now he is about to leave them and he wants to make sure they get and remember the most important things he has been teaching them. But what is the nourishment they receive from the vine? What is this fruit he wants them to bear?

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” John 15:9 People can do amazing things when they know they are loved. Children on a soccer field or basketball court or football field will look for their parents on the sidelines. They are strengthened by that relationship with their parents. If their parents think they can do it, well just maybe than can! They make eye contact and then turn and go for the big play. Yes, knowing we are loved carries us a long way. It is the sap that nourishes us.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:7-8 If the disciples remember what they have been taught, all they have to do is ask and Jesus is right there to keep sustaining them. This is not a ‘God will give you whatever you want’ theology or ‘get rich quick plan’. We can’t miss what is on either side of ‘your wish is my command.’ “If you remain in me… bear much fruit…” will temper what it is we ask for.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11 How did we get from painful pruning to joy? Does joy really come out of pain? The principle here is that pruning allows the tree or vine to concentrate on fruit bearing rather than sustaining more leaves. If we have too many distracters in our lives (not just too much to do, but habits, hobbies, personality traits, etc.) we may miss the things that will bring us real joy. We settle for little bits of happiness here and there rather than living a life full of joy. Pruning also allows more light to the branches that remain. Jesus is truth and light and we can see him and hear his voice if we get the distracters out of the way. Jesus has been showing his disciples what is really important in life – understanding the love of the Father and showing it to others.

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:12-14 Jesus didn’t give them a 12-point plan with 24 sub-points to follow. He is back to the basics. Love God, love each other. It seems this fruit Jesus is asking his disciples and us to bear is love for others. It is what separates a true disciple of Jesus from a nominal follower. As we allow the love of the Father (the sap in the vine) to flow through us, it will become apparent in our relationships with other people. If we approach every decision and every conflict with the goal to love, we will be demonstrating good, mature fruit. Jesus is about to go to the cross – give his life – because of his love for everyone. Our teacher has shown us the extent of his love and he expects us to be willing to love others to that extreme as well.

“This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:17

God, I can’t say that I look forward to being pruned. It hurts. But just like exercise that hurts builds up muscles and makes us stronger, I realize that pruning – taking some things away – will make me more fruitful - loving. I’m so glad that I can trust you to look at me and study me and determine what needs to go in order for me to be able to love more completely. When I’m in pain, sustain me. Help me to focus on you and your goals for me – for my joy to be complete and for me to bear much fruit – love for others. Thank you for loving me as a friend. I love you to.

If You Love Me

Through the years, I have found that when I really like another person, I begin to imitate some of their behaviors and mannerisms. I may use words that they like to use, begin to go places they like to go, etc. The older I get and the more people I have enjoyed through my life, the more of a mix of behaviors and mannerisms I have picked up. Some I drop along the way and they are replaced by others. I think that is true of others as well. I love to watch a young boy standing next to his father. If his father has a hand in his pocket, so does the young boy. If his father is looking thoughtful, so is the boy. The boy adores his father and is imitating his behaviors.

The disciples had been hanging out with Jesus for three years and learning from him. They were beginning to imitate his behaviors and giving up some of their own. Now their teacher and leader is telling them he is going where they can’t go, but they are to go on doing the things he has taught them to do. Not only did Jesus promise his disciples that they would be able to continue on and do even more than he had been doing with them, he promised them that he would not abandon them as orphans, but would give them “another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth.” John 14:16 Jesus said, “The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 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.” John 14:17-21

There are several things stated or inferred here regarding the Holy Spirit as we have come to know this Counselor. The first is that Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are the same but different. The concept of the ‘Trinity’ cannot begin to be understood by those who do not love God. Second, only those who love and keep Jesus’ commandments will be able to see him. Third, the Holy Spirit will be a Counselor to those who love God. And Fourth, The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Truth – it will give good counsel to those who love God.

“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. 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.” John 14:23-24 “If anyone loves me…” indicates that we have a choice. We can choose to love him or not love him. And the litmus test for love is obedience. We all know that if someone says they love us and then turns around and does hateful things or ignores us completely, they do not really love us. They are just saying it. Love is not just a word or a feeling. It is an action.

If I go after God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and learn from him and do what he has taught me, he has promised to stay right with me in the form of the Holy Spirit. He will instruct me and teach me truth. In this age when many media forms have made information abundant, I really need a compass to stay the course and not get blown away by all the conflicting thoughts and ideas. Yes, I need God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to come and make their home with me. They are my Counselors for this journey. They are my comfort and my peace in the middle of the storms. They are my compass to guide me through rough passages. They are my companions whom I enjoy along the way. Yes, Lord, I love you!

Is Jesus the Christ?

Where is Jesus going? How can they follow him if he leaves them? Why does he have to leave? The disciples have been with him three years. They thought they knew where they were headed. Now he is talking about leaving them. How will they go on if their leader leaves? Abandonment is what it feels like.

“Trust me,” Jesus says. “Trust God… I’m going ahead to get ready for you. I’ve shown you the way. Now come along.” John 14:1-4 paraphrased. They are confused. They don’t remember going over any maps. They don’t know where he is going, so how can they get there?

Then come the verses that plague this generation. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7 Is Jesus the only Way? What is Truth? Is Jesus really the only Truth? What about other religions? Isn’t each person entitled to his own faith and his own religion. Why are Christians so exclusive?

These verses force us to answer the question, “Is Jesus the Christ?” Is he who he says he is or is he a good person with a lot of good ideas – a prophet? How can we know? And if the disciples who broke bread with and touched the man Jesus are struggling here, how are we who only experience him as Spirit and read about him in the Bible supposed to get through this one? Chanting, “I believe,” and “I think I can,” are not going to cut it here. I need to know that I know that I know that Jesus is the Christ if I am going to be a Christian – a follower of him.

“Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered, ‘don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.’” John 14:8-11 If you can’t take my word for it, at least believe what you see! What have the disciples been seeing for the last three years? They saw water turned to wine, they saw thousands being fed on just a few small loaves of bread and a couple of fish, they saw lame walk, they saw blind receive their sight, they saw lepers healed, they saw forgiveness and restoration among people who were outcasts of society, they saw storms subside and winds die down. Jesus is telling them, “If you can’t grasp that I am indeed God with you, can you at least grasp that in my presence people find sustenance, love and healing?”

Jesus’ purpose in coming was to establish that God loves us and that he is the source of healing and goodness. Yet, how many people, because they can’t get over the hurdle that Jesus is the Christ, walk away from that healing and miss out on the goodness of the loving relationship with God that he wants for us to have? Why is it so hard to believe that Jesus is the Christ?

Maybe it is because if Jesus is the Christ, then I am not my own Christ. If Jesus is the Christ, I must become subservient to him – his will trumps mine. I like to be in control of my life and I like to make all the decisions concerning me. I like to know that I have a job and know where my next meal is coming from and know how much money I will have saved up for retirement. I like to choose which people I will associate with. I want things the way I want them. I can plan and take care of myself!

If Jesus is the Christ and I become his servant, what will happen to me? Will I have to give away everything I have? Will I have to move someplace I’d rather not live? Will I have to look stupid to my friends because I’m not saving for retirement? Or worse yet, will I become like some who call themselves Christians who spew hatred toward others who don’t think like them? After all, I pride myself in my open mind and acceptance of others. I don’t want to become close-minded and hateful.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:12-14 That doesn’t sound like anything that I fear. If I will be doing what Jesus has been doing, I will be bringing healing to others around me. I will be showing love and acceptance to those others have rejected. I will be spending time with the Father and letting him by my mentor. I will have confidence that the Father loves me and I will love him. Maybe he will ask me to go without a meal sometime so that others may eat. Maybe he will ask me to spend time with someone who doesn’t smell good or who isn’t much fun to be around so that they will understand for the first time in their lives what it means to be loved. He may ask me to be his hands as he reaches out to touch the lives of others. He may even ask me to give my life so others may live.

But even as he asks the hard things of me, he also promises that, “I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3 That must have been so comforting for the disciples. They loved this Jesus they had been hanging out with and to be able to be with him again was all they wanted. That is what I want to – to be able to go to the One I love, to the One who loves me and feel all the goodness, peace, joy and comfort that comes with being with the One whom I love – my Jesus, my Lord.