June
3, 2001
John 14:8-17, 25-27
Philip said, "Master, show us the Father; then we'll be content."
"You've been with me all this time Philip, and you still
don't understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you
ask, 'Where is the Father?' Don't you believe that I am in the
Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you
aren't mere words. I don't just make them up on my own. The Father
who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.
"Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If
you can't believe that, believe what you see--these works. The
person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even
greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving
you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on
it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I
am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will
be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request
in this way, I'll do.
"If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will
talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that
you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit
of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't
have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know
him already because he has been staying with you, and will even
be in you!
...
"I'm telling you these things while I'm still living with
you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at
my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind
you of all the things I have told you. I'm leaving you well and
whole. That's my parting gift to you. Peace. I don't leave you
the way you're used to being left--feeling abandoned, bereft.
So don't be upset. Don't be distraught."
<The Message >
=======
1.
The Spirit of Truth can't be taken in by appearances, but sees
to the heart of the matter. This is also the way in which we are
able to analyze propaganda - seeing with the eye of this Spirit.
Here is a four-fold formula for seeing truth (four "i"
statements):
intuition - sensing there is an attempt to take us in (Remember Bishop Dale White in the Defense of Creation presentation talking about Christian Intuition). This is a gift of inspiration by the Spirit.
intelligence - find the spot(s) of discontinuity where a jump is being made in logic.
information - bring to the issue all the information you have so the attempt can be seen within a larger context.
imagination -
find the creative response which will both reveal the attempt
and allow a freedom of action not constrained by the initial attempt
to trap your thinking and living.
2.
This whole business of doing greater things than Jesus is an affront
to many who would trap the church in the literal words of the
Bible. These folks are more comfortable with "I'm just asking
Lord, if it be your will...." But these are radical words
of faith. Jesus pushes us to push against the same boundaries
he did and to push them further; to push with the same authority
in the eyes of the world, a relationship with GOD. Ultimately
this is not some creedal statement or preaching point, but a lived
experience.
3.
Draw a line between two images
Where are you on that continuum? Where were
you yesterday? What will it take to move you further to the left
tomorrow?
Pray for this peace and act from within it.