Archive for the ‘John’ Tag
Jesus Provides Bread From Heaven!
Filed under: Bible, By Richard Andrews, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: commands, compassion, Faith, first miracle, God's Calling, God's Compassion, God's Faithfulness, God's glory, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's love, God's Mercy, God's Power, God's Unconditional Love, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Humble, Humility, Jesus Christ, Jesus' identity, Jesus' Miracles, John, john 6: 29, Love, Matthew, matthew 14: 13-21, Miracles, Mission, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Rebellion, Reconciliation, Religion, responsibility, Resurrection, Salvation, Self-righteousness, Sin, Sinners, Stewards, Stewardship, The Bread of Life, The miracles of Jesus, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trust, Unconditional Love
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Video – Watch on You-Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJDt16cqNEA
Audio – Part 1a: 28min
Audio – Part 1b: 22min
Audio – Full Message:
Bible Verses: John 6: 29 Matthew 14: 13-21
“Jesus provides not only for physical needs but also for spiritual ones. He showed compassion for the crowd following after Him, He took what was available and worked an amazing miracle to feed a multitude, and He chose to communicate that blessing to the crowd through His disciples. Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5,000 demonstrated His deity in providing bread for the crowd, even as He Himself is “the bread of life” (John 6:35).” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
Jesus is the Son of God – [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit], who provides bread from heaven.
“Jesus did not come into the world mainly to give bread, but to be bread. He did not come to be an ever-ready bellhop for our bellies, but to be the all-satisfying bread for our souls. O, he cares about our physical lives in this age, but he cares 10 million times more about our eternal lives.” –John Piper
Christ Connection:
When the Israelites were hungry in the wilderness, God provided manna from heaven. Jesus is the greater Moses, the One who not only provides bread from heaven but who also speaks of Himself as the Bread who gives life to the world.
Missional Application:
God, Through His Holy Spirit, calls us to be the people through whom Jesus meets needs today.
“Our compassion for others leads us to share our money, our meals, and our home. We give words of peace and comfort and hope. And even when we’re exhausted or grieving or raw ourselves, we don’t harden our hearts. As Jesus would say in John 15:9, “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you.” The Father has proven His love by sending His one and only Son (John 3:16). The love of the Father and the Son and the Spirit was not limited to emotions—God acted on it. Likewise, we as followers of Christ are not called to feel compassion but to be compassionate. Before He ever provided the crowd with a meal, Jesus provided them something far more valuable—Himself. The bread from heaven in the exodus nourished God’s people, but the Bread of Life satisfies forever (John 6:35-38). So, in His compassion, He healed their sick…..
When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we learn that we’re called to be servants, but sometimes that servitude leads to much more—sometimes we are conduits of His miracles. Sometimes we think we’re crazy (or we’re sure others will think we’re crazy), but we step out in faith. Sometimes we have no idea why we left our everyday routines to go out of the way, but then we see clearly that God used us to show His glory to someone.” – The Gospel Project
“The greatest miracle of all, however, is the miracle of a changed life—and this can happen, as we open our hearts and lives to Christ. Do others see Christ in you—His love, His compassion, His purity, His joy? Make sure of your commitment to Christ, then ask Him to change you from within by His Holy Spirit, and make you a living witness to the miracle of His transforming power.” –Billy Graham
Photo Compliments: Heartlight.org
Jesus Turns Water Into Wine!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: commands, Faith, first miracle, God's Calling, God's Faithfulness, God's glory, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's love, God's Mercy, God's Power, God's Unconditional Love, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Humble, Humility, Jesus Christ, Jesus' identity, Jesus' Miracles, John, John 2: 1-12, Love, Miracles, Mission, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Rebellion, Reconciliation, Religion, responsibility, Resurrection, Salvation, Self-righteousness, Sin, Sinners, Stewards, Stewardship, The miracles of Jesus, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trust, Unconditional Love, water into wine, wine
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Part 1a: 26min
Part 1b: 30min
Full Message:
Main Passage: John 2:1-12 NLT
“John did not recount the story of Jesus turning water into wine for our entertainment; by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he intentionally presented the truth that Jesus’ miracles reveal God the Father. Through the details of this miracle, we see Jesus’ compassion for our needs, a glimpse of His identity, and His ability to reveal God in all He does.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
The miracles of Jesus were part of His purpose in bringing glory to God. – [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit]
“With [Jesus], nothing is incomplete or done at the wrong time, just as with the Father there is nothing haphazard.” –Irenaeus
Christ Connection:
Sin has disrupted our relationship with God, leading to spiritual barrenness and sorrow in our lives. Christ’s miracles are a sign that joyful reconciliation with God is possible again through faith in Jesus’ glorious life, death, and resurrection.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to do whatever Jesus tells us to do as we seek to display His glory and lead others to faith.
“Now this transformation of the water from its own substance into another, testified to the powerful presence of the Creator. Only he who had made it out of nothing could change water into something whose use was quite different.” –Maximus of Turin
“By this first sign, Jesus revealed His glory, ‘the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth’ (1:14). His glory would be revealed in greatest measure in his cross, resurrection and exaltation, but every step along the course of his ministry was an adumbration of that glory.” –D. A. Carson
“So what does this have to do with me?” you might ask. “Jesus is not on earth anymore; I don’t get to see His miracles.” Correct. But you are a miracle of Jesus, pointing others to God.
“Me?” you might ask, “I’m a sinner saved by grace.” Exactly. And when you tell others how Jesus won your heart, called you by name, and changed you from the inside out, you are just as amazing and awe-inspiring to unbelievers as the turning of water into wine.
Just as Jesus considered His purpose before each miracle, we should consider our purpose before each conversation, each lunch meeting, each relationship, and each trial: Am I reflecting Christ? Do I point others to Him? Can others tell by my words and actions that Jesus is King of kings, Lord of lords, and the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world? – The Gospel Project
Photo compliments: BLCF: thefirstmiracle
The Father From Whom We All Are Named!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Ephesians 3:15, Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, John, Matthew 23, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 24min
Part 1b: 24min
Full Message:
Main Bible Passage: Ephesians 3: 15
“Fathers, are you are struggling as a father? Then…demand time with your Heavenly Father! “…say “no!” to some stuff and demand time with your Heavenly Father because, what do you have to give them (your family!) if you haven’t been spending time with The Heavenly Father, so as to allow your Father to rub off on you so you can actually participate in HIS Fathering?!” – Pastor Timothy Brassell
“Let me emphasize that we are not called to honor our parents on our own power. Instead, enabled by the Holy Spirit, we see them in the light of Christ—the light of what our Lord intends for them. In that light, we are able to honor our parents because we know that Jesus, as Mediator, stands between us and them—he is Lord and Savior of that relationship. We also know and trust that Jesus’ purposes for us cannot be thwarted by bad parenting. Through him and by him we have a heavenly Father who graciously rules over all earthly fathers (and mothers).
Giving honor to a parent is not mere emotion—it’s an attitude that comes from faith, hope and love in God through Christ and by the Spirit. Also, giving honor does not require a positive relationship (in some cases, a face-to-face relationship with a badly abusive parent is not possible). Nevertheless, Jesus calls upon us to rise above the bad relationship to extend honor, even if from afar. We do so by focusing on our relationship with Jesus, who enables us to grow into his maturity, including his ability to love the unlovely. We do so remembering how Jesus showed incredible honor toward us when we were completely dishonorable.
One last thought: When children see parents honoring their parents, they will likely imitate that behavior. Despite the challenges, honoring others is a healthy activity for others as well as for ourselves.
Happy Father’s Day,”
Joseph Tkach, GCI President – https://update.gci.org/2018/06/honoring-our-parents/?format=printable&date=2018-06-13
How The Triune God Encounters Ordinary People!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, John, John 4, John 4: 1-42, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 25min
Part 1b: 41min
Full Message:
Main Passage: John 4:1-42
“Jesus had a conversation with a Samaritan woman He met at the well of Jacob. In their discussion, Jesus claimed to have the living water that will satisfy the soul, and He revealed the truth that God seeks people to worship Him in Spirit and truth. As Jesus’ followers, we resemble the Samaritan woman as we exalt Jesus for who He is and then tell others about the living water He offers.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
God- [Father, Son, and Spirit], is seeking true worshipers who worship Him in Spirit and truth.
Christ Connection:
Jesus told the Samaritan woman that a day was coming when worshipers would not focus on the physical location of Jerusalem or the mountain but worshipers would worship in Spirit and truth. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and ascension, our worship is no longer confined by geography. We worship Jesus as the Savior of the whole world.
Missional Application:
God, in the Holy Spirit, calls us to open our eyes to see the harvest of people across the world who need the living water that only Jesus Christ can provide.
“How does The Triune God encounter ordinary people? The Father, Son and Spirit God encounters us as one who, when we’re trapped in immorality, when we’re social outcasts, when we have no direction in our life and when we’re “EEKING” out in an ordinary mundane routine day after day life, HE IS THE ONE who can come in – and so often does – and turns our life around and may even make us like He did this woman. He made this immoral woman the first evangelist in her hometown and saw many people come to faith. Don’t you give up on anybody let alone yourself, for The Lord God- Father, Son, and Spirit is pulling off the impossible!
He [Jesus] has not allowed ANYTHING He cannot redeem, so receive Him, come, ask Him for a drink and He’ll put in you living waters that will flow out of you into eternal life. Meaning, you’ll have a relationship eternally with His Father in The Holy Spirit and with everyone else.” – Pastor Timothy Brassell
Photo Compliments: Pinterest
Full Boundaried Intimacy
Filed under: By John Stonecypher, Christian Living, Gospel, Scripture Paraphrases, Trinity | Tags: Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Gospel, Jesus, John, Perichoresis, Trinity
Leave a comment A Christ-centered Trinitarian paraphrase of John 17.1-26
(17.1) When he’d finished saying all this, Jesus looked up to the starry sky and said “Papa, it’s time. Let’s show them what we’re made of. (2) You have given all people into my hand, so that to all of them I might give our own infinite aliveness, (3) the superabundant life of sharing in our knowing of each other in the Spirit. (4) I have revealed you. I have fulfilled your desires. I have finished the job. (5) My trust has pierced the veil that hides your face from my eyes. Now it’s time for us to shred the veil completely, so that my human eyes may see what my human faith already knows. Raise your human Son to the place where your only-begotten Son has always been.
(6) Out of the whole world you especially gave me these few disciples, and I have made known to them the power of your name. They believe the truth – that they belong to us. (7) They know that everything I’ve given them is from you. (8) I have delivered your message to them, and they have received it. They know the truth – that I came from you, and that you sent me.
(9) What I am requesting now, I am requesting for THEM – all the people who know me but are surrounded by others who don’t. (10) They belong to us, and in their bodies our Light shines. (11) I am changing my mode of presence in the world, but they are not. Protect them, Papa. With the power of your name, keep them safe from evil’s power to hurt their relationships with each other. I want them to be whole, like you and me – 100% attached and 100% differentiated. Full boundaried intimacy.
(12) I myself have been protecting our community from falling apart. The scriptures prophesied the loss of one from our group, but he is the only one we have lost. (13) Now as my mode of presence transitions, I say these things so that they will not miss out on a single drop of my joy. (14) They now know what I know. They know that we belong to you, not to the System. And the System hates us because it can’t own us. (15) I don’t ask that you take them out of the System, because the people in the System need them. What I do ask is that you protect their relationships from the Faceless Man and his schemes to break them up.
(16) They have been freed from the System and its terrible necessities. (17) May their knowledge of this truth transform them and set them apart as your own freedom fighters in the world. (18) I launch them into the System like you launched me – with a job to do. (19) For their sakes I have set myself apart for this task, so that they can join me.
(20) I ask all this not only for these Twelve, but also for everyone who will believe in me through their testimony. (21) I ask that they may be whole and fully bound together in our love. Just like how you are in me and I am in you, I ask that they also live their life together in us, so that the world will experience and believe the gospel. (22) I have brought them into the beauty and harmony of our shared life, so that they may participate in our oneness, (23) I in them and you in me, so that they may share our full boundaried intimacy. In this way the world will see that I am from you, and that when you shower your love upon me, every drop of it lands on them.
(24) Papa, I want them to be with me where I am – both in the world and at your right hand. I want them to know me for who I really am. I want them to experience the beauty of my relationship with you, the life we have shared from before time.
(25) Lovely Papa, the world doesn’t know you, but I do. My friends here know that you sent me. (26) I have revealed you to the world, and I will continue to do so until that job is done. I will keep at it until the world is full of people who are full of me and the love you have given to me.
~ John Stonecypher
Face to Face
Filed under: By John Stonecypher, Christian Living, Gospel, Scripture Paraphrases, Trinity | Tags: Christian Living, Christianity, Jesus, John, Perichoresis, Trinity
Leave a comment A Trinitarian Christ-centered paraphrase of John 16.16-33
(16.16) “I’m about to be taken away from you guys, but you’ll see me again shortly thereafter.”
(17) The disciples were all like “Whatchoo talkin bout, Jesus? ‘Going away’ and ‘Coming back’ and ‘Going to Papa’ (18) and ‘shortly therafter’?”
(19) Jesus said, “I’ll tell you what I’m talkin bout: (20) You will weep while the crowds cheer. But your grief will give way to joy. (21) Giving birth is painful, but the pain is nothing compared to the joy of having a new baby. (22) You will have pain, but when I see you again on the third day, you will have joy, and no one will be able to take it away from you.
(23) On that day, you will not ask me for things. Instead, you will ask Papa in my name, and he will give to you. (24) This will be a change from how things were before. You will be a full participant in the Triune conversation. You will ask, you will receive, and you will overflow with our joy. (25) I’ve been using figures of speech. But soon you will be able to hear me speak of Papa more simply. (26) That is when you will ask for what you want in my name. Let me be perfectly clear: This does NOT mean I will ask Papa FOR you. You won’t need to hind behind me as we live face-to-face with Papa together, (27) for Papa loves you just like I do. You will know his love more and more as you continue to love me and believe that he sent me. (28) Papa sent me to be present with you in the world in this way, but this phase of the plan is almost over. My current mode of presence will end. When I ascend as a man to Papa’s right hand, I will be with you in a new way.”
(29) His disciples said “Now you’re talking so we can understand. Hooray, no more riddles! (30) We get it now! You know who you are, and now we know too. You are definitely from Papa. We believe!”
(31) Jesus answered “You believe me? Good. (32) But the journey of belief has only just begun. Now is when it gets hard. In a couple minutes, you will all abandon me; you will run away and hide under your beds. But don’t worry, I won’t be alone, because Papa will stay with me. (33) I’m saying this now so that when the storm comes, you will have some calm. The System will come after you, just like it’s coming after me. But don’t worry; the fight belongs to me. The System is dead meat.
**These paraphrases aim to provoke a fresh reading of Scripture by taking seriously the twin mysteries of Trinity and Incarnation**
~ John Stonecypher
The Trunk of the Human Tree
Filed under: By John Stonecypher, Christian Living, Gospel, Scripture Paraphrases | Tags: Bible, Christian Living, Christianity, Gospel, Jesus, John, Perichoresis, Trinity
Leave a comment A Christ-centered, Trinitarian paraphrase of John 15:1-16:15
(15.1) I am the trunk of the human tree; all branches are connected to me. My Papa is the gardener, and (2) he will never give up on this tree and just let it be fruitless and dead. Instead, he faithfully chops off sick branchings before they infect others. When a branch bears fruit, he strips that branch of its sub-branches, to make it fruit even more. (3) My word has already cleared the sick branches off you. (4) I am as close to you as a trunk is to its branches. I have re-arranged my life just to be with you, to include you in every aspect of my everyday life. I have chosen to be alive with you. Be alive with me. When a branch is disconnected from the trunk, it produces no fruit. The same is true for you if you choose to not participate in the life I’m living with you. (5) I am the trunk, and you are the branches. The Triune sap eternally flows in and out of me. If you believe, allowing it to flow in and out of you, it will produce the fruit of the Spirit in you – love, joy, and peace. But if through disbelief you resist that flow, you will not produce anything. (6) There is a fire coming in this generation that will consume all the dead wood, the fruitless branches that want nothing to do with me. (7) But if you receive me and believe me, if you participate through faith in the life I’m living with you, you and I will ask Papa to produce fruit in you, and he will. (8) He LIVES for this – seeing you sharing in my life and producing lots and lots of delicious fruit.
(9) Papa has showered me with love, and I now shower that love upon you forever. Period. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Take it seriously. Dance with that truth, day in and day out. (10) Abide in it; let it determine your actions. That’s what it means to participate in my life and to abide in my love. That is what I do with Papa, believing and doing what he says, and enjoying the power of his love as it flows in and out of me. (11) I’ve told you all this in order to take my joy and fill you to overflowing with it.
(12) Here’s what I want you to do: Take the love/joy/peace I have given you, and give it to each other. (13) To give love is to give yourself, ALL of yourself, from birth to death and everything in between. (14) I have laid down my life for you, and I always will. You lay down your lives for me as you accept and do what I say. I have been a friend to you, and you have become friends to me. (15) You are not my servants; servants don’t know what their master is doing. No, you are my friends. You know what I’m doing. Everything I receive from Papa, I have given to you. My knowing of him is now yours. (16) Not because you chose me, but because I chose you. I chose you to be carriers of the Triune blessing to the world. I chose you to bear the fruit the world needs to eat, to bear Triune fruit whenever you join me in asking Papa for it. (17) I command you to love, because loving one another is what eternal Triune life is all about.
(18) If the System hates you, just remember it hated me first. (19) The System loves only what it owns, and since it can’t own you, it can’t stand you. (20) Remember: ‘The servant gets what the master gets.’ The powers-that-be want to chew me up and spit me out, and they will try to do the same with you. They will accept you only when they accept me. (21) They will hate you because I sent you, and they hate me because they don’t know the one who sent me. (22) By coming and telling the truth, I have exposed their hidden disease. (23) Their hatred of me is the symptom that reveals their hatred of Papa. (24) Their sickness would have stayed hidden if I had not done what I have done. But now they and everyone else see the truth – that they hate me and my Papa. (25) Their own scriptures foretell this: “They hated me for no reason.”
(26) I’ve told you before about the Guide, the Spirit of Truth who I will send to you from Papa. When he comes, he will speak the truth about me and what I have done. (27) Because you have been with me this whole time, you will share in his speaking. You will tell what you have seen. (16.1) I’m telling you this so you don’t fall off the wagon when things get hard. (2) They’re going to kick you out of their churches. When they kill you, they’ll think they’re doing Papa a favor. (3) They will do this because they don’t really know Papa or me.
(4) I’m telling you this so that when it happens, you’ll remember. I didn’t tell you earlier, because you still had me with you in the normal way. (5) But now I am ascending to Papa’s right hand. You haven’t yet asked “Where IS that, exactly?” (6) but I can see this is breaking your heart. (7) But believe me when I say this: My ascension will make things better for you. For me to begin my new-and-improved mode of presence with you through the Spirit, it is necessary for me to end my current mode of presence.
(8) When I inject my Spirit into the world, he will contradict the core beliefs that make the System run. (9) The System functions on the assumption that problems are caused by rule-breaking. My Spirit will prove that problems come from beliefs that do not fit with Reality. (10) The System functions on the assumption that righteousness is something achieved by a few heroic individuals who can climb the religious ladder all the way up to heaven, and to hell with all the losers who can’t quite manage it. My Spirit will show that I, the Son of Man, have ascended to Papa’s right hand, and that I’ve brought the entire world with me. On behalf of all, in my own body I have forged human righteousness — right relations between Papa, humanity, and the rest of creation. (11) The System functions on the assumption that the world will be saved by killing all the ‘bad people.’ My Spirit will show that the world will be saved only by destroying the dark power that works evil in the lives of all people.
(12) I have so many things I want to tell you, but you aren’t yet ready to handle them. (13) When my Spirit of Truth comes into you, he will tell you what you need to know when you’re ready to hear it. Just like me, he will not speak on his own. Instead, what he will do is include you in the eternal conversation between him and me and Papa. (14) He will continue my work by taking my abundant human life and putting it into YOU. (15) Everything is Papa’s. Everything that’s his is mine. And the Spirit will take what is mine and give it to you.
[These paraphrases aim to provoke a fresh reading of Scripture by taking seriously the ancient twin mysteries of Trinity and Incarnation]
~ John Stonecypher
A New Mode of Presence
Filed under: By John Stonecypher, Gospel, Scripture Paraphrases, Trinity | Tags: Bible, Gospel, Jesus, John, Perichoresis, Trinity
Leave a comment A Trinitarian, Christ-centered paraphrase of John 13:31-14:31
(31) As he watched Judas walk away, Jesus took a deep breath and said “Now it begins: The full unveiling of who I am, and in me, who Papa is. (32) I have revealed Papa, and he will now reveal me.
(33) Kid brothers, it is almost time for me to go somewhere you cannot follow. I have a job to do. (34) You have a job too: Give to one another the love I have given you. (35) This love is what will identify you as my apprentices.
(36) But Peter wouldn’t let it go: “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered: “You cannot follow me now, but don’t worry, you will follow me soon enough.” (37) Peter said “Why not now? I will die for you!” (38) Jesus answers “Oh really? Listen to me, Pete: By the time the rooster crows 3 times tomorrow morning, you will deny 3 times that you even know me.”
(14.1) This troubled them greatly, so Jesus comforted them: “There is nothing to be worried about. Trust Papa. Trust me. (2) You know how a man will briefly leave his betrothed in order to build their new home on his father’s estate. That’s what I’m doing right now. (3) And like the groom, I will not be long. I will come back to get you. Look for me at first light on the third day.
I am with Papa; there is nothing in the way of our relationship. Once I’ve done what I need to do, you will be with Papa in that way too. (4) You know the way to where I’m going; the path runs straight through the grave. (5) Thomas, never one to hide his doubts, said “No we don’t. How can we know the WAY to where you’re going if we don’t even know WHERE you’re going?” (6) Jesus replied: “I am the Way to get where you’re going. I am the Truth for you to believe. My life is the Life you were always meant to live. I am the way to life with Papa. There is no other way.
(7) You know me. You have seen me with your own eyes. From now on, I say you DO know Papa and HAVE seen him. (8) Phillip said “Master, all we want is to see Papa. Show him to us.” (9) Jesus said “Three years together, Philip, and now you say you’ve never seen me? Dude, I know you’ve already seen Papa because I know you’ve seen me. (10) Don’t you get it? I am in Papa, and Papa is in me. The words I speak are Papa’s words. The works I do are Papa’s works. I don’t do it on my own. Papa who lives in me does it. (11) He is in me, and I am in him. If you can’t believe it just because I say so, then believe based on what you’ve seen him do through me.
He will do the same things through you too, as you live in trust. In fact, you will do even greater things, because I (and you in me) will be sitting at Papa’s right hand, at the helm of the universe. (13) You yourself will be part of the Triune decision-making. I will delight in doing what you ask, in order to reveal Papa’s heart even more. (14) All things are now yours.
(15) To love me is to act according to my wisdom. (16) To put my love/wisdom/obedience into you, I will ask Papa to give you another Guide, through whom Papa and I will be with you forever. (17) He the Spirit of Truth, the Truth of my life with Papa. Truth is known by faith, so those who refuse to believe will not understand the Spirit. But you know Him well, because you believe. You know that His life lives in you and always will.
(18) As I transition from this mode of presence to a new mode of presence, I want you to know I’m not abandoning you. Far from it! In this transition, I am actually drawing NEARER to you. (19) Soon, my presence will be invisible to all eyes but the eyes of faith. You will know my presence because you trust my promise. (20) As you come to know reality in faithfulness to what it really is, you will know the truth about your inclusion in the Triune life—that I am in my Papa, and you are in me, and I am in you. (21) To live in my wisdom is to love me. To love me is to participate in the love and mutual knowing of the Trinity. (22) Judas (no, not that one, the other one) said: “Master, how is it possible that we will see you but the world will not?” (23) Jesus answered: “Through the Spirit, Papa and I are coming to make humanity our home. To receive us and experience our shared life is to participate in our giving and receiving of love. (24) To refuse gospel wisdom is to refuse me, and to refuse Papa from whom wisdom comes.
(25) I say these things now, and I know you will understand them later. (26) Because Papa will send the Holy Spirit, your Guide. He will remind you of what I’ve said, help you understand it, and teach you everything you need to know., (27) What I’m giving you is peace, MY Peace. This is no ordinary kind of gift. I’m taking everything inside me, and through the Spirit I’m putting it inside you. What’s inside me is a secure, peaceful, fearless heart. Now it’s inside you, too.
(28) I know it sounds contradictory: “I am going away” and “I am coming to you.” I know you’re confused, because if you understood what’s really going on, you would be ecstatic about me going to Papa. Because Papa in his heaven is nearer to you than you are to yourself. By going to Him, I am drawing even closer to you that I am right now (29) I’m telling you this now so that when it happens, you will believe and understand.
(30) I won’t talk with you much more this way, because the Faceless Man is coming to take me from you. But don’t worry; he has no power over me. (31) Papa has told me to go with him, and I will obey, so that the world will know I love Papa.
Let’s go. Tonight we camp in Gethsemane.
– John Stonecypher
Trinity and Humanity 