Eastertide

May 14, 2022

Scripture Reading: John 13:31-35

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

This scripture was preceded by John’s version of the last supper, where Judas leaves to sell Jesus’s locations to those who sought to kill him. As reported in John chapter 8, Jesus did tell the Jews who confronted him, Where I am going, you cannot come.  Did the disciples think that should not apply to them? What does Jesus mean by this statement, anyway? Indeed, there may be a holy of holies that only God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit can enter. I can only speculate, but Resurrection seems to be the only situation Jesus had to enter alone, where he even cried out, in Matthew 27:46, My God, My God why have you forsaken me quoting Psalm 22:1. Although, the author of that Psalm in verses 1 and 19 cries out to God, do not be far from me. Jesus knew what his mission was as did God. We as Christ-followers must realize that his mission, his aloneness on that cross, was the greatest gift of grace ever given and never has to be repeated. That truly was Amazing Grace.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the gift of grace that saved us giving us hope and enabling our love so we might serve you more nearly.  Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.