November 23rd - Reflection

John 5:19-40 (NRSV)
The judgment of the Son
Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

"Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

"If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a testimony greater than John's. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.

"You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Reflection
"Very truly, I tell you..." Jesus is telling me something in which I need to listen carefully and ponder deeply. These are lifetime statements. These are statements directly to my spirit. What unifies the Father and the Son is love. In this love is a full sharing of plans. The Father and Son are together fully on this act that Jesus is about to take. Love for me and all the world. Love that will save all from sin, death and the devil. Love through Jesus from the Father. Love that unifies the Father and the Son with me and all people.

"Very truly, I tell you..." We hear the Word and believe. The hearing and believing lead us through the Son to eternal life in the Son who is in the Father. In the hearing and believing I have a faith that comes to life because I recognize Jesus actions as saving actions. This isn't something I have done. This is faith given to me by God through my hearing and believing. And faith begins to pass from one to another, throughout all the world.

We pass from death to life. The death could be the death of our spirit in the hearing and believing we pass to life in the love of the Father through the Son. In this passing from death to life the Holy Spirit gives us all that we need to act out the love shown to us by Jesus from the Father.

Very truly... hear and believe... see faith grow... see action come through the Spirit in love through you to all the world. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I hear it... I see it... I believe it... I don't understand it... but I feel the faith... I see the gifts... I hear your call each day for Billy to come out and play... use me to show your love to all the world... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen