John
14:23-31 NIV
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will
obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them
and make our home with them. 24 Anyone 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.
25 “All this I have spoken while still
with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all
things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my
peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your
hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away
and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am
going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before
it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to
you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the
world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has
commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.
The Door
A Story:
There once was a
young boy, around five years old. He lived in a small to medium size town in a middle-income
household. He was small and, would get in trouble from time to time, for simple
stuff, like fighting, or punching his sister or wrestling with his brother. And
yes, even at this young age, he hid in the bushes with some of the neighborhood
kids and smoked cigarette butts. He would sneak out on Saturday mornings and go
downtown, or to visit his grandma. And of course, there were those times when
he would play in the creek that ran under the streets, opening up to a corner
store with candy and such. He would meet up with some hobos behind the billboards
and vines to swing on. His mom and dad weren’t aware of all that he did, but I
have a notion they knew more than he expected. His school work and grades were
average at best, sometimes below average. And he was forced to attend Sunday
School and Church every Sunday, like it or not. This little boy had to wear a
suit to church out of respect. He liked Sunday School and Church but playing
was the best thing at his age. Playing was always fun and adventurous.
One day the small
boy had a dream of some sort. It was unusual. In the dream, at the door daily,
Jesus would come by and knock on the door. When this boy would answer the door,
there would be Jesus, Moses, Elijah and someone no one ever knew. Jesus would
say to the boy, “Can you come out to play?”
Each day Jesus would
come to the door. And as this little boy grew, he began to realize that this
Jesus trend was something different for him that many other people did not
experience, at least in this way. There were times that the boy would doubt his
dream and try to forget about it, try to deny it, try to abandon his dream. But
it always came back. Jesus always arrived at his door with the same cast of
characters.
As the boy got older
and older, he would notice his mother at the coffee table reading her white zip
up Bible for a small amount of time each day. Sunday School would take on
meanings that he never realized. Things with this dream of Jesus at the door
grew deeper and deeper. Was the door an entry into his heart? Was the door becoming
the home of God for this now adolescent boy? Was his heart not his own any
longer? Was his heart, his door becoming God’s door?
As the now young man
looked around at his friends, family and strangers in his life, the boy came to
see, that when Jesus comes to the doors of their hearts, many never even hear
the knock at the door. Others decide to ignore Jesus’ knock at the door, and
still a few more come to believe that there is plenty of time left in life to
answer Jesus’ knock at the door of their hearts.
Yet for this young
man, he knew that it matters, especially when you know Jesus is at the door.
This young man, ran to the door to throw it open. And yes, this young man would
gladly choose, on his own, to follow Jesus. How could you not?
The invitation was
always to come out to play in the world each and every day with Jesus and His
friends.
Yet, even so, this
feeling would fade, as the young man aged into a young adult. The man would now
go out his door day after day and seek other things. Things that seemed to
bring joy to him. He made money to spend on nice stuff and to do fun things. He
hung out with some people that had similar interests. Some of these interests
were NOT what Jesus would lead him to do in his younger days. Most of these
newfound interests took advantage of others, like stealing, drugs and drinking
alcohol. This was not the life this young man was to have. It’s like, when
Jesus came to the door, the young man ran outside with Jesus and Jesus’ friends
and took an about face away from Jesus.
Yet, Jesus just kept
coming to that door daily.
As a young man and
finally a husband and father now, the man realized that many miss the
opportunity to run out the door with Jesus. They believe that all they need to
do is open the door to Jesus and that’s that. They move no further than the
open door. They think that this is all Jesus would have them do.
But no! This young
father and husband, now, knew that he was meant to go out the door and follow
Jesus, like he once did as a young boy. Follow Jesus and His friends out into
the world, to play. Sometimes the play got rough. Sometimes the play took on
some bold tasks that even, now as an older father and husband, he didn’t want
to do. But there was always this level of trust and faith the Jesus would tease
out. Jesus offered this older father more than a glimpse of Himself at the open
door of the heart of this, now older father.
Then one day, at
this older father, became an old man himself, Jesus told him that he wouldn’t
be coming to his door any longer. That he, Jesus, was going to be with his own
Father in heaven. Well, by this time the old man was having a good time, going
out to play in the wide world with Jesus and His friends. Yet, Jesus promised
something to the old man and the friends. Jesus promised that He would give them
the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is not limited by a physical body, but was
everywhere. It was time to be happy for Jesus leaving to be with His Father.
Sure, the old man would miss Jesus at his door every day, but Jesus’ friends
would still come by and we would all still go out to play each in their own ways,
with their own gifts, and doing what God sends them to do in so many different
ways. Day after day as the Holy Spirit would lead and guide them.
Yes, now to the old
man and his friends the Holy Spirit came into the world. Into the world of the
old man and the world of all people. And the old man and his friends were led
to listen to the Holy Spirit, be guided by the Holy Spirit, and to go out into
the world. Deeper and deeper into the world went the old man and his friends as
the Holy Spirit led them deeper and deeper towards TRUTH.
The Holy Spirit was
a good reminder kind of thing. The Holy Spirit would remind the old man of the
Word, that is Jesus, the Word that creeps out of the crevices of the old man’s
mind. This was Jesus Word through the Holy Spirit that pops into memory after
long years to make the old man remember all that Jesus had said to him as he
went out to play with Jesus’ day after day in the old man’s youth. Yes, it was
like, now, with the presence of the Holy Spirit that this old man really was
still going out to play.
Now, as this old man
was drawing near to his last days on this earth, this daily visit at the door
was a time to rejoice with the Holy Spirit. Soon it will happen, the old man
will likewise return to God the Father and God the Son, Jesus. And now this old
man, would wish and hope that all those God has given him in his life, will at
that day, rejoice with him. And the old man will say to all his friends, family,
neighbors and even enemies, “May God be with you! Peace! Rejoice for me! May
each of you experience the Peace that passes understanding. This is not a Peace
of self-indulgence, like he tried to acquire when he was a young man. No, this
Peace is a letting go peace, a letting go and rejoicing Peace, like when Jesus
left earlier in his life to go to the Father. This was a Peace that gives the Holy
Spirit to lead and guide, out the door of all of our hearts and into the Kingdom
of God. A Peace that goes deeper, deeper into Truth, where Jesus makes His home
with us each and every day that he comes the door of people’s hearts.
It's time now to let
go of the old man to be with the Father and Jesus. It’s better for the old man
even if it will be lonelier for all those the old man leaves behind.
Jesus willfully went
to the cross, not fighting it, but voluntarily offering Himself for a lost
world and for this old man. Yes! Go out that door, follow Jesus, Point to Jesus,
day after day after day after day. Each day you will be greeted with ALL you
ever need.
Little boy-Young
Adult- Father-Husband-Old Man
A story ---A Life---
All with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit today… tomorrow…
and forever…
Thanks be to God!
I leave you with
this favorite of hymns regarding God’s care
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki5XGHVrBSA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki5XGHVrBSA
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