The Daily Office readings for last week in the Gospels were John 14 - 16. Being familiar with the Bible, I have either read or heard this portion of Scripture many times, especially chapter 15. Abide in me, Jesus says, the true Vine. As I read these chapters last week a couple of things stuck out to me:
The gift of the Holy Spirit before and after Jesus as Vine
Jesus says abide in my love
The commandment of love
Multiple - ask in my name and I will do it
Jesus is the Father, the Father is Jesus - we are connected to both
I've heard the idea of abiding in Jesus a lot, yet I don't know how deeply I have thought about it, especially in the context of chapters 14 and 16. Jesus promises his disciples the Holy Spirit, who will come to them and remind them of the teachings of Jesus. He will be the presence of God with them at all times. It is good for Jesus to leave, because then the Spirit will come. THEN Jesus tells his disciples to abide/remain in him. How? Remain in my love. Love one another. This I have noticed before. Yet, this is said right after Jesus promises the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit we can remain in the love of Christ, live it out and remain in Jesus, connected directly to the Father.
While Jesus is saying this he comes back 3 times to the idea that whatever his disciples ask in his name, it will be given. Jesus mentions this after talking about the gift of the Holy Spirit in chapter 14, during his explanation of remaining in him in chapter 15, and again in 16 after reiterating the coming of the Holy Spirit. Again, I have heard many times that Jesus said this. However, I don't think I ever put it in this context. We can only ask in Jesus name when we are abiding in him, through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit reminds us of the teachings of Jesus, we continually bring ourselves back to living in and out the love of Christ and out of that flows the desire to ask of what we need only to fulfill those things.
I also found it interesting that I connected all of this while returning to reading the Daily Office. Daily reading of the Scripture and prayer is something that I have always been told is important and since the beginning of college have known to be true. Not in a way that is legalistic, check-it-off-the-list-for-points, or something that makes you a 'better person'. No. This is one way, and a very important way, for us to abide in Jesus. This is one way that the Spirit reminds of and clarifies the teachings of Jesus. Yes, there are many other things that are important to 'do' and 'be' if we are to abide in Christ. Yet, I think that Scripture and prayer are something that, while each person will do differently, aren't really an option if we are to abide in Christ.
Peace,
About Me
- Devin
- Chicago, IL, United States
- I am a Youth Director at LaSalle Street Church and the Operations Coordinator for Breaking Bread. I am married to a wonderful wife, enjoy games and being silly.
3 comments:
"In Jesus Name." Interesting words. I've heard many a sermon on asking in Jesus's name. I have reached no conclusions as to what I think these words mean in their ultimate expression. I have a close friend, a Roman Catholic, who focuses his studies on the Gospels and is often hung up about why, when we ask in God's name, so often it seems nothing happens, or the answer is no.
One concept to consider is what ones "name" meant in the time of Christ and in ancient Hebrew history. I think much more then than now. There are some interesting connections between name, word, testimony, and conventant. In John chapter one we hear "In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." There is this oneness of identity. There is oneness with God, His Word, Jesus, His Holy Spirit.
When we pray we often end with "In Jesus name, Amen." Yet does this represent what it means to ask in His name if His name, His Word, His Being, His God head, Son head, Spirit head are one and the same? I think not though I am not a theologian. I struggle to figure this out often and come up empty in the experience of asking or praying in His name. It often seems to me just words.
I think you have hit on something big with the concept of abiding. When we dive into a pool we can not chose to become "just a little wet." We become enveloped in water, we get soaked. I think that at times we followers of Christ want to chose to become selectively close to Christ. The Gospels don't seem to speak in those terms. God's Word, His Good News, His Being are one and is the water. If we dive in and wish to have God responsive and in relationship with us we must be totally responsive and committed to Him. We have to be soaked. We must abide. When we abide it seems that all that we ask for is what we are already abiding in.
In truly abiding it seems that we truly lose our personal identity to Christ and we end up with the phrase, "Not my will, but Yours be done." When we say that phrase and we are truly abiding...the phrase rolls from our tounges and hearts with no need or pre or post thinking. Those words become "Us" and we "Them."
Daily abiding in God's Word, studying the Bible, can be seen as simply abiding in God as God and His Word are one.
Thank you for your reminder, your study, your abiding.
Devin, what part of the Daily Office to you typically read?
I read all of the Scripture passages in the Daily Office. There are morning and evening Psalms, an OT, NT (Non-Gospels) and NT Gospel reading. I typically read the first Psalm(s) and the OT passage around breakfast, the Non-Gospel around lunch, Gospel around dinner and the evening Psalm(s) about bedtime. I follow a Prime, Sext, Vespers, Compline, leaving out Lauds, Terce, None, and Vigils.
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