Reflection: I AM the way, the truth and the life

By Betty Hertz, St. John Lay Leader

What's in a name?

John 14:4-7

4 And you know the way to the place where I am going." [c] 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[d] my Father also. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

In this I AM statement during the Last Supper, Jesus continues his conversation with his disciples. He has already washed their feet, told them about only being with them a bit longer, warned of a betrayal and a denial. John 14 starts with, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me." He is comforting them as He is preparing them for his departure. Jesus knows the trials they will face as they continue His work without His physical presence.

In the wording of the First Nations Version, An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament, verse 6 gave me a more straightforward, meaningful understanding of Jesus' words:

"I am the Great Spirit's pathway, the truth about who he really is, and the life of beauty and harmony he offers to all. There is no other guide who can take you to the Father." (p.197)

Jesus says, "I am your map, your teacher, your life source." Jesus is our pattern for living. What a way to live! In his book The God We Can Know, Rob Fuquay suggests a morning prayer that reinforces this pattern: "Jesus, what would you have me do today?" (p.101) This simple daily prayer helps me focus on Jesus' way for me, perhaps it can do the same for you.

Reflection Question: How do you make Jesus a way of life in your ordinary living? What does that look like for you?

Prayer:

God of Wisdom,

We give thanks for the way Jesus leads us.

Teach us how to share Jesus' teachings with others remembering He welcomed outsiders and outcasts.

Help us deepen our relationship with you through daily spiritual practices.

Raise our awareness of your guidance in all aspects of our lives.

In Jesus' name. Amen

Reflection: I AM the True Vine

By Betty Hertz, St. John Lay Leader

What’s in a name? John 15:1-5

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes[a] to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed[a] by the word that I have spoken to you.4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me, you can do nothing.”

“I AM the True Vine” is part of Jesus’ Farewell Discourses in John 13-17 as he journeys to Gethsemane. Knowing he would soon leave his disciples, Jesus gave them final instructions and encouragement. First, he uses verses one and two to describe his relationship with the Father, using the grape culture knowledge his disciples would understand (see Psalm 80:8). Then, in verses three through five, Jesus focuses on the disciples.

Re-reading this familiar passage gave me a new understanding of what a vine is and what a branch is. A vine is an entire plant. Jesus is the whole plant! Without him, there are no branches - there is no life. I believe this is what he was saying to his disciples and what he is saying to me. The disciples have been pruned/cleansed, and so have I. Continuous pruning takes away unproductive growth. I admit that God is busy pruning me frequently, but with each pruning, I believe I move closer to being who He wants me to be.

I also reflected on the word “abide,” which appears 10 times in the John 15 chapter. Some translations use “remain” or “dwell” instead. Regardless of the translation, the words are active verbs. I thought, “how do I actively abide in God?” For me, the connection is being intentional about reading the Bible, saying prayers, and being in community with others. Doing these things allows me to maintain my spiritual health and let God work through me.

Prayer:

Loving Vine-grower,

Thank you for giving us Jesus the True Vine.

Remind us that we are branches that grow from this vine.

Help us stay attached to your beloved Son.

Prune us when we wander.

Guide us as we abide in you. Amen

Reflection question:

What nonproductive branches are in your life that rob you of energy to abide in God? Regrets? Living in the past? Resentments? Bitterness? Too much time with technology? Is it time to ask God to help you do some pruning?

Footnotes

(My insight inspired in part from the Asbury Commentary on John 15).

Reflection: I AM the Light

By Betty Hertz, St. John Lay Leader

John 1:6-9

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b]

John 8:12

12 Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." 

In the Gospel of John, the word light appears 25 times. Light is a symbol of coming to believe. I remember the connection between the New and Old Testaments whenever I reflect on an I AM statement. In John 1, the author tells his listeners that John the Baptist was a witness to the light but not the true light. The reference to the true light comes from Isaiah 9:2 and other OT prophets who said those walking in the darkness would see a great light (the true light) … the Messiah. The listeners would also know that right after God created the heavens and earth, He created light, and the light was good (Genesis 1:1-4). Light is essential for life. Spiritual light is essential for spiritual life.

Jesus said, "I AM the light of the world" at the Feast of the Tabernacles, one of three annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem the Torah required Jewish men to make. This fall feast celebrated the harvest. It also served as a reminder that when the Israelites wandered in the desert, they built temporary huts (sukkah), and God provided a Pillar of light by night for warmth and light in the darkness. One part of the festival is a ritual of illumination.

By Jesus saying, "I AM the light," he is saying he is divinity, the son of God made flesh. The tension builds as the Pharisees question Jesus because he is disrupting their world and preaching blasphemy.

As I reflected more on the meaning of this statement, the phrase "light of life" caught my attention. Sometimes that light is bright, as in "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine," and sometimes that light shines in dark places. When the light has shown in my dark, uncomfortable places, those of guilt or pain, Jesus, the Light of life, opens me up to healing and hope.

Putting the light of Jesus in my life illumines me. The refrain from Hymn 454 Open My Eyes, That I May See speaks to me:

            Silently now I wait for thee,

            Ready my God thy will to see

            Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine.

Closing thoughts from The God We Can Know Study Guide,( p 20-21)

            When we look around us and feel that only darkness and emptiness surround us, illuminate our hearts with Jesus' words,

             "I am the Light of the World."

            When we can't figure out where to go next, what to do, or who to be, help us to hear God's call and see the path illuminated for us by the one who says,

             "I am the Light of the World."

            When we wonder how we will go out into the world and shine God's light, sharing God's love with all the earth, let us follow Jesus' lead as he reveals himself to us, saying,

             "I am the Light of the World." AMEN.

Reflection questions:

How has God's presence brought light to you in a way that helped you see a situation or problem differently?

What does it mean for us to be a light for the world?

(From The God We Can Know, p.52)

Reflection: What's in a Name?

By Betty Hertz, St. John Lay Leader

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35

As I read this I AM statement, I thought about how many times I have heard it and just glazed over. So, I paused to ponder what does Jesus mean by saying he is the bread of life?

Jesus made this statement the day after he performed the miracle of taking five loaves of bread and two fish and feeding more than 5,000 people. His followers showed up wanting more bread and another miracle. They reminded him that Moses provided daily manna as the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years. But Jesus corrected them by saying, “… it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.” (John 6:32). He uses my Father to make the connection that Jesus is fully God and fully human. Further, he says true nourishment comes from consuming his words and teachings.

As I re-read the I AM statement, the word “never” caught my heart. I will never be hungry or thirsty if I partake of Jesus’ daily bread. Never? Wow!

In his book, The God We Can Know, author Rob Fuquay suggests some practices that can help feel the fullness of Jesus. One suggestion he makes is to focus on feeding rather than being fed. “… it is not just about what we do for others. It is about what doing for others can do for us.” (p.35). I am humbled when I hear God’s word from those whose struggles are many. A recent conversation with a guest at a shelter where I volunteer warmed my heart. I thought I was there to lift him and others up. Ha! He used a wheelchair since his foot had been amputated. But to hear him talk, life was good. He had a voucher to cover the first month’s rent and security deposit for an apartment for himself, his daughter, and her two sons. Between his disability income and his daughter’s job, they could afford to pay the monthly rent. What an example for me. I experienced being fed.

Closing thoughts from The God We Can Know Study Guide (p.15):

When we feel hungry for more of something—even when we’re not sure what that something is, we can remember that Jesus said:

“I am the Bread of Life. Come to me and never be hungry.”

When we feel distracted by other means of fulfillment in the world, help us to remember that Jesus said:

“I am the Bread of Life. Come to me and never be hungry.”

When we find ourselves feeling inadequate or incomplete in our daily lives, remind us     that we fill ourselves up on Jesus’ sustaining words.

“I am the Bread of Life. Come to me and never be hungry.”  AMEN.

Reflection questions: 

What is your hunger? In what ways are you letting God feed you?

Reflection: Exodus 3:1-14

By Betty Hertz, St. John Lay Leader

What’s in a name?

Exodus 3: 14 “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” (The Five Books of Moses):

I-Will-BE-THERE HOWSOEVER I WILL BE-THERE.

Does that sound familiar? No? How about this translation?

Exodus 3:14 “ I AM WHO I AM” (NSRV)

Why would one look at Exodus when studying the Jesus I AM statements in the Gospel of John? In the book “The God We Can Know,” author Rob Fuquay points out that Jesus knew his Hebrew audience would be familiar with the Exodus story. They would understand the importance of the name as God made his presence known to Moses. Being raised in Egyptian culture, Moses knew that names possessed authority and magical powers. He struggled to accept God’s call and needed assurance that the Hebrews would follow him.

As I looked at other sources regarding Exodus 3: 14, I was reminded there is no precise translation. I discovered several more possibilities, all containing some form of  “to be”:

One who brings others into being

The One who is

I will be

I will be however I will be

By looking at the Hebrew translation, I felt a deeper understanding of that verse. The idea of God being there, wherever there is, is powerful. What finally settled in my mind … God is saying I will be there for Moses, the people of Israel, and me! That reminder also brought up thoughts about times when I doubted God was there for me - my wandering in the wilderness. This Lent, I pray for the willingness to turn my doubts over more quickly and to hear God’s voice sooner.

From the hymn “In the Desert, on God’s Mountain” (Worship and Song, p.3029, verse 3):

“I AM THAT I AM” has called you, spoke the incandescent voice.

Moses felt that message searing to the heart of will and choice.

May we pause to answer summons;

 May we hear God’s burning voice.

Amen.