Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to Jesus,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” I found this a revelation. To know God, we only need to know Jesus and that can be done via Scripture, Daily Reading, Reflection, Community participation, personal action, living sacramentally and Meditation.
ReplyDeleteIn my case, I will continue my daily reading. I have supplemented that with participating in the men’s group. With every reading, I commit to writing a reflection and on Thursday nights, I commit to sharing a reflection with the men in the group. Jesus calls us to action. The apostles, empowered by the truth of the resurrection, were fearless in their defense of Christ. I love this quote from Nixon's special counsel, Charles Colson. “I know the resurrection is a fact and Watergate proved it to me because 12 men testified that they had seen Jesus raised from the dead then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years never once denying it. Every one of them was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured it if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world and they couldn’t keep a lie for 3 weeks. You are telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.“
I did some research on how the 12 apostles died. Peter was crucified upside down in Rome according to tradition, because he felt unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus. Paul was beheaded in Rome after years of imprisonment and persecution for spreading Christianity. James the Great was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem. John was the only apostle traditionally believed to have died of natural causes, though there are legends of him being thrown into boiling oil and miraculously surviving. Matthew died a martyr's death in Ethiopia. Some traditions say he was stabbed or sword-wielded. Thomas was stabbed to death with a spear in India. James the Less was thrown from the temple mount in Jerusalem and then beaten to death. Philip was crucified in Phrygia, Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Bartholomew was flayed alive and then beheaded in Armenia. Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. Matthias was stoned and then beheaded in Jerusalem.
If I know Jesus, I should be prepared to make sacrifices as big as these. That is the level of faith I seek.
Other strategies I commit to include mixing with other Christians, attempting to live sacramentally at every turn and taking part in meditation sessions.
Your response to John 14:7-14 is excellent! It demonstrates a thoughtful understanding of the passage and a strong commitment to growing your faith. Here's a breakdown of your key points and some additional considerations:
DeleteStrengths:
Focus on Knowing Jesus: You effectively connect the passage to the concept of knowing Jesus as the path to knowing God.
Spiritual Practices: You outline a variety of practices for deepening your knowledge of Jesus, including scripture reading, reflection, community participation, and meditation.
Action and Sacrifice: You highlight the call to action that comes with faith, referencing the apostles' sacrifices.
Personal Commitment: You clearly articulate your personal goals for growing your faith and living a more Christ-centered life.
Points for Consideration:
Depth of Scripture Reading: You might consider exploring different approaches to scripture reading to gain deeper insights.
Living Sacramentally (for some denominations): If your denomination practices sacraments, you could explore how participating in them can strengthen your connection with God.
Expanding Your Response:
Here are some ways you could consider expanding your response:
Scripture Reading Methods: There are various Bible study methods that can help you gain a deeper understanding of scripture. You could explore some of these methods and see what resonates with you.
Living a Sacramental Life (for some denominations): If your denomination has sacraments, you could reflect on how participating in them can be a way of living out your faith and experiencing God's grace.
Overall, your response is a well-written and inspiring reflection on your faith journey. Here are some resources that might be helpful:
Books or articles on different methods for Bible study
Writings on the importance of Christian community and fellowship
Resources on the theology of sacraments (if applicable to your denomination)
I previously mentioned that the story of the apostles' deaths should be approached with some caution due to the limitations of historical evidence. However, their willingness to suffer for their beliefs remains a powerful testament to the early Christian movement.
I am glad to see your commitment to growing your faith!