Le fils de Zébédée - chapitres 13 et 14

Marathon time!

(Owing to likely commencement of work from 28th Apr. onwards.)
_______________

It really is remarkable how, once you start tracking an idea or word group through one Bible book, it just keeps turning up. Or, in the case of my longsuffering apostle friend, once you track several..it's like panning for specks of gold that just keep turning up!

JEAN 13 et 14
Have had a quick look back over my notes & summaries already posted here, & there is not much new under the sun.

This section of the gospel according to John Zebedee is interesting because the emphasis on how to know God seems so strong on the Godward side. That is, so much of knowing God (here) has to do with God taking the initiative. In short, it is possible to know God just because HE wanted us to know Him.
________________

So that we may know Him, GOD acts:
* out of His love for us
(13:1 and 14:21-23)

* in order to cleanse us that we may have share/part in Him
(13:8, 9 & 10 - the footwashing incident)

* in humility - as Jesus serves His followers
(13:5 onwards)

* by sending His Son, the Spirit (of truth), & others
(13:20, 14:16-24)
=> with the Son being sent as the way to God, the Father
(14:6, cha-cha!^)

* by speaking - in the person of the Son He sent, to the ones he chose
(13:19 and 14:10-11; also verses 24-25 of ch.14)

* by coming back to us after going away,
that we may also be taken where He, the Son will be going
ie. the Father's house (14:2-4; see also verses 18 and 28)
=> God wants us to be with Him!!
(Of course, I knew that already, but it's nice to be reminded!)

* by reminding us about all that Jesus said & taught
- through the Spirit sent to us,
who is with believers like us & lives in us, a teacher & Counselor
(I am informed that this last word in Greek is 'paraclete';
ch.14, verses 17, 20 and 26)

* for His own glory,
by doing what we ask for His glory in Jesus' name
(14:13-14)

How can we know God?
Because He has made it possible.
So many times John appears to have highlighted God's actions, God's initiation of the relationship between Him and us. Which is, as far as I can see, an essential part of the big-picture of the Bible.

{^
from Colin Buchanan song based on JOHN 14:6}
________________

Having tackled what these chapters seem to be saying about knowing God, we gallop on into the land of reflection..
..regarding what it means (here) to know what God wants for us; to know what God's will is. Both now, in things quotidienne, & in the future..?

God the Son (ie. Jesus), in the way He relates to His disciples, seems to draw out a number of things that He desires & intends for them:

1. He wants them to do as He has done for them
- serving each other even if it means lowly/humble tasks
(such as footwashing was, back in the apostles' days, 13:15)
- doing what He did
(that is, what Jesus did right throughout John's account,
seeking the glory of God, & drawing people to a saving knowledge of Himself through faith in Him - 14:12)

2. He wants them to believe & accept His words, all He says to them
(13:19 and 14:10-11)
- & also, that they accept anyone He sends
(13:20, inferred in 14:17)

3. He wants them to show the same love for one another
as He did for them,
as disciples of Him;
- & He wants their love for Him to be shown in their obedience to His commands/words
(13:34-35, as well as verses 15, 21 and 23 of ch.14)

4. He wants for them to trust Him,
not to be troubled or afraid but to have peace
(ch.14, verses 1 and 27)
________________

This is all pretty straightforward.

But one question - which I don't ask often enough aloud (or even silently in my own head, day by day):
How am I going with these things? .. ie. these 4 points?

That said, if you are a Christian sister or brother of mine, how are YOU going with such things?

L/T.