As I said in my last post I preached (well actually led a conversation on) John 15: 1-11 this morning. It is a passage that means a lot to me, one of those pivotal passages that was the focus at a particular point in my journey, long before I knew much about different denominations etc... (I am not a cradle Christian, I am a convert, more here)...
At the time it was the emphasis on my need to be in the vine, or in Christ, to be connected to him to receive new life from him and to trust myself to his care that was the focus, and was much of the focus of our discussion this morning. But I found myself struck by verses 10&11:
If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
What struck me was the relationship between joy and obedience, if we follow God's ways then his joy is in us, not that he is pleased with us, though I am sure that he is, but that joy will be released within us!
Now I don't know about you but I struggle with the concept of obedience, but only because I read it as something narrow and confining and restricting, but as usual God flips things on their head and we find that obedience leads to freedom and joy...
This of course leads me back to the acknowledgement that I can't do it, so I have to trust in the one whose supreme act of obedience leaves me in awe-filled silence:
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2)
... and I am simply grateful that not only does he call me to follow him, but provides me with the strength and guidance that I need to do so:
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14)
A part of our discussion today was whether the Christian faith has any claims to uniqueness or not, and as much as I value and encourage all forms of dialogue with others I have to say that for me it is unique. Jesus for me remains the way the truth and the life,the accounts of his his incarnation, death and resurrection are unique! The Trinity is both mysterious and also central to my faith ( the picture of a dance- perichoresis fires my imagination and feeds my soul), and the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life is freeing, transforming and yes frankly life and joy bringing...
I have found myself on a wonderful journey, a journey that has shown me that obedience is not narrow, that the love of God is not mean spirited or conditional- he loves me even when I choose to do my own thing! He loves me when I get it badly wrong and when I return like the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son he flings aside any convention I might like to put in place, throws his arms around me and invites me to party!
So I find joy in a party throwing, dancing, joy filling life giving God, and I can find this joy in no other! So as much as it might make me squirm and want to rebel, today I will choose the path of obedience, for the path of obedience is the path of joy...
Tomorrow I will probably have to choose it again!
Finally annoyed as I am about this I love this song by Matt Redman, and it kind of sums up what my heart wants to sing!
