READ John 16-21
Do others notice waning in logical thinking? For instance, a government that once decided to protect trees has now decided to ban many plastic containers and go back to paper products. How long will it be before the danger to trees again becomes an outcry? Are people blind to logic?
Spiritual blindness is not new. When Jesus explained to His disciples that the world would hate them, He then said:
“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me." (John 16:1–3)
Note, this happens because they do not know God or His Son, Jesus Christ. Is the same true in other realms? That is, when people ignore God, do they lose their common sense? I know every time a strong ‘I want’ rules my thinking, I become oblivious to the needs of others and to what God is saying to me.
In His last days, Jesus said He would go away but also send the Holy Spirit to His people . . .
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (16:8–11)
Convicting people of sin, righteousness and judgment is not my job. If the Spirit does not do it, it will not happen. This means if the decision-makers of this world do not realize the error of their ways, I cannot convince them. The Holy Spirit must do it. The other option is that God intends to use their errors in some fashion unknown to me. He says the Spirit will guide me into all truth and tell me what is to come — when I need to know it. He also promises to turn my sorrow into joy that nothing can take away. In the meantime, I’m to pray and He will give me whatever I need. He said these things so that in Him I “may have peace. In the world I will have tribulation. But take heart; He has overcome the world.” (16:33)
Jesus incredible prayer in John 17 has thoughts I can also pray to glorify all that He is and has done. “Jesus, you have authority over all and can give eternal life to all the Father gives You. I glorify His name and am thankful that eternal life is mine because I know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent . . . ”
As I prayed in similar fashion, the reading leads me to Jesus in the garden where He prayed “not my will but thine be done” — and where Judas came and betrayed Him, leading Him to His death. How dark His enemies’ thoughts. Obviously, He is not mere mortal. All He did was good, helpful yet challenging. Their strong ‘I wants’ with all their rules and rituals were exposed but instead of being glad at His offer of freedom from bondage to their selfishness and sin, they determined to silence this divine messenger by killing Him.
The disciples ran away. Peter followed but denied Him. Pilate asked Him, “What is truth?” and found “no guilt in Him” but had Him flogged and led away. Jesus knew this was not this man’s doing . . .
“You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” (19:11)
Pilate’s ‘I want’ was keeping his political position. The people wanted Jesus to feed and heal them but not tell them they were sinful. The religious authorities wanted to keep their power over the people. Jesus yielded His power to the Father’s will. He wanted sinners to be forgiven and set free from the tyranny of always needing to have their own way.
John gives his reason for writing these things. It was “ . . . so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (20:31) Life in His name means a different life than having my ‘I wants’ and my own way.
Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (20:21) He was sent to reveal God, to do good and to die. He was sent that I might live as He did. He came to live in me and make me one with Him. All die physically, but He was talking about death to my sin nature, which is the only way to do good and to let Him govern every part of me.
Lord, You know what I cling to, my ‘I wants’ and those areas that I hold back. May I see more clearly, believe more completely, live more fully — by Your power and in Your name.
