AfterWords: Towards the Cross - Denials

 

John 18:12-19; 24-27

During this Lenten season, we continue our journey towards the cross. We ask God daily, “What needs to change? What can I do differently? What do I need to give up or take on in my life to bring me closer to You?”

Today’s reading brings us closer to the Cross. Jesus had his last supper with the disciples. They all went out to Gethsemani for prayer where Jesus is arrested and the arduous trial period begins.

Peter…the Denier? — We wonder how Peter could deny Jesus, and we’re wondering if we might do the same. We may think of Peter as weak because of his denials, but we find that Peter is really the bravest of them all. Do you recall the story here? Peter, James, and John are right near Jesus when the Roman guards come to arrest him. When the guards arrive, who is the only one who leaps to his feet and draws his sword to protect his Lord? Peter. Jesus tells him to put away his sword and then heals the man Peter has struck. Peter is no coward. After Judas identifies Jesus, the guards close in, and the disciples scatter. Who is the one to follow behind and to sneak into the courtyard of Annas, into that burrow of snakes? Peter. Peter is no coward.

Peter does not deny his faith in Jesus, he doesn’t deny that Jesus is Messiah, he doesn’t deny that Jesus is Son of God. Peter denies his relationship to Jesus.

“You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” … “I am not.”
“You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” … “I am not.”
“Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” … Again Peter denied it, and…a rooster began to crow.

When we look closely at what is happening here, we may begin to see more of ourselves.

21^st Century Denials — How do our denials tend to happen today? Today, we deny the power of God in our lives, the activity of God in our lives. When life is good, we presume too often it’s due to our amazing wits and general exceptionalism. Jesus reminds us that all good things come from God:

“…[God] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matt. 5:45)

The first part—rising sun—is the gift of a new day of life, and the second is the gift of life-giving rain. Everything good is from God—even our very lives exist because of the goodness of God. When we don’t acknowledge God’s part in our lives, we essentially deny God.

When we allow Jesus into only part of our lives, we deny Jesus. If we allow Jesus to guide us on Sunday but follow some other voice Monday through Friday, we are denying Jesus’ lordship in our lives. If we open our hearts to the Word on Sunday but spend more time following the Dow Jones rather than Jesus Monday through Friday, we deny Jesus.

If we hold on to fear in our lives, we deny the power and presence of Jesus in our lives. Jesus speaks these words to his disciples and to us:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

The sense here is that when we find ourselves becoming afraid, we catch ourselves. We stop and remember: Jesus says we are not to be afraid. When we ignore the words of Jesus, we deny Jesus, we deny the faith. We are not to be afraid or to live our lives in fear. That is not real living.

Conclusions — “What needs to change? What can I do differently? What do I need to give up or take on in my life to bring me closer to You?” John has told us over and over and over? “…these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). Jesus wants to bring us life. We find life when we embrace Jesus and all the Jesus is about…each and every day. This may require that we let go of our egotism and perceived self-sufficiency…that we let go of following someone else or some other philosophy of life…that we let go of the fear we’ve become so comfortable with. When we do these things, we proclaim Jesus rather than deny him…and we find life. This is God’s call to us today.

Sunday, March 8, 2026
Towards the Cross - Denials
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9AM - HERE
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AfterWords: Towards the Cross--Humility

 

John 13:1-17

We continue our journey today through the Gospel of John, through this season of Lent, towards the Cross. In these opening words, we find these verses:

Jesus knew … that he had come from God and was returning to God, so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. (Jn 13:3-4)

This reveals Jesus’ motivation, the why of his life. What moves us to act? What are the motivations of our lives? Jesus was very aware of his motivation—his relationship with God. And, what would happen if God and our relationship with God were our motivations?

Washing feet was the work of slaves, servants. It was an important part of hygiene since people walked the streets with dogs, sheep, donkeys, camels, and the occasional horse. Feet got nasty in the streets of Jerusalem and in every other village, so having one’s feet washed a part of their lives.

First, Jesus does this for his disciples and calls them to do so for one another. Jesus doesn’t say, “Go out and wash everyone’s feet!” This is the people of God taking care of the people of God. While caring for those outside the church might be easier and more exciting, Jesus wants us to take care of each other, to serve each other. Are we taking care of each other? Are we helping one another as we help those outside? “By this the world will know you are my disciples if you love one another….”

Jesus washes feet without being asked. No one says, “Wow…me feet sure are dirty. I wish someone would wash my feet.” Jesus sees the need and responds. How often do we wait for someone to ask? How often do we sit around, aware of a need, and say to ourselves, “Well, if he asks me…if she asks me….” Or, worse, “Well, that’s not MY job…I hope someone takes care of that….”

Finally, we note the obvious…that the disciples’ feet are dirty. If the disciples’ feet are dirty, it means they’ve been in the streets, among people who need to hear the Good News of God. Are our feet dirty? Have we been in the streets? Have we been among people as disciples? Have we been getting our feet…or our hands…or anything dirty to suggest we’ve been among people who need to know the Good News of God’s love?

Jesus—Lord and Teacher, Rabbi, Son of God—shows us that we are to serve one another. We seem to get it idea of loving neighbor, caring for the needy, but we sometimes forget one another. When Jesus says, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you,” he is not talking about washing feet—he is talking about the dirty work of slaves, doing what needs to be done, and doing out of our love for God.

The “greatest” Christians are those who served—who spent their lives serving others. We look to Mother Teresa, E. Stanley Jones, and the millions of silently serving Christians who never had a book written about them because they weren’t making headlines; they were simply serving others. Simone Wiel writes, “Christianity is pre-eminently the religion of slaves, that slaves cannot help belonging to it, and I among others.” Does that offend you? Jesus has shown us over and over, and he has even told us: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve….” (Matthew 20:28).

Jesus today offers us different way—a life motivated by God, a life in the world as we share the Good News of God by word and deed, a life of caring for one another and serving one another. During this Lenten Season, we pray…

  “O God, what needs to change in my life today?
    What do I need to do differently?
    What do I need to get out of my life and what do I need to add to my life?”

Let us open our eyes to see what needs to be done, let us serve one another, and let us do this as we are motivated by God’s love. Above all, let’s make sure our feet get dirty. Amen

Sunday, March 1, 2026
Towards the Cross - Humility
Watch/Listen: 
9AM - HERE
11AM - HERE

AfterWords: Towards the Cross - Lazarus

 

John 11:18-27

As we enter the season of Lent, we take time to ask God daily, “What do I need to do differently? What needs to change in my life?” We ask this prayer that we might grow closer to God during these 40 days. Traditionally, Christians have given up something for this season—a food, a drink, a practice, a behavior. Some give up chocolate and some give up social media. Giving up something is a good practice that parallels Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry. In more recent times, we have also seen Lent as a time to embrace new things, new habits. In today’s reading, Martha and Mary must do both—let go of old ideas and embrace new understandings.

Today’s reading focuses on the conversation between Martha and Jesus. Martha is the very straight-forward, all-business one of the two sisters, and she gets straight to the point here. “Where were you?!?” She knows that if Jesus has been there, her brother, Lazarus, would not have died. She is broken-hearted and furious…but she also has hope: “…even now God will give you whatever you ask…?” Right? Won’t he? Please?

Jesus tells her that her brother will rise again, and she presumes he’s talking about the end of days, the final resurrection. Jesus then speaks those words upon which we hang our faith: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (v.25-26). Jesus has a very different “resurrection” in mind. And, he asks Martha, “Do you believe this?”

Martha doesn’t mince words and she doesn’t try to deceive. She speaks honestly: “I believe you’re the Messiah.” And how does Jesus react to this evasive answer? Jesus accepts Martha where she is…just as God accepts and receives us where we are. One of my favorite stories in Jesus’ ministry is that time a father brings his son to be healed, and Jesus asks if he believes. His response? “I believe—help my unbelief!” Jesus accepts us where we are....

Jesus goes to the tomb of Lazarus and calls Lazarus out—“Come out!” And, he comes out…alive. This moment changes Martha, Mary, and everyone there. Their understandings of death and resurrection must die, and they must take on new understandings of Jesus, of God’s power over death. They must let go of things and take on new things.

This Lenten season can be a time of new life—resurrection—for us as we allow habits, relationships, feuds, behaviors, attitudes, grudges, pet-beliefs, or other things die that are sucking the life out of us. We can take up new habits and practices, make room for and embrace new beliefs and understandings that give us new life. Then, when Easter Sunday arrives, we can celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and the new life God has given us this season.

Sunday, February 22, 2026
Towards the Cross - Lazarus
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9AM - HERE
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AfterWords: Breaking the Rules—Tradition

 

John 9:1-16a

Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth…brings a healing that will completely change this man’s life. And the Pharisees response? “But you did it on a Sabbath…!” Really? Sigh….

The Sabbath rules that Jesus broke were based on tradition, not on the Scriptures. God gives us the amazing gift of Sabbath—a day of rest, a break from the rush and hurry of work. Over the centuries following the gift of the Sabbath, the well-meaning Pharisees and teachers of the law decided they should “help” people avoid breaking the Sabbath command by building fences around the Sabbath, by making it painfully (and exhaustingly!) clear what was work and what wasn’t. Jesus broke the rules of tradition…and the Pharisees were having none of it.

Just before the Pharisees have their conniption over Sabbath-breaking, the disciples bring a very theological question to Jesus concerning the fellow born blind: “Who sinned that this man was born blind? Him or his parents?” (John 9:2). The disciples and the cultural were still struggling with a worldview that was centuries old—the law of retribution—a law (wish?) still alive and well today. They understood that if one did something good, then good would follow, and if someone did something bad, bad would follow. Here’s a man born blind (bad), so someone must have done something bad to precipitate this. Jesus now has a chance to affirm or deny the law of retribution—and thankfully, Jesus denies this law. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus says, but just watch how God’s glory comes through all of this!

So, Jesus is breaking the rules here, breaking tradition, and we need to know that breaking tradition may be necessary, helpful, life-giving at times. But, we also need to see that this is about more than breaking tradition. This is about putting first things first, about putting people in need before everything else. Before traditions, rules, or laws, Jesus puts people first.

This is how God deals with us. God puts us first allowing his own Son to die that we—you and I—may have life. God puts forgiveness before retribution, love before justice. And Jesus does the same. The law of love replaces the law of retribution. To echo Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, if we faithfully maintain the traditions, keep the rules, and observe the laws but do not act with loving kindness towards those in need, we are nothing.

The law of love—this is what motivates Jesus and should motivate us as followers of Jesus. Traditions are great. Customs can be beautiful. Our usual and normal practices can be helpful. But if ever we have to choose between any of those things and meeting the needs of a person, Jesus shows us clearly what our task is: We follow the law of love, we follow Jesus.

Sunday, February 15, 2026
Breaking the Rules: Enemies
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9AM (Contemporary) - HERE
11AM (Traditional) - HERE

AfterWords: Breaking the Rules--Enemies

 

John 4:46-54

Today, we encounter another “sign” in John’s Gospel…and a sign always point to something about God we need to see and understand. While the themes of this reading are many and meaningful, today we focus on Jesus’ response to an enemy.

At first glance, we may not think the “royal official” an enemy, but when we take apart the social world of 1^st Century Judea, we discover that a “royal official” of any sort reports directly to one of the sovereigns placed and sustained in power by the Roman occupiers of the day. This particular royal official probably reports to Herod Antipas, and he and all this court stand in the way of the dreams and hopes of all Jews—self-rule, freedom from Rome, relief from the onerous burden of taxes. If there are any Zealots in Jesus’ following on this day, they want only to kill this traitor.

But, Jesus moves beyond the labels and politics when he speak to this fellow. We discover that he is a father…and he’s the father of a child who is dying. Jesus knows who this fellow is…yet, he is able see beyond the surface to the simple and beloved humanity beneath. And, as God does, so does Jesus—he responds to the real human need of the moment. He heals the official’s son.

What about our enemies? How do we respond to our enemies? I know how we want to respond. We want to get even. We want to dish out what we’ve been served. We want very much to embrace the reigning response of our culture—“an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 

But, Scripture calls us in a different direction. Paul in his letter to the Romans reminds his readers: “‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:20-21). And, Jesus himself tells us straight up: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:43-45a).

In this passage, Jesus lives exactly what he preaches and teaches—he shows this enemy of the people, this traitor, loving kindness…he heals his son. The impact of that act of grace is profound because we learn that “he and his whole household believed” (John 4:53b).

Now, we must determine to live as Jesus lived and as he calls us to live, to respond to our enemies in kind. While we are not guaranteed that everything will turn around because of our actions, we do know that we are called to be faithful no matter what. Can we trust God to take care of revenge and vengeance issues as Scripture promises? Can we trust that Jesus is showing us the right way to live and respond? If we are followers of Jesus, we must live this way. Now, how will you respond to your enemies?

Sunday, February 8, 2026
Breaking the Rules: Enemies
Watch/Listen: HERE

AfterWords: Breaking the Rules--Women

 

John 4:1-9

Jesus breaks the rules, crosses a line, knocks down a boundary…Jesus changes everything.

In today’s reading, Jesus talks with a Samaritan woman. Samaritans are personas non grata in 1st Century Judea. Jews at that time remained acutely aware of the perceived impurity and “unclean” nature of the Samaritans—Israelites of the former Northern Kingdom who had intermarried with “foreigners,” who had built their own temple. Yet, Jesus breaks the rules and engages this Samaritan in conversation.

Probably only a notch above Samaritans were women in general during this time period. In Jesus’ world, women had no public voice, could not own land, were not to be taught, and should even be ignored in public. Women in this time period were considered little more than property.

Jesus changes the life of this Samaritan woman and for all women (potentially) ever after. Jesus treats women as human beings, as persons of worth. He asks their opinions and thoughts. He tells parables in which women are the heroes. Jesus’ approach to women confronts head-on the cultural assumptions of the Jews, the Romans, and the Greeks. You see, Jesus is willing to break the rules…that others might have life.

Jesus asks for a drink that he might tell this unnamed woman about the “living water… a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:11-13). Jesus recognized the thirst in her life, the same thirst in our lives—a thirst for life…for purpose, for meaning, for healing, for relationship, to be valued, to be seen, to be known, to be loved. King David wrote about this thirst in our lives—“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…” (Ps.42), and the great African theologian, Augustine, declares—“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You” (Confessions). Jesus offers her and us what will quench that thirst, address that restlessness within.

Just as Jesus breaks the rules for this Samaritan woman, God breaks the rules for us—crosses time and space to enter our world, engages us—unclean and unworthy as we are—to offer us living water…a spring within us that leads to eternal life, real life, abundant life. Do you as a deer pant for living water? Is your heart restless…seeking and searching, ill at ease? Jesus offers us living water…life…through faith today. That living water, that rest, is as close as a prayer.

Sunday, February 1, 2026
Breaking the Rules: Women
Watch/Listen: HERE

AfterWords: Making the Way Straight - Seeing and Believing

 

John 3:1-16

This dialogue between Nicodemus and Jesus is wonderful…a banter of puns. Jesus tells Nicodemus (Nick) that being “born again” is important…but that phrase in the Greek has a double meaning: Born anōthen can mean born “again” or born “from above.” Nick latches on to the double meaning presuming that Jesus actually means “from above,” and he intentionally takes it as “again” and makes that ridiculous suggestion that he crawl back in his mom’s womb to be born “again.”

Nick does this because ‘born anōthen’ is the phrase Jews use of those Gentile proselytes who convert to Judaism. In effect, Nick takes issue with Jesus suggesting that he—Nick, Pharisee, member of the Sanhedrin—would need what Gentiles need, would be equated with the Gentiles. So, he takes the ridiculous spin on the word and throws it back at Jesus.

Jesus is unphased and tosses in his own play on words. In the Greek, the word for “wind” and “spirit” is the same word: pneuma. So, per Jesus, “The wind/Spirit blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit/wind.” Interestingly, the Hebrew equivalent—ruach—works exactly the same way. Nick is left wondering what’s what after this…and maybe we are, too!

Being born from above or born again or born of the Spirit (all three in Jesus’ dialogue) enable the same thing: to see the kingdom/reign of God, to enter into the kingdom/reign of God. This new birth, rebirth, spiritual birth brings us into the reign and realm of God.

Nick reacts like we do: “How can this be?” or “What does this mean?” or “Whatyoutalkingabout?”

Jesus then shifts the narrative away from talk and imagery of birth to something very familiar to Nick…and to himself. The story of the serpents in the OT as the Hebrew people make their way across the wilderness to the Promised Land (Numbers 21) was well known to Nick. In that story, if the people were bitten by the venomous serpents, they only had to look to the bronze serpent on a staff that Moses had crafted and they would be saved. We cannot help but wonder if this story in Jesus’ dialogue serves as a bridge between the serpent of Genesis that precipitates the sin and rupture between God and humanity…and his own act of being lifted up on the cross. Those of us who are poisoned by sin, whose lives have been bitten by the power of sin now look not to a bronze serpent on a staff but to the “Son of Man” nailed to a cross.

John wraps up this incident with commentary that begins, “For God so loved the world….” We find in this whole passage the three primary themes of John’s Gospel: Light, life, and love (agape). John’s commentary points to the way to these three—to finding light in the darkness of this world, to finding real life (more than merely being alive), to encountering the love (agape) God has for us and that we are to show towards others. We find these through belief, faith, trust, confidence in who Jesus is, what he says, how he lives…in his life and death and resurrection. In and through this Jesus, we find birth from above…new birth…spiritual birth. The call today in John’s Gospel? Believe, trust, have faith, put your confidence in Jesus that we may know this birth into new life.

Sunday, January 25, 2026
Making the Way Straight: Seeing and Believing
Watch/Listen: HERE