June 3, 2001

John 14:8-17, 25-27


Philip said, "Master, show us the Father; then we'll be content."

"You've been with me all this time Philip, and you still don't understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, 'Where is the Father?' Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you aren't mere words. I don't just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.

"Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can't believe that, believe what you see--these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I'll do.

"If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!

...

"I'm telling you these things while I'm still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I'm leaving you well and whole. That's my parting gift to you. Peace. I don't leave you the way you're used to being left--feeling abandoned, bereft. So don't be upset. Don't be distraught."

<The Message >

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1. The Spirit of Truth can't be taken in by appearances, but sees to the heart of the matter. This is also the way in which we are able to analyze propaganda - seeing with the eye of this Spirit. Here is a four-fold formula for seeing truth (four "i" statements):

intuition - sensing there is an attempt to take us in (Remember Bishop Dale White in the Defense of Creation presentation talking about Christian Intuition). This is a gift of inspiration by the Spirit.

intelligence - find the spot(s) of discontinuity where a jump is being made in logic.

information - bring to the issue all the information you have so the attempt can be seen within a larger context.

imagination - find the creative response which will both reveal the attempt and allow a freedom of action not constrained by the initial attempt to trap your thinking and living.

2. This whole business of doing greater things than Jesus is an affront to many who would trap the church in the literal words of the Bible. These folks are more comfortable with "I'm just asking Lord, if it be your will...." But these are radical words of faith. Jesus pushes us to push against the same boundaries he did and to push them further; to push with the same authority in the eyes of the world, a relationship with GOD. Ultimately this is not some creedal statement or preaching point, but a lived experience.

3. Draw a line between two images


well and whole --------------------------------------------- abandoned and bereft

Where are you on that continuum? Where were you yesterday? What will it take to move you further to the left tomorrow?

Pray for this peace and act from within it.

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