GOD IS HERE

Let me tell you a little about John’s Gospel.

Written probably about 95 -100 AD it was the last of the four gospels written in the form we recognise in our Bible. We believe that it was based on the knowledge and experiences of John the beloved disciple.

But John probably did not write the gospel. Rather John shared his experiences with his own band of pupil-disciples.

They were second generation Christians. It was probably from them that the gospel of John received its written form. The result was John’s golden gospel, a wonderful spiritual treasure.

We have reached John 14 in our studies.‘Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me’(John 14.1).

In this simple way Jesus told the disciples that his Father God was with them. Yet the more Jesus expanded his message the more confused they became. Jesus continued, ‘I am going to prepare a place for you in my Father’s house’ (John 14.2).

Thomas retorted,‘Lord we do not know where you are going’(John 14.5) .So Jesus continued,‘If you know me then you would know my Father’(John 14.7) So Philip spoke bluntly to Jesus, ‘Show us the Father and we will be satisfied’(John 14.8)

Jesus pressed on,‘Have I been with you for so long, but you still do not understand. After all that I have said and done do you not realise that God is here with you because God is here in me (John 14.10-11)

John Macquarrie, wrote that most people will be shocked to discover that they meet with God on the hangman’s gallows.

We meet with God in the crucified Jesus fixed to a tree. However, God was present in Jesus’entire life. On Jesus’dusty Galilean roads God walked with people.

Through Jesus’lessons God taught people. God healed the leper and the woman in the crowd, and God pulled Lazarus from the grave. We know the meaning of salvation because God came near to us in the crucified Jesus.

God, Father God, unknown, unseen, you are known to us in Jesus. Jesus spoke with a gentle Galilean accent and we hear in Jesus the voice of God.

Father God you worked through Jesus. In Jesus your hands were firm to raise a child and to cure the broken. In Jesus your hands were strong to break the dark power of evil. In Jesus your hands were stronger still to be pierced with the nails of the Cross. Father God you see us through Jesus’eyes. In Jesus you see us as we are and you are not angry with us In Jesus we see you as you are but we are not afraid of you

Gentle Father God you came and still come to people in Jesus. But as people mistreated Jesus, so do people mistreat you. In Jesus you allowed yourself to be roughed when Jesus was jostled in the crowd.

You allowed yourself to be scorned when Jesus was criticised. You allowed yourself to be hurt when Jesus was maltreated.

You allowed yourself to be humiliated when Jesus became, ‘The Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief’

You allowed yourself to be crucified when Jesus was nailed to a tree.

‘No one has seen God at any time’ (John 1.18) But the Son, in the bosom of the Father, and now on the Cross of Calvary, has made God known to us.

Gentle Father God. Let us come to you. As we come, gather us unto yourself under that saving Cross. In Jesus of Calvary open our eyes, open our heart and soul, to recognise you, the living and saving Father God Encourage us to trust you, to love and honour you, in Jesus the Crucified One

‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. Not as the world do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid’

(John 14.27)

A little prayer.

Gentle Father God We meet with you at the cross, your chosen meeting place At the cross you speak gentle words of care. Mercifully you deal with us from your compassionate heart. Your strong hands, nail-pierced in Jesus, lift us heavenward All in Jesus’ AMEN