THE BEGINNING
I became a Christian on December 2nd, 1974. I was a first year student at Durham University in the UK.
The experience of coming to faith – the realisation that God was real, completely overwhelmed me. I simply had to tell everyone I met what had happened to me. This included of course my family, but also student friends and lecturers at the University. I was probably not the easiest to have a normal conversation with at that time.
What good came out of this is not easy for me to evaluate – God knows!
Both my sisters became Christians as a result of my witness, which was fantastic.
I also think that a number of Christians that perhaps were half asleep, got something to think about. But I also know that I alienated some.
WORN OUT
However, this could not last! And after some months, to a year perhaps, I was completely deflated and feeling condemned; not feeling able to live the Christian life. I was completely sincere in all my dealings, yet empty!
Though I did love God, I have since understood that this frenzied activity – sincere though it was – was fear-driven, from a sense of Christian duty; an idea that God “needed” me to do this – a fear, lest I be disobedient!
This was me in the mid 1970s. I don’t think there was any other path I could have trod, I could only learn by doing.
A Christian leader at the time told me: “You have a great big faith in a small Christ – it needs to be the opposite!” And he was right!
THE LOVE OF GOD
I firmly believe that God does want us to share the Gospel with others, and also to serve him in many ways.
But we need to know him; we need to grow in the knowledge of his love!
To know his lovingkindness!
That the end purpose of the Lord is his mercy!
I believe that people who undergo great suffering and don’t give up, but remain steadfast to the Lord, know this! In fact Scripture bears this out – see James 5,11 e.g. in the KJV.
John says:
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”! 1 John 4,18
So, to be ‘driven’ by the love of the Lord, when we serve him – to have time for people and to count relationships as important! And no fear or stress! This is God´s way!
JOHN´S GOSPEL
This brings me to my little reflection on John´s Gospel!
It is said of the Word made flesh – of the Son, that he was in the bosom of his Father! 1,18 This speaks of the most intimate relationship, where nothing but love rules.
Think of Jesus throughout this gospel as being in the bosom of the Father. That is where his words come from. That is the place where his deeds come from.
The Father is the source.
Though as the Word, he has life in himself (1,4), as incarnate, Jesus´ source for all things is his Father.
The word for bosom in Greek is κόλπος/kolpos!
The same word is used of the Beloved Disciple in 13,23:
It is said of him, that he rested in the bosom – the κόλπος/kolpos of Jesus. The word is not used in other places in this gospel.
Though the Beloved Disciple (who is first mentioned here) is not identified in the gospel, the data points to John himself.
But John´s use of this word κόλπος/kolpos again here is surely significant.
As with so much of what John says, more than one meaning is alluded to.
Could it be that we are here to see the Beloved Disciple as the ideal disciple (as some scholars think) – in other words, the ideal disciple rests in the bosom of Jesus, just as he, Jesus, rests in the bosom of the Father? Jesus tells us in chapter 15 that we are to abide in the Vine; that is abide in him.
YOU´RE WITH THE FATHER AND THE SON
The image of the ideal disciple (or John) as someone resting in the bosom of Jesus, is certainly a compelling image, pointing to the fact that as disciples, we are drawn into this wonderful relationship with the Father and the Son, made possible by the Holy Spirit (see e.g. 14,23) – more of this in another blog!
The title of this text is “Being and Doing in the Kingdom of God”.
What I meant by that was that our discipleship, our serving, must spring out of our relationship with the Father and the Son; we serve because we ARE beloved sons and daughters of the Most High! This is not an overnight discovery, but a growing experience as we mature in Christ!
We are not trying to win his love and acceptance – WE ALREADY HAVE BOTH!
BE BLESSED😊