Judas - how could this happen?

John chapter six concludes with the following staggering words (v.70-71):

Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil’. [Jesus] was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

The context of these words was the preceding teaching on believing in Jesus and receiving eternal life. We have already determined that ‘believing’ in Jesus is far more than intellectual assent that he lived. Believing in Jesus is about: seeing that Jesus is God – the source of all satisfaction, accepting the grace he offers us and fully focussing on him, understanding what he stands for and applying our lives to this, and placing our life in his hands – following him wherever that leads. This was too much for some and they turned away. When Jesus faced off with the twelve disciples concerning where they were at, Simon Peter understandingly said, “Lord to whom can we go”? Peter then continued with the affirmation, “You have the words of eternal life … we have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (6:68-9). Yet it seems, Peter was not speaking for all the ‘twelve’! There was one numbered among the inner twelve disciples, who was not going to stay the course.

How could this be? How could this happen?

Judas must have believed in Jesus to some extent, to have travelled with Jesus for three years – that is, unless he was some sort of infiltrator or spy, but we know that wasn’t the case. Judas must have found something attractive about Jesus initially, but what went wrong? Judas obviously didn’t believe enough, or believe the right things, or believe in the right way, or perhaps too many other things just got in the way of truly believing in Jesus. We can’t say that Judas lacked for Jesus spending time with him or being available to him! There was obviously something that made him vulnerable to a fall.

We don’t know that much about Judas. He was listed as one of the original twelve disciples. Given that the Gospels were written after the fact, Mark, Matthew and Luke include the name of Judas with the additional remark – “who betrayed [Jesus]”. We sense from John’s Gospel (6:71), that Jesus knew from a long time before, that Judas was going to betray him. We also gather from John’s Gospel (12:4-6 & 13:29) that Judas had charge of the disciples’ collective finances (their ‘common purse’), but, unbeknown to the other disciples at the time, Judas would steal from those funds for his own purposes.

So Judas had a problem or weakness in the area of money, which would certainly affect his judgment. If Judas was a lover of money, then certainly this would put him at odds with Jesus’ teaching. According to Jesus, wealth would tend to get in the way of following Jesus to the full, and rather than being accumulated should be shared with the poor. We read in John that Judas criticised the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume for wasting money that could have gone to the poor, but we read that his motivation was really compromised by his own habit of stealing from his friends. In this same incident, we also see Judas not understanding the notion of lavishly worshipping Jesus.

So we see here the possibilities of belief being restricted by misdirected loyalties and continuing sin.

Perhaps this could have been combined with misplaced expectations about what Jesus would do!

Along with the other disciples, Judas may have thought that Jesus had earthly rule in mind – overthrowing the Romans and taking charge, for this was the ‘messianic’ hope of many. Judas may well have been disappointed as it emerged that Jesus was really on about reconciliation with God, and a spiritual kingdom being lived out on earth based on forgiveness and peace-making. Judas may have also thought and hoped that there would be a particular material and financial gain out of following Jesus (perhaps the first ever prosperity type thinking). When it became evident that this was not the case, Judas’ enthusiasm could have waned markedly. When the penny started to drop that the way of Jesus was potentially the way of suffering and not comfort, this may have been too much for Judas to contemplate. Is a willingness to betray sown, where a person cannot get their own way!?!

Jesus taught well, but Judas wasn’t letting it soak in! Or perhaps conversely, Judas was listening well, but just didn’t like what he was hearing!! People can be so set on their own course, and completely unwilling to change … sometimes with disastrous results! We go on to read in the Gospel accounts (Mark 14:10, Luke 22:3), that Judas himself approached those religious leaders (who had their own deep-seated reasons for destroying Jesus). We can only conclude that Judas’ own misadventures, his unwillingness to adjust his thinking, and resultant weakness, had taken him on this path of betrayal. When Judas approached these certain religious leaders, they offered him thirty pieces of silver … which was sure to close the deal. We also read, that far from being hesitant about this, Judas would be the guide for the group who would arrest Jesus (Luke 22:47).

There was absolutely nothing wrong with Jesus’ ministry or mission – in reality it was wonderfully revolutionary. It was Judas’ unwillingness to change that fuelled his reservations about Jesus and his ultimate betrayal of Jesus.

This all begs the question … in what ways might we betray Jesus???

Not living for him; not speaking for him; not serving our neighbour?!? What theological lessons haven’t we learnt, or what character adjustments haven’t we made? We are supposed to be so hungry for the “Bread of Life” and so thirsty for the “Living Water” that we continually consume the teachings of Jesus until we are full to the brim. Then we could never betray Jesus.

There was some sense in which it was inevitable that someone close to Jesus would betray him. Peter, speaking in Acts 1 (v.16-17) identifies Judas as the one that had done the deed that had been long foretold. Yet could we ever believe that God would deliberately set anyone up for such failure and destruction. I think not!! That this was not predetermined is seen in the way that Jesus views the one who would become the betrayer; “… but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed” (Luke 22:22). Mark 14:21 says, “It would have been better for that one [the betrayer] not to have been born”. Human vulnerability and poor decision-making would be enough to foresee such a betrayal. A serious mistake would lead to Jesus’ betrayal, and Jesus expresses grief and regret for what Judas would have brought upon himself.

Luke’s version of the Judas story (along with John’s) suggests Satan’s role in Judas’ actions. We read in Luke 22 (v.3-4): Then Satan entered into Judas … [then] he went away and conferred with the chief priests … about how he might betray [Jesus] to them. This could only have happened if Judas had allowed himself to be vulnerable to such an evil inclination. I would say that such vulnerability comes in two ways, and Judas fell for them both. He both continued in sin i.e. stealing from the disciples’ common purse, and secondly, refused to align himself with Jesus’ ways. These were deficiencies in the depth of his ‘believing’, and brought him down. Graphically, according to John’s Gospel, it was at the moment that Judas took the bread at the ‘last supper’ that Satan entered into him (13:27). It was at what should have been the most significant moment of repentance and commitment, that Judas remarkably went the other way.

We too can be brought down if we allow certain weaknesses to continue unaddressed. For men it can be pornography, for both men and women it can be lingering bitterness toward others because of hurts in the past. Judas had ongoing character flaws and troubles that were not yielded to Jesus, and he suffered as a result. And not only he suffered, but we know what the flow-on-effect was. The good news is that, as we live in the saving grace of the cross and the power of the resurrection, such vulnerabilities and weaknesses should progressively be less problematical to us. We have the victory in Jesus. Greater is the One within us than the one that is against us (1 John 4:4).

Isn’t it interesting, that Jesus, knowing that Judas would be his betrayer (according to John’s Gospel at least), kept Judas with him!! Jesus didn’t directly tell the other disciples who the betrayer would be, in order to protect himself. Rather he continued to love Judas, while letting proceedings take their course. We read in Luke 22 (verse 47) that Judas wanted to kiss Jesus when he led the arresting party right to him. This seems to be a kiss based on an affection Judas thought that he could have for Jesus, but in the end couldn’t. This was a kiss that Jesus could not receive, because Judas really only wanted Jesus on his own terms, rather than following Jesus on God’s terms.

As it turns out Judas couldn’t live with his actions, and we read of his grisly and tragic death (Matthew 27:3-5, Acts 1:18). This in itself shows a measure of remorse. We also read in Matthew 27, that feelings of repentance led Judas to attempt to return the thirty pieces of silver. Yet what is done cannot be undone, and the guilty party is left to deal with the guilt and shame attached to their actions. Judas had, in his own mind, gone past the point of no return. Yet, could Judas have been forgiven, had he lived on? Of course he could have! Perhaps he was forgiven anyway!!

What does it mean to believe in Jesus (from John chapter 6)?

What does it really mean to 'believe' in Jesus? Not just an intellectual agreement that Jesus lived, but rather far more.

Seeing Jesus as the "Bread of Life", meaning the One who sustains, and also satisfies the deepest longings of life.

Accepting Jesus as life's most important pursuit ... not allowing our focus to drift to the right nor to the left.

Understanding that Jesus is the way to "eternal life" - life in all its fullness (here and now) - refer John 6:53-56.

Placing our life in Jesus' hands - following him on a daily basis (through which God grows our faith).

Jesus, the woman accused of adultery, and her accusers (John 8:2-11)

What a callous deed! Dragging a woman before a crowd of people and publicly stating her alleged sin. Such a humiliating, depersonalising and devaluing experience for this woman. And all just as a test for Jesus; this woman … just a means to an end. This outrageous behaviour was perpetrated by certain religious leaders who were unwilling to accept Jesus for who he was. They wanted to bring him down. They were unwilling to have their authority questioned. Their minds were closed to the possibility that Jesus was God. They wanted to create some reason why Jesus would be discredited among the people, and thus they could more easily dispense with him. You could imagine them having clandestine meetings in the middle of the night, trying to come up with a plan.

This scene has all the signs of a set-up, perpetrating gross injustice upon this woman. Where were the required witnesses to such an adultery (Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15)? Where was the equally guilty man (Leviticus 20:10, Duet. 22:22)? If this woman was guilty, it is more likely that the male was the initiator (perhaps intimidating her into it). But for the accusers, and Jesus testers, she was an easy target! How was it that this woman was “caught” in adultery? Was it a case of entrapment, where the male involved was in the employment of the scribes and Pharisees? The whole charge is suspect, given that it is all about a test! This poor woman was a pawn in a very insidious quest!! Yes, she may have been involved in adultery, but this was not at all appropriate. The accusers were totally unconcerned about this woman’s welfare.

To make it worse, the religious leaders were citing the extreme penalty of death by stoning, which was rarely applied, and never where there were not multiple witnesses. The reason behind the penalty being so strong originally, was trying to protect the social cohesion of the community. Yet, this was clearly not the way of going about promoting social cohesion. This was just plain callous! Yet you could imagine members of the watching crowd joining in with the calls for punishment.

Here was the test being put to Jesus (albeit based on fallacy). If Jesus simply let the woman off, it could be said that he was not upholding God’s law and was lax concerning moral standards. On the other hand, if Jesus condoned the death penalty, then he would be contradicting his teaching on mercy. Jesus had also been known to have extended the definition of adultery beyond the act itself … to the desire (to lust) as well (Matthew 5:27-8) … was this to be a capital offense!?! [This was tricky too because the Roman authorities actually controlled death sentences, and Jesus could be brought in conflict with them here also.] All round, these religious leaders thought they were onto a winner of a plan here … so that Jesus would be compromised! And they kept on pushing!!

What would Jesus do? Well, what did Jesus do! There was an audience waiting with bated breath. Jesus of course knew this was a test, and also knew the corrupt hearts of those seeking to challenge him. Jesus could have inquired further about this woman’s guilt, and if guilty sought statements of repentance. Yet this would not have silenced the religious leaders about the full force of the law; nor would it have critiqued their inappropriate and callous behaviour. As well, unlike these accusers, Jesus would have had uppermost in his mind the future prospects of this woman’s health and well-being.

So Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. What do you reckon he was doing?? Stalling for time? Building the tension? Doodling … thinking about what he was going to say? Disengaging from the test even (showing contempt because it was so disgraceful)? Or something else entirely? In the exercise of his authority, a Roman judge would write down his sentence before delivering it. Jesus could have been imitating this, but with a twist – rather than writing down the sins and sentence of the woman, writing down the sins and potential sentence of her accusers. For this would be in line with Jesus teaching in Matthew 7:1-2: “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get”. This teaching goes on to remark about the need to remove the log in one’s own eye before worrying about the speck in another’s eye (Matt. 7:3-5).

So in a nutshell, Jesus’ reply would need to put these certain religious leaders in their place and disassemble their attempted test, and also offer this poor woman a hopeful way forward … the way of liberation, healing and salvation (given what had been done to her, a loving ministry to this woman was vital). So to achieve both these aims, Jesus stood up straight and said, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”. And we read on to see the remarkable impact these words had! There would be no sense of moral laxity, no confusion regarding Jesus’ priority of mercy, no premature trouble with the Romans – brilliant!!

Who has never made a mistake, who has never fallen for temptation, who has never had a weak moment, who has never hurt another, who has never made a bad decision? They all left! All those who were yelling accusations and trying to test Jesus out – they all left!! Not one stone could be thrown!!! The only one who could throw a stone at this woman was (the sinless) Jesus (God incarnate), and he does not! In fact, Jesus shows no inclination at all to throw a stone. Frank Rees, current principal at Whitley College, has described Jesus’ actions here as, “stunning, gutsy, liberating grace”. And, as well, injustice was tackled head-on! Not one person was able to maintain any facade of moral superiority over this woman. The only One who could, only wanted to offer compassion and care.

For people like this woman will never be transformed by condemnation (which causes them to sink further), but only by grace and forgiveness! It is only grace that provides the way of ultimately dealing with one’s tendency to sin. Now just left in view … are Jesus and this vulnerable needy woman – with no-one else to get in the way of quality ministry. An opening has been created through a good measure of love, mercy and concern. The question Jesus asks of this woman (verse 10) is designed to restore this woman’s feeling of equality and sense of value. No other human being is any more worthy than her! Jesus saw the person this woman could become.

How could this woman now experience freedom and salvation and community? By reflecting on what had happened this day, who she had encountered, what had been done for her, and how life for her could look much better. By leaving the past behind and taking a new path. This would be the light-filled and truth-driven path of Jesus. She too, could be a disciple! Jesus brings God to earth, deals with all our sin, and then shows us how to be wholly and truly human. One can continue to ignore one’s situation of lost-ness, or alternatively, open their lives to Jesus. And too, one can continue to be an accuser of others, or alternatively, join the Jesus way as a minister to our neighbours.

The Impact of John 1:35-51

We read John 1:35-51.

What do we see of interest in this passage?

A.      The Spread of the Gospel message:

(1)    John the Baptist points at Jesus and says, “Look, here is the Lamb of God” (v.36). John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and made the statement that this Jesus was really significant – “the Lamb of God” i.e. one who makes a sacrifice for the people on behalf of God, the one who will take away the sin of the world.

We can see how John the Baptist felt about Jesus by reading the earlier verses 29-34. Jesus is the one that John was preparing the way for when he talked about repentance. Repentance was one thing, but Jesus would bring ultimate forgiveness and the gift of the Spirit which would see lives transformed. Jesus was God’s ultimate gift to the world – the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One.

Two of John the Baptist’s followers, there and then, decided to follow Jesus. We know one of these was Andrew, and we go on to read the broader significance of this. The spread of the Gospel message does not occur by people experiencing Jesus and salvation in either just a personally enriching way or just a momentary way! Rather, the good news of Jesus spreads by people actually following Jesus – becoming disciples. That is why when Jesus gave his “great commission” type statements about going out into the world, he talked not about converting people, but rather about what??? Making “disciples” (e.g. Matthew 28:19)!! The conclusion of Luke and the beginning of Acts describe those who have had a salvation experience as “witnesses” (Luke 24:48, Acts 1:8), showing the ongoing active component of having Jesus as the Saviour in our lives.

We should note that when Andrew and his friend started following Jesus, Jesus questioned them as to what they were doing. Jesus, knowing where he was going, wanted to make sure that Andrew and the other one were serious in their intent. Jesus asked them a curious question, “What are you looking for” (v.38)? This question actually went to the heart of their motivation … ‘what is it in life that you need that is making you want to follow me’? Their reply, “Teacher, where are you staying” suggested that they were ready to spend quality time with Jesus and thus be taught what they needed to know. So, this is what is required of a true Jesus follower – an attitude of wanting to get to know Jesus (and what he is about).

So, from the example of John the Baptist, one way we can witness to Jesus is to point toward him, and to point to his significance. But how is this done? With our mouths, having a natural propensity of sharing our faith journey within most conversations – Andrew had become convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, and was certainly going to tell his brother about this (v.41). And secondly, with the integrity of our lives (through the joy and sense of appreciation we project).

(2)    Secondly, we see new disciples of Jesus directly target others. We just saw Andrew quickly go off and tell this great news to his brother Simon, who was none other than the one who would become known as Peter (v.41). Andrew had paved the way for Jesus to personally connect with Peter who was going to be so vital in the spread of the Gospel outwards. Although Peter would stagger and waver from time to time, in saying that this Simon before him would be called Peter, meaning “rock”, Jesus was stating the great potential and impact that laid within Andrew’s brother. The introduction that Andrew facilitates between Jesus and Peter proves to be momentous for the Gospel.

Then Philip, who had just been personally encountered by Jesus, went and told his friend Nathanael about what had happened to him (v.45). Philip’s words to Nathanael began with, “We have found him …”, as if this was the greatest discovery of their lives (which of course it was)! “I have met the long-awaited One”, said Philip! 

Now Nathanael was one who was not going to make this easy. He was at the very least suspicious. Nathanael grabbed onto the bit about where Jesus had come from, and said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth”? He knew the reputation of Nazareth, and let conventional wisdom get in the way of good news. Some commentators (e.g. AM Hunter) interpret Nathanael to even be scornful in this response. This is like our friends who will find all sorts of reasons to dispute the relevance of Jesus. Most of these reasons though will likely stem from the unthinking behaviour of self-called Christians, rather than anything bad they can say about Jesus himself!!! 

How did Philip respond to this challenge?? How did Philip deal with Nathanael’s preconceived notions? He gave Nathanael a three-point theological talking to?!? No, he didn’t!! Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and see” (v.46)! Philip introduced Nathanael to Jesus, a point from which a relationship could begin. Now we can’t physically take our friends to Jesus, but what can we do??? Show them the Jesus we find in the pages of the Gospels, and tell of how we find these accounts to be relevant to us. 

It was Philip’s idea to tell the good news about Jesus to Nathanael, but we can certainly see in our text that Jesus was ready to receive Nathanael. Jesus already loved Nathanael! Jesus interacted with Nathanael over his doubts, resulting in Nathanael’s statement of faith, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God” (v.49). In a similar way we can facilitate other people’s doubts being addressed as they are introduced to the words and actions of Jesus in the Gospels. Is Christianity judgmental and irrelevant to the everyday problems and concerns of people? Well it shouldn’t be … if it is truly based on Jesus. And we can be privileged to experience small levels of faith grow into impressive strong and active faith. Nathanael’s small beginnings, Jesus promised, would be enriched by “greater things than these” (v.50). Such “greater things” would emerge through the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus exhibited some of his Divine side in knowing that Nathanael had been sitting under the fig tree (v.48). Many suggest that this sitting “under the fig tree” indicates that Nathanael was a student of the law, perhaps studying his theology in the shade (hence Philip’s reference to the “law and the prophets” in v.45). Thus Nathanael may have been one that was really ready to accept Jesus … once given a suitable invitation. This is certainly how it turned out. Thus it is important to be on the ball, understanding people who God is leading us to connect with. This is what Philip was able to do.

B.      The Depth of what Jesus brings:

Verse 51 is striking. Jesus was saying to Nathanael that, as he followed Jesus, he would see both evidences of the great Creator God working through Jesus, and, as well, many ways in which Jesus was directing people’s minds and hearts up to God. Jesus is the centre-point of God’s activities on earth. Jesus is the place and the person where the earthly and the heavenly meet! Jesus is the person we need to know!! The heavens have opened and revealed what God is like. And Jesus shows how to live in union with God (G. Appleton).

Not only does Jesus, through his incarnation into our human environment, show us what God is like, but also shows us what it really means to be human (idea from: Jesus the Saviour: The Meaning of Jesus Christ for Christian Faith by William C Placher, 2001). Now it’s true that Jesus was humanly male, and a Jew, and lived in a particular cultural context in a certain time. But if we look deep into who he was, and what he reflected to be most important, and how he interacted and related to people, we learn a lot about being human.

We can gain much from looking at various people who have been found worthy to look up to, however every human being (bar one) has been marred by sin, and there would be at least some defect in character that we would have to recognise or steer away from. The one exception is Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus has also experienced human suffering in a variety of forms, so understands fully what we sometimes face, and can guide us through it into the future God has for us. I love the verses from Hebrews (4:14-16) that say,

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

"Self-giving" - a message from Philippians 2:1-15

What does it mean to have the same mind as Christ Jesus? For we read in our text, Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5).

We might say … to think in the same way, to have the same attitudes, to share the same values … as Jesus.

Not easy maybe; but made possible by our relational connection to Jesus, and through the transformational work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We can see from an earlier verse (2:2) that Paul has instructed the church in Philippi, to be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. This is firstly an attempt to pull the church together in unity. Though, this could not be suggesting that those in the church would all think identically about everything, for that would not be realistic! True unity is only really found in diversity. So Paul must be talking about the important things of the faith – those things that will most count in the church’s relationship with the world. For, Paul is leading up to statements about our transformation (in verses 12-13) and our level of influence (in vs. 14-15)!

Now let us remind ourselves whose mind it is that determines the “one mind” we unify under? Each of us collectively should have the same mind as Christ Jesus (2:5)!

Again, what does this mean – especially when it comes to daily practicalities? The answer seems to come first from the verses before (v.3-4), which should be looked at broader than just within the church, given the universal application of the cross. And the answer comes secondly from the poetic words that follow in verses 6-11 … describing the nature of the incarnation of Jesus (it seems likely here that Paul is quoting an early Christian poem or song).

Then, to have the same mind as Jesus, means:

(i)                No selfish ambition, nor conceit (that flippantly claims personal credit for success), but rather a humility that regards others as better than ourselves (i.e. as more worthy of help and attention); and,

(ii)              Not being self-interested (simply focussed on one’s rights and plans), but rather focussed on the needs of others (and on the broader need in the world).

This has been dramatically and perfectly demonstrated by Jesus, through:

(i)                Leaving behind the glory of heaven to inhabit the earth

(ii)              Making himself vulnerable through becoming a human being

(iii)            Taking the role of a slave i.e. the lowest of the low

(iv)            Accepting the death of a criminal on a cross.

We can see here that ‘being of the same mind as Jesus’ is not something that just stays in the mind or the head, but rather very quickly becomes active behaviour. We consider carefully the needs of others, and then practically respond.

Jesus, taking the role of a servant, refused to bend to those who would seek to disrupt his mission – those who criticised him for the sort of people he befriended and for healing needy people on the Sabbath. Jesus, in the form of a humble servant, ignored all the temptations to avoid the cross – from Satan in the wilderness, from his own disciples (especially Peter), and from deep within himself (in the Garden of Gethsemane).

Likewise, disciples of Jesus, do not let any preoccupation on self, or desire for safety and protection, get in the way of following Jesus toward needy souls. One commentator [Jouette Bassler in NISB, p.2103] suggests (rightly I think) that these verses (particularly 6-11) provide a pattern of behaviour (or the ultimate paradigm, or the basic model) for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Michael Hardin writes, “In short, the imitation of Christ pertains to a pattern of life that endures hardship and persecution for the sake of the gospel and those to whom the gospel is proclaimed” [The Jesus Driven Life, p.238].

Paul’s own way of making this point was to say in verse 12, work out your own salvation …, meaning: make your salvation effective or actual [LE Keck, Proclamation Commentary, p.86]. This refers to the ‘in the present’ phase of salvation, when salvation has its obligations. This is NOT “working for” salvation, but rather “working out” salvation – i.e. making the salvation (that has been freely gained) actually operational! The following words ... in fear and trembling, suggest making our salvation real and effective in the cut and thrust (and rollercoaster) of life. Those early Jesus followers under persecution in Philippi knew what “fear and trembling” was all about!

Before going further we should note that verses 9 to 11 point out that it is only the humble that can be lifted up. It is only those who have come to understand their dependence upon God, and been wholly open to God’s mercy and grace being activated in their lives, that can be lifted up. Jesus’ humility to the point of the cross led to a stunning reversal of fortunes … his resurrection in glory. In the same way, God is only able to raise up or give new life to those who first humble themselves. This is like the parable of the lost son, where the younger son had to know that he had hit rock bottom, and that seeking mercy was the only way forward. Now, having been lifted up and begun the salvation journey, God is able to form in us … first the will to serve and then the way to serve (refer v.13). We work outwards what God’s grace has worked inwards!

We have been considering what it means to have the same mind as Jesus. What attitudes and actions of Jesus can we draw on?

For instance, what was Jesus’ mind when it came to enemies? Jesus died for his enemies that they might become his friends. Jesus forgave his enemies from the cross. With this mindset, Jesus said to his disciples, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

We have seen that disciples (or followers) of Jesus have to maintain humility in the face of the world, being acutely aware of our own foibles and failings. Followers of Jesus actively seek the interests of others (especially the lost, vulnerable and neglected) and have a positive view of people’s potential (if they are ever to discover Jesus). This all eliminates the propensity for fault-finding and labelling and generalising that so easily devalues people. This is about giving (self-giving), not getting! This is about offering, not demanding!! This is about the transformed and humble “children of God” shining like stars in the midst of a crooked and perverse world (v.15). There is nothing worse than the “children of God” living their lives in as much darkness as the rest of society.

The cross of Jesus is the ultimate example of self-giving, and the supreme act of engagement with the world (and hospitality to the world) in all its sin and brokenness [thought inspired by Michael Frost in The Road to Missional, p.90]. Adopting this self-giving [“cruciform”] spirituality draws us outward to the people in need of God’s friendship. We are able to “shine like stars” through this self-giving (in all its challenges), because we also have the resurrected life of Jesus dwelling in us (and living through us).