John 12:44
Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.
Greater is Holy Spirit in believers than he that is in this fallen world. Jesus gave up His life and overcame death in the battle of good and evil…it is finished. Trust God to accomplish what was and is impossible for mere humans. In the power of Holy Spirit we are protected from the wiles of the evil one. Just believe! Carla
John 5:24
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. John 5:24
The phrase believes in Him who sent Me is unusual. Christ, not the Father, is usually the object of this verb in John. The issue in this passage is the unity of the Father and the Son (verses 17–23).
All who believe in the One who sent Christ will believe in Christ.
A judgment to decide a person’s eternal destiny is no longer possible for the one who has already been given eternal life. However, all believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10), not for punishment of sin, but to determine inheritance in Messiah’s kingdom. The NKJV Study Bible
This discourse in passages 19-47 focuses on the person and authority of Jesus. This passage is the clearest summary of Jesus’ relationship with the Father, His position as judge of all things, and the witnesses to His mission as Messiah found in the New Testament. Faithlife Study Bible
John 3:15–18
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life…
1 John 3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
John 20:31
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
1 John 5:9–13
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son…
Sarah is an ordinary woman with a peculiar habit. You see, every Saturday, when the Jehovah's Witnesses make their neighborhood rounds, she invites them in. And begins by saying, "I'm glad to see you. I'm not going to covert you, but you all are welcome to stay for tea." And every Saturday, the missionaries do just that.
Another time, a salesman dropped in—just an old-fashioned door-to-door salesman, selling vacuum cleaners.
"Come on in," she tells him. "I need to tell you that I'm not going to buy, and my baby is asleep, so no loud demo, but you look like you've had a long day, would you like a cup of coffee?"
"Why?" the salesman asked.
"Well, this may sound strange, but I actually believe that God may be found in any person, so I'm offering you coffee because you might be Jesus."
I'm certain that for the salesman, it was easily his strangest house call ever; but even so, he sat for a spell, and enjoyed the coffee.
There was a time where I would have overlooked this story (adapted from Lauren Winner's, “Still”). Or more likely, would have dismissed it. It falls under the category of too-good-to-be-true.
But here’s the deal: more than ever, we need it.
In a world where it’s too common to hear, “I feel like I can't even relate to them (family and friends) anymore.”
In a world where, because of fear and apprehension, we mistrust just about everyone, and everything. And yes, even kindness. Especially kindness.
I read that in some countries it is the ruse of would-be pickpockets. They pose as persons needing direction, and when kind strangers stop to help, those who help are fleeced. Is it the exception? Yes. But even so, fear carries the narrative of our time, and our relations, and our conversations.
"If we have no peace," Mother Teresa reminded us, "it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."
That’s why I love this story about Sarah. And I do have a hankering for kindness.
But, this is not a Sabbath Moment about kindness. Per se. Because our temptation is to bottle up whatever Sarah had, or find a way to teach it or market it online.
Lord knows, we find multiple ways to complicate life.
It is not enough, apparently, just to offer a smile, a kind word and a cup of coffee.
Sarah's story is about letting life in. Every bit of life.
Sarah's story is about making space. About the healing power that flourishes when we root ourselves in love and hospitality, and warmth and generosity.
“They serve one another.”
Let us pause this week, and take the time to reach out and to say “thank you” to those who have made space and shelter for us. “Sabbath Moments”
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