Sabbatical Shorts 5 - Jesus said 'No'.
A year on from a Sabbatical break, here are some selected notes from my journal during that time which may be of help to others, and are certainly a reminder to me. Some is in the form of more reflective thought, other passages are simple meditations from scripture.
Jesus said 'No' to his brothers.
In John 7 1-9 they come to him with a plan, filtered through their misunderstanding of both his identity and his mission.
They had a strategy for the development of his ministry. They understood how the world works. You have to prime the pump, get yourself noticed, build a following. Enough of this escaping up mountains, out onto lonely lakes at night. Stop playing so hard to get, shake a few hands, make some noise. Get yourself some public attention, some headlines, some trending traction!
But Jesus said 'No'.
Consistently through the gospels, Jesus says no to friends, to followers, to critics, to busyness, to apparently legitimate opportunity and need, to power and fame, to Satan directly. Jesus even says no to his own Mother!
Jesus said 'No'.
In verse 8 we get a rich insight to the decision making process of Jesus. 'You go up to the Festival. I am not going because my time has not yet fully come.'
Jesus says 'No' to others because he has long since decided to say a resounding 'Yes' to the will of his Father.
Such mature assurance, rooted in his identity as the Beloved Son, is far from my baffling decision making. Saying yes to pressure from others, yes in the face of needs, yes in order to be seen and noticed, yes to advance my cause and ambition, even yes for a quiet life. To all these insecurities Jesus says 'No'.
'What is my Father doing, what is he saying? Then I shall remain where he has called me and only go where he sends me.' This is the decision making process of a secure Son. Free from the unhealthy current and pull of the immature and ambitious.
At the end of Luke 10, Jesus says no to his dear friend Martha, he doesn't give her what she wants, he will not be manipulated. He sees in her sister Mary the mirroring of a better way, which he himself has displayed towards his Father. Jesus is able to say no against this tide, no even to good things, and apparently right things, in order to say yes to the one truly best thing.
Jesus said 'No'. I repent of saying 'Yes' and invite him to teach me this better way.
Jesus said 'No' to his brothers.
In John 7 1-9 they come to him with a plan, filtered through their misunderstanding of both his identity and his mission.
They had a strategy for the development of his ministry. They understood how the world works. You have to prime the pump, get yourself noticed, build a following. Enough of this escaping up mountains, out onto lonely lakes at night. Stop playing so hard to get, shake a few hands, make some noise. Get yourself some public attention, some headlines, some trending traction!
Consistently through the gospels, Jesus says no to friends, to followers, to critics, to busyness, to apparently legitimate opportunity and need, to power and fame, to Satan directly. Jesus even says no to his own Mother!
Jesus said 'No'.
In verse 8 we get a rich insight to the decision making process of Jesus. 'You go up to the Festival. I am not going because my time has not yet fully come.'
Jesus says 'No' to others because he has long since decided to say a resounding 'Yes' to the will of his Father.
Such mature assurance, rooted in his identity as the Beloved Son, is far from my baffling decision making. Saying yes to pressure from others, yes in the face of needs, yes in order to be seen and noticed, yes to advance my cause and ambition, even yes for a quiet life. To all these insecurities Jesus says 'No'.
'What is my Father doing, what is he saying? Then I shall remain where he has called me and only go where he sends me.' This is the decision making process of a secure Son. Free from the unhealthy current and pull of the immature and ambitious.
At the end of Luke 10, Jesus says no to his dear friend Martha, he doesn't give her what she wants, he will not be manipulated. He sees in her sister Mary the mirroring of a better way, which he himself has displayed towards his Father. Jesus is able to say no against this tide, no even to good things, and apparently right things, in order to say yes to the one truly best thing.
Jesus said 'No'. I repent of saying 'Yes' and invite him to teach me this better way.
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