MONDAY
This week marks the second of our two conference weeks in the devotional. During these weeks when we have guest speakers scheduled, the devotionals take a different format since I typically write them based on the previous Sunday's sermon. When I'm not preaching, I take a different approach.
For these two weeks, we're exploring some stories and texts that didn't make it into this campaign. Due to conference week preparations, I'll keep my commentary brief.
I am also experimenting with an AI generation of my voice that reads what I wrote in the devotionals. So if I sound a little weird, it’s because it’s my robot voice! 😊
I mentioned this briefly in a previous devotional in this campaign, but I wanted to return to it because it is so good.
When Jesus is sharing his final meal with his disciples in what is known as The Farewell Discourse, he tells them that he is going away and they cannot follow him. He also tells them that if the world has hated him, it will also hate them. But he also encourages them by saying that it is good that he goes away because he will send them the Holy Spirit. Just prior to this verse, he tells them they will all abandon him, predicting what will happen in just a few hours when he is arrested and the disciples all flee. But in spite of the many negatives, he ends this chapter with an encouragement.
John 16:33 (NIV) 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus sets up the two spheres of existence that his disciples live in at the same time—in the world and in Christ. In the world there is trouble. Trouble implies persecution and difficulty but also an inner experience of distress that results from persecution and difficulty. John’s use of world refers to the created order (primarily humans) in rebellion against God. So Jesus is saying that he has conquered the humans who will do evil to the disciples. He conquers them and their evil, not by defeating them in battle, but by giving up his life in love, even for them. The cross is Jesus’ throne, his death is his weapon, and his love is his motive.
Conversely, in Jesus the disciples have peace. How is this possible in the midst of trouble? Jesus’ final statement answers this definitively—he has overcome the world. The basis for our peace is in Jesus’ victory. In his death and resurrection, he conquers the world.
The world will fight back and resist the victory and lordship of its rightful king, but the decisive battle has been won and the world’s ultimate defeat is assured. Therefore, disciples who are in Christ share in his victory. Disciples should be courageous and resolute in the face of the troubles of this world because Jesus has conquered the world. Because we are in the victorious Christ, we can have peace in the midst of a chaotic world full of troubles.
This world is full of trouble because it is full of sin and evil. Hate, violence, theft, betrayal, abuse happen all around us. As MLK Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” That arc is long and progress is slow. It often takes one step forward and two steps back. Our hope is not in humanity to bring about a full victory over trouble. Our hope is in Jesus who has already overcome the world and will return to bring about his victory in full. We will talk about this tomorrow.