incurvatus in se

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

October 17, 2024

incurvatus in se

Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”

John  21:21

The conversation between Jesus and Peter ended with Jesus telling Peter “by what kind of death he would glorify God” (John 21:19). Peter’s response reveals the brokenness of our human nature: “Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” (John 21:21). Jesus had just helped Peter deal with his broken past and reaffirmed that Peter was still the leader of the disciples, yet Peter’s thoughts immediately turned inward as he sought to compare his standing with Jesus with that of the beloved disciple, John. This is what St. Augustine meant when he taught how original sin is manifested in our lives. Augustine said we are incurvatus in se (curved in on ourselves.)

This passage also reveals how our individual brokenness can corrupt our communities: “So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die” (John 21:23a). Earlier I noted that John appeared to end his Gospel at Chapter 20, and that Chapter 21 seems like an epilogue. Perhaps John felt as though he needed to add the very personal and intimate conversation on the beach between Jesus and Peter to quiet this rumor.

If for no other reason, John’s ending of his Gospel emphasizes the truth the Apostle Paul asserted, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). Yes, and Christ arose from the grave while we were still sinners. Yes, and Christ ascended to heaven while we were yet sinners.

My Takeaway: Even so, let us rejoice in the complete faithfulness of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior: “Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:34).

 Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Grace, From Start to Finish

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

October 16, 2024

Grace, From Start to Finish

“Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

John  21:16

I am drawn to the conversation between Jesus and Peter in John 21:15-19. There are nuances in the dialog, and clearly the three questions by Jesus relate to Peter’s three denials of Jesus. This conversation allowed Peter to confront his failures and to realize that his failures did not disqualify him as a disciple. (In a previous appearance by Jesus, John 20:21, Peter is included in Jesus’ commissioning of the disciples: “As the father sent me, so I am sending you.”)

In the conversation with Peter, Jesus revealed the foundation for all Christian service. Whether you are the preacher, the musician, the greeter, the usher, the teacher, the server in the food line, the bell ringer for the Salvation Army, whatever your service may be, the foundation for your service is a love for Jesus. Even though you have failed Jesus countless times, Jesus wants you to find your love for him, and then he gives you a chance to express your love for him. Your expressions of love will be healing for your hurts and failures. These expressions are not ways to earn forgiveness – nothing can ever do that. Our relationship with Jesus is built on GRACE, from start to finish. Our expressions of love are offered in joy because we are forgiven; our service is not what we have to do, but what we get to do.

My Takeaway: Because you love Jesus, what do you get to do today as an expression of that love?

“I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love. Amen”

Jude 1: 1a-2

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

The Smell of a Charcoal Fire

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

October 15, 2024

The Smell of a Charcoal Fire

When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—

fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

John  21:9

One of my favorite scenes in the Bible is Jesus sitting by the charcoal fire on the beach cooking fish and bread for his friends. That scene speaks volumes to me about how Jesus can and will provide for my every need, and of the intimacy Jesus desires to share with me. Thinking of Jesus on the beach, I recall Revelation 3:20: “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”

John tells us there were 153 fish in their nets, which was a huge catch. Jesus had already commissioned the disciples, and he was going to further amplify that charge. Perhaps Jesus wanted the disciples, and us, to fully appreciate that when we give ourselves completely to God, we can count on God providing exceedingly for our every need: “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38).

I believe Peter went back to fishing because he just needed to get out of Jerusalem and try and process all that had happened. He was riding a roller coaster of emotions. On one hand, he was ecstatic that Jesus had risen from the dead. He was also overwrought with guilt. He had publicly proclaimed his loyalty to Jesus, but he ended up denying he even knew Jesus. Not once, but three times! Those denials took place as he warmed himself over a charcoal fire. When Peter got to the beach, he found Jesus cooking fish and bread over a charcoal fire. The scent of that burning charcoal ignited Peter’s memory of standing by another charcoal fire. Jesus was cleaning Peter’s wound in preparation for the healing that will come in the next passage.

My Takeaway: Like Peter, I need to meet Jesus at dawn. I need to hear what he has to say to me. I also need Jesus to clean and heal my wounds. Do you?

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

On The Beach

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

October 14, 2024

On The Beach

“At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach”

John 21:4a

It seems like John ended his Gospel with John 20:31: “But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” Then he picks up the story again and presents this vitally important epilogue. (John 21) Of all the characters presented in the Gospels, I personally identify the most with Peter. Like Peter, I have trouble with patiently waiting, and I am impulsive. Both of those qualities are on display in this first passage of John’s epilogue.

On the evening of the first Easter Sunday when Jesus met with the disciples, he filled them with his Holy Spirit and gave them a charge: “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:21b). Of all the places Jesus was sending his disciples, fishing wasn’t one of them. Yet Peter and his friends journeyed several days north to the Sea of Galilee and went fishing. And they came up empty handed! Then, “At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach” (John 21:4a). Jesus’ presence changed everything, and predictably Peter impulsively jumped in the water and swam to meet Jesus on the beach.

Do you have something in your life that is not working out the way you hoped? I know I do. Maybe, like Peter, my plans are coming up empty because Jesus has something else planned for me. Perhaps I need to meet Jesus at dawn to hear what he has to say to me.

My Takeaway: Note that dawn is not a literal reference to sunrise. Dawn was a detail John included so that we would remember it was dawn on the first Easter Sunday when Mary and Peter and John first discovered an empty tomb. Why was the tomb empty? The tomb was empty because Jesus had risen.  So, what does our Risen Savior have to say to you? He’s waiting for you to come and meet with him.

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

The Ninth Beatitude

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

October 11, 2024

The Ninth Beatitude

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me.

Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

John  20: 29

Sometimes we joke about Doubting Thomas; however, the episode with Thomas in John’s Gospel (John 20: 24-29) provides us with several insights for our journey to make the life in Christ our way of life.  First, Jesus came again to meet with the disciples so that he could confront Thomas’ doubt; not to admonish Thomas, but to meet Thomas’ need. I hope you will receive this insight as an invitation from Jesus to you. What doubts, what concerns, what issues of the Christian faith trouble you? Remembering that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), ask Jesus to come to you and give you his wisdom to help you grasp his truth.

Next, notice that Thomas’ confession of faith fully incorporates all that John’s Gospel has presented in Jesus the Messiah. When Jesus urges Thomas to make a leap of faith, Thomas responds, “My Lord and my God!”

Yes, and Amen, Jesus is our Lord, Jesus is God.

My Takeaway: Jesus responded to Thomas’ affirmation by pronouncing his blessing on you and me. Let us rejoice in this, the ninth Beatitude: “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29).

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Disciples Received New Life in Christ

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

October 10, 2024

The Disciples Received New Life in Christ

Then he breathed on them and said,

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

John  20:22

When Jesus appeared to his disciples on the evening of the first day of the week, he gave them the responsibility for taking his message of God’s New Creation to the entire world. When Jesus breathes on them, it invokes memories of Genesis 2:7 where God “breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.” Now the disciples have received New Life in Christ.

Because you cannot give responsibility without also delegating authority, Jesus gives his disciples the authority to forgive sins. This delegation of authority immediately follows the imparting of the Holy Spirit. It is not by their own power or wisdom that the disciples will forgive sins. It will be by and through the power of the Holy Spirit. If they are to be granted power to forgive, then they also have the power to not forgive. This is not the power to establish rules about what’s sinful and what is not, as the Pharisees had done with their legislation of Sabbath rules. God’s establishment of His New Creation came by and through the crucifixion of Jesus. It is by the blood of Jesus that sin and death have been defeated.

John has more to say about sin in his three epistles, but for now we do not ever want to lose sight of God’s promise to us through John: “If we confess our sins, (God) who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NRSV).

My Takeaway: The authority Jesus granted to his disciples, and through them to the church, is for the church to help us not delude ourselves about the issue of sin and thus slip into a state of cheap grace:

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession...Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Cost of Discipleship)

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

He Knows My Name

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

The Gospel of John 

October 9, 2024

He Knows My Name

“Mary!” Jesus said.

John  20:16

The details in the conversation between Mary and Jesus in today’s passage are life transforming for me!

Mary is lost in her grief. The tomb is empty. In every other encounter between humans and angels, the humans pull back in fear and awe. Mary’s grief is so consuming, she seems unmoved by her encounter with the angels and offers the angels a simple reply to their question. In her grief, she didn’t recognize Jesus standing before her and offered him a simple reply to his question. Then Jesus called her by name, and Mary’s life was changed forever.

Has Jesus ever called you by name? I haven’t had this experience often, but I have heard him call me by name. I remember a time in March 1990 when I was weary and burned-out. As I sang in a chapel service during a Tres Dias retreat, I heard Jesus say to me, “Alex, I have left the 90 and nine and come for you.” My life changed that day because the promise of scripture was fulfilled in my life: Jesus “calls his own sheep by name. . .” (John 10:3b).

Next, consider the message Jesus gave to Mary: “But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17b). Jesus didn’t say, “go find my disciples” or, “go find my servants” or even, “go find my friends.” Jesus said, “go find my brothers.” Another name Jesus has for you my dear friends is, brother or sister! The Lord of the universe knows you as his brothers and sisters. Jesus, the Lord of the universe, was preparing to ascend to his Father and our Father, to his God and our God. Jesus related to Mary, and he relates to us, in the perfect Trinitarian unity he prayed for us in John 17.

My Takeaway: Take time today and open your heart and your mind to embrace the intimacy of the way the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit relate to you, and “be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:2a NRSV).

Sē’lah                                                                                         

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.