John 14
Jesus knew how important it was for His disciples to be prepared for what was to come and in chapter 14 we see that moment when the One who led them to the battle speaks to their hearts to remind them why they are there. It’s the same reason why movies like Braveheart with William Wallace and Gladiator with Maximus do something to the heart of men – it calls to life a battle cry from deep within us.
William Wallace, “Yes, fight and you may die. Run and you may live, at least for a while and dying in your bed many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance to come back here as young men and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take our freedom!”
Maximus, “Three weeks from now I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be and it will be so. Hold the line, stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled for you are in Elysium and you are already dead. What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
Most of us will never engage in hand to hand battle but each one who follows Christ Jesus will face spiritual battle, not just once but again and again and again. Not only did Jesus build up His disciples but He handed them the weapons required for this unseen battle starting in verse one. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me.” Jesus goes on to tell them what awaits the faithful and why they are here. Then He reminds them of who He is and that they have walked with Him and know Him, even though fear is standing at the door. Jesus told Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” He told Philip, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father! So why are you asking Me to show Him to you?” Thomas, Philip, and the other disciples feared what was to come for Jesus was talking about death and separation. I can just imagine they felt like I do many times, ill prepared and without direction but Jesus calls to a deep place within each of us to remember who He is, that He is with us through His Holy Spirit always, that we can ask anything of Him in His name and He will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father (verse 13), finally Jesus calls us to obey His commandments without regard for consequences. The words William Wallace spoke to his men serve as reminders to us that there are times being safe leads us away from our purpose or like Maximus reminds us how dangerous it is to day dream and ignore the here and now. Even though we feel it would be better to turn and run or we remain physically because it is required of us but dream of being somewhere else God calls us to stand and face the enemy, knowing He will go before us and live or die we are free from the bonds that would otherwise restrain us.
