A New Commandment

You will Seek Me

Jesus’ mission during those days was to glorify the Father. (NRSV)

11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (NRSV)

4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” and later in the scriptures, (NRSV)

4 I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. (NRSV)

10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. The life and ministry of Jesus Christ, is a testimony that glorifies the Father. In return the Father, glorifies the Son.

We have this same kind of ministry here today. Jesus says He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Jesus’ ministry glorified the Father in three fold, past, present, and his glorifying the father is revealed in his future glory.

The Trinity is revealed in this passage. God is glorified in the Son, because God is in the Son. Because the Father is i the Son, they glorify and testify to each other. Are you testifying to the Father? Is he in you?

(NRSV)

33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

You might think that Jesus is talking to these little children, those perhaps present that day. But no that is not the case. Jesus is talking to the adults and calling them his children. What is very touching, and I want you to imagine if you can, that you were with Jesus; much like when we read the passage on Good Friday, the Faces at the Cross. I want you to imagine that you were with Jesus as he walked, healed, cleansed, and forgave. Imagine that you had this great amazement coupled with a relationship and you wonder about after his crucifixion and resurrection trying to find your friend. Jesus tells us in this passage that we will seek to find him but you cannot go where he is going.

This is the emptiness that we now feel, even today. It may be hard to explain or to understand, but we are like children at the mall, lost and looking for our fathers. In the midst of our seeking to find our love, our father, our brother in Christ Jesus, Jesus speaks to us and invites us to glorify the father. This we can do in a new commandment.

(NRSV)

34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. You see, because the Son loved the Father, he glorified the Father by doing His will. Jesus is inviting us to join in this glorification.

(NRSV)

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”