Dear Family and Friends, 

If you look hard enough, you can find the most curious verses in the Bible. For example, in reading through John 15 and 16 I ran across this interesting verse.

“Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home.” John 16:32

Hmmm, it almost sounds like Jesus was predicting a pandemic, complete with stay/work at home orders. But when we read the surrounding verses, we see that Jesus was preparing them for something much worse.

What could be worse than a pandemic you ask? I think we all know the answer, to which we will get to tomorrow.

“Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” John 16:29-32

We are nearing the end of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse. The final lessons to His closest friends have been shared.

Let’s go back and reread this interchange between Jesus and His disciples. As you do, imagine the scene. “This makes us believe that you came from God,” the disciples blurt out.

Jesus looks intently into the eyes of each disciple, responding almost in disbelief, “Do you now believe?” He then tells them they will scatter under pressure.

So, just as He did with Peter, Jesus predicted all the disciples would succumb to fear.

Matthew tells us in verse 26:56, “Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.” Peter gets a lot of bad press for denying Jesus. (Remember Peter’s encounter with the noisy rooster?) Many of us lose sight that Peter was not the only one.

When Jesus said they would scatter home, he was not trying to scold or guilt them. He believed their words of faith. But Jesus wanted to warn them that their faith would be shaken, even after spending three years with Jesus. 

Would you agree that it’s hard to keep the faith in the midst of turmoil? Even John the Baptist questioned Jesus’ identity while in his prison cell. “When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” Luke 7:20. 

There is a big difference between this year’s Easter and last year’s Easter. Whereas the future was blurry up until just a few months ago, today we can actually envision a somewhat normal world returning. Today, we have hope for a solution to the pandemic.

Dear friends, if you had a few faith shaking moments this past year can I tell you that it’s okay. It happens to the best of us.

May I remind you that each one of the disciples made a miraculous recovery. We owe our everlasting life to these disciples who, after their setback, worked tirelessly to spread the Good News.

You too have that miraculous recovery ahead of you.  

Allow me to close today’s message with these reassuring words of Jesus, the same words He said to His disciples in the passage following today’s reading.

“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.” John 16:33

In love always,