JOHN 14, 15 (SELECTED VERSES) | WHO BELIEVES IN YOU?

WHO BELIEVES IN YOU?

JOHN 14, 15 (SELECTED VERSES)

JUNE 12, 2016

DURING THE 19^TH CENTURY THERE WAS A MAN BY THE NAME OF JEAN FRANCOIS GRAVELOT, WHO WISELY ABANDONED HIS GIVEN NAME AND DUBBED HIMSELF THE GREAT BLONDIN.  HE WAS A HUGE STAR IN HIS DAY.

ON JUNE 30, 1859, AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS FAME, BLONDIN STOOD BEFORE A CROWD OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AT NIAGARA FALLS.  HE HAD BEGUN HIS NIAGARA SHOW BY CROSSING THE FALLS ON A TIGHTROPE THREE INCHES IN DIAMETER.

ALTHOUGH THE CABLE SPANNED 1,100 FEET AND WAS JUST 160 FEET ABOVE THE RAGING WATERS, THE TREK WAS FAIRLY PEDESTRIAN FOR A MAN OF HIS SKILLS.

ALWAYS A SHOWMAN, HE NONETHELESS CHOREOGRAPHED A FEW WOBBLES AND SLIPS IN HIS INITIAL CROSSING IN ORDER TO HEIGHTEN THE DRAMA.
HE THEN ADDRESSED THE CROWD, ASKING THEM IF THEY BELIEVED HE COULD CROSS THE FALLS BLINDFOLDED.  THE CROWD PREDICTABLY CHEERED, “YES, YES.  WE BELIEVE!  WE BELIEVE!”  MUCH TO THEIR DELIGHT, BLONDIN DONNED A BLINDFOLD AND MADE A ROUNDTRIP ACROSS THE TIGHTROPE.

HE THEN ASKED THE CROWD, “DO YOU BELIEVE I CAN CROSS PUSHING A WHEELBARROW?”  AGAIN, THE CROWD RIOTOUSLY CHANTED, “WE BELIEVE, WE BELIEVE, WE BELIEVE!”

BLONDIN SUCCESSFULLY CROSSED THE FALLS PUSHING A WHEELBARROW.

BLONDIN THEN WHIPPED THE CROWD INTO A FRENZY BEFORE SHOUTING, “DO YOU BELIEVE I CAN CROSS WITH A MAN ON MY BACK?”  AGAIN THE CROWD HYSTERICALLY SHOUTED BACK, “WE BELIEVE, WE BELIEVE!”

BLONDIN SMILED BROADLY AND SHOUTED BACK TO THE CHEERING THRONG, “IT’S GREAT THAT YOU BELIEVE IN ME.  NOW WHO WANTS TO GET ON MY BACK?”

SILENCE… NO ONE IN THE ENTIRE CROWD OF REVELERS, WHICH HAD MOMENTS BEFORE SHOUTED, “WE BELIEVE, WE BELIEVE” VOLUNTEERED TO JOIN BLONDIN ON HIS TRIP ACROSS THE ROPE.  THEY CLEARLY DID NOT REALLY BELIEVE.

AS WE MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH LIFE WE WILL MEET BLONDIN’S CROWD OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

FRIENDS, FAMILY, CO-WORKERS, COLLABORATORS, EVEN DISINTERESTED PARTIES WILL EMPHATICALLY TELL US, “WE BELIEVE IN YOU” ONLY TO BACK AWAY WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE.

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THOSE WHO WILL MOUTH THE WORDS, BUT WHO WILL NOT CLIMB UPON OUR BACKS.

THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO WILL PAY LIP SERVICE TO US, BUT WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO WALK AWAY WHEN WE NEED THEM MOST.

SO WHAT HAPPENED AFTER BLONDIN SILENCED THE CROWD BY CHALLENGING THEIR BELIEF?

DID A DRUNKEN FOOL STUMBLE FROM THE THRONGS AND TAKE BLONDIN UP ON HIS OFFER OF A FREE RIDE ACROSS THE FALLS?

NO SUCH FOOL, DRUNK OR OTHERWISE EMERGED FROM THE CROWD.

INSTEAD, BLONDIN’S MANAGER, HARRY COLCORD, CLIMBED ABOARD BLONDIN’S BACK AND THE TWO MEN SUCCESSFULLY MADE THE JOURNEY WITHOUT MISHAP.

WHY DID COLCORD MAKE THE PERILOUS TRIP?  HE REALLY BELIEVED.

HOWEVER, HIS WAS NOT BLIND FAITH.  COLCORD WAS CONFIDENT IN BLONDIN’S CAPABILITIES BECAUSE HE WAS PRIVY TO BLONDIN’S RIGOROUS PRACTICE REGIMEN.

THROUGH HIS ACTIONS, NOT HIS WORDS, BLONDIN EARNED COLCORD’S TRUST.

IT’S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP THIS DISTINCTION IN MIND WHEN WE DEPLOY THE BLONDIN TEST; WHEN WE ASK PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN US.

THE REASON THAT SOME OF THOSE WE KNOW, AND WITH WHOM WE ASSOCIATE, MAY PAY LIP SERVICE TO BELIEVING IN US, BUT THEN WOBBLE AND WAVER IN TRUSTING US, IS THAT WE HAVE NOT PROVEN OURSELVES TO THEM BY OUR ACTIONS.

NO ONE SHOULD BLINDLY TRUST IN US… OR IN SOMEONE ELSE, FOR THAT MATTER.

WE OUGHT NOT JUST LISTEN TO THEIR WORDS, AND HOP ABOARD;

WE SHOULD SEEK PROOF OF THEIR ABILITY, THEIR SINCERITY, THEIR TRUSTWORTHINESS, BY EXAMINING THE ACTIONS OF THEIR LIVES.

JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES TO “BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.”

THAT’S PRETTY HEADY COMPANY JESUS IS KEEPING!

HE’S SAYING THAT IF THEY BELIEVE AND TRUST IN GOD, THEY CAN BELIEVE AND TRUST IN HIM; BUT JESUS KNEW THAT THEY WEREN’T GOING TO BELIEVE IN HIM SIMPLY BECAUSE HE TOLD THEM TO.

IT WAS NOT HIS WORDS THAT CONVINCED THEM, AND IN FACT, HIS WORDS FAILED TO CONVINCE THEM EVEN TO THE VERY END.

BUT JESUS’ ACTIONS WERE ANOTHER MATTER, AND WHEN JESUS’ WORDS WERE BACKED UP BY HIS ACTIONS, THE DISCIPLES NOT ONLY CAME TO BELIEVE AND TRUST IN HIM; THEY, IN FACT, BUILT HIS CHURCH FOR HIM!

THE REASON ALL OF THIS WORKED IS BECAUSE JESUS WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE HIS DISCIPLES THAT THEY WERE ALL IN THIS THING TOGETHER.

NOW WITHOUT RE-READING EVERYTHING I ALREADY READ TO YOU FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, CHAPTERS 14 AND 15, LET ME SIMPLY REMIND US OF THE WAY IN WHICH JESUS CONVINCED HIS DISCIPLES.

HE TELLS THEM THAT AS HE ABIDES IN GOD, GOD ABIDES IN HIM.  AND AS THEY ABIDE IN HIM, GOD ABIDES IN THEM.

THEN JESUS TELLS THEM THAT AS HE IS IN THE FATHER, THE FATHER IS IN HIM, AND THAT IF THEY WILL BELIEVE IN HIM, THEY WILL BE IN THE FATHER TOO.

(INTERESTINGLY, IN THE THIRD PART OF VERSE 11 JESUS TELLS THEM IF THEY CAN’T BELIEVE WHAT HE’S SAYING, “THEN BELIEVE ME BECAUSE OF THE WORKS THEMSELVES.”)  BELIEVE MY ACTIONS.

THEN HE TELLS THEM THAT AS GOD HAS LOVED HIM, HE HAS LOVED THEM; AND AS HE HAS LOVED THEM, THEY ARE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

I KNOW THAT READING THESE WORDS CAN GET ALL TWISTED AROUND IN OUR MINDS, AND THAT IT IS HARD TO KEEP IT ALL STRAIGHT, BUT BASICALLY ALL JESUS IS REALLY SAYING HERE IS THAT IT IS A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP, AND THAT AS WE ARE RELATED TO GOD THE FATHER, AND THE SON, SO WE ARE TO RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER.

PERHAPS JESUS EVEN KNEW HIS WORDS WERE GETTING A LITTLE CONVOLUTED, SO INSTEAD, HE OFFERS AN ANALOGY.

“JUST AS A BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT BY ITSELF UNLESS IT ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME.  I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.  THOSE WHO ABIDE IN ME AND I IN THEM BEAR MUCH FRUIT…”

BUT HERE’S WHAT I’M REALLY TRYING TO GET AT THIS MORNING:

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT BELIEVING IN GOD; BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST; ABOUT EVERYTHING IN WHICH WE BELIEVE; AND RIGHTFULLY SO;

BUT THIS MORNING I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT WHO BELIEVES IN US.

WHO BELIEVES IN YOU?

NOW IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, THOUGH JOHN SPENDS A LOT OF TIME SAYING IT – TELLING US WHAT JESUS TELLS US – THAT GOD THE FATHER, AND HE THE SON, BELIEVE IN US, SO LET’S JUST DISPENSE WITH THAT.

CAN WE ALL JUST AGREE THAT GOD THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT BELIEVES IN US?

SO, WHO ELSE BELIEVES IN US, AND WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY IN MY MINISTRY I WAS TALKING TO A MAN ABOUT HIS FAITH IN GOD.  HE ALWAYS SHOWED GREAT FAITH IN GOD BOTH IN HIS WORDS AND HIS DEEDS.

BUT ONE DAY WHEN WE WERE TALKING HE SAID TO ME, “YOU KNOW, I DIDN’T START OUT BELIEVING IN GOD; I STARTED OUT BY BELIEVING IN MY FATHER.”

“HOW’S THAT?” I ASKED.

“WELL, YOU SEE, I THOUGHT MY DAD WAS JUST ABOUT THE GREATEST MAN ALIVE.  WE HAD A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, ALL OUR LIVES.  WE DID EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

AND WHEN I WOULD SEE THIS MAN WHO I THOUGHT WAS THE GREATEST MAN IN THE WORLD, SAYING GRACE AT THE DINNER TABLE; OR KNEELING IN PRAYER AT CHURCH; OR DOING WORK AROUND THE CHURCH;

I FIGURED IF THE GREATEST PERSON I KNEW BELIEVED THERE WAS SOMETHING GREATER THAN HIM; BIGGER THAN HIM; BETTER THAN HIM; SOMETHING TO WHICH HE BOWED DOWN;

WELL, THEN, I THOUGHT, I OUGHT TO BELIEVE IN GOD TOO.”

IT WAS HIS FATHER’S ACTIONS, NOT SO MUCH HIS WORDS, THAT CONVINCED HIS SON TO BELIEVE IN GOD.

WHO BELIEVES IN YOU?  WHO LOOKS UP TO YOU?

WHO’S WATCHING YOUR EVERY MOVE AND DECIDING IN WHAT TO BELIEVE, BY WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND DO?

WHO BELIEVES IN YOU, AND WILL NEVER LEAVE YOUR SIDE?

WHO’S THERE FOR YOU COME “HELL OR HIGH WATER”?

WHO’S THERE THROUGH THICK AND THIN?

WHO BELIEVES IN YOU?

IT’S NOT JUST THE EFFECT WE HAVE ON OTHERS…

BUT THE EFFECT OTHERS HAVE ON US WHEN THEY BELIEVE IN US… IT’S WHAT THEIR BELIEVING IN US DOES TO OUR BELIEVING IN OURSELVES.

IN AN OBITUARY I WAS READING IN THE NEWSPAPER THIS WEEK OF A MAN WITH WHOM I HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY MINISTERING AS A CHAPLAIN, HIS PARTNER WROTE:

“WHEN YOU RECEIVE REAL LOVE, WHEN SOMEONE LOVES YOU UNCONDITIONALLY, YOU BEGIN TO FEEL THAT WAY TOWARD YOURSELF.  UNCONDITIONALLY.

WE ARE ALL GUARANTEED TWO THINGS IN LIFE; OUR FIRST BREATH AND OUR LAST BREATH.  WHAT YOU DO IN BETWEEN THOSE TIMES DEPENDS ON YOU.”

IN A MOMENT, WHEN WE LISTEN TO CAROL KING SING HER SONG, SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN YOU, AND READ ALONG WITH THE LYRICS OF HER SONG, WE’LL HEAR THAT SAME IDEA AGAIN:

“SO WHEN YOU’RE SEARCHING FOR THAT RAINBOW

I WILL HELP YOU FIND IT

AND WHEN A MOUNTAIN STANDS BEFORE YOU

I WILL HELP YOU CLIMB IT

JUST FOLLOW WHERE I LEAD

I’LL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED

AND I’LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE

YOU’LL START BELIEVING IN YOURSELF

IT’S AN EASY THING TO DO

WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN YOU”

HAVING SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN US ENCOURAGES US, INSPIRES US, HELPS US TO BELIEVE IN OURSELVES.

CHILDREN BELIEVING IN THEIR PARENTS; PARENTS BELIEVING IN AND TRUSTING THEIR CHILDREN.

SPOUSES BELIEVING IN EACH OTHER; COLLEAGUES AND CO-WORKERS; EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES; PEOPLE AND THEIR LEADERS.

IN WHOM DO YOU BELIEVE?  WOULD YOU WILLINGLY “JUMP ON THEIR BACKS”?

WHO BELIEVES IN YOU?  WOULD THEY JUMP ON YOURS?

HAVE YOU PROVEN YOURSELVES TO THEM?  HAVE THEY PROVEN THEMSELVES TO YOU?  CAN THEY COUNT ON YOU?  CAN YOU COUNT ON THEM?

JESUS TELLS US IT’S ALL ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP.  ABOUT BELIEVING IN, ABIDING IN, AND LIVING IN LOVE.

“THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT: THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.”

THAT’S SOME PRETTY HEADY COMPANY WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP.

SOME PRETTY LOFTY GOALS.

BUT AS JESUS REMINDS US, WE ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THIS, NOT ON OUR OWN, BUT AS WE BELIEVE AND ABIDE IN GOD; AS GOD BELIEVES AND ABIDES IN US.

THE REMAKE OF THIS SONG BY THE BAND AIR SUPPLY MIGHT BE THE MORE POPULAR, BETTER KNOWN VERSION OF THIS SONG, SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN YOU, BUT IT’S HARD NOT TO LOVE THE ORIGINAL.

WRITTEN BY CAROL KING AND GERRY GOFFIN, AND HERE PERFORMED BY CAROL KING, I HOPE AS YOU WATCH AND LISTEN, YOU WILL ALSO READ ALONG WITH THE LYRICS OF THE SONG WHICH WE HAVE INCLUDED IN THE BULLETIN.

MORE THAN THAT, I HOPE THERE’S SOMEONE, SOME ONES, ABOUT WHOM YOU WILL BE THINKING AS YOU READ AND HEAR THESE WORDS SUNG.

SOMEONE IN WHOM YOU BELIEVE… AND SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN YOU…