Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
God so loved [fill in your name] that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone (that includes you!) who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. Let that glorious truth permeate you and resound in your soul, heart, mind, and even your body today. St John tells us, “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son . . .” It’s important to stop and let that reality sink in. “The world” includes you, it includes me! We are among the SO loved children of God. Today, on this Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter, let us look upon our Risen Savior, the glorified Son of God, and behold the gaze of love, mercy, and forgiveness.
Throughout St John’s Gospel and Epistles, he makes it clear that we are beloved and that we have abundant, eternal life in Christ. The theme of love is so strong for John. At the end of the Gospel that we heard proclaimed this past Sunday, John states, “But these [Jesus’ signs] are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.” In today’s Gospel, John gives us the assurance that everyone who believes in Jesus has the gift of eternal life. Do you know this assurance today? If not, sit before the Lord with this Gospel and ask him to reveal the truth of who you are in Christ. I heard someone say recently that if we believe Jesus is who he says he is, then we need to also believe that we are who he says we are. Jesus says we are loved, redeemed, and set free, heirs of eternal life.
John also assures us, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned . . .” This is another good place to fill in the blank with your name. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn you. I think it’s a scheme of the enemy to make us believe the lie that we are condemned. Too many people labor under this burden of fear and uncertainty and a false sense of condemnation. St Paul makes it so clear, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). There is NO condemnation for anyone who is in Christ Jesus. Today’s Gospel continues, “but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.” A person condemns her/himself when they willfully choose not to believe. I think C.S. Lewis said it the best. He said there are ultimately only two kinds of people: those who at the end of their lives say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “THY will be done.” Jesus came to seek and to save us (Luke 19:10), not to condemn us.
I pray that today may be a day of freedom for you – free to embrace your belovedness, free to walk in God’s gift of eternal life, free from condemnation. God does not condemn us, let us not condemn ourselves. St John also gives us this assurance from our Lord, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Jesus came to give us abundant life, life to the full! This is eternal life! Eternal life is not something we have to wait to enter into when we die, it is our reality right now! Let us embrace it today with full confidence and assurance as Easter people beloved, redeemed, and set free in Christ. Amen! Alleluia!
Elizabeth Wells