Jesus in the flesh: part two

by Pastor Stephen Abraham

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I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

Read 1 John 5:13–21

Yesterday, as we journeyed together in this Epiphany season, we explored the challenge of the erroneous teaching that threatened early church communities – namely, that ‘Jesus wasn’t really human’ and that countering this threat was the purpose behind John’s letters in the New Testament.

Here’s a question for you: What do you do when you hear a friend or family member say something they hold to be true that is completely and factually wrong? Are you game enough to pull them up on it? Do you just let it ride? Most of the time, I think of a great response – only long after the conversation happened! But, sometimes, the error is important enough that I feel the need to follow up either in writing or in person (especially if it’s a particularly egregious error that gets my dander up!). And John does this as well, in two of his three letters! Today, in our reading, we hear how John concludes his first letter, warning against false teachings about Jesus not being fully human.

To John, these questions about Jesus not being fully human were not just bad, but they were soul-destroyingly bad (‘sins that lead to death’). And yet couched around this rebuttal and calling out this bad theology, John gives such amazing hope to those who ‘know the truth’: 

My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion (1 John 5:13).

The Jesus the disciples met is truly God in person, but he’s also the sacrificial flesh and blood ‘lamb who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29).

John points out that part of the eternal life we have means being in step with God’s will, being confident that as we pray in Martin Luther’s Morning and Evening Prayers, we can place into God’s hands our ‘body and soul and all that is mine’, knowing that they will be safe. We are spiritually safe from the evil one and the evils of this world. How about we pray that right now?

I thank you, Heavenly Father, through your dear Son, Jesus Christ, you have protected me through the night from all harm and danger. I ask you to keep me this day, too, from all sin and evil, so that in all my thoughts, words and deeds, I may please you. In your hands, I place my body and soul and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the evil one may have no power over me. Amen.

Stephen Abraham is a musician and Lutheran pastor who retired early due to a spinal injury that leaves him largely housebound with chronic pain (documented by Lutheran Media on its Messages of hope YouTube channel and radio program). As his condition allows, Stephen still preaches, takes chapel and serves his local church and school. He also writes and records personal songs, worship songs and Christian meditations, which he shares on his YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/StephenAbrahamMusic

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