IT’S NOT ABOUT ME!

 Text: Mark 10:35-45

Introduction

Some time ago, I came across a website with a spoof worship song called, “It’s All about Me” (click these links for audio, lyrics, or music).  The title alone tells you that the song makes fun of the tendency in much of modern church music to focus more on ourselves and how we feel about God and less on proclaiming what Jesus Christ has done to rescue us from sin.  It has been said that all good humor has an element of truth in it, and that is definitely the case with “It’s All about Me.”  It’s a very funny song!

The tendency to let “faith” be all about ourselves is hardly a new phenomenon.  It’s hardly a tendency only seen in worship.  The Gospel for today reveals that way of thinking in two of Jesus’ own disciples.  Church calendars set aside today, July 25, as a day to remember St. James the Elder, brother of the apostle John and one of Jesus’ three closest disciples.  James was also the first of the twelve apostles to be martyred for his faith, as we heard in today’s Second Lesson (Acts 11:27-12:3).  The fact that James went so far as to give up his life for his faith in Christ tells us that he must have matured substantially from the time that today’s Gospel took place.  The Gospel records a familiar incident revealing the sinful shortcomings of James, who at this particular time thought that following Jesus was a way for personal glory—or to quote the song title, he acted as if “It’s All about Me!”  But Jesus’ response teaches us, who need to mature in faith as much as James did, that when it comes to our Christian faith, it’s not about me.

Exposition

At the start of our reading, the brothers James and John seem to be operating with the assumption that following Jesus was about them.  Believe it or not, Jesus had just wrapped up a discussion about his upcoming journey to the cross outside Jerusalem.  He previewed his upcoming betrayal, abuse, and execution.  And so what do James and John have to say in light of this sobering news?  “James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’  ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.  They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’”  And to top it off, we find out from Matthew 20:20-28 that the brothers actually made this request through their mother!

Such requests sound like James and John thought that discipleship was all about them.  That self-focused thinking becomes even more apparent if we look carefully at their requests.  First, they ask for a blank check from Jesus: “We want you to do for us whatever we ask.”  Their “real” question reveals just how self-centered their thinking was.  They had missed the whole point of Jesus’ kingdom.  “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”  They were ready to ignore the cross moments after Jesus prepared them for his cross.  They wanted a kingdom with outward, personal glory, rather than inward, Christ-centered faith. 

This week’s sermon was preached by Pastor Joel Otto.  Pastor Otto serves Trinity Lutheran Church in Minocqua, Wisconsin.  He and his family were vacationing in our area over the weekend and were staying with us in the parsonage.  He kindly offered to preach for us last weekend, and I willingly accepted!  The sermon below is as it was first preached at Trinity Lutheran Church on the previous Sunday, July 11.  -JS

YOUR OFFERINGS ARE VALUABLE

1. Because they support kingdom work
2. Because they are fruits of faith
3. Because they glorify God

Text: Philippians 4:10-20

Introduction

It happens every regular worship service.  The ushers walk forward and take the plates from the pastor.  They pass them up and down the pews.  People place money in the plates – cash, checks, a quarter or two from children.  Why is this done?  Is it to pay for the services rendered by the pastor?  “Yep, he gave a pretty good one today.  He kept his sermon a little shorter this morning.  I stayed awake.  We sang some good hymns.  I’ll put a little more in the plate today.”  Is it to pay dues because you’re a member of this church, sort of like the membership fees you might pay for belonging to a gun club or country club?  Is it merely to pay the bills of the church?

Paul’s words to the church in the city of Philippi show us that the money we place in the plate during worship has much greater value than payment for services rendered or dues you owe or making sure the bills are covered.  These are thank offerings from God’s people.  As such, your offerings are valuable, [1] because they support kingdom work, [2] because they are fruits of faith, and [3] because they glorify God.

I.

When Paul wrote the letter to the Philippian church, he was under house arrest in Rome.  His freedom was limited.  He had to rely on others for his daily needs.  Yet, he was content.  He knew God was still providing for him and taking care of him, no matter his circumstances.  He expressed that clearly and with great joy in this letter.  “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”  Paul had known difficult times when he first was in Philippi.  He had been unjustly and illegally flogged and imprisoned.  But do you remember the earthquake that freed him and the jailer who became a Christian?

While Paul was imprisoned in Rome, the Philippians were able to show their concern for him by sending Epaphroditus, probably the leader of the church in Philippi, with a generous gift.  This led Paul to acknowledge their gift and commend them for it.  “I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.”  Something had hindered their ability to help him earlier – perhaps the lack of a messenger to travel to Rome, or maybe a lack of money.  Paul wasn’t searching or begging for help.  But he rejoiced that they were supporting him now, just as they had done regularly and generously in the past when he was actively carrying out mission work.  “Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.”  Like the 72 Jesus sent out, Paul had to rely on the financial support of those he was serving to do his mission work.  The Philippians shared in his work more than once. 

FOLLOW CHRIST WITH COMPLETE COMMITMENT!

Text: 1 Kings 19:19-21

Introduction

If you ever have “one of those days” and need a little bit of perspective on your problems, just check out the lives of some of the Old Testament prophets.  God’s messengers in the Old Testament had plenty of “those days.”  The frightened and timid Moses was called to proclaim God’s will to stubborn Pharaoh, but he never was able to change the obstinate oligarch of Egypt.  Isaiah, according to tradition, was martyred by being sawn in half.  Jeremiah was once thrown in a cistern and given death threats just because people didn’t like what he had to say.

Then there is Elijah in today’s First Lesson (1 Kings 19:14-21).  Elijah had just had a successful showdown with the prophets of a false god named Baal, and 450 of those prophets of Baal lost their lives as a result.  But the wicked king and queen of Israel were very much in favor of Baal and all of the pagan, immoral behavior that went along with Baal worship.  So Elijah found himself on the run for his life, essentially fleeing from the government.  At the start of our First Lesson, he was down and out, thoroughly convinced that he was the last faithful follower of the Lord God.

In these down-and-out circumstances, the Lord not only encouraged Elijah, but he provided a successor for him who would learn from him and eventually carry out his prophetic work.  That successor, Elisha, proved to be as committed a follower of the Lord as Elijah was.  The lesson that Elijah learned from this experience is one that we do well to learn from.  Even in tough times and difficult circumstances, the Word of God calls us to follow Christ with complete commitment!

Exposition

Today’s First Lesson began with Elijah’s complaint.  Instead of tremendous success for his faithful ministry, he saw nothing but tremendous opposition.  He is physically tired and emotionally worn out.  So what does God do with Elijah’s complaint?  He ignores it!  He ignores it altogether and tells him to get to work.  His task was to appoint two men to serve as the new kings of Aram and Israel, and to appoint Elisha to be his successor as prophet.  So Elijah travels east of the Jordan River to locate Elisha. 

Mother spends quite a bit of time preparing nutritious and well-balanced meals for her family.  Perhaps she maps out her weekly meals in advance.  One night the main course for dinner happens to be beef stew.  She sets the dinner table and calls the family into the kitchen to sit down.  And then it starts.

“Beef stew again?  Didn’t we have that, like, two weeks ago?  I’m not going to eat that.  I want pizza!”  So whines the teenage son.

The daughter in middle school follows suit.  “Mommy, we haven’t had macaroni and cheese in a while.  Let’s have that instead.”

“Honey, I know you put a lot of effort into this meal, but I’ve been thinking about steak all day.  Why don’t I fire up the grill and make something different?”  So much for a supportive husband.

Finally, the son in elementary school blurts out, ”I want a hot dog!”

Imagine how the wife and mother who endured such requests must feel!  How much more unappreciative could her family be?  She’s not shown the respect that a loving wife and mother should receive; she’s being treated like a short order cook!  And if she actually gave in to these requests, there goes the valuable — and even symbolic — family practice of sharing a meal together around the dinner table!

Sadly, this scenario plays itself out in the church on an all-too-frequent basis.  Many congregations, no doubt with the best of intentions in mind, have treated weekly worship as if there’s a short-order cook in charge, ready to cater a service that fits the desires of every want and whim within the congregation.  One of America’s fastest growing churches, Saddleback Community Church, offers services in nearly every flavor imaginable at its Lake Forest campus.  Its main worship center hosts the main services with contemporary music six times over the course of a weekend.  Then there’s a service for 20- and 30-somethings called “Fuel,” held three different times on Sunday evenings.  A service called “Overdrive” is offered three times each weekend and features guitar-driven rock that’s meant to feel like a live concert.  “Praise” is a service with gospel music held twice on Sunday mornings.  The “Tarrace Cafe” service invites you to bring your coffee and relax in an outdoor venue during one of six possible service times.  Finally, there is (you guessed it) one lone service each Sunday morning called “Traditions” that offers a small church feel with traditional hymns and choruses.

And it’s not just the megachurches that engage in this kind of thinking.  Even substantially smaller churches feel the pressure to cater to differing preferences from different demographic groups.  A few months ago, I asked my friends on Facebook to check out their local phone book and share any unusual names that churches gave to their weekly services.  Among the examples cited, one Lutheran church (of another denomination) advertised three weekly services, called “Contemporary,” “Praise and Worship,” and “Alternative/Edgy.”  Much more common is the congregation that describes one or more of its weekend services as “traditional” and the rest as “contemporary.” 

In light of the Independance Day holiday this weekend, here is some food for thought on God’s ”other kingdom,” the government, taken from the Lutheran Confessions.

From the Augsburg Confession, Article XVI:

1 Our churches teach that lawful civil regulations are good works of God. 2 They teach that it is right for Christians to hold political office, to serve as judges, to judge matters by imperial laws and other existing laws, to impose just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers, to make legal contracts, to hold property, to take oaths when required by the magistrates, for a man to marry a wife, or a woman to be given in marriage [Romans 13; 1 Corinthians 7:2].

3 Our churches condemn the Anabaptists who forbid these political offices to Christians. 4 They also condemn those who do not locate evangelical perfection in the fear of God and in faith, but place it in forsaking political offices. 5 For the Gospel teaches an eternal righteousness of the heart (Romans 10:10). At the same time, it does not require the destruction of the civil state or the family. The Gospel very much requires that they be preserved as God’s ordinances and that love be practiced in such ordinances. 6 Therefore, it is necessary for Christians to be obedient to their rulers and laws. 7 The only exception is when they are commanded to sin. Then they ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

From the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XVI:

53 The adversaries accept Article XVI without exception. In it we have confessed that it is lawful for the Christian to hold public office, sit in judgment, determine matters by the imperial laws and other laws currently in force, set just punishments, engage in just wars, act as a soldier, make legal contracts, hold property, take an oath (when public officials require it), and contract marriage. Finally, we have confessed that legitimate public ordinances are good creations of God and divine ordinances, which a Christian can safely use. 54 This entire topic about the distinction between the spiritual kingdom of Christ and a political kingdom has been explained in the literature of our writers. Christ’s kingdom is spiritual [John 18:36]. This means that the knowledge of God, the fear of God and faith, eternal righteousness, and eternal life begin in the heart. Meanwhile, Christ’s kingdom allows us outwardly to use legitimate political ordinances of every nation in which we live, just as it allows us to use medicine or the art of building, or food, drink, and air. 55 Neither does the Gospel offer new laws about the public state, but commands that we obey present laws, whether they have been framed by heathens or by others. It commands that in this obedience we should exercise love. Carlstadt was crazy to impose on us Moses’ judicial laws. 56 Our theologians have written more fully about these subjects. They have done so because the monks spread many deadly opinions in the Church. They called holding property in common the governance of the Gospel. They said that not holding property, or not acquitting oneself at law, were evangelical counsels. These opinions greatly cloud over the Gospel and the spiritual kingdom and are dangerous to the commonwealth. 57 For the Gospel does not destroy the state or the family, but rather approves them and asks us to obey them as a divine ordinance, not only because of punishment, but also because of conscience. 

The following sermon deals with the “theology of the cross.”  During the post-service announcements, I mentioned that I would provide three links on this blog post with further materials on the theology of the cross by Prof. Em. Daniel Deutschlander.  The links refer you to his book on the theology of the cross from Northwestern Publishing House, a recent WELS district convention essay on the theology of the cross, and a radio interview from 2009 on Issues, Etc. about the theology of the cross.

• Book - ”The Theology of the Cross: Reflections on His Cross and Ours”
• Essay – “Don’t Be Afraid! Cheer Up! It’s the Cross!”
• Radio – Issues, Etc. interview with Prof. Deutschlander on June 23, 2009

WHO WANTS THE CROSS?

I.

Only in California!  Last Sunday afternoon, my family and I went to the San Mateo County Fair.  After we made our rounds through most of the things we wanted to see and do, we walked past a booth that was distributing information about composting.  One of the signs in this display caught our attention.  The sign said, “Achieve inner peace and self-realization through the art of composting.”  Like I said, only in California!

I’m not quite sure how working with garbage and worms helps you to achieve inner peace and self-realization.  But the fact that someone thought this would be a good way to advertise composting should tell you something.  People will look for personal peace wherever and however they can find it!  And why do people look for peace?  Because they don’t have it.  Tragedies and tension in the home, instability at work, state and federal governments that never seem like they have their act together, wars and rumors of wars on the international scene—wherever you look, there is no peace.  No wonder people will look for peace wherever they think they can find it, even if that means digging through worms, dirt, and garbage.

The quest for peace often leads people back to God.  Think about the common reasons people come looking for a church.  Seldom does someone come completely out of the blue.  It happens, but more often than not, something negative and unpleasant and difficult drives a person to find God, and that person drives to the local church to do that.  And maybe, just maybe, the person in question hopes that when he (or she) finds God, he will also find peace.

II.

Since every one of us here deals with a lack of peace to a greater or lesser degree, perhaps we should turn to God this morning and find the elusive peace that others search high and low to find.  Jesus has something to say about this quest in the Gospel for today.  In the excerpt we heard from Luke chapter nine, Jesus asked the disciples what others thought of him, and then what they thought of him.  After Peter gave the correct answer, “the Christ of God,” Jesus explained the journey to the cross that lay ahead of him as the Savior.  And then Jesus used the metaphor of the cross to talk about the Christian life.  Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” 

Jesus’ words about his followers denying themselves and carrying their crosses is a familiar statement to many Christians, but I’m so sure we always understand what Jesus means.  The cross Jesus refers to is not just the problems we face in life.  Believers and unbelievers have problems.  Everyone gets sick; everyone has trials and challenges; everyone ultimately has to deal with death.  But here is the difference: When Jesus talks about the cross, he is talking about the problems we face because we are Christians.  He is talking about everything we suffer as a result of our faith in him.  That’s our cross. 

IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT’S PROBABLY JESUS

1. Jesus brings forgiveness to every repentant sinner
2. Jesus inspires thanks from every grateful sinner

 Text: Luke 7:36-50

 Introduction

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  That’s a good rule of thumb for life.  If you hear about a job that only requires ten hours of work a week but promises to triple your current income, it’s too good to be true.  If you receive an email message inviting your participation in an international transaction and promising that you’ll receive thousands of dollars for your trouble, it’s too good to be true.  If you hear about a religion that teaches that the way to heaven and a relationship with God involves absolutely nothing on your part—God does all the work from start to finish—then it’s too good to be true … or is it?

If you don’t believe every magnificent-sounding offer that crosses your path, most people would say that you have a healthy skepticism.  That’s a good principle for life, but not for eternal life.  In the Gospel for today, we hear a story from Jesus’ ministry that sounds too good to be true.  Would Jesus really forgive a woman who was well-known for her immorality?  And if Jesus forgave her, doesn’t that have implications for you and me?  If Jesus would forgive this person, could that mean that he will forgive me for all the dirty and disgusting things that I’ve done?  If you are truly honest with yourself and your autobiography, that might sound like the very thing your soul is looking for.  But the skeptic inside you is probably thinking, “Nah – it’s too good to be true.”  But in this case, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably Jesus.  That’s what we’ll learn as we study the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost.  It may sound like it’s too good to be true, but it’s not.  Jesus brings forgiveness to every repentant sinner.  Jesus inspires thanks from every grateful sinner.

I.

If you listened carefully to the Gospel, you may have been surprised to hear about Jesus’ dinner invitation.  A man whose name we later learn was Simon, a man who belonged to the religious group called the Pharisees, invited Jesus over for dinner.  The Pharisees, as you may know, were not exactly members of Jesus’ fan club.  That’s why it seems strange for a Pharisee to invite Jesus over for dinner at his home.  Were they starting to change their tune?  Did this man begin to think that perhaps Jesus had something worth listening to?

Maybe not.  Yes, Jesus received an invitation, but he did not receive a warm reception.  It was common courtesy for a host to offer water so that his guests could wash their dirty, dusty feet.  That was about as basic a courtesy as inviting someone to your home today and offering them a beverage.  It was also customary to greet someone with a kiss, the equivalent of a handshake today.  But Simon the Pharisee did not offer Jesus even one of these common courtesies.  It’s quite likely that Simon had not invited Jesus to rub shoulders with him or get to know him better.  Luke gives us a possible clue into Simon’s motives one chapter earlier in Gospel, when he wrote, “The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely” (Luke 6:7). 

Over the weekend, my family and I traveled to the Phoenix area for the biennial WELS Arizona-California District Convention.  The convention is held at the Arizona Golf Resort and Conference Center in Mesa, Arizona.  We began Monday, June 14, and wrapped up our proceedings on Wednesday, June 16.  I’ll offer my own perspective and summary of the convention here for those who are interested.

Opening Service

The convention began on Monday morning at 11:00 a.m. with the opening service at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Apache Junction, Arizona.  As the district’s worship coordinator, I was responsible for the opening and closing services and the devotions throughout the convention.  These services and devotions provide a great opportunity to model excellence in Lutheran worship.  My sincere thanks goes out to all of the participants who used their God-given talents to proclaim the gospel in the opening service.  Pastors Paul Rydecki (Emmanuel Lutheran Church; Las Cruces, NM) and David Salinas (St. John Lutheran Church; Victorville, CA) were appointed by the district presidium to serve as the presiding minister and preacher, respectively.  The four officers of the district presidium served as assisting ministers during the distribution of Holy Communion.  Pastor Jon Bauer (Emmanuel Lutheran Church; Tempe, AZ) was the organist, and I directed the instrumentalists and the delegate choir made up of approximately 30 singers.  Since I came with my whole family, I also recruited my wife to be a soloist.  We used “Divine Service I” in Christian Worship: Supplement as the order of worship, and included concertato settings for the main hymns in the service.

The main convention proceedings began at 1:30 p.m. at the resort.  After the district president’s report, we heard the first portion of the convention essay by Prof. Em. Daniel Deutschlander, titled, “Don’t Be Afraid! Cheer Up! It’s the Cross!”  His essay was in many ways a reflection of his recently published book, The Theology of the Cross: Reflections on His Cross and Ours available through Northwestern Publishing House.  Prof. Deutschlander presented this same essay a week earlier at the WELS North Atlantic District Convention.  Pastor Jeremiah Gumm from the North Atlantic District has included two posts (1, 2) with quotations from the essay on his blog, along with a PDF copy of the entire essay, and I invite readers to check out the excerpts found there.  I have often cited Prof. Deutschlander as I teach adult Bible classes and the like, so I was glad that a member of my congregation, our lay delegate, was present to hear his essay and to experience his precise, clear, and unapologetically Lutheran presentation. 

“LORD, I AM NOT WORTHY”

1. Despite what others say, I am not worthy of your grace
2. Despite my unworthiness, you still come to me in your Word

 Text: Luke 7:1-10

Introduction

At some point after today’s service, the school children will head to their classrooms and pick up their report cards for the recently completed school year.  Unless there is some surprise the teachers haven’t told me about (don’t worry—there isn’t!), the report cards will indicate that every student has successfully completed the current grade and can move on to the next grade.  I suppose we could say that everyone is worthy to move up one grade.  The students have done the homework and learned the skills necessary to make them worthy of the next grade level.

The word worthy is an important word in today’s Gospel.  The Gospel for the Second Sunday after Pentecost is the account of Jesus healing the centurion’s servant.  The military official who asked for Jesus’ help felt that he was not worthy of Jesus’ presence.  Perhaps this is a fitting reminder on a day when we talk about the academic worthiness of students to move up a grade that all of us—students, parents, and everyone else—are totally and completely unworthy of the grace and goodness of Christ.  “Lord, I am not worthy” ought to be the prayer every one of us prays.  “Lord, I am not worthy.  Despite what others say, I am not worthy of your grace.  But despite my unworthiness, you still come to me in your Word.”

I.

Luke chapter seven starts a new section in Luke’s Gospel.  Jesus has just completed a lengthy sermon, and now he returns to Capernaum, his adopted hometown.  The incident that immediately grabs our attention involves a centurion, a military official who resides in Capernaum, who has heard about Jesus, and who seeks out Jesus’ help on behalf of one of his servants whose health has so badly declined that he is on the verge of death.

The military official was a Gentile—a non-Jew.  But he was respected by the Jews of Capernaum, and the leaders of the community were truly happy to carry his request to Jesus.  Perhaps the centurion was sensitive to Jewish cultural considerations that frowned upon Jews and Gentiles mixing together.  In any case, he sends a request that Jesus heal his valued but ailing servant.  “The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.”  The Greek word for “heal” is not the usual word for “heal.”  More often it is translated “save” or “rescue,” so this suggests that the centurion’s servant was in very rough shape—perhaps mere moments from death. 

EVEN ON TRINITY SUNDAY, IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS

1. The Spirit points us to Jesus
2. The Father is one with Jesus

 Text: John 16:12-15

 Introduction

Although Memorial Day is now observed on the last Monday of May, the actual date for Memorial Day is today, May 30.  Memorial Day’s origins take us back to the days immediately after the Civil War.  On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued an order proclaiming May 30 as a day to decorate the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery.  “Decoration Day,” as it was first called, continued to be observed, and was celebrated in most northern states by 1890.  After World War I, the day’s focus was expanded to remember soldiers who served in all wars, not just the Civil War, and southern states began to observe the day as well.  Although it had been observed over multiple decades, Memorial Day finally became a national holiday in 1967.  We Americans have a tendency to view Memorial Day merely as the three-day weekend that starts summer, but the real meaning of Memorial Day is certainly worth our attention.

The roots of Trinity Sunday are much older.  We have reports of Trinity Sunday being observed in England in the twelfth century.  We also have reports of church leaders in the eleventh and twelfth centuries opposing the idea of Trinity Sunday because Christians acknowledged the Triune God every Sunday.  In the early fourteenth century, Trinity Sunday became a universally celebrated day among Christians on the Sunday after Pentecost Day.

Like Memorial Day, we Christians have a tendency to view Trinity Sunday as just another day, perhaps the day that kicks off those twenty or so “Sundays after Pentecost” that shift our focus from Jesus’ life to the Church’s life and the Christian life.  But the real meaning of Trinity Sunday is certainly worth our attention.  The Bible’s teaching that God is three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and yet one God is an absolutely essential biblical truth.  If you don’t believe in the Trinity, you are outside the bounds of Christianity.  And as Jesus explained in today’s Gospel, when we study what the Bible says about the Trinity, it will ultimately direct our focus to Jesus, one of the persons of the Trinity.  Even on Trinity Sunday, our focus is all about Jesus.  In John 16, Jesus shows us that the Holy Spirit points us to Jesus, and that God the Father is one with Jesus.

I.

Over the past few weeks, we have heard Gospel accounts taken from Jesus’ Maundy Thursday comments to his disciples in John 13-17.  Jesus’ comments anticipated his suffering and death in the 24 hours that would follow; his comments also anticipated his resurrection, his ascension into heaven and the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would miraculously come upon the disciples.  That was a lot of information for the disciples to absorb at once.  Jesus knew how overloaded their hearts and minds felt.  He said, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.”