life

John's statement of intent is the final word we hear in the Gospel for Sunday. "...these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name."

What does it mean to have "life in Jesus' name"? My old understanding would have been that in Jesus I am an heir to eternal life. I get to go to heaven when I die. Now-a-days, I don't feel content with that. It seems to me that there is something in the fact that Jesus was dead for only three days. There is so much more to "life" than where we go after we die.

I don't think it is unintentional that these words from John to his readers comes at the heel of Jesus sending his disciples into the world, "as the Father sent him." I think for John, and most likely for Jesus, that "life in Jesus' name" means getting out there and doing the work that Jesus did, teaching, healing, eating, drinking, loving, sharing, walking - you know, life. If it is true that those who do not know Jesus are dead to sin, then it must also be true that knowing Jesus brings life, not just after death, but right here, right now.

I think my sermon for this week is going to sound very strange. It doesn't really deal with doubt or fear, but instead it deals with life and love - reaching out to those in need in the name of Jesus. That's what John's Gospel is for - right?