The Kingdom of God Drawn Near

Gay B Brown
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Gay B Brown is a Biblical Counselor, Devotional Author, and Educator. gaybrown.substack.com

  1. John’s Epilogue

    Apr 6

    John’s Epilogue

    I love when a book that I’m reading includes an epilogue. In the last chapter of Louisa May Alcott’s novel, Little Women, the March sisters are reunited, minus dear Beth who had recently passed away. Amy, the youngest, had married their wealthy neighbor, Laurie, while in Paris and had arrived home uncertain of how this news would affect Jo. Jo, or Josephine March, had left New York City and returned home to Concord, when she heard that Beth was terribly ill. Following Beth’s death, she stayed at the March family home, to help her older sister, Meg, give birth to twins and to adjust to motherhood. But before she left NYC, she left a manuscript with Friedrich Bhaer, her love interest, who had encouraged her to write from what she knew and not stories filled with blood and gore. Friedrich had passed on the manuscript to a publisher friend of his who loved it. He wanted to give this good news to Jo in person. However, when he came to the door and asked for Miss March, he was told that Miss March and Mr. Laurie were recently married, thinking he was asking about Amy and Laurie! When Jo saw the typed manuscript and realized it was her book, Little Women, by Josephine March, she ran down the lane in hopes of catching Friedrich before he left forever. There he was, in the rain, walking towards the train that would take him out west where he would try his luck at teaching. Jo calls for him and he stops, surprised, confused and disappointed that this young woman he had come to love and respect had married her childhood sweetheart. Jo sets him straight, explaining that it was her sister Amy who had married Laurie. She remained quite single and was actually in need of someone to help her with an idea to turn her great Aunt March’s vast estate into a school for children. And that’s where the story ends. What? No! That can’t be the end! What happens to the remaining March sisters? We turn the page and the epilogue fills us in on what happens next: Jo runs Plumfield School with Professor Friedrich Bhaer, having inherited the estate from Aunt March. Meg is happily married with twins, and Amy is married to Laurie, focusing on art and charity. The family gathers, honoring Beth’s memory, concluding with a “happy ending” where Jo finds fulfillment in her family, school, and writing. So much has happened in John’s gospel, especially since Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was tried, unjustly condemned to die, was brutally scourged and nailed to a cross. Placed in a borrowed tomb, on the third morning Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to Mary Magdalene, then to the disciples that very same Resurrection Day as well as a week later, as the Passover Festival was coming to an end. John seemingly ends his narrative with his purpose for writing: “That you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (Jn 20:31) But that isn’t the end of the story. John is kind enough to include an epilogue for us. Read John 21 Several of Jesus’ disciples had returned to Galilee, post-Passover and two interactions with Resurrected Jesus, one of which He breathed the Holy Spirit on them. What were they to do now? They had left everything behind to follow Jesus. Their leader was alive, but they had no idea when, if ever, they would see Him again. Simon Peter figured he’d do what he knew to do and that was fish. Everyone got into the boat but the fish weren’t biting. They were left with memories that seemed to flood their minds, of the many times they had transported Jesus across the Sea of Galilee during His ministry. Of the time that the Sea was stirred up, the waves tossing and turning, ready to capsize their vessel. They looked up and there was Jesus walking towards them on the water! But Jesus didn’t walk to them on the water that night and by morning their nets were still empty. Then a man on the shore called out to them, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat…and you’ll find some.” (v 6) They were about 100 yards away from the shore, so they couldn’t quite make out who it was, but then John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (v 7) Peter jumped into the water and swam to shore. Once there he was greeted by a charcoal fire on the beach, with fish and bread cooking over it. I imagine that Peter’s memory took him right back to another charcoal fire he had warmed himself by not two weeks earlier, in the courtyard of the high priest, where he denied even knowing Jesus not once, but three times. Now Jesus asks him three times to reaffirm his love for Him and recommissions him. Jesus’ question, “Do you love me?” (vv 15, 16 and 17) grieves Simon, son of John. “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” (v 17) Taken in its full sense, Peter is affirming Christ’s omniscience, consistent with his deity. If he knows everything, then of course he knows Peter’s heart. Peter is instructed to feed Jesus’ sheep and lambs. Jesus as the true shepherd appoints Peter and other apostles to be undershepherds to the soon-to-be-formed church. Peter will demonstrate his love for Jesus by loving God’s people and feeding them with His Word. Jesus lets Peter know that when he is old, he will suffer a death similar to His - crucifixion - but that he is to follow Jesus at all costs. Peter is given a second chance! He would be allowed to follow Jesus to death after all. Imagine how full and free Peter must have felt in that moment. Jesus had forgiven him. They were reconciled and back on track. And then, Peter looked over at John, the disciple Jesus loved, and asked, “Lord, what about him?” (v 21) to which Jesus replied, “What is that to you?” (v 23) In other words, (and this is purely my translation) “Buddy, I need you to keep your eyes on Me and Me alone. Don’t give into the temptation to compare yourself or My love to others. Eyes right here. Let’s go.” John ends this epilogue by admitting that the things he included in his narrative are just a fraction of all that Jesus did for us. In fact, “If every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.” (v 25) What a great ending! Big Picture Questions for Today: * Though sinned against, Jesus initiated reconciliation with Peter and offered tender mercies. How can you love extravagantly? Perhaps emulating Jesus is simpler than we think. Initiate reconciliation through simple acts of connection, offering grace rather than blame, love and forgiveness rather than the warranted anger and need for restitution to be made. Freely give, as God in Christ, has freely given. Pray and thank God for this long, slow season of Lent and for all that He has worked in you through our time in the study of John’s gospel. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

    16 min

  2. Apr 5

    He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

    Can you believe it? Easter is finally here! Our Lenten practice and fast over the last 40 days has built up to this day. There is no more sacrificing or giving something up in order to identify more fully with Christ’s sufferings! Hallelujah! Today, as you celebrate Resurrection Sunday with family, friends and your church family, you may hear people say, “He is Risen!” The appropriate response is, “He is Risen indeed!” In case you are wondering, this ‘paschal greeting,’ also known as the Easter Acclamation, comes from the Hebrew word, Pesach, which refers to the Jewish Passover. Those who live in Greece, will hear or say, “Christos anesti“ (Christ is risen), and other Grecians will then respond “Alithos anesti“ (truly, He has risen), this is known as the Paschal Greeting. These words are sometimes accompanied by the exchange of three kisses, alternating on each cheek; one kiss for each member of the Trinity. In the Western culture of Christianity, when one person rejoices with, “He is Risen!” others answer, “He is risen, Indeed.” Saying “He is risen!” allows us to share this extraordinary truth with each other. The resurrection of Jesus provides an outpouring of hope for our salvation and for our own resurrection and eternal life. This rejoicing of Jesus’ victory is also a victory for those whose lives now belong to Christ because all who believe in Him will have eternal life. His victory is now ours! In today’s reading, gospel writer John highlights Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the resurrected Jesus, along with all of the emotions she experienced before, during and after this intentional, most precious meeting. Read John 20 Before meeting Jesus, Mary Magdalene was a tormented woman from Magdala plagued by “seven demons,” likely indicating severe physical and psychological illness or acute spiritual oppression. Jesus healed her, sparking a life of devotion to his ministry. Later writers in church history connected Mary Magdalene to the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with precious oils at Simon’s house, from Luke’s gospel account, (Luke 7:37) calling her a former prostitute. However there is no evidence for this in the biblical text or in early church history. The Synoptic gospels simply inform readers that Jesus healed Mary Magdalene of significant demonic possession, and that she gratefully followed him throughout His ministry, to the foot of the cross and the empty tomb. How could she not follow her Healer, her Teacher, her Lord? He had completely transformed her life, from the inside out - her only reason for living. Mary Magdalene only appears in John’s gospel by name at Jesus’ crucifixion and now at the tomb, “on the first day of the week.” (v 1) Luke tells us “all who knew him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things,” (Luke 23:49) making it clear that there was a group of women, of whom Mary Magdalene was part, who had been with Jesus all along. They now begin to take prominence in the narrative. They are the ones who stay and witness Jesus’ death after the disciples have fled. They are the ones who follow Joseph of Arimathea to the burial site. (Luke 23:55) And, of course, they are the ones who first learn of Jesus’ resurrection. The four gospels vary in their accounts of who first visited Jesus’ empty tomb. In Luke, it is just “the women”; in Matthew, it is “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary”; in Mark, it is “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome”; and in John, it is just “Mary Magdalene.” The common denominator in all these accounts is Mary Magdalene, and even when multiple women are mentioned, her name comes first. In John’s version, Mary Magdalene is the only woman mentioned by name. However, when she runs to tell Simon Peter and John (the one Jesus loved) that the stone had been removed, she uses the plural pronoun, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!” (v 2) indicating that she wasn’t alone. She was part of a group of women who came to the tomb as soon as it was permissible following the end of the Sabbath. After sharing the horrible news that Jesus’ body had been taken, Mary Magdalene follows Simon Peter and John back to the empty tomb. I have to chuckle at John’s added detail that he outran Peter, as if he wants to make sure we all know that he was younger and faster than “Old Man Peter!” The men go inside the tomb and see the linen cloths that Jesus’ body had been wrapped in lying there. In fact, John writes that when he went in and saw the cloths, he believed! He was beginning to put some of the pieces together, understanding the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. (from v 9) John and Peter head back to the rest of the disciples, “but Mary stood outside the tomb, crying.” (v 11) Alone, Mary Magdalene sees “two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.” (v 12) She explains that she is inconsolable because her Lord and Master, Jesus, has been taken. She then turns around and meets the risen Jesus face to face. Their close relationship seems evident from her panic at discovering that Jesus is gone, how she kneels by the empty tomb and weeps, thinking that someone has moved or stolen the body. When she realizes that Jesus has risen, she cries out the Aramaic word for teacher, Rabboni, and tries to embrace him, but Jesus instructs her not to cling to Him “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father; to my God and your God.” (v 17) Between that moment and the one when she relates to the disciples what has happened, she alone is the entirety of the Christian gospel on Earth. Think about that for a moment. Mary Magdalene becomes the evangelist to the apostles, the first one to preach the Good News of the resurrection! Following ascension, Jesus would appear to all of His disciples, moving through physical walls, appearing and disappearing, allowing each of them to believe in His resurrection at their own pace. John ends this story by sharing why: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (vv 30-31) Life in His Name: The I AM According to the Gospel of John. We end right back where we started these Lenten lessons. Big Picture Questions for Today: * As we conclude our #LentenDaily2026 devotional today, does this Easter Sunday mean more to you? * Can you describe how this lenten experience has grown your understanding and appreciation for all Jesus has done for you? Pray, and thank Jesus for His passion for you, culminated in His sacrifice on your behalf on the cross. “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross despising its shame.” (Heb. 12:2) Rising again wasn’t His joy. Providing the way for you to be adopted into the family of God, forgiven of all your sins and to live with Him in glory forever…that was His joy! HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED! It wouldn’t be Easter for me if we didn’t sing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” written by Charles Wesley in 1739 and performed by Travis Cottrell on his recent project, Tribute to the King. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

    18 min

  3. Apr 4

    I AM - The True Vine

    Day 40 The Seven I AM’s Each Sunday of #LentenDaily 2026 we focused on a specific I AM statement made by Jesus to His followers. I realize that today is Saturday, but I want to finish our I AM study today instead of tomorrow, Resurrection Day. Physical imagery and symbolism is often an important part of our worship and understanding of God; it’s how we’re wired as humans. And in Jesus’ seventh and final I AM statement - I AM The True Vine - He turns to a particularly evocative image, taking us back to the original Garden of Eden. Read John 15:1-17 Before we dig into Jesus’ True Vine allegory, we do well to first consider the Old Testament background of the vine image and what it says about Jesus’ place in God’s plan of salvation. Frequently, God’s prophets, like Jeremiah, Hosea and Ezekiel, referred to the covenant people of Israel as God’s vine, but everywhere they do this, they also condemn Israel for being unfruitful and spiritually degenerate, as a vine that has become wild or fruitless. I find Ezekiel’s Parable of the Two Eagles and the Vine particularly intriguing. He shares that a vine “had been planted in a good field by abundant water in order to produce branches, bear fruit, and become a splendid vine. You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Will it flourish? Will he not tear out its roots and strip off its fruit so that it shrivels? All its fresh leaves will wither! Great strength and many people will not be needed to pull it from its roots. Even though it is planted, will it flourish? Won’t it wither completely when the east wind strikes it? It will wither on the plot where it sprouted.’” (Eze 17:8-10) Some serious uprooting would take place in Israel - God would use the nation of Babylon to discipline His wild vine, but also promised a new vine in the future, a messianic vine who would bear branches, produce fruit and become majestic, providing shade and protection for all. (from Eze 17:23) When Jesus said, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener” (v 1) He declared that He is the true Israel of God, the promised fruitful servant who will accomplish God’s purposes for Israel. In Jesus, the Lord God would reconstitute the people in whom He works to save the world. The true Israel of God is Jesus and all who are in Him by faith alone. Jesus extends the analogy by saying, “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” (v 5) Jesus is the true vine, but this vine has branches, and we who love and serve Christ are those branches. Thus, we are a part of the true Israel of God. More than that, unlike the old covenant community that, as a whole, was not spiritually fruitful, though individual Israelites were often true to God, the true Israel, the true branches in Christ Jesus’ vine are fruitful. In fact, our Creator God - the Divine Gardener is continually pruning this true vine in order to increase its yield. No human gardener is content with a vine that is unproductive or that produces very few grapes. Such a vine is useless to him. Similarly, God refuses to be content with branches that yield nothing or very little, and He will do whatever it takes to make true branches bear fruit. We branches bear fruit only because we are connected to, abide or remain in Christ the vine. (from v 4) Augustine of Hippo reminds us that “the relation of the branches to the vine is such that they contribute nothing to the vine, but from it derive their own means of life; while that of the vine to the branches is such that it supplies their vital nourishment, and receives nothing from them.” Our spiritual fruitfulness is nonexistent, impossible apart from Christ. He is the only true source of our lasting fruitfulness. And Christ’s heart is for us to flourish and grow. We are not just told to stay put, but to ask for whatever we wish in confidence that it will be granted, and to bear, not just some fruit, but much. All this, Jesus concludes, is so that he can delight in us and our joy will be complete. The only way that we can see godly, eternally significant fruit produced in us is if we are intimately abiding in Christ, and the way that we remain in Him is by cooperating with His Spirit, sent to dwell within each of us who believe. The Apostle Paul describes this fruit by contrasting it with the deeds of the flesh in his letter to the Galatian church: “I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (Gal 5:16-25) Big Picture Question for Today: * As you ponder Jesus’ death on our behalf over the course of today, how did He go above and beyond obeying His Father and giving His life for us? Pray and thank God that His heart was and is for us to live in peace and joy; flourishing in his presence for all time. Lastly, enjoy this lovely song, “Abide,” by Aaron Williams and Dwell Songs (2021) Listen to the end, if you have time, and note the repeating of the phrases, “I depend on you.” Dwell Songs - Abide (Lyrics) ft. Aaron Williams This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

    17 min

  4. Apr 3

    It is Finished

    Day 39 In Walt Disney’s 1970 animated musical comedy, The Aristocats, a family of aristocratic cats are set to gain their mistress’s fortune, much to the dismay of her butler, Edgar. He concocts what he deems a flawless plan; he drugs and kidnaps mother, Duchess, and her three kittens, Berlioz, Toulouse and Marie and drives them out to the Parisian countryside, in hopes of never seeing them again. End of story, or as the French say, “C’est fini.” However two retired army dogs, Napoleon and Bonaparte, make Egar’s sidecar capsize on the country, spilling the cats out under a bridge. Hound dog Napoleon outranks the short and stocky basset hound, Bonaparte, and never misses an opportunity to lord it over him, regularly reminding him, “I’m the leader! I’ll say when we charge!” followed by a quick, “Charge!” Napoleon has convinced himself that his authority within the French Canine Army is for life. While Napoleon is a minor character in the story, this theme of arrogant authority is woven throughout the film, even in the final credits, after Duchess and the kittens are helped by feral cat Thomas O’Malley and return to their mistress’s home. Bonaparte says to Napoleon, “Hey Napoleon! It looks like that’s the end!” To which Napoleon replies, “Wait a minute! I’m the leader! I’ll say when it’s the end…It’s The End.” There are several moments in today’s reading from John’s gospel in which characters think the story is finished, believing that they have the power and authority to determine when it is “The End.” But Jesus would have the last word. Read John 19 Caiaphas and his fellow chief priests…Pilate…the Roman soldiers…the Jews…each of these believed that they had power over the outcome of Jesus’ trial, conviction and sentencing. Caiaphas would have rathered a known revolutionary and murderer, Barabbas, be released from prison in celebration of Passover rather than Jesus. Guilty, sinful Barabbas was set free. Jesus took his place. In order to appease the chief priests, Pilate had Jesus flogged by his soldiers. There is uncertainty as to whether this was the only flogging or a first, lighter beating which took place before Pilate sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. Some interpreters think this first beating is the same as the severe “scourging” that Jesus received, as described in Matthew’s and Mark’s gospel accounts. However, it seems unlikely that Pilate would have administered so violent and severe a punishment to someone who had not yet been condemned to death and whom Pilate was still trying to release, “I find no grounds for charging him.” (v 4) It seems more likely, therefore, that this flogging was what the Romans called fustigatio, the lightest form of flogging administered for minor crimes. Pilate expected that the crowd would be satiated when Jesus was brought out to them, mocked as “The King of the Jews” replete with a crown of thorns thrust into His skull and a royal purple robe. This whole messy business would be over, finished. The chief priests and temple servants were enraged when they heard that Pilate found no grounds to execute Jesus, so they played the God card explaining, “We have a law…and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” (v 7) Pilate went back into his headquarters to ask Jesus a few more questions. When Jesus refused to answer, Pilate arrogantly proclaimed, “Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?” (v 10) Didn’t this guy know that Pilate was in charge here? He would say when it was over? Pilate brings Jesus outside where the crowd can see. He doesn’t seem to know what to do with Jesus, so he throws his hands up in the air and says, “Here is your king!” (v 14) The chief priests aren’t having it and declare, “We have no king but Caesar.” (v 15) What? No king but Ceasar? It was at this point that Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified (from v 16) and is most likely when the administration of the Roman verberatio took place, more like the scourging that Matthew and Mark describe - the most horrible kind of beating, administered in connection with capital punishments, including crucifixions. Surely this is the end, but no. “Carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.” (v 17) Pilate has a sign made for Jesus’ cross that reads “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests, wanting to manage the public relations messaging of Jesus’ sentencing, have problems with the sign. It should say that Jesus claimed to be the King of the Jews. At this point, Pilate has had enough and refuses to make any more changes. It is finished…well Pilate’s part is finished. I have to say that I trust John’s account of everything that occurred from Jesus’ arrest up to His death more than the other gospel writers. Now don’t hear me saying that I believe there is anything false in the Synoptic gospels, but John was actually there, following closely as Jesus was drug before the Sanhedrin, then Pilate. He walked with the women to the Place of the Skull and was with them as the soldiers nailed Jesus’ hands and feet to the cross and hoisted him up for all to see - bloody, naked, in agony. John, the disciple Jesus loved, was the only one there. There are details in John’s account that simply aren’t included in the Synoptics. Jesus’ provision for His mother Mary is one of those important details. He looked down on His mother and John and said, ‘here is your son…here is your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (v 27) There is credibility to John’s account, “He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.” (v 35) And now, now that all Scripture had been fulfilled, Jesus said, “‘It is finished.’ Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.” (v 30) Jesus said when it was The End. There are no Big Picture Questions today. Instead, I’d like to leave you with one of my favorite prayers from the collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, The Valley of Vision. The Puritan Movement was a religious phenomenon spanning the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This small book draws from the largely forgotten deposit of Puritan exercises, meditations and aspirations. While the language might seem a bit clunky, I’d like to encourage you to read the prayer aloud, and picture in your mind’s eye the scene. Make this your prayer today. THE PRECIOUS BLOOD Blessed Lord Jesus, Before thy cross I kneel and see the heinousness of my sin, my iniquity that caused thee to be ‘made a curse’, the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath. Show me the enormity of my guilt by the crown of thorns, the pierced hands and feet the bruised body, the dying cries. Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God, its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought. Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price. Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper, born in my birth, alive in my life, strong in my character, dominating my faculties, following me as a shadow, intermingling with my every thought, my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul. Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light, the air supply breath, the earth bear my tread, its fruits nourish me, its creatures subserve my ends? Yet thy compassions yearn over me, thy heart hastens to my rescue, thy love endured my curse, thy mercy bore my deserved stripes. Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation, bathed in thy blood, tender of conscience, triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation. Lastly, enjoy this beautiful song “All Sufficient Merit” written and performed by Shane and Shane. Pay attention to the chorus lyrics: It is done, it is finished, no more dеbt I owe Paid in full, all-sufficient merit now my own All Sufficient Merit (Live) | Shane & Shane This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

    23 min

  5. Apr 2

    What is Truth?

    Day 38 The courtroom is filled to capacity for a criminal jury trial. A woman’s name is called to the witness stand. Before sitting down, she is asked to place her right hand on the Bible held by the bailiff and asked to repeat the following, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” This courtroom oath is used in common law jurisdictions to compel witnesses to provide complete, honest testimony, ensuring that evidence is not omitted (”the whole truth”) or fabricated (”and nothing but the truth”). In taking this oath, the witness is promising to provide accurate information, disclosing all relevant information, even those details that could be damaging to the plaintiff or defendant. In today’s reading we peek in on multiple courtrooms in which various witnesses are asked questions. No one will tell the truth in any of the vignettes of John 18, with the striking exception of Jesus, who is Truth Himself. Read John 18 While gospel writer John stretched out Jesus’ Farewell Discourse across five chapters, the next 8-10 hours of the Passion of Christ move quickly, starting in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples.” (v 2) Judas led a band of temple guards as well as Roman soldiers assigned to Jerusalem to keep order during the Passover Festival right up to Jesus. As soon as Jesus confirmed that He was who they were looking for, “I am he.” (vv 5, 6 & 8) the strong, confident soldiers fell to the ground, their balance upset in the presence of the I AM. During the six trials of Jesus, the contrast between the truth and lies was unmistakable. There stood Jesus, the Truth, being judged by those whose every action was bathed in lies. The Jewish leaders broke nearly every law designed to protect a defendant from wrongful conviction. They fervently worked to find any testimony that would incriminate Jesus, and in their frustration, they turned to false evidence brought forward by liars. But even that could not help them reach their goal. So they broke another law and forced Jesus to implicate Himself. Outside in the high priest’s courtyard, another trial was taking place as the sun rose that morning. Simon Peter was called to the witness stand and asked of his involvement with Jesus. No matter who asked the question or how it was asked, Peter’s answer was the same, “I do not know the man.” (from vv 17, 25 & 26) Of course, just as Peter denied his relationship with Jesus, a rooster crowed, reminding him of what Jesus predicted would happen. Once in front of Pilate, the Jewish leaders lied again. They convicted Jesus of blasphemy, but when Pilate asked them the charge against Him, they expected him to trust them, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.” (v 30) When it became painfully obvious that the Jews would not kill Jesus, Pilate turned his attention to the defendant and asked a series of questions, but none of Jesus’ answers were understandable to him. The final question Pontius Pilate asked, “What is truth?” (v 38) overlooked the fact that many things can have truth, but only one thing can actually be the Truth. Truth must originate from somewhere. Ironically, the one charged with determining the truth in the matter glibly dismissed the relevance of truth in the very presence of the One who is Truth incarnate. Pilate apparently decides that Jesus is a teacher of abstract philosophical questions to which no one can find an answer, and thus decides that Jesus poses no threat to the Roman government. He seeks no answer from the only one who could give him the answer, the Origin of all Truth. Big Picture Questions for Today: * Have you ever felt deeply betrayed by someone? * How might Jesus’ example with Judas comfort you in the midst of that pain? Pray “Jesus, we praise You and thank You for choosing to understand what real betrayal feels like on earth. We trust You to comfort us in the midst of our pain and struggles because you did not choose a life of ease. Grant us hearts to remember where our true kingdom lies as we seek to honor You.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

    13 min
  6. Sharing in Jesus’ Glory, Family and Work

    Apr 1

    Sharing in Jesus’ Glory, Family and Work

    Day 37 “After the closing supper, his public preaching work being ended, and nothing remaining to be done but to die, he gave himself wholly unto prayer. He was not again to instruct the multitude, nor to heal the sick, and in the interval which remained, before he should lay down his life, he girded himself for special intercession. He poured out his soul in life before he poured it out unto death.” - Charles Spurgeon, on John 17 In today’s reading we have the opportunity to camp out in John 17, “Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer.” Read John 17 In the previous chapter, Jesus had just finished speaking plainly to His disciples regarding his death, his resurrection, and the coming Holy Spirit. Now He turns to His Heavenly Father and we see one of the most beautifully intimate moments within the Trinity. We see it now because Jesus’ disciples got to see it then. And the disciples saw it then because Jesus wanted to share it with them. So we can be confident that Jesus is eager to show us something today, too. Jesus offers us three things to reflect on; His glory, His family, and His work. Sharing in His Glory (vv 1-5) As far back as Genesis we see the glory or presence of God expressed through the Trinity, through God’s creation of human beings - in His glorious image. Jesus now lifts His eyes to heaven and prays, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.” (v 1) To glorify God is not to bestow glory on God or add to His glory, but to recognize and acknowledge His glory. The basic meaning of the word glory is “heavy in weight.” It is the “weighty importance and shining majesty that accompany God’s presence.” The verb glorify means “to give weight to” or “to honor.” Thus, Jesus asks His Father God to glorify Himself in the upcoming events that Jesus would endure, but more importantly, that His Father would be glorified, honored, properly weighted in how Jesus experienced the following 24 hours - betrayal, a mock trial, the scourging, crucifixion, death and burial in a borrowed tomb. Finally, Jesus asks, “Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.” (v 5) Before returning to the presence of God, Christ had to be glorified in His humanity in order to dwell before God’s face as the incarnate Mediator. His humanity had to participate in glory in order to see God in glory. The same is true of us, which is why we will be glorified. We will share in God’s glory not so that we will be worshiped but so that we will reflect that glory and enjoy the beauty of God as we see Him face-to-face. There is a day coming when we will be dressed in robes of righteousness, reveling in His glory. But we will not just be passive audience members to some divine stage play - we are musicians in the band, dancers and artists. God’s glory is not an eternal monologue. It is a relational glory that has existed before the world between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are glorified with him. But we do not taste His glory without tasting his bitter cup, too. Jesus says he has accomplished what he came to do; that is, to suffer and die. When we join Him in His suffering, it is not as a way to appease God, for we were justified by the cross, but freely because we know that our present suffering does not compare to the glory we will soon receive. Sharing in His Family (vv 6-19) For many of us, the thought of “family” brings a lot of … well, just a lot. Maybe your family is marked more by dysfunction than safety, by bickering more than encouragement, instability more than peace. Maybe family is something you’ve experienced very little of and you’d take the challenges of family over an absent one any day. We all have a view of family that has been tarnished by the brokenness of sin. In this prayer, however, we see Jesus offer us a new family, “Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.” (v 11) Pause for a moment and think about the absurdity of these two things; first, that Jesus, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, prays for us. He didn’t try to heal just one more leper, or calm one more raging storm or even give a sermon. He thought of us, and he interceded for us. Secondly, God chooses to share His name with us. Jesus says, “Those names they used to have? They go by my name now. That place they used to call home? They share my home now. Their inheritance was destruction? They share my inheritance now.” If you find yourself questioning the heart of Christ, be encouraged: He has called you sister! He has called you brother! His Father calls you children! And Jesus knows that the world will not be so kind to us as His family is. We have been set apart by God, day by day taking on more of the identity of His family. And we’ve been tasked to “consider one another in order to provoke love and good works,” (Heb 10:24) to allow His joy to be made manifest in us. Sharing in His Work (vv 20-26) In Hebrew “Tetelestai” means “the sacrifice is accomplished.” These were Jesus’ final words on the cross. Nothing more needs to be paid, it is complete, paid in full. But Jesus says the work is not yet finished. “I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known...” (v 26) Earlier, in John 10:16 Jesus says, “But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Jesus is not leaving His disciples with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs until Heaven. He is entrusting them, entrusting us with the task of making known to the rest of humanity that there is only one God, one King who reigns over everything and is alone worthy to be praised! Hallelujah! Big Picture Questions for Today: * Have you forgotten what following Jesus is about? Consider that God is love, he is worthy of ALL the glory, and His glory is seen most clearly in you, in us: in His church. * Has your earthly family changed the way you view your new family in Christ? * Have you neglected God’s charge to make disciples of all nations, to teach His word, to care for the widowed, orphaned and poor? Consider that God has gone before you in His care. He is not dependent on you, he’s prayed for these things since before time. But He is eager for you to participate and He has commanded us to join Him. Pray as you listen to Josh Baldwin’s “The Christ and Cornerstone,” specifically the the first verse and chorus: Word of life, the Messiah Who traded heaven’s glory for a cross Spotless Lamb, roaring Lion Became the resurrection for us all There is only one God, one King Who reigns over everything His Name is Jesus His Name is Jesus One light, one hope The Christ and the Cornerstone His Name is Jesus His Name is Jesus The Christ And Cornerstone (Live) - Bethel Music, Josh Baldwin This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

    19 min
  7. In a Little While

    Mar 31

    In a Little While

    Day 36 In A Little While It was the summer of 1982, between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. I was very involved in my church, Roswell Street Baptist, in both the youth group and choir and that summer we had been on a two-week long camp and choir tour across several southern states, ending with a week at Covenant College on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee. I remember stepping onto the church bus at some point during the trip and hearing a beautiful voice I wasn’t familiar with. I was used to gospel music and the growing contemporary christian music genre, but this woman’s voice was new to me. The late 70’s and early 80’s were when contemporary christian artists, like the Imperials, Keith Green, Andraé Crouch and Phil Kaeggy, began changing the landscape of christian music, especially for teens, but there really weren’t any strong women’s voices in the mix. “Sing Your Praise to the Lord” was booming from my friend, Summer McNair’s cassette tape player. I stopped and asked, “Who is that?” Summer answered, “Amy Grant! She has a new album out, Age to Age, and there isn’t a bad song on it!” I hadn’t even heard of Amy Grant before that bus ride, but sat next to Summer that day and listened to the whole album multiple times! I couldn’t get enough! Amy clearly and creatively put truth to music in a way that connected with and encouraged me to love the Lord more deeply. While all of the songs were great, her song, “In a Little While” was particularly special. I would find myself listening and singing along, often with tears in my eyes, “In a little while we’ll be with the Father - can’t you see Him smile? In a little while we’ll be home forever, in a while. We’re just here to learn to love Him. We’ll be home in just a little while.” In today’s reading from John, Jesus continues giving His disciples final instructions on what He is doing and where He is going. Today He gives them timing on these events - “in a little while” - but it leaves them with even more questions. Read John 16:16-33 “A little while and you will no longer see me; again a little while and you will see me.” (v 16) What in the world was Jesus talking about? The disciples were equally confused by His words, questioning what He meant by “a little while.” Jesus explained that they would weep and mourn during the brief period between the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus, (even while His enemies rejoiced) but their sorrow would soon turn into joy as He revealed Himself to them in His resurrected body. I imagine the disciples asking, “Master, could you be more specific? Are we talking a few hours? A day? What exactly do you consider “a little while’?” What do you do when “a little while” feels unending? Jesus’ death didn’t feel like “a little while” when the disciples were experiencing it. As they watched Jesus arrested, beaten, crucified, and buried, surely it felt like an eternity. “A little while” feels like forever when you’re in the middle of it. But you can find peace when you know joy is coming. So Jesus tells his disciples, “Your sorrow will turn into joy” (v 20) He compares what they’re about to endure to childbirth: “When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.” (v 21) The disciples are the woman in Jesus’ example, giving birth. Their pain will be real! But it’s the beginning of the story, not the end. When they encounter Jesus alive, He promises they’ll be overjoyed! While the primary meaning of “a little while” relates to the three days between the crucifixion and resurrection, commentators often identify a secondary, deeper meaning regarding the “little while” between Christ’s Ascension and His promised Second Coming. Jesus is talking not only about the three days between his crucifixion and resurrection but also about the 2,000-plus years between his ascension and second coming. In other words, “a little while” is for us too. During this time, believers will not see Him physically but experience Him through the presence of the Holy Spirit, continuously looking forward to ultimately seeing him face-to-face. Jesus says resurrection brings a joy so great we’ll no longer remember the anguish. Paul reiterates this in his letter to the church in Rome, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed in us.” (Rom 8:18) I don’t think this means that we are able or required to forget the sufferings we experience in this life on earth, but that our memories are transformed, overwhelmed by joy. We’ll be like laughing mothers recounting birth stories that were once so painful. But for now, we have a pregnant faith, waiting for delivery, for the final resurrection to come. And we aren’t alone. Again the Apostle Paul writes, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the first-fruits - we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.” (Rom 8:22-23) “In a little while we’ll be with the Father - can’t you see Him smile? In a little while we’ll be home forever, in a while. We’re just here to learn to love Him. We’ll be home in just a little while.” Big Picture Questions for Today: * What do you do when “a little while” feels unending? * Who can you encourage today, to hang onto Jesus through their present suffering, knowing that He will make all things new and right? Pray for courage in Christ as we wait for the redemption of our bodies, for hope as we eagerly wait with patience, knowing that in our waiting we are being conformed into the likeness of God’s Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. With all of this remembering of Amy Grant’s Age to Age album, I leave you with “In a Little While.” However, I can’t just leave it there. I’ll have the entire album playing on my HomePod Mini the remainder of the day! In A Little While This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

    16 min
  8. The Perfect Counselor

    Mar 30

    The Perfect Counselor

    Day 35 A friend or an adult child feels rejected. You know something has gone sideways in the relationship, but can’t quite put your finger on when or why. A client is angry. Angry that he is in this position with his wife, once again. Angry that he has to seek out and pay for professional counseling just to live peaceably with her. A neighbor’s spouse is terminally ill. You want to help, but where do you begin? It’s just so sad. How do we come alongside those who are simultaneously hurting and hurting others? We need a counselor. Someone to help us view ourselves and others rightly. In his book, Saints, Sufferers and Sinners: Loving Others as God Loves Us, Dr. Mike Emlet lays out a clear model of how God sees and loves his people primarily as saints, while bringing comfort to the sufferer, and faithfully speaking truth to the sinner. Of course, his thesis presumes that the reader is in fact a believer in Jesus. “[F]or the believer, the designation ‘saint’ is more foundational than the designation ‘sufferer’ or ‘sinner.’ We experience a fundamental identity shift when we become believers. When we turn from our sin to God in repentance, receiving and resting on Jesus and his righteousness by faith, a seismic shift in our souls occurs. We are now people in Christ.” In today’s reading, Jesus acknowledges that the things He has been sharing with His disciples are hard and confusing for them to hear, even frightening. He explains that He will send the Perfect Counselor to them soon. This Counselor would explain everything in a way that they could clearly understand. He would approach them as the saints, sufferers and sinners that they are. But there was a catch…Jesus would have to leave first. Read John 15:26-16:15 “When the Counselor comes…” (15:26) This phrase refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus to His disciples, but the Holy Spirit’s coming had been promised long before Jesus’ Farewell Discourse. The Spirit was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, for example, when God spoke through the prophet Joel, “I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28-29) God’s promise to pour out His Spirit on all people would be initiated through the Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost, marking the beginning of His active role in the world and the church. The Holy Spirit, referred to as “the Counselor” in the CSB and “the Helper” in other translations, would testify or bear witness about Jesus once He was no longer with the disciples. These men, the ones who had been with Jesus from the beginning of His three-year ministry, would also testify about Jesus, bearing witness of all they had seen and heard and pointing others towards salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone. In effect, the Spirit would counsel Jesus’ followers and they would in turn, counsel others. Mike Emlet admits that “Counseling is hard work. It involves a deep dive into the particulars of suffering and sin in the context of a trusting relationship. In the midst of talking about all that is not right, it’s important to surface for air and gain fresh gospel perspective.” This would be exactly what the Perfect Counselor would provide, and so much more. I appreciate the Amplified Bible’s translation of verses 8-9: “And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment: about sin [and the true nature of it], because they do not believe in Me [and My message]; about righteousness [personal integrity and godly character], because I am going to My Father and you will no longer see Me; about judgment [the certainty of it], because the ruler of this world (Satan) has been judged and condemned. (v 8-9, AMP) In these verses we see that the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, would not be limited to the roles of witness and comforter. He would come with the power to convict the world in regards to sin, righteousness and judgement. It would not be Jesus’ followers’ responsibility to convince unbelievers of the truth about Jesus. The Spirit would do that heavy lifting. The term “convict” implies a legal or judicial process, suggesting the Holy Spirit’s role in revealing truth and exposing error. The “world” here refers to humanity in its fallen state, often in opposition to God. The Spirit’s work is universal, not merely limited to believers, and involves bringing awareness of spiritual realities to all people. The Holy Spirit would primarily convict the world of sin, highlighting humanity’s rebellion against God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23) This conviction is necessary for repentance and salvation. Sin, in this context, is primarily unbelief in Jesus. (from v 9) The Spirit’s role is to reveal the truth of Jesus’ identity and mission, leading people to recognize their need for a Savior. Secondly, the Counselor would convict concerning righteousness. Righteousness here refers to the standard of holiness required by God, exemplified in the perfect life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled all righteousness. This conviction also involves revealing the inadequacy of human righteousness and the necessity of Christ’s righteousness imputed to believers, as the Apostle Paul puts it so simply yet powerfully, “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21) Finally, the Holy Spirit Helper would convict the world of judgment, emphasizing the reality of divine justice. This includes the judgment of Satan, the ruler of this world, who would be thoroughly condemned through Jesus’ upcoming victory on the cross. (from v 11) The Spirit’s conviction would also serve as a warning and call to repentance before the future judgment of all humanity, where each person will be held accountable for their response to Jesus. John describes this final judgement in detail following the end times vision he experienced while exiled on the Island of Patmos: “Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev 20:11-15) There was no way the disciples could have handled all of this detail, and Jesus said as much, “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth…He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” (vv 12-14) Big Picture Questions for Today: * There are so many hard things existing in our bodies, our families, our communities, our world. How are we to begin to process and understand God’s purposes in our pain and suffering? * How does the Holy Spirit, your Perfect Counselor, help you make sense of the storms in your life? How can you lean into His presence, conveying Jesus’ thoughts and desires in deeply personal ways? Pray and thank Father God and the Son for sending you the most Perfect Counselor in the person of the Holy Spirit. Make an intentional decision to listen to His wise counsel and obey. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gaybrown.substack.com

    13 min
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Gay B Brown is a Biblical Counselor, Devotional Author, and Educator. gaybrown.substack.com

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