Tyndale Chapel Podcast

GEORGE SWEETMAN: Good morning everyone. Welcome to our community chapel for this Tuesday. We are so glad that you're here with us. Little bit of a emptier chapel, I suspect it's because papers and exams are coming due, but I'm sure people will start wandering in no time. For those of you who are new to us, and I see a lot of you here, we are glad that you're here. There's a number of prospective students here at Tyndale today for our "Day in the Life of Tyndale" event. So we're happy that you're here. We hope that you will find this place welcoming and what you expect it to be, and perhaps even exceed your expectations. We hope we see you again as early as this fall.

For over 20 Tuesdays this year, beginning way back in September and continuing to today, this community, the Tyndale community, has gathered in this place at 11:15 to worship. It is a faithful invitation of our Father that has been set before us by the work of the Spirit. We arrive week after week through these doors to magnify God, the Father, resting in the presence and intercession of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Today, is no different, though it is a bit bittersweet, because you see, today marks the second to last community chapel of the 25/26 academic term, and next week, we'll gather one final time for 25/26 for our annual convocation chapel. I'll admit, week after week on Tuesdays, as they come to us, I find it easy to take these moments for granted. I sometimes mistakenly assume that corporate worship will always include music, this bright meditations, this stirring and biblical, or company always this like-minded. But I don't have to look far beyond the sanctuary to know that I shouldn't make that assumption because, we all know this, we live in a world that is beautiful, yes, but terribly messy too. It's fraught with conflict on all sides, fought with bullets and bombs, but also with positions and words.

We live in a chaotic culture that increasingly questions what is real and what is artificial; a world where we strive to achieve our most ambitious dreams, only to be reminded of our own frailty in our health, our relationships, our very existence; we are human after all. You know, there are weeks when I enter this place with a sense of holy weariness. I'm worn down by news cycles, stories of illness within our midst, and the deafening din of gossip and rumor and accusation here, and abroad. But even during those times these moments together, here best in person with each other, but even online, this is our response to the call that God has given to us.

These 45 sacred minutes serve as a weekly cadence of remembrance. We remember who we are as people of hope. We remember that the Son has already claimed victory, and we remember those who have sat in these seats before us and left Tyndale to do beautiful things in His name. In song, prayer, and word, week after week, we are reminded that Jesus is always drawing us to His Father. He's always inviting us to stay with Him. He's always abide, He's always telling us to abide in Him, to remain in Him, and to try on His yoke, one that is perfectly fitted to us. It is an invitation of what Eugene Peterson called the "unforced rhythms of grace". While we may be protected from missiles and drones here in Toronto, aren't we still vulnerable? Don't we still feel fragile? Don't we yearn for the shalom of right relationships, freedom from ties that enslave us, flourishing amid degradation? I think we do.

So, we stand on the truth that in Christ, all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him, all things hold together. And that is something that we are reminded of in this cadence of remembrance by gathering week after week, month after month, year after year, in this place. There is hope in the chaos, hope in the cross, and hope because we know Sunday's coming. Joining us this morning is our friend, Dr. Narry Santos. Narry is the Associate Professor of Christian Ministry and Intercultural Leadership at the seminary, and he also serves as a senior pastor at Green Hills Christian Fellowship in the GTA. There's one thing I know about Narry, is that he loves the world, he loves the church, and he loves Jesus, and this morning, we get to share in that contagious blessing as he shares reflections from the Gospel of John on this Holy Week Tuesday. Friends come, let's worship together.

This morning's reading is taken from the Gospel of John, and if you would sorry, continue to stand for this reading. I would appreciate it. I'm reading from chapter 13, verse 31 to chapter 14, verse 4. I'll be reading from the NIV, "When he was gone, Jesus said, 'Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.' Simon Peter asked him, 'Lord, where are you going?' Jesus replied, 'Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.' Peter asked, 'Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' Then Jesus answered, 'Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you will also that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.'" The gospel of the Lord. Praise to You, Lord Christ.

Let's pray. God, thank you for this moment that we have together. Thank you for our brother, Narry, for his words of inspiration that You have put on his heart by Your Spirit. May we be inspired and challenged by this idea that hope has the final word through Jesus Christ, and may You rest upon our brother as he brings the Word of God to us. We pray these things in Jesus' name, amen.

DR. NARRY SANTOS: Good morning, everyone. Today, as George mentioned earlier, we end our chapel series on "Hope in Chaotic Times". Hope is something that we need more nowadays, especially as we near the end of our semester, and as we and those around us may be going through a season of change, uncertainty, or maybe even confusion. My family and I went through this season when we were sent by our church in the Philippines to do church planting here in Toronto, about 20 years ago. We were excited to be part of this global vision. We were fearful of what is ahead. I remember our youngest daughter, who was 12 years old at that time, saying goodbye to her classmates. They were hugging one another in their room, saying goodbye, and so as I waited for our daughter at the door, I also wanted to hug her, but when she came out, she went under my arms and just walked away. That was when I realized how upset or maybe even confused she was on why I was taking her away from her friends. At that time, our church in Manila was thriving, and it was hard to explain to our church family, whom we loved and served for 10 years, why we were leaving them.

The name of our church is Green Hills Christian Fellowship, and some people questioned why we were leaving through these words, "Narry is leaving green hills in the Philippines to look for greener hills in Canada". It was a difficult time of change, uncertainty and confusion for us in a chaotic time; our family needed a lot of hope together. That is why, as we look at our passage today on Peter's experience during the Passion of Jesus, I understand a little of the confusion that he may have felt when Jesus told him and the disciples in John 13, "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me and I tell you now where I am going you cannot come." Then the ensuing conversation between Peter and Jesus may have brought more chaos in the mind of Peter. Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." Maybe we can imagine Peter wrestling with his thoughts, "Lord, You're leaving us after we left everything and followed You for three years? And You're not just leaving us, I don't even know where You're going. I can go with You. I can accompany You, but, but why can't I not? I'm ready to give up my life for You, wherever Your destination is, and now You are even thinking that I will disown You three times." Now, aside from this possible wrestling in his mind, there could have been two other thoughts or things that may have added to the confusion in his mind.

First, Jesus connected His leaving the disciples with His glorification. Before He mentioned that He was leaving them, He talked about Himself being glorified right after Judas, His betrayer, also left the group at their evening meal. This is what happened: "When He [referring to Judas] was gone, Jesus said, 'Now the Son of God is glorified and is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him. God will glorify the Son in Himself, and He will glorify him at once.'" From the point of view of Jesus, the departure of Judas triggers His own departure, which sets in motion His arrest, His trials, His humiliations, His beatings, His crucifixion and burial. From the point of view of the world, this series of tragic events can be viewed as Jesus being shamed, being disgraced, being cursed. But Jesus sees these events as His glorification, which continues to His resurrection, His ascension and return after His departure.

So Jesus was basically assuring Peter and the disciples that His leaving them catalyzes His glorification. That's why He could comfort them and give them hope with these words,"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms, if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am." These words of comfort, these words of hope make sense to us, considering the glorification of Jesus, as leaving the disciples and the future reunion. But when we go back to Peter's perspective, the act of leaving, the act of Jesus leaving them, and the sorrow it brings to them, despite connecting it to His glorification, might not readily make sense to Peter.

Another possible confusion may be the idea of connecting the thought of Jesus leaving them. And loving them and how this leads to the command to love each other, right after telling them that He is leaving, this is what Jesus says," A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples." Very interesting words: if you love one another. So we see Jesus connecting leaving and loving together. It's also interesting to see that John 13 begins with the words, "Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." Loving them to the end, in the sense of loving them to the end of His life, or in the sense of loving them deeply. The foot washing that follows in the next part of John 13 displays Jesus' deep love for His own and also anticipates His deepest love expressed at the cross in John 19, triggered by the living and glorification of Jesus.

In other words, the cross does not only show pure glorification, but also pure love, which is the very basis for the disciples then and for us today to love one another. It now brings us more hope that the command to love is not only based on how we love ourselves, when we are told in the Old Testament to love our neighbor as ourselves, but that the new command to love one another is now based on how Jesus loves us when Jesus commands, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another." Charles Spurgeon speaks of this new command this way, he said," We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, but we are to love our fellow Christians as Christ loved us, and that is far more than we love ourselves."

Now, when we go to Peter's mindset again, when Jesus gave the command to love one another, he gave no feedback, nor did he give any reaction to the command. His mind was still processing the words of Jesus regarding His leaving, which Jesus said earlier, before the command to love each other. It's like Peter did not hear the command anymore. Or maybe he missed the connection that Jesus was leaving because, He was about to show His deepest love for them at the cross; and that, He had to leave them in order to prepare a place for them and then come back; so that, He could take them to be with Him and be wherever He was. But I realize it's not easy to understand what Jesus just said; it's easy to miss this, and it's hard to sense love when the one we love leaves; and that it's difficult to find hope for later, when the leaving bring pains now. I can understand this difficulty of finding hope when the leaving brings pain.

My father died of cancer when I was six years old and my only brother was 12 years old. Then it was difficult for my mom, who singledly, single handedly, raised me up and my brother until we finished our university studies. Though, my mom told me that I had a good father, it was difficult for me to understand that love at an early age. So when my wife and I were about to have our first daughter, it was difficult for me to understand how I could be a good father when I did not experience that love from my own father. But what gave me hope in my desire to become a good father was the reality, that even when my father left us early, that I have a heavenly Father who will never leave me nor forsake me. That I have a heavenly Father whose deep love for me in Christ is the basis for loving me and loving our two daughters and now even our two grandkids.

Now I wonder if you have experienced being left by someone you love; or if you can resonate with the pain that leaving can bring; or maybe even the fear to love again that can come along such pain. May we be reminded of the love that Jesus keeps giving us and of the life that He gave for us. May we also remember the command Jesus repeats in John 15, with this assuring love, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." Friends, may we find hope in the One who loves us and in the One who laid down His life for us, His friends, so we can love others in the midst of the pain or the fear. Loving them the way we are loved by Jesus, who overcame the pain and the fear by laying down His life for us.

Coming back to Peter's story, for the rest of John's gospel we find, in John 18, Peter denying Jesus three times around the fire before the rooster crow, as Jesus prophesied. With this denial I think the pain of Jesus leaving him deepened into the pain of disavowing his being identified with Jesus. It could have been easy for him, I think, at this point, to simply fade from fellowship, or to just walk away from ministry. But what is encouraging is that in John 20, we see Peter running toward the empty tomb with the other disciple, after Mary told them about it; he was not running away from Jesus. Then for the rest of John 20, we find Peter with the disciples when Jesus showed up two times after His resurrection. Then in John 21, Peter was fishing with some disciples when Jesus showed up for the third time and miraculously brought about a large catch of fish, and then Peter jumped into the water, again moving toward where Jesus was, not away from him. These instances tell me Peter's repentant heart.

Then in the next segment of John 21, Jesus reinstates Peter also around a fire with fish and bread ready for their breakfast. This is what happened next, "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.' Again Jesus asked, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He answered,' Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Take care of my sheep.' The third time he said to him, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, 'Do you love me?' He said, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my sheep.'"

What I find fascinating in this conversation between Jesus and Peter is that Jesus graciously accepts Peter's declaration of love for Him, even when we know Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus also restores Peter to fellowship and reinstates him to serve as a shepherd of God's flock in the presence of the other disciples. We see the pattern of three here, it's very obvious: Jesus asked the same question three times; He basically gives the same commission three times; these three are related to Peter's denying Jesus three times. But we wonder why did Jesus ask the same question thrice? He already knew that Peter loved Him, despite the failure of Peter, even Peter was assured that Jesus knew He loved Him. But why ask Peter about it thrice?

I think it could have been for Peter's self examination; that the pastoral love for others is to be born out of the personal display of love for him by Jesus, his own pastor; so that Peter can take care of the sheep of Jesus in the same way that Jesus, his own Shepherd, was taking care of him despite his failure. Jesus may also be showing Peter, in his restoration, what the new command to love means to Peter in a fresh way; that the love Jesus displayed on the cross, Peter was now receiving unconditionally; what love, what grace.

In my early walk with Jesus, and believe it or not, it's a little over 40 years now, I discovered a song entitled, "I Love You, Lord", Peter's song from the album called "The Witness". It was exploring the feelings of Peter coming out of his three denials. Here's some of the lyrics from Peter's song," I love You, Lord. You know I always meant to do things right. I love you. Lord, when I think of how I failed you, I could cry. I love You, Lord, although I know my heart may not seem true, I want to leave the past behind and feel Your smile again. Oh, Lord, You know I love You so. So, if You find it in Your heart to let me start again, I will be Your witness Lord, Your witness Lord until the end of my life." And as we see in our passage in John 21, Jesus, let Peter start all over again to be His witness until the end of Peter's life.

Now, when we look at our own lives, I wonder if we can identify with the lyrics of this song, or maybe with Peter's experience in John. We love the Lord. The Lord knows we love Him, but there may be times we fail and our heart may not seem true. As we go through this Holy Week, may I invite us to take on a picture, or posture of self examination. We can consider asking ourselves these questions: What specific failure in our life recently needs a fresh expression of Christ's grace? What need in our studies or in our ministry here at Tyndale can benefit from a supply of Christ's hope that does not disappoint? What aspect in our relationships with family, friends, or in our community, needs a renewed sense of Christ's love? For the rest of the week, may we be able to receive in a fresh way, the grace of Jesus, the hope of Jesus and the love of Jesus that His death on the cross has brought about for all of us. Despite the changes around us, the confusion in our mind and maybe even the uncertainties of what's ahead, despite this chaotic time, may we experience God's grace, God's hope and God's love. Would you join me in prayer?

Our gracious Father, thank You for the significance that this week brings to us as we reflect on Your ultimate love in Christ, who gave His life as a ransom for many. Thank you, Jesus for Your grace, Your hope, Your love shown at the cross. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for making us experience this grace despite our failure, despite our difficulty. Thank you for making us hold on to this hope despite our uncertainties and confusion. Thank you for making us receive and give this love despite our fear and changes around us. May this week not simply be another Holy Week that we go through. May the week be the week when we obey You in deeper ways to love one another, just as You loved us. And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God who called us to His eternal glory, after you have suffered a little while, restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power forever and ever, amen. God bless all of you.