Week 9 - Apocalyptic Slug -- "No One Comes to the Father Except Through Me" --

"Apart from me, you can do nothing."  John 15:5.

"I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will." - John 5:3

"So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise."  - John 5:19


Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

This message pushed me to throw myself on God.  John 14:6 definitely came to mind while listening to the Moriah story.

Jesus says that no one comes to the Father except through Him.  Jesus' words created the connection for me that Abraham's journey was both a [#1] - major divine shove in the back *(see footnote) so that Abraham would throw himself on God while (John 14:6) [#2]  unconsciously ** (see footnote) but certainly with massive, thoroughgoing SYMBOLISM coming to the Father through the Son.

*Footnote - I prefer in place of "divine shove in the back" the phrase "an apocalyptic slug to the soul."  God gives Abraham an apocalyptic soul smack so that Abraham would see clearly the unveiling of God's love for Him through God's son leading him to the cross and through the cross to His father's heart poured out in sacrificial love for Him and all creation." (Revelation 13:8 - the lamb slain from the foundation of time.)

God smacks Abraham's soul on Mt. Moriah so that Abraham could take a thick, slurpy suck of what it means to "COME TO THE FATHER THROUGH THE SON."  I can hear God saying to Abraham, "Hey Abraham, you really want to step into the mystery of this abundant blessing?...... then take a suck of this" .... Jesus from my very heart, sacrificed for you, and in sacrificial obedience to His Father, leading you, Abraham, to the Father... me. 



** Footnote -- Maybe Abraham was conscious of Jesus leading him with Isaac to the father at all times in the story.  Whether consciously or sub-consciously, or unconsciously, I admit that in my case it would be absolutely for sure 100% UNCONSCIOUSLY :)!  So wrapped in my own emotional devastation of sacrificing Kyle I'd be clueless that in my brokenness Jesus was gently leading me to His good Father (John 14:6) and that the spirit was groaning my despondent weakness in words more profound and perfect than my language allows (Romans 8:26.)  I would be utterly detached to the truth that in my abandoned desolation I was actually swimming in God's presence (Acts 17:28) with an unfailing, radiant advocate (Hebrews 1:3) who upholds every fiber in my being by His word of power (Colossians 1:17) and perfectly acquaints himself with my sorrow and weakness (Isaiah 53:4 and Hebrews 4:15.)


So, with that introduction, I am executing Throw Back Thursday privilege and re-posting a blog I wrote several years ago when contemplating the emotional toll of sacrificing my first born son.

"Even when communities are functioning well in terms of their own inner dynamics, there is no guarantee that the results will be healthy." - (32, Simply Christian, Wright - Page 32.)

Reid and I were just sharing at lunch today how as Christ's disciples we should expect Christ to enter our micro-communities at church, Sonshine, and small groups and interject the same question he uttered to his disciples in John 6:63 "Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "does this offend you?"

Christ offends my communities by continuing to pushing me to (John 6) a position of body broken and blood shed. He offends me into a healthy community by humiliating me into humility through His model (the cross) and His appeal to me to follow His example (the cross) in relating.

Like Abraham, God delicately and insidiously haunts me with His promise to lead me to Mt. Moriah. The stench, the terror, the gore of slaughter and sacrifice weighs heavy on my heart. With chest heaving I'm pushed.

He nudges me to the threshold of mental insanity and moral chaos.

The blade is in my pocket. I'm fidgeting the steel. My son is helplessly sprawled before. I'm desperate. Defeated. I've surrendered all knowlege of the good. No moral code remains. I've abandoned all knowledge of good and all knowledge of evil. Self-trust is annihilated. God kill me. Crucify me. Do anything.

God's trust, redemption, body broken, and blood shed explodes from the cross (and from the Father's own heaving heart) through space and time and fills my despondent heart with life, light, truth, and grace.

For a moment, I've trusted THE GOOD over my knowledge of the good. For a moment, I've been offended into gospel.

Phew. I'm tired. I feel dead. Recreate me Jesus. Please put your Faith in my heart. I can't do this. Live in me. By grace give me the power, wisdom, and compulsion to trust you always.