But

 

There is a time for butt jokes, and a time not for butt jokes.

~ Jeddy Miller

A few weeks ago our pastor preached on Jesus’ farewell discourse from John 16 and the hope to be found in verse 33:

“And it’s captured in that strong adversative: in the Greek it’s αλλα [allá]. It’s translated in verse 33 as……..BUT.

Αλλα…..BUT. 

And what a great conjunction it is. How much of our heart and soul is wrapped up in that little conjunction?…How many times has that little word kept our hearts from despair?”

I kept a straight face by avoiding eye contact with Jeddy, who was determinedly staring straight ahead next to me my exemplary and holy maturity.

Pastor went on to quote verse after verse in which, temptation to snicker notwithstanding, that little word “one-T-but” captures a Christian’s entire hope.

Genesis 50: 

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Psalm 49:

Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol.

Psalm 73:

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Acts 10:

They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him on the third day.

Romans 5:

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 2:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.

Jeddy wearing his new hat still in the wrapper. If she marries him, her face is gonna freeze that way.

The chefs of Italiano night

And in this case, John 16:33:

In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Butts are for sitting, and in proper context, laughing about. 

But buts in Scripture are for hope and glory, for courage and salvation.

Αλλα…..but. 

Praise God for the biblical but.