Let's examine ourselves

Okay, I'm willing to admit it. My wife and I were talking just last night about this very thing. I'm nervous. I'm apprehensive. I'm uncomfortable. Here, let me explain

1. I just read this morning John 7:47-49
Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
The Pharisees had sent officers to arrest Jesus. They didn't arrest him--Jesus arrested them--with his words. Verse 46.... no one ever spoke like that!

2. Notice the criterion for measuring truth or orthodoxy according to the Pharisees. "Have any rulers of the Pharisees believed in Him." Implying
a) Nope-- no ruler has. Therefore Jesus must be a fraud.
b) IF any had believed in this fraud Jesus, they needed to re-examine the facts. "Crowds" know nothing---Pharisees know everything

3. These are the religious rulers. These are the guys that paid their tithes. These are the guys that fasted-- the guys that did everything possible to please G-d.

4. But here was GOD in their midst the person of Jesus. But they are so blind they cannot see!
Why? Look at something as simple as the preceding argument in 7:41-45. They are arguing about "the Christ" having to come OUT of Bethlehem FROM the Davidic line. Like DUH, didn't they bother to ask Jesus ANYTHING!!!!

5. I'm nervous because I tithe. I can't for the life of me figure out why all believers don't. I fast. I know lots that never do and never have. I'm very religious--always have been. I have given my life for the system called the "church." But what if Jesus is somewhere else? What if I'm really a Twenty-first century pharisee? What if I'm caught up in my religious acts and keep missing Jesus? What if Jesus is calling, speaking, even yelling at me and I'm simply deaf because of my religiosity?

Is anyone else nervous out there?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Learning to hate your sin

Image
   John 5:13-15 (NLT) 13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.   Lord give me grace, power, and effort to maintain a resilience against sin.  Sin is ALWAYS a dark path. It ALWAYS pays wages.  The wage of sin is death.  Sin will always hurt, always destroy, always wound—you, relationships, stuff, goals, etc.  It is a killer.  It is a wound-er.  It is a consumer of all that is healthy, strong, good, and perfect. Learn to hate sin. Learn to fear sin. Learn to run as fast as you can away from sin. Search deeply for hidden sin. Be disgusted with your sin.  Repent, repent, repent daily for your sin. Be afraid of your sin. Be petrified of your sin. Be worried about your sin. And keep repenting, keeping running into the arms of grace and the arm
Read more

Meditation

Image
Meditation I realize as we move on with this series that there are two things that need some clarification.  We already looked at the idea of silence and quietness—this week we will look at meditation.  Let’s begin by giving you the descriptions of the differences between these two disciplines.  Although from an outsider’s position there may be little or subtle differences, I want to help you process the vast difference between these—-and the immense benefit from both of these disciplines: Silence/ Quietness: Here the idea is shutting out your active mind —leaving lots of space for two things.  First, space to give your mind a rest, relaxing your mind.  It is a stopping of your mind from racing around solving all the problems of the world.  Second, giving space to hear from God! It is laying aside your agenda.  It is putting aside the debris, hurriedness, and hectic pace to relax in God’s presence.  Often music can help you with this.  Using the “Jesus praye
Read more

God is after you! And... for a different reason than you think!

Have you ever been pursued by a suitor—a lover—someone who is very interested in you? Was it pleasant to be liked?  Was it pleasant to be wanted?  Well, yeah—for sure.  Who doesn’t want to be loved? Who doesn’t want to be sought after?  Who doesn’t want to be appreciated? I do!  I am sure you do too! Did you know that is actually the message of Christmas—and the actual ‘story’ of the Bible?  It’s a story about God pursuing humanity. Too often when we think of God, or church, or the Bible—we think of behaving ourselves enough to get God’s attention.  Or, we think of trying hard to impress God—so that God would appreciate the hard work we are doing down here and give us His nod. Well, actually that is not true.  That is not the message of the Bible—nor the core message of Christmas.  It is actually the total opposite.  The core message of Christmas is not our chasing God—it is God chasing us! God is so in love with us—and wants so much for us to be with Him—and wa
Read more