So, Who's It Gonna Be?

John 11:45-57 is one of the saddest passages I know of. Jesus raises a man from the dead, with witnesses. It is proof that He is who He claims. Some people believe Him. Some. Only some. Miracles can not convince everyone. It's not a lack of proof, it's a lack of humility and willingness to admit that we are wrong. Some did. Some didn't.

Instead, some ran to the Pharisee's and told on Jesus. It gives me that feeling I get around little kids who are just tattle tales, who enjoy getting messes stirred up. That's the vibe I feel here. The Pharisee's don't care that Lazarus is raised, that God's power is at work. They are more afraid of the Romans than God. It's understandable. But they have placed Jehovah under the rule of the Caesars. They have bought the propaganda. They believe Rome's claims to be more powerful than anyone or anything. God may be staring them in the face in power, but let's not forget about Rome. The solution, keep Rome happy and kill off God.

This honestly strikes fear in my heart. The audacity, the sheer blindness to cower under the power of a system and push God out in order to appease it. It's terrifying to consider the consequences of a life lived like this. It's a life of fear, no peace, uncertainty, and pain. It's destructive to the very core of the soul.

And I do it. I allow the influence of money, acceptance, power, and selfishness cripple me. I push God out and make room for them. Why? They are unforgiving. If I don't fold under their pressure, they will leave me. I'll miss out. But God, He's always there. I can abuse Him easier than I can abuse these false lovers I have around me. What a terrifying, destructive lifestyle!

The more time I'm spending with the Jesus in John, the more I realize how out of sync with Him I can be. Please forgive me Lord. Change me. Make me new. I don't want to fall under the power of these forces. I want to stand with You.

The Kick is Up...and it's Good!

So our newly seeing friend from yesterday continues his story today (John 9:13-34). His neighbors bring him to the Pharisees because they want to know what to believe about Jesus. Now the leaders have a crowd on their hands, and the issue is being pushed on them. Who is Jesus?

They discuss it and come down to a split decision. On one hand, Jesus healed a guy blind his whole life. In verse 32, the guy claims it had never been done before. There were magicians and others who did things at that time, but nothing like this. So, you have a man standing there healed. Their belief system said that only a man who was sent by God, a pure and blameless man, could do something like this.

Their religion also said you couldn't work on the Sabbath, the day of rest. They decided that making mud was work. Back in the Old Testament, the Jews were told to not make bricks on the Sabbath. It went back to their days of slavery where they had to make bricks all the time. So the leaders would have stretched that to cover making mud. Now follow this; Jesus knew this, and "made mud" in order to push their rules. I believe He intentionally did it to put their rules at odds with each other. Why? Is He out to embarrass them, to show them up? I'm not sure. I think it has more to do with pushing them to decide which they will follow, the rules or the sure sign of God in front of them.

You see, Jesus' healing follows all of the guidelines for what is required of them to deem it an Act of God. There were two witnesses, the parents. The blind man presented himself to the religious leaders, which was required. Multiple people testified of the change, and the priests inspected him for themselves. It met all of the requirements. It was an Act of God. Which meant that the one who performed it must be sent by God. The healer must be one of purity and holiness. But the Pharisees didn't want to hear that. If Jesus was sent by God, pure and holy, He had called them out and called for them to change their lives. He wanted them to give up their religion. And the making of the mud on the Sabbath was one more challenge. They were in a bind. Admit that the miracle was legit, and they would need to become disciples of Jesus, leaving their rules and religion. Deny that it was legit, and they would deny their own rules on these things, breaking their religion. It's no wonder they hated him.

Notice too how the once blind beggar becomes more bold as the conversation continues. At first, he skirts around the questions with his answers. He doesn't want to be kicked out of the temple, and if he admits to following Jesus, that is what would happen. But the more the Pharisee's bounce around, the more he is willing to let go. Finally, in verses 30 -33, he lets it fly. I love that.

Christ calls us to let go, to be bold, to be willing to be kicked out. Each of us will face different things to be kicked out of. It may be some group of people unwilling to have us around. But just as often it's being kicked out of our comfortable lives, being kicked out of the habits we lean on to maintain control, kicked out of our religious systems where we keep God in a box. But be sure, to follow Jesus will mean getting the boot from time to time, and it can be hard.

But also don't miss the point. The blind guy was considered a sinner. He never had access to the temple anyway. He was an outcast already. He had nothing to lose. When we come right down to it, we are the same. When Jesus heals us, we have only gain with nothing at all to lose. So, be brave. Stand up. Speak out for the one who has healed you. He is well worth it. Leave the bickering to those who still can't see. We have more important things to do.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Jesus Has Left the Building

I've got to admit, I get a bit uncomfortable following a king like Jesus. Phew. Finishing out John 8, He just lets it fly. Man. It's painful.

As someone who has to play the role of a religious leader, I look at what is going on here and shudder. As we've looked at the last few days, Jesus takes them to task for missing the point. Here, both sides are accusing the other of being demonic, of following Satan. Only one side can be right. Unfortunately for these guys, Jesus comes back to life to prove His side, and they don't.

But you know, none of us are off the hook. We have been gifted more than any other time of the Church's history. We have more ability to study, more leisure to pray and listen, more resources to give and change the world, than any other group of Christians ever. If there was ever a mass group of people God would look to with expectations to be leaders, it is each of us. Our vocations have little to do with it. I mean, God is not impressed with where I receive a paycheck for, and doesn't excuse you for yours. He has blessed us, we are all pastors, and we all have a responsibility globally.

Jesus lays it on the line in verse 58. The phrase He utters when He says "before Abraham was born, I am!" is not a weird grammatical deal. It is the very name of God. It's the name that the Jews for the most part wouldn't even say in a sentence, out of respect for the holiness of God. Jesus doesn't just say it, He claims it as His name. He is God. Pure and simple. Deal with it. Face it.

They decide to kill Him. Right there. He walks away.

I do it too. God steps into my life, calls me out on my hard-heartedness. I give every excuse possible. I'm busy. It's too hard. I would be seen as weird. These are no better than claiming I don't have to because I'm a 53rd generation descendant of Abraham. They are all equally weak excuses. The reality is Jesus gets in my face, in your face, and says it plain. I am God. No wiggle room. I am. Get on board, or kill me.

We decide to kill Him. Right there. He walks away.

We can't really kill Him. We don't have that power. But He does walk away.

What of you? What are you telling God "no" on? You do realize you are telling Him, "You are not God" when you do that, right? He can't be your God, your King, and you tell Him "no". It's not possible. When you refuse to obey at any point, you pick up your rock to try weakly to kill Him.

He's a tough king to follow.

Come With Me, or Go Away?

The pharisee's challenge Jesus in John 8:12-20. Jesus claims to be the light of the world, who has come to help people in the darkest parts of life. The religious guys want to argue whether or not Jesus can say these things according to the rules. For someone to make a claim about something, the rules they had said that there needed to be two witnesses. They don't argue Jesus' mission, they argue the rules about what He can and can't say.

Why don't they argue that they are there to help people in their darkest times? Why don't they stand up and prove that they are carrying out the work of God on the earth? Because they have gotten themselves down a path where they believe that God's work is about keeping the rules. Everyone needs to look and act a certain way, so that God can look better and be happy with them. Everyone who doesn't is "out" and they don't need to worry about them.

Jesus replies that He does have a witness, His Dad, God. He and God the Father are witness enough. He's right. But that doesn't help anything.

Here's what I see in this. I really like to keep the rules. I've invested a lot of my life in defining who is "in" (who is like me) and who is "out" (who bugs me, who disagrees with me, who has little to offer me). God is really riding me about this, and I hope it doesn't stop. Oh Lord, I beg you, please change me in this! Help me to be a light in my world, not a wall. Please help me!