Tuesday, January 08, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Tuesday, January 08, 2013          The Final Day of the Festival       

Page 155      John 7: 37-53

Whenever there is a great argument, the issue is not the subject of the argument; the issue is always about control. This is true in politics in the public arena, as well as politics within the church. In today’s passage, the leading Pharisees model this truth for us. They spoke passionately about God’s Law, about what is proper and good for ordering Temple life, but their argument reveals they really do not know their law or the history of Israel. They reveal a contemptuous attitude and bigotry against anyone that disagrees with them. What really mattered to them is that they were the ones who controlled life in Israel. Nicodemus tried to give the leaders a reality check by reminding them that their law provided for a hearing before judgment can be rendered against a person. However the hypocrisy train the Pharisees were riding had already left the station, as their next comments revealed.

The Pharisees railed against Nicodemus for being ignorant that no prophet ever comes from Galilee. However, their own words revealed how their jealousy of Jesus blinded them to the truth. The word translated “comes” can also be translated “rises up.” This same word refers to resurrection in other parts of the Gospel of John. Two of Israel’s most well-known prophets came from Galilee: Jonah and Hosea. Jonah spent three days in the belly of the whale, and in Hosea 6:2 it is written, “on the third day (God) will raise us up.” Not only did these great Prophets come from Galilee, they, in their own way, were pointing to the fulfillment of Jesus’ words in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

It is so very easy to have our knowledge of God clouded by cultural norms and biases. The Pharisees in today’s reading model for us the importance of continually asking ourselves the questions noted in yesterday’s passage: What do we know about God, and how do we know it?

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

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The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Wednesday, January 09, 2013     I Encounter an Adulterous Woman        

Page 159      John 8:1-11