The Wednesday Word 1.19.2022

 

John 7:10-17 NLT

10 But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. 11 The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. 12 There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” 13 But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.

14 Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. 15 The people were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked. 16 So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. 17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.”

Some people thought Jesus was going to lead them in overthrowing the Roman conquerors. Some were only interested in what he could do for them, not what he had to say. Others thought he must be a charlatan out to take them for a ride and those rumors about miracles must have been blown out of proportion. It is easy for people to dismiss or disparage things they do not understand. The more talk they heard about these things, the easier it was to form opinions that were hard to shake. Today just as it was back then, when unfounded opinions get widespread attention, prejudices can form.

Our concept of what the Scriptures have to tell us can get skewed by these kinds of pre-judged opinions. We think we know Jesus because of all the things we have heard all our lives. We think we understand who God is and what he must want from us. Our beliefs may be just as unfounded as those of the festival crowds. Chances are we have spent our lives skimming the surface of what God wants to share with us. We have such an advantage over our predecessors! The Scriptures are available to us any time we want to pick them up. In a volume on the shelf or on your phone, God is speaking directly to you. Are you going to live out your days thinking you know what he has to share, or are you going to genuinely find out for yourself…something to pray about.

Don’t forget to look for the Lord today. Vicki H.


                                                                                         Photo by Júnior Ferreira on Unsplash

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