Jesus Should Have

SCRIPTURE
"Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick he stayed where he was two more days." (John 11:5-6)

OBSERVATION
So, when Jesus heard Lazarus was sick he should have...

• Left right away.
• Healed him from afar, like the Centurion's son.
• Given his disciples authority to go heal him in his place.
• Done something else, besides stay where he was two more days.
  

It seems like human nature to second guess God. Question his motives and wonder why he doesn't do what we think he should do. John specifically mentioned Jesus' love for Martha and Mary and Lazarus so this was not some unknown family. His delay of two days was not out of lack of concern or care but must have been born out of that love. On the surface it may look like he did not care, this simply was not true.

APPLICATION
When it comes to Jesus I can make a great Monday morning quarterback, a back seat driver, or a disgruntled employee. In other words, I know his job better than he does. But whatever reason Jesus had to delay it comes down to an issue of faith. Am I going to trust that he operates out of his love, even when he seems to delay? I can certainly fill him in on all that he should be doing. But he is God and I am not.

PRAYER
Jesus, I trust in your timing. I thank you for the "what you have done's" in my life and I trust you for the "what you will do's."

Open Acknowledgement

SCRIPTURE
"Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue for they loved human glory more than the glory of God." (John 12:42-43)

OBSERVATION
Jesus was teaching at the Passover festival. He performed many signs, yet some of the people who witnessed them still would not believe. There were others, however, including the leaders, who did believe. But they kept their faith a secret because they were afraid of the spiritual cops (the Pharisees) who would kick them out of the synagogue. John tells us why: they loved human glory more than the glory of God. They wanted human applause, approval and adulation more than God's. Their position in the country club was far more important than openly acknowledging their faith. They did acknowledge it, they knew they believed and if pressed they may cave in and admit it. They were not going to rock the boat by doing anything "radical"...like having people find out they followed Jesus.

APPLICATION
Ouch. I can be the same way. Given a particular setting, I can keep my faith a secret. Not that I'm afraid to be kicked out of a particular group but in those moments I desire their approval more than God's. There is always someone around who will look with disapproval on my relationship with Christ. I need to seek God's approval, because in the end that is what ultimately counts.

PRAYER
Father, I desire to live for your glory to seek your praise rather than the praise of people.

Every Day at the Golden Corral

SCRIPTURE
"All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Proverbs 15:15)

OBSERVATION
The writer of Proverbs seems to paint a black and white scenario. There are people who are oppressed and people who are cheerful. Are there such extremes in life? Perhaps he is trying to show us that the perspective we take on life influences how we live that life. Jesus came to free us. He came to "proclaim freedom for the prisoners." If anyone is oppressed it is people in prison (not necessarily a physical prison but a prison of slavery, fear, self-doubt, and sin). Jesus throws open the cell doors and sets us free.

In Christ, we are no longer oppressed by the law of sin, the sinful nature, or the enemy. Greater is he that is in us than the one that is in the world. If we have been set free we have a different outlook on life. We experience the joy of the Lord, i.e. "a cheerful heart." When we view life from the perspective of freedom (instead of oppression) we do have a continual feast. We see the joy in creation, we see the value in relationships, and we understand that this world is not our final home. It's like everyday is a visit to the Golden Corral. God has blessed us because his intent toward his creation is good.

APPLICATION
When I watch the news it is always bad. It continually shows people who are stressed, depressed, and oppressed. But as I was watching this morning I had this thought: "These are the exceptions rather than the rule." The reason it is newsworthy is because it is not happening to everyone. It's easier to report the few that it actually happens to rather than the many it doesn't (all of the good news would make for a very long newscast). Not every teacher is having sex with her students, not every world leader is a dictator, not every bank is failing, and on and on it goes. Jesus has set me free. As a former "harassed and helpless sheep", he is my shepherd. Whom shall I fear? No one. Life is a continual feast because I'm standing in the place of freedom. Over generalization (everything is bad, all of the time, all day long) is oppression. Yes, every once-in-a-while I get a taste of something awful, but that doesn't negate the great stuff in the rest of the meal. Today I choose to take another trip to the buffet.

PRAYER
Lord, sometimes the things of this life can weigh me down. Not that there aren't those situations but when I focus solely on them I forget the bounty you have laid before me today. Help me to see you in the continual feast of this life.

Knowing by Obeying

SCRIPTURE
"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." (John 7:17)

OBSERVATION
Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. He went secretly because people were watching for him. Halfway through the Feast he got up and began to teach in the temple. People were amazed at his teaching asking, "Where did he get such learning?"

There were two kinds of people watching for him. Those who wanted to trap him in his words and use his words against him to take his life. They thought he was demon-possessed and was speaking nonsense. And, those who believed his teaching. They were the ones who grew to know more of who he was and his heavenly Father.

Jesus makes an interesting point. The only way to know whether his teaching came from God or he was speaking on his own was to do God's will. Obeying God's will brings brings Jesus' teaching into focus because they are one and the same. It's tempting to stand on the outside and criticize Jesus' teaching (judging by appearances). But we will never truly know if his teaching is from God unless we do it.

APPLICATION
Easier said than done. When I grumble and complain about a particular teaching of Jesus, I can be like the people who were trying to trap him in his own words. Well, he didn't mean what he said. Or, he doesn't understand my situation. But the only way I'm going to truly know his teaching is to obey. To jump in, do what he asks, follow what he commands, and stop what he prohibits. Then I will be amazed and ask "Where did he get such learning?" His learning is for my living.

PRAYER
Lord, the only way I find out and discover if Jesus' teaching comes from you is to do your will. You have confirmed time and time again that it is true. He did speak your words both when I obeyed and received the blessing and when I've disobeyed and have received the consequences.

Diurnal Discipleship

SCRIPTURE
"All those who do evil hate the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. Those who live by the truth come into the light so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." (John 3:20-21)

OBSERVATION
Jesus is the light that has come into the world (3:19). Light is the penetrating, exposing, life-giving nature of God. It sees the human heart and all that is contained therein. Here, Jesus describes two kinds of people, those who do evil and those who live by the truth. He then describes the two responses. One is fear. Those who do evil don't want to be exposed. The other is truthful living. They come into the light because they have nothing to hide.

Why would someone be afraid of the light? Verse 19 gives the answer. "People loved darkness instead of the light because their deeds were evil." It's about the deeds. There is something seductive and mysterious about darkness. We think no one, including God sees or knows what we do. But there is also no life in the dark. Jesus does not want nocturnal believers...people who say they follow, but because of their evil deeds cling to the darkness out of fear. In order to thrive, a plant needs exposure to the sun. So do we.

APPLICATION
I've got two choices in life...evil deeds or truthful living. I much prefer the second. There is no hiding or fear of exposure. When I struggle with evil, the worst thing I can do is hide out, clinging to the darkness. It will be a slow spiritual death. A wilting of my soul. I've got to overcome that fear with faith. Letting the light of Christ shine into the darkest parts of my heart. What I will find, and have found, is that there is freedom and life. I'm to be a diurnal disciple. A follower of Jesus who lives in the light, belonging to the day, overcoming the fear of exposure by authentic confession and repentance. Once in the light, my spiritual life will blossom.

PRAYER
Lord, I thank you that you are the Father of whom I do not need to be afraid to come into your presence. You are faithful to forgive as I confess. When I find myself tempted to hide out in the dark, I need your Spirit to help me walk into the light and find freedom from the fear through the exposure to your Son.