a nonchalant pharisee...hello.
I am mulling over John 5:30-49 this morning. It sticks out in its “red letter” form, and is captivating me in an exhilarating way and in a fearful way. It is the type of passage that jumps out because it is of Jesus calling out his accusers, which we nonchalantly demonize those in opposition because they are “Pharisees and Jews.” What I continue to discover and uncover in a life of study and discipline is that it is much easier to be the Pharisee than to be the radical/no strings attached/nomadic follower of Christ that he seems to demand. For this, I must repent.
It brings to mind a time with a friend where we read scripture together of John the Baptist telling the people that there is one among them that they do not recognize, and that was Jesus. To understand that Jesus was among the people and they did not recognize him scared us to death and I remember weeping in my car (not to be confused with crying, weeping). We were seminary students, how could we not be aware of God’s presence in our midst? Now, I’m a pastor, how could I not be aware of God in my midst? We are members of the church, how can we not be aware of God in our midst?
The people Jesus speaks to in this passage study the holy Scriptures, they read of the story of their heritage, and yet he says, “His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.” This is sad. This is convicting? But this isn’t us, right?
A song by the band “Gungor” (which I highly, highly recommend by the way), titled “Cannot Keep You” speaks of how we could not keep God in a tent, we could not keep Him in a temple, or in a bible, or in our churches, otherwise they are just idols. The point is that God is bigger than we want to admit. He is bigger than our own understanding, our own tradition, and our own experiential knowledge. Keep your mind open for great things, and let’s confess our unbelief, and dare to live a life worthy of following Christ. Who’s with me?
It brings to mind a time with a friend where we read scripture together of John the Baptist telling the people that there is one among them that they do not recognize, and that was Jesus. To understand that Jesus was among the people and they did not recognize him scared us to death and I remember weeping in my car (not to be confused with crying, weeping). We were seminary students, how could we not be aware of God’s presence in our midst? Now, I’m a pastor, how could I not be aware of God in my midst? We are members of the church, how can we not be aware of God in our midst?
The people Jesus speaks to in this passage study the holy Scriptures, they read of the story of their heritage, and yet he says, “His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.” This is sad. This is convicting? But this isn’t us, right?
A song by the band “Gungor” (which I highly, highly recommend by the way), titled “Cannot Keep You” speaks of how we could not keep God in a tent, we could not keep Him in a temple, or in a bible, or in our churches, otherwise they are just idols. The point is that God is bigger than we want to admit. He is bigger than our own understanding, our own tradition, and our own experiential knowledge. Keep your mind open for great things, and let’s confess our unbelief, and dare to live a life worthy of following Christ. Who’s with me?
posted by Levi at
8:27 AM
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