Jesus speaking at the Festival of Tabernacles
Summary
Those who rise against Jesus, and his followers, appear to always come from within the assemblies and the religious establishments. Jesus’ comment uncovers the agenda of those who want all the glory, and all the power that comes with being religiously pious. A follower of Jesus is always to be a light, kind, respectful, and steadfast in the faith.
Thoughts:
John 7:16-19 (NIV) Jesus answered: “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?
As Jesus said to those seeking to kill him those same words are true today because there are those who seek to silence believers, and those who seek to eradicate the earth of those who follow Jesus are not from outside the assemblies of believers or the religious establishments. Remember, a few verses before these, Jesus’ half-brothers were mocking him as the devil mocked Jesus during Jesus’ temptations in the desert. Those who rise against Jesus, and his followers, appear to always come from within the assemblies and the religious establishments. Look back through history and see how the religious establishments persecuted those who thought differently then they did. How the religious leaders of Jesus’ day went after him and later all those who believe in him is mirrored throughout the history of the religious establishments. In my examination of history, the secular world was involved with persecution because of religious ideals since early Christians were considered atheist who followed a God different from theirs. And, as rulers of those days considered themselves to be gods, having a God greater than them had to be silenced. Consider this: the evil then among the believers and outside the believers have identical patterns.
In the case of Jesus’ comment about his teaching Jesus tells us plainly that those who are not following God’s will for them speak on their own and cannot be trusted. On the other hand, those who do the will of God are not speaking on their own and can be trusted because they speak the truth. Jesus’s comment strikes at the heart of my thinking on this matter because it uncovers the agenda of those who want all the glory, and all the power that comes with being religiously pious. At the end of Jesus’s comment, he asks why they seek to kill him because they themselves are not keeping the law (teaching, instruction) given to them through Moses. Can you see that pattern that Satan uses on those outside God’s will.
I have no idea if I am making this clear enough. It is early morning and I cracked open God’s word to where I left off yesterday in the gospel of John, read this and this is the result. This is a lesson for myself, and it is worth sharing because it could be a lesson for others.
In closing, even though the organized churches and religious institutions mirror the religious order of Jesus’ and the Apostles time, we should strive to lift of Christ everywhere we go, and in every assembly we attend. It does not matter how condescending a place could be–even if it is called Christian, a follower of Jesus is always to be a light, kind, respectful, and steadfast in the faith. A follower of Jesus is his ambassador to everyone and everyplace they visit.
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