Problems With Expectations

This morning I was continuing to reflect on John's Gospel, tenth chapter.  So often when I imagine Jesus, I imagine an excited crowd listening to His teaching, being amazed at the miracles and such.  Jesus was here to represent His Father, and He did amazing things.  What I find interesting is the people's inability to grasp who He really was, the very son of God.  When read these passages it is always with knowledge of the truth already established in our hearts and minds, so the statements He makes do not sound so radical.  However, the people of His time had no grid of reference to really grasp what He was saying.  They had been waiting for hundreds of years for the Messiah, the Savior, the Anointed one prophesied to sit on David's throne.  They had it in their mind that He would come as a King, a military ruler who would throw off the oppressive chains of Roman Rule, and re-establish God's Glorious Kingdom in the form of a nation (as they were under David) once again.  They had no idea that the Messiah would actually be God's Son.

In the light of this, read the following verses - John 10:24-31 NIV:

[24] "The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

[25] Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”

[31] Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,"...

Jesus' closing statement, "I and the Father are one" was almost earth shattering to the Jews.  As a religion they highly esteemed God, not even wanting to say His name because of their awe and reverence of Him.  They had tons of stories about God's miraculous intervention in the lives of their ancestors.  They were afraid of God and in awe of His power.  He was the Great God, capable of defeating great armies, and so much greater than all the gods of the Egyptians, Greeks and even the Romans.  They weren't sure what He was really lilke, but they were also sure He was nothing like themselves.

Then Jesus shows up and does things that have only been done by the great Prophets, and even greater still.  They were amazed at the works He was doing, but He wasn't confronting the Romans, wasn't trying to build political power or anything that would indicate He was the going to establish God's Kingdom on earth once again.  He spoke about the Kingdom all the time, but rather than raise up political activists and supporters, He healed the sick and blessed the poor.  He did what He could to stay out of the political arena, spending much of his time in Galilee, which was the back-country.  Regardless of where He was he ha d a huge following and many of the people thought He was the Messiah.

Thus, the question that the Jews asked Him was very much on their minds.  They were effectively waiting for Jesus to announce that He was the Messiah and they would jump in behind Him and overthrow the Roman's or something like that.  They were expecting a leader, instead the got the Son of God, fully man and fully God.  The response to pick up stones was the prescribed punishment for blasphemy under the Law (Lev. 24:14).  Rather than sit down and understand what He was saying they immediately jumped to outrage.  I think they were likely more upset that He wasn't the type of Messiah they wanted, so they figured they would kill Him and wait for one more suitable to come along.  Wow.

This morning I am encouraged to listen closely to the Lord and let Him tell me who He is, rather than me jumping to conclusions, or judgment.  He is exactly who He says He is, the very Son of God, one with the Father.  I am also encouraged to not jump to conclusions about His plans in my life.  I realize that having preconceived expectations of how God might look, act or direct me, can cause me to miss what He is actually saying.

Amen.