This morning I am reading from John's Gospel, chapter two. In John's recounting of the Good News about Jesus, he skips much of what was included in the other Gospel's for his was written last, and I would assume he didn't feel he needed to include what was already available in the synoptic Gospels. Instead, I love how John is focused on Jesus as the Son of God, and the memories of the apostles, often times commenting on how they didn't understand certain things or even believe certain things until afterwards. He gives his Gospel such a personal feel.
In John 2:13-22, he recounts how Jesus drove cattle, sheep and money-changers out of the temple. He provides a couple of eye-witness details, and recounts the conversation where Jesus, when asked about His authority replies cryptically, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” (John 2:19NIV). It appears no-one understood at the time what Jesus meant, for john adds the note in John 2:22 NIV: "After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken." Notice - its wasn't until after He was raised from the dead, that John noted that the disciples then believed! In other words, prior to that time, this particular prophetic statement had NOT been believed! Wow, that is an interesting comment. This gives me great encouragement that even if I struggle to understand or believe something, the Lord isn't going to chastise me, or leave me behind!
In fact, John adds the next three verses, which are actually the ones I wanted to reflect upon today, as if to emphasize the point I just made above. Here are the verses - John 2:23-25 NIV:
[23] "Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. [24] But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. [25] He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person."
John's point here is that Jesus, while fully human Himself, also had deep insight, through the Holy Spirit, into each and every person He met. He knew them, knew what they were thinking, and knew their motivations. He knew that left to their own ideas, and motivations they would try to make Him King, and use Him for their own advancement. While He was busy revealing to them all the true character and nature of the Father, through signs and wonders, healings, deliverances and even raising people from the dead, they were thinking about how they could benefit from Him. They weren't to be trusted with His real mission, nor even the knowledge that He was the Messiah for much of His ministry time. They couldn't grasp the mystery of what He was really about, and would royally muck things up if He entrusted 'the real plan' to them!
Matthew captured the essence of this perfectly in the following verses - Matthew 16:21-23 NIV: "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
[22] Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
[23] Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
Jesus is finally speaking to the apostles about 'the real plan', Peter's first response is "This shall never happen to you!" Peter, one of his closest companions still hadn't fully understood 'the real plan'. Jesus says that his concerns were not the concerns of God, but merely human concerns. That must have shocked Peter, and the rest, for they were likely thinking the same thing!
Again, the point of this is that Jesus understood this tension existed in His followers. He knew they didn't understand what He was saying, knew they didn't grasp 'the real plan' yet never did He send them away, leave them behind, or berate them for not grasping the truth. This exchange with Peter might seem like a rebuke, but it wasn't aimed so much at Peter, as the source of Peter's thinking, the enemy himself.
My point in all of this, is that God has an incredible amount of grace for all of our inability to understand what He is doing, what He is saying, even our unbelief! He understands our limitations, our selfish perspectives, our lack of spiritual insight and understanding. He knows His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and yet He chooses to work in and through us, and has mercy on us in our own limitedness! He is not afraid of our lack, for He has the power and authority to make His plan work, regardless of our own bumblings, unbelief and general dunder-headedness! He is still faithful, even when we are not, even when we haven't a clue.
Oh, what a great God we serve! Thank You Lord for not treating me as I deserve, but instead inviting me into an intimate and trusted relationship as Your son!
Amen and Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment