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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
Resistance to truth always deepens our darkness. As we obey the truth and the light which we have, we open ourselves to receive more and more truth and light.
We see this so clearly in John Chapter 7. Doctrine is one of the crucial issues in this Chapter, and that is why at times we must be careful about making simple snap quick decisions. There are matters we are to take time to consider carefully.
We learn in this passage how we can know whether we are walking in the Will of God. Verse 17 makes that very clear, and the next verse can give each of us motivation.
In verse 19, Jesus, having gone up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, begins to challenge their thinking and their motives. Moses gave you the Ten Commandments. Is that so? And yet, not one of you is keeping the law? Why are you trying to kill me? Why are you out to murder me?
Verse 20 – they accused Jesus of having a demon. Who is trying to kill you?
Jesus then says – Do you remember I healed a man on the Sabbath? These leaders could neither forget nor forgive. You circumcise on the Sabbath. You mutilate on the Sabbath. I heal on the Sabbath. Why are you angry with me for healing the whole man? Do not judge by appearance. Make a right judgment. This is radical stuff!
Verse 25 – then the people comment, and express what is in their hearts, and let it out. Is He the Messiah or is He not?
To a Jew that is the most emotive word – Messiah! Is this the Christ, and still there is no open decision. How sad!
In verse 27, it is as if there is not enough mystery about Him.
Do you really know Me? Do you really know where I come from? There is an unwillingness to get to know Jesus intimately, and it really was a mystery in the wrong sense, and they wanted it to remain a mystery, and that happens today too.
There is a growing sense of division in these verses. Jesus does divide and we cannot run away from that. People do polarize for against Jesus and we dare not hide from that reality either.
Jesus Christ came to speak and declare the truth. Everyone is not O.K. All are not basically good. Each of us needs a saviour.
Notice, and it is particular obvious in this Chapter, how Jesus never quoted the Rabbis. Jesus only quoted the Scripture and with reference to Moses and the Prophets.
In James Chapter 3, we read that we are to be careful with our tongue. We have to be able to control our tongue and what we say. We have to guard what comes from our mouths. Was James thinking on what he had once said to his brother, Jesus the Christ? What I was so familiar with is now the heart of my faith – the One with whom I grew up is now my saviour!
There were those who tried to seize Jesus there and then, and silence Him, but His hour had not yet come. There were those who put their trust in Jesus and did so openly. Verse 31.
There always comes that time – that moment – when we have to place our trust in Jesus Christ openly, and unashamedly, without being too concerned about what those around us might think.
Fear, and being afraid, to confess Him openly, can keep a man away from Jesus Christ.
There comes that time when we have to go further than discuss and debate, but decide, for or against. There comes that time when men want to seize Him to silence him, or seize him as Saviour.
We see in this Chapter a growing distance between Jesus and certain religious leaders who were challenging Him and out to get Him. In His family, we are aware of doubt at this stage. Jesus also reveals such discretion and amazing timing, as debate and doctrine end up with division.
There has to come that moment when we are HIS openly, and in every situation, knowing that some will want to seize us and silence us, because we keep reminding them of HIM, and HIS LIGHT and HIS LOVE, and their sin!
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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