The Source of our Light and Joy
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John 12:37-43
37. Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him; 38. it was that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" 39. Therefore they could not believe. For Isaiah again said, 40. "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and turn for me to heal them." 41. Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42. Nevertheless many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43. for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
I can understand that many people had trouble believing Jesus was the “real deal.” There were a lot of men proclaiming they were the savior! There were a lot of prophets declaring they knew the truth and they were the answer to the prophecies of old. By the time Christ came on the scene, life was very difficult for the Jews. They were oppressed and beaten down—literally and spiritually. They had very few rights under Roman rule. And after all, they had been waiting hundreds of years for the Messiah! They had become so hopeless that they were unable to accept that “one of their own” could be the fulfillment of the prophets of old.
In a way, I think verse 43 is kind of harsh. These people were terrified! And the synagogue was the center of their lives. To be put out of the synagogue would have disgraced them – and their families. They would have lost standing in the community. If one were a merchant, they would be boycotted. If one were a teacher or other learned elder, they would be shunned and rejected. Times were very hard. Hopelessness is almost impossible to overcome. Sometimes you can get so far down, that you literally can’t see “up.” Beyond that, it’s inconceivable for us to think about giving up everything in our lives—our reputation, our livelihood, our way of life.
And yet, that’s what Jesus bid us do. Follow him. Don’t look back. Walk away. Trust him. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I would have to decline. Oh, I would regret it the rest of my life! I would wish I had what it takes. But, honestly, I don’t know if I’m made of the right stuff. Our church recently housed a missionary couple when they “retired” after decades of service in Africa. One of the individuals who greeted them when they arrived at the small “refugee house” we maintain on our grounds said that they each had one suitcase. One. Everything they owned fit into one suitcase each.
Now, we’re not all called to be missionaries. We’re not all expected to live without any possessions. We’re not all filled with a need to do a lot of the things other people do to serve God. But we are all called to follow Jesus. Don’t look back. Walk away. Trust him. Don’t look back on your former life: sin and shame and fear about the future. Walk away from the things of this world that have become idols in our lives. Believe and trust that Christ walks beside us through every moment of our lives. And waits for us in heaven.
It is not easy to be a follower of Christ. He told us it would be difficult—in fact, nearly impossible. He said we would be shunned and ridiculed by our friends and neighbors—maybe even by our own families. He said that there would be many situations in which we would be the “odd man out.” People look at Christians differently than the rest of the world. People are often uncomfortable around us, because they don’t understand the source of our peace and our hope for the future. They don’t like it when our true joy at living in the light of Christ reflects onto them the darkness of their own lives.
Jesus never told us it would be easy. I thank God every day of my life that he sent his son to heal me. I rejoice that I don’t have to look back, don’t have to fear the future, don’t have to rely on the approval of man and especially that I have a God who allows me to be less than perfect, and loves me anyway!
I hope today you shine the light of Christ into a dark and hopeless world. And that others will look at you and ask the source of your light and joy.
Mary
