Whose Reality Is It, Anyway!
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John 8:42-47
42. Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45. But, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47. He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
These are hard words to hear! No wonder the Jews were upset! Jesus is telling them, in no uncertain terms, that there is one way and only one way to heaven. These people have spent most of their lives ardently trying to conform to the rigid rules that have perverted the laws written by the prophets. By the time Jesus came on the scene, it was literally impossible for anyone to achieve “perfection” because the most minute detail was addressed in the re-defined laws—making it impossible for anyone to obtain salvation. The priests and other temple officials has established themselves as an elite class and they didn’t like Jesus stirring things up!
But Jesus is going beyond thumbing his nose at the religious leaders. He’s breaking it down—plain and simple—believe me, and what I say, and you’ll be saved and spend eternity in heaven. Not easy—but simple. And that simple statement of faith and truth undermines everything the temple elite has taught! No wonder they wanted to get rid of this guy! What a rabble-rouser! But to call them children of a murderer! Wow! He’s not fooling around. He's really saying that not only are they going murder him soon, but that they have "murdered" the law as well!
This passage does apply to us today, too. Christ’s message is often hard for us to hear. It’s not easy to decide to live for Him at the expense of acceptance by the world. It’s not easy to do the right thing, when everyone around you is not. It’s difficult to be positive and pleasant and kind in a world that lives by self-centered satisfaction and degrading of others who don’t live up to some pre-conceived standard. If someone is different than we are, they cannot be up to our high standard! Why would we need to live by the truth of Christ, when we have everything we need?
We have a car, a house, a job, a family, friends. . . But do we have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Or are we like the Jews in this passage? Why don’t we hear the words of God, given to us through Jesus Christ? I think it’s just too hard to hear them—even today—maybe especially today! The media latches on to every negative, ugly aspect of human nature; the “reality shows” are anything but uplifting and positive—and exactly whose reality are they depicting? Why is Donald Trump firing someone, and people eating disgusting things and doing dangerous stunts, talk shows that demonstrate the dregs of society, and news that is so slanted toward one political agenda or another in any way indicative of our status as saved?
I know I’m on a bit of a soap box this morning, but this past weekend we watched so many wonderful programs about the life of Jesus on multiple stations. And programs about the Pope, and other life-affirming, uplifting programming. Why can’t this be called “reality tv?” That is
my reality! I am a Christian. I do hold myself to a higher standard! I do hold others to a higher standard. But I try not to judge them—and certainly do not hate them, degrade or minimize them. I am a sinner and I live a world full of sinners. But I have heard the word of God through Jesus Christ. And I am unable to accept a world that honors any less.
I hope today you join me in modeling and rejoicing in our status as SAVED! And that you will tell others the Good News, when they ask, “Why are you happy?”
Mary
