November 2 - John 7-9
The theme of this passage is division. There was a division created because of Jesus. Some believed in Him, and some did not believe. Jesus did not try to prevent this division, so much as He recognized that this type of division would exist. I, myself, do not like division. I do not believe that God likes division, either. God desires unity, but there is no real unity, unless people are agreed about Jesus and the will of God. As you read this passage, let the Lord speak to you about this division.
In chapter 7 Jesus has an interaction with His brothers about going to the Feast of Tabernacles, His brothers did not believe in Him at this point, so there was a division between them, and they didn't understand what Jesus was doing in His ministry. I am sure that this misunderstand was hard for Jesus, but He kept loving them, even though they did not believe. We have to do the same thing for our unbelieving relatives. Then, when Jesus does go to the feast, He teaches about judgment and about going where the Jewish leaders could not come. This did not solve the division between them and Jesus, in fact, it might have made it worse. What I mean is this; Jesus did not try to placate them in their unbelief, He went ahead and spoke the whole truth. He was not rude, but He was very truthful. I think this is wise in dealing with unbelievers, even though it is hard. They need to see their unbelief and their sin, so to compromise is not helpful for them.
In chapter 8 Jesus finds a division between Himself and those who brought the woman to Him. Again, He continued to speak the truth and not to give in to them. When He told them that they were children of the devil and not Abraham that did not make them happy. However, they needed to hear the truth and to be set free by the truth. (v.32) They needed to realize that Jesus was the Great I AM, who was before Abraham. (v.58) The division was not caused by the truth. It was caused by their unbelief. They could not come to belief unless the truth was presented in a clear way. That is what Jesus did, and that is what we must do today.
In chapter 9 there was a division caused by Jesus healing the man who was born blind. Some believed that it proved Jesus was from God, but the leaders continued to reject Jesus and to persecute anyone who decided to follow Jesus. In other words, the division was getting worse instead of better. (v.16) It is the same way in our world today. It will be this way until Jesus comes again. The only thing that can heal the division is surrender to Jesus and His will. (v.38) That is what the blind man did, when he came to understand who Jesus was. That is what people must do today. We live in a divided world. Let's not try to heal the division ourselves by comforting people in their unbelief. Let's allow Jesus to cure the division by saving people who put their trust in Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read John 10-12.
In chapter 7 Jesus has an interaction with His brothers about going to the Feast of Tabernacles, His brothers did not believe in Him at this point, so there was a division between them, and they didn't understand what Jesus was doing in His ministry. I am sure that this misunderstand was hard for Jesus, but He kept loving them, even though they did not believe. We have to do the same thing for our unbelieving relatives. Then, when Jesus does go to the feast, He teaches about judgment and about going where the Jewish leaders could not come. This did not solve the division between them and Jesus, in fact, it might have made it worse. What I mean is this; Jesus did not try to placate them in their unbelief, He went ahead and spoke the whole truth. He was not rude, but He was very truthful. I think this is wise in dealing with unbelievers, even though it is hard. They need to see their unbelief and their sin, so to compromise is not helpful for them.
In chapter 8 Jesus finds a division between Himself and those who brought the woman to Him. Again, He continued to speak the truth and not to give in to them. When He told them that they were children of the devil and not Abraham that did not make them happy. However, they needed to hear the truth and to be set free by the truth. (v.32) They needed to realize that Jesus was the Great I AM, who was before Abraham. (v.58) The division was not caused by the truth. It was caused by their unbelief. They could not come to belief unless the truth was presented in a clear way. That is what Jesus did, and that is what we must do today.
In chapter 9 there was a division caused by Jesus healing the man who was born blind. Some believed that it proved Jesus was from God, but the leaders continued to reject Jesus and to persecute anyone who decided to follow Jesus. In other words, the division was getting worse instead of better. (v.16) It is the same way in our world today. It will be this way until Jesus comes again. The only thing that can heal the division is surrender to Jesus and His will. (v.38) That is what the blind man did, when he came to understand who Jesus was. That is what people must do today. We live in a divided world. Let's not try to heal the division ourselves by comforting people in their unbelief. Let's allow Jesus to cure the division by saving people who put their trust in Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read John 10-12.