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The name of JesusSaturday, March 12, 2005
John 7:40-43 Others said, "He is the Christ." Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee?" Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"
Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.
Of course that's not Jesus' fault. We're just so damned self-righteous. So many people who heard Jesus made a judgment about him rather than listening, following, being still, waiting ... all the actively-passive things God requires for us to Know Him. At our small group meeting last night we talked about success. If loving God and loving each other are the goals, then one measure of success is how helpful I can be. Denny said, "I can help only so much without invoking the name of Jesus." Jesus Emmanuel-God-With-Us is the helper, the healer, the Whole One who makes us whole. Why try to help without him? How about the timing, though? When should I be silent and pray, or speak strong deliverance? When is it right to instruct, to confront, to comfort? How much should I listen, how much should I direct? Jesus had to answer these questions too. He didn't seem to agonize over his decisions. He also didn't seem to mind letting the chips fall, and he definitely didn't expect universal love and acceptance. He warned everyone that his way of "helping" could divide people at the deepest level. Naming Jesus shakes up the spirit world and shakes up my self-righteousness. My desire to be alone, to be my own man, to be god rises right to the surface, and I have to face it. That's a good thing. What I do next shapes the rest of my life, moment by eternal moment. Jesus, your name is above every name, and at your name every knee shall bow, every tongue confess. Jesus Christ is Lord. |
If they hadn't killed him, they might have killed each other. Lots of people did later. The name of Jesus divides people yesterday, today and forever.