Tuesday, February 19, 2013
John 8:46-48 "Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." The Jews answered him, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"
JUDGING OTHERS
Name calling, always the best way to get back at someone against whom you have no real argument. I use it against my brother all the time. Jesus presents His enemies with the truth. They have no argument. They could not even find a single mistake or sin in His whole life. They had absolutely nothing so instead they resort to name calling. "You are a demon and a Samaritan."
Since we are called to judge our life, we ought to ask if we use name calling to avoid listening to the Word of God. Perhaps we think of our pastors as being old fashioned, out of touch, not as wise as I we, etc. Often we don't really want to listen to them. What is that? That is an excuse not to listen to the Word of God that they present, in the end calling names isn't going to matter. When the word of God is presented, in written form or in speech, those who are of God hear, those who are not do whatever they can to make excuses.
In response Jesus simply points out, "I honor the Father." On the one hand whether or not he had a demon was the easiest thing to find out -- search the Scriptures. Do the words and actions of Jesus give glory and honor to the Father's word? Are the two in agreement? On the other hand it isn't just His words that bear witness but His actions as well. Jesus does the will of the Father. This is the challenge He presented the Jews at the beginning of this exchange: "Who convicts me of sin?"
"A demon and a Samaritan" does not live the self-sacrificing life which Jesus did. A demon does not give His life freely for men who are killing Him. A demon does not have as his goal the forgiveness of the sins of the world. A demon does not die in our place so that we might live in His.
