“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17 – NIV) Today, I launch a new clergy collegial blog. I hope we will encourage and empower each other toward success and excellence in pastoral ministry. As I sit in the Pastor’s Study at Cambria Heights Community Church, I often ponder the possible feedback of clergy colleagues as it relates to preparing sermons, counseling in particularly difficult situation, designing fresh worship, balancing competing priorities of ministry, marriage and family, maintaining self-care, pursuing personal dreams and private interests outside of ministry and family, and finding resources to meet the ever evolving and changing needs of the people whom I serve. After a sustained period of prayer, reflection and meditation, I realize I can invite you to come “In The Pastor’s Study” for an exchange of ideas.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Four Funny Stories for Sermons, Speeches and Toasts

Four Funny Stories for Sermons, Speeches and Toasts

Story One – “Maybe, He Should’ve Put It in the Basement.”  A rich man who really loved money once told his wife, “Honey, when I die I am taking my money with me.  I have left a large bag of money in the attic.  As the last thing I do just before I ascend with the angels, I will reach down and grab that bag.”  He locked the door to attic and strictly forbade anyone in his household from entering it.  The fateful day came when his funeral was held at the local church.  After all the guests left the house upon finishing the memorial meal, his wife decided to look in the attic.  She retrieved the key, opened the door and climbed the stairs.  There, she found the large bag of money.  Then, she said to herself, “Maybe, he should have put it in the basement.”

Story Two – “Who Pushed Me?”  In a rustic town in the Mid-West, a wealthy man owned a large estate that rivaled the Feudal houses of the landed gentry.  On the estate, he built a large pond which he filled with alligators, barracudas and crocodiles.  Near the pond, he hung a sign agreeing to pay instantly one millionaire dollars in cash to anyone who could successfully swim from one end of the pond to the other.  One evening, he held a dinner party in which he invited the political, social and cultural elite from the neighboring towns and vicinity.  Surprisingly, in the middle of the party to everyone’s amazement, they witnessed a brother swimming fast and furiously as he evades snapping jaws of alligators, stealth of crocodiles and steely attacks of barracudas.  Shockingly but successfully, he arrives safely on the other side of the pond.  The owner of the estate stops the party to present his guest with the prize money.  Afterwards, the owner asks the brother does he wish to say anything.  He catches his breath and says rather angrily, “All I want to know is who pushed me?”

Story Three – “Do You Get the Point?”   Once, a local church pastor sought to demonstrate the dangers of drinking to his congregation.  He placed two large containers of clear liquids on the altar.  In the one on the left side, he had poured natural, pure spring water.  The one on the right contained good, high end vodka.  He dropped a worm in the left container and it began to swim freely and joyously.  After a couple of minutes, he put a second worm in the right container and it immediately died.  The pastor then asked the congregants, “Do you get the point?”  Known to be an excessive drinker, a congregant in the back raised his hand, stood up and said, “Brother Pastor, I get the point.”  The pastor responded delightfully and urged that man to share the point with the rest of the members.  The man said, “If you drink, you won’t get worms!”

Story Four – “The Butt Naked Truth”  The story is told of an encounter between “Mr. Truth” and “Mr. Lie.”  One day, they bumped into each other as they had decided separately to take a stroll.  Mr. Truth was dressed impeccably with fine, rich and refined designer clothes made from the very best fabrics, threads, and craftsmanship.  Seeking to emulate if not surpass his counterpart, Mr. Lie was wore synthetic and artificial versions of Mr. Truth’s clothing which he secretly and greatly admired.  In fact, Mr. Lie actually envied Mr. Truth and his clothing.  As they progressed on their stroll, they came upon a pond of clear and glistening spring water accentuated with a waterfall.  Mr. Lie suggested they stop and take a skinny dip to escape the heat and relax in the beautiful weather.  Mr. Truth agrees.  They undress and leave their clothes on the side of the pond.  Unbeknownst to him, as Mr. Truth dips deeply under water and returns to surface in the middle of the pond, he discovers that Mr. Lie has fled and stolen Mr. Truth’s clothes.  Furious with disdain, Mr. Truth rushes to the pond’s edge, jumps out and runs after Mr. Lie.  Later in the afternoon just before sundown, the neighboring town of Sleepy Hollow experiences the biggest commotion the residents had ever seen.  On the far end of town at the Drowsy Saloon above the fray of loud conversation, games and drinking, bar goers heard a mighty ruckus.  The butt naked truth came in town screaming and demanding his clothes!


In parabolic genre and tradition of the Gospels, each of these stories contains moral and ethical lessons.  I wish you imagination, creativity and spiritual insight as you meditate upon these anonymous stories and glean gems of wisdom.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Bible Study Notes - John 7:53 to 8:11

Bible Study Notes  - John 7:53 to 8:11

In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapters five, six and seven, the Lord Jesus declares He did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it through His life, preaching and teachings.  He establishes a “New Law of Love” which exceeds the requirements of the black letter commandments of the Torah and Decalogue, The Ten Commandments.  According to Jesus, simply adhering to the Law’s stringent requirements does not equate with righteousness before the Heavenly Father.  Jesus condemns the Pharisaical stratagem of building a hedge around the Law by staying within its requirements to ensure a person does not break the Law.  If the Law allows forty lashes, Pharisees would stop at thirty-nine lashes seeking to guard against breaking the Law.  Rather, Jesus demands His disciples consider the human element in observance of the Law.  He harshly criticizes the Pharisees for arguing against His performing miracles on the Sabbath though broken, lame, blind, diseased, mute and otherwise unhealthy people would be left in their pain and suffering due to technical adherence to the Law.  The “New Law of Love” overrides this stench of religiosity, piety and perhaps hypocrisy.  Rather, it prioritizes the needs and well-being of hurting people. 

The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark concludes with a story in which Jesus demonstrates extraordinary love to a leper.  The evangelist says Jesus looks upon the man, probably being the first person to show that man this kind of consideration and respect in quite a while, and loves him.  Remarkably, Jesus touches the man thereby demonstrating His love for this leper.  Jesus’ actions actually violate the Law by having any contact with the leper.  The black letter Law prohibits Jesus from touching this leper lest He contaminate other people with whom He would have contact afterwards.  However, the “New Law of Love” mandates that disciples look beyond technicalities and meet direct embodied needs of people who linger in pain and suffering.

The great apostle of love, John, vividly depicts the “New Law of Love” in this most compelling scene in which Jesus extends love, grace and mercy to a woman caught in the act of adultery.  He looks beyond the permissive punishment of the Law and offers her forgiveness, healing and redemptive love.  Chances are most people recall this story because of the immortal and often quoted line, “Let the one without sin cast the first stone.”  Recitation of that line focuses mostly on the sin and the questionable right of the crowd to condemn the woman and justly punish her.  More significantly, Jesus refuses to condemn this woman.  He even encourages her to find a new life by ceasing her personally destructive behavior.  Jesus’ graciousness and mercy are genuine attributes of agape, the highest form of love which is selfless, sacrificial, redemptive and transformative.  Jesus unfailingly loves this unnamed woman with His authentic concern for her well-being as a child of Almighty God.  He desires that she accepts her inheritance as a daughter of God and begin cultivating a character and lifestyle consistent with her true identity. 

In this story which I peg as “The Beauty of Mercy,” Jesus demonstrates the true essence of the entire teachings of the Law and the Prophets.  Some biblical scholars suggest that Micah 6:8 summarizes the teachings of Jesus.  “Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly before God.”  This beautiful story of mercy illustrates this verse.  It would be unjust, unreasonable and unprincipled to condemn and stone this woman as the man with whom she is caught goes free.  She deserves mercy instead of retribution as she is exploited by the religious leaders.  Conceivably, she may have been a prostitute and thus oppressed by certain economic and social conditions necessitating such a demeaning and dehumanizing lifestyle.  As Jesus argues with Pharisees and other religious rulers, He reveals their inability to walk humbly before God as the man who was with the woman may have been one of them.  In granting the right to anyone in the crowd who had led a sinless to cast the first stone, Jesus establishes mercy, grace and humility as cardinal principles in executing and adjudicating matters under the “New Law of Love.”

This story emphasizes the necessity of understanding and applying mercy when relating with fellows disciples and even unbelievers according to the “New Law of Love.”  Mercy differs from grace as mercy means sparing a potentially guilty person of a punishment he justly deserves.  As it relates to American criminal law, an act of mercy equals a pardon of a conviction whereby an incarcerated person is freed and the State relinquishes its due right to demand that he serve the remainder of his sentence.  Grace, in contrast, is God’s unmerited favor; practically speaking, grace is God’s kindness toward a person which emerges from God’s generous character.  In this story, Jesus exemplifies both of these divine attributes.

Consider the following questions and ideas as you study the passage.

·         This story occurs in the temple courts.  John contrasts official and institutional religion with cultivating a relationship with Almighty God through Jesus Christ.  Religion would execute the woman caught in adultery.  A relationship with a loving, gracious and merciful God yields a pardon.
·         As you study the passage, compare the theological differences between Jesus and the Pharisees.
·         Most Bibles note the textual and manuscript problems of this story.  The oldest and most reliable texts do not have this story.  Some scholars question the reliability of this story.  Do you find their objections to be reasonable?
·         Nevertheless, this story offers one of the most compelling instances of divine love and grace.  The power of its message overshadows the textual and manuscript challenges.
·         Though we have read it many times and possibly have hard numerous sermons on this passage, it deserves our meticulous and careful reading and analysis.
·         After teaching the crowd at the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus retreats to the Mount of Olives as they crowd disperses and returns to their homes.  The Mount of Olives was one of Jesus’ favorite places to pray and communion with the Heavenly Father.  There, Jesus ultimately prays the “High Priestly Prayer” on the night Judas betrays Jesus and the other disciples desert Him.  On this occasion, Jesus goes there for spiritual rejuvenation.  Jesus allows the Father and Spirit to regenerate Him after teaching.  His example is instructive for those persons who serve in the household of faith.  Strength, power and wisdom come from God.  We are vessels which require refueling like automobiles. 
·         Further, this trip to the Mount of Olives prepares Jesus for His forthcoming encounter with the Pharisees and this woman who is caught in the very act of adultery.  He gleans the divine wisdom and insight to teach this smaller crowd about God’s attributes of love, grace, mercy and compassion.
·         Just after sunrise, at dawn, Jesus appears in the temple courts where the people had gathered.  He sits down in order to teach them about the character of Almighty God.
·         Note the evangelist’s use of the themes of light and darkness with his mention of the dawn.  As the fourth watch of the night yields to the burst of dawn, John recites an incredible story of grace and mercy versus legalism and religious tradition.  This literary technique entices the reader to determine who stands in the darkness and who lives in the light.  The evangelist posits Jesus is the “Light of the World.”  Persons who refuse to believe in Him stumble forever in darkness.  Adherence to religious traditions and self-righteous personal piety which the Pharisees and teachers of the Law personify equates with walking in darkness.  Instead, disciples have an opportunity to leave the darkness of self-reliance and ritualism and walk into the dawn of new life in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
·         Providing an ideal opportunity but with the ulterior motive of entrapment, the teachers of the Law and Pharisees bring a woman caught in the act of adultery to ascertain what Jesus recommends as to her punishment given the clear and explicit commandments of the Law.
·         It does not appear these religious rulers and teachers have any concern for this woman.  She is a pawn in theological chess game.  They relegate her to collateral and expendable human waste as they seek to discredit Jesus and His teachings.  The evangelist cautions disciples against this rabid and irrational indifference to humankind’s dilemmas.  The Gospel of our Lord and Savior challenges disciples to grapple with people’s incapacities and daily messiness of their lives.  Ironically, these learned, religious people are indifferent to this hurting woman.
·         It stands to reason that if the woman was caught in an act of adultery she was with a man.  Where is the man?  Who was the man?  Why do the Pharisees and teachers of the Law fail to insist that the man be punished? 
·         Admittedly, during those biblical times in the Ancient Near East, woman did not possess equality with men.  However, the Law stipulates that both persons caught in adultery be stoned to death.
·         At the Weekly Bible Study and Prayer Meeting, participants reasoned that the man was a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious council of the Jews comprising an equality of Pharisee and Sadducees.  The leaders were protecting one of their own.  They allow him to hide within the crowd and escape scrutiny and judgment.
·         The religious leaders ask Jesus for a decision regarding this woman’s fate as a means of entrapping Him.  They hope He will proactively violate the Law.  They would like justification for their desire to assassinate Jesus.  If they can deceptively gain His acquiescence, then they will garner the support of the crowd in their dastardly deed of committing a “righteous murder.”
·         This scene teaches us to be discerning about the motives of people’s questions.  What is the “real” question?  When people ask us a question, what do they really want to know?  Have you ever had the experience of someone calling to ask for your counsel and advice only to discover that the person called merely to gain your approval of an idea they previously determined was correct?  The person really was not interested in your thoughts and suggestions.  He only wanted your uncritical cooperation.
·         In response, the text says Jesus bent down and wrote in the sand with a His finger.  What a bizarre reaction to such a pivotal question proffered by the religious leaders of the nation!  What leads the evangelist to include this detail without telling us exactly what Jesus writes in the sand?  After all, John witnesses this event firsthand.  He read what Jesus wrote. 
·         What do you think Jesus writes in the sand?  I suspect it was something merciful and gracious perhaps the word, “Forgiven.” 
·         It is generous of John to leave this detail open as he allows us to fill in the blanks of what the Lord would write were we to exchange places with this woman.  Really, all disciples have been in her place at some point along their spiritual journey.  In omitting this detail, John invites us to personalize this passage just as he encourages us to develop a very personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  Doubtless, until the day of her death, this woman vividly remembers what Jesus writes in the sand.  For anyone who genuinely encounters Him, the day and time of the beginning of a relationship with Jesus remains indelibly within a person’s mind and heart.
·         The teachers of the Law and Pharisees persist in questioning as to His interpretation and application of the Law in this instance.  They greatly desire success of their entrapment scheme.
·         Jesus straightens up and says these immortal words, “Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  This spiritual maxim teaches us to reflect with levity and grace before quickly passing judgment upon someone.  Have we done what they have been accused of doing?  Have been recipients of God’s grace when we rightly deserved punishment and condemnation?  Can we identify with the accused persons pain, fear, ignorance, incapacities and other defects of character that may have contributed to the commission of sin?  Were we ever given a second chance?  Can we determine a resolution that is restorative rather than retributive?  Do we have any legitimate right to stand in judgment of anyone?  The list of questions we ask in response to Jesus standard of justice is inexhaustible.
·         The verse, John 8:7, establishes the “New Law of Love.”  As the crowd reflects upon their past mistakes, sin and patterns of behavior that undermine their inheritance as children of Almighty God, they extend mercy to this woman as they realize they previously had committed offenses punishable by death but had also been recipients of the grace of God.  As receivers of forgiveness and grace, they become givers of mercy.
·         Jesus’ words offer an entire new beginning to the woman and the crowd as they receive a new insight for adjudicating sin.  They now have a new spiritual guide with which to handle people’s errors.  The “New Law of Love” mandates the importance of human pain and suffering as well as building better relationships will enable the creation of a more just and equitable society as disciples strive to adjudicate disputes with a transformative purpose for the individual and reconciliation within relationships.
·         Then, Jesus stoops down and begins to write in the sand again.  True to His method of teaching, Jesus announces a profound spiritual principle and then allows it to explode in the mind, consciousness and heart of the hearers. 
·         Usually, Jesus embeds divine wisdom within a story as the parables in the Gospel demonstrate.  We are not privy to how the rich young ruler, Simon the Pharisee or the nine lepers ultimately processed and applied Jesus’ teachings.  We simply know that the rich young ruler went away sad.  In time, he may have joined the Jesus movement.  Simon the Pharisee castigates Jesus for allowing a prostitute to touch Him yet alone wash His feet with her hair and perfume.  Did this upright and stalwart religious man ever understand divine compassion and forgiveness as Jesus instructed him that afternoon in Simon’s dining room?  As it relates to the nine lepers who did not turn around to express thanks for their healing and new lease on life, perhaps, they “paid it forward” in subsequent years as they graciously and bountifully help other suffering people.  Simply put, it may have taken time for these lepers to realize fully the incalculable and miraculous blessing they received.  In that time, gratitude grew within their minds and hearts.  When the epiphany occurred, they practiced their thanksgiving by helping other people.  Decades after graduating from high school and college, students finally appreciate the sacrifices of their teachers.  Lessons that they did not grasp while enrolled in courses burst with clarity on the horizon of their minds and consciousness like a new dawn.  Then, these students may write their teachers and genuinely express gratitude for their commitment and dedication to education and learning. 
·         When the truth erupts between their ears like the burning, fierce lava of an active volcano, the crowd drops their stones and disperses acknowledging their inability to judge this woman.  They leave her standing alone in the presence of Jesus who is the only Person in the crowd qualified to pass judgment on this woman.  Consistent with the teaching of the fifty-first psalm, disciplines sin against God and God alone.  Eventually, sinners stand before the presence of God to receive His decision relating to their choices and consequences.  Only a perfect and loving God can perfectly adjudicate sin.  Disciples like this woman stand alone in the presence of Almighty God.
·         It is particularly significant that John explicitly states that the older persons in the crowd leave first!  A walk down memory lane usually yields compassion and forgiveness.  However, periodically “senior and seasoned saints” forget the days of youth, temptation, ignorance, impulse, and immaturity.  Their mental lapses inadvertently lead them to employ an unjust standard when evaluating the behavior of seekers, sinners and other people who come to church.  They expect people to arrive without challenges and character defects.  They forget the long and painstaking process of spiritual growth they experienced enroute to becoming a person of honesty, integrity and truth.
·         A critical conversation ensues between Jesus and this woman.  After the crowd leaves them alone, Jesus straightens up again and directly addresses the woman.  He asks about the whereabouts of the people who sought to stone her.  “Has no remained to condemn you?”  She says, “No one sir.”    
·         With the elegance of mercy, Jesus tells her that neither does he condemn her.  He spares her death sentence which would have been executed had He not intervene.  Moreover, Jesus gives her new life.
·         He concludes their conversation with an encouraging and empowering word, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”  In order to receive her new life, this woman must make fundamental changes in her choices and lifestyle.  She cannot continue a life of prostitution and adultery.  Otherwise, she would trample upon the grace of God.
·         Contemporary disciples have a similar obligation to appreciate God’s gifts of grace and mercy by daily practicing spiritual disciplines which enable their spiritual maturity and personal growth.

·         Notwithstanding the enduring and valid textual criticisms which biblical scholars and other serious students of the Bible offer relating to this passage, it is a priceless portrait of “The Beauty of Mercy.”  Utilizing the grand literary techniques of duality (light and darkness, religion versus a relationship with God, legalism and liberty, punishment versus pardon and judgment and mercy), the great evangelist of love brilliantly and succinctly paints with meticulous detail a divine example of unfailing love, compassion, forgiveness and mercy.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Bible Study Notes - John 7:37-52

Bible Study  Notes John 7:37-52

Rudimentary knowledge of life science reveals the impossibility of living without water.  Human bodies are two-thirds water.  This essential element of life covers two thirds of the Earth.   Centuries before I learned these foundational aspects of science, residents of Ancient Near Eastern countries were more dependent upon water than we are today.  King Hezekiah’s popularity partially centered upon his effective administrative abilities with the wide distribution of cisterns through the kingdoms of Israel.  These large open containers collected rain which became a critical source of water for cooking, bathing and other daily needs.  His government solved a major problem for the nation as droughts and famines constantly threatened the people’s livelihood and existence.  In the midst of a populated religious festival which must have drained the city’s water supply considering the large number of tourists and pilgrims entering Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus utilizes their dependency upon water for physical wellness to instruct them about the need of the Holy Spirit as an enduring source of spiritual well-being.

Earth, air, fire and water are the four primary elements of human life.  Removal of any one would make life on Earth nearly impossible.  The evangelist, through the words of Jesus, in this passage draws a spiritual analogy to the Holy Spirit about whom the Gospel of John offers substantial teaching.  The discoverers, Lewis and Clark, who undertook the exploration of the continental United States at the behest of President Thomas Jefferson, marveled at God’s perfect planning and majesty in the placement of bodies of water throughout the land.  Ponds, lakes, and rivers are distributed exquisitely in states that are land-locked.  Major cities throughout the country and world are adjacent to rivers or large bodies of water.  Classical Egyptian civilization depended mostly upon the Nile River.  In the United States, the great Mississippi River gives life inclusive of commerce, culture, education and social identity to major urban areas from New Orleans, Louisiana to the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.  Quite simply, we cannot live without water.  Maturing disciples equally cannot flourish in abundant and eternal life with the life sustaining and regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.  John utilizes this natural necessity as a literary device to instruct his audience on the importance of establishing a relationship with the Holy Spirit who leads and guides disciples toward the truth of Jesus’ teachings.

Water factors significantly in contemporary American commerce.  The bottled water section of grocery stores is an extensive as the soda, beer and wine selections.  Easily, most people can recite seven to ten name brand bottlers of spring, mineral, purified and natural water: Perrier, Evian, Poland Spring, Aqua Fina, Dasani, Deer Park, Crystal Clear, etc.  Each grocery chain sells its own brand of bottled water which consumers label as generic.  Acadia is the store brand bottled water for Stop and Shop Stores.  Despite the proliferation of Brita filters and other devices manufactured to remove impurities from faucet water, most families weekly purchase considerable quantities of bottled water.  It is as if an underlying fear that they will not have access to purified water determines their shopping patterns.  You may recall the countless amount of water that citizens purchased during the last week of 1999 in anticipation of the Y2K scare.  Threatening forecasts of imminent natural disasters immediately result in a run on water and other essential staples.  In fact, Americans annually purchase so much bottled water that the single containers, were they lined up like dominoes, would fit around the world twice.  These spending patterns reveal the centrality of water in daily American life.  The need for assurance to an unlimited supply of this natural resource redefines weekly grocery shopping and American commerce. 

Imagine living in an area where direct access to water was not a given daily reality.  A very limited water supply exists for the essential activities of preparing meals, bathing and necessity hydration.  Carrying bottles of water and sipping incessantly throughout the day.  Envision living in a region of the world with very limited water.  In such a place, every drop of water is important.  The absence of containers to collect rain necessitated rationing and high prices in Jerusalem for it was such a place where water was a gift and privilege and not something to be taken for granted.

The scarcity of water in Jerusalem occurred mostly from May to October as the city had very little rain fall during biblical times.  From November to April, the city could only expect twenty-five inches of rain.  These persistent drought conditions could easily trigger a famine as the land produced just enough food for the population.  Jerusalem as a city was waterless by nature.  Thus, its population became heavily dependent upon cisterns catching rain and thereby providing consistent storage of water.  Common possession of a cistern made a fundamental difference in a family’s life.  It yielded peace of mind.  Lack of a cistern conversely meant a dire hardship as a family struggled to attend to daily needs of cooking and bathing.  Cisterns were helpful particularly in collecting rain water for use during perennial summer droughts.  Hezekiah (715 BCE to 687 BCE) became a beloved king if Israel because he met a critical need of his people in building an aqueduct to bring water to Jerusalem.  Whether poor and lacking a cistern or prosperous and owning one, average people had access to much needed water.

In this passage, John puts Jesus in Hezekiah’s place.  Jesus stands in the temple courts in Jerusalem and offers living water to anyone who receives His teachings.  Divine knowledge and wisdom are as essential to maintaining a disciple’s spiritual life as water is to sustaining physical existence.  The Holy Spirit functions as an internal cistern out which everlasting streams of living waters flow.  As rivers ultimately connect to the seemingly infinite expanse of the ocean, the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Triune Infinite God whose superabundance He graciously and generously shares with His children.  John encourages the crowd who listen to Jesus’ teachings to accept them as inexhaustible and eternal living water. 

Consider the following ideas and questions as you study the passage.
·         The Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths occurs during harvest time.  It reminds the Jewish people of God’s faithful provision as they traveled during the wilderness years and even after they entered and settled the Promised Land.  Though they dwelled in temporary houses and tents, they always had security in God’s covenantal provision.  Yet, as they traveled in the wilderness, they could not assume they would have direct access to water as they were wandering in desert regions.  Ironically, the time of harvest equated with the season of drought.
·         Within that context, Jesus stands on the last and greatest day of the feast and says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”  The evangelist uses these words to depict the inadequacy of religion and formulaic rituals.  His portrait of the religious leaders who seek to kill Jesus without any justification reveals the moral bankruptcy of persons who simply study the Law but never internalize it.  Knowing facts and commandments of the Law does not necessarily establish a relationship with God whom the Law reveals.  John, in contrast to this stale and lifeless religion and tradition, encourages the crowd to establish a relationship with Jesus who is the Law giver of love.  This relationship daily renews its participants with the regenerating wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit.
·         This verse in the Gospel reminds me of Isaiah 55:1-3.  Please read that brief passage and compare it with this passage in the Gospel.
·         Essentially, John wants his audience to realize that rote religion equates with drought, dehydration and desert.  Jesus personifies a fountain containing an infinite supply of water.
·         As always with the evangelist, belief is necessary to access Christ’s abundant and eternal life.  Mental assent is not sufficient.  Belief encompasses head and heart.  It further necessitates practice in daily living as disciples commit time, treasure, temperament and talent to the Lord Jesus Christ for His service.
·         Belief provides access to the infinite resources of the Holy Spirit.
·         John’s analogy of water as the ever flowing guidance of the Holy Spirit by default equates thirst, drought, dehydration and other similar states of existing in a desert with life without Jesus Christ.  Righteous religious commitment leaves disciples with an existential thirst which only a relationship with Jesus Christ satisfies.  Jesus personifies a fountain containing an infinite supply of water.  Naturally, the rushing waters of Niagara Falls in the Buffalo, New York region or the Victoria Falls bordering the African nations of Zambia and Zimbabwe depict limitless supply of wisdom, knowledge, discernment and other spiritual characteristics a disciple receives when he rightly relates himself to the Lord Jesus Christ.  As Jesus is Infinite and Eternal, then He offers an boundless supply of living water to anyone who comes to Him.  “You will never thirst again.”
·         Again, a genuine belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of the Living God activates the “streams of living water” flowing from within each disciple.
·         Through the “still, small voice” within each of us, God speaks and reveals His “good, pleasing and perfect” will and the desires of our hearts.  Contrary to popular teachings and the proliferation of countless formulas for discerning, verifying and actualizing the will of God, He speaks to each disciple within his heart.  God relates directly with each of us in a confidential manner.  The practice of spiritual disciplines connects disciples to the infinite source of divine wisdom, the Holy Spirit.
·         John’s discourse alludes to the image of rivers connecting to the ocean.  Periodically, rivers overflow as a means of cleansing.  Likewise, disciples deal with emotions that well up within them as a means of cleaning their minds, hearts and characters.  Heightened egos often overflow leaving toxic residue within us.  As the Holy Spirit then overflows, He cleanses us of character defects.
·         As we cannot satisfy our spiritual thirst outside of ourselves, we drink freely and bountifully from the river of life that flows within us.  What we need to live purposefully lies within us.  The major battles of life are fought within the mind, heart and soul.  We cannot expect other people and external circumstances to give to us what we can only find within us as we rightly relate to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Life’s true riches are fundamentally internal gifts.
·         John explicitly states the Holy Spirit is the streams of living and eternal water that flow within each disciple.  The Holy Spirit is a gift to each person who truly believes in Jesus.  At the time of this feast, the Spirit had not yet been given to as Jesus had not yet been glorified through His crucifixion, death and resurrection.
·         The Holy Spirit comes to disciples as a Friend, Counselor, Comforter and Helper as John explains later in the Gospel.  The Holy Spirit reminds disciples of the teachings of Jesus and He leads and guides them toward the Truth of Christ.  Essentially, the Holy Spirit sustains each disciple as he matures the new life of Christ and faces life’s daily challenges.
·         In Galatians 5:15-26, Paul details the fruit of the Holy Spirit: faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, joy, kindness, love, patience, peace and self-control.
·         In 1 Corinthians, 12:7-11 and 27-31, Paul delineates the gifts of the Holy Spirit: tongues, prophecy, interpretation, faith, healing, miracles, discernment, knowledge and wisdom. 
·         Paul lists additional gifts of Holy Spirit in Romans 12:3-7: service, encouragement, leadership, administration, giving and teaching.
·         However, it is very important to study thoroughly the Holy Spirit discourses in John 14, 15 and 16.
·         The crowd returns to its conflicting opinions about Jesus.  Some people declare, “Surely this man is the Prophet” as they marvel at the wisdom of His teachings.  Other people insist that Jesus cannot be the Messiah given His earthly origins.  This detail reminds us of the fallacy of self-reliance and sole dependence upon human reason as it relates to understanding spiritual matters.  John posits disciples will experience inevitable droughts of presumptions, expectations and ambiguity if they rely upon human reason.  The Holy Spirit is given to encourage and empower disciples with divine guidance and perseverance in such periods.
·         John concludes this passage with an illustration of the unbelief of the learned religious leaders who sought to seize and kill Jesus because His teachings threatened their economic, political and social power.  The temple guards return to the religious leaders without Jesus whom they were instructed explicitly to arrest.  When questioned about their failure to apprehend Jesus, the guards respond with sharing their amazement as they listened to Jesus’ teachings.  “No one ever spoke like this man.”  With deep chagrin, the Pharisees asked the guards had they too been deceived by Jesus.  Further, they ask if any of them had believes in Jesus.  As no of them had, it stands to reason that Jesus’ teachings were worthless as the most knowledgeable persons discarded them.
·         The Pharisees proceed to express their disdain for any person in the crowd who chooses to believe in Jesus.  What do they know!  They have not studied anything!  They are just a bunch of commoners! 
·         Conceivably, those persons in the crowd who believe in Jesus are tired finally of living in a desert of ignorance, ritualism, self-righteousness, tradition and unrewarding reliance upon the Law.  Interestingly, the Pharisees and Sadducees would leave the crowd in this wilderness in order to control and exploit them.  The religious leaders did not want the crowd to challenge them or anything they taught.  After all, they wanted to collect the lucrative fees for sacrifices and other religious observances they usually gained during major festivals.  Jesus’ teachings about the Holy Spirit and having a direct relationship with the Heavenly Father whom Jesus embodies contradict the previously unchallenged rule of the Sanhedrin.
·         Most interestingly, at a meeting of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus speaks on Jesus’ behalf to the dismay and exasperation of his fellow religious leaders.  Nicodemus who previously conversed with Jesus at night in an attempt to understand the source and purpose of His public ministry argues for due process.  Nicodemus advocates for Jesus’ right to be heard on the merits of His teachings.  The Law in fact grants Jesus that right.  In return, members of the Sanhedrin insult Nicodemus for insisting upon following proper protocol and procedure.  They attack Nicodemus’ reading of the Law.
·         Nicodemus’ willingness to speak on Jesus’ behalf is suggestive of a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “It is easy to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
·         The Bible contains many passages utilizing water as an image of spirituality and personal growth.  The Psalter says his soul thirsts for the living God just as the deer pants for the refreshment of the water brooks (Psalm 42).  The prophet, Amos, demands that justice rolls down like rushing waters and righteousness like a might stream.  During Israel’s wilderness wandering years, the people complain about the lack of fresh drinking water; their physical thirst actually symbolized their desire to know Almighty God as the myriad pagan gods and idols left them unfulfilled.  Years before their ordeal, Isaac also wanders through rough terrain and exclaims, “We have found water,’ upon its discovery (Genesis 26:32).   

·         In this passage in which the Feast of Tabernacles provides the context for Jesus’ teaching about the Holy Spirit’s ability to sustain anyone who genuinely believes with abundant and eternal life, the evangelist instructs his audience that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leads His sheep beside quiets waters and restores their souls.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Bible Study Notes 7:24-36

Bible Study Notes John 7:24-36

When is the last time you searched furiously for anything?  Did you ransack the house; empty the trunk of your car, overturn everything in your garage and practically demolish anything and everything in your path?  Search and rescue missions for missing children in response to Amber Alerts operate with similar tunnel vision.  Every nook and cranny of the area where the missing child was last seen is searched thoroughly multiple times.  As precious time elapses, panic ensues as you begin to feel you will never find the person.  Sometimes, finding material possessions assume equal worth for some people as they frantically look for loss items.  Moreover, people search for non-corporeal riches such as happiness, joy, peace and success.  Whether physical, financial or personal, loss items force people to search with undivided attention.

Interestingly, life can be a perpetual search.  The enduring riches of love, truth, justice and wholeness often elude many people.  Searches for these attributes continue though many persons thought they had previously found answers to life’s most pressing questions.  Additional degrees and continuing professional training are practical means of searching for ultimate success.  Promotions at work with loftier job titles are other signs of fruitful searches for enduring wealth.  Other people look for fulfillment in community activities and personal interests such as memberships in fraternities, sororities and myriad other organizations. 

In this passage, the crowd that listens to Jesus’ authoritative teaching is still searching for the Messiah though He stands in their midst.  Many times, the object of our searches lay right in front of us.  The crowd had traveled to Jerusalem to encounter God during the Feast of Tabernacles.  For nearly three thousand years, they expected a Messiah to return Israel to the glory of David’s and Solomon’s reigns.  For three hundred centuries, these people wholeheartedly wait for God’s deliverance through the Messiah. Despite Jesus’ miracles, healing and teaching, the crowd misses the reality that God answered their prayers.  They still search for the Messiah.

The crass commercialization of contemporary American Christianity cloaks the authenticity of Christ as the Bible reveals.  Though crowds gather in praise and worship at countless churches throughout the nation, many persons still search for Jesus Christ.  They can hardly find Him because of the commoditized depictions of Him that the “Religious Right” and other ecclesiastical institutionalists perpetrate upon disciples and seekers.  Regrettably, the cacophony of high-tech worship services which mimic concerts and productions of the secular marketplace prevent genuine seekers and maturing disciples from hearing the voice of the Lord.  Hopefully, they will continue to search until they find Him.

Consider the following ideas and questions as you study the text.

·         A division ensues over who Jesus actually is.  Some people in the crowd wonder about His ability to continue teaching though they are aware of the Jewish leaders desire to kill Jesus.  Some begin to ask whether the leaders have concluded that Jesus is the Messiah.
·         Is Jesus of Nazareth the Messiah?  How can it be?  “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”  Note the presuppositions of the crowd?  Are they also given to the assumptions that appearances determine authenticity?  Does the crowd also believe that the Messiah would hail from an affluent region and possess royal lineage?
·         Since the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus teaches openly.  The crowd marvels at His lessons and knowledge realizing Jesus has no formal training.
·         The religious leaders and secular authorities do not marshal forces to apprehend Jesus.  In response, some persons in the crowd ask whether this refusal to arrest Jesus means the leaders have determined Jesus is the Messiah.
·         Yet, the crowd remains skeptical and uncertain.  Consistently, they are fickle as members of a crowd are.  They are still searching for the Messiah though He stands right in front of them.
·         Historic assumptions and religious traditions blind them to seeing the Messiah.  Amazingly, the day for which they longed for centuries had dawned and they do not see it.
·         Facilely, they determine Jesus could not be the Messiah because they know from whence He comes. 
·         In these biblical times, people were known by their towns and regions.  A person’s area supposedly reveals a lot about his character.
·         As a consequence, the crowd eliminates the strong possibility that Jesus of Nazareth could be the Messiah.
·         In the City of New York, residents of within each of the five boroughs insist their neighborhoods and boroughs have more positive distinguishing characteristics than their counterparts.  Citizens who live in Brooklyn do not want anyone to mistake their place of residence with anywhere in the Bronx.
·         In the State of South Carolina where I spent my formative, childhood years, persons who grow up in small towns encounter difficulty seeking statewide office as it is hard to imagine someone from Dalzell, Mayesville, Waterboro and Wisacky possessing a large enough worldview to manage lofty affairs.
·         Recent American history demonstrates the fallacy of labeling people by their towns of origins.  Many persons from very humble beginnings achieve incredibly significant dreams and goals which ultimately benefit humankind.  Dr. Ben Carson, one of the world’s foremost neurosurgeons, grew up in the projects of Detroit, Michigan.  Former President William Jefferson Clinton lived in a trailer park in Hope, Arkansas.  Mary McLeod Bethune, one of the most important advisers to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and a strong advocate for African American civil rights and education, came from Mayesville, South Carolina.  Gordon Parks, the first African American to direct a major motion picture, spent his childhood in poverty in Kansas and lived homeless in Minneapolis, Minnesota in his adolescent years.  Fannie Lou Hamer, one of the mothers of the Civil Rights Movement, lived in rural Mississippi.  These great Americans demonstrated incredible resolve and possessed formidable characters as they courageously pursued the desires of their hearts and thereby empowered countless other people.  Their places of origin did not limit their vision of a brighter future.
·         Jesus chastises the crowd for using his town of origin as tool against Him.  He acknowledges that they indeed know His earthly and geographical origin but they fail to understand His true origin which is divine.  Jesus of Nazareth is of divine origin.
·         The evangelist desires that his community of believers understand Jesus’ divine nature as the Son of God and His centrality to faith.  Understanding the heavenly origins of Jesus is critical for disciples.  The Gospel opens with a glorious hymn of praise to Christ, revealing Him as the Word who was in the beginning with the Heavenly Father.
·         Contemporary disciples grapple with the same question that members of the crowd had.  Who is Jesus?  From whence does He hail heaven or earth?  If He is from heaven, is He the Messiah and Son of God?  Are contemporary disciples still searching for an authentic revelation of God?  Are they looking for someone or some teaching that can bestow their heart’s desire inclusive of love, happiness, joy, peace, and wholeness?  Do they believe Jesus’ teachings?  Have they had a genuine encounter with Jesus?  The evangelist posits an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ is the answer to life’s probing and penetrating questions. 
·         Jesus’ claims of divine origin compel some members of the crowd to try and seize him.  In addition to the religious leaders, some people in the crowd believe His claims reek of blasphemy as Jesus equates Himself with God.  His statements offend their religiosity and cultural traditions.  The division about Jesus sharpens amongst members of the crowd.  The traditionalists side with the religious leaders and relegate Jesus and His teachings as insanity and blasphemy.  Astonished by the miracles and wisdom of Jesus’ teachings, other people in the crowd ponder whether Jesus is the Messiah.  Quite possibly, He is from God otherwise how can a person explain the incredible acts of healing Jesus performs.  As Nicodemus concluded earlier in the Gospel, no one can do what Jesus does with God’s approval.
·         In God’s providential care, no one lays a hand on Jesus as “His time has not yet come.”  This small yet significant phrase assures disciples of God’s defense, protection and provision when we pursue His will and purpose.  No human power can harm any disciple who obeys God’s will. 
·         Ironically, many persons in the crowd put their faith in Jesus but they still search for the Messiah.  They exclaim, “When the Christ comes, will he perform more miraculous signs than this man?”  Although they put their faith in Jesus, they are still searching!  Their predicament foreshadows the emptiness of religion which leaves adherents unfulfilled and searching for something more.  Perhaps, next week’s worship will be more exhilarating and yield the experience of Almighty God for which I long.  Conceivably, a change in churches may give me the inner satisfaction that I greatly desire.  Endless excuses and possibilities abound to explain the aimlessness and restlessness of many contemporary disciples.  Dedicated churchgoers throughout the United States are still looking for Jesus as they have never encountered Him as members of the religious crowd.
·         The crowd about whom John writes and contemporary American religious persons could resolve their dilemma in similar ways.  Had they focused more greatly on Jesus’ teachings, they would discover they have answers to their questions.  The Messiah is right in front of them.  The search has ended.  They need to delve more deeply and faithfully into the divine wisdom that Jesus imparts.  For contemporary disciples, psychosocially respectable religion will not replace Jesus.  A deeper spirituality and relationship with the Lord is the peace and wholeness for which many disciples long.
·         John adds a parenthetic comment which foreshadows the plot to kill Jesus that will develop amongst the Sanhedrin later in the Gospel.  The Pharisees listen as the crowd considers favorably that Jesus is the Messiah.  In response, they summon the temple guars to arrest Jesus.  Their fear of the loss of their religious, economic and political motivates them to eliminate Jesus of Nazareth as a potential threat to their authority.
·         Alluding to the teachings of Deuteronomy and the Prophets, the evangelist encourages his audience to look for Jesus with their whole hearts.  Jesus tells the crowd He will only be with them for a short while until He returns to the Father.  They will look for Him but will not find Him.  His words warn the crowd against reliance upon miracles, healings, food and anything physical as a evidence of faith.  Faith cannot rely upon scientific and empirical data though faith must be reasonable.  Long after the miracles fade in their memories, the truth of Jesus’ teachings endures.  He encourages them to base their faith upon the truth and reliability of the eternal Word.  For contemporary disciples, repetitive practice of religious rituals will not suffice to substantiate their faith or cause its growth.  Rather, they find assurance and growth in a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  Again, practicing daily spiritual disciplines is the primary means of developing this relationship.
·         Jesus’ last saying in this passage dumbfounds the crowd who asks a set of questions about His intentions.  Where does Jesus intend to go where no one can find Him?  Will He live amongst the Greeks and teach them?  What exactly does He mean when He says, “You will look for me and cannot find me.  Where I am you cannot come?”  Notice just how literal these questions are.  They continue to assess His teachings with their carnal minds and natural eyes.  As a consequence, they are still searching for the Messiah as they completely miss Jesus’ lessons and thus do not understand that He is in their midst.

·         If you are still searching for Jesus despite a longstanding commitment to a church or some other religious organization, you will find Him if you seek Him with your whole heart.  Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, “They you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all you heart.”  As your brother in Christ, I encourage you to utilize the search plan of daily spiritual disciplines which will reveal assuredly a greater revelation of God’s love in Jesus Christ for you.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Bible Study Notes - John 7:14-24

Bible Study Notes John 7:14-24

Judging by appearances can be deceiving.  Have you ever received a well-wrapped gift?  The paper was very nice and beautiful.  A striking color scheme ran through the paper.  An impressive bow adorns the package.  Perhaps, an embossed designer box holds the gift.  By all external appearances, you have just been given a significant gift.  Then, you open the box; immediately, your facial expression of expectancy and enthusiasm becomes a crestfallen, dour reaction of disappointment as you realize you were given a cheap gift.  I recall a vase made of very cheap glass and carved haphazardly that was given to my wife and me as a wedding gift.  It came in very nice wrapping paper with an artistically styled bow.  Judging by appearances can disillusion you.

An enduring adage, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” warns us against basing our judgments solely on external factors.  Someone with degrees is not necessarily an educated person as he or she may subscribe to any number of prejudices and superstitions.  Being well-dressed does not necessarily equate with being financially well-off.  An organized co-worker may simply maintain a veneer of substance; a thorough of his or her skills, abilities and productivity may yield an utter lack of substance and purpose.  A religiously committed person who faithfully practice rituals and observes creeds is not necessarily on a spiritual quest.  He may simply seek self-righteousness and self-aggrandizement as other people observe his piety and service.  Again, judging by appearances can disillusion you.

“Everything that glitters is not gold!”  In the gold rush of 1849 in California, many people were deceived as they purchased pyrite, fool’s gold, which closely resembled real gold.  Settling for an external appraisal, many persons lost precious and hard-earned money as the “gold” they bought did not possess any intrinsic value.  The shadow of pyrite cloaked its worthless substance.  Moreover, the marketplace has a niche for imitation and synthetic products such as pleather, costume jewelry, vinyl and other types of “knock offs” that very closely resemble authentic items.  The recent success of counterfeiters forces the U S Treasury Department and Federal Reserve Bank to improve currency printing.  Consumers and retailers must devise ways of detecting counterfeit money as it looks and smells like the real notes. 

In this passage, the evangelist challenges his listeners and readers to apply strict scrutiny to their faith and spirituality.  As Jesus teaches the crowds at the Feast of Tabernacles, He warns them of the danger of judging by appearances.  As disciples grow spiritually, they train themselves to examine people and situations with an inner, spiritual eye.  Similarly, they listen with an inner, spiritual ear.  In many instances, what people fail to say is more important than what they say.  Their actions do indeed speak more loudly than their words.  Accordingly, disciples learn to differentiate between repetitive religiosity, righteous ritualism and prideful pietism and authentic spirituality which necessitate genuine reliance upon Almighty God.

One of the benefits of examining circumstances with an inner, spiritual eye is the ability to find hope in the rubble of disaster.  Where others see tragedy, disciples see God’s trustworthiness and faithfulness.  Obstacles become opportunities.  Disciples find success in situations that other characterize as failures.  Pain provides certain venues for spiritual growth.  Disciples welcome rain knowing it causes natural and spiritual growth.  Problems become possibilities for personal and character development.  Disciples discover life in the midst of death. 

Consider the following ideas and questions as you study the text.

·         At the mid-way point of the feast, Jesus teaches the people in the temple courts.  The evangelist emphasizes the critical nature of teaching and thereby empowering the masses.  Several of the great ancient philosophers, Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, taught large crowds in public spaces.  In Harlem during the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, countercultural protesters taught the people at “UCLA,” the “University at the Corner of Lenox Avenue.”  In an attempt to draw the masses closer to the Heavenly Father, Jesus teaches them to progress beyond the religious devotion of attending perennial feasts and develop a more vibrant relationship with God.
·         The Bible says, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”  Discipleship development depends significantly upon learning, internalizing and applying the Word of God in daily living.  Teaching the wisdom and knowledge (experiential as well as theoretical) is necessary to equip disciples in their spiritual quests.
·         The Jews are amazed when they consider the riches of Jesus’ teaching given He has not completed any formal study of the Law and Prophets.  “How did this man get this learning without having been taught?”  They sought to question the authority of Jesus’ teaching because of the lack of credentials.  Jesus had not attended the school of the prophets.  He does not have any linage to the great rabbinical schools of Hillel and Gamaliel.  Judging Jesus’ outward appearance of being a poor carpenter who may have been illiterate and hailing from Galilee, a backwater, rural and unlearned area, the Jewish teachers seek to dismiss His teachings.
·         Ironically, the religious leaders who by all external factors had knowledge and relationship with God because of their training actually use their education to oppress the people and maintain their economic, political and social power.  The people who seemingly know the most about God really know the least from an experiential perspective.  In contrast, Jesus teaches unlearned people about the wonders and wisdom of God though neither He nor they know the body of writings.
·         Take a moment and consider the few learned and educated people whom you know though they do not have any formal degrees.  Malcolm X was one of the leaders of the Black Power Movement and contributed greatly to the decolonization of the African American mind in response to White supremacy and hegemony though he did have any collegiate or graduate school degrees.  James Baldwin was one of the most prolific and provocative American novelists though he too did have any graduate school training.  My late paternal grandfather and my late father-in-law were learned and knowledgeable men in the truest use of those words though both of their educational training ended in their grade school years.
·         Jesus hastens to state, “My teaching is not my own.  It comes from Him who sent me.”  Through the Holy Spirit, God graciously and generously bestows the gifts of wisdom, knowledge and discernment to anyone who seeks them.  Wisdom is the ability to apply training and learning to appropriate situations in daily living.  You do not smash a gnat with a sledgehammer.  “Discretion is the better part of valor.”  The Lord equips us with divine wisdom to enable us to build the kingdom of God by establishing love, truth and justice as the enduring principles and riches of life. 
·         My grandfather shared a bit of godly wisdom with me as we evaluated the Watergate scandal of the mid-1970s. In his Southern African American idiom, he characterized education as “a wake up.”  Knowledge and learning merely wake up what lies dormant in a person’s character.  Granddaddy said President Nixon’s advisors were learned and formally educated thieves and fools.  Their training and degrees awakened the deceit and criminality within them.
·         The word, education, evolves from the Latin word, educo, educare, which means to lead out of darkness into light.  Educated people leave the darkness of ignorance, prejudice and uninformed assumptions.  Accordingly, Christian education which depends primarily upon the Word of God leads disciples out of the darkness of living as the world does and into the light of emulating the mind, heart and character of Christ.
·         To assess correctly whether Jesus’ teaching is legitimate, you must be willing to do the will of God.  Divine knowledge and wisdom emerges for disciples as they rightly relate themselves to Almighty God.  The Heavenly Father shares His will and intentions with those persons who choose to relate to Him.  In Genesis 18, God asks Himself, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?”  This self-reflective question precedes God’s judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah.  He chooses to tell Abraham about His forthcoming wrath because of His relationship with Abraham.  Divine knowledge is as experiential and relational as it is theoretical.
·         The faithful practice of spiritual disciplines such as self-evaluation, prayer, affirmation, meditation, Bible study, imaging and daily quiet times empowers disciples as they grow in relationship with God.  Admittedly, this list is not exhaustive and there are other forms of spiritual growth and Christian growth. 
·         Yet, with knowledge of God’s will, you avoid judging by appearances.
·         Jesus contrasts seeking personal honor with doing God’s will.  The religious leaders dismiss Jesus’ teaching because of His mere appearances.  Again, they point to his clothing, neighborhood, shoes, credentials, lack of degrees, family history and legacy as “evidence” with which to disregard His teachings.
·         In seeking personal glory, a person by default does not seek God’s glory.  These words are an exhortation to those persons who teach and minister in other ways.  Quickly and easily, such persons can lapse into self-glorification.  One compliment too many can tip that scale.  In receiving words of affirmation, it is advisable immediately to give God glory and thanksgiving to God as the Source of your learning, knowledge and abilities.
·         Jesus then asks the Jewish leaders who seek His death why they fail to keep the Law of Moses about which they brag.  God gave them the Law to reveal His holy character and provide practical means for them to relate rightly to Him.  Whereas they chide Jesus for His lack of training, they do not adhere to the principles of the Law which they cite as their defense.  Judging by outward appearances, their knowledge of the Law should reasonably yield their adherence and allegiance.  Jesus notes this disconnect.  He encourages the people whom He teaches to internalize the primary principles and cardinal lessons of the Law which is a right relationship with God.
·         Nearly a decade ago in the State of Alabama, a movement led by a former State Supreme Court Justice demanded the public display of The Ten Commandments in the main courthouse. A national vigil occurred outside of the courthouse.  Interestingly, a reporter asked one of the proponents for public display to recite the commandments.  The person could not do so.  In response, the reporter inquired about the sincerity of the person’s beliefs given his ignorance of The Ten Commandments.
·         Then, Jesus asks the Jewish leaders why they are trying to kill Him because of His teachings.  Both spirit and letter of the Law would preclude such an action.  Actually, the Law and the Prophets support Jesus’ teachings.  In essence, He asks them, “Why are you judging by appearances?”
·         Lacking the wisdom to confront Jesus provocative teachings and questions, the Jewish leaders accuse Jesus of being demon-possessed.  They offer this accusation to dismiss the legitimacy of Jesus’ claims.  Often, people disparage people and ideas they do not understand as “abnormal” or “crazy.”  This tactic is demeaning and dehumanizing as it is unfair to categorize someone pejoratively just because you do not appreciate them or their point of view.
·         Jesus then criticizes them for focusing upon the Sabbath as a means of inhibiting a lame man’s healing.  The healing of the man who had been lame for thirty-eight years and lay daily by the pool of Siloam astonished the Jewish leaders but they discounted it because it happened on the Sabbath.  They focused on the day of the miracle rather than its accomplishment and divine purpose.
·         Moses gave them circumcision which they practice on the Sabbath when necessary to effectuate obedience.  To conform to traditions and social conventions, they obey the Law.  Nevertheless, the inconsistency of having the Law, taking pride in it but breaking it when convenient reflects how surely these religious leaders judge by appearances.
·         Further, Jesus challenges them to examine the logical, human and compassionate worth of their reasoning.  Can they reasonably compare the healing of man who had been lame for thirty-eight years with a ritualistic circumcision which they observe on the Sabbath to adhere to religious and social conformity?  Did they really think a man who suffered so greatly for nearly four decades should wait another day to ensure he adheres to traditional religious practices?
·         The gospel of Jesus Christ prioritizes human pain and needs over rituals and other religious practices.

·         This brief passage in the gospel of John cautions against judging by appearances and equating our religious beliefs to the will of God who freely and bountifully gives healing, wellness and wholeness to His children whether or not it conforms to our religious practices.