Can we detect our true intentions?

 

THU Evening Reflection 082720 (John 7: 14-36)

“Anyone who does the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own.” Could this be a plumb line for us to detect the fake from the true? I know there are countless videos out there with people claiming to bring a prophetic word. I am of the opinion that we should listen, but also we should discern. Jesus does talk about this later. Jesus had decided to finally go and join everyone else at the Festival and he went straight into the Temple to preach as usual. Again, his main concern was the Kingdom of God, not the empty worldly fame that his brothers were suggesting prior to the Feast. Jesus comes in the middle of the Feast. Why the delay? It may have been because friends and enemies were looking for him at the very beginning, so now those who would listen were well disposed to listen. In my last reflection, I asked a question: “Was Jesus afraid of his fellow Jews?” Will we ever know?  All we know is that nothing/ none would stop Jesus from obeying/ serving His Father in Heaven.

The chief priests and elders were still looking for him and guess what? Jesus went there. He did not fear them or their power. Now if it were me, I would be afraid and Jesus knows that. Whereas it was their responsibility to teach the flock of God and didn’t do it, may be because they were preoccupied by other worldly things, the great shepherd arrived and taught the people. The Bible says all who listened to him were amazed at His wisdom and learning. It was superior to all scholars. [This isn’t surprising to me. He was way too learned for them when he was a 12-year-old in the Temple!] So, Jesus told them: “My teaching comes from God.” Jesus differentiate divine wisdom from earthly wisdom where pretense and sophistication reign and Jesus says mostly seeking one’s own glory instead of God’s. There lies a danger for us especially preachers: Pray for us please so we would be sanctified, so that we would be authentic and godly. Pray that God would visit us in our dreams and reveal us things of heaven.

In v. 17 Jesus began his profound interaction with the Priests and elders. I imagine the tension was high. He started with the profile of the person most likely disposed to listen to His message. “If anyone is willing to do the will of God. Have his will melted into God’s will.” Then that person will understand God’s revelation. Jesus goes on to explain in v. 19 I am paraphrasing: [“How could you censure me for breach of the law of Moses while, you, yourselves are notorious at breaking it?”] Did not Moses give you the law? But Jesus knew that they broke the law all the time. They circumcised on sabbath and he can’t heal a person on sabbath? Great argument! How would you argue with that? All our gaze goes onto the side of the Priests and elders, “What say you?” Jesus ends with a challenge to them: so, why do you want to kill me?

Their response wouldn’t surprise anyone. In v. 20, they rudely interrupted Jesus saying: “You have a demon, who is trying to kill you?” I love my commentary’s suggestions because it seemed too polite considering the facts: “They had such a good opinion of their rulers whom they thought, would never attempt so atrocious thing as to kill him!” I admire that: Give your opponent the benefit of the doubt, don’t think the worst of others! But Jesus had seen the true state of their hearts! He knew they were planning to kill him, in fact he announced it in v. 33 saying: “I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me.”

Jesus is able to see the true intentions of our hearts even before our actions began. The Priest and elders missed their chance to listen to Jesus’ heart, they were engulfed in their own world where they couldn’t listen to God, they were not truly seeking God. We need God in our lives, we need discernment, we need the heart and the will of Jesus to be one with ours.

Amen.