John 7:40-46

John 7:40-46 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” 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. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards declared.

As we see the ongoing confusion among the people, the Jewish leaders, and the temple guards listening to the words of Jesus, we see that they respond in various ways at various times to the Spirit's call through Christ. When people hear Jesus, some think he is the Prophet. Others say, He is the Christ, but the doubters in the crowd point out that the Messiah has to come from David’s family and from Bethlehem. People suggest seizing him, yet no one tries to apprehend him. When they send out the temple guards, they refuse to arrest him, declaring, No one ever spoke the way this man does. Many Jews had seen Jesus perform marvelous miracles: signs and wonders not seen from the beginning of time--deeds far beyond the scope of human ability. These people experienced conflicted ideas and emotions concerning Christ's identity and the source of his power. Since the Jews believed in a God who intervened in the affairs of human lives, they wondered if this was the one of whom Moses prophesied: The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. (Deuteronomy 18:15) Could He be the promised Messiah who would deliver them from their bondage? Yet would it be possible for their deliverer to come from Galilee? The consensus of the crowd was that He was a Galilean; we know He was born in Bethlehem, of the lineage of David.

One question remains for us today: who is Jesus to each one of us? Is He the Messiah, the Word become flesh, the Creator of all things who shed his blood and rose from the grave that all might have eternal life or is He a historical figure, a good man that God (if there is a God) singled out to perform marvelous deeds, a kind person who spoke words of wisdom who wanted to bring peace on Earth, good will to men but wicked people ended his life by killing him. If He is the latter, as Christians we are of all people most miserable. If Christ does not set captives free and create new heaven-bound creatures through his sacrifice for sin, we are mere humans grasping for straws, whistling as we walk by the eternal dead in the graveyard. We are without hope, and we might as well live like the rich man in the parable that Jesus told in Luke 12 and store up treasures as we eat, drink, and be merry, for if there is no resurrection, then this life is all we have. But praise God, my friends, Christ is who He said He is, and He was right when He said, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (Luke 12:15 KJV) He told the truth when He said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. He kept his promise to give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. (John 14:16-17) He is our Way through the wilderness of life, living water in the desert, the bread of life for the hungry, a pillar of fire in the darkness, and a cloud by day to direct our paths.

The Pharisees were afraid of losing control, so bound by their traditions and earthy goals they could not see the real Jesus, could not seek him while He could be found. They thought they would lose their privileged position in the Jewish community, so they sought to kill Jesus. The people who wanted to believe lacked faith to really embrace him and turned away at the last minute; but God had a redemption plan, a grace plan at the cross, a resurrection plan for sending the Holy Spirit to empower people to live victoriously through the indwelling resurrected Lord: Christ in us our hope of glory. We who know Christ are not those who seek to crucify him in our lives. He is alive! Because we are in him and He is in us, we can shine for him in the darkness. Let the Spirit lead you today. Let him speak through you, smile through you, and use you to comfort and to love in the precious and lovely name above all other names, the name of Jesus. Cry out to Jesus today, and He will answer your cry. He loves you, and He will give you the privilege of loving others in his name. Listen, and hear his voice.