Encountering Jesus ~ "Tell us plainly... Have you come to take away our souls?"

Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe.

Can you identify with "the Jews" in this passage?

Have you ever prayed to the Lord and asked Him to show you, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that He is the Messiah?

I have... I still do... some times, some days...

My husband and I have often discussed this. He rarely doubts God, rarely questions if He is true, if He is good, if Jesus is Who He says He is and really did come and do what He said He would. I, on the other hand, struggle with doubt more often than I care to admit. I easily identify with the Jews in this passage. I start thinking about God, trying to figure Him out, trying to make Him make sense-according-to-me. My mind gets overwhelmed by the enormity and awesomeness and power of the God I want to believe in, I seek to understand in a way that makes sense to me and then I start coming up with my own ideas to try and make all the puzzle pieces fit and to answer questions like this:

• What if man really has made all of this up... after all, there are many men and women who are so much smarter than I am?
• What if there really isn't a God? I think I've seen evidence of Him, but what if I'm just putting the puzzle pieces together all wrong and only seeing what I want to see?
• What if Jesus wasn't anything more than a good man, albeit deluded teacher?
• What if the Bible isn't inspired and is nothing more than a creative, enticing fabrication created by those who wanted for themselves and others a real purpose in life?
• What if this life is all there is and then there is nothing?

Big problem!

Because I can't answer those questions. 

There really aren't any answers other than to confess, once again, my sin of unbelief - to cry out in desperation, "Lord, I believe! Help Thou my unbelief!"

That's what faith is all about. It is a believing that is some sort of synergism between God's empowering grace to believe and man's choice to believe, regardless of how things look or how well it all makes sense... 

At some moment, I have to leap and trust that God will be there to catch me, even on the days I can't see Him. And? To be okay with, on those doubting days, knowing that the moment I'll know for sure will be that moment when I take my final breath on this earth.

But back to the Jews in this passage.

As I said, I really do identify with them and I don't "fault" them for asking this question, especially not if it is a sincere one and I have to think that in a group (i.e. Jews is plural), there must have been at least one sincere, searching, wondering and wandering heart.

This Jesus encounter takes place at a specific time in a specific locale. It happens during the Feast of Dedication. We call it Hanukkah today. Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated as

A few hundred years before Christ, Alexander the Great conquered Israel, but left the Jews to practice their theocracy uninhibited, with Syrian overseers and rulers. However, after a period of time, the pressure to assimilate increased and eventually the Jewish people were prohibited from practicing their faith. Additionally, the temple was profaned and dishonored. During the 160s BC, Judah of Maccabee and his father instigated a revolt, retaking Jerusalem, purifying the temple and establishing a dynasty from their family that then prospered and ruled for nearly a century. Hanukkah is a celebration commemorating that rededication of the temple and is celebrated each year in close proximity to Christmas. At the time of the rededication, only an insufficient amount of undefiled oil remained to burn during the rites of purification. Oil fueled the Temple candles that needed to burn all night every night. While the amount appeared insufficient, miraculously the candle burned for the entire prescribed time. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle of provision (not the Maccabean military victory).

Thus, the Jews were in Jerusalem, celebrating the remembrance of miraculous provision.

Solomon's Colonnade, according to Matthew Henry, "...was associated with the grandest events in [Jewish] national history; for it was reared on the substructions of Solomon's temple, which even to the present day are intact.... The Lord walked there because it was winter, and wintry weather." Also, "He walked in Solomon's portico - that part of the temple of Herod which the apostles afterwards adopted as the scene of some of their most explicit assertions of the gospel (Acts 3:11; Acts 5:12)."

Thus, the Jews were not only celebrating miraculous provision, but also in a place where God had traditionally accomplished great things. 

Most commentators indicate that the Jews gathered about with the goal of waylaying Jesus. In general, at least the leaders had not come with a sincere question. The question they asked, Gill explains in the following manner: "'and said unto him, how long dost thou make us doubt?' or as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions literally render it, 'how long dost thou take away our soul?' that is, deprive us of the knowledge of thee; Nonnus renders it, 'wherefore dost thou steal away our minds with words?' so Jacob when he went away privately, without the knowledge of Laban, is said to steal away the heart of Laban, as it is in the Hebrew text, in Genesis 31:20. In like manner the Jews charge Christ with taking away their soul, or stealing away their heart, or hiding himself from them; not telling them plainly, who he was: therefore say they, 'if thou be the Christ, tell us plainly; freely, boldly, openly, in express words;' this they said, not as desirous of knowing who he was, or for the sake of information, but in order to ensnare him; that should he say he was not the Christ, as they might hope he would, for fear of them, now they had got him by himself, hemmed him in, it would then lessen his credit among the people; and should he say he was the Messiah, they would have whereof to accuse him to the Roman governor, as an enemy to Caesar, as one that set up for king of the Jews."

"Tell us plainly... Have you come to take away our souls?"

The answer to that question is that Jesus came to deliver life back to our souls...

Just as those today who fear making that leap of faith and trusting Jesus... just as those who fear that a life spent following Jesus is only a life wasted because this life is all they have... these Jews accused Jesus of stealing from them the very gift He offered and longed for them to take.

Jesus' response to this question was that He'd already plainly told them. 

He was not the thief, coming to seek and destroy - go back and read the first part of this chapter, in case you've forgotten what He'd just taught.

Were there some in that crowd of Jews that day who then believed?

How about you, today? What do you believe about Jesus?

photo credit: exoimperator via photopin cc

this week's gratitude list

(#'s 4907 - 4930)

pumpkin cake for a Gampy birthday party

lots of leaves raked

a great choir/drama tour for my big girlies

fun Euchre party with friends

decisions made for Jesus

safety after a scary driving moment

Rebekah finally earning some of those needed driving hours to get to stage 2

a brand new 19 year old

the encouragement of singing with our church choir

the end of the first marking period

hearing that m&m is right where she belongs, school wise

mostly decent grades, even for our brand new secondary student who's finding the adjustment a bit challenging

volleyball champions

cheerleading and basketball about to begin

Christmas shopping with Gammie on a Sunday afternoon

finding those gifts that you know will make the kiddos smile

college decisions happening

big girls finally caught up in their French class

back to a normal week's schedule

praying with a friend

finishing the 31 days posting project and all the insights God gave as I worked my way through Proverbs

a few days of a blogging break afterwards

diving back into this study of John

the challenge God gave me as I've looked at this passage over the past few weeks... only a few words, but I'm pretty sure I've heard God speak

Ten most recent posts in this series: 

• Standing for Jesus
• When your past comes back to haunt you... 
• THEN Jesus...
• of illusions and fun house mirrors
• Four elements of Spiritual Sight... according to MacArthur
• It's your call!
• "I just don't get it? Why didn't they understand?"
• Authority and Authorization
• Two really important "I ams!"
• The Great Separator

Click here for all of the titles and their corresponding links in the Encountering Jesus series.

walK with THE Wise ~ Things we leave behind

Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!

Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!

Do not spend your strength on women,

your vigor on those who ruin kings.

It is not for kings, Lemuel—

it is not for kings to drink wine,

not for rulers to crave beer,

lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,

and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

Let beer be for those who are perishing,

wine for those who are in anguish!

Let them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy....

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

from Proverbs 31

The prompt word for today was leave... but seriously, even before I started considering that prompt and I was simply reading ahead to refresh my mind about what God says through this proverb, as I read, all I could think of was how so much... so many people and things and memories and dreams... have been left behind - by me. And I don't write that in a sad or in a melancholy way. Much leaving is hard. Some does, however, bring relief or respite. Some is necessary. Some is beneficial. Some is just heart-breaking hard. Sometimes that is because of selfishness and sometimes that is because of brokenness...

So how in the world did I get to this spot from this proverb?

Well, as I read the beginning, wise words given to King Lemuel by his mother, I started thinking about how because of ministries and opportunities we have, we sometimes have to choose to leave other things behind. In the context of Lemuel, his mother was warning him that wine or other strong drink should not be a part of the life of the wise ruler because it affects the ability to make sober and right decisions that put others first. The life characterized by a seeking out of wine to relax or beer to forget or whatever other beverage - maybe Coke to energize? a coffee to jump start the day? - to deal with some sort of personal discomfort or need is also a life that might tend to judge unfairly, that might forget to stand up for or seek the best for those less fortunate or a part of the minority. Lemuel's mother doesn't say wine is wrong; rather, she encourages Lemuel to leave the beer and wine for others, for those perishing and in anguish, for those who need an escape for whatever reason. But to those who are responsible for others, to those who are leaders, it only traps and distracts, preventing one from doing what is best, encouraging self-preservation and self-interest at the cost of others. Thus, she encourages him to leave wine and beer behind, to not allow them to be a part of his life.

I think of all of the things we, as missionaries, have left behind. And it ranges... from almost ridiculous (college football on TV or international all-in-good-fun softball tournaments) to nostalgic (fall leaves every year or bonfires under a starry sky on a Sahara sand dune) to heartbreaking (parents, grandparents, colleagues, dear friends and neighbors who we know don't yet know Jesus). And yet we leave because we know God has something in store for us, because He compels us. That doesn't make it less painful, but it does give the pain a worthwhile purpose.

Then, I came to almost the end of this proverb, to well known words: "beauty is fleeting." With a wry smile, I say that that is obvious every single time I look in the mirror (not to imply that I've ever considered myself a great beauty - but rather that I see those clear signs of time marching on - gray hair, wrinkles, sags and droops, hands with prominent veins that I remember as being my Nana's... I sort through photos of even just a few years back and faces are less smooth, wrinkles more prominent, weariness in the eyes is evident, age spots appearing where there were none before. Youth and the beauty inherent in the young leaves... or more accurately, it flees, so much more quickly physically than it does in my mind. I forget I'm no longer 25 until I try and get out of bed in the morning. Although, in the interest of honesty, I'd better clarify... that only happens on some mornings. Some mornings I actually get to the mirror first... or it doesn't happen until Mary Michelle points out a new spider vein on my leg or my teens ask me not to wear that sweater over to the school today because it is so out-dated... but you get the picture. All those things that seemed so critical 25 years ago - I couldn't make them work out the way I'd prefer no matter how many hours or much money I invest. The beauty of youth leaves rapidly... leaving me behind. 

But for God's grace and the tiniest of glimpses of His perspective, all of that leaving would be depressing... disheartening...

As CS Lewis said, "There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

Which makes me think of this song:

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt among men, my example is He

Word became flesh and the light shined among us

His glory revealed

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain

One day they nailed Him to die on a tree

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected

Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He

Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree

And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer

One day the stone rolled away from the door

Then He arose, over death He had conquered

Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him

From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies with His glories will shine

Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing

My Savior, Jesus, is mine

Glorious day, Oh, Glorious day

5 Minute Friday ~ Here

Joining Lisa-Jo @ Gypsy Mama for another Five Minute Friday...

"...where a beautiful crowd spends five minutes all writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here.

Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.



1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

OK, are you ready? Please give me your best five minutes on..."

Here…

What are you doing here and who gave you permission
to cut out a grave for yourself here,
hewing your grave on the height
and chiseling your resting place in the rock? "Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you
and hurl you away, O you mighty man...."

(Isaiah 22:16,17)

I've been reading in Isaiah recently. And thinking about these words. A lot.

Sometimes it is easy to dismiss the Old Testament as not so relevant to my life today. It isn't good idea to dismiss any part of God's Word, and He continually reminds me of that.

The Lord sent Isaiah to speak these words to Shebna, an ambitious steward in the service of King Hezekiah. Maybe his behavior was fueled by ambition, a desire for people to respect and think highly of him, but for whatever reason, Shebna had carved for himself the type of tomb usually kept only for those belonging to the royal family or others of high rank and noble distinction.

Shebna did hold a prominent official position in the king's court... Isaiah describes him as a "mighty man." Yet he also appears to be using his position for personal gain and glory. He wanted to be remembered long after his death as an important, respected and valuable man.  Isaiah had already prophecied that the nation of Judah and Jerusalem; apparently Shebna did not believe the reality of God's judgment.

Shebna's presuming angered God. And this is one of the few spots... perhaps the only place in the book of Isaiah... where God pronounces judgment against an individual, and it is a scathing one.

Like I said, I've been thinking about these words.

What am I doing, here? 

Am I busy about the business of promoting myself, building my own memorial, here, for my own glory? 

Here can refer to many places... my world as a missionary, doing discipling and literacy work with women... my position as a mama... the program I've had a part in building at the school... the scripts I've written for children's radio programs... this home I've created in the cyberworld...

Am I here... wherever, however that here may be... for me? Or for the glory of the One and Only Worthy?

God's asking me:

What are you doing here?

Who gave you permission to cut out a [place or position] for yourself here,
hewing... and chiseling [this] place?

I need to make sure I know and act on the answers to those questions... each and every day... each and every here and now.

Wordless Wednesday