John 2:19-22 --- 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Jesus had taken authority over a bad situation, took action to clean out the temple, and two different sets of people were there to see and hear Him. His disciples and everyone else who was nearby. Each group had a different reaction. For the disciples this drove them to remember the scriptures and how they point to and confirm who Jesus is. For the group of onlookers, they came forth with questions but wanted to see signs/miracles instead of truly understanding who Jesus was.
So, today we find Jesus answering the onlookers who asked for a sign/miracle in explanation of what authority he had. He doesn't answer by doing a sign, but instead gives them a hard to understand truth. He says, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.". Humanly, that's an odd response. It doesn't make much sense. This guy was just zealously defending and cleansing the temple out. Now He's talking about tearing it down, building it back. What in the world?
With Jesus His miracles attract many, but His truth repels the majority. Today's prayer/study/quiet time has carried with it the same theme as yesterday because so much comes down to what the person is looking for in Jesus when they come to Him. Go back to John 1:38-39 and we see Jesus addressing the first two disciples who come to follow Him. They go to follow Him, he turns around and says, "What are you seeking?". They both respond, "Where are you staying?". You see they were there for Jesus. They wanted to go with Him, to be where He was. They didn't say, "If you're the true Lamb of God, show us a sign.". NO WAY! They just wanted to be wherever Jesus was going to be.
So, we see in today's verses Jesus responds with a hard saying and truth. To the onlookers their thoughts went to man, to compare Jesus to themselves…"Yo, it took forty-six years to build this thing. You think you can do it in three?". Now, His disciples might have been perplexed or didn't fully understand either, but all we see of them was once again Jesus' words and actions in the end brought them back to the scriptures and increased their belief in Him and in the Word!
Beloved, what are you seeking when you come to Jesus, when you come to the Word?
When confronted by His Truth, by the Word, do you your thoughts only turn to yourself, to your past, to what you or others have built, to comparing Him and weighing His abilities against your own or others?
We're human so it's normal that we stumble and trip over ourselves, our past, others, circumstances, etc... but do you choose to get on that bus and ride around all day in agreement or choose to pass up the ride and look to Jesus, to the Word, to His Love, to who He is? As a Christian you know the truth and you know you have a choice. Choose wisely.
Yesterday ended with Ephesians 3:14-19, a tiny sliver of what we access to when we choose to know Jesus and not just come for a miracle and a drink. Today it's on me to share more of God's truth. Many people are aware of these verses as they are beautiful, powerful, and awesomely amazing, but I ask, when you read this truth about Agape Love, do your thoughts go to yourself, to others, to your past or do they go to Jesus, to the Word, to the Truth, to the Way, to the Light?
I ask only to bring it to the forefront before you read, not condemning in any way. I confess here for many years I read these precious verses and condemned myself because "I" didn't love like this. It took me years to realize, I can't love this, only HE can love this way through me.
1 Corinthians 13:1-8 --- If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.
4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away.
Now hear Jesus asking… "What are you seeking?". Miracles, healings, signs? These will all eventually fade, but knowing Jesus is forever. His love never fails, never ends, never leaves.
That's it for today. You are loved. You are prayed over. You are not alone. Please reach out if you need prayer, to talk, or someone to listen.
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