for Saturday (March 24) Gospel: loyalty

Gospel Reading: John 7:40-53 40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." 41 Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" 46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" 47 The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? 48 Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed." 50 Nicode'mus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" 52 They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." 53 They went each to his own house.

 
Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 11:18-20 The LORD made it known to me and I knew; then you showed me their evil deeds. 19 But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more." 20 But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tries the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.

 
Reflection When resistance and opposition to God's word rears it head how do you respond? With fear and doubt? Or with faith and courage?

 The prophet Jeremiah was opposed by his own people because the words he spoke in God's name did not sit right with them. 

They plotted to silence him and to "cut him off from the land of the living" (Jeremiah 11:19). Jeremiah responded with meekness and prophetic insight "like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter" (Jeremiah 11:18). No one could be indifferent for long when confronted with Jesus and his message.

 It caused division for many in Israel. Some believed he was a prophet, some the Messiah, and some believed he was neither. 

The reaction of the officers was bewildered amazement. They went to arrest him and returned empty-handed because they never heard anyone speak as he did. The reaction of the chief priests and Pharisees was contempt. The reaction of Nicodemus was timid.

 His heart told him to defend Jesus, but his head told him not to take the risk. Who is Jesus for you? And are you ready to give him your full allegiance? 

There will often come a time when we have to take a stand for Christ and for the gospel. To stand for Jesus may provoke mockery or unpopularity. 

It may even entail hardship, sacrifice, and suffering. There are fundamentally two choices we must choose between: to have our lives fueled by God’s selfless love for others or by our own self-centered love and selfish desires, to be loyal to God’s wise rule and kingdom laws or to the standards of a worldly kingdom opposed to God, to be servants of Jesus our Master or slaves of sin and Satan. 

Are you ready to stand for Jesus and to show him honor and loyalty whatever it may cost you?