Based on John 7:1-13 (New King James Version)
“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.’ For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.’ When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee. But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, ‘Where is He?’ And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, ‘He is good’; others said, ‘No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.’ However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.”
I would like to ask you some questions (and I know that maybe many of you may have already had this experience because painfully, this issue is common). If one of you have had certain problems or symptoms with your health that give the appearance of cancer, and the doctor sends you to undergo a lot of tests and analysis to see what exactly is happening, and the day comes that the doctor needs to give you his/her diagnosis based on all the information he/she has, and acting quickly with the treatment is critical, what would you like for the doctor to do with you? Would you like for the doctor to delay the appointment and avoid talking with you because they are concerned more with how you will react than your health? Would you like for him/her to lie to you and tell you that everything is fine, so he/she does not scare you or make you uncomfortable? Would you like for him/her to beat around the bush, not speaking clearly, and risking that you don’t understand what they are saying, leaving you even more confused? Or, would you like for the doctor to tell you the truth (even if it is hard to accept), and how to best deal with the situation as quickly as possible so you can have a good chance to survive? I think even though it may be hard for us, we would prefer the last option, right?
Now, I believe the majority of us would think that it is important to know the truth when something is wrong with our health. By seeing the reaction of many people over the years, I have noticed that not only do we want to know all of the details, but also, we look for all kinds of solutions, especially if it is something that is a matter of life and death. But, what is curious is that when we talk about spiritual things, of eternity, there is no such alarm, at least among those that feel that they have a long time left or that everything is relatively fine. Coming back to the series of questions made before, at least when paying attention to the way people act (not paying to attention to what they say, because people say many things), the majority of people either don’t like to listen to what they need to listen to, because it’s unpleasant, or they like being lied to indiscriminately so they are not uncomfortable, or that they like being spoken to unclearly because somehow, the confusion can be left aside and resolved another day. Since many believe that the things of God, life and death, and eternity are not important, or just simply, that they are not real (at least at the moment), they don’t take these things seriously. And the majority of people do not like being told God’s truth. And I believe that this was the problem that existed when the Lord was here on earth, and even now. I have observed that in the end, the majority of people are attracted to lies, and that is why they don’t look for the Lord, or simply, they just don’t like looking for Him. And here is where we get into today’s passage.
In what we read today, we see that not many people were fans (per se) of the Lord. Neither the Jews (that were supposedly the more religious and believing in God), neither people in general, and not even his brothers (because clearly, even though they were brothers, they didn’t believe). The great multitudes followed Him only because of the miracles He did, or because He healed them, or gave them food, etc. But when the time came about speaking the truth, many people didn’t like that. For it is written: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’” John 6:66-67. At that moment, the thousands abandoned Him, and the only ones left were the twelve and some women. And of course, when we talk about the religious people, they disliked Him so much that they wanted to kill Him, and looked for ways to do so. That’s why when He was in front of Pilate, and Pilate asked the people what he should do with the Lord, the multitude yelled, “Crucify Him!”, because He no longer pleased them.
The issue with not valuing Jesus and His Truth is that you are ruining your own life, sooner or later. Nothing happens to God if you don’t listen to Him, and a lack of faith and appreciation for the truth does not make Him less real, nor does that affect the reality that He is God. We are the ones that need His Truth. He does not need us. He does not depend on us. People need to convince themselves that no matter how much they don’t like truth, or try to dodge it, or that they desire the lie more than the truth, the Truth is the only thing that will help them, no matter how difficult it may be. The sick person needs the medicine; and not the other way around. For it is written: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” John 8:31-32. God’s Truth is the only one that will bring freedom. And together with that Truth is that other things like the way to God and life come also. For it is also written: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6. Peter also said this when the Lord asked them if they would leave Him also: But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” John 6:68-69.
The big problem is that when the truth of God, Jesus, is avoided, evil starts to fill the void left by the truth. The Bible teaches us this: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4. The one that comes to fill the void that the truth leaves when it is rejected is the lie, nothing more. And with the lie comes the devil, for it is written: “…He (speaking of the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44b. The lie only brings destruction and death, no matter how attractive it sounds, no matter how much they like listening to it. Wide and easy is the path to perdition!
To be able to have eternal life, not only do you need to believe in Jesus, but even more so, you need to follow Him. And the only way that something is truly followed is when it is valued. So then, do you value more lies, or are you learning how to value Jesus and His Truth, so that you can truly be free and obtain eternal life? Lord bless! John