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During seasons of anticipation such as Advent and Lent in the church, we are tempted to keep our eyes affixed on the end game, either Christmas or Easter. The anticipation mimics the child awaiting the gift under the tree or at their birthday. No matter how grand that finale might be, without dwelling in the waiting time, we will miss the tremendous beauty in the season leading up to Christmas or Easter. Advent and Lent are times of great reflection and anticipation, guiding us in preparation and living in the already, but not yet. Even though it is in our nature to always look toward a goal, and in many ways, setting goals toward which we work benefits us. However, without understanding how to live in the process of meeting the goal, we will deprive ourselves of learning, which may hinder us from reaching the goal. The benefit we have as Christ followers is that the goal is already met (by the death and resurrection of Jesus), so we don’t need to worry about the work. However, Jesus calls us to live as He lived so that we might be co-laborers with Him. Martha did not struggle with the labor aspect, but she did struggle to live in the comfort of what it meant to live in Christ, and rest in the hope of the resurrection. In the passage below, we will see how, when Jesus delayed traveling to Lazarus, and in doing so opened up Mary, Martha, and even Lazarus to an understanding that within Christ Jesus, we see that even when resurrection means hope for the future, Jesus embodies that hope as we live today. 

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” 

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 11:17–27.

Walking with Jesus in the resurrection, there is a promise that death does not have the final word. The event of raising Lazarus itself serves as a powerful sign pointing to Jesus’ authority over death and the reality of resurrection life. After four days, when the body was thought to begin decomposing, it would generate a stench. This act of raising Lazarus foreshadows Jesus’ death and resurrection and demonstrates his power to bring life even after death has seemingly taken hold. The idea of death as “sleep” used by Jesus indicates a temporary state from which there will be an awakening, diminishing its sense of finality for believers. This is contrasted with one of the primary views of the Sadducees and some mainstream thought, where sleep often connoted a final state. Jesus’ perspective is bound up with God’s relation to his people and his role as the Son of God. The church holds onto this hope that resurrection after death is the source of our hope. We no longer fear death or what the world might do to us through war, pestilence, or disease because Jesus has entered the world to conquer death, and thus we share that hope with the world. 

The miracle of Jesus isn’t just about future resurrection; he is life for us right now, calling us to follow him in the present. Faith in Jesus grants access to this life immediately, even before we physically die. Jesus explained this to Martha, stating, “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). His words reveal that a present, eternal quality of life begins through faith, making physical death secondary. This life in faith means that the Christian existence in Christ is life before death, and not primarily something awaited, but the principle of life in the present. The raising of Lazarus serves as a key sign validating Jesus’ claims. By conquering death in the present, Jesus demonstrated that he truly is the resurrection and the life. The purpose of recording this event is to show Jesus leading followers in faith to believe. This life offered by Jesus is a profound spiritual reality. It’s described as a heavenly and divine life obtained by being born again through faith in Christ. Rooted in this union, this spiritual life will never be extinguished, but perfected in eternal life. Jesus requires a response of faith and, by implication, a commitment to follow him. Martha’s powerful confession— “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world”—stands as a pattern of the faith Jesus seeks.

Christ’s resurrection power over death and his ability to grant fulfilling life inspire faith within the church. This faith, in turn, emboldens believers to answer Christ’s call fully. Trusting in his power over death and his gift of true life should naturally motivate believers to align their actions with his teachings and purposes. The transformation seen in the disciples after the resurrection demonstrates how such faith strengthens conviction. Martha’s confession (John 11:27) serves as an ideal example. When she declared, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world,” she expressed deep faith in Jesus’s identity and authority. This kind of faith, resulting from encountering Christ’s power and promises, should define the church. Jesus provides the basis for living this way, and the promise of present life through faith allows believers to live with assurance and purpose today. It affirms that, as we live our Christian experience, living within Christ is life before death, not something we wait to come to fruition, but the principle of living now in the present.

In the passage, Jesus instructed Martha about what living in hope was about. Even in her grief, she mimicked what so many of us utter in our mourning, about how we have hope in the raising of a loved one in the resurrection, and while not incorrect in her assertion, Jesus pointed out that she was missing out on what God was about to do right there. Thus, when confronting something hard like grief, God reminds us that we must continue living in the presence of hope. Hope is not just in the resurrection but also in living here in the already but not yet. In the present, we see God’s Glory in part, but the future will tell us a more complete picture; however, that means that we need to strive to live, observe, and dwell in the richness of God’s presence right now. Therefore, we don’t just sit waiting for the finish and end times, but God calls for us to live life to the fullest. When Jesus tells us that He is the resurrection and the life, He is commanding us not just to sit and wait to die, but that He has a plan for us, and it is to live an abundant life right now. Even though we might look at all the goodies under the tree, or the glory that awaits us at the resurrection, Jesus does not dissuade us from looking forward with anticipation, but instead He adds the instruction that we need to live, to work, and to continue to grow in faith as we await the resurrection, and Christ coming again.

While walls look imposing and prevent neighbors from regularly interacting, they also work great to keep pets safe in our yards. Whenever we let our animals out, I ensure all our gates are shut so they can enjoy running free in a safe environment where other animals or people cannot access and where they cannot accidentally run out and get hurt by running in the street. Our work ensures their security, keeping the walls secure and the gate shut. The church also works to keep our members and community safe. Since a relationship with God requires intimacy, the church must be trustworthy for people to share. We follow Christ’s call to welcome people to the gate and lead them to an encounter with Jesus. Once inside the walls, we ensure that they remain safe from the wolves that try to pull people away from the gospel and toward politics or some other endeavor. This activity follows Jesus as He led his followers toward an understanding that God’s concern for people was like leading them as a shepherd leads sheep and as someone who protects them at the gate, ensuring their safety. In the passage below, Jesus reminds the people that many want to take advantage of the vulnerable. In contrast, Jesus offers comfort and protection willingly, sacrificing His freedom for the benefit of humanity. 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” 

19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 10:1–21.

The declaration made by Jesus that He is the door or the gate through which the sheep enter into the fold points us to the reality that Jesus is the gate to a relationship with God, and we are guided to God’s mission through Jesus’s sacrificial love. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, lays down his life for his sheep, demonstrating ultimate care and sacrifice. This act of sacrifice, done out of love for the Father, is essential for the salvation of humankind. As the legitimate way to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus provides salvation, security, and nourishment. Through Jesus, humanity can encounter God because the sins that once separated humanity are dealt with on the cross. Thus, the church’s role is to guide people toward Jesus, emphasizing his sacrificial love. All teachings and leadership should be interpreted through the filter of Christ. Anything contrary to Jesus must be discarded.

When looking for any instruction about how the church should lead Christ’s flock, we find Jesus models how the church should lead people to the gate so they are not persuaded to jump the walls. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, provides the model for leadership within the church. True leaders are those who enter by the door and are genuinely called and commissioned by God, and whose priority is the well-being of the flock, even to the point of self-sacrifice. This contrasts sharply with the false shepherds who are self-serving and neglectful and seek their glory rather than the good of those they lead. The church is called to recognize and follow true shepherds who embody Christ’s character and be wary of those who do not. God intends to unite people from all nations into one flock, guided by one shepherd, as indicated by Jesus’s teaching about other sheep. Therefore, this teaching highlights the church’s mission to adopt a global perspective, extending the message of salvation to those outside the fold, which traditionally referred to Israel but now includes Gentiles. The church’s unity is rooted in a shared connection with Christ, not in conforming to a single cultural or ethnic identity. Therefore, the church should strive to collaborate with all people, regardless of their origin or background, and demonstrate that God’s peace comes from Jesus’s love and care for us. Our words and actions must reflect those of Christ because the flock knows the voice of the Shepherd; therefore, if the church doesn’t sound like Jesus, the flock will not follow. 

In perfect obedience to His Father’s command and His divine mission, Jesus intentionally and willingly sacrifices His freedom to fulfill God’s plan. His entire life and ministry purposefully led to the ultimate act of obedience – sacrificing Himself for His sheep. When the wolves come to take the sheep, Jesus steps in to willingly sacrifice for their relationship with the  Father. This behavior acts in stark contrast to thieves and robbers who prioritize self-preservation over the well-being of the sheep. As the good shepherd, Jesus intentionally chooses to face danger and lay down His life for His flock, demonstrating sacrificial love. The church must follow His example and be intentional in sharing the Gospel, even when facing danger. We are called to actively demonstrate God’s mercy and lead others to Jesus, the gate through which we access the Father.

Jesus’ declaration as both the gate and the good shepherd encapsulates the essence of His divine mission and the path to salvation. As the gate, He provides the exclusive entry into a relationship with God, offering security, nourishment, and eternal life to those who enter through Him. As the good shepherd, Jesus exemplifies sacrificial love, willingly laying down His life for His flock. This dual role demonstrates His supreme authority and His intimate care for humanity. Following Christ’s example, the church is called to guide people towards this gate with intentionality and sacrificial love. It must reflect Jesus’ voice in both word and deed, ensuring that all teachings align with His message. By embodying Christ’s character and mission, the church becomes a beacon, leading people from all nations to the one true shepherd. This global vision of unity in Christ transcends cultural and ethnic boundaries, emphasizing the universal nature of God’s love and salvation. Ultimately, Jesus’ intentional sacrifice, rooted in obedience to the Father’s will, sets the standard for Christian living and ministry. The church is challenged to demonstrate this same level of commitment, facing potential dangers and putting aside self-preservation for the sake of God’s mission. Doing so faithfully leads others to the gate, where they can experience the transformative power of God’s love and mercy through Jesus Christ.

As fires erupted in Southern California this past January, the discourse was riddled (and largely still is) with questions swirling around who is at fault. Every time I went to the news or social media to find out information about what was going on, I encountered more vitriol and accusations than actual news, and I did not even achieve a modicum of understanding about what was happening. Unfortunately, that is the current climate of discourse, and many people are walking away from any engagement because they see too many voices caring more about scoring points for their side than the humanity across the table. The reality is that there were numerous victims of this horrible tragedy, and instead of looking upon them as points to score on their opponents, the church must view them as beloved children of God and seek to help them in their suffering. Even as the disciples were walking beside Jesus, they fell into the discourse trap and could not get out of their own heads as they struggled to understand Jesus’ purpose. Their thoughts went to how they could answer the theological questions rather than living out the life of faith as Jesus demonstrates. However, Jesus corrects them with words and actions, as Jesus brought healing and transformation of the body in this passage below. 

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 9:1-12.

Ultimately, we need to learn to ask better questions of God. The initial question of the disciples, “Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” is uncharitable, unnecessarily curious, and based on the assumption that suffering is always a punishment for sin. In the disciples’ inquiry, we find the reflection of a common belief spread by the teachers of the day. This is a misguided question, as sin before birth is incomprehensible, and why would this be the punishment for the sin of his parents? Further, the disciples had seen Jesus heal someone with paralysis. They must have been familiar with what caused the paralysis, as they knew of Christ’s earlier teachings and interactions with the sick. Therefore, instead of relying upon Jesus, the disciples engaged in popular theology. The way they asked the question brought Jesus’ attention to them, instead of them affixing their eyes upon Jesus’ caring response to suffering. They asked outward questions, looking at man as an object, while Jesus corrected their assumptions by directing them to the power of God that would be revealed at this moment. Instead of seeking answers to win the theological arguments, Jesus wants us to ask questions that will prompt us to act so that we might reveal God’s work in the church. Our questions should prompt action over discourse.

Jesus’ actions bring healing in an unorthodox manner, which is often a messy endeavor. The blind man was healed through unconventional methods, such as spitting on the ground to make clay and then anointing the man’s eyes. Applying mud to the eyes would seemingly make the man more blind. Thus, physical healing occurred in a way that no one would expect, but Jesus used this to highlight God’s work of sending and healing. Jesus directs the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam, which is interpreted as “Sent”. As Jesus sends the man, he ultimately directs the man to Himself as the one sent by God. Sending the blind man to wash in the pool of Siloam allowed the man to be obedient. The man does not question the method, but obeys the command. Healing often comes in ways that are contrary to our understanding. It may involve us getting dirty and working with our hands in an even counterintuitive way. However, when we participate in the healing God wants for our communities, it requires us to submit to the sending of Christ.

The world does not know what to do with the miraculous. After the man’s sight was restored, his neighbors immediately confronted him, who were astonished and even doubted his identity. However, when the man affirmed his identity, they pressed him to explain how his eyes had been opened. His simple account of Jesus’ actions and his obedience to wash in the pool of Siloam was met with further inquiry about the whereabouts of Jesus, whom the man could not identify. Their bewilderment was because they needed a rational explanation for an event that defied their understanding. Just as the neighbors had differing opinions, our ministry will likely be met with a spectrum of reactions, from disbelief and skepticism to curiosity and even acceptance. Not everyone will readily believe or understand the transformative power of God. We must be patient with those we share the Gospel with, as the miraculous nature of grace goes beyond normal comprehension and takes time to absorb. Even the healed man’s initial understanding of Jesus was limited. The best he could initially do was mention a man named Jesus, and it took him interactions with others to begin the comprehension of who Jesus is and the power of what he encountered directly. Similarly, it is crucial to recognize that those we minister to may not immediately grasp the complete identity and significance of Jesus. Growth in faith is a process, and we need to make that space available to those we share Jesus with.

As we contend with our friends and neighbors, we cannot view each other as allies and enemies, but rather co-laborers with Christ in sharing the Gospel in the world. Jesus didn’t go to the cross so that we might become more right than our neighbors, but rather His sacrifice was so that we could share that Good News with everyone. Therefore, as members of His body, we must sacrifice a debate victory to share with people that God loves them, wants to see them healed, and wants them to be victorious over sin. It may not always look the same or the way we think it should, but Christ’s intention for our community is to share the Good News. Therefore, as followers of Jesus, we must allow our hearts to be moved by people who need to hear Jesus’ proclamation about returning sight to the blind, breaking the bonds of injustice, and fighting for the marginalized people. The church’s work doesn’t stop with sharing the Gospel, because the world will not understand God’s intentions for creation. Jesus calls us to walk beside those who find transformation and healing in the Gospel and continue to carry out God’s care for them. It isn’t about accumulating numbers, but rather it is about walking with and caring for people, because that is what God calls the church to do in all circumstances. God’s work in and through us comes so that God’s works might be revealed.

If we show up at a party, in the different group dynamics, there will inevitably be someone who seems aloof and pulled away from everyone else in a group setting. Group dynamics dictate several thoughts that might run across our minds. Some might view the person negatively as “stuck-up” while others see it as a sign of shyness. However, we judge the person with no further information regardless of what might go through our minds. In some occasions, the host will come up with a contrived game or mixer, which is usually introduced into the dynamic to draw out the wallflowers. In my youth ministry era, I dreaded these the most. The nature of using something designed for fun and used to attempt engagement always took away the enjoyment of the activity and short-circuited the attempt to engage with someone at their own pace. We try many contrived things to get the desired result, like getting a middle school kid engaged in youth group, but Jesus warns us that sharing the transformation of the gospel message must begin with reaching people’s hearts. The law was God striving after people’s hearts; therefore when approaching the law, we must understand that it is not intended to destroy, but to bring all people closer to God. Thus, we cannot use it in any contrived way; instead, we must look at it as an opportunity to know more about Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees tried to trap Jesus using the law by lurking and finding someone trapped in sin. They made Jesus choose between compassionate mercy and strict adherence to the rule of law. Move in one direction, and Jesus disobeyed the law; move in another, and Jesus made trouble with Rome. However, the scribes and Pharisees cared less about Jesus’ decision and more about causing Him trouble.

2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 8:2-11.

Those intent on accusation often have an ulterior motive. Therefore, if our first instinct is accusation, we must examine our hearts. The accusers attempted to trap Jesus between upholding the law and showing compassion. Jesus’s response showed adept understanding of their tension and perfectly embodies both. Christ’s answer kept both in the framework of righteousness, not departing from gentleness. He transformed the trap into a snare for the accusers. The accusers were self-righteous and hypocritical, more concerned with trapping Jesus than with genuine justice or personal holiness. Jesus’s statement, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her,” exposes their sinfulness and silences their accusations. Proper judgment should begin with self-examination. People should assess their motives and moral standing as Christ calls on us, before pointing out someone else’s sin. In approaching any condemnation of sin, we must first humble ourselves by recognizing the depth of our failings and connect with how we need Christ to respond to us. Our shortcomings lead us to use judgment as a distraction, but Christ calls out in these moments to open our hearts to compassion and grace.

We must realize we require grace because of our sin and ongoing struggle to follow Jesus’ command to “Go and sin no more.” Grace allows us to draw closer to Jesus, while the law demands strict justice and punishment for sin. Jesus, while not abolishing the Law, offers forgiveness and a chance for a new life. Interacting with the woman, Christ brings us the law of grace, which frees sinners from punishment. Jesus does not condone the woman’s sin but offers her forgiveness and a call to repent. His command underscores the importance of turning away from sin. By the same word of God, when forgiveness is offered to us, we are also called to repent. However, this exhortation looks forward to the future, requiring sinners to acknowledge their sin, as we walk in the light of grace. While this passage does not eliminate our ability to call out sin when we see it, it does require us to hold onto compassion in one hand while looking upon sin, as we recognize our sinfulness. Through this perspective we connect with those entrapped by sin, and walk with them toward Jesus’ command to go and sin no more. Jesus sat with and walked with sinners, so that in contrast, their sin might be revealed. Our mission is to sit and walk with sinners so that they might draw closer to Christ and have their sin uncloaked and given to Christ.

We draw closer to our need for Christ’s salvation through the law, because the law serves to remind us that we are sinful and unable to save ourselves. In this passage, the law was used as a trap and a reminder to the woman that she was worthless. However, Christ intervenes and speaks directly into the accusers’ lives through the law’s power. Through the law they were not justified, therefore they could not understand how that justice should be carried out clearly. Though righteous, the law reveals humanity’s shortcomings and inability to adhere to its standards. The law condemns the adulterous woman, and by extension, it also convicts her accusers of their sins, demonstrating that all are sinners. However, the grace offered by Christ isn’t a dismissal of sin, but rather an empowerment to overcome it. The command to “go and sin no more” emphasizes that forgiveness leads to a changed life, guided by the Spirit. The danger for the church is to connect the accusers and the stones with the law. Unfortunately, many in the church take it as our responsibility to carry out the law and to bring condemnation. The reality is that Jesus, in perfection, represents the law, but in His mercy He also embodies grace. Our mission as the church is to guide people to the law through Christ’s embodiment of grace, just as we approach the law through the lens of God’s grace on the cross.

Holding in tension mercy and justice, Jesus looks upon the accusers and the woman. With sincerity, he asks the crowd to examine themselves and determine their ability to judge righteously, and one by one, they turn away. With compassion, he allows the woman to see that none of the accusers remain and offers her the most pleasant words, telling her, “Neither do I condemn you.” We must offer peace to people dealing with accusations and belittling for far too long. We don’t know much about this woman’s history. Still, a set of circumstances had likely led her toward being an object of lust and adultery, and we know nothing of the man that was a co-participant in the adultery. She was an easy target, and when people look for accusations they often pick the easy targets. Jesus didn’t take the bait. This passage reinforces the need to speak truth in love, balancing justice with compassion. Any word of judgment, healing, or cleansing the church seeks to speak that is not spoken in the name of Jesus Christ is a false, empty word. It has no authority. It is only by His name and by His authority that we can say, “Go and sin no more.” The church must respond with compassion and utilize the law as a device that brings people closer in relationship, and not a hammer to beat people over the head. We can’t get to the command to go and sin no more without first hearing Jesus say, “Neither do I condemn you.”

Who are you? So many of us struggle to identify ourselves. We find ourselves not fully identifying with one group or another, because unlike what we see portrayed in media, most of us don’t perfectly fit into the boxes society tries to assign us. Unfortunately, when people learn a couple things about us, they may ultimately try to place us into categories that may not accurately represent our personalities. Only those closest to us truly can ascertain the nuances in our character that offer a more refined picture of us. Similarly, as we approach faith, we are filled with many notions about Jesus from the people around us. If someone led us to faith in Christ, their beliefs and doctrines will shade how we believe. Similarly, when we read a book or hear a sermon, they will influence the way we believe. However, as we grow in faith, we need to draw closer to Jesus, and although the books and sermons influence our thinking, Jesus and the Holy Spirit draw us closer and are paramount to our faith walk and journey. The people of Jerusalem were caught between what the religious leaders said about Jesus and what they witnessed with their own eyes. They found themselves questioning what was happening around them, and into this confusion Jesus speaks and addresses the uncertainty. 

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?” 

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 7:25-31.

The divinity of Jesus is key to our understanding of His mission and what that means for our world. The Jerusalemites failed to grasp the true nature of Jesus’ claims and mission, they interpreted His words through pre-conceived notions about the Messiah. Through the teaching of the Pharisees, they were blinded and earthbound by ignorance, prejudices, and incapacity to think in the spiritual terms Jesus speaks. There was a prevalent misinterpretation of Malachi 3:1 and portions of Isaiah 53 that the Messiah would appear out of nowhere. This created a belief that no man would know where the Messiah would come from. Their logic is this: Since they know Jesus is from Nazareth, He cannot possibly be the Messiah. However, Jesus proclaims that His mission is staked in history because He comes forth from God. Thus the Messiah’s mission begins with God in heaven, which is the ultimate difference between the sending of prophets and Jesus. The man of Nazareth is from heaven, illustrating the mystery of the Incarnation. Jesus’s works are the Father’s, thus proving His divine mission. Jesus further asserts that God sent him and His knowledge of the Father shows an intimacy that could only have divine origin. Through this connection Jesus highlights the ignorance of those questioning Him, suggesting they do not know God.  We mustn’t fall into the trap of ignorance of Christ’s mission. There are signs all around us of the glory of God, but we cannot be trapped in misinterpreting those signs because we are not in tune with our relationship with God. Like in Jerusalem, many people believe in Jesus because of the witnessed miracles. However, if we cling more to anything than the words and deeds of Jesus, then we stand in God’s way instead of participating in the mission. 

However, God’s will cannot be thwarted, but it must inspire followers to have confidence in aligning with Christ in the face of the world’s powers. The religious authorities were enraged by Jesus’ claims, as they tried to seize Him, but they ultimately were unable to succeed because God’s established time had yet to arrive. This highlights God’s sovereignty and the predetermined timing of events in Jesus’ life and evidences the invincibility of God’s promises and plans. The Proverbs remind us that “There is no wisdom, understanding, or counsel against the Lord” (Prov. 21:30). God had decreed that the Savior should be betrayed by a familiar friend and sold for thirty pieces of silver, thus these men couldn’t seize Him. They could no more arrest Christ than they could stop the sun from shining. Even when Jesus’ words and deeds divided the people, as some rejected Him outright, while others began to believe, God was working to bring all of those that were going to accept Christ. Therefore, when the Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring, they still desired to take Jesus to limit His effect in Jerusalem and throughout Israel, but God’s plan prevailed. Therefore, we must courageously deliver the gospel message regardless of who is listening. Even when the gospel meets opposition, good can still be done. Faithful followers of God’s truths should expect to be hated and persecuted by those who feel tormented by their testimony, just as His first followers also experienced the pressures and hostility. Though opposition and persecution may arise, but God’s plan will prevail.

With this in mind, as Christ’s followers, we must be wise in judging what we follow and adopt. Our thoughts must align with Jesus, not the strong, powerful, or popular. Although the inhabitants of Jerusalem knew of the plot to kill Jesus, they questioned why the rulers weren’t acting on it, wondering if the rulers knew Jesus was the Christ. However, they dismissed this possibility because they held onto the taught interpretation that since they knew where Jesus came from, and assuming the Messiah would appear without known origins. This demonstrates a reliance on popular belief rather than openness to the truth. Jesus urges people to stop judging according to appearances and instead judge with the mind granted them by the Almighty. The challenge of Jesus’ claim to be the bearer of God’s revelation requires an answer from everyone. Where are we looking for answers? The problem lies in their reliance upon the interpretations of the religious elites instead of examining the heart of scripture. Truth about God requires a relationship with Christ. Although many voices will try to tell us how we should interpret or discern the scriptures or the movement of the Spirit, we must rely upon faith to guide us, because knowing where Christ is from requires faith and spiritual discernment, not just knowledge of earthly origins. Today, it’s a reminder to seek a deeper, spiritual understanding of faith rather than relying solely on superficial knowledge or traditions. 

At the heart of our following of Christ is an understanding of Jesus’s divine origin. This helps us grasp that His mission and its implications for the world are salvic at their core. This mission distinguishes Jesus from the prophets before because they illuminate a calling that could only be carried out by an Incarnate God. Many of us fail to recognize Jesus’s true nature due to preconceived notions, ignorance, prejudice, and an inability to think spiritually. A reliance on literal interpretations and popular beliefs causes people to misinterpret scripture and Jesus’s claims. While these misinterpretations or reliance upon false narratives might seem to thwart God’s plan, God’s purpose for Jesus’ life is sovereign and invincible. Attempts to hinder it are futile, as demonstrated by the authorities’ inability to seize Jesus until the timing of God was fulfilled. Therefore, our understanding of Jesus begins with relying on faith and spiritual discernment, not relying on earthly knowledge or popular interpretations. Unfortunately, people will consistently attempt to use skewed teaching to lead us astray or even strike at us. Still, our faith will consistently guide us toward the truth and a life led by Jesus, guiding us continually to asking the question, “What does Jesus say?”

Fear leads to anxiety and allows our minds to drift quickly to the worst-case scenario. We think about the myriad of things we might lose and have trouble discerning reality from the actionable things directly in front of us. Instead of focusing on the things we can control, we throw our hands up and yield everything to fear. There is a sense that fear leads us to forget the depth of our knowledge and experience and instead limit ourselves to only what is directly in front of us. Fear makes us impetuous and chase ghosts. It was this behavior that took over after Jesus had fed the five thousand. Jesus feeds thousands, then walks on water. Unquestionably divine. But the narrative doesn’t end in triumphant praise. Instead, the people sought to use Jesus for their ends instead of just being in awe of the presence of the Son of God. Just as the masses got distracted by their desires for Jesus, our distractions reveal our misplaced focus and the truth about our hearts. The fear of Rome and even of the sea allows the people and the disciples to distract themselves from the Gospel message present in the life of Christ.

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately, the boat was at the land to which they were going.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 6:16-21.

The people’s focus shifted after witnessing Jesus miraculously feed the five thousand. They urged Jesus to become a conquering king, aligning Him with their desires for physical deliverance from the Romans rather than embracing His message of spiritual liberation and peace. Their fears of Rome took paramount importance in their minds rather than the spiritual liberation Jesus provided. Similarly, the disciples’ journey through the stormy sea after leaving the miracle also symbolizes the Church’s trials. The storm represents the rise of errors, terrors, and iniquity. Fixating on these hardships can harden hearts, causing forgetfulness of past blessings and limiting expectations for answered prayers. Fear blinds us from. Despite Jesus’ extraordinary acts, we are easily distracted by life’s storms. When we follow Christ, our focus should not solely be His actions during our struggles. Though He may sometimes feel distant, He is always ready to reach out with comfort, healing, and love.

Jesus walking on the water is a manifestation of God’s power over nature, reminiscent of the Exodus, revealing God coming to aid His people in distress. Jesus calmed their fears by saying, “It is I; do not be afraid,” which serves as a divine self-affirmation, echoing the divine name spoken in Exodus. He did this amid terrifying problems that lacked an easy solution and befuddled the disciples; Jesus thus gives the powerful assurance of His presence and brings peace that overcomes fear. The disciples’ experience teaches believers that Christ is present and aware of struggles, even in the darkest and stormiest times. Believers are encouraged to maintain faith and patience, continue their duties, and look to Jesus, who controls the situation. Christ’s message speaks to us throughout history, reaching deep into any darkness surrounding us and calming us with His presence. Christ’s presence continues with us today. Even when we struggle with the distractions around us, we are called to raise our gaze, reminding us that even when we are off balance and lacking direction, Christ commands nature around us so that we know we are in the presence of the Almighty.

When Christ is present, believers have grounds for confidence, calmness, and ease. This is because He sources of propitiation and salvation. The ship in the story prefigures the Church, suggesting that the Church can move forward with Christ even when facing storms and darkness. A renewed hope and power can be experienced through Christ’s presence despite the failings of the structure and organization. This power enables the church to serve a world plagued by fear and despair. The Church provides reassurance to overcome the world’s sorrow by sharing Christ’s presence and message. Due to our assurance in Christ, we are allowed to enter situations without fear, bringing Christ to those struggling through challenging and uncertain circumstances. Just as Jesus’ presence in the disciples’ boat led them safely to the other side, we also can be assured that Jesus’ presence will always bring us to our destination. This highlights that assurance in Christ empowers believers to overcome fear, and the Church is tasked with extending this assurance to others.

Much like the boat that carried Christ, the Church will safely reach its destination. Although the world is full of fear and despair, the Church carries Christ’s message and presence, which provides assurance and hope. This reminds people that Christ offers confidence, calmness, and ultimate deliverance, allowing them to overcome fear and find peace. Christ’s presence is a constant source of comfort and control even when the storms of life engulf us. When consumed by fear, we become easily distracted from the core message of Christ. This misplaced focus leads us to pursue temporary solutions and self-serving desires, missing the spiritual deliverance and peace that Christ offers through his presence. Therefore, the church’s mission must be to set aside fear, embrace the Gospel message, and share the presence of the Almighty with our world as they face uncertainty.

God has placed all of us in community with one another. However, one thing we do best is find ways that separate us and cause us to isolate ourselves from the community. The original purpose for a set of rules and regulations often has a place in determining how we can best work together and keep everyone in a situation where we all can thrive without taking advantage of someone or being taken advantage of by another. However, issues arise when the rules become more important than the rationale for the rules. The ease of reading a set of rules and determining that this is the best way to live leads people to fall into more devotion to the rule easily and ignore that the rule was placed for a specific purpose. 

The Pharisees had an unhealthy devotion to the rules and lacked the compassion necessary to understand the purpose, so they treated people harshly. Several times in the Gospels, they clash with Jesus over the Sabbath, lacking the understanding that the rules concerning the Sabbath were for man to embrace rest rather than for man to be overburdened by their regulations. In John 5, Jesus offered healing to a man on the Sabbath who had been afflicted for nearly four decades, but the primary concern of the Jewish leaders was the violation of Sabbath codes. However, Jesus confounded those leaders with His response that reminded them that God created the Sabbath for humanity, not the other way around.

15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 5:15-18.

The Pharisees were more concerned with enforcing their rules than with the well-being of the healed man. They criticized the man for carrying his bed, which they considered a violation of the Sabbath, but they showed no interest in his healing or the implications of Jesus’ power. The Pharisees didn’t show concern for the man’s suffering. The rules that forbid healing on the Sabbath were of less importance than the man; in contrast, Jesus saw him for who he was. Jesus’ actions were driven by compassion, and that love and compassion should take priority over legalism. Jesus looked upon the man and offered relief because he saw his suffering.  While rules and order certainly have a place within the church, there must never be a situation where we don’t show compassion for the sake of these rules. People are more valuable to God than any rule or law. God commands us to recognize suffering and pain and to work with all our might to strive to alleviate this from people who walk into our path. This tact doesn’t ignore the rules but reminds us that people come first before any rule. 

Jesus defends his Sabbath healings, stating, “My Father has been working until now, and I am working.” This suggests that God’s work of sustaining the universe and acting with grace towards people in need is continuous, even on the Sabbath.  Sabbath was meant for rest, worship, and celebration before God, but it had become a rigid institution filled with regulations. Jesus’ work of healing is aligned with the work of his Father; thus, it is also a work of mercy. The Pharisees missed the true intent of the Sabbath, which was to show God’s mercy and grace, as opposed to adhering to strict legalism. The priority of compassion over legalism indicates that works of mercy do not require rest. God initiated the Sabbath, and its importance is highlighted in the ten commandments handed down to Moses. However, the intention of the Sabbath is to do good, and if we neglect doing good work for the sake of following strict adherence, we miss the mark, which is quite literally sin. The followers of Christ must allow Christ’s examples of healing and doing good to be the priority over strict adherence to rules.

The healing at the pool illustrates God’s grace. The pool itself is called Bethesda, meaning mercy, and is located near the sheep gate, symbolizing the mercy obtainable through Christ. This connects physical healing to spiritual healing; just as the man was healed by grace, so are people saved by grace through faith. The man didn’t earn his healing but was given it freely, just as God’s gift of eternal life is for sinners. Jesus’s claim that God is his Father and that he is one with the Father is not just a statement of shared purpose but a claim to equality with God. The religious leaders found it blasphemous, but it is central to the idea that salvation comes through Christ’s divine nature, not through following the law. Through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, our connection to God comes through faith, not the law. Since we are saved through faith and not law, our focus should be on adhering to the message of the Gospel and sharing it with the world. We need to spend less time worrying about where to draw the line on sin and focus on the ideals Christ gave us by showing each other mercy and love.

We cannot allow our biases to lift the law over compassion and work for the Gospel in the world; just as Jesus worked on the Sabbath, we are called to work for people’s healing and reconciliation, even if doing so might cause us to transgress laws and regulations. Spending our time arguing about where the line is concerning sin blinds us from God’s purpose for sending Christ, which is to save the world from sin, not put up guard rails against transgression. Christ’s mission was to show mercy to the world, not proclaim judgment over it. The church is invited to proclaim that we are working with Christ, especially when confronted by gatekeepers to the faith, because through the mercy and love of the Almighty God, the gates have been flung open to all those who put their faith in Christ and not the law. Jesus’ message is dangerous to those clinging to systems that have thrived off of strict adherence to regulations, which sees only a limited group accessing a relationship with God because Jesus opens up salvation to the world. It would be a shame if, instead of embracing the work Jesus invites us into with His mercy and love, we decided to oppose Christ and try to tell God what is and isn’t okay. Just as the Father is working, Jesus is working, and the Holy Spirit is working, may the church work with God, breaking down the barriers and sharing the Gospel.

Our society and organizations (including churches) have many unwritten rules about proper and reasonable actions. It is discouraged to transgress these norms for fear that we might have consequences and lose our status or authority in certain circles. My mind immediately goes to the person who comes in smelling bad and is dressed poorly or the same-sex couple that walks through the doors and is immediately met with whispers. As we follow Christ, we must focus more on how Jesus calls us to act and less on how society might want us to perform. If the societal norm runs contrary to the call of the Gospel, our loyalty must be to the Gospel and not our society. Unfortunately, the lines get blurred, and we lose sight of Christ’s calling on our hearts, which allows confusion to dictate our actions as we become blind to the Church’s primary purpose, sharing the Gospel. Jesus exemplifies this purpose through His interaction with the Samaritan woman. Just as Jesus did, we are called to eliminate the distinctions that come with our society and culture. He broke down the cultural walls that prevented Him from speaking to the woman at the well and granted her dignity, respect, and power by simply opening His mouth to speak to her. However, it didn’t stop there because Jesus seeks not only to connect with us through speech, but He empowers us, even while we are sinners, to carry out the message of the Gospel. 

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 4:1-26.

The Church must connect with the humanity in everyone; thus, no person or group can be off-limits for the Church. We must disregard societal expectations and focus on an individual’s worth. Jesus exemplifies this by stating that He initiates conversations with Samaritan women despite the prevailing social norms of the time. Jews and Samaritans had deep-seated prejudices against each other, and men, especially rabbis, did not typically engage in conversation with women in public. Jesus’ willingness to speak with her, a Samaritan woman, demonstrates that no social barrier should prevent the church from reaching out to others. We must recognize and address the fundamental needs of all people as a starting point for connection. Jesus begins by asking the woman for a drink of water, a simple and humanizing request. Acknowledging his physical thirst and vulnerability establishes a common ground and bridges the gap between them. By starting with a basic human need, Jesus shows that he sees her as a person first, not as a social or religious outcast. Societal prejudices have no place in our churches, and all people must be treated with dignity and empathy. Jesus’ conversation flows naturally. He does not appear odd or judgmental, and his approach is relaxed, allowing the woman to express her needs and engage authentically. He treats her as a person of dignity, listening to her questions and respectfully responding. 

The Gospel demands that followers of Christ reach out to people who do not fit the mold of a member of our churches. It is the Church’s job to initiate conversation and connection. Jesus going to Samaria was not just a geographical necessity but a divine one. It was part of God’s plan that Jesus should minister to the Samaritans, who were considered semi-heathen by the Jews. This idea of a moral and divine need for Jesus to go to Samaria suggests that the mission to those outside the norm is not optional but a necessary part of God’s plan. The Samaritan woman illustrates the divine initiative to seek out the lost. Furthermore, God’s elect was in Samaria and must be sought and found. Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman is a clear example of reaching out to someone outside the typical Jewish social and religious circles. The woman was a Samaritan and also an outcast within her community. The disciples were surprised when they found Jesus speaking with her. Jesus’ breaking of social taboos by engaging with the woman demonstrates the importance of reaching out to those who are marginalized. No person or group should be off-limits for the church to connect. The Samaritan woman’s actions after encountering Jesus illustrate that discipleship demands reaching out to the fringes and edges of society. The woman leaves her water jar and goes into the city to tell the people about Jesus. As a newly-born soul, the transformation she experienced had to be shared with others. Thus, the church’s mission cannot be limited to those within its walls; it should include a call to initiate conversations with those who may not know Christ. The woman’s actions are models of how to invite others to come to Christ and share the Gospel.

People will not change just to engage with the Church; therefore, we need to understand that transformation doesn’t come from encountering us but a genuine encounter with Christ’s love. The Samaritan woman’s transformation occurs because of her interaction with Jesus’ followers and her conversation with Jesus, where she recognizes him as the Messiah. This personal encounter leads to her sharing her faith, not simply an encounter with the church. She had repeatedly gone to the well seeking relief and satisfaction. However, Jesus offered her something more than what she had found at the well. The water from the well represents worldly pleasures, which are fleeting and can never truly satisfy. Since the water in the well is the world’s pleasure in its dark depth. Stooping forward, they seek pleasure fetched from the depth of the well. Worldly pleasures, like water from the well, only offer temporary satisfaction. However, this is the way of the world, going to the well repeatedly when the high fades and pleasure wanes. They do not reach the more profound needs and desires. The fleeting nature of worldly pleasures contrasts with the lasting satisfaction offered by Christ. External religious practices or adherence to religious laws are insufficient for genuine change. The woman’s fixation on the location of worship highlights her misplaced emphasis, and Jesus redirects her focus from location to the nature of worship. This indicates that engaging with the external aspects of church or religious practice does not necessarily lead to transformation; instead, it is an internal change of heart brought about by an encounter with Christ. Human efforts and reasoning are inadequate for spiritual understanding. The woman’s initial questions reveal the limitation of human reasoning in grasping spiritual truths. Thus, people will not be transformed simply by encountering the church; they must have their eyes opened and their hearts changed by the truth of God. God takes the initiative in seeking people, not the other way around. Jesus comes to the woman at the well, showing that God is the one who reaches out, not waiting for people to change before they can be engaged. Transformation is a work of God’s grace and not dependent on a person’s decision to engage with the church or any other organization.

When locked into our buildings, we often limit our work of sharing the Gospel. We end up limiting our interactions. Jesus went out of His way to share the living water in Samaria with a woman. Evangelism cannot be limited by prejudice or societal norms. Jesus demonstrates that the Gospel is for everyone, regardless of background or past. Believers must reach out to those who may be marginalized or overlooked. The Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus leads to her transformation and understanding of who He is, prompting her to share this news with her community. Her personal experience and testimony become the means through which others in her town come to believe. Personal testimony plays a vital role in evangelism. When people are transformed by their encounter with God, they become the most compelling witnesses to the power of the Gospel. True worship is not tied to a particular place or ritual but is a matter of the heart and the Spirit. This understanding of worship empowers the believer to share the Gospel message in any setting, knowing that the presence of God is not limited to a physical location. We are challenged to move beyond a focus on external forms of worship to a focus on a genuine heart for God, which is expressed in love for others. Jesus’ request for a drink opened the door to speak directly into the Samaritan woman’s heart and started an evangelical movement in a place that the religious establishment rejected. Therefore, as followers of Christ, we must go out of our way to seek out the marginalized and rejected groups and simply ask for a drink to open the door for an encounter with Christ.

When we have been a member of a faith community for a long time, our thoughts might become enmeshed with the larger group’s thoughts and ideas about how we might live out our faith. However, in some situations, our tradition might lock in our thinking and turn it into something based upon tradition and not upon what Jesus came to do. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus certainly knew the scriptures well. However, their interpretations of the scripture often worked more to keep others away than offering an understanding of the scriptures as an invitation to a relationship with God. Jesus shook Nicodemus’ understanding and had him question Jesus’ words because his traditional mindset was struggling to grasp the message Jesus shared. As we approach the text that many new converts first learn, we mustn’t stumble over our traditional reading and seek to understand the heart of Jesus’ message for the world. Jesus came for a specific purpose: that the world might be saved through God’s love.

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.²¹ But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 3:16-21.

Jesus breaks with the traditional norms by offering salvation to the world. Instead of narrowly defining what must be done for salvation, it is offered freely as a counter to the condemnation offered by the world. Many Jews believed God would pour out His wrath on the world and restore Israel to a position of glory. They thought the world was pagan and deserving of God’s judgment. However, Jesus’ message was that God’s love extended to the whole world, not just the Jewish people. This was a radical departure from the common belief that God had chosen the Jews for salvation, and other nations were excluded. Jesus teaches that salvation comes through faith in Him, not adherence to the law. This challenged the traditional idea that keeping the law was the condition for entering God’s kingdom. Jesus emphasizes that salvation is a gift of God’s grace, not something earned through good deeds. This was contrary to the common belief that one had to earn God’s favor through their actions. Even now, many people believe that their good deeds outweigh their evil deeds and that they can earn their way to heaven. Modern culture often emphasizes self-reliance and independence, making it difficult for people to accept their need for a savior. The idea of needing to depend on an outside source for salvation can be challenging to people who are used to being in control. God’s love being the driving factor for salvation is often a foreign idea. Many are not used to the idea of a loving, forgiving God who wants to save people but rather a God of law who is more interested in condemnation. However, Jesus flips the understanding from a vengeful and condemning God to a loving God.

Condemnation is entirely unnecessary because it came as a condition to sin. Therefore, Jesus brings the world an escape from the prison of condemnation into the beauty of salvation. Humans are born into sin and, therefore, subject to condemnation. Thus, by nature, people are “children of wrath.” Humanity’s natural state is “darkness,” which is associated with sin and ignorance of God. Those who love darkness and refuse to come to the light are condemned because their deeds are evil. Therefore, Jesus came as a way out. Jesus’ death on the cross is presented as a necessary sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. This sacrifice is compared to the bronze serpent Moses lifted, which brought healing to the Israelites. In the same way, those who look to Christ will have eternal life. Those who believe in Jesus are not condemned but pass from death into life. Underscoring Jesus is the way to escape condemnation, as Christ takes the believer’s place and pays the penalty for sin. While salvation is offered to all, not all will choose it. Those who reject Jesus and the light he offers remain condemned. The choice to love darkness rather than light is attributed to a preference for evil deeds, resulting in self-imposed condemnation, not a Christ-imposed condemnation, as judgment is a present reality. The rejection of Christ is a rejection of the way of deliverance from condemnation. 

Just as Jesus came so that the world might be saved, God called the Church to join with Christ and share the Gospel’s good news. We must evangelize that Christ came for humanity’s salvation and dispose of any rhetoric emphasizing condemnation. The gift of Jesus is presented as a means to obtain everlasting life and escape perishing. This focus on life and salvation is a central message to be shared. Jesus came to bring the “light of salvation” and that those who come to the light, receive the gift of eternal life. Salvation is achieved through faith in Jesus. This focus on faith shifts the emphasis away from condemnation and towards the positive reception of God’s gift. God’s love and the offer of salvation are for the whole world, not just a select group. This inclusive message should be central to evangelization. This directly leads to a rejection of condemnation as the primary message. Although some will not accept the gift of salvation and will, therefore, be judged, the primary focus is on the offer of salvation, not on the condemnation of those who do not believe. Any stressing of condemnation is a perversion of the Gospel. The Church’s role is to participate in God’s saving work. Christ calls believers to be witnesses, to share the good news, and to act as a light to the world. By being transparent about our lives and turning to the light, we become a testimony to Christ’s power and saving grace. Salvation is not just a matter of outward behavior but of a profound transformation of the inner self. Salvation brings a radical change that moves us away from any emphasis on works or legalistic approaches to righteousness.

The temptation upon receiving some status in the world is to impose upon the world a narrow understanding of what the Bible says. However, Jesus shows us through his words to Nicodemus that the purpose of the Gospel is that the world might be saved through the loving act of God. There is already condemnation for those who reject God, and there is certainly no need for the church to focus on scaring people into relationships with Christ. The world acts with condemnation, but Jesus instructs His Church to share words of love and salvation. Whether it be the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church that make a display of their words of condemnation or even our churches by speaking words to people that are not inviting but instead condemning and rejecting, the church must primarily speak God’s love even over those we consider our enemies because the Gospel is about salvation being greater than the condemnation of sin. Ultimately, traditional interpretations must take a back seat to the love of God that is the source of salvation. When we trust in God and the Gospel, we invite the Holy Spirit to help grow faith within our community and instill a profound transformation that spills out into how we act.

At a four-way stop, traffic flows smoothly and safely if everyone follows the rules. However, if someone disregards the stop sign, the chance of an accident increases significantly. If there are no consequences for this behavior, the likelihood of repeated offenses rises, creating a dangerous situation for everyone. Similarly, in many churches, worship has become like a car running a stop sign. When a church compromises its principles to prioritize comfort or seek favor with the powerful, it heads towards a collision. In this scenario, moral failures are overlooked, and the pursuit of power overshadows genuine faith. Jesus encountered a similar situation when he entered the temple. The church had become a place of commerce, no longer a welcoming house of prayer for all. In this context, Jesus’ message was clear: STOP.

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 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.

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 2:13-25.

Jesus was angered when he saw the temple being used for commerce, including the selling of sacrificial animals and money changing. He viewed it as dishonest profiteering, turning the house of worship into a market. This prevented non-Jewish people from worshipping and prioritized the wealthy and powerful over the poor and lowly. Similarly, churches today cannot focus on commerce, members’ preferences, or self-display, but rather, the focus must be on making it easier for people to find God. Worship should be centered on honoring and glorifying God, as Jesus demonstrated through his zeal for his Father’s honor.

When worship practices deviate from their intended purpose, Jesus calls for a pause and reevaluation. True worship must be centered on Christ, who is eternal and indestructible. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple is a dramatic example of interrupting and evaluating established practices. Although activities like animal sales and money exchange were not illegal, they hindered genuine worship and access to God. Jesus’ actions signified the need for a new approach to worship and a fresh understanding of God’s presence. His words about destroying and rebuilding the temple emphasize the necessity of reexamining the core of worship. The saying “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it” should be interpreted metaphorically, pointing to Jesus’ death and resurrection. This statement highlights that true worship is founded on Christ, not physical structures or rituals. Jesus’ resurrection establishes a new foundation for worship, an indestructible “temple.” Only after Jesus’ resurrection did the disciples fully grasp the meaning behind his actions and teachings, including the temple cleansing. The resurrection confirmed that Jesus, as the new temple, cannot be destroyed. In this new understanding, true worship transcends physical location and is rooted in Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection through the Holy Spirit.

To truly follow Jesus, we must first repent, turn away from the worship of wealth, power, and self, and return our hearts to the worship of God. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple exemplifies this, emphasizing that discipleship requires rejecting practices rooted in the worship of wealth and power. By disrupting the temple’s commercialization, Jesus called people back to the worship of God. His ability to see into the human heart reveals the futility of superficial worship and self-deception; true discipleship requires internal transformation, not just external expressions of faith. Following Jesus means relinquishing excuses for our wrongdoings and reorienting our hearts towards God, replacing reliance on external rituals or worldly systems with a focus on Christ. This relationship necessitates turning away from the worship of self and worldly power and returning to the worship of God.

Jesus’ cleansing of the temple demonstrates his authority and dedication to reforming worship. This act highlights the importance of genuine faith rather than superficial belief based on miracles. Jesus’ actions in the temple are not merely a historical event but a timeless challenge to discipleship. They invite us to understand the profound nature of his mission and identity. As followers of Christ, we should be inspired by his decisive actions to be equally decisive in our worship, creating spaces that encourage others to experience the temple built through Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. We must avoid favoritism, ritualism, and empty traditions and cultivate genuine worship where everyone feels welcome. Community and fellowship become a place where worship and faith thrive. We must reflect on this event and recognize Jesus’ call to move beyond the motions of worship. Through repentance, we can allow Christ to purify our worship, restoring it to its true purpose: bringing people to the Gospel. Our lives should be filled with worship that honors God and Christ’s sacrifice for humanity.