Pure and Simple
John 7:45-49 The Temple police went back to the leading priests and the Pharisees. The priests and the Pharisees asked, “Why didn’t you bring Jesus?” The Temple police answered, “We have never heard anyone say such amazing things!” The Pharisees answered, “So he has fooled you too! You don’t see any of the leaders or any of us Pharisees believing in him, do you? But those people out there know nothing about the law. They are under God’s curse!”
There are so many people in this day and age who want to get rid of “religion” (I put that in inverted commas deliberately) out of the public square, out of public discourse and debate, out of life altogether. And so many of them are so strident, so vitriolic in doing so, have you noticed?
Of course, there’s nothing new in any of that. The assault of evil upon the goodness of Jesus began from the very beginning.
John 7:45-48 The Temple police went back to the leading priests and the Pharisees. The priests and the Pharisees asked, “Why didn’t you bring Jesus?” The Temple police answered, “We have never heard anyone say such amazing things!” The Pharisees answered, “So he has fooled you too! You don’t see any of the leaders or any of us Pharisees believing in him, do you? But those people out there know nothing about the law. They are under God’s curse!”
God’s goodness in Jesus His Son offended the vested interests of the religious leaders. The ordinary people, whom the priests and Pharisees had been subjugating and manipulating for way too long, saw His goodness, which is why they were drawn to Him. So Jesus was undermining the religious leaders’ power base, which is why they criticised Him and cursed the people.
Don’t be fooled by those who only want to do evil, those with vested interests who hurl abuse at Jesus, who want to push Him out of your life. Keep it pure, keep it simple. Jesus. He came for you.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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