How Dare Jesus Speak Like That!

SCRIPTURE: John 8:42-47
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

OBSERVATION: The way in which Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and their ilk flies in the face of our cultural norms today. He is blunt and confrontational in an almost brutal manner. He certainly doesn't seem to care about "hurting their feelings" or offending them. Does Jesus love the Pharisees? I think so. He died for their sins too. But he also cares about truth and righteousness and is willing to confront, sometimes harshly, to try to bring needed conviction of sin that leads to repentance.

APPLICATION: Today we avoid confrontation at all costs. Hurting someone's feelings is held as almost the highest moral value there is. It is thought better to not speak rather than to risk offending someone. A person who speaks uncomfortable truth is often thought to be unspiritual, rude and unfit for ministry. The result is that we have sin that is not confronted and phoney relationships where conflicts are never positively resolved. Unrighteousness is tolerated in the name of love. But love without truth is not what the scripture upholds as a Christian value. There are times when the Scripture confronts beliefs we have been raised with and our cultural norms. When we find such conflict, we need to re-examine our ideas and behavior and bring them into conformity with God's values.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to align my thoughts with your thoughts and my ways with your ways. Reveal to me where they differ for I do not always see it right away. I want to speak the truth in love, especially when the truth is a difficult one. May I have your wisdom to be bold when I need to be but to be bold with love and gentleness and always with the good of others as my motivation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.