From the scripture passage for today in verse 11, it states, "He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him."
If Jesus were to walk into our class on Sunday morning, would we welcome him?
How many times has "Jesus" entered our class over this past year?
What were their names? How will we be ready this year?
John 1:(1-9), 10-18
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
1:3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being
1:4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
1:7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
1:8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
1:9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
1:10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.
1:11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
1:12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,
1:13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
1:14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
1:15 (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'")
1:16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
1:17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
1:18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.
Walter Morton for Journey Across the Line
I once attended a service at a small town church where the pastor was issuing his usual Sunday evening sermon as the parishioners sat stoically, shaking their heads in agreement. The silence grew so strong if a feather would have dropped the impacting crash would have been deafening. And yes, much to my chagrin, that’s when my stomach growled and a few wonderful souls frowned at me as if to say “control your bodily noises” …uh huh, as if one has control over them, right. Suddenly the heavy oak door at the back crept open and an unknown visitor; frail, disheveled and obviously muddled appeared and entered. His clothes tattered, torn and stained several shades of filthy blended into the edges of his weathered face. His greasy hair framed his long wiry bearded chin. His eyes were soft and drew towards the floor undemanding and almost embarrassed. His feet were distended and fell out of his moldering leather shoes. Quietly shuffling into the shadows he seemed desperate to hush the gasping whispers and distaining glares that continued to interrupt the message streaming from the pulpit as the pastor attempted to master the chaos.
ReplyDeleteThe pastor continued, but after some time as the whispering, glaring and pointing persisted his words took on a rounded resonance, sharpening his inflection. Soon his thoughts betrayed him and his face began displaying his displeasure…And while the murmuring swelled the unknown visitor stood quietly listening and watching. Finally, perhaps in desperation, the pastor began lashing out, complaining that he had been interrupted. He began mocking and berating the visitor, asking, “Do you know how to use soap and water?“ He finished by telling him to leave saying, “Leave MY church, there’s no place for you here….” And as the pastor continued verbally pushing the visitor away, many stood up applauding, yelling out “leave our church”! Some sat in shock, others walked out and the unknown visitor left quietly. I could feel my heart sinking and my thoughts racing. What if the visitor was Jesus? What if he was an angel? Was he pushed away because of his clothes, his timing, his seeming lack of fortune? What if he was just an ordinary every day “Joe” that finally accepted God’s call ? …..I never saw the man again and I never returned to that church. However, I often find myself wondering how many times I have and will be visited by Jesus . My prayer is that I won’t push Him away, no matter how he appears to me.