John 5:31-47

 John 5:31-47

It seems, at times, that Jesus's words were targeted at the church today but spoken in ages past. Jesus says that the Jews were willing, for a season, to accept the message of John the Baptist. There was a fleeting enthusiasm about John. John was, for a while, a great show and an exciting event. For the Jews he was a fad. Few words describe American Christianity programming better than the word fad. From passing out ear plugs because of loud music volume, to tattoos, un-tucked shirts and particular clothing styles to haircuts that are clones of popular preachers, many leaders in American Christianity are herd animals caught in fads.

In verse 39 Jesus speaks to other churches today, what we might call “study churches”. Exhaustive scripture study is wonderful so long as we understand the purpose of scripture, which is to bring us to Christ. When we study to find proof that we are right and so that we can argue more our pet doctrine more effectively with those with whom we disagree we have missed the point of scripture.  The Holy Spirit did not inspire Holy Scripture so we could bludgeon someone with it but so that we can know and love the Son and share that love with others. It is not to absolve us from the responsibility for careful study but it does address the motivation to study.

Jesus also addresses our insatiable appetite for our own glory in this passage.  The Jews received their “glory from one another”.   It was true of them, it is true of us.  Never in the history of mankind have we had greater opportunity to give full vent to our hubris and self-aggrandizement. People have not changed, we have always been stuck on ourselves. But we live in an age of self-aggrandizement. The appeal for the praise of men is the backbone of our social media driven culture. We actually asked people to like our post. We write things for the purpose of getting a “click”, a “like”, or a “follow”. Pride, self-assertion and self glory are virtues in the social media age.

Anything, fad, Pet Doctrine, praise of our ‘friends’ on our apps that pushes Jesus out of the center of our lives is toxic to our soul. Our fallen nature is attracted to these things and in the moment they can seem helpful or even holy.  But we must return to the core test, the core question: “Does any given activity cause the place of Christ to grow in our lives or to diminish?”

“Grant,  Lord, that my life in every aspect will be built around and upon You. AMEN”