It's as though Jesus is saying, "You say you still want more proof? No,
enough is enough. The kingdom of God has arrived. It's time to choose."
Jesus tells us (verse 23), "Anyone who isn't working with me is
actually working against me." We can't have it both ways. There is no
middle ground. We can't be a "house swept clean" and then stay empty -
not make a choice. If we don't choose for Jesus, we are by default
choosing against him. As opposite as night and day, as the power of
Satan and The Finger of God. These are tough words, then and now.
Jesus claims to be greater than Solomon. Greater than Jonah. Remember
what we heard on the Mount of Transfiguration? The voice from heaven
made it clear that Jesus is greater than Moses, greater than Elijah -
although both appeared in glorious splendor - for the Father has
declared again that Jesus is the Chosen One, on his way to his
appointment with suffering. Soon we will hear the taunts - IF you are
the Son of God, come down from the cross. Now he says there are to be
no more "prove your authority" maneuvers. No middle ground - it's time
to choose. We are either full of light or full of darkness.
Lord, I affirm that I want my whole life to be radiant, every part of
me that you have swept clean now filled with your Holy Spirit.
Deetje Wildes
3 comments:
A comment on my own blog -
"Someone greaer than Jonah is here." - For additional insight into Jesus' words, we can look at Matthew 12:40 - "For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights." Yes, Jesus. And what happens next, Jesus? For those who keep asking for a miraculous sign, this is it. The Sign of Jonah, the man who was raised - as it were - from the dead. The people of Ninevah repented. Now, the kicker, Luke 11:30 - "What happens to the Son of Man will be a sign..." TO US, TODAY, "...that he was sent by God." Do we "refuse to repent"? This Holy Week, and every day, let us praise God for the greatest miracle of all, a living Savior.
Verse 35 says: Make sure that the light that you think you have is not actually darkness." Ouch. If there ever was a strong warning against our human tendency to find comfort in our own sense of goodness, self-righteousness or integrity, this is it. Anything that is not from God, any false teaching or anything that quiets the voice of the Holy Spirit in me, is darkness.
All around us there are threats of this nature. Oprah is promoting a book called The Secret that (basically) says all you have to do is BELIEVE that something will happen, and it will. Millions of people will be saying, "Yes, yes! This is it! This is what I have been looking for!" But this sounds like a type of self-actualization that is nothing more than a "light" that people think they have which is actually darkness.
As believers, we have to guard ourselves against this false teaching, too. I know people who, having not been grounded in their faith or in the Word, become "mixers", as they fold in all kinds of new-age beliefs and try to have them co-exist with their Christianity.
2 Corinthians 11:14 warns us that "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light".
Amen, girls! Chris S.
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