We are studying the book of John both in church and at BSF and I am struck once again with how the Jewish leadership, which should have recognized and welcomed their Messiah, completely overlooked his miracles to pick at the minuscule. In today's John five study, Jesus heals a man who was unable to walk for 38 years, 38 years, and all the Jewish leadership can focus on is that the walking miracle was carrying his mat on the Sabbath. What? Were miracles happening every day? There goes another lame man healed. Ho hum.We would like to think we would do better if Jesus was walking around performing miracles today, however the Sanhedrin's underlying sin is common as ever.
I recently heard a radio pastor criticizing a movie where a child sees heaven. Watch out, I thought, dismissing something because it doesn't match our preconceptions was the Pharisee's sin. Admittedly, I do not take my theology from movies or television nor do I recommend it, but denying someone's actual experience based on our preconceptions is either foolish or arrogant. Probably both. The miracle working Messiah was a huge disappointment to the prejudiced Pharisees. They missed both the miracles, the message of the miracles and, saddest of all, the privilege of seeing God in the flesh. They asked questions, but all the wrong questions. They had made up their minds and left no room in them for the truth.
Sadly, Christians seem more likely than unbelievers to judge by appearance. We have made up our minds about how believers and churches should look and worship. And because we have made up our minds, we miss the miracle of seeing the church in all its varied beauty. The miracle of all people and tongues and nations worshiping as one body. I wonder what miracles I am missing because I have already made up my mind?
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