WHOSE GLORY?
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Opening Prayer
Generous Father, I praise you for lavishing grace upon me. Lord Jesus, I praise you for redeeming me. Holy Spirit, I praise you for marking me as God’s own.
Read JOHN 7:14–24
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Jesus Teaches at the Festival
14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”
20 “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”
21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘The heavens declare the glory of God’ (Psalm 19:1). How do you glorify God in your life?There are many national and world causes where solutions are proposed and fought for, often with great and sustained passion. We witness men and women who do all they can to fight for solutions, often at great sacrifice—the gain being for the good of others. The same cannot be said for everyone; in public life we all too often see causes pursued for wrong motives.
Jesus is aware that some people accuse him of being an attention seeker while others praise him for his teaching. For many, it would be easy to let ego take over, but Jesus stresses that his teaching comes not from him but from God. It is important that he stresses this because some are suggesting that he is deceiving the people (7:12) and is a false prophet—a dangerous allegation. But false prophets act for their own glory, whereas everything Jesus does is for God’s glory alone.
It is for this reason that the accusations against him for healing on the Sabbath fall so wide of the mark (v. 23). Jesus heals not to enhance his reputation but to demonstrate the glory of God in people made whole (v. 18). We see God’s glory shining through Jesus’ every action. This is what makes him both popular with the people and a threat to the authorities. Their own motives are cast in a poor light.
Apply
Spend some time thanking God for the places and the people in which you see his glory shine.
Closing prayer
Lord God, please have your glory shine through me! Help me, that all I am and do point to the wonder of who you are and all you have done, to your power and love, and to what you have sacrificed for the redemption of sinners.
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