If there ever was a time when the question of God's existence could have been settled it was when Jesus walked the earth. And right now we are dealing with the real question as to whether we really, truely believe God exists or not. Richard traced his disappointment with God back to that very question, so we to must consider it. Philip's friend Richard could have walked right up to Jesus and said, "You say you're the Son of God? Okay, show me!" Ohhhh, that happened all the time. And we all know how well that worked for them. Jesus called them a, "wicked and adulterous generation."
Jesus began His ministry here on earth in the wilderness, fasting and then being challenged by Satan with the same type of challenging requests that we so often pose to Him. Jesus refused the shortcut to achieve His messianic goals then and still does to this day. In Ivan Karamazov's words, "Jesus would not enslave man by a miracle."
Question? Is there a difference between Jesus in the wilderness and what Satan asked of Him and Richard's request? Richard pleaded for a supernatural display, a light, a voice, something that would demonstrate God's power beyond dispute. With that question asked I must make it more personal and ask, is there a difference between Jesus in the wilderness and the times I have begged, almost demanded, that God would step in and save me from the situation I was in? Now in Richard's defense, he was sincere and in my defense I was in need. At the time I don't recall feeling like I was demanding or taunting God? In fact like Richard I think we were just looking for a little help. All that said, I can not get the similarity between Satan's "throw yourself down!" and my pleas for God to "show Himself" out of my mind.
Jesus strategy seemed be, "To love righteousness is to make it grow not to avenge it...
We have already talked about the lack of lasting effect that miracles had in Mose's day. And in Elijah's day they attracted crowds but rarely had any effect on long term faithfulness. And just like today miracles are often explained away. Even when faced with a blind man's personal report saying, "One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see" they insulted him and threw him out of the court room. Peter, James and John all saw astonishing proof at the mount of Transfiguration. Jesus shines like the sun and His clothes become dazzling, whiter than anyone in the world could ever bleach them. Moses and Elijah appear in a cloud with them. God spoke audibly. It was so astonishing that the disciples fell down. Yet a few weeks later when Jesus needed them the most, they all forsook Him.
When I am the person disappointed with God I have no interest in the miracles that He performed in the past. At that time I am only interested in the ones He did not perform.
Miracles do one of two things. To those who chose to believe Him, they give even more reason to believe. For those that chose not to believe Him, they make little difference.
Philip ends this chapter with these words. Some things just have to be believed to be seen. So is he really telling me that my/our disappointment with God is because I/we don't believe?
1 comment:
Phillip is only bringing us back to the Word with his ending statement, "Some things just have to be beleived to be seen," and that is exactly where we have to direct others...TO THE WORD. The fact is that nothing we say can change a man's heart, only the Spirit of God can change a man's heart. In our pride we sometimes like to think that "We did something" to help someone back into right relationship with God but the fact is that the Word says that only the Spirit of God can bring man to God. The fact is we can we can do all we want in the flesh but it is by His Spirit working through us that brings man to God. If we don't let God work through us then there will be someone else that God will work through. It's never about us it's ALWAYS about HIM. When you start thinking it's about what you can do you have started down a path that you don't want to go because it will bring you nothing but great disapppointment. My husband's life verse is Philippians 2:13 For it is GOD who works in you, both to will and to work for HIS good pleasure. That concept is the hardest concept I think we have to grasp as we choose to live a God centered life. That concept is that we are bought with a price and by CHOICE (that's right choice, we choose minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day to let God work in us). I think it would be so much easier if God just did it and we had no choice in the matter at all but that would be slavery and Jesus came for just the opposite reason, to give us freedom to live in all He has for us. Is it easy???? ABSOLUTELY NOT..that's why eveybody doesn't do. If it was easy eveyone would do. Making the right choices in life takes self control. Is it easier the longer you live a Christ Centered lifestyle? I beleive it is. I'm not the same person I used to be. Have I got this God journey thing down yet..NO WAY! BUT.. the longer I let the Spirit of God rule and reign in my life the more I walk out the fruit of the Spirit. What I am beginning to learn from Galatians 5: 22-25 is that there is a difference between living in the Spirit and walking by the Spirit. One is a desire and intention in my life the other is a practical application. It say if we LIVE by the Spirit, let us also WALK by the Spirit. The phrase LET US again shows me that there is accoutability on my part to do it. God just doesn't naturally make it happen for me. The Word of God is full of examples of if you DO THIS you GET THIS!!!! We want the getting before the doing. I started using this phrase years ago and it still applies today. "IF YOU DO IT YOU GET IT IF YOU DON'T YOU WON'T!" Is this one little phrase to simply to define our situations? Maybe, but I think that most of the time we try to complicate things WAY TO MUCH. I think while God is so very complex in who He is there is also a part of Him that is VERY SIMPLE. I think the simple part of Him says LOVE ME, TRUST ME HAVE FAITH IN ME AND I'LL WORK OUT THE REST THROUGH YOU. Today am I disappointed in God? No, I just pray that God is not disappointed in me.
Blessings,
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