WORDS AND ACTIONS

WORDS AND ACTIONS

”Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” —John 7:50-52

            Nicodemus had taken the time to speak with Jesus (John 3:1-21) and listen to Him.  The chief priests and Pharisees had already made their conclusions without personal, investigative interaction with Jesus.  Nicodemus on the other hand concluded that “we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2).  And so Nicodemus as his peers— “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”  Of course they shouldn’t judge a man without finding out with hearing what he has to say or learning about what He is doing.  Nicodemus knew Jesus was “a teacher who has come from God” because of the miraculous signs He was doing.

            If these Jewish leaders would have investigated they would have found out that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  But they did not take the time to do so.  They just wanted to get rid of Jesus because He was inconvenient according to their plans and purposes.  And so it is today.  We seek to encourage people to look into who Jesus is, but the majority will not take the time to do so.  They have preconceived ideas and Jesus would be inconvenient to their plans and purposes.

            Yesterday I was talking with a Jewish man.  He was a very interesting person.  He lives right in my area during the summers, but his home is in Jerusalem.  He is a retired anti-terrorism, anti-homicide police officer and He share some of his life experiences with me.  He also talked about his six children who all live in Israel still.  He told me of their professions and where each were located in Israel.  But when things turn to spiritual matters and Jesus came up he told me of a cave that supposedly contains the bones of Jesus.  As I listened I thought about what the Jewish leaders told the guards after the guards saw the angels and fainted— They were given money to say, “The disciples came in the night and stole the body.”  Sure these common disciples overpowered the guards.  I don’t think so.  Nor are the bones of Jesus in some cave.  But instead of checking out the gospel of John I offered this Jewish man, he instead was clinging to the “bones of Jesus in a cave” deception.  Jesus would be an inconvenience to him and his plans.

            The counsel of Nicodemus was true and wise.  Before we make a judgment on anyone we should know what they are saying and what they are doing.  Do the words they speak and the actions they take line up.  With Jesus His words and actions were 100% matching.  All others will not be 100% matching, but they are to be consistent.  Let us keep that in mind.

Dear Father may I be discerning as I listen to people and observe what they do.  May I be consistent with what I say and what I do.  May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.  Yes, may this be so.

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” Psalm 19:14.

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him (I John 3:21-22). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12a1eF5X-mA