Give the Gospel Your Hands and Feet Not Just Your Lips

In the gospel of John, Jesus is frequently confronted by religious leaders questioning his identity and authority. They didn’t like what he was saying about himself, especially when he went so far as to say he and God were one in the same. In chapters 9 and 10 Jesus heals a blind man, which puts a series of events in motion.

After healing a man who was born blind many are amazed by the miracle, including some of the religious leaders. But the more vocal of the leaders (important: not everyone or even a majority as far as we know- see John 9:16) are bent on disproving what happened in order to discredit Jesus and quell the support that was gaining momentum with the people. The blind man is questioned. His parents are questioned. Jesus is questioned which escalates into the more angry and reactive religious leaders picking up stones to kill him. Jesus asks them, “For which one of the good deeds are you killing me?” (10:32).

They respond, “Not for any good work, but for blasphemy…” Jesus then says, “Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. But if I do His work, believe in what I have done, even if you don’t believe in me. Then you will realize that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”(10:37-38).

Jesus knows that all of the talking in the world will not convince unbelievers, especially those who are very firm in their current beliefs (or lack of beliefs). He was not confronting people whose hearts were gentle, humble and ready to receive Him. He was confronting the verbal, the stubborn, and I would suggest fearful. In this passage, Jesus is pointing out how significant our actions are to the sharing of the Gospel. When it came to this firmly entrenched group of people, He even stated that they should set aside what he had been saying for a minute and examine what he was doing.

 

Doing…You can’t preach Jesus without it.

 

Ivor