All of us have at some time or another got into trouble for not doing something that we were told to do. But what are you supposed to do if you discover that you are going to get yourself into greater trouble by going ahead with what you have been told to do?
If you had been one of the guards in this story I hope you would have ended up in the same trouble that they did!
The temple guards in Jerusalem had been sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees to arrest a Man. (John 7:32.) They found Him speaking in a loud voice as He taught a crowd of interested people. (verse 37.)
Those religious leaders wanted this Man, Jesus, arrested to prevent the people from believing and trusting in Him as the Messiah. You see, once people will truly believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Saviour of the world they will no longer need or depend on priests and religions to save them! (Hebrews 7:24-28. Acts 4:12.10:42-43)
No "priest" would want people to believe that only Jesus can save! These men certainly didn't! They were more interested in making sure that they didn't lose their importance among the people than they were in truth and righteousness! (Mark 12:38-40. Luke 11:52.)
But people were coming to recognise Jesus as being that long promised Messiah. Some said, "Surely this Man is the Prophet." Others said, "He is the Christ." (verses 40-41.)
As they listened to Jesus He said,"'If a man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.' By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." (verses 37-39.)
What a wonderful promise this was that Jesus was making publicly to sinful mankind! Any sinner who was "thirsty" for the great salvation God had promised through the Messiah was left in no doubt what he/she had to do. They had only to believe in Jesus - to trust in Him as the one and only Saviour God had sent for mankind. (John 3:16-19. Romans 3:21¬26.)
".. The temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, 'Why didn't you bring Him in?'
"'No-one ever spoke the way this man does,' the guards declared." (verses 45-46.)
The guards were in trouble - but it is better to be in trouble with priests now, than to end up being in serious trouble with God for opposing or rejecting His Son! (John 3:36.)
Don't YOU be afraid of the sort of trouble these guards faced from men. Just make sure you are not going to end up in serious trouble with God! Make sure you are trusting in Jesus alone to save you from your sin, and from GOD'S anger against it. (Matthew 10:28.)
A Pharisee named Nicodemus told those religious leaders they should find out for themselves what Jesus was saying and doing instead of just rejecting Him as the Messiah. (verses 50-51.) They mocked him; but he later turned out to be a follower of Jesus. (John 3:1-21. 19:38-42.)
Read about these guards in serious trouble in John's Gospel chapter 7, verses 37- 52.
John Nixon, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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