The short, true story this week is about the most amazing promise anyone ever made - and it wasn't just a gimmick to gain popularity! You can surely have confidence in the Person who could make and keep such a fantastic promise as this.
Jesus of Nazareth had entered the temple courts in Jerusalem, and chased out the traders and money changers He had found there. "How dare you turn My Father's house into a market", He said. (verse 16.)
"The Jews demanded of Him, 'What miraculous sign can you show us to prove Your authority to do all this?' Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.'" (verses 18-19.)
The Jews had no intention of destroying their magnificent temple that had taken forty-six years to build. (verse 10.) But Jesus knew their hearts! (verses 24-25.) They were plotting to destroy another "temple" that was there before them - a "temple" God was really in - the body of Jesus! You see, Jesus was "God with us" in a human body. (Matthew 1:21-23.)
But the Jews took such great pride in their religion they were not willing to even let God be their teacher and correct them! (Matthew 23:37-39. Luke 19:41-44.) This "Messiah" must be killed because He disagreed with their religion!
Surely'God in Heaven would not allow His perfect Son to be rejected and killed by wicked men, would He? (Acts 2:22-24.)
Jesus had come to earth as man for the very purpose of taking upon Himself the punishment that we deserved! - to die for our sins.(2nd Corinthians 5:21.) Now He knew He was face-to-face with the ones who would kill Him. He said, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." (verse 19.)
If Jesus could keep that promise, and rise from the dead after three days, then surely He should be trusted, and obeyed!
Some were convinced by the words and actions of Jesus and "believed in His name." (verse 23.) For others, their religion meant more to them than what God wanted to say through His wonderful Son whom He had sent to be the Saviour of the world. (John 3:16-19. 1st John 4:14.)
Do you see how foolish they were being? Yet I find many around me today are doing the very same. They become angry when they discover that Jesus' teachings don't agree with theirs! They don't want to hear that Jesus is the only Priest, whose ONE offering for sins on the cross was sufficient for all, (Hebrews 7:23-27. 1st Peter 2:24.), and that He is the only Saviour who can bring people to God. (John 14:6. 2nd timothy 3:5-6.)
They close their minds to everything except the words and actions of their priests; even though they know their religion leaves their hearts and lives still full of evil, and hate, and lust! They are not pleasing or acceptable to God! (Titus 1:16. Jeremiah 5:30-31.)
Surely the fact that Jesus could promise His resurrection from the dead, and keep that promise exactly as He had said, is proof that you can trust Him. And it is the proof that God is already satisfied by the price Jesus paid for our sins once for all. (Hebrews 10:9-18.)
To be a true follower of Jesus you must do as the apostles did: they "believed the Scriptures and the words that Jesus had spoken." (verse 22.)
Put your trust in the words and actions of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 5:30-32. 1st Peter 3:18.)
Read of His amazing promise in John's Gospel chapter 2, verses 18-25.
John Nixon, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
For the next
reading from John's Gospel go to NEXT
In order to browse
further "Good News Compage" prompts and commentaries for John's
Gospel go to
---------------oOo---------------
