traditions – jeremycouture.me

“I Have Other Sheep, Which Are Not of This Fold.”

Jesus made a surprise announcement during His extended parable describing the Good and the Bad Shepherd in John 10. After identifying the characteristics of a good shepherd and claiming to be The Good Shepherd, He announced that He had other sheep which where not currently in the the sheepfold (v. 16). According verses 1-5, the sheep were already gathered were the Jews who heard His voice and believed in Him. The Jews who rejected Jesus were not His sheep, but that’s not the group that He was referring to (v. 26). He was referring to the non-Jews, or Gentiles, who are “scattered abroad” (11:52). The Greek that came to Jesus after the Triumphal Entry are representatives of this alternate “flock” (12:20-26).

Jesus announced that He would eventually bring these additional sheep into His fold. They would be responsive to His voice and they would all follow Him in unison. Their mutual faith in Christ would bind these two groups together in a new and powerful way. Here are three things we can learn from this union

Mutual faith in Christ is more important than ethnic barriers. The primary difference between Jews and Gentiles is their ethnic heritage. The Jews all trace their ancestry back to one of the 12 tribes of Israel. The Gentiles have a mixed background, including everyone else. This insight is particularly important during a time when people are driven apart by the color of their skin. There can’t be any racism in the church because our shared believe in God’s Son overcomes that kind of difference.

2. Mutual faith in Christ is more important than religious traditions. The Jews and Gentiles lived very different lives in Jesus’ day. They dressed differently, ate differently, worshipped differently, and spend their lives pursuing different goals. In order to come together, these groups must put fidelity to Jesus Christ and His Written Word above their own desires, preferences, and traditions.

3. Mutual faith in Christ is more important than the passage of time. Christ’s surprised announcement ushered in a new age where Jews and Gentiles could worship God together. Speaking of the power of the gospel message, Paul wrote “It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16b, NASB). This new age allows all true believers to become a part of the universal Church.

As sheep following the Good Shepherd, it’s important to remember that we aren’t included (or excluded) because of our ethnic background, or religious performance, or even by our time in history. We are included in God’s flock, along with other undeserving believers, because of God’s great mercy and love.

Photo by Andrea Lightfoot on Unsplash

Everything Changes

chuttersnap-139486-unsplash Some people believe that Jesus was mild-mannered, politically correct, and tame, like a supernatural Mr. Rogers. Jesus is God and God is love so they envision Jesus as eternally passive. This misconception keeps people from getting to know the real Jesus.

The Apostle John includes a story that emphasizes the passionate side of Christ’s nature – the story of Jesus clearing out the temple in John 2:13-25. This incident highlights the depth of the struggle between Jesus and the religious establishment. Jesus didn’t come into the world so he could politely fit in with was going on at the time. In these verses, we learn that Jesus came to change the religious establishment and our religious experiences because Jesus came to change everything. In this passage, he challenges us in three ways

1. JESUS CHALLENGES OUR SELF-SERVING FORMS OF WORSHIP (2:13-17)

Passover was about to happen, and Jews from all over the Roman empire were flocking to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. At that time, the temple was more like a marketplace than a place of worship. There were people selling oxen, sheep, & doves to be sacrificed. There were people changing money so that Jews could pay their annual temple tax with Jewish coins that didn’t have pagan symbols on them.

When Jesus arrived at the temple he made a whip from the food or bedding offered to the animals and drove the merchants & the moneychangers from the temple along with their animals. He dumped out their coins and overturned their tables. He told them to stop taking advantage of “His Father’s house.”

If we’re not careful, our expressions of worship and even religious institutions can become all about us: our stability, our benefits, and our preferences. When we do, we minimize Christ and miss the point of the Gospel.

2. JESUS CHALLENGES OUR ASSUMPTIONS OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE (2:18-22)

The Jewish leaders asked Jesus for a sign of his authority to have done something so outrageous. Instead of showing them a new sign (he had already performed many), he told them about the destruction and rebuilding of the temple. The Jews thought he was talking about the temple they were standing in, but he was talking about the temple of his body. He was predicting His death, burial, and resurrection.

Christ’s resurrection from the dead redefines what is possible. Miracles like turning water into wine, healing people, multiplying food, walking on water, or raising someone else from the dead are amazing, but bringing yourself back from the dead is barrier-shattering.

You may be facing an “impossible” situation. Maybe it’s an overwhelming loss or an unforgivable sin? Maye it’s a marriage that seems beyond repair or a sickness that seems incurable? There’s hope in the most difficult situations in life because situations can change, people can change because Jesus changes everything.

3. JESUS CHALLENGES OUR EASY BELIEVEISM (2:23-25)

The Apostle John is writing from a post-resurrection perspective – after Jesus has come back from the dead. He tells us that the disciples were urged to faith by recalling what Jesus had said before he was crucified. There were other Jews that seemed to believe in Jesus, but their faith was based on the signs that Jesus performed, not who He was.

Jesus was not fooled by the shallow circumstantial faith of the Jews. Jesus knows the fickle and sinful nature of the human heart, that’s why he came in the first place.

“Easy believeism” is a term that was coined to describe those who claim faith in Christ, but who never have a change of heart about Jesus. They want Jesus to be their Savior, but not their Lord. They only “believe” when they are need something from God.

Everything changes because Jesus changes everything.

Jesus is not content to stand on the sidelines and watch people misuse His Father’s House or squander their lives. While he would never leave a true believer, He distances Himself from people that worship their own religious experiences or the institution of the church instead of Him. Make Jesus the center of your life and be open to change, because Jesus changes everything.

Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash

Save the Best for Last

In the first half of his Gospel, the Apostle John describes a series of signs that Jesus performed in order to show his true identity. These were more than just miracles, they were powerful acts done for a specific purpose: to show that the God of the Old Testament had come in all his glory. John is careful to only include signs that Jesus performed at or near Jewish festivals or institutions like the temple, a well, the Sabbath, and the Passover.

The first sign appears in John 2:1-12, where Jesus attended a Jewish wedding. Jesus showed the unsuspecting wedding guests and his disciples that God had saved the best for last. The first-century Jews believed in God and honored the Scriptures. They took time out for God at least once a week and observed the Sabbath. But God had something better for them.

Jesus attended a wedding on “the third day,” which is a clue that something special was about to happen. At some point in the celebration, the wine ran out. Jesus’ mother, Mary, had some sort of responsibility for the refreshments at the wedding feast so she asked Jesus for help. At first, Jesus seemed hesitant to help, stating that his “hour has not come yet.” Then Mary instructed the servants to do whatever Jesus asked them to do.

There were six stone water pots at the wedding, each with the capacity to hold 20 to 30 gallons of water. Clay pots were more common and affordable, but they could become “unclean,” so the Jews used stone pots for ceremonial washings. The Jews had a complex set of rituals and traditions when it came eating and preparing food (Mark 7:1-4). They would not eat without washing their hands in a special way. This wasn’t about hygiene, but about proving their standing before God.

Jesus told the servants to fill the pots with water and take it to the head waiter. Somewhere between the water pot and the headwaiters’ lips, the water became wine. The head waiter was so impressed that he spoke to the bridegroom saying, “Most people serve the good wine first when people are most thirsty and can appreciate the high quality. But you’ve surprised us, you’ve saved the best for last.”

Contrary to popular opinion, this story is not about alcohol. The use of the stone washing pots and the words of the head waiter in verse 10 tell us the reason for Jesus’ first sign and the point of this story: Jesus as better than the religious rituals or traditions of the Jews. The coming of the Messiah was more important for God’s people than following a set of restrictive practices.

Like the ancient Jews, we have our own set of religious rituals and traditions that have a limited basis in Scripture and little bearing on our relationship with God. Unfortunately, like the Jews, we sometimes enjoy looking down on others because they do not follow our rituals or traditions. When we do we need to personalize this story – Jesus is better than our religious rituals or traditions. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is more important than what we wear to church, how many times we go to church, or how many times we “walk the aisle.” That doesn’t mean our rituals or traditions are worthless, it means they are a means to a greater end – faith in Jesus Christ.

Maybe you need to reevaluate your spiritual life in light of Gospel? Maybe you need to trust in Jesus, instead of some experience or practice? Maybe you need to follow Jesus and his leadership in your life. When you do, will know that God saved the best for last.

Photo by Daniel Christie on Unsplash

Is Your Religion Good Enough?

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Weddings were an important part of Jewish life in the first century. In John 2:1-12, we read a story about Jesus attending a wedding with his disciples. Jesus didn’t preach a sermon, but he did show the surprised guests and his disciples that their religious rituals and traditions were not good enough to gain God’s attention.

Have you ever wondered if your religion is good enough?

Have you ever wondered if you are doing enough or doing the right things to gain God’s attention or get into heaven?

If so, how did you find an answer?

Feel free to leave your comments below.

If you are in the Tri-State area, join us at Unity Baptist in Ashland this Sunday as we consider this question and others every Sunday morning.