1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
2) Scripture Reading: John 7:1-13
After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
Therefore Jesus told them, “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.”
Having said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, “Where is that man?” Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.
3) Devotional:
Everyone was talking about Jesus… but nobody was willing to say anything about him. Now THAT is some cultural or social pressure!
Later, in John 9, we’ll see that the “Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.” That was everything to a Jew of that day… it wasn’t like they could go to another synagogue on the other side of town … they would be removed from the religious, social, cultural, political and economic hub of their community … just for publicly acknowledging Jesus.
Would you say something publicly about Jesus if it would cost you all of your social standing and position in life?
4) Questions to Consider: If you aren’t in the habit of talking about your faith with others… why not?
5) Prayer: Lord God, help me to have confidence in what I believe… and forgive me for the times that I have not applied myself enough to prepare to give a reason for the hope that I have in Jesus. Change me so that I might do so with gentleness and respect for everyone. Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
