3rd Monday of Lent (March 9). What do you know?

Prepare to Listen.  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
 
Prayerfully Read John 7:25-31
25Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill?  
26And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him!  Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah?  27Yet we know where this man is from, but when the Messiah comes no one will know where he is from.”  28Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I am from.  I have not come on my own.  But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him.  29I know him because I am from him, and he sent me.”  30Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him because his hour had not yet come.  31Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, “When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
 
Prayerfully Wonder
Where Jesus came from was important to the people.  If they knew from where, they would know who he was.
 
The crowd in Jerusalem for the Festival recognized Jesus as the man the authorities wanted to kill, yet did nothing to stop him.  Did they believe he was Messiah, the people asked?  They knew he couldn’t be, because they knew where he came from and Messiah’s origins would be unknown.  Knowing what they were saying, Jesus “cried out.”  You know me, he said, you know where I come from.  Was Jesus agreeing with them, asking a question, being sarcastic?  What do you think?
 
He then turned the accusation on them.  They didn’t know the one who sent him, God.  Imagine Jesus in your church on Sunday morning, accusing you all of not knowing God.  If you can, you’ll understand the Jews’ outrage.  Some wanted to arrest him; others weren’t sure because of his signs.  But Jesus was right, none of them knew him because none of them knew God, even though they thought they did.
 
I have always been haunted by Wayne Watson’s lyrics, “Would I know you now if you walked into the room?...  Or have the images I’ve painted so distorted who you are.”  It’s easy to distort Jesus, make him into an image that conforms to our ways.  Would we know him?  If we’re not growing in our knowledge, meaning a close relationship of and experience with, the One who sent Jesus, chances are, we won’t know Jesus either.
 
Ask yourself, what do you know and is it true to the Jesus of the Gospels?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Guard me, Lord from thinking I know you.  Help me to keep learning more so that I love you more and will recognize you if you walked into my room.  Amen.
 
Live obediently.  What do you know?