If you were to receive a Traveler’s Guide for Elizabethan England (late 1500’s), what information would you like included to learn about?
I’m not posting this to research the period itself. I’m posting to find out what people want to know about the place and time in history. If you are a fan of Renaissance Faires then your input is especially valuable for this project.
Thoughts?
Sometimes reading Scriptures simply leaves you with questions. I don’t know that all my questions will be answered in this life. But it may be that I’m not supposed to have some of the answers, though I am supposed to have the questions.
Reading over the beginning of John 7, I found I have a couple of questions.
1st- Jesus said to His brothers in v.6-
“My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune.”
I wonder what exactly He meant with the end of that statement.
.
The second question that came to mind after reading vs. 12-13
“There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews. “
We know the leaders were opposed to Christ. So why was it then that those in the crowds who opposed Jesus were afraid of the Jews? Why wasn’t it only those who spoke highly of Jesus that were afraid.
Just something to chew on. Feel free to reply with any insights you might have.
This is one of those passages that always draws out a lot of questions. It’s quite the picture, with angels coming to stir the water… and then the first person in being healed from it.
God’s ability to work in this manner is not what one should wonder about when reading this passage. God can do much more than this. The question is why would He work in this particular way. It almost seems out of character. But then the end of Romans 11 comes to mind…
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
We must be careful when we think that something is outside of God’s will simply because we’ve never heard of it before. Obviously we must filter things through the Bible, but what we don’t want to do is limit God when He never told us He would not do the type of thing in question. The leaders did just that in response to this same event, and it drove them to persecute Jesus. We must be careful.
On the other side of the coin, there are indeed many things the world falsely credits to God. God hates it… it’s called using His Name in vain. We do not want to join in with that either.
Instead, let us take the straight and narrow path. Let us join in on proclaiming what we do know about Him. And let us continue to treasure up His Word in our hearts, that we may grow in our knowledge of Him. That we may experience and enjoy one of the greatest things God has placed into all of creation… an ever deepening love between man and the Almighty.
Romans 12:2-3
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
So here He is, the Messiah! Jesus Christ in the flesh, the Lamb of God, is standing right in front of you! And He looks at you and asks “What do you want?”
What would you ask? I mean, this is God here! As a religious person, you’re likely to have a whole lot of questions in mind and heart. So many things have happened in your life, and you want to know why. What they all mean. And you want to know what all these passages in Scripture are talking about.
Well, this was the situation with the first two disciples of Christ. They finally meet the Lamb of God, face to face, and He has asked them what they want. Their deep desire is the answer to the question… “Where are you staying?”
What? Are you kidding me? They could have asked so many things, but they want to know where He’ll be sleeping tonight?!
Maybe they were overwhelmed. Maybe they didn’t understand the opportunity before them.
Or maybe they did understand. I don’t think there’s enough information here for us to conclude what was going through their minds. But there is enough information to tell us something about their character.
Jesus answered their question in a way that He often answered questions. With opportunity to learn in ways that a simple answer could not afford. He said “Come, and you will see.”
What did they do? They didn’t press Him to tell them, they followed.
How many times has God said to us “Come, and you will see,” only to have us reply “No, I’d rather an answer now thank you.” I’m not looking to make some deep metaphor out of “Come and see” here. I’m simply trying to consider our response to God. When He calls us beyond the limits of our understanding, calls us to step off of the cliff and out of our lives, how do we respond? Do we continue to push for our selfish desires, for our comfortable Christianity? Or do we walk with Him, following Him whether it’s a leap off of the cliff or to simply see where He’s laying His head that night?
Knowing where Jesus was going to go to sleep was probably not the most exciting thing to learn when faced with God Himself. But they listened to the answer and followed. Not only that, but they took advantage of the opportunity it provided them to bring others to Christ. The first thing Andrew did was run off and tell Peter “It’s Him, it’s the Messiah!” And then he brought Peter to Christ.
What is your question for God? And how are you going to use that answer for the Peters in your life? I hope that we use what He has given us to bring others into the presence of the Messiah.
Writing for Christ! 