Pastor's Column 4/6/2025

PASTOR’S COLUMN

40  “He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was baptizing and stayed there a while. 41 And many followed Him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, but everything he said about this man has come true.” 42 And many who were there believed in Jesus.” John 10:40-42, NLT

Fifth Sunday in Lent - "Truth!”

When we think of Jesus often what comes to mind is how He performed great miracles. In ancient times, a miraculous  happening engaged people in a manner that social media triggers emotions and affects, in some way, how a person gains knowledge of a notable event. The “signs” spoken of in the Gospels and the Book of Acts were “events occurring” which defied any human explanation or source. For most, these were divine happenings which reinforced a person’s belief in God. If a prophet or holy person came before the people, the validity of their divine integrity was tested by whether they performed any miracles. This common notion which soon caused people to revere the person over the importance of what had occurred, was challenged by Jesus. He told the religious leaders, “Only an adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign…” (Matthew 12:39a, NLT) Jesus continued that the only sign that established the “truth” of His mission was the Resurrection. He said, “For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.” (Matthew 12:40, NLT). The very words of Jesus established His truth. A group of people who followed Jesus, had first learned of him through the preaching of John the Baptist. They realized John as a holy man, but he performed no miracles. John instilled in those people the truth of Jesus as Messiah. The truth they learned was more  convincing than any miracle they did not see. The healings, miraculous meals, and casting out of demons were indeed real, but coming to know Jesus as “The way, the truth, and the life” is what changed their hearts. The truth alone, validates our faith!