Today we delve into the authority of Jesus and His teaching as we read John chapter 7. Read and listen with your heart for the word or phrase that sticks to you.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%207&version=NRSVCE
We see the people marveling at Jesus’ teachings. His ability and authority in His words astound the people as they wonder how He could teach like this with no education. The leaders of the world, seen in the Pharisees in the Gospels and all around is in education and government want Him gone.
So the Pharisees send their guard to arrest Jesus. But, the come back empty-handed to face rebuke from the leaders. When questioned why they didn’t arrest Jesus, the guard officers reply, “Never has anyone spoken like this!”
This is what got me. “Never has anyone spoken like this!”
When I came back to Mass 23 years ago, I was very worldly. I didn’t return for the Eucharist or scripture, I came because of a woman. I was falling for my future wife, she went to Mass so I figured if I wanted to be around here, I needed to be where she was.
But, within weeks, I started to hear the teaching of Jesus in the Gospels. I marveled at what I heard. I was wow’d by what those words were saying to me. Jesus was speaking parables, stories and teachings that I knew were directly to me, two millennia early.
I went away from Mass astounded that this teacher was so astounding. I started to see His love for me. He loves me enough to have all these words saved to save me.
““Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:36-38
How do you read this chapter today?