The Price of Fame
NT John 7:1-30 (May 12)
Today's scripture reminded me of a movie I once watched. A woman was in danger of being killed, so she ran away in the night to another town, changed her name, and tried to live in secret. The story was going along great...she met a handsome man, was falling in love, an all that jazz...until the man who was looking for her finally found her. Let me tell you, she was in the fight of her life.
Hiding...secrecy...disguise...we see it every day. The famous want to take a walk through the park, so they put on a disguise in order to not be bothered. A popular singer wants to go to the mall, so she slips in secretly, hoping paparazzi doesn't see her.
This is where Jesus finds himself today. He was traveling around Galilee, trying to avoid Judea because the Jewish leaders there were planning his demise.
But his brothers are trying to get him to go to Judea. They want him to "show off" some more miracles. (Or maybe they just wanted to be seen with him?)
"You can't become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!"
Why did they think Jesus was looking for fame? Why did they think he should show off to the world?
Was this a challenge issued because, despite everything, they still did not believe in him?
I sometimes watch America's Got Talent Extreme. There are some wild and crazy stunts on there. Some of them are just unbelievable. I mean...I really don't believe them. I think they are rigged to look magnificent when they really aren't.
Why do I feel this way? Probably because those stunts are just too "miraculous" for my mind to comprehend. Maybe that is the way the brothers were feeling about Jesus. Their minds couldn't clue into the miracles he was performing.
Anyways...back to the story. Jesus tells them to go on without him. After they left, he went, however he went secretly, trying not to let anyone see him.
As he walked about unrecognized, he heard lots of talk going on about him. Some were saying "He's a good man." Others called him a deceiving fraud.
The good comments were done in whispered tones because no one wanted to say anything nice about him publicly. They didn't want to get into trouble with the Jewish leaders.
Why do we do that? What causes us to refrain from speaking truth when we know we will be criticized or be unpopular for our opinion?
Mankind's desire to fit in and be a part of the crowd holds us back, as does fear of retaliation. Just the other day I was in a meeting. I had an opinion and a question I wanted to ask, but I held back because I knew before I asked that it wouldn't be well received. Those that saw Jesus in a favorable light were doing the same.
A little later, Jesus goes up to the temple and begins to teach. The people are astonished that someone who hasn't been trained could know so much. He explains to them that his message isn't coming from him, it is coming from God.
He goes on to tell them that if they really wanted to do the will of God, would know his teachings were from God, not himself. But those who are speaking out are just looking for glory for themselves, even if it means speaking lies.
Jesus reminds them once again of their disobedience, "Moses gave you the law, but none of you obey it! In fact, you are trying to kill me."
Of course, they deny this and call him demon possessed. Noone ever wants to admit when they are doing wrong, do they?
But here is the puzzling thing to many...the Jewish leaders want to kill Jesus. Other people are thinking he is demon possessed or a fraud. Yet he stands there speaking, and no one does anything to him.
Why do they hold back? Is it because maybe, just maybe, despite all their negative comments, they have this little sliver of an idea that he might really be the Messiah?
Could Jesus possibly be telling the truth? How torn they must have been, going back and forth in their minds. Is he, is he not? Should we kill him, should we not?
Aren't you glad you don't have to doubt that Jesus is who he says he is? Isn't it a blessing to know that he speaks the TRUTH and we can count on that every day and in every circumstance?