Taking Sides

John 7:37-52

According to John Jesus was speaking to the people in Jerusalem on the last day of the festival. As they heard him, members of the crowd began to wonder aloud. John puts it this way: "When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, 'This is really the prophet.' Others said, 'This is the Messiah.' But some asked, 'Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he?...' So there was a division in the crowd because of him" (John 7:40-41, 43).

This is not the only time in scripture that Jesus is associated with divisiveness. In Matthew, for example, Jesus says he has come to set family members one against another (Matthew 10:34-36). Normally we think of Jesus as the Prince of Peace, the one who reconciles and reunites. But when we read passages such as those in John and Matthew, accounts where the result of Jesus' ministry is said to be disharmony and disagreement, we may be a bit confused.

To me it seems that John and Matthew are reminding us of the serious nature of the faith. They are not speaking of the sort of sectarian violence that has so devastated parts of the world, or of denominational prejudices that hamper the work of the church. What they are saying is that to truly accept and follow Jesus is neither easy nor necessarily intuitive. To be a disciple takes total commitment and will often lead us to places we would rather not go. If we believe that Christianity is all "sweetness and light" we are wrong. It is hard work, sacrifice, challenge. But if we will remain faithful, and if we will love the Lord with everything we are, in the end we will see the joy of fellowship and community, not in easy human terms, but in lasting, indeed eternal terms. What Jesus has to say may leave us scratching our heads and arguing with our neighbors, but it is worth the effort because it is so vitally important.

Prayer: God, help us to take Jesus seriously, to follow his example, and to take the risks he calls us to take so that we may serve you and those around us in obedience to your word. In Jesus' name. Amen.