For more help use this Bible Study method
REFLECTION
The Right Thing to Do
by David Thompson
Have you ever known you were right about some decision that you made, yet everyone you asked about it told you a different opinion? With so many people telling you that you are wrong, it is hard not to second guess yourself. This is what Jesus was facing as all of His brothers were telling Him to go to the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles.
And, if you remember from the January 19 post, God had told all of the Jewish people that were scattered to go to Judea, to Jerusalem for this annual celebration. Jesus' brothers were badgering Jesus to go and show "His stuff" to a multitude of people. The truth was that His brothers didn't believe in Him any more than the religious leaders. Commentators state that they didn't believe Jesus until after His crucifixion and resurrection.
To further illustrate the unbelief of His family, all we need to do is flip to Mark 3:21. There it tells us that, "When they heard this (that the Pharisees and people in the crowd said He was getting His power from Satan), His family went to take charge of Him, for they said, 'He is out of His mind.'" If you have ever tried to witness to your own family, you must know how Jesus must have felt. Depending on your family, often times your testimony is rejected. It doesn't mean you should quit trying, but the rejection is harder to take. Christ stated in John 7:7 that,"The world cannot hate you but it hates me." So rejection should not surprise anybody.
I have been on a number of witnessing teams and have walked folks through the Gospel and had some success, but at other times, the Gospel was met with rejection. I never felt hated as I would leave the person's house, but I was highly disappointed. Jesus, knowing His words brought hate, couldn't have felt good. Yet He never stopped and He doesn't stop to this very day. And, neither should we. As you pray, the Holy Spirit will be with you and with the person being witnessed to. You might be just one step in a person's conversion to Christ. Everything we do in modeling or witnessing is part of God's Plan. And, as we see with Jesus, there is a time for His plan of salvation to happen. The key is to keep praying and trying.
PRAYER PRACTICE
Breath Prayer: Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, love, peace, hope, etc. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work.
Comments