Passage Read: John 11-12
Meditation Verses: 12:34-36
Thought
There are times when Jesus doesn't answer questions directly. He responds, but sometimes to a completely different question! The people say that the Christ is supposed to remain forever, then ask who the Son of Man is that Jesus keeps calling Himself. Is He the Christ or some other person from Scripture? Then Jesus answers with this urging to walk in the light while they have it with them! He doesn't correct their understanding of what the Christ must suffer and He doesn't explain why He calls Himself the Son of Man. He makes people go through a lot of effort to understand who He is and what He's saying. He doesn't spoon-feed people the truth! That's in line with teaching in parables and with the verses that follow.
Application
Becoming a Christian and growing in Christ is not a brainless activity. It is for those who hunger and seek. The push to dumb down sermons and spoon-feed applications may bring in more to the church, but it doesn't guarantee they are all saved. The true believer must meditate on God's Word and fill his heart and mind with as much of it as possible. He must spend time thinking about what it means and what he must do. That's evidence of salvation and the change brought on by true faith. Jesus becomes so important to him that he must think about what God is teaching and what God calls him to be and do. I'm not helping people by making God's truth as simple as possible. I'm not helping them by answering their every question and doubt, and correcting their every confusion. I don't need to reduce barriers to salvation that God Himself erected. People need to want it enough to put in the effort to understand it and apply it themselves. I need to value God's Word and thoughts more than anything else in this world, and put in that kind of effort to understand all He wants me to know.