21 March 2011

Psalm 56, 57; Jer. 1:11-19; Rom. 1:1-15; John 4:27-42

What a beginning to a prophetic ministry! The Lord tests Jeremiah to determine if he is able to see in the prophetic sense. What he sees first is a simple almond branch, a harbinger of spring, change, something new. The next thing he sees is a boiling pot tilted away from the north, ready to spill its contents towards the south, towards Jerusalem. The Lord announces that this will soon take place as the northern kingdoms, Babylonians, will so overtake the city that they will set up their throne at the very gates of the city, it will be completely subjugated. Jeremiah’s mind and heart must have reeled at this opening vision for what was to come. Surely he would have preferred some more uplifting word than this. He needed all the encouragement he could get for he had to know that this word would make him a pariah.

Jesus has proven Himself to be a prophet, He knows everything this woman ever did, but He seems not to stand in judgment of her for these things. He had offered her a great gift of living water and all the while He knew who she was. We tend to get the Gospel presentation the opposite of this, conviction of sin first then the offer of grace. Both need to be present but not always in the same order. With those outside of community, Jesus tends to lead with grace and with those inside the faith community He tends to lead with truth. His approach seems to have been that those He encountered on the outside knew within that they were sinners, the Holy Spirit was already at work while those on the inside tended to be immune to the Spirit’s work of conviction, they thought highly of their own righteousness. The insiders are the ones who insisted on the crucifixion, that is how much we religious types like to have our sin exposed.

Paul’s desire was to go to Rome and “impart some spiritual gift” to strengthen them. They had already heard and received the Gospel, their faith was known outside Rome and yet Paul still believed he had something to offer them. We can always grow in faith and understanding, we should never believe we have “arrived.” It is interesting that Paul says that he is under obligation “to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” What obligation does he have to barbarians and the foolish? It is incumbent on all of us to recognize that we have an obligation to believers and non-believers alike to share the Gospel. We share it with one another to strengthen and encourage one another and we share it with outsiders because it is the Good News they need to hear. Let us be bold and passionate about the Gospel.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.