JOHN 7:40–44
So there was a division among the people because of Him
(John 7:43).
When Jesus preached, the effect was not what one would normally expect. In verses 40–44 we read that some people tended to believe Him, others were skeptical because of their ignorance concerning His origin, and others were outright hostile. The lesson we derive from this account is that the preaching of the true Gospel will inevitably bring some division. It will be as Jesus said—He came to bring a sword, not peace (Matt. 10:34).
It is said that Christ came to this world to bring us peace. That, of course, is true. Christ brought peace into the world, but this does not mean that the world would be at peace. Jesus’ coming into the world can be compared to bringing a light into a dark room. The light goes into the room, but only those who can see will apprehend the light. Those who are blind remain in darkness. As a result, the light brings division, separating those who can see from those who are blind.
This is what happened when Christ preached and it will be the result of our preaching as well. Some will consider the message and believe it. Others will seem to believe, but their wrong ideas about Christ will keep the truth at bay. Many believed Jesus to be the Christ, but they did not understand what that meant. They thought He would be a political leader. Others did not believe because He didn’t line up with Scripture. They knew the prophecies, but they did not know Jesus. Micah 5:2 said that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem, but they didn’t know or ignored the fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. If they had inquired about His birth, they would have known that He had come from the City of David. And still others flatly refused to believe anything about Jesus. They were so opposed to Him that all they wanted was to put Him to death.
These were the reactions Jesus received: misinformed “belief,” prejudice, and hostility. As a result the people were divided when they heard Jesus’ message. This division was not the fault of the Gospel, but of the people’s blindness. We should not become discouraged by division, but continue to proclaim the truth and trust that God will use it to bring His people home.
CORAM DEO
2 Kings 6–8
John 4:31–54
Read Matthew 10:34–39. Has there been division in your life because of Christ? What relationships have been disrupted or even severed? Have you ever felt guilty about these divisions? If so, find encouragement from Jesus, that those who are willing to lose everything, even relationships, will find new life in Him.
For further study: Deut. 18:15–18 • Mic. 5:2–5 • Luke 2:1–20
wednesday
may