• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Bible Reflection No difference

No difference

Posted on March 25, 2019 Written by Mark McIntyre 1 Comment


At the last supper, when Jesus informed his disciples that one of them was going to betray Jesus, they had a curious response.

So they began to argue among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it.

Luke 22:23 (CSB)

It is not like they all said, “Of course, it has to be Judas . . .”

My point is that Jesus, who knew the eventual outcome, did not treat Judas any differently than the rest of the disciples. His treatment of Judas was such that no-one suspected that there was a traitor in their midst.

If you have been attending church for a while, it is likely that you have encountered situations where believers have said things about non-believers that were not kind or were severely judgmental. Honesty dictates that I admit that my attitude and speech has not been patterned after Jesus’ example.

Jesus honored Judas, even while he was being betrayed by him.

Do you think that we could do the same with those who we might be tempted to see as not sympathetic to our teaching or way of life?

In the long run, it may not make a difference in the final outcome, but it certainly would make a difference in some lives if we lived as if everyone was valuable. More specifically, it would make a difference us if we lived this out.

Can we engage in dialog instead of seeking to make sure that our position is clear? Too often the church has shouted out positions about social issues rather than seeking to understand why they are issues in the first place. The problem with this approach is that it destroys any opportunity to build a relationship. It is in the context of relationship that humans grow and learn.

If we build a relationship, we may not come to agreement with the other person, but we will be in a better position to respectfully present what we believe and why.

The bottom line is that we are all broken in many ways. Some of that brokenness is visible to others, much of it is not. By accepting people where they are, we are living consistently with how Jesus approached the people around him.

Now, it must be also pointed out that Jesus accepted them but was never content to allow them to remain unchanged by relationship with him. But like the disciples who were unable to heal the boy with the demon, we are also unable to heal the people around us. Only Jesus can do that.

By building relationships with the people around us, we are then in a position to point them to Jesus, the only one that ultimately can bring any lasting change to any of us.


Filed Under: Bible Reflection

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Du Jour

The danger of Method-Du-Jour thinking

Some church does something. It appears to be successful based on attendance numbers. Others then seek to find the method or program that was used to generate the good result. We shorten the sermon, use video feeds, turn up the music, redesign the décor, or hire consultants to try to produce similar results.

Mirror

An unwanted mirror

In Matthew 23:13-33, there are recorded eight woes that Jesus pronounced upon the “scribes and Pharisees.” Jesus is harsh in his criticism as he unloads on his antagonists. The danger is that we can read these woes in a way that is not helpful or appropriate. If we take an us/them approach to these woes, […]

Obedience

Obedience, trembling and embracing

This morning I was reading through the Sermon on the Mount and a phrase from the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) came to mind. In response to Scripture, the WCF speaks of “. . . yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that […]

Greek Testament

You have heard . . . but I say – It is all about the heart

Jesus produces a series of contrasts that he uses to show us that external obedience is not enough to please God, he also wants our hearts to be right.

No Running

No Running

The command, “no running” can be inferred from the places where we are told to stand firm. Our job is to stand in spite of difficulties and fear.

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
February 2023
SMTWTFS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728 
« Jan    

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2023 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in