John 7:25-8:1

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%207:25-8:1&version=TNIV Jesus is telling the people that he is the Messiah - the one that they have been waiting for - and yet the people are confused and frightened. Here is a man who performs miraculous signs and yet outwardly looks exactly like everyone else. The people do not know what to make of him. If he is the Messiah, then they should follow him. But what if he is just a crackpot with some ability to do miracales? What if they follow him and accept him as the Messiah and then it turns out that he is not? They will have violated their own beliefs and Scriptures. The religious leader’s must have been freaking out! What were they supposed to do with this man? They didn’t understand and because they didn’t understand they couldn’t accept him as many of the people were starting to accept Jesus. They were terrified of leading the people astray. Since Jesus didn’t come in a form that they recognized, they rejected him. What have you rejected because it has come in a form you did not understand or recognize? Have you refused forgiveness, love, peace, or joy? Have you rejected a gift that God has tried to give you because it was foreign and unnerved you? Father God, help us to accept the good gifts that you want to give us. Forgive us for rejecting you and the joy you want to bring into our lives. Help us to trust and to accept you into our lives and into our hearts. Amen. CS