Meditation on Trust #5
It’s the end of the work week and time for the weekend. In a conversation yesterday with a UNO junior, he told me clearly his agenda for the next three days was to study Spanish and have just enough time to party. So that’s pretty much the weekend: study and party. Your agenda might be similar. Or you might be in the thick of a paper and thinking of putting off the party until the job is done.
Nehemiah’s story is like the latter. He had a job to do and he wasn’t going to be happy until it was completed. It seems Nehemiah was in the field of engineering; his job was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, which had been destroyed by attacking foreigners generations before. Though he was a servant to a foreign king, he went ahead and asked for permission to rebuild the walls of the “city of his fathers.” The king granted permission and he also provided for wood for the beams.
In a way, Nehemiah was rebuilding his life and the lives of his people by rebuilding the city. This is great urban planning. The Jerusalem Chamber of Commerce would have been excited. Just think of it: coffee and tea bars on every corner. Rug, clothing and bookshops in the Old Market. Special events around the holidays. This place that had once been a grand city had become an empty wasteland. But now comes a man, Nehemiah, with a plan, resources and dedication. He’s going to rebuild the city. Who knows? It might become a great city again. And certainly, its rebuilding will give honor and glory to God.
I’ve been thinking about this idea for some time and I propose it to you: God gets excited when we participate in the shift of our world of ruin to a world that’s robust. The larger purpose of our being on this planet and at UNO is not our degrees and training, valuable though they are. The larger purpose is the transforming of our selves and our world. Our degrees and our training can be much larger than a paycheck. Trusting in our larger purpose gives us hope.
Some wish to wait for others to take the lead. I’m hoping you will take a role in this cosmic shift. If you want to party about that this weekend, go ahead. Being part of God’s shift in our city is a big enough reason!
Nehemiah 2
1In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was served him, I [Nehemiah] carried the wine and gave it to the king. Now, I had never been sad in his presence before. 2So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This can only be sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my ancestors’ graves, lies waste, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, so that I may rebuild it.” 6The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a date. 7Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may grant me passage until I arrive in Judah; 8and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, directing him to give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me.
Friday, September 21
Thursday, September 20
Meditation on "Who do You Trust?" #4
Who do you Trust? #4
I tend to trust people who have good opening lines. Mr. Spock used to say, “Live long and prosper.” That’s a good line.
The angels in the Bible had a good opening line, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you news of great joy.” God had a great opening line, speaking of creation, “It is very good.” Jesus had a good opening line when he was on a recruiting tour: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” It was an invitation, a statement of purpose and a tantalizing comment.
Ann Lamott, a Christian writer, had a good opening line last night: “I didn’t bring a prepared speech, I only came to tell you the things that I really believe are really, really, really true about faith and about writing.” That line relaxed people and created a sense of trust. By the end of the hour an a half journey together with her, there was a sense of well being and hope. To conclude her talk, Ms. Lamott played a favorite gospel song of hers over the sound system. Then she danced on stage (and she had told a few stories about how she and her boyfriend are not good dancers), she asked people to stand and sing along (the crowd clapped in time) and she set out to be herself. Would that we could all do that!
I was wondering why I felt trust and compassion for and with this woman from California. I had heard everything is perfect there. She said, “No, it’s not perfect. I’m not perfect.” And she also doesn’t think the way God shows him/herself to us is perfect. “have you ever noticed you need an answer from God right now, and the answer comes in a week or two or three or some months later? I find that annoying.”
Ann talked about situations she’s been in and looked for God. She’s been sober for 21 years and was converted to being a Presbyterian 22 years ago. It was striking to me her father and mother are atheists, yet her grandfather was a Presbyterian missionary in China. Evidently, her father did not like his father’s lifestyle and found little in it worth saving. Maybe there was some conflict there. Maybe there was a rebel. Maybe things just didn’t pan out. Maybe the weather and lifestyle in California is too perfect. Who knows?
Anyway, a good opening line can be truthful and yet be friendly, even inclusive, and put people at ease. You might want an opener for your paper, for your friend, for your friends friends. You might even need a good opener for people who are on the edges. Perhaps even for God (“Hey God, my life is great right now. Thanks a bunch.”) It might be a good idea to try out a few of them. Why not write them down and keep them handy? Who knows when you might need one? After all, you are taking a leadership role in your life. Do people have good reason to trust you?
Here’s a great opening line. It’s specific, inclusive (all people) and has purpose:
John 1
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
I tend to trust people who have good opening lines. Mr. Spock used to say, “Live long and prosper.” That’s a good line.
The angels in the Bible had a good opening line, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you news of great joy.” God had a great opening line, speaking of creation, “It is very good.” Jesus had a good opening line when he was on a recruiting tour: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” It was an invitation, a statement of purpose and a tantalizing comment.
Ann Lamott, a Christian writer, had a good opening line last night: “I didn’t bring a prepared speech, I only came to tell you the things that I really believe are really, really, really true about faith and about writing.” That line relaxed people and created a sense of trust. By the end of the hour an a half journey together with her, there was a sense of well being and hope. To conclude her talk, Ms. Lamott played a favorite gospel song of hers over the sound system. Then she danced on stage (and she had told a few stories about how she and her boyfriend are not good dancers), she asked people to stand and sing along (the crowd clapped in time) and she set out to be herself. Would that we could all do that!
I was wondering why I felt trust and compassion for and with this woman from California. I had heard everything is perfect there. She said, “No, it’s not perfect. I’m not perfect.” And she also doesn’t think the way God shows him/herself to us is perfect. “have you ever noticed you need an answer from God right now, and the answer comes in a week or two or three or some months later? I find that annoying.”
Ann talked about situations she’s been in and looked for God. She’s been sober for 21 years and was converted to being a Presbyterian 22 years ago. It was striking to me her father and mother are atheists, yet her grandfather was a Presbyterian missionary in China. Evidently, her father did not like his father’s lifestyle and found little in it worth saving. Maybe there was some conflict there. Maybe there was a rebel. Maybe things just didn’t pan out. Maybe the weather and lifestyle in California is too perfect. Who knows?
Anyway, a good opening line can be truthful and yet be friendly, even inclusive, and put people at ease. You might want an opener for your paper, for your friend, for your friends friends. You might even need a good opener for people who are on the edges. Perhaps even for God (“Hey God, my life is great right now. Thanks a bunch.”) It might be a good idea to try out a few of them. Why not write them down and keep them handy? Who knows when you might need one? After all, you are taking a leadership role in your life. Do people have good reason to trust you?
Here’s a great opening line. It’s specific, inclusive (all people) and has purpose:
John 1
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
Wednesday, September 19
Meditation on "Who do You Trust?" #3
Who Do You Trust? #3
It’s Wednesday and it’s a good day to start moving.
There is a difference between a maze and a labyrinth. A maze is built to have lots of stops and blind alleys. Try it out at http://games.yahoo.com/games/kidsmz.html The challenge is finding the way through, because there are many alternatives, but there is only one way through. A maze is designed to be frustrating. A maze has its own value, though. It teaches us that we must be self-reflective and have a good memory if we’re going to find our way through the puzzle. We must be self-reflective, because we experience a variety of emotions when the way is not simple. Self-reflective people wonder how to cope with conflict, mixed messages, and being lost.
A labyrinth, on the other hand, has only one way through from the outside to the center. Though the pathway is circular and goes back and forth, there is no issue of deciding which way is the right way. If a person stays on the path, there is no way to get lost. If a person will trust the path, that person will find the center. This center can be understood
as a person’s spiritual center, or the place where we connect with God. (On Tuesday, Sept. 25, there will be a maze in MBSC at the fireplace lounge, bring friend and come to experiement!)On October 13, a dozen or so of us will go to an area campground and walk a maze in a cornfield and a labyrinth in a meadow. We will build leadership skills by working through this kind of complexity as a group. (We’ll also climb trees a’la rock climbing) You are invited to join us. Look for more information later.
So is the way to God complex or simple? Is the way to God for you a series of switchbacks and difficult and competing solutions and possibilities? Or is the path to God as simple as getting on the right path and staying on it?
Both possibilities are reflected in scripture. Moses, for example, stopped in front of a burning bush and received clear direction there. What could be simpler? God is sending Moses to bring the suffering people out of Egypt. That’s the job. Jesus, on the other hand, spent his entire adult life praying, searching, leading and finally dying in the service of a way of life. The liberation of the people was not physical, but spiritual. On the surface, it looks simple; underneath, it’s clearly complex. (Have you ever tried to lead a group of twelve?)
Rather than tell you which is the true path, let me say simply that both approaches have value and both approaches, when used as the only approach, fall short of making us any more faithful. In the end, we must find ways to be faithful and simple, and we must be self-reflective and not fall for the “there’s only one way, and by the way that’s my way” attitude.
The important thing today and every day, is to take a step and get moving. We are called to make a decision to trust that calls us out of our self-centeredness and into God-centeredness.
Exodus 3
1Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”
Tuesday, September 18
Meditation on "Who do You Trust?" #2
Who do you trust #2
Since we’re on an Ann Lamott roll here (she’s going to be at the Holland Center Wednesday night at 7PM; it’s a free event and you are invited; the doors open at 6PM), I thought of presenting the story of Jesus in the Temple. According to the Gospel of Luke (this story does not appear anywhere else, by the way), Jesus has been in the temple for three days and his parents are frantic with their searching for him. Evidently, the omniscient powers of Jesus were not received from or bestowed on his biological parents. And in the end after they heard his explanation concerning his whereabouts and why didn’t they know where he’d be, they did not know what he was talking about. Sounds just like a teenager/parent conversation.
Ann asked a priestly friend of hers on this topic: “What would Jesus have done with thirteen-year-olds?” Father Tom replied:
“In biblical times, they used to stone a few thirteen-year-olds with some regularity, which helped keep the others quiet and at home. The mothers were usually in the first row of stone throwers, and had to be restrained.” And she later comments, “Every parent who saw this note on my wall laughed and felt better; nothing helps like letting your ugly common secrets out.” (p. 95 in “Plan B: Further thoughts on Faith”)
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
Luke 2
41Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” 49He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50But they did not understand what he said to them. 51Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
I suspect that last line was added to make us all feel like Jesus was divine and never caused anyone any trouble. It could also be we’d like a nice tame little savior—someone we can always appreciate. Evidently he never experienced the drama of 7th grade.
But the story of Jesus in the Temple is more than a cute diversion. It’s a reminder that most of us want to have it all: we want to be wise in our youth, respected by our elders, free to not check in with anyone, have no conflict, and always be right. But by our college years, we have to give up on that. We know wisdom comes from conflict, by being in healthy groups and not just the hard partying ones, self-assessment that includes looking deeply into our failures, and the realization that sometimes there is no “right.” It’s just the decisions we make in the midst of a mess.
I knew a sixteen-year-old who was morose one day. I asked him what was up. He simply looked up with his swollen eyes and said, “I just realized my childhood is over.” Perhaps at sixteen he was a little slow on the uptake, but at least he got it—if you’re reading this, your childhood is over. Of course, this doesn’t mean life is no fun anymore. The Psalmist reminds us, “Joy comes in the morning.” But the quality question remains: Now what? My friend, Lori, made a marvelous comment to this point recently. She noted, “What we need are armbands that have this abbreviation, “WWAD?” Translation: “What Would an Adult Do?”
In our post childhood times of decision-making: Who is worthy of your trust? Who will help you into adulthood? Who is your guide?
Trying to do it alone is a failed plan. Non-assessed animal behavior doesn’t work. So, here’s the question, “Now that you’re not a kid anymore, who do you trust?”
Care for some tea in the temple?
Since we’re on an Ann Lamott roll here (she’s going to be at the Holland Center Wednesday night at 7PM; it’s a free event and you are invited; the doors open at 6PM), I thought of presenting the story of Jesus in the Temple. According to the Gospel of Luke (this story does not appear anywhere else, by the way), Jesus has been in the temple for three days and his parents are frantic with their searching for him. Evidently, the omniscient powers of Jesus were not received from or bestowed on his biological parents. And in the end after they heard his explanation concerning his whereabouts and why didn’t they know where he’d be, they did not know what he was talking about. Sounds just like a teenager/parent conversation.
Ann asked a priestly friend of hers on this topic: “What would Jesus have done with thirteen-year-olds?” Father Tom replied:
“In biblical times, they used to stone a few thirteen-year-olds with some regularity, which helped keep the others quiet and at home. The mothers were usually in the first row of stone throwers, and had to be restrained.” And she later comments, “Every parent who saw this note on my wall laughed and felt better; nothing helps like letting your ugly common secrets out.” (p. 95 in “Plan B: Further thoughts on Faith”)
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
Luke 2
41Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” 49He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50But they did not understand what he said to them. 51Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
I suspect that last line was added to make us all feel like Jesus was divine and never caused anyone any trouble. It could also be we’d like a nice tame little savior—someone we can always appreciate. Evidently he never experienced the drama of 7th grade.
But the story of Jesus in the Temple is more than a cute diversion. It’s a reminder that most of us want to have it all: we want to be wise in our youth, respected by our elders, free to not check in with anyone, have no conflict, and always be right. But by our college years, we have to give up on that. We know wisdom comes from conflict, by being in healthy groups and not just the hard partying ones, self-assessment that includes looking deeply into our failures, and the realization that sometimes there is no “right.” It’s just the decisions we make in the midst of a mess.
I knew a sixteen-year-old who was morose one day. I asked him what was up. He simply looked up with his swollen eyes and said, “I just realized my childhood is over.” Perhaps at sixteen he was a little slow on the uptake, but at least he got it—if you’re reading this, your childhood is over. Of course, this doesn’t mean life is no fun anymore. The Psalmist reminds us, “Joy comes in the morning.” But the quality question remains: Now what? My friend, Lori, made a marvelous comment to this point recently. She noted, “What we need are armbands that have this abbreviation, “WWAD?” Translation: “What Would an Adult Do?”
In our post childhood times of decision-making: Who is worthy of your trust? Who will help you into adulthood? Who is your guide?
Trying to do it alone is a failed plan. Non-assessed animal behavior doesn’t work. So, here’s the question, “Now that you’re not a kid anymore, who do you trust?”
Care for some tea in the temple?
Monday, September 17
Meditation on "Who do You Trust?" #1
Who do you trust?
Ann Lamott is coming to town on Wednesday. You’re invited to hear her speak at the Holland Center at 7PM. Doors open at 6 PM and the event is free. Your friends at our UNO campus ministry have read her works and believe she has an honest integrity and speaks truth. If you need transportation, please let me know by phone or email and we will arrange something for you.
Let me share how she came to be sponsored by a connected group of progressive congregations.
Creighton University offered Ms. Lamott, even though she is not Catholic, the opportunity to lecture on behalf of a women’s health series. This is normal, well and good. However, in her most recent book, published after the contract between Creighton University and Lamott was finalized, she speaks about euthanasia and abortion as options that do not always deserve condemnation. Certain folks in the Catholic hierarchy and in the associated Creighton medical community saw a chasm between accepted Catholic teaching and what Lamott had written. They discovered boundary issues. Discussion with Lamott followed and the contract was revoked.
Let me say Creighton has to walk a fine line here. As an academic institution, it needs to welcome new ways of thinking and be on the edge of academia., or we’ll continue to think the earth is the center of the universe. On the other hand, it cannot flaunt traditional Catholic teaching and expect no consequences. Like most of life’s decisions, this was not a clean cut, but looked jagged and bloody.
A group of leaders from progressive congregations in Omaha (from the denominations that support our campus ministry at UNO, yea!), quickly decided Ann Lamott should definitely come to Omaha to speak because she has some deep and valid things to say about God, Jesus, her teenage son, Sam, politics in our nation, and her own faith journey. These are powerful and accessible stories of faith (how God is with us in coping with alcoholism, power in the family and such). Within 24 hours, the new deal was done and she’s coming on Wednesday. There is room for 2,000 of our closest friends and I hope you’ll join us.
So who and what do you trust? Church teachings? Authority figures? Your gut feeling? If it feels good, do it? The Jesus who broke rules and demanded expected much and demanded change? The Jesus who was traditional?
The way we answer these questions speaks to how we view ourselves: are you a person who needs to be told what to do and how to act in order to be offered salvation? Are you a person who needs to make his/her own decision without reference to traditional ways of thinking? or are you someone who is comfortable with God and trusts that God is not vindictive if you listen and question and creates room for varied opinion? These questions go to the very core of how we view ourselves as people and God’s children.
We may not get all this understood and answered by Wednesday, but I hope you continue your dialogue with God!
John 2:
3The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
23When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. 24But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.
Ann Lamott is coming to town on Wednesday. You’re invited to hear her speak at the Holland Center at 7PM. Doors open at 6 PM and the event is free. Your friends at our UNO campus ministry have read her works and believe she has an honest integrity and speaks truth. If you need transportation, please let me know by phone or email and we will arrange something for you.
Let me share how she came to be sponsored by a connected group of progressive congregations.
Creighton University offered Ms. Lamott, even though she is not Catholic, the opportunity to lecture on behalf of a women’s health series. This is normal, well and good. However, in her most recent book, published after the contract between Creighton University and Lamott was finalized, she speaks about euthanasia and abortion as options that do not always deserve condemnation. Certain folks in the Catholic hierarchy and in the associated Creighton medical community saw a chasm between accepted Catholic teaching and what Lamott had written. They discovered boundary issues. Discussion with Lamott followed and the contract was revoked.
Let me say Creighton has to walk a fine line here. As an academic institution, it needs to welcome new ways of thinking and be on the edge of academia., or we’ll continue to think the earth is the center of the universe. On the other hand, it cannot flaunt traditional Catholic teaching and expect no consequences. Like most of life’s decisions, this was not a clean cut, but looked jagged and bloody.
A group of leaders from progressive congregations in Omaha (from the denominations that support our campus ministry at UNO, yea!), quickly decided Ann Lamott should definitely come to Omaha to speak because she has some deep and valid things to say about God, Jesus, her teenage son, Sam, politics in our nation, and her own faith journey. These are powerful and accessible stories of faith (how God is with us in coping with alcoholism, power in the family and such). Within 24 hours, the new deal was done and she’s coming on Wednesday. There is room for 2,000 of our closest friends and I hope you’ll join us.
So who and what do you trust? Church teachings? Authority figures? Your gut feeling? If it feels good, do it? The Jesus who broke rules and demanded expected much and demanded change? The Jesus who was traditional?
The way we answer these questions speaks to how we view ourselves: are you a person who needs to be told what to do and how to act in order to be offered salvation? Are you a person who needs to make his/her own decision without reference to traditional ways of thinking? or are you someone who is comfortable with God and trusts that God is not vindictive if you listen and question and creates room for varied opinion? These questions go to the very core of how we view ourselves as people and God’s children.
We may not get all this understood and answered by Wednesday, but I hope you continue your dialogue with God!
John 2:
3The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
23When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. 24But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)