2018-10-14T08:00:00-05:00
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.30 I and the Father are one.”
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org
The word is not usually used in polite company. In fact, the word is not usually used. Even in the daily tsunami of entertainment and news, of blogs and tweets, of posts and press releases, the word is avoided or not even known. Oh, there are close substitutes to be sure. We hear of “taking full responsibility,” of, “admitting to some of the allegations,” of, “cooperating fully with the investigation.” We even occasionally get to hear a genuine, heartfelt public apology. But no one ever seems to say, “I repent of my wrongdoing.” And, what would that really mean if someone did have the courage to say it? It might break the internet!
God’s word, however, is filled with calls to repent, to return to God and the things of God. And that’s the starting point. You see, repentance has at its core an understanding of God’s transcendence and His holiness. True repentance begins by admitting that there is a standard beyond ourselves, a truth that is true absolutely, a God who determines right and wrong based on His own character and not on public opinion polls. Repentance begins when we see again that God is God and we are not.
The people of Israel had to learn that lesson over and over, just like we do. They had assimilated into the culture of Canaan, including embracing the culture’s false gods and lifeless idols. Just like we do. God’s rebuke of His wayward people was to chastise them through the Philistines. To some, that may seem harsh or capricious. But God is clear. He will brook no rivals. His people will be about the business of reflecting His character, not replacing God’s glory with imitations. God Himself will tear down the idols.
And just like the Israelites, for us the most pernicious idol of all is found when we look in the mirror. In large ways and small ways, we all are prone to try to elbow God out of the way so we ourselves can be center stage in God’s world. But He’ll have none of it. We must confess and beg God to tear down whatever we worship in place of Him.
Then, empowered by God the Holy Spirit, and clinging to Jesus our Lord, we walk and work in a new way. Our purpose aligns with His when He makes us new. And until the Lord comes or calls, our lives are about His glory and not our own.
So whatever they may be, and however hidden they are, “with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”