Self inflicted misery #4 To whom to listen

Self inflicted misery to bear

4. To whom to listen

As Christians we better listen to the one whose title we use in our name: Christians. The Christ, Jesus or Yeshua, the Nazarene often talked about his Father who showed His love to the world. The master teacher knew that many people accused his loving Father of bringing on the disasters on to their world. But he found it worse that they also accused people of having done something wrong or something against God, because they had an illness or because they were handicapped. Those who listened to Jesus and saw him at work could hear how it was not according Gods will but because of accidents, disease or natural phenomena that suffering came onto men not as a form of retribution from God.

One day when Jesus went on his way, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples put a question to him, saying, “Master, was it because of this man’s sin, or the sin of his father and mother, that he has been blind from birth?” Jesus said in answer, “It was not because of his sin, or because of his father’s or mother’s; it was so that the works of God might be seen openly in him.”

“Jesus answered: “Neither this person or his parents sinned, but rather so that the works of The God might become manifest by means of this blind man.” (John 9:3 MHM)

Here we hear the same as on another occasion when he mentioned that the end of this disease shall not death, but the glory of God, so that the Son of God may have glory because of it

“Having heard this, Jesus said: “This sickness does not have death as its purpose, but rather it is because of the glory of The God, so that the Son of The God might be glorified because of it.”” (John 11:4 MHM)

At that time it was naturally important that people could see the signs to recognize the Messiah. People had to get to know the Christos or Christ. There were also other people in Jesus time who could heal others, but that never happened in the way Jesus did. When Jesus was telling other s their sins were forgiven, everybody could think everybody could tell that and nobody could verify if that would really happen. But having people who were handicapped from their childhood and were nothing had helped to get them better, or even having had people who had been declared death and even were already buried, to have them talking and walking around again was something nobody else could do. By doing such miracles, then people could have belief in the works Jesus did. Even if they had no belief in this person, who was a son of a poor craftsman, they could become convinced that there was something special happening. And Jesus never claimed he was it that was doing those things. He never took it on him, being the healer or the miracle worker. He always made it clear that it was his Father, and not him. So that the people at that time, but also we today, could see clearly and be certain that the Father is with and in him.

“But if I am doing them, and if you do not believe me, you Jews believe the works. Believe so that you may realize, and continue to realize, that the Father is in me and I in the Father.”” (John 10:38 MHM)

“Jesus answered them: “I told you Jews and yet you do not believe. The works I do in the name of my Father, these testify about me.” (John 10:25 MHM)

We should be able to recognize the union, which is not the same as equality, with the Father, so that the world may be convinced that Jehovah God had sent this man Jesus. (John 17:21) For Jesus it was important that people got to know that God had sent him. But they also had to know that the Creator of this earth loved His creation like He loved Jesus. (John 17:23)

Continues: Self inflicted misery #5 A prophet without a hedge around him

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