Today’s scripture: John 5:15-47 (NRSV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Tyler Connoley):
Jesus said the works he did testified to the fact he was sent by the Father. In the face of great opposition from the religious leaders of his day, he was able to stand up straight and say, “There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that God’s testimony to me is true.” The proof of Jesus’ sonship was the work God was doing in his life and in the lives of those around him.
When I read this passage, I think of what Jesus said in John 14:12: “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these.”
Today, we also experience persecution from religious leaders. As far as we know, no one is plotting to crucify the leaders of LifeJourney Church, but modern-day Pharisees certainly stand against us for breaking their rules, just as they persecuted Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Can we, like Jesus, point to the work God is doing in our lives and say God testifies on our behalf? I think so.
In the last chapter of our book, The Children Are Free, Pastor Jeff and I put forth an important argument for the full inclusion of lgbt people in God’s kingdom, which is essentially the same as what Jesus says in John 5. In the section titled You will know them by their fruits, we spend several pages chronicling the way God is working in the lives of lgbt Christians around the world — from lives transformed to miracles of healing. Then we say, “Everywhere you look, the gift of the Holy Spirit (God’s seal of approval) is evident in the lives of gay and lesbian Christians and our worship communities.”
Thought for the day: Maybe the opposition of religious conservatives still scares you. If so, think about how God is working in your life. You are a child of God, and like Jesus, you can say, “I know God’s testimony to me is true.”
Today, let’s join together in prayer for: those we know who have a hard time believing they are God’s children — and that can include ourselves, as well. May we listen to God’s testimony, and really believe what God says to us.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.