John 7:16: “Jesus answered them and said, ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?’"
Jesus was telling the Jews exactly where the things that He was teaching came from. It was not a worldly knowledge; it was not something that a human mind developed. Rather Jesus was telling the Jews who were questioning His teaching that this teaching and truth was coming from the Father in heaven. The Jews only saw the physical; again, they were not spiritually minded. They only saw a carpenter from Nazareth. Jesus was telling the crowd that the words that He was speaking were coming from the will of the Father. Jesus was in turn representing the Heavenly Kingdom, the government of Almighty God.
We have had hundreds of thousands of men and women who have served this glorious county. They have carried the Stars and Stripes throughout this world, bringing the doctrine of freedom and liberty. These are the words that they spoke and speak today in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Haiti. These words are not their own, nor were they original. Patriots, like Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Paine, Jay, and Washington, spoke them for centuries. Even then, the words that these men spoke were not theirs; they were not new and unique. In fact, the words that our forefathers spoke transcended centuries; they were the very words of God Almighty. They do not speak their own words; they speak the words of the Father. Jesus said, “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” America does not speak for itself, but rather for something higher; a greater good.
Our God is a God of liberty and freedom. The work of Christ brings freedom. Freedom from sin, freedom from oppression, and freedom fear, is what Jesus purchased for us on Calvary. As Christ followers we bring the words of this freedom. We are compelled to share them not out of superiority but out of love, not that we are holier then thou, but because we are the same. It is simply one beggar showing another beggar where to find bread. These are not our words they are God’s. We are called to share that message of love.
Tomorrows Readings:
Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 1-2 New Testament John 7:32-53
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