October 15
John 8:21-59; Luke 10:1-11:13
At many junctures in life you will make a choice, whether to pursue God or pursue the world. Though you may not recognize this, these early decisions have long lasting consequences. When I went to medical school, I did well, graduating among the top of my class. I was close to one of the deans of my school and he pushed me towards a prestigious specialty (Ophthalmology, Dermatology, etc.), but I chose the less prestigious field of Obstetrics and Gynecology. When I decided upon this field, he desired for me to choose a prestigious institution for my residency, such as Columbia, U. Penn, etc., but I chose the less prestigious program in New Jersey, since it would be a good fit for my wife and children, and for our lives in the long run. In residency, I did well and scored well in all of my national exams. My chairman at the time wanted me to choose a fellowship to specialize, but I chose the less prestigious route of private practice. At each juncture a decision had to be made. The world was pulling me in a certain direction, but God was pulling me in a different direction. As a Christian, the road that God has chosen for me has given me countless opportunities to present the gospel message to patients that I have gotten to know over thirty years. Not many fields allow for such relationships to develop. Private practice though not as respected by my peers also allows for this, as specialists tend to come into a life for a moment, for a specific issue, then fade from the scene. In either direction I could practice my training, but it is in the one on one relationships which God gave me that I could be used by Him for what He has called all of us to do, to present Him to a lost world. The world will not recognize this, but, we must always ask ourselves who it is that we seek, the world or God.
As Jesus confronts the unbelieving world, we read His comments in John 8:23-24, " And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” Notice Jesus never offers multiple options, HIs statements often take the form of either/or. He tells people that a decision must be made to take one path or another. This might sound very narrow minded, but realize what it is that Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, " “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." God reveals Himself to us through His Son, not just for ourselves, but so that we can be messengers of His truth to a desperate world. We read in John 8:31-32, (NKJV), Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Jesus speaks more of this freedom in 8:36, " So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free."
God's freedom is often missed because of the lure of the world. We read in John 8:37, "Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message." Again we read in 8:46-47, " Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” God's message is clear. Salvation in Jesus Christ is clear. The problem is that the world does much to drown out and pollute this clarity. We should all ask ourselves, "What is it that we seek?" Are we pushing ourselves to make a name for ourselves, or do we seek to present God to the world? Are we seeking for our children to go to the most prestigious schools, choose the most high profile careers, or do we seek for them to align themselves with God, so that they will be meaningful for His kingdom. Sometimes both can be accomplished, but more often one is chosen at the expense of the other. A decision for God is always the right course.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: