Sent

About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished at it, saying, “How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?” Then Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him. “Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?” Jesus answered them, “I performed one work, and all of you are astonished. Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, “When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?” The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.” The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will search for me and you will not find me’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?” John 7:14-36

I was watching some clips from Monty Python, and one was from the Life of Brian. No matter what you think of Monty Python's irreverent humor, they got something very right. People are bound to misunderstand and not hear things clearly. We are easily confused and easily deceived. We find Jesus teaching in the temple and the questions come fast and furious. They indicate that only Jesus understands from whom and why he was sent. Everyone else is confused, from the religious leaders to the simple folks attending the temple. "What does he mean?" is a regular question asked. Yet we are invited by faith to listen to the heart of God, who sent Jesus for the love of the world and every one of us.

Gracious Creator, you open your arms wide

and we have too many questions and concerns

to give in to the call of your loving embrace

to step forward and receive all your love.

We would rather argue and question

seeking to find fault in others' arguments

aching to be right and clearly understood

while we spread confusion all around.

Help us to move to your loving embrace

so we might receive your tender grace

which send us back in to the aching world

with your love and compassion to share. Amen.