Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

PLAINLY

May 29, 2010

To speak plainly is to want to make sure the listener understands; that's good. Yet it can also be a demand for no work on the listener's part. No thinking required. And maybe no faith. 
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"If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."
Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me..."
"I and the Father are one."
- John 10:24,25,30 TNIV

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Many of us just want it plain. Jesus' opponents wanted him to say, "Yeah, I'm the Messiah!" so they could convict him easily. Others wanted to hear it plainly; it would then require little of them--they could accept it or reject it--that simple. Yet Jesus would have none of it. Faith is not a signed contract. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, but not seen. Many of us want it distilled down to hoped for, seen, guaranteed, in hand. That's not faith.

Jesus answered their request and ours, "I did tell you."
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson