June 15 - Fighting the System

June 15 – Fighting the System

Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. (John 18:19-24)

The world makes it easy to believe that we have to apologize for our faith or keep Jesus a big secret.  We allow concerns over Christmas programs in schools, Ten Commandments in courthouses, prayer in public places to overwhelm the most basic part of our faith – telling others about Jesus.  We spend more time worrying and arguing over those issues than we do simply being loving Christians and living the truth within our lives.

Jesus lived in a time when the Romans barely tolerated the Jews and the Jews themselves were completely intolerant of anything that didn’t line up to their rules and regulations within the faith.  Every time He tried to do something or say something, there was someone close by ready to stone Him or argue with Him, ridicule Him or bring Him up on charges.

He didn’t waste His time during His ministry messing around with those people … He simply continued to tell the truth and to tell people about how to have a relationship with God.

He took more abuse throughout His few short years of ministry than we can even imagine, but He didn’t stop.

Rather than fighting the system, He ignored it and continued to tell people about the love of God.

It seems like the best way to live, doesn’t it?