Title: Two things to open in life
Gospel of John (53) Two things to open in life (John 7:40-53)
<Why the Jewish rulers rejected the Lord>
Why did the priests and Pharisees at that time reject Jesus? For three reasons. First, because of the timing. They had a boiling rage at the time that some believed that Jesus was the Messiah (vv. 31-32, 45-49).
Second, because of ignorance. When they failed to judge properly and even cursed wrongly, Nicodemus, one of the Pharisees, said (verse 51). “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he has done?” How wise are you? Nicodemus' words tell us that two things are necessary for right judgment. These are the 'attitude to listen well with your ears' and 'the attitude to inform the situation with an open mind'. Ignorance is sometimes a great sin.
Third, because of prejudice. The opposers of the Lord at that time said, “How can Christ come from Galilee?” (verse 41). Also, when Nicodemus spoke up, they said, “Are you also from Galilee? Think about it! No prophets are born out of Galilee” (verse 52). However, if you look at the history of Israel, there were also many prophets in Galilee. Furthermore, how comforting is the fact that Jesus is “Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee” rather than “Jesus of Jerusalem in Judea”?
Why are people prejudiced? Because they think they are right. The greatest turning point for being a blessed being is when you say "I'm right!" and admit "You're right!" That's the real meaning of "getting old." As you get older, you should not become ‘stubborn’, but you should become ‘older’. In the end, in order to live happily in the truth, two things must be open. It is ‘heart and ear’. You will be the happiest when you open your heart and ears and live the life of incarnation.
<Open your heart and ears>
There are two great truths of Christianity. One is the truth that “the Word is God” (John 1:1), and the other is the truth that “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). The fact of the Word is important, but the incarnation in which the Word becomes flesh is also important. In other words, the message is important, but communication that delivers the message is also important. If you only proclaim the Word and refuse to communicate, your life will be blocked.
One day, a saint was always talking to a spiritual deacon and said this. “Master! I feel that I am lacking in that part, so I will pray a little more.” However, the spiritual butler took the phrase “I feel lacking” as a pod and gave advice. “Saint! Do not live according to your own feelings, but live according to God’s will.”
He said his feelings once, and suddenly he became a ‘person who lives only by his feelings’. To be honest, I was throwing a message without trying to communicate. Such words and deeds are not spiritual, but dictatorship. In other words, such a word is not a word that certifies spirituality, but a word that responds to an alumni like Saojeong. Why are there such alumni answers? After all, it is because of spiritual pride.
If you know the ‘truth’ but don’t know the other truth, the ‘incarnation’, how sad would it be? After all, it's not about deep spirituality, it's about controlling yourself. If you have a conversation, you should receive it as a conversation, not as a sermon. That is why many people sneer at spiritualists who do not know the principle of the incarnation, saying, “You are preaching again.” These days, the phrase “preaching” is not a good word, but is used as a synonym for “hypocrites nagging again.”
How many people are hurt by habitual speech without incarnation? The sun gives life, but also death from heat stroke. Advice is meant to give life, but the advice of a person who is ignorant of the principle of the incarnation can actually kill life. Counsel, when used properly, is of great benefit, but when used improperly, it causes great losses that no Devil can accomplish. True spirituality is more interested in “how can I communicate deeply with that soul?” than “how do I look spiritual?” Open your heart and ears. And give hope and joy to our wounded neighbors with a balanced faith equipped with the ‘Word of Truth’ and the ‘Incarnation of the Word’.