WHAT WE LOVE
John 12:42-43 NKJV
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
I have many verses in this chapter underlined. There are some great nuggets in these fifty verses. I am amazed at how alive God’s word is. As I read these chapters repeatedly, I continue to see new glimpses of light. That’s the beautiful thing about God’s word. If you read with an open heart, it’s never old and stale but alive and fresh.
Our verses for today are regarding some of the religious leaders of that day who believed in Jesus. They believed but would not take the next step of faith. That next step would involve confessing Jesus with their mouth as the Messiah or a prophet from God. Even though they had a belief in Jesus, they would not act on that belief. They would not identify with Jesus because of fear. These rulers were afraid of the Pharisees.
The Pharisees were a very legalistic group of Jews. They knew the scriptures and had created a comprehensive list of added requirements that the righteous were to live by. Some of the Pharisees that Jesus met were sincere with a genuine desire to serve God. Nicodemus, the teacher who came to Jesus at night, was one of these Pharisees with a heart for God.
Another group that often opposed Jesus was the Sadducees. This group was the intellectual, religious segment of the Jews. They did not believe in the resurrection, or angels, or the spiritual realm. Leadership in the Jewish synagogue tended to swing back and forth between these two. During the time that John was recounting, the Pharisees seemed to be the dominant group controlling who could be a part of the synagogue.
The synagogue was the cultural center of the Jewish people during Jesus’ day. We read in chapter nine how the Pharisees kicked the man whom Jesus had healed out of the synagogue. This was a big deal that day. Due to the fear of being kicked out, the parents of the man born blind refused to acknowledge that Jesus was the healer. Being kicked out of the synagogue is akin to being canceled in today’s social media environment.
So, this fear of being removed from the synagogue kept many religious rulers from a better and deeper relationship with Jesus. And verse 43 is the underlying reason. Their fear was a result of what they loved the most. These men loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. What men thought was more important than what God thought of them. So, they did not take that step of faith in confessing Jesus.
APPLICATION
What we love can be a huge motivator in our lives. If we love the praise of men more than God, it will shape and influence our relationship with the Lord. We will be hesitant to take the steps of faith that is in our heart because we love the approval of men and are afraid to lose it.
I have seen people believe in Jesus but refuse to confess Him as their Lord and Savior because they loved their lifestyle too much to give it up for a relationship with Him. I have watched a young man walk away from a call to ministry because he was like Demas in 2 Timothy 4:10 and loved this present world. He simply could not give up the party life that he was accustomed to.
In my own life, I have downplayed my love for the Lord, not wanting to be ostracized by others. It’s not something that I am proud of at all. But I understand the pressures that people, especially our young people, face with loving the praise and approval of man instead of choosing to live for the praise of God. Living for the praise of men is easier in the short term but will leave us unsatisfied. Living for the praise of God requires more faith from us and is not the easier path. But, it is the path that benefits us here and in the next life.
So a guiding question we must ask is, what do we love?
PRAYER
Lord, I love You and believe the love You have for me. My goal and aim is to live for Your praise, not the unreliable praise of man.