At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.” At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?” The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him. Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. You will look 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 cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?” On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied. “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”
—John 7:25-52

~~~~~

No Neutral Grounds
By Jennifer Kane

A kingdom of darkness.
A kingdom of light.
There is no neutral ground to be found.
Not here.
Not now.

You are standing in a war—
though the world may not see it.
It’s not fought with bullets
but with truth,
with belief,
with the courage to speak the name
that divides and delivers.

Jesus.

He doesn’t let you shrug and walk away.
His words stir something deep,
unsettling what’s comfortable,
breaking apart the middle ground
we thought we could keep.

Some called Him a prophet.
Some said He was the Christ.
Others scoffed—
convinced truth must look different
than a carpenter from Galilee.

Even those sent to silence Him
returned with empty hands,
their hearts too full of wonder
to carry out the order.

No one ever spoke like this man.

And He still speaks.

He asks more than admiration.
He demands allegiance.
You can’t follow halfway.
You can’t remake Him
into something safer.
He is who He is—
and He draws a line
with His life, His death, His cross.

We are not spectators.
We are soldiers
or rebels.
Surrendered
or defiant.
With Him
or against.

This is the final war.
The only one that truly matters.
And every heart
must choose.

So I ask you—
with your silence,
with your voice,
with your life:

Tell me—
Who are you fighting for?

~~~~~

Scripture: John 7:1-53

In John 7, Jesus stands at the heart of a divided crowd. Some believe He is the Prophet foretold by Moses. Others wonder if He is the long-awaited Messiah. Still others scoff, fixated on their assumptions about where the Christ must come from.

And then there are the temple guards—sent to arrest Jesus—who return empty-handed. Why? Because, as they say in awe, “No one ever spoke like this man!” (John 7:46). They were disarmed not by swords or force, but by the sheer authority and presence of Jesus.

Even among religious leaders, opinions clash. Nicodemus dares to speak up, suggesting that Jesus be heard before judgment is passed. His colleagues dismiss him. Once again, the presence of Jesus exposes hearts and forces decisions.

Jesus still causes division today—not because He desires conflict, but because He demands clarity. He does not allow us to remain neutral or comfortable in vague admiration. We must decide: Is He Lord, or is He not?

Many try to soften Jesus’ message or remake Him into a figure who offends no one. But the real Jesus is not always “safe” by worldly standards. His words confront sin. His call to repentance disrupts pride. His cross demands surrender.

The gospel, when proclaimed truthfully, will divide. It always has. Yet it is only in this decision—this moment of truth—that eternal life is found.

Has your heart tried to remain “neutral” about Jesus, agreeing with His morals but resisting His lordship? Have you been tempted to present a version of Christ that is more “acceptable” to the world?

Today, take a stand—not for a popular Jesus, but for the real One. Pray for courage to proclaim Him as He is. Expect resistance, but trust that some will be drawn not by clever arguments, but by the same divine authority that stilled the temple guards.

~~~~~

Lord Jesus, You are not who the world wants You to be—You are who we need You to be. Help me to proclaim You truthfully, not to make You more palatable, but to make You known. When division comes, remind me that You are worth it. Amen.

July 2 2025