Tell Us Plainly

Gospel: John 10: 22-30

People come up to Jesus and demand that he tell them plainly if he is the Messiah.  The problem with this proposition, then and now, is the meaning behind the word 'Messiah'.  For people then, as now, conceive of the Messiah along political and economic lines.  They see this figure as one who will provide for them political power and economic privilege - that which their enemies currently possess and that they themselves desire.  

But political power, economic influence, and notoriety were the very things Jesus rejected in the desert when tempted by Satan.  These things he rejected throughout his ministry and in his trial before the religious and political leaders of his day.  Since we continue to desire such things, and we still want to call ourselves followers of Jesus, we must refashion him according to our preferences and likings.  Instead of rejecting him as this original audience did, we merely reinvent him to suit our sensibilities.  

The Lord Jesus went about doing good to others: healing them, feeding them, removing demons from their life.  The disciples did the same: healing others, expelling demons, taking up collections not to support themselves but for the poor of the community.  This is the identity of the Messiah, and our identity as his followers.