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John 7:14-18
Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.”
How can you determine if the teaching you hear is from God or man? How do you know if a podcast or broadcast can be trusted? How can you discern if the message is true or twisted? Jesus provides the answer in today’s passage.
Jesus spoke with authority, depth, and clarity. Those who heard Him were amazed. Jesus was quick to state that His teaching was not human but divine. God the Son was delivering the words of God the Father. Jesus explained that the proof was in the application. The person who chose to follow God’s instruction would be able to determine the power of the teaching.
Jesus did not come to promote Himself as a great teacher. He came to deliver God’s message. A person who speaks on his own, Jesus said, desires personal popularity. That is the essential criteria for evaluating Christian teaching. Is the teacher promoting himself or herself? Is the person seeking to deliver God’s Word or promote their personal agenda? Take the time to evaluate what you hear. God’s Word transforms. Man’s word simply tickles the ears and promotes the person.
Father, give me discernment. Help me be a student of Your Word so I can distinguish truth from error. Help me grasp the genuine so I can identify the phony. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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