Behind the Curtain- Fair Weather Friends
John 2:23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him.24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people.25 No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.
There is a saying "Fair Weather Friends" that pretty much typifies the experience that Jesus dealt with while walking here on earth. As it says in the first verse above "because of the miraculous signs Jesus did at the Passover celebration many began to trust in Him." A lot of those people pretty much thinned themselves out and began to quit following Jesus when the going started getting tough. And Jesus knew them and didn't trust them in the first place as written in verse 24 and 25. It is so sad that He couldn't trust them. At the beginning as long as everything was trendy with Jesus and the miracles were happening they just couldn't get enough of Jesus. But....when he started talking about "taking up their cross" and following Him, many of His disciples stopped following Him altogether. In John 6:61-66 60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” 61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.” 66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.
The scripture states that Jesus said some things they were not picking up on about His impending death and the need to follow Him even when He died. It is almost like His disciples were thinking "this is starting to get weird" because in the scripture they said "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?" And Jesus realized they were complaining and asked them "Does this offend you?" Jesus was trying to help them see behind the curtain of the truth of the upcoming events and testing their resolve in staying with Him. And they were failing and many were falling away, much like "Fair Weather Friends." So verse 24 of Chapter 2 says a lot where it says "Jesus didn't trust them."
The questions that begs to be answered here is "Can Jesus trust us?" Oh the easy religious issues seem to keep most followers there with Him, but when the extra "behind the curtain things kick in and things seem to get weird to us will we still follow? You may say "what weird things?" Well, the ultimate fight of all believers is staying the course when the going gets tough. I am not talking about church attendance, but I am talking about continuing to stand for Jesus when the world goes even more against the Lord. As our country itself slides further away from anything remotely close to what the Bible teaches we believers will come to a crisis of belief. Oh, it's going to happen. We will have to prayfully decide "Will I continue to follow Jesus?" Don't be a "Fair Weather Friend" and fall away at the first sign of it getting tough. Bear down in prayer and Bible Study and stay the disciple Jesus has called you to be and He will give you strength and guidance and Jesus will let you see behind the curtain to a whole new way of thinking that will probably be contrary to the way of the world.
Jesus Himself let the disciples see behind the curtain of what was coming in Matthew 16:21-23 where He says 21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” So we need to look at things from a Biblical point of view and realize that God's plan is the best plan and follow it even though we are going through some adversity. Follow Him even in the storms of life and Jesus will calm the storms for you and me. We will probably see many religious institutions we have trusted for our entire life begin to fall away from the teachings of Christ, but don't budge from what God's Word teaches. Even though you may think "Oh that could never happen!" But realize that we have not even seen the beginning of how weird and tough it will all get, so be immersed in the Word and God will show you great mysteries to guide you through it all. Paul realized and learned the mysteries of God and it kept Him serving in the midst of great persecution. Paul wrote this in Colossians 2:2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
We can have confidence in the Word of God and it will keep us serving and not becoming "Fair Weather Friends!"
The Pilgrimage continues.....
David Warren