Forty Days Full - An Invitation To Real Life

Section III: The Power of a Spirit-Filled Life

T here was something so special about Jesus that almost everyone wanted to be with Him. Whether a fisherman, tax collector or even a prostitute, you wanted to spend time in His Presence. Clearly, people pursued Him for the miracles, but it was more than that. They wanted to hear what he had to say. They wanted Him to come to their homes. People from various walks of life and ethnic backgrounds pursued Him. The only ones who did not enjoy him were the strictly religious. The Pharisees and religious leaders did pursue Him, but for different reasons. They were looking for flaws. They wanted to catch Him making a mistake. They came to Him as inspectors waiting for a chance to pass judgment. What was it that they were so afraid of? I believe they were afraid of authenticity. They had spent their whole life attempting to prop themselves up by following all the rules. Their’s was a system by which everyone else could be judged. They arrogantly saw themselves as the keepers of truth. The common people avoided them. They were not the kind of folks you wanted to have over for dinner. These puffed-up referees loved to blow the whistle at every misdeed. Until...Jesus arrived. He was real. He needed no propping. His love was genuine and engaging. His lifestyle rose above every rule they tried to impose. He was like a drink of cool water to a generation dying of thirst. The people loved how He exposed hypocrisy. Nobody had ever demonstrated the kind of authority that could leave the religious speechless.