The Myth of Proofs

A Future for God's People
Turn to Me and Be Saved

Jonah-Evidence

 ³⁸Later a few religion scholars and Pharisees got on him. "Teacher, we want to see your credentials. Give us some hard evidence that God is in this. How about a miracle?"  ^39-40Jesus said, "You're looking for proof, but you're looking for the wrong kind. All you want is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles. The only proof you're going to get is what looks like the absence of proof: Jonah-evidence. Like Jonah, three days and nights in the fish's belly, the Son of Man will be gone three days and nights in a deep grave.
 ^41-42"On Judgment Day, the Ninevites will stand up and give evidence that will condemn this generation, because when Jonah preached to them they changed their lives. A far greater preacher than Jonah is here, and you squabble about 'proofs.' On Judgment Day, the Queen of Sheba will come forward and bring evidence that will condemn this generation, because she traveled from a far corner of the earth to listen to wise Solomon. Wisdom far greater than Solomon's is right in front of you, and you quibble over 'evidence.'
 ^43-45"When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn't find anyone, it says, 'I'll go back to my old haunt.' On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits more evil than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse off than if he'd never gotten cleaned up in the first place.
   "That's what this generation is like: You may think you have cleaned out the junk from your lives and gotten ready for God, but you weren't hospitable to my kingdom message, and now all the devils are moving back in."

For Reflection
Paul Simon wrote a song called All Around the World (The Myth of Fingerprints).  He suggests in the song that even given hard evidence one chooses to believe or disbelieve.  He sings, "It was the myth of fingerprints.  That’s why we must learn to live alone."  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CrHXnnyBrg

The religion scholars and Pharisees wanted credentials.  They spoke from authority. Jesus spoke with authority.  The scholars and Pharisees wanted proofs, evidence from signs. The evidence was facing them directly.  Perhaps the scholars and Pharisees feared living alone with out rules and hard evidence to bolster their established ideas.  Living alone meant they would have to face the reality of Jesus on faith alone.

Our contemporary society seems to favor the existential.  We in some ways are plagued by science and a preference to believe only what is empirically defined -- proved by the evidence.  We must get beyond the evidence to be ready for God.  We must accept the mysterious.  Devils move in on the wings of evidence.  But the evidence is a myth, fingerprints that point to false conclusions.

The greatest and most important questions in our lifetimes are answerable only in theology where evidence is weak and faith and hope and the grace of God is paramount.  Following God requires giving up the comfort of hard evidence.  It requires us to live alone, outside conventional wisdom. It requires us to reside in the mystery that is God's creation. To live in Christ alone is not a matter of evidence, but rather a matter of belief.

Pray
Help us to clean out the junk from our lives.  Help us to expect the unexpected.  Help us to live with faith and hope alone.  Help us to trust in the encouraging and loving hand of God who guides us to do his will. help us to see what is right in front of us in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.