Glory That Comes from God

God's Creative Word
The Word Was in the Beginning
The Wedding at Cana

John 5:39-47

The Message

 ^39-40"You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren't willing to receive from me the life you say you want.
 ^41-44"I'm not interested in crowd approval. And do you know why? Because I know you and your crowds. I know that love, especially God's love, is not on your working agenda. I came with the authority of my Father, and you either dismiss me or avoid me. If another came, acting self-important, you would welcome him with open arms. How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God?
 ^45-47"But don't think I'm going to accuse you before my Father. Moses, in whom you put so much stock, is your accuser. If you believed, really believed, what Moses said, you would believe me. He wrote of me. If you won't take seriously what he wrote, how can I expect you to take seriously what I speak?"

For Reflection 

Studying scripture is important.  Scripture provides an historical and theological foundation for our faith. But scripture needs a context for interpretation.  Christ provides that context.  One can abuse scripture by bending it to serve egocentric purposes.  But in the context of Christ, that abuse becomes more difficult.  Scripture in the context of God's love will promote God-centered wisdom.

After  the Christ event, truth became knowable. 

Pray

when you read scripture.  Ask God for the ability to interpret scripture in terms of what Christ has revealed.  Pray that you will avoid using scripture for your own ends.