About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” Jesus answered them, “I did sone work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:14-24 ESV).
After I had my first stents placed in my heart the cariologist told me I needed to lose some weight. I did. However, I was not very receptive to the way in which he informed me. Since I am somewhat stubborn about these things, he simply said, “Here’s your choices” lose weight or die.” That did get my attention. And I asked what he recommended. He said, “I think the best diet for you is the Paleo Diet Plan. Most people call it the “Caveman Diet.” The idea is that you eat the way cavepeople supposedly ate before agriculture was developed, focusing on meat and plants while avoiding carbs as much as possible.
For some people the side effects of this diet seemed to affect them negatively. They reported feeling crabby and sluggish. However, I liked all the things that were allowed on the diet and could develop a habit of staying away from those things that were prohibited. In fact, I lost 22 pounds in the first 6 weeks. The doctor was a bit astonished and accused me of being an overachiever. I simply agreed, knowing that it was his threat of dying that really did the trick.
I think sometimes we are tempted to treat Jesus’ voice like just another voice in the world giving advice about options for our diet, finances, or productivity. But in our reading today, we are reminded that Jesus speaks for God because his teaching is from God. Jesus’ instructions are not something we can pick and choose from. Every instruction he gave is in line with the way you and I were created to live. If we want to experience life as it was meant to be lived, we will find it by listening to Jesus and doing what he asks us to do!