John 7:31-32 But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?” The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him.
John described what the Pharisees heard from the people as grumbling or muttering. It’s the same word used in verse 12, “There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, ‘He is a good man’; others were saying, ‘No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.’” The fact that there were many thinking favorably about Jesus was threat enough for them to take action. So they sent some temple officers to bring Him in.
Again, the crowd was said to believe in Him because of signs. Although this event is at the Feast of Tabernacles, John 2:23-25 wrote of similar crowd response at the Feast of Passover, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”
The signs Jesus performed, which caused many to believe in Him, were acts of mercy. From this reality, I draw today’s live to love encouragement. As Jesus lives His life through us, we may expect that He would continue to express His mercy to reveal His presence and love. Let’s be on the alert for people who need to see and experience mercy. Perhaps Jesus’ comfort or kindness or healing may encourage them to believe in Him. We may rely on the Holy Spirit to open their hearts and give them faith in Jesus.
It is not our responsibility to discern whether the kind of belief of which John spoke regarding the many in the crowd was flesh-born or Spirit-born. True conversion will become evident as faith expresses itself in love for God and others. Our responsibility is to love in His name and give Him the glory. “Father, glorify Your name by loving through us today, and draw many to Your Son through us. Amen.”
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
