John 2:22 - Belief in my Unbelief

This morning I was ready to dive into John chapter 3, but there was something that just was not settling with me in my reading yesterday. Some of this came from a few pastoral conversations I had during the day; both of them revolved around remembering what God has done in their lives previously. 

Isn’t it funny (funny might not be the right word) that we can often forget how God has moved in our lives in the past? We can find ourselves in a situation today, not seeing how God will use it, not seeing how we can move forward or beyond...and totally forgetting to see how God has done moved and blessed and worked in the past. I think this is why I love the Elevation Worship song, Do It Again;

I've seen You move, come move the mountains

And I believe, I'll see You do it again

You made a way, where there was no way

And I believe, I'll see You do it again

Trust, faith, and hope can often be fueled and supported by looking at the past. I know personally this to be true, and so often when I just can not see a path forward I often have to look backward to see what God has already carried me through, I look and see the growth, development, and blessing that have come, and I then believe He can and will do it again. 

Here is what is really odd to me, but refreshingly, comforting. This issue of trusting God, believing He “has it”, releasing control, and having full faith was something the disciples struggled with. This is not a new issue, this is not an issue of the modern world; this is all through the Gospels. Look at just the first few chapters of John.

John the Baptist said this:

“I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Two of Jesus' disciples said we have found the Messiah.

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:40-41‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Nathanael, who many theologians believe to be the same person as Bartholomew, one of the Twelve disciples said this;

“Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:49‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The author and narrator of this story then again tells us, his disciples believed in him. 

“What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭2:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In just two chapters, we have a lot of disciples saying they believe Jesus is the Messiah and then the author again saying they believed. This just seems a little odd to me, how this keeps coming up, and makes me wonder why. Then, I got stumped when I read v22. 

“After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭2:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Ok, wait!?! After he was raised from the dead. John, the author, just did something strange here. The time-shifted for a verse. Here we need to remember that the Gospel of John was written after all these events happened. We are not reading a play by play documentary on Jesus' life here, this was a re-telling. The actual dates are still debated, but we more than likely A.D. 125-170. So, John, the author, has full context...he, knows the end of the story as he is starting the beginning. 

This is what is so impactful and helpful for me. They believed, then they didn’t...or they struggled. Jesus moved and did more miracles, and they believed...then life hit, they were challenged, and they struggled. But in the end of the story, we see John here tell us the disciples looked back, saw all the Jesus did, all the impact in their lives and others, and then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 

In some research on this verse, I ran into these words that resonated;

During his ministry, Jesus will try to prepare his disciples for his passion, but they find the idea incomprehensible. We should not judge them, because we, too, find it difficult to see a vision that is different from that which we are expecting. At this point, the disciples are still looking for a warrior-king Messiah, and intimations of death and resurrection only confuse them. Later, after the resurrection, the picture will suddenly come into focus for them. (Henrich)

What are we walking through today that we just find it impossible to trust, to understand to comprehend? We want to believe, but find it incomprehensible? We, like John in writing the Gospel, know then end of the story. We know Jesus defeated death, he rose and was resurrected. We must allow this to come into focus! We must look back on our lives, and see how God has already worked in our lives, how he has moved and breathed into us. And in faith believe He will do it again. 

Lord God, I believe the scriptures and words you have spoken. Lord, help me believe in the midst of my unbelief.