Remember years ago, when WWJD was the craze? Books were written, sermons given, T-shirts printed, and bracelets produced with those letters that represented the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” People responded with a wide variety of answers. Some were drawn from what the Bible teaches, others were shaped primarily by, “Well, if I were Jesus, here’s what I would do….”
Not wanting to revive that fad, or spark another for that matter, but I’m thinking there’s a similar question worth considering: What Would Jesus Write?
She was wrapping up a series on the book of Revelation, which includes letters the Lord directed the apostle John to write to seven churches in Asia Minor. John was instructed, “To the church in Ephesus write…,” and then to Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. As with the rest of the Bible, God used human hands to record His thoughts, teachings, and commandments.
However, the Scriptures recount one occasion when Jesus paused to write literally, although it’s up for debate what He actually wrote. It happened after Jewish teachers of the law and Pharisees had caught a woman in the act of adultery. They brought her to Jesus, asking Him, “In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (John 8:3-5).
Why did they do this? Feeling threatened by His growing following and fearful that He would usurp their authority, they were hoping to trap Jesus, using His response to discredit Him and His teachings.
Rather than giving an oral answer, however, Jesus did something they didn’t expect: “…But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first…” (John 8:6-9).
What a curious thing to do when confronted by hostile accusers, right? Granted, no one knows for certain what Jesus wrote in the dirt, but here’s a conjecture: Perhaps He was jotting down sins each of the religious leaders was guilty of committing. Being God incarnate, Jesus might even have written so that every one of them saw their own sins exposed. I don’t know, but maybe?
We do know the Lord is fond of the written word. He inspired and guided the writing of the Scriptures, commonly referred to as the Word of God. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
The Gospel of John opens by declaring, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:2). Expanding on this, Hebrews 1:3 tells us, "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” Jesus Christ, the Word of God in the flesh, is incomparable in using words to communicate His truth.
Then we have Hebrews 4:12 which asserts, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Again, we see how God uses the written word to convey His eternal, life-changing message.
Getting back to Revelation and the letters to the seven ancient churches, to each one God stated, “I know your deeds,” or “I know your afflictions and your poverty,” or “I know where you live.” The Lord is saying He knows each one personally and intimately. For most of them, then came words of encouragement, followed by a warning or an admonition.
The exception, expressed in what God directed John to write to the church in Laodicea, were these strong words of condemnation: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot…. So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).
How would you like the Lord to write that – or something similar – about you? Not me! Professing believers in Laodicea weren’t zealous for God, but neither were they intentionally rejecting Him. They were, in a single word, apathetic. That’s the worst condition of all; they thought well of themselves but were indifferent to the Lord they claimed to believe in.
Still, God was not ready to wash His hands of them. He closed His letter to them by declaring, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am: I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
Many of us are familiar with the “I stand at the door and knock” statement. It’s often viewed as an evangelistic invitation. However, the context shows Jesus is speaking to His church, people who would have answered affirmatively to the term “Christian.” Yet they were lukewarm toward Him. In the slang of today, their reaction would be, “Meh,” accompanied by a shrug.
Let’s bring this home by asking ourselves, ‘WWJW: What Would Jesus Write’ about each of us? Might be a tough question to consider. But it’s one we should ponder and pray about, asking the Lord what He would write about us right now.
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