Who are God's people?

There's a vernacular question today, "Who's your daddy?!" Jesus separated himself from identification with the religious leaders of his day by talking about their father not being his Father. (John 8:37-59)

In chapter 5 of the Gospel of John, Jesus talked about the preeminent importance of doing the works his Father had for him to finish. He made a distinction between the works that John the Baptist was to do and the works he was to do. At one point Jesus told his disciples that they would do even greater works than those he was doing.

The most profound part of this entire discourse, to me, is in a couple of verses in John 10 (37 & 38) where Jesus said, "If I don't do the works of my father, don't believe me. But if I do the works, even if you don't believe me, believe the works so that you will know, and believe, that the Father is in me and I am in Him."

Now that is profound! My Dad's favorite verse in the Bible was Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

So, "Who's your daddy?" What evidence is there that you are marching to different orders than those of any other good person around you?

Perhaps the most indicting thought in connection with Jesus situation in John 5 through 10 is this: Are my works more in keeping with good religious practice of today or with the instructions of Jesus in the Gospels?

What are the works that God expects from His people? Where in scripture did God call us to be Zionists, either literally or religiously?

'Literally' - should we be more concerned with the well-being of the Palestinian congregation of a Baptist church in Gaza or with the Israeli government's ability to establish a homeland based upon Old Testament territory? Just a question.

'Religiously' - are we more concerned with the cause of someone getting A.I.D.'s or with the suffering and hopelessness that person is experiencing? Are we more involved in 'defending' the faith against targeted evils or in wrapping our arms in love around the girl who has just had the abortion or the person suffering with A.I.D.'s?

What about us extending loving acceptance of 'failures' within our society? Would Jesus really have us constantly push away the hurting and suffering, or those who have 'sinned,' in order to maintain our 'standard?'

The answers to those questions determined Jesus stance against the Pharisees. Okay, that was 1st century...what about today? Will God's children please stand up and make their Father proud?