Jesus was a disrupter. He won quite a few fans with his display of righteous anger in the temple when he turned over the tables (John 2:13-25). Some of the people who knew the money changing practices were all kinds of shady were probably fired up. Yeah, he gets it! Down with organized religion!
Such disrupters can gain a following pretty quickly. Imagine if he had social media.
John 2:24 says, however, that Jesus did not entrust himself to those who believed in him initially. I think this is super fascinating. Other religious leaders would be flattered by them. Oh, they like me! What an opportunity to build my brand, my platform, and my ministry.
But John says that Jesus knew what was in them and he had no interest in entrusting himself to them. He knew their motives. He knew what they were after. And he would not be used as their poster child. Jesus is not looking for fans. He doesn’t need them.
He is looking for followers. He’ll say in just a couple chapters that the Father is searching for
those who worship in spirit and truth. He is after wholehearted worship!
Why are you here? Why are you reading this? Why are you interested in Jesus?
You may not know the answer to that question, but Jesus does. He knows you. He knows your sin, your wickedness, your fears, your insecurities, and anxieties. And he loves you. And he hates with a fiery passion the sin that distracts you from him.
He is after your worship because he is after your joy!