God Speaks
When Questioned, Jesus Points People to the Father
Verse of the Day: But he [Jesus] continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he [the Messiah sent from God] you will indeed die in your sins.” (John 8:23-24 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 296
We Respond
Reflection: Chapter 7 contains a series of questions and answers as to who Jesus is, where He comes from, and what He plans to do and when. Jesus’s brothers questioned Him regarding going to the Jewish Feast of Booths (aka Tabernacles), which commemorated God’s provision for the Israelites as they lived in tents, wandering 40 years in the wilderness. While at the feast, Jesus answered questions about His authority and their insistence on strictly keeping the law. People discussed whether Jesus was the promised Prophet or the Messiah. There were differences of opinion. [Just like today on so many issues.] The Pharisees even sent officers to arrest Jesus [for spreading misinformation and saying things they thought could not be true]. But many people believed Jesus and followed Him. Jesus stood up at the feast and taught about “rivers of living water,” which is the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees even “fact checked” Jesus’s lineage and where He grew up and said that the officers they sent to investigate were being deceived. The “elite” condemned the crowd for being ignorant rabble. When Nicodemus spoke up for Jesus and due process, the leaders put him down and walked away.
Prayer: Dear All-knowing Father God, thank You for knowing all about me and loving me anyway. You know the who, what, where, when, why, and how of my life as well as those of the 7 billion plus people on planet Earth. You have the answers to all our questions as well. We just need to humbly ask You, listen prayerfully for Your answers, and take obedient action on what we hear. Lord, help me pay attention to Your timing in my life and not give in to pressure from others. May I be a good person who does not lead people astray. Whenever I teach or speak, may what I say not just be my own opinion, but according to the will of Father God. I want to speak (or write) only Your truth. Help me (and others) to follow the Spirit of the law, not be enslaved to following it blindly. The righteous judgment You give is what we need. Please help us look to You, Lord God, for the truth and what to do about it. Please direct, protect, and provide for all those who stand up for the truth wherever they are and whatever they are doing that is right and good. Please help me and other believers to live in such a way that the Holy Spirit is free to flow through us and do the work our Father in Heaven has assigned to each of us. May many people (including myself) search the whole scriptures, spend time with Jesus, and stand up for the truth as Nicodemus did. Then we will be able to lead others to saving faith in Him for Your glory. AMEN
Action: (Ask the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will read and study a “harmony the Gospels” so that I can better understand the whole picture of Jesus going to the Feast of Tabernacles.
- I will write my own prayer of praise as a way of expressing my love for God.
- I will silently check with God in a brief prayer before I offer a comment on something–a personal fact check.
- I will calmly but firmly stand up for the truth, not just spout off or walk away.
John 8
Reflection: The account of the woman caught in adultery is not included in some of the oldest recognized manuscripts; however, it is a valuable example of how Jesus dealt with known sin. He didn’t deny or excuse it or condemn her but invited the people to call on the only Sinless One–Himself. He also set a prisoner of sin free and empowered her to live, no longer controlled by sin. When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” He wasn’t bragging or giving unsubstantiated testimony. He knew where He came from (Heaven with God the Father), what He was doing and was about to do (living as a display of God the Father and dying on the cross for the sins of all mankind), and where He was going (back to Heaven after the Resurrection). Believing the truth about Christ would set them free. Unless they turned in faith to Christ, they would remain under the control of their father the devil and die in their sin. When Jesus stated, “Before Abraham was, I am,” He was saying that He existed before Abraham and was equal with God (the Great I Am). The Jewish temple authorities recognized this as blasphemy (a crime punishable by death via stoning) and sought to execute Him.
Prayer: Dear Gracious God who forgives our sin because of Christ’s death on the cross, thank You for setting me free from the power of sin and enabling me to live free in Christ. Thank You, Jesus, for being the light of my world because I believe in what You accomplished by Your life, death, resurrection, glorification, and intercession. Thank You that no one is forced to die in their sin: truly trusting in the truth about Christ will set them free. Until then they remain under the control of their father the devil. I acknowledge that Jesus did exist before Abraham and was equal with the Great I Am. I receive the eternal life offered me in Christ. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will affirm that as a human being I was born with a sin nature under the control of the devil.
- I will confess any known sin to the Lord and to at least one other person I trust, place it at the foot of His cross, and receive His forgiveness.
- I will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is equal with God the Father.
- I will bear witness of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done to someone who doesn’t yet know Him as Savior and Lord of their life.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.