May 29, 2018 - Who is this man called Jesus? That was the question asked so often by the Jews as they heard and saw the works of the Lord Jesus.
One winter day as Jesus was walking in the temple in Jerusalem the Jews came to him, gathering around him they asked him again;
“How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24)
Now this was nothing new for they already knew the answer and that Jesus had indeed said that he was sent from God. They only asked trying to find reasons to use against him to convict him of blasphemy.
Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.” (John 10:25-26)
Only those who would believe in the words of Jesus would be called “my sheep” and only those would follow the Christ Jesus into eternity. Are you a member of that flock today? Do you know his voice and follow him?
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me.” (John 10:27)
There is no blessing equal to the blessing of Salvation gained through acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord.
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29)
And then Jesus says the one thing which the Jews just cannot abide.
“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)
When he said this the Jews picked up stones and prepared to stone him to death right there in the temple.
Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”
The Jews answered him, “It is not for good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
The Jewish people were highly versed in the Old Testament scrolls and believed whole heartily in God, but Jesus did not meet their requirements for the King that was to come to Israel. They were looking for a king that would come and immediately set them free of all of life’s problems, a king that would immediately conquer the world and give Israel dominion over all the known world. Jesus came on a donkey, a simple carpenters son from Nazareth, he just did not measure up to their teachings or expectations. They missed the Messiah that they had longed to see for decades.
How about you, will you miss him too, or will you accept him as your Lord and Master and accept his offer of eternal life? It’s your choice to make.
Jesus then said to them, “do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming, because I said, “I am the Son of God?”
If I am not doing the works the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” (John 10:36-38)
Again they picked up stones to kill him but Jesus slipped away and left Jerusalem.
And so Jesus went across the Jordan river to the area where John had been baptizing at first, and there the people came to him and believed for they believed what John had said about the Christ that’s to come and they believed Jesus as well and many were saved.
Just as did the Jews in Jerusalem we have our opportunity to believe in the Christ of the Lord God.
It is each individual's choice to make, no one can do it for us, we must submit to him and accept him as our Lord to be saved from the penalties of our sins.
I pray for all people today, that all will make the right choice, the choice of eternal life in Christ Jesus. May his blessings of life be yours today…
