Demon Possessed

Posted on by korgrocker

“The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?” “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honour my Father—and you dishonour me. … I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” The people said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!’ Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?””
John 8:48-49, 51-53 NLT

The accusation that someone is possessed by a demon is only rarely heard in our Western cultures, if at all. Much was attributed to demon possession in Biblical days, society using it as a catch-all for a variety of unexplained physical, mental and behavioural attributes and conditions. To the crowd, heavily infiltrated by Pharisees and other religious leaders, Jesus’ counter-cultural claims and message were so unusual that the accusation of demon possession was, at least superficially in that culture, a logical choice. The crowd were doing what we often do – they tried to make sense of behaviours unexplained by any other cause. In our societies today we might conclude that strange and unusual behaviour is because of “learning difficulties” or some form of mental illness. But in Jesus’ day there was no reason why the crowd should level the accusation of demon possession at Him just because they disagreed with what He was saying. Jesus’ message was simple yet profound, and never the ravings of someone possessed. The dangerous thing for the people was that by levelling such accusations at Jesus, they were at risk of committing the unpardonable sin. Mark 3:28-29, “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences”. Imagine the scene before the “pearly gates” as one of Jesus’ intransigent accusers arrived and tried to gain entry. The realisation of what they had done would have preceded a quick journey to a place where they would find out what real demon possession was all about!

To a crowd steeped in a religious culture that claimed salvation through obeying the Law of Moses and the plethora of rules devised by generations of rabbis, someone who claimed otherwise would have been most unwelcome, to the point that they might become associated with the devil, who, by definition, was anti-God. To a sincere law-believer of that day, such a person as Jesus was in danger of destroying their entire belief system, and their first instinct was to protect what they had. But the sad thing was that religious people of Jesus’ day had replaced God’s loving plans with a liturgy that excluded relationship with God and exchanged it for a life style devoid of the life that God intended. 

In 21st Century Western societies, people only rarely display anything that would warrant the claim or accusation of demon possession. But things happen that display the same stubborn behaviour in the face of messianic claims of a new way or alternative explanation. The ideological clashes between groups of fanatics over issues such as the climate or gender are perhaps a modern day demonstration of the same refusal to change demonstrated in the crowd before Jesus and such behaviour is still very much part of the human psyche. The same crowd who accused Jesus of demon possession would perhaps deny the holocaust ever happened in the mid-twentieth century. Or they would make other outrageous claims all in the name of their own particular “religion”.

How do we pilgrims cope in the face of new claims and better ways? We do what countless others have done – we turn to the Word of God. There we find truthful nourishment for our souls. And rather than accuse the ideological fanatics of demon possession, we reach out to them with a message of hope straight from the throne of God. They will probably reject both us and the message, even screaming accusations of demon possession, but, like Jesus, we patiently and lovingly repeat what we have said and then move on, leaving the consequences of their denials to the mercy of God. 

Father God. Please help us to stay close to You and listen constantly for Your voice in all we think and do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Insults

Posted on by korgrocker

“Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?” “No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honour my Father—and you dishonour me. And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!””
John 8:47-51 NLT

In front of Jesus, as He taught in the Temple, was a hard-core group of “people” who had started to throw some serious insults at Him. Presumably those in the original crowd who had professed their belief in Him had gone on their way, perhaps rejoicing that they had met the Son of God. The remainder of the crowd was what John called “the people”. This group was seriously rattled by what Jesus had said, and continued to say, about Himself, His relationship with His Father, and His message of eternal life. They were so rattled in fact that they resorted to insulting Him by calling Him a “Samaritan devil” and that He was possessed by a demon. Who were these “people”? Well, the Pharisees would have been well represented along with religious lawyers and others, all of whom had a vested interest in the continuation of their hold over the religious and social lives of the common people. They could not survive if their authority was removed from them by Someone who called Himself God’s Son, and who was preaching a message that circumvented their rules and laws.

But Jesus deftly sidestepped their insults. He was above their behaviour and wasn’t going to be drawn into a slanging match with the “people”. Instead, He calmly pointed out that there was no demon in Him, and then He drew the conversation back to His original message. Again He tells those before Him, “anyone who obeys my teaching will never die”. 

Isn’t it strange that professing to being a Christian or preaching a Gospel message seems to bring out the worst in some people. Jesus warned His followers that this would happen as we can read in the Beatitudes. “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way” (Matthew 5:10-12). Peter wrote in his first epistle, “If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14).

We pilgrims know that by “coming out” as a Christian in our schools or workplaces will open us up to all sorts of abuse, some of which is subtle, like being quietly overlooked for a promotion or some other reward, or not so subtle, as being ostracised or excluded from workplace events. The Gospel message for which we stand will cause offence because it confronts the sin that soaks the unbelievers around us. A Christian will make such people feel uncomfortable even before he or she has said a word. Indeed, it should, because all true Christians have the Holy Spirit living within them, and a sinner will recoil away from God’s presence. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16a, “Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. …”. Have we ever noticed something like a perfume around a Christian? It’s not a smell of dusty churches with elderly people and even older carpets. It’s a peace, an assurance, something almost imperceptible that seems to filter down from Heaven and God’s throne. Unbelievers are aware of this as well, but to them it brings an awareness of their sin, and insults against God and His people start to rise in their throats. But as Jesus said, this will make us happy because our treasure chest in Heaven is being added to. we won’t be the first of God’s children to suffer insults, and we won’t certainly be the last.

Dear Father God. As we stand firm on the Rock that is Jesus we pray for those around us, that they too will feel Your presence, and respond to Your love and grace. Amen.

The Father of Lies

Posted on by korgrocker

“For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
John 8:44-47 NLT

Jesus didn’t pull any punches. The Pharisees and others before Him consistently and continually refused to believe in Jesus, believe who He was and believe in His message. After explaining to them that they were spiritually deaf, Jesus changed tack and pointed out to them that because they were sinners who refused to accept God’s gift of grace, they were, by definition, children of the devil. They followed the devil’s lead by refusing to believe the truthful statements Jesus made, and because of that they didn’t belong to God. There was only one other place that they could be and that was one fathered by the devil.

Jesus had some strong, but truthful, words about the devil. He spoke the first lie, which we can read in Genesis 3:1-4, “The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman”. By believing in the devil’s lie “You won’t die”, the woman, Eve, followed by Adam and the rest of mankind, have all died.

So the scenario that developed in the Temple that day became a clash point between God and His truth, and the devil and his Pharisaical disciples. How often the devil has lied his way into the hearts of men and women who started off by believing God and ended up following a lie. We consider the cults and false religions, just for a start. The Pharisees took what God intended for their good and twisted it into a loveless religion of rules, convincing themselves in the process that their pedigree and adherence to following their rules and customs would be all that God required and would assure them of eternal life. A lie from the devil. It was no wonder that Jesus had some hard words for them, and it was so sad that even being in the presence of God’s Son was insufficient to overcome their lie-infused thinking.

Most people around us today are also saturated with the devil’s lies. It is a disease so prevalent that the devil truly has the title “Father of Lies” and “god of this age”. There is only one remedy, only one escape, only one way to God, and that is through believing in Jesus. Only He can lift us out of the gutter of sin. Psalm 40:2, “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along”. We pilgrims must constantly wash off us the dirt and dust of living in a world ruined by the devil and his lies. We do it by staying close to Jesus and His cross, keeping short accounts with our loving Heavenly Father. 

Father God. It is only from You that we can find the words of truth. Please help us to discern the devil’s lies, as we go about our daily lives. in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hearing But Deaf

Posted on by korgrocker

“No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.” Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me!”
John 8:41-43 NLT

Isn’t it strange that people will only hear what they want to hear? Our brains seem to filter out unpleasant words, or introduce an emphasis that totally changes the meaning of what the speaker intended. We hear what others say through audio filters that are wired into our thoughts and worldviews. Jesus was still speaking in the Temple, and by this time the religious Pharisaical content of the crowd seemed to be asserting themselves, bringing Jesus to the point of having to ask the question “Why can’t you understand what I am saying?” And He concludes, “It’s because you can’t even hear me!”

When it came to things to do with matters religious and with the Mosaical Law, the Pharisees and the religious leaders considered themselves the final arbiters and they, and only they, knew what the Law contained and how it should be interpreted. Then along comes someone who seems to be suggesting something at variance with their beliefs and, on top of that, claiming that God in Heaven is His Father, and they immediately hang a sign “Cannot compute” on their doors of religiosity and attempt to fix the problem by closing it down. It is almost as though the Pharisees engaged in the childish game of placing their fingers in their ears and making a lot of noise, when not wanting to hear something unpleasant. 

Jesus had been very patient in setting out who He was and what His message was. It was all very simple – He had a Father in Heaven, God Himself, who had sent Him to Planet Earth to tell the people that if they believed in Him then they will receive eternal life. What is there difficult about that? The Gospel message is extremely simple and easy to hear and understand. So why do more people not believe it and respond to it? Like the Pharisees before Jesus, however, it’s is not so much what is said as the implications about what it would mean to the hearers’ lives and behaviours.

We pilgrims can test this out in our workplaces or queues at a bus stop. If we tell them that there is a God in Heaven who loves them and wants them to believe in Him, the response will be mixed, but largely negative. We will find out that people will hear what we say but will reject its message, because … and then there will follow a shed full of excuses. Jesus told the parable of the Great Feast, which we can read in Matthew 22. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them” (Matthew 22:2-6). This parable illustrated what was happening before Jesus that day in the Temple. His invitation to eternal life was largely rejected by the people before Him. We will find the same today, as people we share the Gospel with will reject it because they feel that their day to day business of living is far more important than stopping to hear and understand God’s invitation. Our ears become bunged up with the detritus of living, and sometimes even we pilgrims need to sit, dump out the rubbish blocking our spiritual ears, and listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying. Jesus finished the Parable of the Soils with the words, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand” (Matthew 13:9). Good advice that we should follow. Our lives may depend upon it!

Dear Father God. We pray that our ears will be open to hear Your gracious and eternal words. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Real Father

Posted on by korgrocker

“Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.” “Our father is Abraham!” they declared. “No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.””
John 8:37-41 NLT

The Pharisees and others in the Jewish crowd around Jesus in the Temple were convinced that they were descendants of Abraham and therefore they knew better than Jesus. They thought that they were on the moral high ground over this interloper, who was making claims that He was greater than Abraham. Jesus said that when He was with His Father in Heaven He was looking on as Abraham was prophesying about Him. God said to Abraham, “indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. Through your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have heard and obeyed My voice” (Genesis 22:17-18 AMP). Some Bible translations take “seed” as being plural, meaning descendants, but others interpret “seed” as being singular, pointing to Jesus, the Messiah to come. So down the ages perhaps Abraham saw a glimpse of the Messiah, through Whom would come the salvation of the world.

Jesus rightly pointed out to the crowd that Abraham would never have wanted to kill the One whom he foresaw, so how could Abraham be the father of the Pharisees, who were fostering murder in their hearts. And therefore, as much as they stressed their heritage, there could only be one father of the Pharisees, and that was the devil himself. That made them illegitimate, something they protested vigorously. And once again they proclaimed that God was their true Father. So who was right? Who spoke the truth? We know from hindsight, and our own faith, the answer to that question, but in front of Jesus was a people who refused to accept what He said. I suppose if Jesus had said the words they wanted to hear, words that didn’t conflict with their world view and preconceived ideologies, then they would have accepted Him, but they had no room in their hearts for a counter-cultural message of truth from God’s Son.

The real father of the Pharisees could not have been Abraham, Jesus said. But bringing the same issue up to date, we have theologians and others who have interpreted the Bible to suit their own ends but to whom Jesus would direct the same message. Men and women who deny Biblical truths by saying that Jesus was just a good man, that His birth never came from a sinless conception, that many of His miraculous signs never really happened, and that His Resurrection was just Jesus recovering after swooning on the cross. Would these same people have argued with Jesus, if He came and stood among them, repeating once again His message that only those who believe in Him would receive eternal life? Would their real father emerge once again, driving the dissenting words that sought to destroy Jesus and His message? We pilgrims need to be constantly on our guards, lest we too get drawn into a position that seems plausible but pulls us towards a different father.

Dear Father God. We confess today that only You are our true Father. Only You have the grace to save us from the other father in this world. Amen.

Slaves of Sin

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”
John 8:34-36 NLT

The old Bob Dylan song lyrically exposed the dilemma for mankind:
“You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody”.

The same dilemma accompanies sinful man – we are either slaves of sin or we are slaves of righteousness, there is no grey area or other option.  Of course, this applies spiritually, and our default state is as a sinner. No-one is ever born a righteous person. Romans 5:12, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned”. So Jesus makes a truthful statement in that sinners are slaves to the sins they commit. Mankind has to face the reality that, without some action, they will remain slaves to sin for all their lives, until there comes that point when it is too late to implement a remedy. To the Pharisees in the crowd, there wasn’t a problem, because they were ancestors of Abraham, and had never been slaves of anyone. But as we know, Jesus was talking about a spiritual principle. Paul, an ex-Pharisee, got it, and put it very well in Romans 5:18-19, “Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous”.

So how does the Son set us free from our slavery? The answer came in John 3:3. In His conversation with Nicodemus, “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God””. If a natural birth results in a sinful existence, then we have to experience a second spiritual birth, into the righteousness of the Kingdom of God. John 3:5, “Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit””. There are two births for every child of God, and Jesus told the crowd around him that they were all enslaved in their lives of sin. However, there was a remedy – by believing in Him they would be released from their slavery.

These were timeless words from Jesus. They applied when He first made them as He was surrounded by a hostile crowd, resistant to any form of change or correction or alternative to what they believed. But His words have hung in the air ever since, fruit to be plucked by a sinful soul desperate for freedom. That was us pilgrims one day, but we must never forget those truthful words of Jesus, in case we look back and see the sinful world beckoning. The devil won’t give up, ever. 

Father God. Thank You for Your escape plan for sinful man. It’s all about You, Jesus. Amen.

Descendants of Abraham

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”“
John 8:31-33 NLT

Up until now, Jesus had been speaking to a mixed group of people. Some of them believed in Him, some were wondering about what they should do, and the remainder thought He was deluded or some kind of imposter, and didn’t believe in Him at all. In fact this last group wanted Him arrested. But Jesus carried on regardless, in the knowledge that He was getting a mixed, even hostile, reception. He started by telling them who He was, who His Father was and why He was preaching a message given to Him by His Father in Heaven. John 8:26, “I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful”. This was enough to convince many in the crowd, “Then many who heard him say these things believed in him” (John 8:30). It was to this last group, those who believed in Him, that Jesus had some words to say.

Jesus started off with a rule applicable to disciples everywhere. The Master teaches and true disciples will follow Him, and will try and implement what He says. But the unruly group before Jesus in the Temple were not in the right state of mind. They were still unable to understand the spiritual meaning of what Jesus was teaching. Instead they confused their pedigree with their salvation. John the Baptist had some harsh words for the Pharisees, and we can read the account in Matthew 3. At one point he said, “Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones” (Matthew 3:9). There was this misconception amongst Jewish society that, because they were “descendants of Abraham”, then they were assured of their salvation and a future with God in Heaven. However, the robust way in which the crowd stated who their ancestor was perhaps indicates a strong Pharisaical presence or influence in the crowd. 

Neither we, or the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, can depend on our ancestors or parents for our salvation. In Ephesians 2:8, Paul explained how we are saved, ”God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God“. Three words stand out for me – “grace”, “believed”, and “gift”. As Jesus repeatedly said in His John 8 discourse, the first step is to believe in Him, with God then gifting us, through His grace, our salvation. The Pharisees and the rest of the crowd around Jesus that day long ago in the temple were deluded, in thinking that God would one day say that He would accept them just because of their pedigree, and regardless of their sins. Similarly, there are those today who claim that God would never reject anyone because He is a God of love. But to both the Pharisees and to the modern adherents of salvation for everyone, there is a higher requirement at work. God merges His love for mankind with His Holy nature. Nothing can penetrate Heaven if it involves or includes any kind of impurity. God will sadly say to both the Pharisees and the Universalists today – “Sorry but I never knew you”.

Father God, there is only one way into Your presence and that is through Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for Your gift of salvation. We don’t deserve it but through Jesus we can stand righteous in Your sight. Thank You. Amen.

The Cross Of Understanding

Posted on by korgrocker

“But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.”
John 8:27-30 NLT

The crowd of people were still hanging around Jesus, listening to what He was saying. In modern times, if someone was talking about Himself as Jesus was, there would probably not have been a crowd. As soon as something religious or spiritual is mentioned today, people move away and carry on with their business. But the crowd around Jesus were staying the course, probably thinking that this Man had something they needed to hear, or hoping that He had a miracle waiting in the wings that they would then observe. They found that the teaching they were hearing was nothing like anything they had heard before, and to trump it all, this Man claimed to be the Son of God Himself. Jesus made the claim that His Father was God Himself, and all His teachings had come from His Father. Jesus then told them that His Father was there right with Him and what He did was pleasing to God. We then read that many of those in the crowd believed in Him.

But what did they make of what Jesus said about the Cross? The people of His day would have known about the cruel way in which capital punishment was dispensed by the Roman occupiers, so Jesus was prophesying about the death He would encounter in just a year of two. Such an announcement would have had an impact on the people, particularly as Jesus said it would bring understanding and confirm His claims about Himself. Previously. Jesus had told Nicodemus much the same thing, as we read in John 3:14-15, “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life”. 

John wrote that many people believed in Him, but I wonder how many of these same people were still believing in Jesus when He was crucified. Before Pilate, were they there in the crowd calling out for Jesus to be crucified? Or were they standing to one side, grieving deeply about what was happening? I’m sure there were some in both groups. I suppose we could ask ourselves which group we would have been in, if we bothered to be there at all. But such a question is purely academic because it was the sins of mankind that nailed Jesus to that Cross, not the crowds in the street. If there was no sin, then there wouldn’t have been a need for God to send His Son to die in that way. A sobering thought? But aren’t we glad that God had a plan for the salvation of sinners like us? What love and grace!

Dear God. We thank You for Your plan for the salvation of mankind. In fact, we will never stop expressing our gratitude, and love, for the One who died in our place at Calvary. Amen.

Who Are You?

Posted on by korgrocker

“That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” “Who are you?” they demanded. Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be. I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.”
John 8:24-27 NLT

We know from the previous chapter in John that Jesus clearly stated who He was and why He had come. The people were divided in their opinions and some thought He was indeed the Messiah but most were unconvinced. We read in John 7:43-44, “So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him”. To be around Jesus was a disturbing experience because He never pandered to people’s egos. He was totally transparent and taught the truth wherever He went. Here in the Temple, He seemed to be surrounded by a people who seemed to lack understanding, refused to believe what He said, and they even appeared quite hostile to Him. But we know why. The Apostle Paul summed it up in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God”. Perhaps the commission God gave Isaiah still applied, “And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’ Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing”” (Isaiah 6:9-10). But whatever the reason, most people didn’t believe in Jesus and demanded that He gave them an explanation about who He was that fitted into their world view. Here was a Man, who claimed to be God’s Son, saying that they won’t get into Heaven unless they believed in Him, something totally at variance with what they had been taught by their religious teachers, that salvation came from following the Law of Moses.

Of course, we pilgrims have asked the question of Jesus and believed in His response, that he is indeed God’s Son and salvation comes through none other than Him. We read in Acts 4 the account of Peter and John being arrested and brought before the Jewish authorities to explain how they had healed the lame man at the Temple gate. Acts 4:7, “They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”” Peter’s defence was robust and truthful. He replied, “Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10-12). In spite of the miracle that had been committed in Jesus’ name, the Jewish leaders refused to believe in Jesus. Rather, they wanted to close the two Apostles down, so that their “propaganda” (Acts 4:17) would not spread any further.

But how would we respond if someone came to us and asked the question, “Who are you?” We would, of course, start with our name, and perhaps say a few words about ourselves. Things like where we are from, what we do for a living, where we live and so on. But Jesus only had one answer – I Am – a reply that ultimately led to His death. Perhaps, when we pilgrims have an opportunity to say who we are, we should grab the initiative and point to Jesus, as Stephen did – Acts 7:56, “And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honour at God’s right hand!”” Such an answer that points to Jesus may not endear us to our listeners, but I can just see a smile on Jesus’ face as we speak.

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank You that You are with us day by day, through the power of the Holy Spirit within us. At every opportunity we will tell of How wonderful You are. Amen.

Sin Dead

Posted on by korgrocker

“Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.” The people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?” Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.””
John 8:21-24 NLT

At the start of these verses today, what Jesus said seems to be a bit of a contradiction. After all the Prophet Jeremiah wrote, ”If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” (Jeremiah 29:13) and the people would have known that. But Jesus went on to describe what He meant. Very clearly, He established the link between sin and death, and there was only one remedy – believing that He was who He claimed to be, the “I Am”. 

The Jewish people were puzzled by Jesus’ statement, “You cannot come where I am going”, even asking if He was going to commit suicide. But Jesus explained that they belonged to the world, while He had come down from Heaven. He implied that it was possible to transition from the world to Heaven, from a worldly life to spiritual life, by believing in Him. But until they did believe in Him, they would “die in [their] sins”. Of course, He was referring to spiritual death, the consequences of which would be separation from God for all eternity. 

In the people’s favour, at least they took the time to listen to Jesus, although most of them rejected Him. But there were a few people who did believe in Him, and they swelled the ranks of the early disciples. Today, not many people take the time to listen to the words of Jesus, as street preachers find. His gracious words are foreign to most, too busy going about their business, and neglecting their souls. But there will come a day when they do hear the words of Jesus, as they stand before His throne, words they will not want to hear. Far better to stop and listen and believe in the great “I AM” while there is still time.

Dear Father God. The clock is ticking, and the day when Your grace will cease will soon be with us. We pray for more opportunities to share Your love with those around us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.