Bible Study Blog for Tuesday, July 26, 2011
2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42
Jesus had earned the RIGHT to be HEARD.
He healed the sick. He raised the dead.
He turned water into wine. He walked on water.
He fed 5000 people with 5 rolls and 2 fish.
So what was the official Jewish response?
“How long will you keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
The nerve.
But it was more than stupid presumption
that kept them from recognizing their Messiah.
It was spiritual blindness.
They literally could not see who He was.
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe.
The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me,
but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Jesus says –
“Look – I’m not on trial here. YOU are.
I PROVED who I Am.
And MY followers do 2 Things:
They LISTEN, and they FOLLOW.
YOU don’t.
Therefore, you are not My followers.
Oh – and for the record,
I and the Father are one – I’m God.”
And they picked up rocks to kill Him…
And because they missed out, Jesus expanded His invitation beyond Jews – to people of all nations.
Anyone who will LISTEN and FOLLOW –
Can become a true follower of Jesus.
Thank-you, God!
Have an Excellent Monday!
Tags: Bayside Church Woodland, Bayside Woodland, Bible Study, Chronicles, John
Having a preconceived conclusion will often blind us to the truth because we refuse to even look at the evidence being placed before us. The “Officials” had money and power by virtue of their position which gave them an agenda that could not be overcome by the plain truth they were facing. It’s interesting that the final verses of this segment show that the unbiased were willing to see all the evidence and drew a solid conclusion that led them to follow Christ.
We were stubborn about who Jesus is, too, except the Holy Spirit called us to hear the Gospel and to believe it. None of us has anything to be proud of because we know The Truth. We only see because God chose to explain it to us in terms simple enough for us.
Those around us who are still lost in sin are still precious in God’s eyes, and He wants to save them from themselves just as much as He wanted to save us when we were sinners. The good news is that there’s a universe full of hope for the sinner who will hear and repent. The conclusion to Solomon’s solioquy in 2 Chron 6 asks for God’s grace to those who sin (both Jew and foreigner) and repent. That prayer wasn’t answered in fact until the Good Shepherd gave up His life for the sheep as He describes at Jn. 10:11.
It doesn’t seem right that I should be saved from the destruction that I know my soul’s actions have earned, yet, since I’m the “vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives,” and it’s not rational “That God should love a sinner such as I…” and “turn my sorrow into bliss…” It’s a logical outcome that I should say, “…how wonderful is love like this?”