John – God Speaks!
It’s Christmas Day as I write my thoughts this morning. All is quiet after helping our church provide twelve Christmas Eve opportunities to come to Jesus and believe. Many did! Some are still thinking about it. A few are still saying no to Him. We don’t know hearts like God does. We only know how people respond to telling God’s story of redemption. This portion of scripture reminds me of what we still observe today. Many believe. Some do not. It begins with “despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done…” they still did not believe.
Jesus did not give up telling who God is saying exactly what God wanted Him to say to all people.
John 12, New Living Translation
The Unbelief of the People
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. 38 This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:“Lord, who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?”
39 But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,
40 “The Lord has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts—
so that their eyes cannot see,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and have me heal them.”
41 Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. 42 Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.
43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.
45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47 I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. 48 But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. 49 I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”
THINK ABOUT IT…
Some believed but were to scared to say it out loud.Some believed but loved the world more than God.
Some were impressed by what Jesus could miraculously do but did not believe He was the Son of God.
Some truly believed that Jesus was/is the Son of God. They believed Jesus when He said,
–If you trust Me, you trust God who sent Me.
–When you see Me, you see God.
–The Father commands what I say and how to say it.
–God’s commands lead to eternal life.
HOLY PAUSE…
Among the “wrappings” of Christmas day, WHO do you believe, worship, follow, obey, trust, love and talk about the most?
Dear Heavenly Father,
I love you with all my heart, mind and soul. I celebrate Your love for me on this day and every day. I trust you with my life because you are my life, my song in the night, my hope and deliverance from this world and it’s thinking. Abide with us this day. I know you will for I believe.
In Jesus Name, Amen
