Humans seem to automatically run from, ignore or attack new information. We do not readily trust what we do not know. We do not easily believe in a product, for example, if we have not tried it for ourselves to see if it really does what is advertised. We have been fooled so many times before reaching adulthood, that trust in anything or anyone must be first proven to be reliable—every time.
In fact, we humans would rather swim with the sharks, going in the same direction, instead of swimming against the current of established customs and habits of life even though we are risking our very lives! To go against what has been passed down to us as tradition is just too hard to swallow. It’s just too hard not to please those in charge who want us to be like them!
How can we believe who we do not know? How can we know who we do not believe?
We just can’t seem to handle the Truth, even when He is standing right in front of us with open arms.
Jesus tells us why—
John 8, The Message
If the Son Sets You Free
31-32 Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.”
33 Surprised, they said, “But we’re descendants of Abraham. We’ve never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, ‘The truth will free you’?”
34-38 Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave can’t come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. But I also know that you are trying to kill me because my message hasn’t yet penetrated your thick skulls. I’m talking about things I have seen while keeping company with the Father, and you just go on doing what you have heard from your father.”
39-41 They were indignant. “Our father is Abraham!”
Jesus said, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would have been doing the things Abraham did. And yet here you are trying to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth he got straight from God! Abraham never did that sort of thing. You persist in repeating the works of your father.”
They said, “We’re not bastards. We have a legitimate father: the one and only God.”
42-47 “If God were your father,” said Jesus, “you would love me, for I came from God and arrived here. I didn’t come on my own. He sent me. Why can’t you understand one word I say? Here’s why: You can’t handle it. You’re from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him. He was a killer from the very start. He couldn’t stand the truth because there wasn’t a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies. I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me. Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone on God’s side listens to God’s words. This is why you’re not listening—because you’re not on God’s side.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
We know just enough to be dangerous! We might make the effort on any given Sunday to attend a building where others seeking God and what is good are gathered. After all, we want our kids to be good, right? We might even buy into what the worshipers of God are saying and doing. We sing along because we enjoy the music and are in awe of the talent. We might listen to the good parts of an engaging message that tells the Truth—especially if humor is thrown in. We know enough to know it is good—to be good. So, we commit to being good next week—because that seems to be what others are doing. We might even say yes to helping someone among the attenders who is in the hospital and needs a meal fixed for their family because that is a good thing to do. All this actions we see seem to be the custom of the congregants so this is good. And we want to be good.
However, a day comes when begin good is not good enough for us. We still feel wrapped up as if held in bondage. We do what we do not want to do in disgust. Why is it so hard to “be good”? Why do we feel we will never be good enough?
Truth is, only God is good. Truth is, we have put all our focus on doing what others say is good and looks good without committing to a relationship with God who IS the only One good. Yikes. So, what do we do?
“You can’t handle the Truth,” says Jesus to the rule following Jewish leaders. You are relying on heritage and tradition alone as your goodness meter as the measure of your salvation. You don’t know the Creator of Life. You follow each other but not God. You are, in reality, following the enemy of God, who is a Liar, whose goal is to distract you from God, deceive you about who God was, is, and always will be. You are walking on a path of destruction that leads only to darkness because you’re not listening to Me! “Anyone on God’s side listens to God’s words. This is why you’re not listening—because you’re not on God’s side.” You know of Him but you do not know Him.
Jesus speaks clearly of who He is to the religious leaders so they will know. But they refuse to listen. Instead, they attack this “new information—Truth” with distain, disgust, and hate. They assume Jesus is against The Law, when in fact He has come to fulfill all the reasons why The Law was given. The Law convicts us of our sins. Jesus came to save us from those very sins and set us free!
Steeped in tradition, addicted to power, with no relationship with God, they will not listen to Truth who is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, of whom they have read about for centuries without expecting Him to really come. Belief in Truth gone. Hope replaced by personal preferences. They are so bound up in tradition they prefer to stay that way. They would rather kill Truth.
They cannot handle the Truth who can set them free. Freedom is new information. Being set free in a world of Roman oppression seems just too good to be true. I’ll just keep swimming with the sharks, thank you.
But what about our lives today? Can we handle the Truth? Do we know the Truth? Do we really believe what Jesus says is really real? Do we believe He has set us free?
How do we demonstrate our “freedom in Christ”? Only by His Power living in us. The power of God’s Holy Spirit living in us helps us to turn away from the old habits of people pleasing, impressing people with our “goodness” deeds done publicly, singing the loudest in worship, drawing attention to ourselves with expecting others to be like us, frowning on anyone not like us. We run from the lies and run to Truth. We no longer desire to fall for the enemy’s attempts to distract us from God and our relationship with God made possible by Jesus. No, we seek freedom! We seek Truth with a desire to live Truth!
And THIS is the Truth: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32, NIV
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –Jesus, John 14:6
Come to Jesus.
Know God by knowing Jesus.
Believe that Jesus is the Person called Truth. Whether we believe or not; Truth just is—Truth. Truth never changes, never gives up on us, while setting us free to love like Jesus loves us—relentless and unconditional.
Point people to Jesus who is Truth!
Lord,
You are Truth. There is no one who can set us free from our sins and our selfishness but you. Thank you for cleansing my heart, renewing my mind that transforms my habits, refreshing my soul with your new mercies, while restoring the joy of you in me and me in you—All this accomplished only by the power given to us by Your Holy Spirit! YES! I am free! I am redeemed! Help me to live like the redeemed! All my hope and confidence comes from You!
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 