Monday, August 2, 2021
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.”
-John 8:39-47 The Message.
Verse 41: “You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.”
Studying verse 41: In this verse, Jesus talked about the differences between hereditary children (blood family) and faithful children. The religious leaders were genetic children of Abraham, the founder of the Jewish nation, which they claimed to be the children of God. However, their actions showed they were living under the Devil’s guidance. Therefore, faithful followers do not act like the religious leaders that are into religious politics. It doesn’t matter your connections, family, or church. It will not make you a true child of God, so your faithful follower is the one you imitate and obey.
Verse 43: “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.”
Studying verse 43: To be honest, this verse is self-explanatory. Why didn’t the leaders understand? Simple, hard-headed. They didn’t want to listen; they refuse to listen. Satan did exactly what he wanted and had his way. The leaders used stubbornness, pride, and prejudices to keep from believing Jesus.
Verses 44-45: “You are of your father the Devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Therefore, whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I talk about the truth, you do not believe Me.”
Studying verses 44-45: The leaders may not have been conscious of their behavior, but their attitudes and actions show them as clear followers of the Devil. It is clear because of their hatred of the truth, their lies, and their murderous intentions. This also showed how much control the Devil had over them. The Devil uses them as his tools to do his dirty work and mock his language. The Devil uses obstruction to block God’s work (Genesis 4:8, Romans 5:12, John 3:12).
Verses 46-47: “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason, you do not hear them because you are not of God.
Studying verses 46-47: If you noticed throughout the book of John, you see that every non-believer of Jesus did everything to challenge him. They try to throw him off his track to get him to answer wrong on a question. But, when it came to sin, they had nothing on him. The fact is that the people that hated him and wanted him dead did not like his behavior, couldn’t find anything wrong with Jesus. Jesus proved that his behavior is God in the flesh by his sinless life. Jesus is our example to lead by. Let me note that we don’t try to change a non-believer; we show how to live by taking Jesus’ example and living by him. The Holy Spirit works from there. Jesus challenged those who claimed his character is not what they thought. But Jesus also clarifies two reasons why people miss encountering him:
- They never accept his challenge to test him
- They test him but are not willing to believe what they discover.
Have you ever made a mistake like that before? How did you realize the error, and what did you do to change the way you think?
Father, thank you for your wisdom. Thank you for reminding us to follow your example to bring people to you. I pray that we can get other followers to grasp this concept. We are not set to change the world by talking but by action and following you. We know your rules, but non-believers don’t. Thank you for your teaching. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
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