Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - "Jesus Speaks for the Father" Tuesday, 23 December 2014 - Scripture: John 12: Their Eyes Are Blinded36-40 Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn’t get it, still wouldn’t trust him. This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right:
God, who believed what we preached?
Who recognized God’s arm, outstretched and ready to act?
First they wouldn’t believe, then they couldn’t—again, just as Isaiah said:
Their eyes are blinded,
their hearts are hardened,
So that they wouldn’t see with their eyes
and perceive with their hearts,
And turn to me, God,
so I could heal them.
41 Isaiah said these things after he got a glimpse of God’s cascading brightness that would pour through the Messiah.
42-43 On the other hand, a considerable number from the ranks of the leaders did believe. But because of the Pharisees, they didn’t come out in the open with it. They were afraid of getting kicked out of the meeting place. When push came to shove they cared more for human approval than for God’s glory.
44-46 Jesus summed it all up when he cried out, “Whoever believes in me, believes not just in me but in the One who sent me. Whoever looks at me is looking, in fact, at the One who sent me. I am Light that has come into the world so that all who believe in me won’t have to stay any longer in the dark.
47-50 “If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn’t take it seriously, I don’t reject him. I didn’t come to reject the world; I came to save the world. But you need to know that whoever puts me off, refusing to take in what I’m saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The Word, the Word-made-flesh that I have spoken and that I am, that Word and no other is the last word. I’m not making any of this up on my own. The Father who sent me gave me orders, told me what to say and how to say it. And I know exactly what his command produces: real and eternal life. That’s all I have to say. What the Father told me, I tell you.”
"Jesus Speaks for the Father" by Doug Forsberg
In an age of instant text messaging and speed of light communication systems we are capable of receiving hundreds of messages a day. How do you determine which messages are trustworthy and true and which are not?
To the people of Jesus’ day our technological world of message sending and receiving would indeed seem miraculous. Actually, it is no miracle just a high tech achievement. The works Jesus did for the people of His day were miraculous, yet unbelief continued to plague the people who had seen the miracles of Jesus and had heard His teaching.
However, many were gradually coming to believe in Him. The issue that separated vibrant belief from cold disbelief centered on the personhood of Jesus. Was He truly God’s messenger?
The cry of Jesus summons people to the point of decision, “For I did not speak on my own.” The works and words of Jesus came direct from the heart and voice of God. God and Jesus speak as one!
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