4 Important Questions That our Limited Brain Power
Can Never Figure Out
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2.
Where
are you now?
3.
Where
are you going?
4.
Who
are you?
Think about how you would answer these questions.
John 8:31 “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed
Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
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As we dive into this important topic, keep in mind that:
- Our limited brain power can neither grasp truths that require Holy Spirit’s illumination to be understood,
- Nor does intellect alone bring life to the soul.
As we live in this
reality, we will grasp marvelous things that help us as born again disciples of
Jesus.
John 8: 23 “And He said to them, ‘you are from beneath;
I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in
your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’
25 Then they said to Him, ‘Who are You?’ ”
Think about how you would answer these questions.
Where are you from? I could answer that
question simply, I’m originally
from Brooklyn, NY. The US is a nation of immigrants and it is trendy to include
where our family’s emigrated from, so I might add Russian Jewish American
because my Great Grandparents emigrated from there (circa 1900). However, the more
important response is that I was born in sin and lived a Godless, sinful life
until I got saved at the age of 20 – I was from beneath, living a life headed
to hell. Now I can say that I am from above because I was born again of the
Spirit of God (1971).
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| yes, that's me now |
Where are you now? Again the simplistic answer is at the
desk in my home office. I also could say I am living in well earned retirement.
Those responses answer the question only from the intellectual perspective. A
better response is that I am walking with Jesus in the path He has called me
to. BUT, can we say, in the present tense, I am completely living as a born
again believer, dead to sin and alive to God? If you answer “yes” to that, then
I would have to assume you are not looking at life realistically. Until Jesus takes us home, either in the rapture
or physical death, we are in the salvation / sanctification process. Perhaps
the most appropriate answer to where we all are now is “usually walking with
Jesus through the process.”
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Where are you going? A common thing factory workers say at the
end of their shift is, “I’m heading home….” Jesus said,
John 14: “Let not
your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if
it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be
also.”
Any believer can say that at the end of our time on this planet we are
headed to our heavenly home. We live our lives pointed in that direction.
During the Israelite's exodus from Egypt to Canaan they had to pass through
occupied territory. The following verse details the promise they had to make in
order to get through that king’s land.
Numbers 20:17 “‘Please let us pass through your country.
We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from
wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right
hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’ ”
Here Jesus describes the road Christians must take to get through our
earthly journey,
Matthew
7:13-14 “You can enter God’s Kingdom
only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is
wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow
and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
Can you say with me, “I’m headed home?”
Who are you? Jesus had no identity crisis. He knew
exactly who He was. He carefully framed His response to the question based on
the heart condition of those He was communicating with. I think most people, at
some points in their lives, have trouble understanding their identity. For some
it becomes a crisis, as it did for me back in the late 1960’s, a couple of
years before I met Jesus. When we face a life crisis, such as a divorce, the
untimely death of a family member, or sudden termination from a job, we
struggle with this issue all over again. When we understand who we are in
Christ the issue can be faced in a wonderful, life giving way.
These are
natural emotional reactions to the stresses of life. However, Jesus
demonstrates an approach that doesn’t give place to that, nor to those
harassing Him. No, indeed, as we have seen Him do repeatedly, He ignores such a
line of questioning and declares things that require the illumination of Holy
Spirit to understand.
John 8:25 “Who are you?” they demanded.
Jesus replied,
“The one I have always claimed to be.
26 I have much to say about you and much to
condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent
me, and he is completely truthful.”
27 But they still didn’t understand that he was
talking about his Father.
28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the
Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on
my own but say only what the Father taught me.
29 And the one who sent me is with me—he has
not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.”
30 Then many who heard Him say these things
believed in Him.”
Jesus defines who He is as He continuously demonstrates that He is His Father’s
Son. As we see in verse 30 the results were spectacular and exactly the Lord’s
intent throughout the Bible. Now He can turn from addressing the Pharisees and
say a few words to the many who believed in Him. Picture Him physically turning
His back on the religious leaders and facing a different part of the crowd as He
says,
John 8:31 “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed
Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free.’
33 They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s
descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You
will be made free’?”
34 “ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say
to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 And a slave does not abide in the house
forever, but a son abides forever.
36 Therefore if the SON makes you free, you shall be free indeed’.”
Realizing this, there is nothing to say but, “Thank You, Lord, for the
peace and blessed assurance we enjoy because our lives are in You, our hope is
in You and our destiny is in You.”
As the discussion with the Pharisees continues, Jesus demonstrates “tough
love” with very strong language. He had some very negative things to say to
those standing against Him and the Good News He brought to mankind. These
selected verses capture the conflict. We know that the Lord’s motive was love
because God is Love, and He exposes their sin very boldly and publicly because they exhibited it publicly.
John 8:38 “I speak what I have seen with My Father,
and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39.a “They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is
our father’.”
39.b “Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s
children, you would do the works of Abraham.
41 You do the deeds of your father.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the
desires of your father you want to do.
46 Which
of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
47 He who is of God hears God’s words;
therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God’.”
Now again a climactic stage is set. Jesus is about to make things so plain
that the spirit motivating the Pharisees rages and attempts to stone the Lord.
Exhibiting such rage should bring conviction to these religious people’s hearts,
and in the long run it did for some.
John 8:50 “And I do not seek My own glory; there is
One who seeks and judges.
51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone
keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that
You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone
keeps My word he shall never taste death.’
53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who
is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?’ ”
Obviously the Pharisees’ backs are to the wall, they are really getting
agitated and Jesus does not let up. The light is coming and the darkness is
fighting to stay.
John 8:54 “Jesus
answered, ‘If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors
Me, of whom you say that He is your God.
55 Yet
you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I
shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and
keep His word.
56 Your
father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’
57 Then
the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen
Abraham?”
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58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to
you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 Then
they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the
temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”
Verse 58 puts nails in the coffin, but because He spelled it all out, we
all see His message to the world. Jesus shows us that HE is God and lives outside of
time. Then He identifies Himself with the same name that God
identified Himself to Moses. To the Pharisees this was the utmost of blasphemy,
a capital offense and they were not waiting for a trial to carry out the
sentence. He was able to just walk away and hide from the stones, then just
stroll through the crowd escaping the whole scene.
Sometimes in life we all need stern correction. I thank God for the
loving gentlemen / servant leaders who God used to transform my life, shedding
light on my darkness and getting me back into the light; people who loved me
enough to use tough love.
Prayer Jesus, despite some really grievous things
Christians have done that dishonored Your name, You never stopped loving them.
We’ve seen in this chapter how the religious leaders tried to bring You down to
their level of legalism and false concepts of God, and yet You never stopped
loving them; You never stopped revealing the Light of the Gospel. Even when
they were instrumental in getting You crucified, You asked the Father to
forgive them. May Your people everywhere function with such love, with such
wisdom, discretion and zeal to stand for the Truth.
Thank you for setting us free indeed. Help us to always abide in You and
stay on that narrow road that leads to life. Help us to identify what is really
worthy of our time and attention; and what is not so that we can just change
the subject to things relating to You and Spiritual truth instead of adversarial
babble.
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