You can’t be neutral when it comes to Jesus. He doesn’t give you that luxury. If you really listen to what he says, you either need to believe that he is the Pre-eminent Son of God and worship him, or you need to get as far away from him as you can. He demands a hot or cold response and spews anything lukewarm:
“ I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15–16).
21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:21-22)
21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:21-22)
THE SHOCKING CLAIMS OF JESUS
In John chapter 5, Jesus throws down the gauntlet. First, he healed a man who had been disabled for 38 years. On the Sabbath (verse 9). On purpose. Then when the Jewish leaders objected, Jesus didn’t even attempt to correct their faulty interpretation of Sabbath work, as he did at other times (see Luke 14:1–6). Instead, he responded with this provocative statement: “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
This would have drawn audible gasps. And the leaders correctly understood Jesus’s point: he really was “making himself equal with God” (verse 18). This declaration, on top of the Sabbath healing, fuelled the execution talk among the leaders.
Now, that isn’t the most shocking part of the chapter. After all, the Law of Moses did make both Sabbath breaking (Exodus 35:2) and blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16) capital crimes. So any Jew who took God’s word seriously had to ponder the death penalty when evaluating Jesus’ claims.
No, the most shocking things are what Jesus said next. I’ll list them and restate them for you so you can feel the audacity of his claims. Jesus claimed:
1. Jesus was “the Son,” possessing a unique relationship with the Father (John 5 : 17, 19),
2. He was able to “see” the Father (John 5 : 19),
3. Everything Jesus did was exactly what the Father was doing (John 5 : 19),
4. Jesus’ works were themselves the Father’s works (John 5 : 19),
5. The Sabbath healing of the man was a work of the Father (John 5 : 17, 19),
6. The Father had a unique love for his Son, Jesus (John 5 : 20),
7. The Father showed Jesus everything that the Father was doing (John 5 : 20),
8. The Father would show Jesus, and do through Jesus, greater works than the disabled man’s healing (John 5 : 20),
9. Jesus had the same power as the Father to raise the dead and give them life (John 5 : 21),
10. Jesus had the authority to give this life to whomever he willed (John 5 : 21),
11. The Father had entrusted all eternal judgement of human beings to Jesus (John 5 : 22),
12. Jesus was due the same honour from all humans that was due the Father (John 5 : 23),
13. To dishonour Jesus was to dishonour the Father (John 5 : 23),
14. Whoever believed what Jesus said de facto believed the Father (John 5 : 24),
15. Whoever believed Jesus had eternal life and would escape divine judgement (John 5 : 24),
16. Jesus would someday resurrect from the dead all human beings who had ever lived and judge them (John 5 : 25–29),
17. Jesus possessed the same divine, self-sustaining life as the Father had (John 5 : 26),
18. Jesus was the “Son of Man” (John 5 : 27),
19. the person Daniel prophesied about in Daniel 7:13–14,
20. Jesus’ judgement and the Father’s judgement were the same (John 5 : 30),
21. The Scriptures testified to who Jesus was (John 5 : 39),
22. And that Moses wrote about Jesus (likely in Deuteronomy 18:15) (John 5 : 46).
SEE AND SAVOUR THE SOVEREIGNTY IN THESE STATEMENTS
In making these claims, Jesus knew what was at stake. He knew the Law and he knew the leaders. Jesus was leaving the leaders only two options: believe him or kill him. And in doing this, he was exercising divine wisdom that would have been inscrutable to any of his hearers at the time. Can you see the divine sovereignty at work in Jesus’ statements, the same sovereign orchestration that we frequently see throughout the Scriptures?
1. Everyone who chose to believe Jesus would accomplish the Father’s will by honouring the Son and therefore would receive eternal life (John 5:22–24);
2. Everyone who chose not to believe Jesus would accomplish the Father’s will by killing the Son so that the once-for-all atoning sacrifice would be made for those who believed (Hebrews 7:27, 9:26, John 3:16), resulting in believers being justly delivered from judgement (John 5:24), and unbelievers being justly delivered to judgement (John 5:29).
That’s a reason to stop and worship.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! . . . For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33, 36)
In making these claims, Jesus knew what was at stake. He knew the Law and he knew the leaders. Jesus was leaving the leaders only two options: believe him or kill him. And in doing this, he was exercising divine wisdom that would have been inscrutable to any of his hearers at the time. Can you see the divine sovereignty at work in Jesus’ statements, the same sovereign orchestration that we frequently see throughout the Scriptures?
1. Everyone who chose to believe Jesus would accomplish the Father’s will by honouring the Son and therefore would receive eternal life (John 5:22–24);
2. Everyone who chose not to believe Jesus would accomplish the Father’s will by killing the Son so that the once-for-all atoning sacrifice would be made for those who believed (Hebrews 7:27, 9:26, John 3:16), resulting in believers being justly delivered from judgement (John 5:24), and unbelievers being justly delivered to judgement (John 5:29).
That’s a reason to stop and worship.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! . . . For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33, 36)
“WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20).
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20).
NOW, JESUS ASK YOU, “WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM”
May God bless you.
May God bless you.
(Sources : The God-man or a Madman? by Jon Bloom fromdesiringgod.org )
