October 23 – John 7 & 8

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from John 7 & 8. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

I love Jesus. Our reading today may just be one of the boldest two days of Jesus life. Here He is in Jerusalem, in the Temple area, and making some of the most outlandishly true statements of His ministry. Our reading opens up with His brothers encouraging Him to go to Jerusalem. They want Him to do publicly there what he has been doing in other regions. They are beginning to believe He is the political Messiah they have been waiting on. Jesus knows that He is not, and that the heat is too much, and that a trip to Jerusalem would possibly be deadly. He stays back, but only for a short amount of time.

In Jerusalem people are looking for Jesus but He is laying low. Finally He speaks and when He does, He gives them some bold proclamations …

“For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”” (John 7:23-24 NLT)

  

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (John 7:37-38 NLT)

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12 NLT)

“Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” (John 8:19 NLT)

“No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” (John 8:49-51 NLT)

“Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!” At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.” (John 8:58-59 NLT)

Jesus does not mince words. He speaks pointedly about who He is and who it that sent Him. While not everyone understands all that He says, it is clear that Jesus is calling God His father and making deity claims about Himself.

The question that remains for us is simple … are we willing to follow Jesus example and stand boldly in our world making the same claims to an unbelieving generation?