04-21-2019, 06:02 PM
THE LIVING WATER*
*DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE*
*Sunday, April 21, 2019*
*TOPIC: REJECTING THE GOD-IN-FLESH - _Easter Sunday_*
*Read: John 8:39-59*
*MEMORISE: _He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him_ (John 1:11).*
*EXPOSITION*
In his book, _Mere Christianity,_ C. S. Lewis, notes that the same person might both be a fool and have a graduate degree. Being highly educated does not guarantee wisdom and spiritual insight. We see this combination of foolishness and education in the way that the religious leaders interacted with Jesus in today’s reading.
The identity of Jesus was abundantly clear. He had *come here from God* (v. 42), sent by the Father to teach His truth. More than that, Jesus had His life-giving power (v. 51). Jesus intensifies His bold claim about His true identity at the end of the passage, when He declared, *Before Abraham was born, I am!* (v. 58). Using the very name of God given to Moses in Exodus 3:14, Jesus identified Himself as the God of Israel, now standing before them.
The well-educated religious leaders displayed only foolishness and spiritual blindness in their response. Instead of receiving Christ’s teaching, they were trying to kill Him. Instead of loving and following Christ, they insulted Him and accused Him of being demon-possessed. Ultimately, Jesus identified the underlying cause of their rejection of His teaching: *The reasons you do not hear is that you do not belong to God* (v. 47).
These stinging words should have brought humility and repentance. Instead, when Jesus revealed His full identity as the great “I am,” their responses deepened from hostility to attempted execution (v. 59). God had come in the flesh to bring light and life to His creation, and He was met with rejection. That rejection would ultimately lead to the cross, confirming the opening words of John’s Gospel: *He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him (Jn. 1:11).*
Many people “celebrate” Christmas while rejecting its true meaning. They are content to have a baby in the manger without recognizing Him as the coming of God in the flesh. Spend time in prayer today for your loved ones who need to accept Jesus as the Son of God, and ask the Holy Spirit to open their hearts to God’s love, today.
*PRAYER POINTS*
*1.* My Lord Jesus, have mercy on me in all the ways I have rejected or denied your lordship over my life.
*2.* Lord, let the significance of Your death and resurrection be revealed to the unsaved miraculously.
*3.* Lord, let Your precious blood sanctify our land from the guilt of the innocent blood shed by evil ones.
*EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Judges 19:16 – 21:1; Luke 14:12 – 14:33*
*Author: CAC WORLDWIDE*
*Remain Blessed!*
*DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE*
*Sunday, April 21, 2019*
*TOPIC: REJECTING THE GOD-IN-FLESH - _Easter Sunday_*
*Read: John 8:39-59*
*MEMORISE: _He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him_ (John 1:11).*
*EXPOSITION*
In his book, _Mere Christianity,_ C. S. Lewis, notes that the same person might both be a fool and have a graduate degree. Being highly educated does not guarantee wisdom and spiritual insight. We see this combination of foolishness and education in the way that the religious leaders interacted with Jesus in today’s reading.
The identity of Jesus was abundantly clear. He had *come here from God* (v. 42), sent by the Father to teach His truth. More than that, Jesus had His life-giving power (v. 51). Jesus intensifies His bold claim about His true identity at the end of the passage, when He declared, *Before Abraham was born, I am!* (v. 58). Using the very name of God given to Moses in Exodus 3:14, Jesus identified Himself as the God of Israel, now standing before them.
The well-educated religious leaders displayed only foolishness and spiritual blindness in their response. Instead of receiving Christ’s teaching, they were trying to kill Him. Instead of loving and following Christ, they insulted Him and accused Him of being demon-possessed. Ultimately, Jesus identified the underlying cause of their rejection of His teaching: *The reasons you do not hear is that you do not belong to God* (v. 47).
These stinging words should have brought humility and repentance. Instead, when Jesus revealed His full identity as the great “I am,” their responses deepened from hostility to attempted execution (v. 59). God had come in the flesh to bring light and life to His creation, and He was met with rejection. That rejection would ultimately lead to the cross, confirming the opening words of John’s Gospel: *He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him (Jn. 1:11).*
Many people “celebrate” Christmas while rejecting its true meaning. They are content to have a baby in the manger without recognizing Him as the coming of God in the flesh. Spend time in prayer today for your loved ones who need to accept Jesus as the Son of God, and ask the Holy Spirit to open their hearts to God’s love, today.
*PRAYER POINTS*
*1.* My Lord Jesus, have mercy on me in all the ways I have rejected or denied your lordship over my life.
*2.* Lord, let the significance of Your death and resurrection be revealed to the unsaved miraculously.
*3.* Lord, let Your precious blood sanctify our land from the guilt of the innocent blood shed by evil ones.
*EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Judges 19:16 – 21:1; Luke 14:12 – 14:33*
*Author: CAC WORLDWIDE*
*Remain Blessed!*