Life of Christ Devotional - John 10:22-11:1

“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus. (John 10:22–11:1, NIV)

John continues in His gospel now recording events which occur 2 months after the previous verses. The Feast of Dedication is what is known today as Hanukah. Once again, people are gathered to celebrate the feast in Jerusalem and Jesus uses this opportunity to address the crowd.
But notice that there is a cumulative effect that is occurring. The people have heard what Jesus has said, they have seen the miracles He has performed and they have observed His character in the midst of both admiration and accusation. Their conclusion: “This is no ordinary man! In fact, He is so extraordinary, it just might be possible that He is the Christ!”
The suspense was too great. We don’t know who it was but some brave soul had the courage to ask what was on everyone’s mind: “Are you the promised Messiah?”
Jesus responds by saying, “I have already answered the question by what I have said and what I have done. The evidence is sufficient, but you do not believe.”
Jesus then draws their attention back to the analogy He spoke to them just 2 months earlier. “Faith must precede understanding. You do not understand who I am and what I have done because you refuse to believe. Those who believe know my voice and they follow me. God is in control and whatever is true of God is true of Me.”
Well...they got their answer! But they didn’t like what they heard. This exposes the fact that those who asked the question had already made up their minds about Jesus. More accurately, they should have asked, “Since we know who you are not the Messiah…then who are you?”
It is clear from their response that they understood what Jesus said. He claimed to be God (because He is) and so they did what the law prescribed: “Kill anyone who makes a false claim about God.” (Ex 24:15-16)
Don’t miss this! Jesus has now openly declared, “I am God with skin on.”
The people responded with blinded eyes, “No you are not. We do not believe you.”
And so their confusion turned into frustration and their frustration into anger. Their anger would eventually lead to the unforgivable sin – denying the person and work of Jesus the Christ.
But on that day, the scripture says, “Many believed”. Did they believe because they understood? Did it all make perfect sense to them? In a word, “No”.
The difference between the two groups was this: One chose to lean on their own understanding and refused to trust in someone who had given them every reason to believe. Their understanding prevented their faith.
The other chose to believe even though they didn’t fully understand. There was no good reason to deny what Jesus had said to be true. Their faith preceded their understanding.
Where are you? Are you walking in faith with the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen? (Heb 11:1)

Life of Christ Devotional - John 10:1-21

“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?” But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter. ” (John 10:1–22, NIV)

As Jesus continues His ministry, the revelation of who He is becomes increasingly clear. He has just performed a miracle (healing a man born blind) that could only be done by the promised Messiah. This “Messianic Miracle” was anticipated by all the religious leaders but not accepted once it was performed. Instead, they found every reason not to believe.
Now Jesus explains who He is with an illustration. It was a story to help them understand what is difficult for their minds to comprehend. To do this, He takes a very familiar scene from their everyday lives. The shepherd was a common figure in this society and everything Jesus describes would have been well known to His audience. In the story, 3 main characters are identified – a thief, a hired hand and a shepherd. Each of these characters has a specific motivation toward the sheep.
The intention of the thief is clear. His goal is to steal and kill and destroy. He is does not enter in through the gate but climbs the wall in order to deceptively lure the unsuspecting sheep into his hands. The story does not explain his tactics but the people would know that a stranger among the sheep would cause some alarm unless he was able to entice them with a promise to satisfy a need. Maybe it was food or water but whatever it was, the goal was to separate the sheep and isolate them so that they could be removed. Once in his hands, the thief had a single minded goal of destroying his prey. He is more cunning than the wolf that boldly attacks and scatters the sheep. The thief is most successful because of his stealth and his deceptive promise of something good.
The hired hand is just doing his job. He is watching the sheep. He does not know the sheep and they don’t know him. He’s really not that interested. Remember…its just a job. And as long as he gets a paycheck, he’ll make sure everyone stays happy. But as soon as it costs him something, his commitment comes to an end. As long as everything is peaceful and calm, he is dedicated. But his loyalty ends when he is asked to sacrifice something for the well being of the sheep. His life is more important than those he protects.
But this is not the case with the good shepherd. He considers the needs of those under His care as more important than His own. His motivation is pure - He desires what is best for the sheep. He protects and nourishes them, not just so they can exist, but so they can live life to the fullest. To do this, the Good Shepherd leads them to places that the sheep have no ability to find on their own. In fact, they will not leave the safety of the protected pasture, unless he guides them to new places of green fields and still water. His loyalty is of such depth that He willingly sacrifices His own life in order to save His sheep.
The audience must have been listening and picturing in their mind the reality of the story Jesus just told. They could see the image He had painted, but they did not have eyes to see the truth within this masterpiece. And so Jesus explains, “I am the Good Shepherd. I have come that you might have an abundant life. I lead you beside still waters. And in the end, my life must be sacrificed so that your life can be saved.”
But what good is a dead shepherd? If this was the end, the sheep are destined to die at the hands of the thief. Therefore, Jesus goes on to explain, “No one can take my life without my willing submission to the plan of God. What you intend for evil, He will use for good. My death is temporary because my life is eternal. I will rise again.”
The reaction of the crowd would indicate they understood the magnitude of this statement. Some called Jesus a devil or a lunatic. Others are beginning to see that the miracles He has performed and the words He now speaks lead to an obvious conclusion. He must be the promised Messiah.
As you read these words and consider the life of Jesus up to this point, one cannot overlook the sincere effort of Jesus to explain who He is and why He came. Our reaction should be just as dramatic as what is witnessed in the crowd that day.
As C.S. Lewis writes,

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him (Jesus): "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

Jesus came to give us life and to give it abundantly. His death is what gives us this life. As the Good Shepherd, He cares for you in the tenderest way and He fights for you with His arms spread wide.
Rest in His care. Trust in His love. Follow His lead.
Know today that you are the object of His deepest affection.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 9:20-41

““We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (John 9:20–41, NIV)

The interrogation from the Pharisees continues and the consequences are stiff. The Pharisees go to the parents to confirm the man healed was in fact born blind from birth. This was critically important because no man born blind had ever been healed. This miracle could only be done by the promised Messiah.
The parents confirm two things: The man was definitely their son and he was, in fact, born blind. But they were reluctant to say more because the Jewish leaders who were doing the questioning had made it clear that whoever confesses Jesus to be the Messiah, would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated). They must have known that Jesus was the healer, and what it meant for Him to heal a man born blind, and so they kept silent.
And so the Pharisees go back to the man who was healed for a second interrogation. This time they essentially tell him what to say. “We know Jesus is a sinner. Just affirm this to be true and you are free to go.”
The response of the man challenged the Pharisees, “I was born blind. You are the ones who taught me that only the Messiah was able to heal someone born blind. The man named Jesus healed me. You tell me who He is.”
Now he was getting testy. And the Pharisees did not like to be insulted. They belittled both Jesus and the man He healed and established their superior position of authority as disciples of Moses. In other words, “We make the rules around here…you and that ‘miracle man’ are nobodies compared to us!”
The man insists that the religious authority made the rule that He could only be healed by the Messiah. The Pharisees refuse to accept their own teaching. They are changing the rules because their position of control is threatened by Jesus. They have determined that He is a sinner and not the Son of God. If this is so, how did a sinner just do what the Pharisees have taught for decades that only the Messiah could do? Their pride has blinded their eyes. They are the ones in need of healing!
Pride blinds our eyes to the truth. Only humility will give us eyes to see. The man born blind demonstrates to only right response when faced with the Truth that brings life. He said, “Lord, I believe.” And He worshiped Him.
Jesus continues to heal the humble. Do you have eyes that see?

Life of Christ Devotional - John 9:1-21

“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided. Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. (John 9:1-21, NIV)

The reaction of the disciples to the man who was born blind should seem unusual to us as we read. Did you notice that they didn’t even ask Jesus if He would heal the man? Instead, they questioned Jesus about the sin that caused his blindness.
The concern that it could have been the sin of his parents was likely related to the Mosaic Law where the sins of the fathers were passed down from generation to generation. (Ex 34:6-7) But if the man was born blind, how could it be his own sin that caused his blindness?
The disciple’s question reflected a teaching of the Pharisees which suggested that a fetus inside the womb had two inclinations – one to do good and one to do evil. In the case of a man born blind, he had chosen the evil inclination and the blindness was a result of his rebellion in the womb.
The response of Jesus denied all possibilities given by the disciples. It was not a particular sin that caused his birth defect. Instead, it was God who allowed the blindness so that Jesus might be glorified in the healing.
And so Jesus makes mud and smears it on the man’s eyes. Now, chances are, it was at this moment that the man could see. The problem was that he didn’t know it because he couldn’t open his eyes. They were covered with mud! And so, the man born blind never saw the person who healed him. Instead, he was instructed to go down to the Pool of Siloam. Again, this is unusual because it was not the nearest pool of water. In fact, it was a good distance away and the path was steep and difficult. But Jesus knew that since this was the feast of Tabernacles, the priests of the Temple and others involved in the celebration would all be at the Pool of Siloam filling jars with water. It was here that the greatest number of Jewish people would be present to witness the miracle. And so while they are filling jars, in walks a man with mud on his face and all eyes are on him.
He removes the mud and his blindness was washed away. But instead of rejoicing, the religious leaders begin an interrogation. And when they didn’t get a satisfying answer, they steal the man away and present him to the Pharisees.
Did you notice the focused attention on the fact that the man was born blind? The Pharisees even went as far as to interrogate the man’s parents about this fact. “Are you sure this is your son? Can you validate that he was born blind?”
And here is the reason this was such a big deal…this was a Messianic miracle! There were those who became blind who regained their sight but never had a man born blind been healed. That miracle, as the religious leaders well knew, had been reserved for the Messiah. They must validate the miracle and then they had to find the one responsible for the healing. But they had a problem. The healing had occurred on the Sabbath and the Pharisees had determined that this was not allowed.
Thus the dilemma: If they accept the miracle, they must admit the falsehood of their manufactured law to do so. If they reject the miracle, they must find something to discredit the healer because their own teaching made it clear that only one man could do what Jesus had done. In either case, they would have to relinquish control and allow humility to replace pride in order to accept the truth about Jesus. That is no accident. Jesus knew what He was doing.
And for you and I, the choice is the same. We can only follow Christ when we relinquish our own control and allow humility to lead our way. Pride will always prevent us from seeing the miracle of His redemptive work.

“Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” (Luke 17:33)

Life of Christ Devotional - John 8:31-58

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.” “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. ” (John 8:31–58, NIV)

Confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart are two different things. This passage in John’s gospel makes this point clear. Jesus proclaims that He is the light of the world and whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness. In response, there were Jews who believed that Jesus knew the way and so they confessed with their mouth that what He was saying was true.
The problem is this: the Jews believed what Jesus said was true for someone else, but it didn’t apply to them.
“We believe that Jesus is a light for those who walk in the darkness. But this does not apply to us because we are children of Abraham - Children of the light.”
Jesus turns to them and says, “Your life of obedience will reflect the belief in your heart and true belief will set you free from the bondage of sin in which you now live.”
Now we’re getting too personal! The Jews were willing to believe as long as the condemnation of Jesus applied to someone else. They wanted to follow Jesus but they were not the ones who needed His work of redemption.
Jesus tells them that they are deceived and immediately their “belief” turns to anger. In one moment they were testifying that Jesus is the Light, and in the blink of an eye, their testimony changes.
“Jesus is not the Savior,” they proclaim. “He is a man who is demon possessed and does not speak truth.”
Let me get a little more personal. As much as 80% of Americans claim to follow Jesus as the Light of the world. And yet, the moral and ethical decline of our society is ever increasing. Not unlike the Jews in conversation with Jesus, we too like the idea of the redemptive work of Jesus. But once His condemnation turns on us…we don’t like Him so much. We compensate by reinventing grace and calling it tolerance. Jesus is attractive just so long as I don’t have to change.
As Jesus will repeatedly proclaim, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in my love.”
Our tongue is deceitful but the fruit of our life cannot lie.
As John will later write in his epistle, “If we say we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1Jn 1:6)
The true heart of a believer is one who confesses belief in Jesus because they are overwhelmed by their own depravity and their heart cries out for a Savior. In gratitude for their redemption, they repent of their sin and daily seek to find strength in Jesus and His continuing work of sanctification, knowing that apart from Him, they can do nothing.
Faithfulness flows out of humility…pride comes before the fall.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 8:12-31

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come. Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?” But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been claiming all along,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” (John 8:12–31, NIV)

As we read this account, the words of Jesus are familiar to us but likely do not have the same gravity as they would have in the context in which they were spoken. On the first night of Tabernacles and apparently on each night of the feast except on Sabbath, the worshipers awaited the signal of the special lighting of the festive golden lamps in the court of women. The lamps were intended to remind worshipers of God’s leading the people of Israel through the wilderness at night by a pillar of fire. The lighting of lamps also signaled Israel’s recommitment to the God of light, and it was accompanied by festive music of the Levites and special dancing by chosen men of piety.
It is within this context that Jesus speaks to the crowd and announces, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
OK…you tell me! Does he have your attention?
I suspect that all of the people (and if we were there, that would include us as well), have their eyes fixed on Jesus. And you don’t just hear His words…He is speaking to a need inside your heart. In the midst of the water ceremony, He says, “If you are thirsty, come to me and you will never thirst again.” And now, in the midst of the lighting ceremony, He says, “If you want to find your way to God, follow me. I am the way. You will never walk in darkness again.”
These are people who have come to worship God. Some have traveled hundreds of miles on foot. They are thirsty to know God. Their heart longs to be satisfied in Him. But they have done this ritual year after year and they still haven’t found what they are looking for.
And now Jesus stands before them and announces, “I am what you are looking for.” As a gentle, yet clear invitation, he calls on those who are searching to find their way to follow Him in faith. And on that day, many chose to take that step of faith.
But yet there were others who stood in opposition - those who had satisfied their thirst for God with religious routine. Those who did not need to know the way because they had created their own path to God…or so they thought. They did not hear the words of Jesus because they had convinced themselves, they did not need the words of Jesus. And until a person recognizes that they are lost, they will not accept the invitation to follow someone who says they know the way.
Consider today how you approach God. Have you created your own path to spiritual satisfaction or do all roads lead to Jesus?
Now be honest! The best way to answer this question is to examine your life. How do you begin your day? Do you start by centering your heart on God and His truth or do you fall out of bed thinking about the things you need to get done that day? Once your day is started, do you look to see where God is at work or does your work keep you from seeing God? When you close out your day, do you thank God for His faithful provision or are you anxious about tomorrow and what the day will bring?
Remember, Jesus is the light of the world. When we follow Him, we will never walk in darkness. Sometimes His light at our feet only reveals the next step or two. But choosing to walk without Him will always lead us into a path of destruction. Follow the Light.

Life of Christ Devotional - John 8:1-11

“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” ” (John 8:1–11, NIV)

It’s a trap. Jesus has the attention of the crowd. Everyone is listening to Him teach… and in walk the religious leaders.
Picture a college classroom. Hundreds of students listening to the teacher and in the middle of the lecture, the Administration walks in.
“Excuse me. We have a question.”
Behind them is a woman. Disheveled. Humiliated. Turning her face to the ground.
“This woman was caught in adultery. The Law of Moses says we should stone her. What do I you say?”
It’s a trap! They want him fired. Discredited. If he tells them to let her go, they condemn him for ignoring the law of God. If he instructs them to stone her, then they will condemn him for ignoring the law of Rome which prohibits such action. Either way, He’s a lawbreaker. There is no right answer and this is exactly the reason they ask the question. It’s a trap.
But Jesus understands their motives. If they were truly concerned about the law, they would know that the law requires both the man and woman to be stoned. The man is missing. Not to mention the fact that they said she was caught “in the act”. How did that happen?
The fact of the matter is, the religious leaders were quick to point out the sins of others and yet they were so blind to their own defiance of the law by arresting the woman without the man – not to mention their unwillingness to accept Jesus as their own Messiah.
So Jesus is silent and He begins to write with His finger in the sand. No one knows what He writes but whatever it was, it made the accusers uncomfortable. Suffice it to say, whatever He did was supernatural because the accusers relinquished their position of authority. Jesus answers the question by instructing the one who has not sinned to cast the first stone. The tables have turned.
The one who casts the stone is an obvious liar and therefore defies the judgment of God who says all have sinned and fallen short His glory. By making the accusers examine themselves, He exposed their true motives. Now they stood condemned and rightly chose to walk away.
Jesus doesn’t ignore the woman’s sin, but His compassion does reveal that she is more important than the wrong she had done. Jesus had not come to judge the world but to save the world. Because of this truth, the woman could still repent and her life could be redeemed. One day, however, Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead and on that day, there will be no time to repent. Jesus is patient, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to eternal life. Jesus is offering the woman the forgiveness she needs to avoid this day of judgment. Her lifestyle will reflect the response to His offer.
Here is what we need to see: Sin is blinding. It leads us to judge others with a standard we refuse to apply to our own lives. Self justification reveals our pride and we cannot live in humble obedience when the sin of pride reigns in our heart. It is the choice to look in the mirror with our eyes closed.
On the other hand, humility brings compassion. It does not condone sin but calls us to repentance and a life of faithful devotion by trusting in His forgiveness and love - An obedience which flows out of gratitude.
Jesus drew a line in the sand. What side of the line are you on?