Keep His Word

Jn. 9:54-56

Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorified me, of whom you say, He is our God. But you have not known Him. I know Him. If I were to say that I do not know Him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know Him and I keep His Word."

 

 

Jesus continued His conversation with the Pharisees and scribes by telling them they were of their father the devil. Ouch! Why? Essentially because these men could not see the truth about Jesus. Since truth and lie are polar opposites, a person would either know and recognize the truth or be blind to this same truth.  As further evidence, they did not hear, respond to, or recognize the words of God. Jesus told them that the reason they did not hear was that they were not of God. How crushing to the self-righteous and extremely religious men! Perhaps that is what had blinded them, their own self-righteousness had obliterated God. They had reached such a state that they could only see themselves.

 

As the conversation progressed, the Pharisees and scribes accused Jesus of being demon-possessed and of thinking he was greater than Abraham and the prophets. Since they could not recognize the truth, His claim of anyone who believed Him never tasting death was outrageous. Sadly, instead of seeing the truth about themselves, these men became frustrated, outraged, and violent. Yet Jesus never wavered in what He said: His Father glorified Him, He knew the Father, He kept the Father's word, and finally the kicker, He was before Abraham. What fuel to the fire of hatred that burned within the Pharisees and scribes! The stones were in their hands! They were ready to get rid of these man and His outrageous claims. But Jesus hid Himself from them. His time had not yet come.

 

 

Father,

Give me the strength of character to stand for Your Truth at all costs even when the rocks of embarrassment, ridicule, and persecution come flying my way. Make me value You above anything else.

 

In Jesus name,

Amen