I AM: Discovering the Nature of Jesus!
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, I praise You for the freedom You offer to every human being, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. That You offer each of us the freedom to accept or reject You is an amazing part of Your love for us. I ask that You will move me to live boldly in that freedom, through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit today, and that I will use it to share the Good News of Jesus’ life and freedom with everyone I meet today. Glorify Yourself in my life that Your kingdom may advance. All this I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God's Word Today
John 8:12, 28-38
12Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak what the Father taught me. 29And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him.” 30Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.
31Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. 32And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone on earth. What do you mean, ‘set free’?”
34Jesus replied, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free. 37Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because my message does not find a place in your hearts. 38I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”
Reflecting on God's Word
What does freedom mean to you?
A Deeper Exploration of God's Word
What event does Jesus say will cause folks to believe in Him? (8:28-29)
How do the people respond to this statement? (8:30)
What does Jesus say to those who had professed belief in Him? (8:31-38)
Understanding God's Purpose
Why do you think it was so difficult for the Jews to accept that Jesus was bringing freedom to them? How would this parallel the thoughts of an American who received Jesus as Savior and Lord?
Why do you think that Jesus made such a big deal about freedom coming from Him rather than human ancestry?
Applying God's Word to Our Lives
What statement made by Jesus in today’s reading do you most need to live out in your life right now?
Thoughts... The Truth Will Set You Free...
The Israelite lived their lives on a false assumption: Freedom comes from one’s heritage. In other words, they thought that because Abraham was their ancestor, and he had been free, and had received a covenant with God, that they were also free and in a covenant relationship with God. Jesus made it clear to the Israelites that their freedom was not based on their heritage, their political alignment or any other human source, but rather that freedom comes from knowing the truth and the source of that truth—Jesus! How easy it was for the Israelites to get defensive. For thousands of years they had relied on the freedom of their heritage. They appealed to Abraham as their Father. Jesus quickly pointed out that unless they trusted Him and the truth He brought they would be slaves to sin and would ultimately die in their sins. That truth is still true! We may feel self-confident, or self-reliant about many matters, even believing that because we’re Americans we are truly free. The reality is that unless Jesus comes first in our lives no amount of political, financial or emotional freedom matters. Take a moment right now and answer this question: What is the source of my freedom?
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