GIVE GOD TIME
Prayer and Praise
Jesus said, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?”
Matthew 26:40, so we start our journey of giving God time to work in us, by praying along with this hymn… Be still my soul, at this link…The hymn “Be Still My Soul” – Traditional
A WORD IN YOUR EAR
John 12:37-50 The unbelief of the religious leaders
Note 1). The unbelief of Jewish religious leaders was foretold by the prophets.
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1.)
Note 2). Why didn’t they believe? The Jews had fought against God so long that they were no longer responsive.
In fact, Isaiah was cut in half in a tree truck by a Jewish king for bringing God’s truth.
In the end, God walked away by leaving them to their own devices. In fact, after the prophet Malachi died, God stopped talking to them for 400 years – until Jesus came.
39 For this reason, they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere; (44:18) 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. 42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees, they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
Note 3). Jesus and the Father are One. Jesus brought truth which meant that truth could be seen again on earth. Believing in Jesus takes us out of Satan’s grasp in his evil kingdom of darkness.
44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Note 4). God will condemn those who reject Jesus’ authority.
47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.
Note 5). Everything Jesus said and did all came from God the Father. Rejecting Jesus means rejecting God.
49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
(New International Version)
Note 6). God’s commands lead to eternal life.
—-Summary
“There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day”.
Today’s Verse… Who is Jesus?
v. 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
Memory verse…John 12:48
“There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day”.
Today’s Challenge
-The problem
“There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day”.
-God’s answer
2 Corinthians 6:2 “NOW is the time of salvation…”
This life is the only opportunity we get to choose to follow Jesus…
This is the time of salvation, right NOW. The older we get, the less likely we are to become disciples, statistically. Have you taken up the offer of Jesus?
Prayer and Worship
“… He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.” Matthew 14:23.
Jesus taught His disciples what we call ‘The Lord’s Prayer’; (Luke 11).
Listen here to Albert Malotte’s ‘The Lord’s Prayer’.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever;- Amen.
Prayer suggestions;-
- The world. (ie ‘For those in authority.’)
- The ‘suffering church.’ https://barnabasfund.org/nz/pray/daily-prayer/#previous-dates
- Your own situation. (Suggest ‘needs’ rather than ‘wants’.)
2nd Reading Complete Jewish Bible
Read today’s Bible passage – John 12:37-50 ‘Who is Jesus?’
37 Even though he had performed so many miracles in their presence, they still did not put their trust in him, 38 in order that what Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) the prophet had said might be fulfilled,
“Adonai, (Lord) who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of Adonai (Lord) been revealed?”
39 The reason they could not believe was — as Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) said elsewhere —
40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they do not see with their eyes,
understand with their hearts, and do t’shuvah, (repent/turn around) so that I could heal them.”
41 (Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) said these things because he saw the Sh’khinah (glory) of Yeshua (Jesus) and spoke about him.) 42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders did trust in him; but because of the P’rushim (Pharisees) they did not say so openly, out of fear of being banned from the synagogue; 43 for they loved praise from other people more than praise from God.
44 Yeshua (Jesus) declared publicly, “Those who put their trust in me are trusting not merely in me, but in the One who sent me. 45 Also those who see me see the One who sent me. 46 I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who trusts in me might not remain in the dark. 47 If anyone hears what I am saying and does not observe it, I don’t judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 Those who reject me and don’t accept what I say have a judge — the word which I have spoken will judge them on the Last Day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own initiative, but the Father who sent me has given me a command, namely, what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know that his command is eternal life. So what I say is simply what the Father has told me to say.”
