Jesus went as far as to tell Jews who had a head knowledge of the Scriptures that they did not have the God’s Word abiding in them. They did not have the One from whom all Scripture came. They did not have the One who reveals the meaning of the Scripture, namely Jesus Messiah.
“You do not have His Word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” [1]
These Jews had the Scriptures but not the Author of the Scriptures. Jesus told them, “You are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” [2]
Jesus pinpointed what was lacking in their faith:
1) They would not come to Him… they did not receive Him as their Messiah. They were unwilling to be Christians. To be identified with Christ!
2) They did not have the love of God in them. [3]
3) They were apt to receive a self-appointed messiah but not the One whom the Father sent them. [4]
4) They were more interested in being honored by human peers than by God. [5]
5) They claimed to be followers of Moses, but Moses prophesied of Jesus in his five books (Genesis – Deuteronomy). Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of Moses. Jesus told them, “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” [6]
The Christian faith is important. Be a person identified with Christ! A Christ-centered and Christ-exalting believer!
A spiritual stronghold to overcome is the lie which says no one should say that salvation is only in the Name of Jesus. A second stronghold to overcome is the lie which says that no one should speak the Name of Jesus in public places. The early Christians countered these lies with truth…
“Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This [Jesus] is the ‘stone, which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” [7]
“So, they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.” [8]
“Dear Heavenly Father, please help all of us Christians to believe that the prophecies of the coming Messiah have all been fulfilled by Your Son, Jesus of Nazareth. Please fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit so that we unashamedly identify ourselves as Christians and lead others to believe in Him. In Christ’s Name I pray. Amen.”
[1] John 5:38-39
[2] John 5:40
[3] John 5:42
[4] John 5:43
[5] John 5:44
[6] John 5:46
[7] Acts 4:10-12
[8] Acts 5:41
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