Episode 61 - "If God were your Father, you would love me." - Jesus (John 8:39-47)

John 8:39   They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

This is a continuation of Jesus' interaction with “Jews who believed him.” (John 8:31) However, what unfolds is that they are not “abiding” in his word. Much like those who witnessed and received the benefit of Jesus’ miracle of the “Feeding of the 5000,” and acknowledged that he was certainly the Prophet like Moses who was to come and then abandoned him when they didn’t like his teaching, these people are also taking exception to Jesus charge that they are slaves to sin and need to be liberated. They do not like this and argue with him suggesting that they are good with God because they are Abraham’s descendants. 

Jesus explains that even though they are biological descendants of Abraham, they do not live like Abraham. Abraham was a man of faith. God gave him commands that required great faith and Abraham believed God; not just in his head, but in his actions. That is the difference between Abraham and these Jews. They may think they are right with God. But, their lives demonstrate a lack of faith, avoiding truth by believing a lie that they are right with God simply because of their genealogy and religious affiliation. Jesus tells them their real spiritual father is the devil. Ouch!

This is what we call “straight shooting.” How about us? Do we think we’re ok because maybe our grandparents helped build a church, were in ministry, or did some other good and noble thing for people? OR . . . Do we like some stories about Jesus, but don’t want to believe that, apart from him, we are slaves to sin and need his word to free us?