Who Is Jesus To Me?

 

⁴⁰ On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”

⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? ⁴² Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” ⁴³ Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. ⁴⁴ Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

⁴⁵ Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

⁴⁶ “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.

⁴⁷ “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. ⁴⁸ “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? ⁴⁹ No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

⁵⁰ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ⁵¹ “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

⁵² They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”

 ⁵³ Then they all went home,

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The enemies of Jesus are confused and indecisive at this point, but their goal, the death of Jesus, sharpens in their focus as the days go by.  Indeed,  Palm Sunday is a week and a day away. This passage from John challenges us as well to sharpen our focus by asking, Who is Jesus for me?  To me?  As I've followed and listened to him this Lent, have I come to a greater knowledge of him and of his love for me?  Have my sacrifices and extra prayers brought me closer to him?  Have I been able to rely on him as I carry my cross?  Am I learning that life without him is empty?  May I continue to be humbled by life's challenges and come to rely more and more on him to help me over the humps. There is still time,,,the rest of Lent, the rest of our lives!

Bro. Rene