Day 24: Jesus Is from God
Read John 16:25-30
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
Reflect
Jesus had been with His disciples for three years, teaching them, traveling, doing life together and experiencing miracles. Yet, His disciples still struggled with fully believing all that Jesus was saying. It is in verse 30 that Jesus’ disciples finally answer the question that He has been asking thus far in His Farewell Discourse (John 14-17). The question, “Do you now believe?” He wanted to know if they believed enough to be willing to follow Him based on the knowledge that He had shared with them about His death, resurrection, and that He is one with God. What is the disciples’ response to Jesus? In verse 30, they said, “This makes us believe (pistĕuō) that you came from God.” Remember on Day 9, of this Lenten Devotional, we looked at the Greek word, pistĕuō, which means: have faith; believe; to entrust one’s spiritual well-being. In John 14:1, Jesus had been saying to them, “You believe in God; also believe in me.” Finally, it is unanimous. The disciples all agree with one heart and one mind to believe (pistĕuō) that Jesus came from God and is God.
Jesus had been with His disciples for three years, teaching them, traveling, doing life together and experiencing miracles.
Respond
Maybe you or someone you know has a hard time believing, like the disciples did. There is a man named Josh McDowell who had a hard time believing the truths of Jesus. One of his goals was to refute Christianity from an intellectual perspective. Through his journey, he came to the conclusion that the Bible was true and Jesus was God’s Son. He is now a Christ-follower and wrote the classic book, Evidence Demands a Verdict.
This book is an incredibly thorough reference guide to the questions, challenges, and critiques that Christians are faced with from both honest seekers and harsh skeptics. It is broken down into four main parts. (1) Evidence for the Bible: This portion covers the uniqueness of scripture and how the Bible was formed (canonized). (2) Evidence for Jesus: This section offers compelling answers to challenges about whether Jesus was a real historical figure, His claims to deity (being one with God), a defense of the resurrection and evidence which exonerates Christianity from the accusation of plagiarism from other religions. (3) Evidence for the Old Testament: This portion discusses evidence that the Old Testament is a reliable historical record. (4) Evidence for Truth: Pilate’s famous question to Jesus in John 18 continues to be asked today, “What is truth?” This section creates a discussion of the nature of truth, so that it can be known. Maybe you struggle with fully believing what Jesus said about Himself. There’s no shame in that, it took the disciples time to believe too. It took me nine months of seeking God, asking questions, attending Bible studies and going to church before I made my decision. If you are stuck in your decision, or are in a conversation with someone who is feeling stuck, Josh McDowell’s book might be good for you to read. Although, I will warn you, it is almost 800 pages in length. The key is not getting stuck in your inability to make a decision about your relationship with Jesus. What is it that you need in order to finalize your decision? Dig deeply within your own soul so you can decide. Joshua 24:14, says it this way, “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
It is each person’s own responsibility to know why they believe what they believe. In Matthew 10:33, Jesus said, “If you deny me before men, I will deny you before my Father who is in heaven.” Your eternity is dependent upon you making a decision. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27, “And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment...” This isn’t a scare tactic; this is just bringing to the forefront what the Bible teaches us about making a decision to serve the Lord. If you are feeling stuck on your decision for Christ, I would encourage you to go to the information area at your Newbreak campus next weekend and ask to talk with a leader to find the resources you need to answer your questions.