Tag: Hear His voice
“What shall I do with Jesus?”
Scripture reading for May 12th: Matthew 27, Psalm 95, Proverbs 2
Matthew 27: 22-26 “Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus Who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let Him be crucified!” And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let Him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a plot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to be crucified.”
Each person must face the problem of what to do with Jesus. Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor in charge of Jesus’ trial and fate that day. He found nothing Jesus had done or said that warranted death by crucifixion. His wife had warned him earlier to have nothing to do with Him. It was his custom to free one of the condemned prisoners to please the crowd that had gathered. He sought to free Jesus, the Christ, thinking that the crowd might be pleased. When asking them if they wanted Jesus to be free, they responded with “Let Him be crucified.” They even declared that His blood would be charged to them and their children! Each person faces this question at some time in their life here on earth. What will you do with Jesus the Christ? Will you demand His crucifixion and death? Or will you ask for mercy for being responsible for His willing sacrifice of body and blood to free you from your own sins?
Psalm 95:8-9 “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put Me to the test and put Me to the proof, though they had seen My work.”
Prayer: Holy Father, I have chosen to trust Jesus Christ, Your Son, as my Savior and Lord. He has freed me from my own evil tendencies and the penalty of sin. My guilty blood would have brought me eternal death and separation from God. Now His sinless blood has cleansed me from sin’s penalty and power and I am free! Praise to the Father, praise to the Son, praise to the Holy Spirit for grace.
Proverbs 2:3-5 “. .yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”
Jesus: Greater than Moses!
Scripture reading for October 16th: Hebrews 3
“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.. . . But Christ is faithful as a Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold on to our courage and hope of which we boast.” (Hebrews 3:1-6)
The writer addressed the ‘holy brothers’ as ones who shared in a calling to the heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ. He encouraged them to fix their thinking on Jesus who was sent (Apostle is a “sent one”) by God the Father. Jesus is now seated at God’s right hand as our High Priest. He has offered His own blood as the final sacrifice for all sins and now is able and willing to intercede for us.
Jesus is greater than Moses because Jesus is God’s Firstborn Son. Moses was only a man who faithfully served God to bring God’s people out of slavery and was faithful to receive God’s law and give it to them. Jesus was the final Word from God. A Son who was the ‘radiance of His Glory’ and ‘exact representation of His Being‘. (Hebrews 1:3) He is the builder of God’s household as He offers all men salvation through faith in His sacrifice of His body and blood. He is able to deliver all men from slavery to sin and make them members of God’s family (house). “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at first.” (Hebrews 3:6,14)
The Son as Judge!
Scripture reading for May 8th: John 5:24-47
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. And He has given Him authority to judge because He is the Son of Man.” (John 5:24-27)
Jesus plainly told the Jews who were persecuting Him for healing on the Sabbath that He came from the Father and all His miracles were a result of seeing the Father at work. He further instructed them that whoever would hear His word and believe in the Father would have eternal life. Those who did not believe would be condemned and remain in death. God The Father was a life-giver and Jesus Christ was given the ability to speak life to those who would hear Him. Life was a characteristic of Jesus and the Father. This word for life is ‘zoe’, life eternal and complete.
Jesus went on to tell these people about a time coming in the future. “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out–those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By Myself I can do nothing, I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just for I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me.” (John 5:28-30) Like God, Jesus will have the power to give life to the dead. At a specific time in the future, all the dead will hear Jesus voice calling them to life. Some will rise and be condemned. (Revelation 20:11-14) Some will rise and be rewarded with eternal life. (Daniel 12:2-3) (John 5:28) The Son will judge as He hears the Father declare the truth concerning each one from the Books of heaven.
These glimpses of the eternal role of Jesus Christ should bring reverence and a desire to be found doing good. We should honor the Father and the Son! Today might be the day of resurrection!