John 5, Part 2

Scripture: John 5:16-18

Observation: Persecution towards Jesus begins. Everything Jesus has done has been for the glory of God, but the Jewish leaders can only see superficially. Their traditions are being broken. Jesus is healing, but He is doing it on the Sabbath. Jesus answers their accusation by stating that "My Father is still working, and I also am working." (v.17). According to Jewish belief, only God is allowed to work on the Sabbath, because if He didn't the universe would fall apart. Therefore, by saying that He is working just as the Father is working, Jesus has placed Himself as equal to God. The Jewish leaders, who can't see Him for who He is, decide that Jesus is worthy of death, first because He breaks the Sabbath, and second because He places Himself on an equal plane with God.

Application: For all their reading, studying and memorizing of Scripture, the religious leaders couldn't see who they had right in front of them. The Messiah they so awaited was now rejected. Why? Because they lacked what Jesus was offering: divine love. The religious Jews had become so dogmatic and so tradition minded that they could not see with their hearts. They had become alienated from God because they were focused on following and creating more rules, to the point that they couldn't recognize Him. The same can hapen to us today. We can become so focused on insignificant details that we miss out on the big picture, that Jesus died for all mankind, and that anyone who wishes to receive His free gift of eternal life is welcome to do so.

Prayer: Father, I want to obey You in all aspects of my life. I want to hear You speak to my heart and guide me in my daily walk. What I don't want is to judge the walk of others based on what You're doing in my life. Help me to recognize that we are all in a different place, and that my focus needs to be only on You and what Your will is for me. Thank You for leading me to do that which is Your will and not mine. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.