Witnesses to Jesus
31“If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid.32But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true.33In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true.34Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved.35John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message.36But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me.37And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face,38and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.
39“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!40Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
41“Your approval means nothing to me,42because I know you don’t have God’s dlove within you.43For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them.44No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.
45“Yet it isn’t I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes.46If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.47But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”
Jesus is talking to the Pharisees, Sadducees and other religious leaders of the time. They refused to believe in him. He had just healed a crippled man, and their main concern was that he was carrying his mat on the sabbath. They studied the Old Testament more than most of us can imagine, but they missed God completely. That can happen. It can happen to us in our scripture study, and in can happen to us in life itself.
These religious leaders were so caught up in the rules and regulations, they left God out! They were the epitome of not seeing the forest because of the trees. But don’t be too quick to judge. I wonder how often in my life I was so busy looking at how someone I knew was doing something immoral or unethical, that I didn’t notice the sadness in the face of a co-worker or even a family member. Or perhaps I was so focussed on work and goals that I didn’t take time to thank and praise Jesus.
Jesus is life. The scriptures, our prayers, our lives are all about Him. Don’t miss it.
Lord Jesus, help me to never miss seeing You in your words, in my life, in the lives of those around me. *obbs*
