Bible Reading: Exodus 28; Proverbs 4; John 7; Galatians 3
John 7:28-29 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. 29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
Jesus was dealing with some VERY religious people. They studied the Bible (Old Testament) constantly. They memorized the first five books when they were little children and many of them had memorized the whole Old Testament. They fasted regularly; gave tithes of their income; attended worship services without fail; prayed daily; gave alms to the poor; and they did not believe in a secular government, but wanted a civil law based on the Bible! Wow! That sounds like the Religious right in our country!
BUT THEY WERE LOST!
The people said they did not know who Jesus was. They accused him of being possessed with a devil. They said he was just the carpenter's son from Nazareth. But Jesus insisted that they knew who he was and where he was from. He was not from Nazareth! He was from heaven and he had come because he was sent by his Father. The problem was that they did not know the Father. In the next chapter he will say:
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
All over the world there are religious people. Some are Muslim. Some are Hindu, Seik, Buddhist, Taoist, Spiritist, Jewish, or Christian, but they are all lost. Jesus said these people did not know God. Do you know God? Religion will not make you righteous. You can be devout and practice your religion more than anyone else and still be lost. Being lost is not knowing God. Being righteous is knowing God. Listen to the words of one of the most religious people that ever lived:
Philippians 3:4-10 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.
Do you KNOW Jesus?
In Christ,
Rody
