Key Thought

God sent Jesus to touch our hearts and call us back to himself. He sent him with a message of grace and deeds of kindness. He sent him to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom and call us to live by Kingdom values. Incredibly, so many reject him, either through blatant disregard or through direct rejection. Jesus, however, makes a powerful statement: "If you are choosing God, then you must choose me. If you reject me, you reject God, the One who sent me." Crucial? Absolutely! Challenging? Yes indeed. Exclusive? Yes, Jesus calls us to decide about him because he claims to be THE way to the Father. The issue isn't what we think about those claims, but whether or not Jesus is who he claims to be. If he is, then everything for us hinges on our decision about him. The issue isn't whether it is politically correct for Jesus to claim to be the one way to the Father, but whether or not he is eternally correct.

Today's Prayer

Today's Verses in Context

"If I tell people about myself, then people cannot accept those things I say about myself. But there is another person that tells people about me. And I know that the things he says about me are true. "You have sent men to John. And he has told you about the truth. I don't need a man to tell people about me. But I tell you these things so that you can be saved. John was like a lamp that burned and gave light. And you were happy to enjoy his light for a while. "But I have a proof about myself that is greater than John. The things I do are my proof. These are the things my Father gave me to do. These things show that the Father sent me. And the Father that sent me has given proof about me himself. But you have never heard his voice. You have never seen what he looks like. The Father's teaching does not live in you. Why? Because you don't believe in the One the Father sent. You carefully study the Scriptures. You think that those Scriptures give you life forever. Those same Scriptures tell about me! But you refuse to come to me to have that life {you want}. "I don't want praise from you or any other human. But I know you--I know that you don't have God's love in you. I have come from my Father--I speak for him. But you don't accept me. But when another person comes speaking only for himself, you will accept him. You like to have praise from each other. But you never try to get the praise that comes from the only God. So how can you believe? Don't think that I will stand before the Father and say that you are wrong. Moses is the person that says that you are wrong. And Moses is the one that you hoped would save you. If you really believed Moses, you would believe me. Why? Because Moses wrote about me. But you don't believe what Moses wrote. So you cannot believe the things I say."

— John 5:31-47 (ERV)

Comments on "You Don't Believe the One He Sent":

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