The Center of Scripture : John 5:39-40 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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The Center of Scripture - John 5:39-40

"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}." (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

As important as the Scriptures are, Jesus is very much more important. He is the message to whom all Scripture points. He is the key to unlock the message of God in the Bible. He is the reason the "Amen" can be spoken when Scripture is read. Jesus is the crucial, central, essential message around which all Scripture turns. Why? Because he is God's greatest word (Hebrews 1:1-3). He is God with us, Immanuel (Matthew 1:23). He is God's message (John 1:1). He gives life.

Today's Prayer

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Thank you, O LORD God of Israel for speaking through nature, Scripture, and experience. Thank you, most of all, for speaking so clearly and definitively in Jesus. Please open my heart and my mind to the message you want me to hear. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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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 "The Center of Scripture":

But you should continue following the teachings you learned. You know that those teachings are true. You know you can trust the people who taught you those things. You have known the Holy Scriptures since you were a child. Those Scriptures are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by God. And all Scripture is useful for teaching and for showing people the things that are wrong in their lives. It is useful for correcting faults and teaching how to live right. Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be ready and will have everything he needs to do every good work. —2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ERV)

But if you can believe God, then you can believe that what we tell you is never both "Yes" and "No." The Son of God, Jesus Christ, that Silas and Timothy and I told you about was not "Yes" and "No." In Christ it has always been "Yes." The "Yes" to all of God's promises is in Christ. And that is why we say "Amen " through Christ to the glory of God. —2 Corinthians 1:18-20 (ERV)

Before the world began, the Word was there. The Word was there with God. The Word was God. He was there with God in the beginning. All things were made through him (the Word). Nothing was made without him. —John 1:1-3 (ERV)