Slices
Prepare
Pray: ‘Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you’ (Psalm 51:12,13).
Bible passage
Dispute over who Jesus is
21 Once more Jesus said to them, ‘I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.’
22 This made the Jews ask, ‘Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, “Where I go, you cannot come”?’
23 But he continued, ‘You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.’
25 ‘Who are you?’ they asked.
‘Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,’ Jesus replied. 26 ‘I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.’
27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’ 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
Explore
If I suffer from a serious medical condition the sensible course of action is to consult a medical specialist, then act on their diagnosis by following their treatment plan.
Jesus delivers a very uncomfortable prognosis (vs 21,24): the sin disease, that affects every human, leads to death. But he also offers hope for anyone who follows his treatment plan: believe in Jesus (v 24) and you will receive eternal life (see John 3:16).
The problem was that the Jews did not trust their spiritual doctor. They could not countenance the possibility that Jesus had been sent from God’s presence in heaven (vs 23,26; 5:17,18). Of course, if they accepted his claim to speak on behalf of God the Father (v 28), then they would need to listen to Jesus and act on his teaching.
So how can such sceptics change their minds? Jesus prophesies that understanding would come after he is ‘lifted up’ or exalted (v 28). At Pentecost, when Peter preached that Jesus died on the cross, was raised in resurrection and exalted in his ascension (Acts 2:22–36), many Jews changed their minds and believed.
Respond
Ask God for opportunities and the boldness to speak of Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension with sceptical friends and family members.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Job 27,28; Luke 22
Pray for Scripture Union
Mission Partner Bodmin Youth Project ran sports sessions over Easter in association with the council’s out-of-school holiday provision and are seeking to build on this over the summer. Pray that all those they reach in the community will engage with the good news of Jesus.
