Do You Know Him?
By Joslyn Jayaram
John 7:25-31
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
I have often heard people question Jesus as the Savior of the world because, as per them, he has never said it. I’d have to disagree. In fact, I believe the whole intention of the book of John is to show how many times Jesus actually did say who he was. However, not clearly understanding who Jesus is, isn’t a new problem. In fact, the people that were around him during that time also couldn’t totally put it together.
However, Jesus words are dangerous, if it weren’t so, his very life wouldn’t have been on the line. “So they were seeking to arrest him…” Why? Why would they just arrest a crazy person? Why would they just arrest a “good teacher?” Why would they arrest a healer? No, he is telling the crowd, in verse 29, “I know HIM, for I come from HIM, and HE sent me.” It was very clear who Jesus was talking about. He was sent by the Almighty God.
“Yet many people believe in him,” verse 31. Some people put the facts together. They saw with their eyes the signs and heard with their ears the teaching. Is anyone going to do more than this? They thought. And yet, Jesus did even more than those signs and teachings. He took his words to the very cross, he died, and resurrected with hundreds of witnesses!
Application: So what about you? Are you still questioning if Jesus really is who he says he is? Or maybe you want to know if Jesus really is the only way to God. Did he really say that? Thank you for taking this journey with us through the book of John. I pray that the answers to these questions become clear in your heart. This isn’t a blind faith, take your time, check the facts.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I pray that you become more and more real to us. That who You say You are and why You had to do what You did as the ONLY way to the Father become so clear to us. Please help us understand You better, change our hearts, and help our unbelief.