ERCC DEVOTIONAL (TEKAN) DAILY SPIRITUAL DIET; MONDAY 11TH DECEMBER, 2023.
TEXT: JOHN 12: 27 - 43.
SPIRITUAL FOCUS: THE JEWS REFUSED TO BELIEVE IN JESUS.
Yesterday in the study we heard Jesus tell His disciples the time when the Son of Man was glorified (vs. 23). Today's reading shows us that the Jews were spiritually blind because they could not see the great miracles performed by the Lord Jesus.
Jesus told His disciples that anyone who would worship Him must deny Himself and take up the cross before becoming His true followers (Matt. 16: 24). Jesus was deeply moved by the Jews' attitude. So, he prayed that His disciples would not become like Him.
He asked the Father to glorify Him. A voice came from heaven, "I have already glorified Him" (vs. 28). The Jews did not understand this because of their spiritual blindness. Their eyes are only physical and therefore they prefer respect from people and for God. Even today there are many people who still do not believe in Jesus, let alone accept Him as their Savior for fear of their brothers.
They forgot that, the issue of going to paradise, is like a rat race. It is not by inheritance. It is unfortunate that some today are proud of their religion and the rule of law. Brethren, religion cannot lead us to the house of God, faith in Christ alone has the key to heaven.
Therefore, in our lives as followers of Christ, we should always honor the Lord God according to His Word. If we obey and do God's will, this will bring us many blessings.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: May our lives bring glory to God's name.
PRAYER: Lord God, I beseech You, open the eyes of my heart to glorify You in the name of Christ Jesus, Amen.
JOHN 12: 27 - 43 (NLT).
27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!
28 Father, bring glory to your name.”
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”
29 When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
30 Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine.
31 The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.
32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”
34 The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”
35 Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.
36 Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”
After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.
37 The Unbelief of the People
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him.
38 This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:
“Lord, who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?”
39 But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,
40 “The Lord has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts
so that their eyes cannot see,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and have me heal them.”
41 Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory.
42 Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.
43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
