Devos- Pinedale Christian Church

Monday
Jul 4th, 2022

By: Matthew Sink

The Gospel of John-Day 21

John 5:19-29 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Jesus is God. This was the “sticking point” for the Jews in Jesus’ day, and it remains the sticking point. Jesus was more than a good teacher; more than a miraculous healer; more than a gifted storyteller – from the beginning He claimed equality with God. That put the Jews in the same boxed-in position it puts us. If Jesus is who He says He is, how can I do anything but follow Him? And how can He NOT be who He says again. He spoke with authority; He worked signs and wonder with authority; He even demonstrated authority over the grave.

One thing I like in today’s verses is how Jesus makes it clear: “I can do the things I do because the Father empowers me to do them.” There is something profound in that for you and me. In ourselves, we have no strength or power or authority ... but in Him, we have the strength, power, and authority of the Almighty God.

Today, I can’t control what happens.

I can’t know the future.

I can’t please everyone I meet.

I can’t make other people think like I think.

I can’t solve every problem I encounter.

Those are not things God has given me. On the other hand:

I can trust God with everything that happens today.

I can recognize His fingerprints on every person I encounter.

I can choose to let go of the things I can’t change.

I can choose not to worry about tomorrow.

I can control my tongue.

I can forgive and be forgiven.

I can make it my goal to please God today, knowing that means dying to myself and living for His glory.