This amazing man who is God . . .

 

 

READ John 9-12

I received flowers on my birthday. How do I describe them? One at a time? The unity of their colors and shape? How they made me feel? Reading John and trying to describe Jesus is that type of challenge. Everything He did was exquisite. Put it all together and His beauty shines brighter than the sun.

He healed a man blind from birth, resulting in faith in Him, but upsetting the Pharisees with both the wonder of what He did and His rebuke about their blindness:

Jesus heard that they had cast (the healed man) out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. (John 9:35–41)

He claimed to be the good Shepherd, again resulting in a division between those who wondered if this was the Messiah and those who said He was demonic and insane. His words further upset the Jews:

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. (John 10:25–31)

He also raised His friend Lazarus from the dead. His sisters believed in Jesus as did others, but the religious leaders were afraid they would lose whatever power they had and “from that day on they made plans to put Him to death.” (John 11:45-53) That plot soon included Lazarus, the evidence of the perceived threat against them.

Later, Mary anointed Jesus and at least one of the disciples thought that was a waste of expensive perfume. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey and people applauded his arrival. Some Greeks were seeking  Him also. Then Jesus announced to His disciples that He must die. They didn’t seem to understand yet some believed He was the Messiah. He told them why He came:

“Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” (John 12:44–50)

When I read these events and incidents, they add up to the wonder of this Man who is God. He loves and saves all who put their faith in Him, yet His ability to perform signs and wonders is not necessarily the reason they believe. If that were so, everyone who experienced them would believe, but they did not. Some had hard hearts and later softened. Some followed and later abandoned Him. When I wonder why, the answer seems to be “only God” who somehow makes the difference. This too is a mystery. How does faith happen in one and not in another?

I don’t know. I just know that God graciously granted saving faith to me. As I pray for others, I know that this God-man Jesus hears and answers prayer. Because of who He is and His great love for all humanity, I also know He has the power and ability to save anyone.