Reading Plan:

John 5:19-25

Father, Son, Us 

Author: Kelly Lambert  

This passage starts with Jesus trying to explain to the naysayers His purpose, His mission, and His identity.  

Like Jesus, you have all experienced a time when you had to defend yourself to a parent because a sibling was trying to throw you under a bus for something you didn’t do, or we've simply experienced someone just trying to bring us down for doing something good.  

In these situations, all the attention is on you. You feel like you cannot do anything right, and even when you try to explain yourself, no one will listen.  

Jesus was faced with this same type of situation, but Jesus was accused of breaking a rule because He healed someone on the wrong day. In that day in time, religious and cultural constraints were held to a supreme level of importance. The rule that was frowned upon was HEALING A CRIPPLED MAN and carrying a mat on a sacred day, the Sabbath. A day when Jewish people were not allowed to work. Today, it would be like someone working on Christmas day and facing jail time for it. Crazy, right?  

In this craziness, Jesus was like, "Okay, if you cannot see who I am after I performed these miracles just because I did it on the wrong day, then I’m just going to tell you who I am."

Have you ever been there? Been sized up unfairly or accused of being something that you weren’t? Then you try to convince others of the truth, and no matter what you said they weren’t having it? Well, Jesus understands you. Even though He was perfect in every way, Jesus was probably seen as the most rebellious, sinful, and radical person in the eyes of the smartest, most law-abiding people in that culture’s day and time -  including teachers of the law and devoted followers of the Jewish law.

I love that we serve a God who was willing to experience the mess firsthand, share in the struggle, and fight with both hands tied behind His back for the sake of loving others. Jesus gets us, loves us, and is the most selfless person who has ever walked this earth, and His mission was for you and me.

“I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.” John 5:25  

Who are the dead? He is talking about YOU! He talking about ME! Before we believed and accepted Jesus, we were DEAD! He was also talking about His fellow Jews who were blinded by the act of keeping the laws and not recognizing Him. This is why God sent Jesus. God sent Him to offer salvation to the world. Jesus offers everlasting, unconditional love for EVERYONE! Jesus becomes our identity in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. We will no longer have to worry about proving ourselves to this world, navigating the schemes of this world, or ever feeling left out again. My focus becomes Jesus and sharing His love with those around us. When we believe and accept Jesus, we can experience this kind of love too. 

Praise God!

When we recognize who Jesus is and accept the gift of Him, we can rest on this truth written by Paul, an advocate of Jesus Christ who once hated Christians before he was redeemed by Jesus.  

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:37-39  

Wow! Praise God! Let this sink in. Jesus’s identity came from His Father, God's Son, in whom our identity can be found! In this truth, we place our faith, so that we may never be taken from HIM!

Reflection:

• Who were you before Christ? Who are you now with Christ? If you are puzzled or feel like you need to speak to someone about accepting Christ as your Savior, contact us at hello@venturechurch.org 
• Challenge: Read Romans 8:28-39 each day this week and journal how this has changed the way you look at your identity in Christ 
  
• Who can you share Christ's Story with? A family member? A friend?
  
• Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus. Jesus, thank you for making it so clear through Your obedience the depth of how much You love me. Thank You for welcoming me into the family, for loving me, and for seeing me as Your child. Help me to share this same love with those around me anywhere I go.  
  

Family Application: Jesus is God’s son.  

Author: Cooper Herrington

• Today, we are reading in John. John is one of the gospels. The gospels are about the life of Jesus. What we read today is Jesus telling people who He is and His mission.  
• Who is Jesus? (He is God’s Son, He is our Savior, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This list is just a start continue to use scripture to tell your kids about who Jesus is.)  
• Read John 3:16 with your family then challenge them to ask people who Jesus is. Share the truths from John 3:16.  
  
• Prayer: God, You are amazing! Thank You for sending Your son Jesus to die for me. God, help me tell the world the best news ever. Amen.