Scripture to Read: John 10:29–30
Jesus never backed away from His Truth as He talked with the religious leaders of His day. We must remember that these same religious leaders would have known the first five books of the Bible incredibly well. They would have also known many of the prophecies about the coming Messiah. But even with all of their head knowledge, their hearts were cold, dark, and dead (Ephesians 2:1–3) and that is why they could not see Jesus as their Lord, King, Savior, and Friend. Jesus continued and told them in John 10:29–30, “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. 30 I and the Father are one.” The fact that God has chosen us as His own is incredibly humbling. God’s Word is clear in Ephesians 1:4–5, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will. God chose us even before we were born. It was and is His perfect plan to adopt us as His children and for His children to be holy and blameless through the shed blood of Christ our King. But, though He has chosen His creation to know Him, not all of His creation will choose Him back. All are invited, but those indifferent, antagonistic, and unchanged by the gospel will be separated from our Lord.
Challenge & Application
• What knowledge did the religious leaders already have and why was that knowledge insufficient?
• What has God the Father done for us through Christ and why is this so important to understand?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!