John 8:12-30 What Was It Like For The Rest Of Us?

I can't imagine what it would have been like to be a normal, average Jew living in Jerusalem back when Jesus was ministering on earth.  You would have no way to assure yourself of salvation, you (like all of us today) would have a very conscious awareness of your own sinfulness despite trying to live a good life, and then you'd look and see the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes who appeared to lead such righteous lives and appeared so informed about Scripture.  If they called someone a sinner, that person surely had no hope, because they would be shunned by everyone else for fear that they too would be called out for associating with such a sinner.

Yet here was this nice teacher, Jess, who tugged at their hearts with the words He spoke, who said God wasn't out to punish but to love, and whom those same leaders abhorred.  What could you do???

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world.  The person who follows Me will never live in darkness, but will have the light that gives life ... I am not alone.  The Father who sent Me is with Me ... I am one of the witnesses who speak about Myself, and the Father who sent me is the other witness ... You people are from here below, but I am from above ... I don't belong to this world ... You will die in your sins if you don't believe I am He."

They'd watch as the leaders fumed at His alleged heresy.  They saw the hate welling up in their leaders, not the joy they'd expected when Messiah arrived.  

The questions are still the same today.  What do you do?

Help me to show others Your answers, Father.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford