Today’s Reading: John 7:32-36
Hearing God’s Voice for Today:
“Jesus then said, ‘I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will see me, and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.’”
* * * * *
There is an old saying: “If you don’t like the message, kill the messenger.” That was the position of the chief priests and Pharisees— those who represented the ruling body of the Jews, called the Sanhedrin. After hearing Jesus’ teachings, they desired to arrest and kill him.
Jesus knew what would happen next. The Temple guard would attempt to arrest him. But they would not find him. His time to be arrested and die on the cross had not yet come.
When Jesus said, “Where I am you cannot come,” he was alluding to his future ascension. After his death and resurrection, he would return to his Father in heaven. He would sit at the Father’s right hand— having been given all power and authority to rule over the universe. From this position of power, Jesus will one day return to judge the living and the dead. He will give eternal life to some, and eternal condemnation to others.
Jesus was saying that when he ascended to heaven, he was going to a place where the chief priests couldn’t follow him. They didn’t believe in him. They wanted to kill him! How could people who wanted to kill him inherit the gift of eternal life? They couldn’t.
If you believe in Jesus, you have eternal life. It’s a free gift guaranteed to you—by grace through faith alone. Good works cannot earn this gift. You can never do enough good works to please the Father. That’s why Jesus needed to take the excruciating punishment of your sins upon himself and give you his righteousness.
Some call this “the great exchange.” You received the much better end of the deal. Jesus received your guilt, blame, shame, and punishment. You then received his forgiveness, grace, mercy, and kindness. He never remembers your sin. You also get to go to heaven. All this is given to you as a free gift. It is undeserved and unmerited.
Why would Jesus do this for you? Because of his love for you, and because he wants you to live in the power of his grace. When you receive his unconditional love, your life is forever changed. You start desiring to live how he wants you to live. Your life starts to reflect Jesus’ in and through you. You begin to be conformed to his image.
Live in that love today. Be consumed by his unconditional grace. Grab hold of it tenaciously. Make his grace your heart’s lifeline.
And know the truth that if you believe in him, you will go to the place where he is. Heaven will be your home.
If it weren’t so, Jesus wouldn’t have promised it to you.
[from “Hearing the Voice of God” by Pastor David Chadwick, Moments of Hope Church, Charlotte, NC]