John 8:42-43 The spirit of family
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.”
John 8:42-43 NKJV
We imitate that which we love
The writer of Hebrews says Jesus was the exact representation of his Father’s nature (Hebrews 1:3). The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart. If I love the invisible God, then I encounter Jesus — as a man, his personality, his presence, his kindness — wouldn’t I also love him? Only if I knew and valued my Father. There is a distinction between being a member of an organization and embodying its heart and values. For example, I can say, “I’m prepared” because I know that’s the motto of the Boy Scouts, but saying it makes me neither a scout nor prepared. Similarly, I may be in love with the idea of being married but genuinely dislike my spouse. As one who claims devotion to God, if I truly love God — I will love His son, not just the idea that some day the Messiah will come.
Family sticks together
Taking what Jesus said a step further, if I love God, I will also recognize, then respect and honor his other sons and daughters and expect the same in return. Those who belong to his kingdom will have certain traits in common. Chosen traits, such as to forgive rather then seek vengeance, speaking truth instead of manipulating another with lies, valuing integrity over whatever else may suit my purpose in the moment. Yes, these are character traits I must choose, but the net result is a unique and “kingdom-like” presence. Forgiveness, grace, enthusiasm, advocacy, and deference for the family of God. When Jesus said, “you would love me,” he reveals a core truth of the kingdom: God’s kids know and recognize each other. It’s not a secret handshake or a code word. It’s the Spirit of God within me pulling and drawing me almost magnetically to himself. It’s a kingdom law. The attraction we have to each other is the very powerful bond that connects the body of Christ. Just like the cells of my body know how to be absolutely unique within the context of a body while offering devotion and focus to the desire and direction of the head — Jesus Christ.
Jesus makes it clear: they do not hear his words, spoken or unspoken. They do not hear the sounds of the kingdom that pour out of the heavens daily (Psalm 19). His only possibly conclusion is that God is not their Father.
Jesus became the messenger
As I muse on these words this morning, it strikes me how many times Jesus said this. He didn’t choose to come, he was sent. He didn’t decide which words to speak, God gave them to him. It’s almost as though he was saying: “I didn’t choose to be the Messiah or in this cross-ending occupation. He asked me to. I would have been fine living for and loving my Father independent of this public exposure and these confrontations, yet His desire compels me forward. The role he asked me to take in being the Messiah, ends with me also being the lamb that was slain. I understand this — and choose to accept it out of love, not out of ambition or power-seeking. This is something that you will find difficult to understand because the nature of man is fashioned after their desires and values, and those who model those values (in this case, the devil). You can’t imagine doing anything without receiving some sort of benefit or payment. But that’s not how the kingdom works. Love acts even if it doesn’t get anything in return. Just ask any mother.”
The contrast he draws between taking (his own) initiative and obedience is striking. In Christian culture, obedience is a core value. It’s expected. Yet the reality is that man was born independent, constantly choosing exactly what he wants or doesn’t want. This is the free will all creatures have — despite how predictable we may be. It is not a negative or positive thing; We are born to express our initiative. It’s normal. What is not normal is doing what someone else wants of us.
Don’t give up your freedom in Christ
Following this line of thinking a little further, today it is surprising how quickly humans allow other humans to manipulate them into willing subservience, setting up all sorts of authorities, leaders, and positions from which to control. Of course, we must cooperate with each other. We establish laws which we expect populations to respect. Likewise, children, who know nothing at birth grow quickly into adults and transition into this freedom. Understandably, during this process they must “obey” parents for a season — until their capacity to think, behave, and self-govern is established. But the fact is, all people have been endowed with the incredible power of individuality and self-determination — until someone deceives me into yielding it up.
You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? … did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
Portions of Galatians 3:1-5 NASB1995
The Jews at the time of Christ understood this individuality. Yet they were determined to view everything from the perspective of their mind and the Law from which they derived their validation—completely missing the Spirit. For Jesus to say, “I am not initiating, I am obeying,” is huge. He’s claiming delegated behavior. Based on what the listener hears or the viewer sees, one can decide on their own if this is true. Regarding Jesus, they had all the proof they needed— but it was evidence that they did not value, because they could not hear the Holy Spirit — they were part of a different family with a different spirit.
From that perspective, I begin to understand why he created a distinction between himself (his will and his ambition) and his Father and what He was asking him to do. He was claiming that God, from whom they claimed lineage and family, sent him to do family business. Although Jesus and his Father were wonderfully and beautifully amalgamated or entwined, God and the man were still clearly two individuals. And it was God who even sent him to have this present conversation.
Jesus was taking their pushback at face value — they didn’t recognize who he was and didn’t have a heart to listen to the message he delivered. If not God’s kids, then whose?
Ahh, that conclusion is a tough message and a tough pill to swallow. Yet, the very act of calling it out like he was, should give them hope. Their reply could have been, “Oh my! You’re right, we have completely missed the important things of your Dad and have broken his heart. What should we do?”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t.