Today’s Devotion
Topic: My Father Is Always At His Work!
(Self Assessment 185)
Background: Last week we studied Jesus’ encounter with an invalid of thirty eight years at the pool called Bethesda. The man had earlier explained that he had no one to help him into the pool when the water is stirred. So that each time he would try to get in, someone else goes down ahead of him.
Jesus commands him up and the invalid is completely well. Now this was a Sabbath day so the jewish leaders will not be too pleased about it. Let us continue down that same passage and see how Jesus got along their hostility and also, what His reason will be for appearing not to observe the Sabbath the way they expected. Call the family together, IT’S TIME TO STUDY GOD’S WORD.
Text: John 5: 16- 23
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. Amen
Questions:
1. Kindly read verse 16 again. From your knowledge of the gospels, what do you think the bible mean by “these things”, in the verse we just read?
2. In His defense, Jesus makes a statement so profound, “MY FATHER IS ALWAYS AT HIS WORK TO THIS VERY DAY, AND I TOO AM WORKING”. What does this blessed statement mean to you and why will you agree that the body of Christ should be of great cheer because of this?
3. Kindly read verse 18 again. Why did the Jewish leaders try all means to kill Jesus? Why do you think eliminating Him seemed best for them rather than employing any other means to coerce Jesus to ‘conform’ to their ways?
4. You may read in verses 19 to 21 again:
a) In your own words, kindly explain the message Jesus was trying to put across.
b) How does that message, in your opinion, explain why Jesus wouldn’t care if a day was Sabbath or not before doing anything He did, though it be considered as dishonoring the Sabbath.
c) From you deep meditation and analysis of these verses do you think Jesus was actually dishonoring the Sabbath? Explain your answer.
5. Verse 22- 23 explains that the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgement to the Son, that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. What’s your understanding of this statement? How does it justify the good Jesus did anywhere and everywhere to represent what He saw the Father do though it sometimes irritated the Jewish leaders?
6. How should Jesus’ revelations in these verses help today’s believers get along, even when they do not see or feel God near in their circumstance?
7. What have you learnt from today’s Bible study?
Kindly reply us through this same social media platform (WhatsApp/ Facebook). We learn so much from the answers you provide.
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