Wondering about Him or at Him?

S - John 10:22-30, 36-38 (TLJ): "It was winter, and the time came for the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. Jesus was in the Temple area at Solomon's Porch. The Jewish leaders gathered around him. They Said, 'How long will you make us wonder about you? If are the Messiah, then tell us clearly.' Jesus answered, 'I told you already, but you did not believe. I do miracles in my Father's name. These miracles show who I am. But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give my sheep eternal life. They will never die, and no one can take them out of my hand. My Father is the one who gave them to me, and he is greater than all. No one can steal my sheep out of his hand. The Father and I are one. … I am the one God chose and sent into the world.  If I don't do what my Father does, then don't believe what I say. But if I do what my Father does, you should believe in what I do. You might not believe in me, but you should believe in the things I do. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.'"

O - The God of the Religious Leaders would not heal on the Sabbath, but Jesus' God and Father not only would but did heal on the Sabbath.  The God of the Religious Leaders would only want people who were like themselves, but Jesus' God and Father wants all people. Jesus put an emphasis on what he does so that what he says may be clearly understood and known. The Religious Leaders put their emphasis on conclusions they said were from God and lived contrary to the very things they were saying. Jesus' life and identity was distinguished by his relationship with the Father while the Religious Leaders were identified only by religious observance. Jesus gives eternal life to his sheep while the Religious Leaders refuse life (John 5:39-40) and insist their sheep do the same thing.

A - Jesus worked with his Father and the Religious Leaders worked for a God they made up in their own minds and then tried to find Scriptures to justify their conclusions.  Jesus only did what his Father was doing when his Father was doing it; He only said what his Father was saying when and how his Father was saying it.  His actions and his words are a reflection of his relationship with his Father. Today he is still working with his Father and wants me/us to see what he is doing so that we can believe in him (the person not the concept). The religious were and always are afraid of something but Jesus is not and tells us to not be afraid of anything; and that he is always revealing someone. 

P - Lord who loves and speaks to his sheep,

You love us because you do and because your Father loves us too.  You want us for the same the reasons.  Today I want to love you back and follow and live out loud your words about earth on earth.  Today I want to see what you are doing and do it with you; to hear what you are saying and to grow in relationship with you in the security of your love and my adoption as your child. Thank you for want us to know you and your Father; for wanting us to live in you and to be with you forever. 

Following and listening,

Steve