“And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:16-18 KJV)
In these passages, we see the religious Jews hotly pursuing to persecute and seeking to kill the Lord Jesus Christ, not only for performing signs affirming who He is. They accuse Him of blasphemy for revealing that He is God! No one even took a slight notice of the miracle that has taken place, a supernatural work of God. He healed an ungrateful lame, instantly! He's the man, who these Jews have seen, languishing for quite a long while by the pool near the sheep market. Instead, they noticed the sleeping mat that the man carried as he walked, which they considered a 'work' that shouldn't be done on a Sabbath. The same accusation they cast on the Lord for performing a 'work' of miracle on a sabbath, a sin against their law. Such a stunning display of hypocrisy these religious leaders have. It's beyond human perception, the magnitude of their blindness. They allow the eye patches of religion to keep them in the dark. They are focused on physical rest, instead of interring the spiritual rest in grace by faith Christ Jesus.
Yes, they accused the Lord of disobeying their law on Sabbath rest which they observed by self-effort of showmanship, but failed. No one did (Romans 3:23). But, the Lord Jesus came by supplying with grace for inner righteousness the demands of the law through faith and with the power of the Holy Spirit. He, who being in every nature God, made Himself nothing, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death (Philippians 2:6-8), He alone can fulfill the law, as He affirmed: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17 NIV)
The signs manifest, with the miracles that's been displayed, affirm that the only begotten Son of God is come in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We enter the true rest by faith in Him, as it is written: “God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest.” (Hebrews 4:1-3a NLT)
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
(When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.)
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
PFC Ministries
(When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.)
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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