Who Is Jesus?

Friday: March 23, 2018 –– 5th Week in Lent

John 10:31–42

Who Is Jesus?

Why doesn’t God answer our questions more clearly? Something bad happens and we ask God, “Why?” We face a hard decision and ask God, “What shall I do?” We’re given a difficult task and ask God, “How am I to do this?” Too often we do not get the plain answer we hoped for.

The Jews asked Jesus questions many times. They wanted straight answers and signs. Jesus gave answers and performed incredible signs, but not according to their expectations. So they could not “hear” him nor accept anything he did.

We want to identify with Jesus (and that’s good), but we might reflect on how we can be like the Jews who rejected Jesus in at least one way: How often do we not hear how God answers our questions because his answers are not what we expect?

God does not often answer our questions according to our expectations––Jesus didn’t, and Jesus said repeatedly that he and the Father are one; that he came to show us the Father. Jesus could have answered their questions in an overwhelming way (just as God could answer our questions in a way leaves no doubt). Why didn’t Jesus make himself clearly known?

God wants our love, and love does not overwhelm so that it becomes a power play. God wants and invites us to ask, but he also wants us to seek––not merely “answers” but what is good and beautiful and true so that we find him.

Those who were open to hearing and seeing Jesus as he really was began to believe in him. As John put it in another part of his Gospel: to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God (Jn 1:12).

Even today unbelief does not accept that Jesus is God. Some say he was a great prophet or a wonderful moral teacher or perhaps the best man who every lived––but not God. Some sects that call themselves “Christian” do not accept the full divinity of Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus says it so plainly, again and again, for those who are open to believe.

Whatever our questions are about God and how he answers, let’s be open and clear about one thing (and again it is John who tells us this as he begins his Gospel): No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known (Jn1:18).

Let’s keep our hearts focused on Jesus. Let’s listen to what God tells us through Jesus: If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. Believe Jesus. Trust in Jesus. He’ll take care of the rest.