John

Check out all the previous John readings here.

John Reading Plan | Week 13, Day 3

Prayer

Pause for a moment of quiet and stillness. To center yourself fully, take a deep breath in and exhale slowly. Repeat this process three times. Ask God to open your eyes to the amazing truths in His word today.

Bible Reading: John 8:21-30

Read these verses three times slowly.

Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”

This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”

“Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”

They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

Reflection & Questions

Is there any statement, when understood properly, that is more scary than, “Where I go, you cannot come”? Jesus is getting brutally honest with the Pharisees, and all that don’t believe in him. He tells them, “if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” Like the door of Noah’s ark shutting as the waters rose, so the door of heaven will close on judgement day, and only those who have believed in Jesus will have entered. The rest will die in their sins. They will not find forgiveness, nor grace, nor mercy. Their sin will remain on them and they will face judgement.

But, for those who believe in Jesus, their sin is taken away. They do not die in their sin. Why? Because He was the one “lifted up”. Like the figure of a snake that Moses lifted up in the desert and the Israelites who looked at it were saved from dying of snake bites, so Jesus was lifted up on the cross, and those who look to Him are saved. There is no one else who can give us eternal life. Eternal destinies are decided on our view of Jesus. For those who receive Him, where He goes, we can go.

1. What word or phrase sticks out to you from today’s verses? Why?
2. Pray for your ONE that they would receive Jesus.

Prayer

Talk to God in response to today’s reading.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

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Questions?