So, as if He had finally had enough, Jesus confronts the religious leaders and calls them on their self-righteous stupidity. It was a very reasoned but direct way to tell them that they would never be happy with the truth. Jesus stood looking at the men that the community considered His Father’s ambassadors with disdain and sadness. They roamed the countryside dressed in their religious garb and pontificated, debated, and corrected the people on the finer points of tradition and Jewish law.
All the while, they told the people that if they would simply act as told; it would give God reason to finally send the Messiah. Jesus told them that , in fact, the Messiah stands before you and you will neither listen to Him, believe, nor accept Him!??!
The Lord went on to say that even though John came and prepared and announced the coming of the Messiah, they were unwilling to believe that. Now that Jesus was there, doing the will of the Father, loving the lost, healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead; still, they would rather criticize and kill him than to simply accept God’s gift and live.
Jesus went on to remind these men that while He was Messiah, He was not there to receive praise of men. He came to demonstrate the truth of who the Father was, and how He loved and wanted to restore Israel. In short, Jesus did not need these men’s praise or approval, but the time would come that they would desperately long for and beg for His approval.
When people are blessed with the knowledge of the Savior, they are also given the responsibility to share the truth and spread the message. We are not to expect some special “Pat on the back”, but, instead we simply share the saving news to bless those that need the Lord. Those that think they need to somehow accomplish salvation by knowledge or deed will always be at odds with the Lord.
We are to be grateful and to live in the comfort of the grace Jesus offers. While we are doing that, others will see Jesus in us and desire the peace and salvation He offers. That is when we must be ready to give an account of who Jesus is and what He has done in our lives.
God Bless You
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.
33 “You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study[c] the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[d]?
45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
Walking With God 