The Word became flesh

...and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. “Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don’t have God’s love within you. For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. John 5:38-43

From the text, the Lord Jesus Christ was very critical to the religious leaders. They have spent their entire lives studying the Old Testament and still missed out in experiencing its message and the revelation provided for the coming of the Messiah. There are people that read the Bible yet do not experience the impact of its power. God had purposed that His word will pierce our hearts. “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12). Why do some people come to the Scripture, read them, yet still come out not trusting the Savior? This is what the Lord Jesus Christ addressed from the text. The religious leaders regarded the Scripture that they thought having a deeper study of the parchment and letters that by doing it will lead to salvation. They believed that life was found in the letters of the Scriptures. And yet inspite of their ability to quote the Scriptures they rejected the coming of Jesus and His fulfillment of the prophecies that He is the Messiah. We could memorize the entire Bible and be able to discuss minute issues of biblical scholarship and yet fail to experience the truths found in its pages. It is a subtle temptation to prefer the book to the Author. The Author of the Bible, God, is seeking out a relationship with us. The Pharisees, Scribes and other religious leaders in Jesus’ day thought God would be pleased with their knowledge of His Word. Yet Jesus reproved them because, although they knew the Scriptures, they did not know God. They were proud of their Bible knowledge, but they rejected the invitation to know God’s Son. The Word of God was given to us to point us to the beautiful realities of Christ and God. The Scripture is not the end in itself but a window through which we can look through and see that there is a Savior that was born, given His life for us so that we can experience the life that He offers. “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God... So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:1, 14).

Blessings,

Noel De Guzman

www.my-wbc.com