John 7
September 21, 2022
“Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” (v17)
From a philosophical-epistemological standpoint, Jesus’ advice sounds backwards. He calls us to action, and says that will lead to certainty. Most truth-claims posit the evidence first, and then call for action. While there is plenty of evidence to support Jesus’ claims about Himself and His teaching, Jesus knows there are some things we can only come to certainty about after trusting Him to act on it.
Father, I praise You because Your ways are higher than my ways. And I thank You for how You led me to discover the vast amount of evidence that supports the claims of Christ. Yet I also confess that I often want more evidence and “one more sign” - like the religious people of John’s gospel. Remind me that deep certainty comes only after trusting You enough to take You at Your Word and put Your Word into practice. Help me to do that today.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
