22. “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. 23. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24. "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. 25. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

The Jews were upset because Jesus healed the lame man and happened to pick the wrong day of the week.  When God created the world, He said He rested on the seventh day.  He told them to honor the Sabbath.  It was a day for the Lord, and no one was to do work on that day.       

Now when people began to define working on the Sabbath the restrictions got very long. One of the things on the list was forbidden to help someone get better.  You could prevent them from getting worse, but not helping someone getting better.  Jesus healed the man but instead of being excited about this man who for 38 years could not walk, the Jews were upset that Jesus did it on the Sabbath so they concluded he couldn’t possibly be from God.   

Jesus claimed to be doing the work of God. He also called God “my Father”, indicating an intimacy not expressed by Jews to God before.

This unique relationship tells us the Son will judge all people.  The Jews believed only the Father could judge, so in placing Himself in that role, Jesus is making Himself equal with God.  He not only broke Sabbath laws, but he was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. 

Acts 17:31 tells us the Father appointed the Son to judge the world.  Jesus is qualified to be the judge because of the unique relationship of being God-Man.  He knows exactly all that is in the heart and mind of the person as well as the actions.  He knows the holiness of God and the purity of the Father

The story of Jesus is in knowing we can have a relationship with God Almighty based on what He did for us on the cross. Based on that personal relationship gives us a new direction and purpose in living on this earth as well as eternity.  Imagine-we can know and serve our God!

What a wonderful thought “he (who believes) has crossed over from death to life”. Part of faith is believing, and part is receiving.  He gives us this privilege of passing also from death to life, just as He did.

“The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”        

Ultimate victory is in the power of who He is.  Who He was was finally determined at His resurrection.

Application:  Ponder what your reaction might have been in that day and the beliefs of the religious system

Prayer:  Lord, thank you that I am here now on this side of the cross observing all that you did for us to be able to enter the resurrection life while here on earth.   Bring us to a deeper more intimate relationship with You and the ability to share that faith with others.  

Dale