The Greatest Tragedy

Today at church our pastor covered John 8:12-25. I took some notes and read along so I 'd like to share it with you.

Jesus was speaking with the Jewish Pharisees about who Jesus claimed to be. Jesus told them, "I am the light of the world." "Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." The Pharisees challenged Jesus saying he could testify as His own witness and that his testimony was valid. Jesus then told them that His testimony was valid because He knew where He came from and where He was going. He reminded them that in their holy scriptures it was written that the testimony of two men are valid, however, He said , "I am one who testifies for myself, my other witness is the Father, who sent me."

The tragedy to this is that without Jesus you will not be able to be where Jesus is when you die. Jesus told them "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come." How sad it is to me as I think of some of my family and friends who don't know Jesus as their Savior.

Self righteousness will cause you to die in your sin. Worldliness will cause you to die in your sin. (In verse 23 Jesus says, "You are of this world; I am not of this world.") Unbelief and/or willful ignorance will cause you to die in your sins. Verse 24 Jesus told them , "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." And lastly, the Pharisees asked him, Who are you? Jesus replied, "I have much to say in judgement of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world." verse 25

They did not understand that he was referring to God the Father. Jesus then told them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man (the crucifixion on the cross), then you will know that I am the one I claim to be, 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."

When Jesus was crucified there was 3 hours of total darkness that fell upon the earth. The holy veil in the Jewish temple where the priest went to sacrifice for forgiveness of sin for the Jewish people, was torn from top to bottom (not bottom to top). That was a sign that anyone can enter into the Lord's presence and ask forgiveness. Jesus made that possible for you and me.

I hope you will think about this and search your heart. Maybe you will consider asking Jesus to be Lord of your life. If not, the consequences of that decision are irreversible.