Hunkered Down Devotion

John 5:24 (Voice)
Jesus: 24 I tell you the truth: eternal life belongs to those who hear My voice and believe in the One who sent Me. These people have no reason to fear judgment because they have already left death and entered life.

There is an old story about a pastor who, on his first Sunday at his new church preaches a wonderful sermon.  After the service, many of the members stop and compliment him on the message.  The next Sunday, the pastor gets up and proceeds to preach the same exact sermon again.  

The people are a little confused at this point, but the pastor is new, so they give him the benefit of the doubt.  The third Sunday, the pastor gets up in worship and again preaches the exact same message.  At this point, some of the people have had it, they aren’t sure what the pastor is trying to accomplish, but they don’t like it.

Several members approach the church leadership and, after much discussion, a few members agree to go and talk to the pastor to address the issue.  They go to meet with the pastor and say, ‘We all loved the sermon we preached your first Sunday with us.  We were surprised to hear it again the next week.  After the third Sunday in a row, we feel like we have to ask you to move on and preach something different.

The pastor looks at them, and calmly replies, ‘I will be happy to preach a different sermon, as soon as y’all listen to the first one’.  

If I had to pick one message to repeat several weeks in a row, something that was important enough that it might be worth duplicating the message over and over, it might just be the words of Jesus in John 5:24.  

These words are the heart of gospel and contain the answer to the question at the root of most, if not all, of the spiritual searching that we do: what must I do to be saved?  Jesus, in simple and clear language lays it out for us: Eternal life belongs to those who hear My voice and believe in the One who sent Me.  

Figuring out exactly what it means to ‘hear’ Jesus’ voice is the work of a lifetime, and a task that, I don’t believe, is ever completed.  But it certainly begins with ‘believing in the one who sent Jesus.  

Trusting in God the Father, let us slow down, quiet ourselves and listen for the voice bringing the only message we need to hear – the message from God our Father, that we are loved and we are his beloved children.  

Sharing God’s Love,
Chip  

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to hear your voice and believe in the One that sent you. Amen.