A Case for Loving Jesus

John 8:35-44 says…

35.And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36.If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
37.I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38.I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39.They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40.But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41.Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42.Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43.Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44.Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Don’t you sometimes find Jesus’ words striking? Isn’t some of what He says shocking?

The fleshly nature rebels before being brought back to reality by the Holy Spirit.

Yet it’s understandable to see how the Pharisees at times reacted the way they did.

Here’s an example of what I mean. Consider what Jesus said in John 8:42. “If God were your Father, ye would love me.”

What if someone came up to you and said, “If you know my father, you will love me.”

Those are bold words.

But think of it this way. Suppose you meet a young man who claims he’s the son of a man who has been a good friend for years. Wouldn’t you hold that young man in high esteem because you know his father?

Did Jesus expect any less from the religious leaders of His day? Does He expect anything less of you and me today?

It’s true. If we know God, the Father, shouldn’t we love Jesus?

On the other hand, if the young man in our above illustration were the son of the town bully, what would you expect from him?

Jesus is the Son of the Father, the One True God. Do you know Him? If so, will others see a glimpse of Him when they see you?