'Equal with God' - John 5:18

So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill [Jesus]. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.

—John 5:18 NLT

Key Thought​

John's Gospel confronts us with a crucial decision: Is Jesus really the Son of God, God with us in human flesh? John paints the story of Jesus so we see that he claims to be God in the "I am" statements, for example:

• "I am the bread of life."
• "I am the light of the world."
• "I am the good shepherd."
• "I am the resurrection and the life." [1]

These "I Am" statements tie Jesus to the revelation of Israel's God. [2] Jesus does only what the Father wants him to do. [3] Jesus and the Father are one. [4] If we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father. [5] While we may not fully grasp what the assertion "Jesus is the Son of God" [6] truly means, Jesus' opponents in his own day did. They knew he was making himself equal with God. Their reaction was appropriate for them because they believed Jesus was a blasphemer who must be stopped. Indeed, either he was a delusional power-grabbing religious rebel who must be thwarted, or he is God with us, Immanuel, Son of God, and our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. What is your decision?
[1] John 6:35, 8:12, 10:7, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1.
[2] Exodus 3, especially Exodus 3:14.
[3] John 6:38.
[4] John 10:30.
[5] John 14:9.
[6] 1 John 4:15.

Today's Prayer​

Father in heaven, thank you for being God come in human flesh. Jesus shows me so much of who you are and how you care about me. Forgive me for the times I have not held you in appropriate reverence. Forgive me for the times that I have robbed your incarnation of its grit and mortality. I confess that I cannot fully comprehend how divine incarnation works, but I do know this, dear Father: I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son and my great God and Savior. In his name, I pray and praise you. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings​

• John 1:1-2, 14, 18
• John 14:6-11
• Titus 2:11-14

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Ⓒ 1996-2022 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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[Clarabelle]

So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill [Jesus]. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.

—John 5:18 NLT

Key Thought​

John's Gospel confronts us with a crucial decision: Is Jesus really the Son of God, God with us in human flesh? John paints the story of Jesus so we see that he claims to be God in the "I am" statements, for example:

• "I am the bread of life."
• "I am the light of the world."
• "I am the good shepherd."
• "I am the resurrection and the life." [1]

These "I Am" statements tie Jesus to the revelation of Israel's God. [2] Jesus does only what the Father wants him to do. [3] Jesus and the Father are one. [4] If we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father. [5] While we may not fully grasp what the assertion "Jesus is the Son of God" [6] truly means, Jesus' opponents in his own day did. They knew he was making himself equal with God. Their reaction was appropriate for them because they believed Jesus was a blasphemer who must be stopped. Indeed, either he was a delusional power-grabbing religious rebel who must be thwarted, or he is God with us, Immanuel, Son of God, and our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. What is your decision?
[1] John 6:35, 8:12, 10:7, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1.
[2] Exodus 3, especially Exodus 3:14.
[3] John 6:38.
[4] John 10:30.
[5] John 14:9.
[6] 1 John 4:15.

Today's Prayer​

Father in heaven, thank you for being God come in human flesh. Jesus shows me so much of who you are and how you care about me. Forgive me for the times I have not held you in appropriate reverence. Forgive me for the times that I have robbed your incarnation of its grit and mortality. I confess that I cannot fully comprehend how divine incarnation works, but I do know this, dear Father: I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son and my great God and Savior. In his name, I pray and praise you. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings​

• John 1:1-2, 14, 18
• John 14:6-11
• Titus 2:11-14

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Ⓒ 1996-2022 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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God the Father sent His only Son to save us from sin and evil. Be thankful, be grateful. God is so merciful and kind to all of us. Jesus is the Way to enter heaven.

 

[Rizakar]

I do know this, dear Father: I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son and my great God and Savior. In his name, I pray and praise you. Amen.

 

[Petersen]

So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill [Jesus]. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.

—John 5:18 NLT

Key Thought​

John's Gospel confronts us with a crucial decision: Is Jesus really the Son of God, God with us in human flesh? John paints the story of Jesus so we see that he claims to be God in the "I am" statements, for example:

• "I am the bread of life."
• "I am the light of the world."
• "I am the good shepherd."
• "I am the resurrection and the life." [1]

These "I Am" statements tie Jesus to the revelation of Israel's God. [2] Jesus does only what the Father wants him to do. [3] Jesus and the Father are one. [4] If we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father. [5] While we may not fully grasp what the assertion "Jesus is the Son of God" [6] truly means, Jesus' opponents in his own day did. They knew he was making himself equal with God. Their reaction was appropriate for them because they believed Jesus was a blasphemer who must be stopped. Indeed, either he was a delusional power-grabbing religious rebel who must be thwarted, or he is God with us, Immanuel, Son of God, and our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. What is your decision?
[1] John 6:35, 8:12, 10:7, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1.
[2] Exodus 3, especially Exodus 3:14.
[3] John 6:38.
[4] John 10:30.
[5] John 14:9.
[6] 1 John 4:15.

Today's Prayer​

Father in heaven, thank you for being God come in human flesh. Jesus shows me so much of who you are and how you care about me. Forgive me for the times I have not held you in appropriate reverence. Forgive me for the times that I have robbed your incarnation of its grit and mortality. I confess that I cannot fully comprehend how divine incarnation works, but I do know this, dear Father: I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son and my great God and Savior. In his name, I pray and praise you. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings​

• John 1:1-2, 14, 18
• John 14:6-11
• Titus 2:11-14

---

Ⓒ 1996-2022 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Continue reading...

Jesus the Son of the living God has come to earth to save us from sin and evil and opening the door for us to enter heaven. Let us all praise, honor and glorify the Lord now and forever more. Amen