Obedient to the Word

Isaiah 50:4a says, "The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak." The Lord God gave Jesus what He was to speak to the people. He faithfully taught the Father's message.

Jesus clarified this in John 8:21-32 as He spoke with the Jewish leaders in the temple: "Jesus said to them again, 'I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.' So the Jews said, 'Will He kill Himself, because He says, "Where I go you cannot come?"' And He said to them, 'You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.' Then they said to Him, 'Who are You?' And Jesus said to them, 'Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.' They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.' As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'"

The key thought is found in verses 26 and 28. Jesus said, "He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him" (v. 26b). "I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things" (v. 28b).

Jesus spoke what the Father gave Him. He faithfully preached the truth. "A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned" (Isa. 50:4b). But it was not always what the people wanted to hear. In John 6, Jesus told those who followed Him, that if they trusted in Him, they must willingly sacrifice as He did. They must show the same commitment as He did. Many responded, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" (v. 60). In other words, "who can accept it?" Jesus said plainly, "There are some of you who do not believe" (v. 64a). Then we read: "Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him" (v. 64b). So again He speaks plainly, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father" (v. 65). "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more" (v. 66).

The Word He spoke eventually led to His death. Knowing this, He still taught the truth faithfully, no matter the cost. Still He urged His disciples to trust in Him for their eternal life: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matt. 10:37-39). Take up your cross every day and teach the Word of Truth faithfully, just as Jesus did. Amen.