PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: John 5:41-47
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“I do not accept glory from human beings…” (John 5:41)
What does it mean to give glory to someone?
It is to praise, honour, celebrate, or boast about them.
Everyone lives for an audience; we want to feel loved and valued.
We seek love and value, because that is what we lost when we left God.
Without God, we starve for love and value, and do almost anything to get it.
A heart void of God’s love is desperate for love and affirmation.
Jesus challenges these religious leaders – they are void of God’s love.
Therefore, they accept anything that fills the void.
Anyone that serves them by affirming and glorifying them.
If they truly served Moses, they would be serving and loving God.
And they would see in Jesus that he too was not serving himself but God.
Jesus basically says: ‘I don’t need your praise, I’ve got God’s love!’
Am I serving God out of the fullness of God’s love?
Or am I serving myself, out of the the emptiness within my soul?
PRAYER
Lord, remind me that I do not need to impress anyone to get their approval, because you already love and value me, and your love excels all others.
“but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him” – It is so easy to be deceived – many voices and philosophies and interpretations – can easily sidetrack me. Lord Jesus hold me firmly to your words, to your teaching – by your Spirit I pray. May I stay steadfast on track with you! You are the word of life – the living water. I want to see you and drink of that living water!
The religious leaders were full of themselves and desired the praise of men. They wanted to be seen for living their way, according to their rules receiving the praises of man. They were self-serving. That made them deaf to God’s word. They had ears to hear but only heard their own words.
Open the ears to my heart Lord that I daily hear Your voice saying, This is the way. Walk in it. Lead and guide me by Your Spirit.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
To see You high and lifted up
Shinin’ in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy