“It’s urgent that you get this right.” ~~Jesus

Jesus expects us to have a sense of urgency. His passion for doing God’s will right now is overwhelming. He knows what God’s “mission for this moment” is.

He demands that we follow God’s new plan. It is an urgency to do the right thing now which is God’s thing.

But it is not do just anything. God has something in mind. He will reveal it to us. Our job is to do it and not ignore it.

“It’s urgent that you get this right.” ~~Jesus  (John 5:25-27 The Message)

“If I were simply speaking on my own account, it would be an empty, self-serving witness.” ~~Jesus

Jesus knows who He is. He relies on His Father in everything He does. God Himself gave witness. It is God’s work, that He accomplishes that is Jesus’ additional witness. God, the work God gave Him and the Holy Spirit all bear witness to who Jesus is.

We can trust what Jesus says to us. It comes directly from our heavenly Father.

“If I were simply speaking on my own account, it would be an empty, self-serving witness.” ~~Jesus (John 5:30-33 The Message)

“It’s urgent that you listen carefully to this.”~~Jesus (3 Radical things to do)

We all want to live. Before Jesus, we were in the world of the dead. We knew it then and we fully understand that now.

Jesus shows us how to live in the world of the living. He puts it to us simply. These are all radical and demand our full devotion.

1. Believe what Jesus says.
2. Align ourselves with the Father.
3. Put Jesus in charge.

“It’s urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living.”” ~~Jesus (John 5:24 The Message)

Are we missing the forest for the trees?

Jesus had a lot to say to the Religious Scholars of His day. He still does. Do we really think reading the Bible constantly saves us? Is that where our life comes from? Are we missing the forest for the trees?

Jesus is standing right in front of us. He is giving us life right now.

You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want. John 5:39-40 (The Message)

If Jesus does it …

Even Jesus – God the Son – consulted with God the Father before doing anything. How much more should we consult with him before any action?

How much do I need to budget for groceries? Let me consult with my Father.

Should I go to the party I was invited to after church? Let me consult with my Father.

Should I work in this ministry or serve in that way? Let me consult with my Father.

I do nothing without consulting the Father…… John 5:30a

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“I know that love, especially God’s love, is not on your working agenda. ” ~~Jesus

Jesus is direct with us. He can do nothing but say what He hears His Father say. He knows God’s agenda. His only desire is to do exactly what God wants Him to. He is  speaking to us this way so that we will be saved.

He challenges us is to love. Completely and with our whole heart. This quote is actually from  a very long rant that Jesus gave to the religious (Jews) in church (The Temple) one day. To get it in context read all of John 5.

We need to be careful. Going to church may make us feel good but it won’t “save us”. May Jesus never say this of us as he said to the religious people of His day.

“I know that love, especially God’s love, is not on your working agenda. ” ~~Jesus (John 5:41-44 The Message)

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“The Son gives life to anyone He chooses to.” ~~Jesus

Jesus makes it clear he has authority, even to give life. He demands that we understand this. It is core to the new agreement we have with God through Him.

No one is making Him do it. He does it because He wants to.

Jesus doesn’t shut anyone out. God handed all authority to judge over to Jesus. Anyone who dishonors Jesus, dishonors God, for it was God’s decision to put Jesus in the place of honor.

Jesus chooses to give us life. That is the good news we have today and forever.

“The Son gives life to anyone He chooses to.” ~~Jesus (John 5:20-23 The Message)

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“The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing.” ~~Jesus

As mothers and fathers, we understand the love that we have for our children. Magnify that by a factor of billions and that is the love that our heavenly Father has for His son Jesus. And that is the kind of love He also has for us.

Jesus is included in everything God has in mind for us. When Jesus speaks, he knows what He is saying. His Father has told Him everything. We can trust it.

“The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing.” ~~Jesus (John 5:19-20 The Message)

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“Get up, take your bedroll, start walking.” ~~Jesus

Jesus has the authority to heal. And He does. When He says something, you can take it to the bank.

For this man, who was crippled and couldn’t walk, it was a simple get up and start walking. The man took action on what Jesus said. His belief and action did it. He was healed.

“Get up, take your bedroll, start walking.” ~~Jesus (John 5:8-9 The Message)

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“I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide to act.” ~~Jesus

Jesus only does what he hears the Father say to do. That is His standard for us as well. We are living in His new government if we do what God asks us to do. Jesus knows the source of his power and life. The life of a disciple of Jesus is one all about listening to God and deciding to act on what He wants us to do. That is the source of power in His world.

Notice the sequence.

• Listen
• Decide
• Act

“I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide to act.” ~~Jesus (John 5:30-33 The Message)

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“You look wonderful! You’re well!” ~~Jesus

He had been crippled for 38 years. Now that is a long time. Jesus healed him. Not a problem. He is perfectly aligned with His Father. He has a new plan. It is a new agreement. And when Jesus heals us, we look wonderful.

And, it is Good News all the time. God has a goal for us. We should listen to Jesus and not miss it. Who knows what could happen.

“You look wonderful! You’re well! Don’t return to a life of missing God’s goal or something worse might happen.” ~~Jesus (John 5:14 The Message)

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“But my purpose is not to get your vote. I’m speaking to you this way so that you will be saved.” ~~Jesus

Jesus has a focus. He isn’t trying to be popular. He wants us to be saved from a life of not meeting God’s goal for our life. That is his focus. He is direct to challenge us come to God.  He shows us with supernatural miracles what God wants to do.

Do we hear what He is saying? Will we be saved?

“But my purpose is not to get your vote, and not to appeal to mere human testimony. I’m speaking to you this way so that you will be saved.” ~~Jesus (John 5:34-38 The Message)

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“What the Father does, the Son does.” ~~Jesus

Jesus is perfectly aligned with His Father, God. That is the source of His power. That is His challenge to us. Become aligned with God our Father. Pray, “On earth as it is in Heaven.”

How is it in Heaven? What is God doing? Answer that and do that is what Jesus demands.

Pray, “Your will be done.”  What does God want to happen right now? Answer that and pray for that. Do that.

Jesus challenges us “to do” what God is doing. That is His way.

“What the Father does, the Son does.” ~~Jesus  (John 5:19-20 The Message)

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“Anyone who dishonors the Son, dishonors the Father, for it was the Father’s decision to put the Son in the place of honor.” ~~Jesus

God the Father and Jesus the Son are the same. Dishonor one and you dishonor the other. Jesus said this to religious people and challenged them to believe Him. We love to speak of God. Do we love to say the name of Jesus the same way?

Does Jesus have the same place of honor in our lives as God does?

“Anyone who dishonors the Son, dishonors the Father, for it was the Father’s decision to put the Son in the place of honor.” ~~Jesus (John 5:23 The Message)

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What is Jesus focused on?

Jesus is perfectly aligned with God. He knows He can’t doing anything without God. Jesus is determined to follow God’s plan all the way and everyday for eternity. And that is a very long time.

How does he operate? He looks to see what God is doing and He does it. He has no desire to do his own thing. He doesn’t know what that means. He only knows that he must do what he sees his Father doing. That is all. That is it. That is the main thing about the main thing.

He challenges us to do the same. We must take on God’s own nature. We must do what we see God doing. That is all. That is it.

“I’m telling you this straight. The Son can’t independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing.” ~~Jesus (John 5:19 The Message)

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“Don’t act so surprised at all this.” ~~Jesus

Jesus tells us everything we need to know. We know God’s plan. We know what He wants. If nothing else, find someone to love right now. He makes everything clear. There are no surprises with Him.

God gave the plan to men of God way in advance. He made it know. There shouldn’t be any surprises at all.

“Don’t act so surprised at all this.” ~~Jesus (John 5:28-29 The Message)

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“My Father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I.” ~~Jesus

Jesus rattles the religious leaders. He does it all the time. It is intentional. No, I didn’t mean to do that kind of world with our Master.

One day, a Sunday, He healed someone. The religious leaders criticized Him. “The Law” didn’t allow for that. No work. Period!! It didn’t stop Him. All Jesus does is what He sees the Father do. He sees God working 24/7. He does the same. His mission is be obedient to what God wants Him to do. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.

Jesus challenges us to see what God is doing and do it. We are His ambassadors. That may get us in trouble with the religious leaders.

“My Father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I.”  ~~Jesus (John 5:17 The Message)

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Half empty or half full? Finally the answer

Jesus promises that I will do even greater things than He did.

So … how is this possible? Well, I must follow the way He did it. He emptied Himself. He only did what He saw His Father doing. His power wasn’t in who He was. His power is in who His Father is.

So the age old question; “Half empty or half full?” is actually a false question. The answer is: completely empty. That is the answer to the question not asked. I must be filled with His HOLY Spirit.

That is what I must do. What is my Father doing? That is what I should do. His will be done. Here in my house as it is in heaven.

I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. John 5:19

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“But don’t think I’m going to accuse you before my Father.” ~~Jesus

Jesus is clear about His role. He is the one who saves us from missing God’s goal for our life. He is the one gives us this great gift of life that will never end.

Jesus is also clear that others may accuse us. He was talking to the religious leaders of His day. The believed what Moses said, but they didn’t believe Jesus. Do we believe what Joel Osteen says but not Jesus? Do we believe Rick Warren but not Jesus?

The essence is that we must believe Jesus. May I do that always.

“But don’t think I’m going to accuse you before my Father.” ~~Jesus (John 5: 45 The Message)

” How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God?” ~~Jesus

Jesus challenges us to stop being competitive. We are always comparing ourselves with others. It is a serious problem. It makes us feel better that we are better off than someone else.

We have all fallen short of what God has in mind for us. We miss the mark. Worrying about how we compare to others has us ignoring God.

“How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God?” ~~Jesus (John 5)