Our Father

Who is our Father? If you are a religious person, does that mean that God is a Father to you? Jesus struck at the heart of the matter when He had a conversation with the Jewish religious leaders.

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.
(John 8:37-44, King James Version)

If you are a religious person, does that mean that God is a Father to you? Jesus struck at the heart of the matter when He had the above conversation with the Jewish religious leaders. What does Jesus mean in verse 38?

I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

Understand, there are only two fathers: God the Father and Satan. Religious or not, the Jewish leaders could not understand Jesus' words because they were blinded by their father, the devil. Jesus knew their hearts, and also knew His end. He knew that they sought to kill Him, and would actually accomplish their desire.

He also knew that they were pronouncing their own doom. His death was a victorious death; His resurrection from the death conquered sin, but only for those who were true children of God, the Father.

In other words, Jesus was saying, our true hearts are revealed by our actions. If we are true children of God, we will desire to please and obey our Father in everything we do. If we are children of the devil, our hearts and lives will be filled with the sins of this earth: envy, anger, pride, lovers of selves, lying, and even hatred and murder!

It is with sober minds that we, as professing Christians, face our text from John 8 today. Who is our father? Are we like the Jewish religious leaders of Christ's day, or are we truly committed to our Father God? The answer is not found in what we say and do, but rather, the answer is found in our hearts!

Next: Honor or Dishonor - John 8:45-50