Hearing The Voice of God
Verse 29 Controversy over Jesus divided the crowds. Now a voice from heaven divided them even more now. Some thought it was a clap of thunder and others claimed it was an angel. God’s voice thundered throughout the Old Testament. But most thought this was just a natural weather disturbance, not actually the voice of God. And then some wanted to say this must be some kind of supernatural sound. Still not attributing the voice to God.
This is the third time in the bible that God validated His Son with an audible voice.
God is always speaking to us. The question is, are we listening?
“For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death. Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds, with ceaseless aching in their bones.” Job 33:14-19 NLT
If Jesus is alive and actively speaking to us, it changes how we experience and share Jesus in this world. It changes how we glorify God.
Who Jesus is to us changes who we are in this world.
Many want to hear God just out of curiosity, not out of genuine faith. God sees the motives of the heart and communicates to those who desire to hear and receive Him, and are willing to obey Him.
Verse 30 Jesus told his disciples that this voice was for their sake. They were having a hard time believing that death was required of him. If God wanted to encourage Jesus, He could have whispered it in his ear. But the Father validated the Son with an audible voice so that his followers might believe and submit to Jesus. God may have also said this to comfort the disciples as they thought of Jesus’ impending suffering.
The Word Fulfilled
Verse 31 The hour has come for the Word to be fulfilled about a Savior who would set sinners free and give lasting victory to all those who will believe. If we believe Jesus set us free, we will live like we are free from shame, worry, or any stronghold that tries to hold us down. If we live a freeing life, we will want to help set other captives free as well by sharing Jesus.
God’s judgment comes in the death of Jesus, who would take responsibility for our disobedience and hang between our guilt and a righteous God as the sacrifice for our sins. If we believe this about Jesus, we will live with a thankful heart and pour out this gratitude into the world.
Jesus will defeat the devil and settle every sin debt once and for all. It is as good as done. If we believe He did that for us, it will ignite our faith and we will live out of the overflow of a conquering King who reigns over our hearts.
The devil tried to destroy Jesus’ faith in His Father and sway His obedience to undermine the work of salvation on the cross. But Jesus glorified God on the cross and His death broke the power of death in our lives. The deceiver lost his grip. This is the dividing line between those condemned by unbelief and those vindicated by their faith.
The cross is a pivotal point for all who place their hope in Jesus. Who Jesus is to us changes who we are in this world. It shapes our character.
To those who find Jesus on the cross as defeat and nonsense, they will find their destiny in darkness and hell. They limit their hope to shame when they reject the offer of forgiveness.
The Cross Is Our Freedom
To believers who see Jesus on the cross as the wisdom and power of God on display, they live with hope and thanksgiving in all circumstances, knowing eternity will greet them at the grave. Even suffering and sadness cannot uproot the satisfying joy and gladness they find on the cross.
The cross is our symbol of freedom from guilt and the favor of God resting on our shoulders, and this changes how we carry ourselves in this world. God chooses us, loves us, and frees us from the bondage of sin. He fills us up with hope to spill His goodness wherever we go.
So who are you in the world? Does His love radiate through you? Can people hear Him through your words, and see Him through your actions? Are they led to Him by who you are?
Or are you still living under the bondage of sin? Has the light of hope gone out? Do your thoughts dwell in the grave instead of in His grace?
Verses 32-33 Lifted on a cross between heaven and earth, Jesus mediated on our behalf, taking with him all the judgment that was meant for humanity. Notice he says he will draw “all” (ESV) or “everyone” (NLT) to himself. No longer is God’s kingdom reserved for the Jews. Jesus’ death will cover the consequences of sin for even those who were once far away from God (1 John 2:2, Romans 5:18) when they place their faith in him.
Jesus doesn’t force anyone to come to him. The NLT says, “I will draw everyone to myself.” He is the arm of the Lord and draws us with his kindness and unfailing love. (Hosea 11:4; Jeremiah 31:3) Suspicion and darkness in the soul suspend in the serenity and light of Jesus.
The consequence of his crucifixion is an increasing Church. The consequences of dying to our flesh lead to an increasing Church.
Clearing Up The Confusion
Verse 34 The crowd is still confused. Scriptures that were passed down claimed the Messiah would come and live forever. (Psalm 110:4, Psalm 89:29, Psalm 21:4; 61:6)
So how can the Messiah, whom Jesus claims to be, live forever and yet die?
The cross is always a stumbling stone to our logic and deductions. It goes against both the sinful and righteous reasoning in our thoughts.
Here’s what I mean by that. My sinful nature says, “I’m not guilty.” Pleading innocence with blood dripping from my hands, I defend my actions. My righteous thinking clothes itself in “common sense” while presiding as a judge, expecting an eye for an eye and assigning blame. But all that goes against what Jesus did on the cross.
The sacrifice of Jesus’ blood poured out for us proves we are guilty and in debt to God. The cross stands in the way of judgment from the Almighty and Righteous Judge, removes reciprocal punishment and retaliation for our wrongdoing (Exodus 21:23–27), and releases us from enslavement to sin.
His grace rescues us from the grave.
This crowd was so focused on what Jesus was saying about his death that they missed the part about him being lifted up and glorified.
The Bible is full of paradoxes. And this is always a hindrance to a closed mind. Just because we can’t understand it doesn’t make it untrue.
The crowd didn’t say this because they wished to understand. With a prideful, know-it-all remark, they were insulting Jesus for his contradicting statement.
Crowd Pleasers
Verses 35-36 The crowd needed their minds enlightened. So Jesus encouraged them to receive the light – that is Jesus – and walk in the light while it is still with them.
It’s much easier to walk a path in the light of day than in the dark. We walk in the light of day when we walk with Jesus. Trusting Jesus as our guide, we become a child of light. God grants us understanding in His Word so that we may walk in his ways.
The light of day is here, today, for us to walk in and do His work.
If we reject Jesus and choose not to walk on His Word while the time of day is at hand, our lives will be full of darkness. What work of Jesus are we leaving undone today?
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for your light that shows me the way through this sin-scarred world. Thank you for understanding and hope! Help me listen to you, see you, to walk with you today. Your Word encourages my soul; you are here, speaking with me today. Open my mind to your message. Holy Spirit, help me throw off reasoning and logic to understand what you are trying to say in my life. In my sorrows and questions, comfort my heart with your assurance. Holy Spirit, I pray for confidence and an attitude of victory over the sinful temptations that keep me from living my best life walking with you. Forgive me for my disobedience and overthinking. My desire is your desire. I want to walk in your ways, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for taking my disobedience and sin to the cross. Thank you for being the hope I can rely on every day. I pray this changes me daily to live with your character and Truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.