As I sing the song, “He touched me” memories come flooding in – a moment when my general sense that God is out there and somehow Jesus died – in that moment changed to a supreme conviction that He is real and in fact I felt He was standing right there next to me. That moment heralded a total new life path which was launched and on which I walk today with extreme gratefulness, thanksgiving and joy.
”Yes Ian I do seek that intimate relationship with every person who responds to my call. I am there ready, not only to touch you into real life – to give you a new birth, but to continue building that moment into a lifetime of friendship and worship. Although many may not realise it, I am as close to them every moment of the day, as I seemed so close at special times, it simply requires you to be conscious of that, to accept it and enjoy it by faith. Each one of you is supremely precious to Me and I long to touch you and walk with you every day. My love and grace overflows to you all”.
As we return to John 8: 31 I want to revisit the passage and look at something which is going on in the background of this story. There is a play on the concept of fatherhood and sonship which is quite revealing.
As the passage opens there seems some confusion as to the genuineness of the faith that was expressed in verse 30. Despite the Jews being described as having put their faith in Jesus, there is real doubt that they have become true disciples. Jesus uses the words “Son” and “setting free” to provoke a response in them. Their claim to sonship is based on their descent from Abraham. Jesus moves the conversation to demonstrate that real disciple ship requires a recognition and acceptance of their true Father, God.
However he wants them to realise that they do you not really qualify as true sons of Yahweh because words are not sufficient and their actions demonstrate the contrary. The fact that they are planning to kill him shows that God is not really their father. There is only one alternative to God being their father and that is that the devil is in fact their real father.
This brought me to a consideration of the understanding of our relationship with God as Father. In the Old Testament God is seldom called Father and when He is He is usually called the Father. The idea of fatherhood under the Old Covenant was generally regarded as being Father of the whole nation of Israel. Few people in that era had an intimate relationship with him.
When Jesus appears on the scene introducing the New Covenant we see that He often calls Himself the Son. Obviously this indicates a close personal relationship with the Father. As we read this passage it is a prelude to the eventual revelation that once we are “in Jesus” we have an equally close relationship with the Father through Him. This was not possible under the Old Covenant. Reading Romans 8:15 again I was struck by the incredible privilege that we have of being able to call Yahweh “ABBA” the most intimate name for father and we have the full privileges of sonship because we have been adopted into His family.
A few things arise out of this. Firstly it is not good enough to speak words of relationship and following. Our whole lives must demonstrate this new relationship. Words are easy to say but their genuineness is only proved by putting them into practice. We are not saved by works but works flowing from our salvation is a demonstration of the genuineness of that faith.
Secondly something was triggered in me recently by words spoken by Brian during his sermon about fatherhood. I was again reminded of what the genuine Fatherhood of God means to me personally. We tend to measure our concept of fatherhood from our experience of our earthly fathers. No earthly father can demonstrate true fatherhood as God himself does and this has enormous consequences for each one of our faith.
So wallow in the pleasant thought that God, the Creator of everything has chosen to call you and enjoy you as a real son or daughter until next week.