Whose Children?

In our ever connected digital age, interactions can get a bit confusing and discombobulating, correct? Have you ever found yourself in an interaction with someone, and within it they share that they are a person of the Christian faith… and then they say or do something that seems… off? Wait, what was that? That seems a bit harsh, judgmental, or simply messed up!

As I was reading ahead in the lectionary today, I just smirked and drifted into wonder at what it was like to listen to Jesus have such conversations. In John’s biography of Jesus, we find one such conversation in chapter 8.

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my students. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”

“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children, “ said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.”

They are simply acting according to who their actual father is, which is quite the reveal. Their actions are not what Abraham did, which leads us to ask (or remember) what exactly were his actions? In a story referred to by the Jewish people as the Akedah (Binding of Isaac), we read of Abraham taking his one and only son, whom he loves, up a mountain and preparing him like a sacrifice. But Abraham does not go through with it, he does not actually sacrifice his son.

And Jesus says they do not act like their father, Abraham, but their actions do reveal who their actual father is. Well, these people will conspire with the Romans to arrest and execute the innocent Jesus, which means they drum up lies to make it all happen. And who is the father of lies? Exactly. What a messy conversation.

Read how simple and succinct Jesus is with his message: “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.”

Let’s just stop there, shall we. Yikes! But think about it, as it is often stated, actions speak louder than words, correct? Whose children are you? Really? But you are unable to hear what Jesus is saying, which that is simply determined by your actions.

“If God were your Father, you would love me.” How clear.

May our lives look like love today.