“CANNOT BEAR TO HEAR MY WORD!”

John 8:30-47                                                       (ESV)

“39 They (the scribes and Pharisees) answered HIM, "Abraham is our father." JESUS said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,

40 but now you seek to kill ME, a man who has told you the TRUTH that I heard from GOD. This is not what Abraham did.

41 You are doing the works “your father” did." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father-even God."

42 JESUS said to them, "If GOD were your FATHER, you would love ME, for I came from GOD and I am here. I came not of MY own accord, but HE sent ME.

43 Why do you not understand what I say? IT IS BECAUSE YOU “CANNOT BEAR TO HEAR MY WORD”.

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

45 But because I tell the TRUTH, you do not believe ME.

46 Which one of you convicts ME of sin? If I tell the TRUTH, why do you not believe ME?

47 Whoever is of GOD HEARS THE WORDS OF GOD. The reason why you do not hear them is that YOU ARE NOT OF GOD."”

The majority of the nine Scripture verses above were spoken by JESUS, OUR CREATOR, to the “scribes and Pharisees”, the “in crowd” of the day, who considered themselves extremely knowledgeable of the law of GOD.  They were so caught up in doing their best to follow rules that they never had the opportunity to WORSHIP the ONE WHO CREATED their very beings.  I used to “blame” Pilate and the Roman soldiers for crucifying JESUS, but JESUS came to earth explicitly to be a sacrifice for my sins.  It was ME who caused the death of the PERFECT SON OF GOD, but the “scribes and Pharisees” were used to achieve the events surrounding the darkest hour of mankind, that was followed by the BRIGHTEST CELEBRATION of all time! 

The  “scribes and Pharisees” were educated in the words of the law, but they had never experienced having their hearts changed by the MASTER.  They “thought” they were doing the right things, when in fact, they couldn’t even identify GOD IN FLESH in their midst!  When JESUS said “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to “do your father's desires”. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the TRUTH, you do not believe ME”, HE was identifying “the enemy”!  It wasn’t the “scribes and Pharisees”, Satan himself guides and directs his people to perform certain tasks they are assigned.  JESUS recognized this and called out the followers of Satan.  How was it so easy for HIM to tell that the “scribes and Pharisees” were NOT following HIM?  HE says in the previous verse IT IS BECAUSE YOU “CANNOT BEAR TO HEAR MY WORD”!  

As time has moved forward, the enemies of GOD remains the ones who “CANNOT BEAR TO HEAR MY WORD”!  They may even have a distorted view of the WORD, and preach their views of Scripture, but they are NOT OF GOD!  When you are finding yourself struggling to “identify the enemy”,  see whether they “CANNOT BEAR THEAR MY WORD”?  If they are saying whatever soothes the ears of the masses, JESUS says YOU ARE NOT FROM GOD, and IT IS BECAUSE YOU “CANNOT BEAR TO HEAR MY WORD”!!!