The religious leaders were determined to discredit Jesus in any way they could. They were jealous when the people listened to him because he pointed out their self-centered actions as well as how they were misleading the people. The religious leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy and of healing on the Sabbath among other things. Read Jesus’ defense of himself:

46 Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”   (John 8:46-47 NLT)

Verse 47 rings out loud and clear to me. It is equally as true today as it was when Jesus first said it. People choose not to listen to God. Only when they have the will to hear will Jesus’ life-changing message does it sink into their hearts.

In Jesus’ day people falsely accused him of sin. Today people decide to pick and choose what they want to believe about Jesus. But to disbelieve that Jesus is who he says he is is to call him a liar. God can not take this lightly. Verses 57-58 are among several where Jesus claimed to be God.

57 The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?[b]”

58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am![c]”     (John 8:57-58 NLT)

His choice to use the words “I Am” was to take for himself the name God called himself when he revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush.

The willingness to believe in God & Jesus is truly an off/on switch. We believe or we don’t. The evidence of our belief is in our actions – we seek his direction through prayer and reading his word, then put it into action – or we ignore/neglect these things and go our own way. When we turn the belief switch on, Jesus promises to come into our hearts and give us his peace starting immediately and continuing through eternity.

You can read the full passage for today at this link: John 8:46-59