15th Mar 2011

John 8:48-58 – Jesus Claims about Himself

• “Unfortunate Fame”
• The argument really heats up to the point of Jesus’ accusers attempting to stone Him to death.
• Very simply Jesus declares that “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing”
• I thinking this is danger for all leaders.
• If we try to push ourselves too much as someone special in the eyes of others. If we try to prove ourselves too much to ourselves then we can end up in a lot of problems.
• My enemy will always seek to destroy role models and pull people down.
• If it is God glorifying me then He will help protect my reputation.
• Jesus knew this, even when He was being threatened He was secure in knowing that it was not yet His time to die.
• But how must it feel to be in that vulnerable position when it is me not God who has put me there?
• People seek fame and fortune but sometimes fame can be very unfortunate.
• There was little about Jesus in Himself that could glorify Him.
• The Bible tells us that there was nothing particularly distinguishing about His looks – that could have been actually quite a kind way of saying He was not much to look at. In this passage they say He is “not yet fifty” – some scholars say they were guessing His approximate age and that Jesus probably looked older than He actually was.
• [Fifty was often seen as an age of maturity but the context makes it is unlikely that this is what they were referring to].
• Jesus could only be glorified by God.
• When God glorifies us it lasts forever.
• Praying today I will not exalt myself but allow God to do it if He needs to.