"The One"

Are you the one, they asked the Son,

Or is there yet another,

Faith sees the signs and climbs the climbs,

The same for all, my brother.

Some were blind, you know the kind,

They knew more than the rest,

But when He came, they cursed His name,

Though God had sent the best.

How can you know the Scriptures so,

And not recognize their source,

They quoted verse, so tight and terse,

The law of God enforce.

Yet didn’t see He’d make them free,

If they would just admit,

They needed grace to seek God’s face,

Instead, told Him to quit.

Slaves to sin, the mess deep in,

They argued with God’s Son,

Religious they and bound to stay,

Their crippled race to run.

Don’t be surprised when in disguise,

God shows and speaks to you,

Don’t let your pride defend your side,

When God speaks what is true.

If we deflect the real direct,

Word He wants to share,

We’ll miss the point, what God anoints,

To relieve what we bear.

Free, yes, free, and can’t you see,

That’s what His truth will do,

So humbly cry and always try,

To hear Him speak to you.

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…” (John 8:32, NLT)

These are some of the most important words Jesus ever said. The eighth chapter of John begins with the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery. Her accusers used scripture to bring their charges against her, but Jesus turned the tables by inviting the one without sin to cast the first stone. Jesus has an ongoing argument with the religious leaders, Pharisees who knew the scriptures better than anyone else, but who were hopelessly trapped by their own pride and bigotry. They neither recognized who Jesus was nor accepted the words He spoke. They were greatly offended when He spoke of the truth setting them free. They reacted by claiming they they had never been slaves! Technically this was untrue. They had been slaves in Egypt and were currently subservient to Rome. That aside, Jesus was speaking about their spiritual condition. They were slaves to sin, and only truth could make them free. The same goes for all of us.

Lord, free us with Your truth, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Kenneth Wyatt, kennethwyatt.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Kenneth, and God bless you.