John 8:48-53. The Jews ask Jesus if they are right in thinking he is a Samaritan with a demon in him. Jesus says He has no demon, but He honors His father, and these Jews dishonor Him, Jesus. He does not seek His own glory, "there is one who seeks it and he will be the judge." Jesus goes on, "Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word he will never see death." Now the Jews are sure that Jesus has a demon. Abraham and all the prophets died, yet Jesus says anyone who keeps His word will live will not taste death?! Is He claiming to be greater than Abraham and the prophets? Who does He claim to be?

How difficult it was for Jesus' message to come across to us. Truly only He could have done it! Why would the whole world listen to someone other than God for all of history? We wouldn't, and we shouldn't. Now, 2,000 years later, most of the world has at least heard of Jesus, and many believe in Him, but at the time He was preaching what He was saying sounded completely unbelievable. He said He is the Son of God. He said if we believe in Him we will live forever. He told the truth about Himself, but the truth, especially when first spoken and heard, is often very difficult to believe.

On top of everything else, Jesus was brave. He spoke the truth to people even though He knew he would be rejected by many because of it; even though He knew he would eventually be killed for it.

Sometimes the truth is so hard to hear, such a perversion of everything we've come to believe, that we will kill the messenger rather than listen to him speak. Jesus, the Son of God, knew this, yet he spoke truth that comes down through the ages to us, and He let us kill Him rather than keep silent.