Entrusting
Many times we read devotions or books on the issue of trusting God. In the Bible, we learn that time after time God has proved Himself to man, not having to, but out of love, He has proved Himself trustworthy. In many occasions in our walk with the Lord, circumstances arise and our faith and trust in God are tested, but minute after minute, day after day, year after year, God confirms that we can trust Him. Still, sadly there are those Christians that simply will not and do not trust the Lord. God seeks for relationship with His children, and the most important factor in an intimate relationship is trust. Now even though there are those that don’t, it doesn’t change the simple truth that we can always trust God, but in this lesson I want us to ask ourselves an imperative question that is rarely talked about and the question is…Can God Trust Us?
Handout: Entrusting
Whoa! What a question! Now that I have your attention, I challenge you to make it even more personal by asking yourself, Can God trust me? While studying this in God’s word, I have also heard and read several commentaries from different scholars and teachers. I gained much insight by listening to Mrs. Beth Moore’s teaching on the subject. She is a wonderful, godly woman and an amazing teacher. I thank God for His teaching through her. While studying this and asking the same question of myself, can God trust me, I was gripped inside my soul with yearning, for it is my deepest desire for God to be able to trust me. It is my prayer that it is your desire as well.
Our text for this lesson will come from the book of John in God’s word.
John 2:23-25 “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”
The key verse for this being verse 24.
“But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men.”
The Greek word in this scripture for commit is Pisteuo, pronounced Pe-styu-o and it means to Entrust. Jesus would not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all men.
I looked up the word Entrust on the internet and here is what I found.
Entrust - To charge or invest with a trust or responsibility. To charge with a specific office or
duty involving trust. To commit something in trust to;
If you will notice, there is a play on words happening here in verses 23 and 24. The word believed in verse 23 and the word commit in verse 24 in the Greek are the same word. They are different verb tenses but nevertheless the same word which is Pisteuo, or in English, Entrust.
This group here believed in Jesus, but He did not believe in them. How often do we think about that and ask ourselves if we can be trusted by God? I hope it is often. We know that Christ loves all, and He serves all, and He died for all, but here in these verses, we know that He does not trust all. The Lord is looking for those that will attach themselves to Him, following Him always no matter what may happen. He trusts those, who even when it’s hard, when times are bad and in times of not understanding, will still follow Him and His example. He wants those that will commit themselves to Him and obey His words no matter what. He trusts those who will whole heartedly follow Him saying I may not be doing everything perfectly, but Lord I’m trying my best to do as You command. He knows our hearts. He knows everything about us. Now when this passage says that Jesus did not commit himself to them, does it mean that Christ doesn’t trust anyone ever? No it doesn’t. Let’s take another look.
23 “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”
Notice that in these passages in God’s word, three terms are used for people or humans.
Now this is beautiful. God knows all man. Please note that when the bible says man it means humans male and female so keep that in mind. So God knows All men/humans, but He also knows A Man one at a time. He looks and judges each person as an individual. He does not judge you or I by what everyone else is doing.
Ezekiel 33:20 “Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.”
Proverbs 21:2 “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”
Proverbs 24:12 “If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?”
God knows each human, one at a time or individually. He judges a person based upon his/her own individuality. That is what John 2 verse 25 means. He knows what is in A Man. So we find here that in reference to the Lord entrusting Himself, there are Them in the midst of All Men that Christ does not trust, but there are some that He does entrust Himself to. We can see that Christ has already entrusted Himself to a small number of men which were His disciples. However in this group of people, referred to in John 2:23, those that believed in Him, He would not entrust Himself to them. Why is that? The answer is because Christ knew that they were not ready to follow Him whole heartedly. They believed in Him only WHEN they SAW the miracles He performed.
many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
Christ would not entrust Himself to Them because their belief in Him was not about faith. Their belief was based on what they could see with their natural eyes. They were not committed to Jesus out of faith in God. They were committed only to what they could see. What was to happen when the time came for them to believe in the Lord in the times when they could not see miracles? What would they do in the times when they would not understand everything that was happening and in the times when it seemed there was no hope? Without true faith, they in their flesh would turn away. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God.
We cannot be committed to God when we attach ourselves to Jesus in times when things are going well, or when we are in church on Sunday, and then as soon as no one else is looking, or when things get scary, attach to something or someone else that we think is more sure. Jesus entrusted Himself to the disciples and will entrust those who are committed to Him for the long haul. He entrusts Himself to those who grab on to Him with their hearts and not letting go for anything or anyone knowing that there isn’t any place else to go.
In John 6 we see where many other followers of Jesus left Him and would no longer follow Him when He taught of things they did not understand or comprehend.
53Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 59These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. 60Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 70Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
Jesus had entrusted those eleven disciples, He chose them. He let them know that one among them was a devil referring to Judas Iscariot and he was also chosen for a specific purpose. God knew what was in him which was evil, and He knew what was in the other eleven who were faithful. He also knows what is inside you and me. He knows what is inside all. So Christ knows what is in A Man or each person, but what does that mean exactly? Do we automatically think negatively when we think of what is in A Man?
Jeremiah 17:9 says that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Yes, we as humans have the capacity for evil, but when we accept Christ, we know God’s Spirit then indwells in us giving us the capacity for good as well. When we walk after the Spirit we do the things which are good and when we walk after the flesh, or after the old nature, we do the things which are evil.
Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
So we see that we do have the capacity through the Holy Spirit to do the will of the Father, or good. We are created in the image of God so even though we do have the fleshly nature, we have the capacity to love and sacrifice and to obey the Holy Spirit. We have that empowerment through Christ to fully commit to Him for eternity. Faithfulness is what it takes in order for the Lord to entrust Himself to us. When God entrusts us, it doesn’t mean that we are perfect and that we never make mistakes, but He knows our hearts and if we are really trying.
Unlike humans who judge one another with bias be they good or bad, God’s judgments of us are based on truth. Therefore His judgment is just. He knows our motives and He sees the big picture of our lives. He has a plan. He knows those that will die daily to self and the world, and follow Him.
Are you fully and whole heartedly committed to the Lord? Can He entrust Himself to you? Let us look at some of the things that God entrusts. Reading in Matthew chapter 25 we learn that to some God entrusts property, talents or Spiritual gifts. Romans chapter 6 we see that some are trustworthy to the teaching of the word. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, God entrusts with the gospel. Jude chapter 3 there are those that God entrusts to contend for the faith. God entrusts power to demolish strongholds of the devil. What things can God entrust to you and I? That is the question we must begin while searching each one his/her own heart. Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that lives inside us, we can make a commitment to follow Him whole heartedly and through prayer and the studying of God’s word we can be entrusted by God. Let us latch on to Him with everything we have and never let go being faithful come what may. God is seeking faithful servants among His children. Through Christ we can be what He is looking for. God be with you all.
Dear Righteous and Lovely Father,
I praise You with all my heart for who You are and for all You are. Father with everyday that passes, You show just how much we need and depend on You. Thank You Lord for being one that we can always trust. Father today, we come to You in thanksgiving but also to ask for You to help us to be faithful to You in all things. Father we desire with our hearts so much for You to trust us. Help us to seek everyday the things that please Your heart Lord. Father we know that we are sinners saved by Your grace and that we fall short, but Lord we ask that You help us to tap into the power of Your Holy Spirit so that we can be victors in the things You would have us to do. We want so much to obey Your will in all things. Lord there is no one like You, Where would we go Lord if not to You? Where would we find truth, love, peace and joy anywhere but in You? We understand Lord that life is nothing, it is void without You. You are life, You are truth, You are everything that is good and Holy. Lord we ask that You fill us with more and more of You until You fully consume and overtake us so that when others look at us, it is You they see. Father help us to lift Jesus up to those who are dying without Him. We thank You for all things, and we praise You always with everything we have inside us for Your glory alone. In the beautiful name of Your precious Son Jesus we pray. AMEN!
Thank You Jesus for hearing and answering our prayers. We love You.
~*Cindygirl*~
9-7-2014