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By Mike Caton

John 18:8, Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”

Jesus has already told the people that came for him who he was. And now he repeats himself and asks them to let his disciples go. There is really no indication they are interested in those other men. They were sent to capture Jesus and no one else. There would really be no reason for them to take in any of the others. Maybe Jesus was giving his disciples the chance to get away. He knew they were going to scatter anyway.

You know my mind works in different directions sometimes. What if we applied this passage to ourselves in this way: If we are really looking for Jesus, why not go to Jesus himself and simply be done with it. I’m thankful for all of the men that God has used throughout history to get his message out. There have been – and still are – some powerful preachers and writers that share the good news about Jesus. But why do we seem to depend on what someone else has said about Jesus, when we can go to the Bible itself and see for ourselves? Again, I am not saying it is wrong to read what others have written – I’m writing now – and you are reading that. But we also need to go to God’s word ourselves. Acts 17:11: “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” That is what each and every one of us need to be doing, examining the Scripture every day to see if what the preacher, the author, the Facebook poster and so forth says is true. It is a dangerous thing to simply accept everything you hear.

So, let us each and every one simply seek Jesus! That is the bottom line and let us look for Jesus in the word that has been revealed to us by God himself. Go there and learn, study and apply what God says about himself to your life.

Father, help me simply seek you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works full time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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