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Mar 27, 2024 06:00am

The Ultimate Report Card

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Report cards. Eek! Did they make you nervous? Or it could be a sealed letter sent home from your teacher to your parent. Or perhaps a phone call was made from the principal.

These reports came from school and were a testament to our performance, attitude, potential, and willingness to work. It was a witness to who we were and what we did.

In the 5th grade, I had my first C. It was the first time I had ever dreaded my report card going home. Not that my parents would have necessarily done anything to me, but I wanted them always to be proud of me and my work.

I wanted to change it on the little blue cardstock. I tried to make it look like a B instead of a C, but I couldn’t. There was no changing it. They would know if I tried.

I think I was more disappointed in myself than my parents were. I knew I could do better. After that, my report cards were As and Bs. In fact, the very next one had a note from Mrs. Garrett that said I was a very responsible and gifted student. Man, I was proud of that!

John 5:31-47

“If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
-Witness of John-
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
-Witness of Works-
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
-Witness of the Father-
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
-Witness of the Scripture-
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
41 I receive not honour from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

I know that’s a large chunk of scripture, but I wanted you to see it. The Jews, the Pharisees, were persecuting Jesus because He claimed to be the Son of God. While they threw accusations of blasphemy at Him, He told them not just to believe what He said but the witnesses of Him.

Jesus laid out a report card, so to speak, that said here’s the proof. John was a witness for Him. His work was a testament to the truth of who He was. God Himself was a witness of Jesus, but to the Pharisees, the ones who were supposed to be following God, it wasn’t enough to convince them. They prided themselves on their righteousness because they followed every law of Moses and even added some.

But Jesus brought down a blow that cut them straight to the core.

He said it wouldn’t be Him accusing them to the Father; it would be Moses testifying against them.

The wind was knocked right out of them.

The scripture ends there. There is no mention of their reaction at this particular time, but I can only imagine what it was since we know what it led to.

They plotted to kill Jesus.

All of this made me think about our own lives. Who will testify of us to the Father, and what would they say?

What would your report card say? Of course, some would say, “She talks too much”, but what about the time you’ve been given? Has it been used wisely for the Lord? What about the people you’ve interacted with? Have you shown them the love of Christ? What about the doors God has opened for you to share His name with someone? Did you obey and give testimony?

Here’s the deal.

None of us are perfect.

None of us would pass any type of righteousness test in our own doing. The fact is, we would all receive failing grades.

But with Jesus, we cannot fail.

When I kneel before God, I’m thankful I have Jesus testifying on my behalf.

Do you?

Don’t wait. Believe in Jesus and surrender your life to Him. He will place His robe of righteousness on your shoulders. And He will testify to the Father.