“Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him.”
John 5:22-23
Delegation is an absolutely vital skill in leadership. If you want to achieve a great deal, you will inevitably have to delegate out some tasks. In my history department, I have drawn up a list of specific tasks that are delegated to particular members of staff. The same is true in almost any other leadership situation. Similarly, in a business partnership, tasks must be divided out fairly and to make the best of each individual’s skills. The trick in both of these situations is to ensure that tasks are allocated to someone who can be relied upon to complete them properly.
In today’s verses, Jesus explains the important role that he has been given by his Father, the Lord God. He has been entrusted with judgement – testing to see who has lived a life that honoured God, and therefore gaining a place in heaven. This is very important indeed, since if Jesus is the one charged with judgement, he is effectively claiming that he is God, since the Old Testament is clear that it is only God who is authorised to judge. Jesus also makes it absolutely clear that the only way to reach heaven is through him, since if he is not honoured, then neither is God the Father. Many religions make claims about how to get into heaven. Many also accept Jesus as a prophet. He himself claims that he is God, however, and that he alone has the right to judge.
Jesus, then, is the one who will ultimately judge us all. Do we honour him with everything we do? When he returns to judge us, will we be able to look him in the eye and tell him that we lived for him? Do we accept that he alone is the way to the Father? There are some difficult questions here to think about today!