Who is Jesus? #150

Ten Things You Must Know About Jesus

His Accountability

Accountability seems to be an important concept and process these days. Employers hold their employees accountable to fulfill their tasks. We are supposed to hold our elected representatives accountable for representing us. It is not uncommon these days for an individual to find an accountability partner to monitor how he handles various areas of his or her life - finances, marriage vows, etc. Accountability is a good thing when it helps us to keep our lives in check.

I had never really thought about Jesus being held accountable. I would have thought He was one person who didn't need that. Actually, that is correct. He didn't need to be held accountable because He was accountable. God didn't have to look over the shoulder of Jesus to see if He was going to do what He was supposed to. Jesus knew what He would be doing before He arrived and was committed to doing it. God commissioned His son to come to the earth and get busy, and He did.

In the passage of scripture that is truly the Lord's Prayer (John 17), Jesus says, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do, (v. 4)." In saying this Jesus was telling His Father that He had been accountable. Jesus was accountable to His Father. However, there was never a doubt that He would not complete the ministry delivered to Him by His Father. Is there some other way that Jesus was accountable?

Jesus accounted for the source of His teaching. “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me, (John 7:16)."

Jesus accounted for how He came to be here. "I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true, (John 7:28)."

Jesus accounted for who was with Him. "I stand with the Father, who sent me, (John 8:16)."

Jesus accounted for why He did what He did. "I always do what pleases him, (John 8:30).”

Jesus accounted for what his purpose on earth was. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost, (Luke 19:10).”

Jesus accounted for His future absence from the earth. "I am going there to prepare a place for you, (John 14:2)

In these, and other occasions, He wasn’t being accountable to His Father. He was being accountable to you and me by telling us that He was doing what He doing, saying what He was saying, and going where He was going because of you and me. He gave us all the whys and wherefores and it all centered on us. In essence He felt Himself accountable to us and we can, therefore, count on Him. Isn't that what accountability is all about?