Monday after Cantate

Scripture: St. John 8:12-20 (NKJV)

8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”

14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”

Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” 20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

Devotion

In today’s text we hear our dear Lord give bold testimony concerning Himself and the holy redemptive mission He is on with His earthly ministry. Jesus expounds that this earthly ministry in which He is engaged is not a journey He undertakes alone, for His Father and He are One. The central point of Christ’s mission is presented in the opening verse of the text where He explains that He is the light of the world, and all who follow Him will have that magnificent holy light illuminate their life.

Jesus comes from the Father in heaven, and He is returning to His Father’s house once He has fulfilled all He has come to accomplish with His earthly ministry. His testimony concerning Himself is true, for He and His Father are One, and His Father testifies from heaven as to the validity of Jesus’ identity, and the validity of His earthly ministry. The veracity of this testimony is obvious to all who have eyes to see and ears to hear, but those like the Pharisees, who deny the clear testimony of God recorded in Scripture, will insist on being blind and deaf to these gracious words of divine Truth that call all to repentance and forgiveness through faith by grace.

We pray: Lord of light, create in us a love of You and Your Word, nourishing us through Your holy Means of Grace that we may through them be made Your true disciples, reflecting Your light now and forever. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.