The Thursday after the Ninth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 6, 2026 by under
Scripture: St. John 5:39-47 (NKJV)
5:39 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Devotion
The first two verses of today’s text present piercing words with which Jesus confronts the religious leaders, and us. The Scriptures are not an end in themselves. The Law and the Prophets, Moses and the Psalms, all testify of Him. To study them apart from Christ is to miss their very heart.
The Law accuses: “There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me.” Natural ‘religion’ seeks glory from idols and clings to self-righteousness. We search the Bible for rules to master or promises to claim, yet refuse the Giver of life. How often do we prefer teachers who come in their own name?
But the Gospel breaks through. Jesus has come in His Father’s name. He does not receive glory from men, but gives eternal life freely to all who come to Him. The entire Scriptures point to this crucified and risen Lord, who bore the accusation of the Law in our place. Let us not merely search the pages, but come to Jesus, the living Word. In Him alone is life—full and free. May the Holy Spirit open our hearts to receive Him through the very Scriptures that testify of His glory.
Collect: Let Thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of Thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please Thee; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
