Wednesday after Exaudi
Scripture: St. John 10:32-42 (NKJV)
10:32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.
Devotion
Today’s reading offers another example of the way in which the ungodly reject the teachings of God’s Word. “The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” False teachers (and the world, in general) will commend the charitable works undertaken by the Church, but the moment that the servants of the Lord begin to proclaim the Law and the Gospel, the attitude changes. Suddenly, grudging respect is replaced by hatred, and the ungodly reach for stones to hurl at those who preach the Word of God.
The Lord sets forth the immutable standard for faith in the Christ: “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” As the Christ is risen from the dead and has ascended to the right hand of the Father, He has fulfilled His Word. And He will fulfill all that which He has proclaimed concerning His return in glory at the end of the age.
We pray: Almighty, Everlasting God, make us to have always a devout will toward Thee, and to serve Thy Majesty with a pure heart; 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.
