Wednesday after Misericordias Domini

Scripture: St. John 5:31-47(NKJV)

5:31 “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

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

Just as it is Moses and all of Old Testament Scripture that testify of Christ Jesus, so it is Jesus and all of the New Testament Scripture that testify of His fulfilling that which was spoken before. As the saying from St. Augustine goes, “in the Old the New lies concealed, in the New the Old is revealed.”

The Jews searched the Scriptures, for in them they thought they had eternal life. Meaning, they thought they would win salvation by their efforts of rigidly following the Law contained within it, and strictly conducting all the ceremonies, as well. Prideful flesh easily gets caught up in works, getting blinded to the truth of God’s Word and missing Jesus who is that truth! Using these devotions (or going to God’s Divine Service) for the sake of merit would put anyone in the same league as the Jews, thinking that such works win salvation. Thankfully, by God’s grace, He teaches us to not miss the One who is the truth. He brings us to trust alone in the fully atoning merits of the One sent from the Father for the forgiveness of sins; the One who is the key to all of God’s Holy Scripture and the only One in whom there is eternal life: Jesus! It is through the means of His Word and Sacraments that the Good Shepherd continues His search, and rescue!

Prayer: O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

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