The Saturday after Exaudi Sunday
Posted on May 23, 2026 by under
Scripture: St. John 8:12-19 (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.”
Devotion
Our Lord’s Ascension testifies that He is true God. We confess that He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. That means He is in the highest position of authority, power, and glory, which also affirms that He is one with the Father Almighty.
Those who reject Jesus Christ but still claim to love and honor the Father are wrong and dishonest. There is no reason to reject Jesus, especially if one claims to worship God. Jesus never taught anything that is contrary to the will and Word of God. He kept the Commandments and fulfilled the Scriptures. He honored the Father in all things, and He loved all people faithfully. The only reason that people reject Him as the true Lord and Christ is because they despise correction. They hate being called to humble accountability and submission, so they say they love God, even though they hate His Word.
Judgment has its right place and time. Jesus came to teach love and mercy, but sometimes love also requires correction and discipline. Man is not called to judge God. Our Lord is in the highest authority over all. And from that authority He has taught us with all of His Words and deeds what our faithful service and vocations should look like as we strive to love others as He has loved us. This all comes back to the theme of this week, which focuses on the unity we have in Jesus Christ as our Lord. He is one with the Father, and brings all the faithful into that unity in His heavenly kingdom!
Collect: 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.
