March 11: Unbelief of the Jews
John 10:22-42 TNIV from Biblegateway.com
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ‘? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
Devotional Comments:
I can identify with the opening part of this scripture, especially the part where the Jews want Jesus to prove to them that he is the Christ. I have often longed for Jesus to give me a sign of His presence, of His existence, just as he gave the Jews.
Jesus used miracles in His Father’s name to prove that he was the Christ, but still the Jews did not recognize or hear his voice because they were not listening or paying attention to Jesus. Sometimes I am this way; not listening for God’s voice or not looking for and/or recognizing the signs that God is indeed at work in my life.
Those times when I take the time to look and listen for Jesus, I am able to find him. It is at those times, I am most reassured by God that I am not in this world alone and if I will surrender, listen, and follow Jesus’ voice great things will come my way.
As I listen more and more for Jesus, I draw closer to being one of His sheep, something I yearn to be with all my heart. I long to be free of the laws and rules the Jews followed blindly. I pray I will be able to discern what is of Jesus and what is of man, so I may always know the truth, just as the many who followed Jesus across the Jordan River discovered.
“I pray Lord, that I will listen for you with open ears, trusting you to provide all things. Thank you, Jesus. Amen”
Terry Motley
Pray for God’s Word to show us the truth.