Today’s scripture: John 10:22-42 (NRSV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me in this passage? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Jeff Miner):
How do we know that Jesus really was from God?
That’s the critical question presented by today’s Scripture reading. Many who had encountered Jesus were debating amongst themselves, trying to decide whether to believe. We get the impression they were genuinely undecided, as are many in our day.
Suppose someone who knows you to be a follower of Jesus walked up to you and asked, “Why should I believe in Jesus?” What would you say? Perhaps we should take a cue from how Jesus answers in today’s reading.
Notice verse 25: “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify of me.”
Also notice verse 27: “My sheep hear my voice.”
Here Jesus makes a powerful two-part argument. Consider my actions, he says, and consider my words. First let’s take his words. When Jesus says things like “love your enemy,” and “let the greatest among you be the servant of all,” and “judge not, that ye be not judged” — those words resonate with something deep inside me. It’s as if God has placed a homing beacon inside of me, and when I hear the words of Jesus, that homing beacon goes off, detecting the presence of God. Something inside me says, “This is the One, follow him.” That’s exactly what Jesus anticipated: “My sheep hear my voice.”
But the case doesn’t stop there. Jesus also invites us to scrutinize his works. One of my favorite stories about Jesus is when he was approached by a leper. The leper said, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Jesus responds by stretching out his hand and touching the man. Remember, touching a leper was unthinkable. Leprosy was a deadly disease that people believed was spread by contact. If you touched a leper, you would be banned from entering the temple for a period of time. But Jesus didn’t care. He touched the sick man anyway and said, “I do choose; be made clean.” And immediately the man’s leprosy was cured. (Matthew 8:1-4) Now I ask: doesn’t Jesus behavior in this passage connect with some deep “God instinct” inside you?
Over a century ago, Lew Wallace was governor of New Mexico. As a committed agnostic and deep thinker, he set out to write a book that would disprove the authenticity of Jesus. After several years of work, Wallace had written nearly four chapters. But he hit a snag. The deeper he went into his research, the more troubled he became. Finally, one night Wallace said, “I fell on my knees to pray for the first time in my life, and I asked God to reveal Godself to me, forgive my sins, and help me to become a follower of Christ.”
Actually, you may recognize the name Lew Wallace. Before he died, he did end up writing a very famous book, Ben Hur, the story of a skeptical first-century man who came to life-changing faith in Jesus Christ.
Thought for the day: Next time someone asks, “Why should I believe in Jesus?,” don’t get defensive and don’t think you have to come up with some brilliant argument. Just say, “I invite you to take a little time to read directly about Jesus in the Gospels, then make up your own mind.” Before long, that person is probably going to be a follower, because Jesus’ works and words speak for themselves.
Today, let’s join together in prayer for: Jesus MCC’s Homeless Ministry, and the Horizon House, where they volunteer.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.