THE VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD
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Opening Prayer
Father, I ask that your Spirit make clear to me the message you have for me in your Word today.
Read JOHN 10:22–42
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[a] 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[b]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again his Jewish opponents 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”’[c]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 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. There 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.
Footnotes
- John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
- John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
- John 10:34 Psalm 82:6
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Listen to the voice of the Shepherd as you reflect on today’s reading.Every day we are bombarded with dubious promises and suspicious guarantees. It might be the latest must-have offer from our favorite streaming service or our insurance company offering us a supposedly unique deal for a ‘limited period only.’ These promises come and go, often accompanied by the all-important small print. They are not always as they seem.
In today’s reading, Jesus finds himself in the heart of the Jerusalem temple being quizzed once again by his opponents. In this hostile environment Jesus announces a wonderful promise: a genuinely unique, never-bettered, once-in-a-lifetime offer to all who accept it. To his ‘sheep,’ Jesus says, ‘I give them eternal life’ (v. 28). To those who listen to and obey the voice of Jesus, who choose to follow and live for Jesus, the promise of knowing him eternally is made.
As Jesus continues, it seems he anticipates the inevitable doubts that might creep into our minds at such a wonderful promise: ‘Surely this is too good to be true. Surely I’m not good enough or Jesus will change his mind when I next mess up.’ To these doubts, Jesus twice says that ‘no one will snatch them out of my hand’ (vs 28,29). This is a promise that’s here to stay with no fine print!
Apply
Are there times when you doubt this promise of eternal life?
Closing prayer
Loving Shepherd, forgive me when I doubt your words of assurance and hope. Help me to claim them with all of my heart, no matter what the temptation is to mistrust what you have said.
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