5/9/19
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Gospel reading for this week, from John 10:22-30, confronts today’s world head-on. The Jews demanded of Jesus that he tell them plainly if he was the Christ. Jesus responded by referring them to his works, since they had refused to believe his words. In other words, he had answered the question both in words and in deeds.
Western Christians face a world that regularly wants to be critical of some, but not all, of what Jesus did and said. Normally our world does not accept the Scripture as the reliable account of eyewitnesses or people who were with eyewitnesses, even though it is better documented in this regard than any other ancient text. They want to know why Christians are not the sme kind of activists for social change that will fit the unbeliever’s ideal. In fact, our world is generally interested in the words and deeds of Jesus which Christ himself does not put particular emphasis on, yet they ignore his actions to conquer sin and death and to reconcile humanity to God.
What deeds of Jesus will speak for him? His perfect obedience to the Law. His taking on humanity so as to redeem humanity. His death according to Scripture. His resurrection. His promise to be with His people. Here we find the Christ as he shows himself to be the savior. Will he tell us clearly? He has already done so.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Gospel reading for this week, from John 10:22-30, confronts today’s world head-on. The Jews demanded of Jesus that he tell them plainly if he was the Christ. Jesus responded by referring them to his works, since they had refused to believe his words. In other words, he had answered the question both in words and in deeds.
Western Christians face a world that regularly wants to be critical of some, but not all, of what Jesus did and said. Normally our world does not accept the Scripture as the reliable account of eyewitnesses or people who were with eyewitnesses, even though it is better documented in this regard than any other ancient text. They want to know why Christians are not the sme kind of activists for social change that will fit the unbeliever’s ideal. In fact, our world is generally interested in the words and deeds of Jesus which Christ himself does not put particular emphasis on, yet they ignore his actions to conquer sin and death and to reconcile humanity to God.
What deeds of Jesus will speak for him? His perfect obedience to the Law. His taking on humanity so as to redeem humanity. His death according to Scripture. His resurrection. His promise to be with His people. Here we find the Christ as he shows himself to be the savior. Will he tell us clearly? He has already done so.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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