"Many Believed" June 4 Readings: 2 Kings 13-14, John 10:22–42, Psalm 69:28–36, Proverbs 14:19-20

Today's Readings - 2 Kings 13-14, John 10:22–42, Psalm 69:28–36, Proverbs 14:19-20

Devotional 

John 10:22-39 is a continuation of the conflict between Jesus Christ and the Jewish leaders. From John 6:66, his popularity is waning and some who followed him are turning aside. But verses 40-42 show what Jesus was all about.

His focus was never on his popularity. How often did he warn people not to tell others about the miracles he had done? Had he been politically motivated, he could have turned his fame into fortune and status. But that never motivated Jesus Christ. The leaders of Israel hated Jesus, passionately. Fervently. When, in John 10:30, Jesus claimed unity with the Father and in verse 31, they picked up stones to stone him. It was not his time, though, so he simply left them and went to the Jordan.

Jesus was not trying to worm his way into the halls of power to hob-knob with the rich and powerful and to curry their favor. He was not impressed by wealth and earthly success. These things meant nothing to him.

In his conversations with the religious leaders he pulled no punches and was often confrontational and direct with them, to which they did not respond well. But Jesus was about the Father's work and the truth and was not trying to make influential friends.

He did not define himself by the opinions of others. He cared only about the Father's view of him and was not enslaved to what others said or thought about him.

But John 10:40-42 reveals what he was all about.

"And many believed in him there."

Jesus was about proclaiming the truth that would bring people to a right relationship with the Father by believing in him. Jesus was about the work of the gospel, about bringing people to believe in him as the Messiah, the anointed of God.

That must be our work as well. We must not live by what people say about us, whether people like us or how popular we are in this world. We must be about the Father's work - proclaiming Christ and calling people to faith in him.

Father, may my life be about what your Son's life was about! May others see Jesus through me. 

Think and Pray

Remember that you have a divine assignment, to make known the name of Jesus.
Is your life devoted to Christ and to proclaiming his salvation?