JOHN 10:31-39 REASONING WITH THE IRRATIONAL

31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “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 the 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 what my Father does. 38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, 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.

What an astounding scene. Jesus is surrounded by a mob of angry men who have armed themselves with stones for the purpose of killing him. His response to those who are trying to kill him is to attempt to give them life. He explains to them in terms that they can understand and respect why they are making a mistake. They have already been identified as “not his sheep” because of their unbelief, and yet Jesus is pleading with them to believe – to become his sheep.

As astounding as this scene is, it is the way we all have come to believe in Jesus. In his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul wrote: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (5:8, 10).

God presents us with the evidence of who his is through the created order, his actions recorded in Scripture, the Incarnation, death and resurrection of his Son, the witness of the Apostles and the Church, the transformation of secular society, the miracles in our lives, the testimony of family and friends, and the inspiration of the Spirit. He does all this out of his love for us and for the purpose that we will become his sheep through faith. Not believing in Jesus, that is, stoning him, is the ultimate act of denial in this life.

For those who do believe, a godly model is provided. In the face of adversity our response is to be the presentation of the Gospel to those who do not believe. That is the strongest witness we can make to the power of God in our lives. It is the greatest manifestation of our obedience to the Great Commandment; to love God and our neighbor.

Give me the calm strength, O Lord, not to lash out in anger against those who attack me because of my faith. Rather fill me with your love so that I might be able to lovingly present your Gospel in a manner through which my attackers will be convicted of the truth of your word and brought into a reconciled relationship with you. Amen.