Gospel Reading:  John 8:21-30

21 Jesus spoke to the Jews again, saying, "I am going away. You will look for Me but you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come." 22 The Jews said, "Will He kill Himself because He said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?"

 23 He answered them, "You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. 24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins. If you do not believe that I am the Christ, you will die in your sins."

 25 Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" Jesus answered, "The answer is the same as I told you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you. I must say if you are guilty. But He Who sent Me is true. I tell the world the things I have heard from Him."

 27 They did not understand that Jesus was speaking to them about the Father. 28 Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know that I am the Christ. I do nothing of Myself. I say these things as My Father has taught Me. 29 He that sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone. I always do what He wants Me to do." 30 As Jesus said these things, many people put their trust in Him.

Old Testament Reading: Numbers 21:4-9

7 So the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord, that He will take away the snakes from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The Lord said to Moses, "Make a special snake and put it up on a long piece of wood. Everyone who is bitten will live when he looks at it."

Meditation: The sacrifice of Christ's life on the cross for our sins is the ultimate proof of God's love for us. God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). To fail to recognize Jesus and where he came from is to remain in spiritual darkness; to believe Jesus and his words is to walk in the joy and light of God's truth. There are certain opportunities in life that come and do not return. Each of us is given the opportunity to know and to accept Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior. But that opportunity can be rejected and lost. Life here is limited and short, but how we live it has everlasting consequences. Do you take advantage of the present time to make room for God so that your life will count for eternity?

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, grant this day, to direct and sanctify, to rule and govern our hearts and bodies, so that all our thoughts, words and deeds may be according to your Father's law and thus may we be saved and protected through your mighty help."

Psalm 102:2-3,16-21

2 Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble. Turn Your ear to me. Hurry to answer me in the day when I call.
 3 For my days go up in smoke. And my bones are burned as with fire.

16 For the Lord has built up Zion. He will come in His shining-greatness.
 17 He will answer the prayer of those in need. He will not turn from their prayer.

 18 This will be written for the children-to-come. So a people not yet born may give thanks to the Lord.
 19 For He looked down from His holy place. He watched the earth from heaven,
 20 to hear the loud cries of those in prison and to set free those who are being sent to death.
 21 So the name of the Lord will be made known in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem,