Gospel Reading:  John 10:31-42

33 Again the Jews picked up stones to throw at Him. 32 Jesus said to them, "Many good things have I shown you from My Father. For which of these things are you going to throw stones at Me?" 33 They said, "We are not going to throw stones at You for any good work. It is because of the way You talk against God. It is because You make Yourself to be God when You are only a man." 34 Jesus said to them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'? (Psalm 82:6) 35 The Holy Writings were given to them and God called them gods. (The Word of God cannot be put aside.) 36 But God has set Me apart for Himself. He sent Me into the world. Then how can you say that I am speaking against God because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? 37 If I am not doing the works of My Father, do not believe Me. 38 But if I do them, even if you do not believe Me, believe the works that I do. Then you will know the Father is in Me and I am in Him." 39 They tried again to take Him but He got out of their hands.

40 Jesus went away to the other side of the Jordan River to the place where John was baptizing people. Jesus stayed there. 41 Many people came to Him and said, "John did no powerful work, but what John said about this Man is true." 42 Many people put their trust in Jesus there.  

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13

10 For I have heard many speaking in secret, saying, "Fear and trouble is on every side! Speak against him! Yes, let us speak against him!" All my trusted friends, watching for my fall, say, "It may be that he will be fooled. Then we can get power over him and punish him." 11 But the Lord is with me like a powerful one who causes fear. So those who make it hard for me will fall and not have power over me. They will be put to much shame, because their plans have not gone well. Their shame will last forever and will not be forgotten.

Meditation: Is your life consecrated to God? The scriptural understanding of consecration is to make holy for God – to be given over as a free-will offering and sacrifice for God. Jesus made himself a sin-offering for us, to ransom us from condemnation and slavery to sin. He spoke of his Father consecrating him for this mission of salvation. Why were the religious leaders so upset with Jesus that they wanted to kill him? They charged him with blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus made two claims in his response: He was consecrated by the Father to a special task and he was sent into the world to carry out his Father's mission. Jesus challenged his opponents to accept his works if they could not accept his words. One can argue with words, but deeds are beyond argument. Jesus is the perfect teacher in that he does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does. The word of God is life and power to those who believe. Jesus shows us the way to walk the path of truth and holiness. And he anoints us with his power to live the gospel with joy and to be his witnesses in the world. Are you a doer of God's word, or a forgetful hearer only?

Prayer: "Write upon my heart, O Lord, the lessons of your holy word, and grant that I may be a doer of your word, and not a forgetful hearer only."

Psalm 18:2-6

2 The Lord is my rock, and my safe place, and the One Who takes me out of trouble. My God is my rock, in Whom I am safe. He is my safe-covering, my saving strength, and my strong tower.
 3 I call to the Lord, Who has the right to be praised. And I am saved from those who hate me.

 4 The ropes of death were all around me. The floods of death make me afraid.
 5 The ropes of the grave were all around me. The traps of death were set for me.
 6 I called to the Lord in my trouble. I cried to God for help. He heard my voice from His holy house. My cry for help came into His ears.