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

  

Reading the Bible in 2025

Each day this year, we will read a selection from the Old Testament, the New Testament, a portion of the Psalms, and part of Proverbs. By the end of the year, you will have read the entire Bible. We read this way to give you a bit of variety. 

NOTE: If you get behind, do not give up. Read today's readings and try to catch up when you have a chance. The goal is not to "accomplish a task" but to meet God in his word. Read the word. Also, if you are short on time, READ GOD'S WORD and skip my devotional!

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

    Scriptures linked to Bible Gateway in ESV version 

Daily Devotional: Many Believed

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. 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.

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. 

 

Consider God's Word:

Which of these four passages spoke most clearly to you today? 

Is there sin in your life that needs to be confessed and dealt with that was revealed in one of these passages? 

Is there something in your life that needs to change?

Is there a struggle in your life that one of these passages spoke to? 

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?