October 20, 2024
Morning Service

Last week in the first part of chapter 10, Jesus proclaimed to us two more of the seven “I AM” statements we find here in the Gospel of John.  In proclaiming “I AM the Door,” Jesus makes it very clear that salvation comes only through Him and no one or no way else.  His statement that “I AM the Good Shepherd,” reveals to us that Jesus is there for us as a shepherd to fight for us, protect us, guide us and comfort us.  His relationship with us is one in which He loves us, knows us, and cares for us.  We are never outside of His watchful eye and He is guiding us along our journey through this life to one day meet Him face to face.  As we pick up today some time has passed and Jesus is in Jerusalem again for the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah).  It is an eight-day festival observed in December which celebrates the restoration of the temple in 165 BC after being desecrated by the Syrians.  This was not one of the Lord’s instituted feasts, but was one created by the Jewish people.  We find Jesus on Solomon’s Porch which is a covered area that ran along the eastern wall of the temple complex.

John 10:22-26 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.  (23)  And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.  (24)  Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."  (25)  Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.  (26)  But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.

            The Jewish leaders literally surrounded Jesus as He was walking on the Porch and ask Him directly a question He has actually answered for them many times; though they were not listening with their spiritual ears.  “Are you the Messiah” they ask Him seeking a plain answer in which they then could condemn Him instantly for not the real truth.  Jesus answers them with the Shepherd theme again telling them they do not believe because they are not His sheep.  They have not accepted Him as the Lord of their life, therefore He does not own their heart so they don’t truly believe in Him.  Remember to become His sheep, or to be saved, we must confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus is the Son of the Living God.  These Jewish leaders have nothing but hate and contempt for Jesus in their heart, therefore proving they do not belong to His flock.  They were blinded to His true identity.  Jesus now continues this teaching again describing Himself as the Good Shepherd and explaining to us the extent of His commitment to us as His sheep.

 

John 10:27-30 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  (28)  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  (29)  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.  (30)  I and My Father are one."

            Here we see Jesus emphasize that He and His Father and one; unified in power and commitment to those who choose to accept Jesus as Lord and to follow Him. He first explains that those who are His sheep “hear His voice, are known by Him, and follow Him.”  It is a relationship that develops so strongly that following Jesus defines us.  We know Him and He knows us in such a loving manner that we walk with Him daily seeking to please Him out of gratitude and love.  Secondly, we see Jesus “gives us eternal life,” it is not earned or expected to be paid for by us.  This is a gift given to us on the single condition of faith in that we believe in Him and choose to accept His invitation to follow Him.  Eternal life begins at that moment we believe and are given the Holy Spirt to dwell within us.  Eternal life is something we will enjoy in the future, but it is also designed so we can enjoy this life as well.  Last week Jesus told us He has come so we “may have life and have it more abundantly.” (Jn. 10:10) As we said, we learn that true happiness, peace and contentment come when we live a “God centered” life not a “me centered” one.  We follow Him and obey His commands NOT to earn our salvation, but BECAUSE of our salvation.  We love Him and seek to serve Him because He first loved us.  We serve not out of fear of losing our salvation, but out of gratitude to the One who died for us making salvation possible.

            Finally, Jesus reassures us that we are safe in His arms.  Once we believe and begin to follow, “no one can snatch us out of His hands!”  The redeeming work Jesus did for us upon the cross is perfect and complete and we are kept safely in His hands.  Peter describes it this way:

 

 

 

 

1Pe 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, (5) who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

            We live in this “living hope” which is “incorruptible, undefiled, does not fade away, and is reserved in heaven for us.”  We are “kept,” not by our strength or our works, but by “the power of God through faith.”  This means our salvation was completed by Jesus and other than believing, we play no part in it.  We are safe in His arms, and are kept by His power not our own.  It is not our works that justifies us, but it is God who created us for those works in a “time such as this.” Paul told the Ephesian church this:

 

Eph. 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.  (10)  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

            We again do not strive to live a life full of “good works” to earn our salvation, but because “we are His workmanship (NLT masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus for good works.”  When you are following Jesus faithfully in obedience, you are fulfilling your destiny.  You were created for this.  I hope that fact motivates you to dive in deeper and walk closer knowing that this is your purpose in life.  Those works are different for all of us, but mostly it is just walking everyday loving God and loving those around us.  We do this out of love and gratitude, not out of fear.  We are His children, not His slaves so we want to serve, not have to.

            The Jewish leaders did not appreciate Jesus’ answer and seek to stone Him for it.

 

John 10:31-38 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.  (32)  Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?"  (33)  The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."  (34)  Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I SAID, "YOU ARE GODS" '?  (35)  If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), (36) do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?  (37)  If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; (38) but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."

            Again we see the true nature of these leaders as they immediately seek to kill Jesus without truly listening to Him.  Jesus quotes to them Psalms 82:6 in which the OT refers to them as “gods” meaning the ones in authority.  Those who are given the Words of God to share with the people are “gods” in that they speak with His authority as long as they are speaking His Words and following His commands!  He then uses that to reveal to them that not only is He speaking God’s Words, but is doing God’s works as well.  In so doing, it is should not be blasphemous for Him to call Himself the Son of God.  His works alone should have given them enough interest to at least listen to Him rather than to quickly judge Him.

 

John 10:39-42 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.  (40)  And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed.  (41)  Then many came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true."  (42)  And many believed in Him there.

            By confessing and believing that Jesus is the Son of God and accepting Him as your Lord and Savior, you place yourself into His arms and His loving care.  Jesus watches over you as a Good Shepherd ready to fight for you, protect you, guide you and comfort you when you need it.  He promises that He will “never leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13:5) and that “no one is able to snatch you out of Our Father’s hand.”  May those promises give you full assurance that God is for you and you are indeed always safe in His arms in this life and for eternity.

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your commitment to us who do not deserve it.  Thank You for Jesus who paid the price for our sins.  Grant us the confidence to face life without fear knowing You walk with us.