John 10
Good morning! Today, we are going into John chapter 10 as the next part of the series “What did He say?” I think this chapter is familiar to many. This chapter contains some beautiful imagery and some great assurances of our salvation. It is also a chapter which flows right out of the previous chapter. Literally, Jesus started a dialog at the end of chapter 9 and his speaking continues into chapter 10. There is no interruption or time lapse between the last verse of chapter 9 and the first verse of chapter 10. Before we jump into John chapter 10, let’s pray.
Lord, open our hearts and minds to your Word. Help me communicate the truths that You want us to understand. We thank you that you do not leave us alone, but that you are our shepherd. Give us humility to recognize our need for you and your eternal provision and protection. You are faithful and kind. All this we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
I have to confess that I was envious of Carl because he got to share on John 9 last week. I love the story of the man born blind whose transformation you can see in just a single chapter. His pluck and boldness before the Pharisees is so invigorating. Then, as Jesus seeks him out the second time after the confrontation with the Pharisees, the man worships Jesus. It is exciting.
Lord, open our hearts and minds to your Word. Help me communicate the truths that You want us to understand. We thank you that you do not leave us alone, but that you are our shepherd. Give us humility to recognize our need for you and your eternal provision and protection. You are faithful and kind. All this we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
I have to confess that I was envious of Carl because he got to share on John 9 last week. I love the story of the man born blind whose transformation you can see in just a single chapter. His pluck and boldness before the Pharisees is so invigorating. Then, as Jesus seeks him out the second time after the confrontation with the Pharisees, the man worships Jesus. It is exciting.
I think we have talked about it before, but it is interesting that Jesus receives worship. This is a strong proof of his deity, that he is God. There are other encounters where men want to worship Peter or Paul, and even in Revelation, the apostle John wants to worship the angel. However, in all these cases, the one they are attempting to worship vigorously intervenes saying, “Worship God only.” Do you see the contrast? Jesus’ own followers would not allow themselves to be worshipped. However, Jesus received worship. He is God and his disciples believed him to be God both before and after the resurrection.
Immediately, as the man worshipped,
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” John 9:39-41
Jesus declares that he offers sight to the blind and that those who “see” will become blind. The Pharisees are there and want to exonerate themselves from “blindness.” Not us, we’re not blind! But that’s what Jesus is saying. Pride, claiming you can see, causes your guilt to remain. When we think that we have it all figured out apart from God that ushers in blindness. That’s whether it’s the Pharisees who thought they had it figured out by following an amped up rule book or whether it’s me or you thinking that we have the right combination of education, profession, situation. When we think, “Man, I’ve got it. I can do this on my own.” then we’re in danger.
Without pause, Jesus launches into the beginning of chapter 10.
“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” John 10:1-5
Jesus is continuing his answer to the Pharisees, and the Pharisees had just showed their quality in how they had handled the blind man. Effectively, they were behaving as thieves and robbers. They did not rejoice at the healing. They questioned him repeatedly how he received his sight. They accused the man of not being blind in the first place. They hurled insults at him. And finally, they threw him out. Hardly the attitude you would expect from a spiritual leader or a shepherd.
We’re going to talk a lot about sheep today. There are a couple of hundred instances of the word sheep in the Bible. Just over twenty of those instances are in the book of John. Within chapter 10, the word sheep shows up 18 times. It’s a bit harder for us to relate to the details of shepherding because it’s not so common a part of our landscape any more. Anybody been around sheep?
During Bible times, sheep were much more a part of day to day life. In fact, not much about shepherding had changed throughout the time of the Bible. Sheep were valuable. Therefore, they needed to be kept safe and looked after.
You’ve also heard many things about the ills and folly of sheep. They are prone to different diseases, especially around their eyes and ears. Shepherds often used oils or ointments to treat them. Sheep are likely to wander. Sheep have no defenses other than bunching up and hoping whatever is after them will get full and leave them alone. In the absence of a shepherd, they will just kind of follow each other around blindly. If they do fall into a bad spot, they will sometimes resist rescue. Their legs can get stiff and they fall over and need a shepherd to come and massage their legs and limber them up again.
The shepherd had what I think could be a very boring job most of the time punctuated by very tense moments. If one sheep wandered away, then he had to leave the group and find the one which was lost. If a predator came up on the flock, the shepherd would have to drive it away or kill it. Sheep must be watched both day and night to keep them safe. It was interesting too in that time that the shepherd would not drive the sheep using dogs like is seen today. Instead, the shepherd knew the sheep and they knew him and would follow him. The shepherd led the sheep not drove the sheep.
Psalm 100:3 says, “Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we not we ourselves; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Of course, Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”
The Bible also talks about the leader of the people as shepherd. David was a shepherd before he became king, and he was the best king the nation had, before Jesus of course. In Jeremiah (23:1-2) and Ezekiel (34:2), God speaks harshly of the “shepherds” of the people who had failed in their responsibility to lead and protect the people.
Jesus speaks about a sheepfold or a sheep pen here in this first section. The sheep for a town or village were often kept in a common pen, so all the different sheep from different flocks of that village would be together in the protection of the pen. Sheep belonging to different owners would be all together in the pen. The pen would have only one entrance to keep the sheep safe from wandering off and from wild animals.
The picture in the background in the power point is an image of a sheepfold or sheep pen. This particular picture is more interesting than others I saw because you can tell that the pen is used. The area inside the pen is brown compared to the pasture around it. The sheep have stripped the pen bare. You can see why the shepherd needed to lead the flock to green pastures every day. There was nothing left in the sheep pen to eat.
The watchman opens the gate, but it is the shepherd who leads out the sheep. How do they know their shepherd? By his voice. First, he calls them out. He calls them by name. The shepherd knows all his sheep individually. Then, once he has brought them out, he leads them. The sheep don’t follow a stranger because they don’t recognize the stranger and do not trust him.
Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again,
"I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. John 10:6-9
Jesus’ explanation apparently was not clear for them. They could not get the drift of what he meant by thieves and robbers in comparison to the good shepherd. This is a decision point for us as well. Do we recognize Jesus as the good shepherd? Do we believe that thieves and robbers exist?
Jesus takes the explanation a step further. He switches from third person narrative to first person. “I am.” Not only is Jesus the good shepherd, he is also the gate. It was not uncommon for sheep pens to not have a gate at all. In the picture, it looks like this particular pen may have a gate. However, sheep pens often had no gate. A smaller pen located farther away from the town or village closer to pasture may have had no gate. The shepherd would lead the sheep into the pen and then he would lay down himself as the gate. That way the shepherd could rest, but the sheep would be protected and they couldn’t get out without the shepherd’s notice.
Whoever enters through Jesus will be saved.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:10-11
The thief is not coming to take sheep home to his own flock. Instead, the thief is coming to steal the sheep, kill it, and eat it. Jesus isn’t a shepherd for the purpose of “consuming” the sheep. Jesus came to give us life and not just survival. Eternal, abundant life even though it cost him his own life.
The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. John 10:12-13
Those hired hands while they are not thieves or robbers, they are looking for what they can get out of “shepherding.” It is a means or a form of income for them. The last phrase makes it clear. They care nothing for the sheep. They’re in it for themselves not for the good of the sheep. As such, they don’t have the willingness to sacrifice in the face of danger.
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:14-16
There is only one perfectly good shepherd, and that is Jesus. There is also a relationship promise for us. We can know Jesus in the same way that He knows the Father. If you do not feel close to Jesus, this is a good verse to pray over. You can take Jesus at his word and pray something like this, “Jesus, you said that you are the good shepherd. You also said that I can know you just and you know the Father. You are true, so I pray that you will help me know you more and more.” Of course, if you want to know someone better or get closer to them, it’s a pretty good idea to spend time with them. That time can be spent in prayer, reading the word, singing songs of praise, and just listening.
There is not only one sheep pen. Jesus did not just come for the Jews only. He came for all those who belong to him. Colossians 3:11 says, “… there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” Ultimately, there will be only one flock. Revelation 5:9 speaks of Jesus, saying, “you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” No one is excluded from the invitation to hear his voice and respond to him.
The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." John 10:17-18
Jesus pleased the Father by sacrificing his life for us. Jesus was not killed unexpectedly. Nothing that happened in Jesus’ life was a surprise to him. He could see it all coming. If he did not want to lay down his life, he could have stopped coming back to Jerusalem. How many times already have they tried to kill him?
This word authority can also be translated power. It is interesting to see that it takes Jesus’ authority or power to both lay down and take up his life. Taking up his life will mean that he comes back from the dead. That obviously takes power. However, it may seem a bit strange that it takes power to lay down his life.
And yet, have you ever been offended or insulted? Have you ever been taken advantage of? It is really difficult to be imposed upon without getting just a little bit miffed deep down in a corner somewhere. It takes power and authority to lay down a life. People put their lives on the line both in the military and police and fire departments, but at the end of the day, the expectation is that everyone will come back alive. What immense power did it take for the Son of God to choose to endure it all and take every insult and condemnation, to literally become “sin” so that we could be saved. (II Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus death on the cross was part of God’s plan. Jesus received this command from His Father.
At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?" But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" John 10:19-21
Regarding this claim by the Jews that Jesus was a madman, David Guzik wrote this:
By what we know of Jesus, is if fair to say that He was a madman?
Immediately, as the man worshipped,
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” John 9:39-41
Jesus declares that he offers sight to the blind and that those who “see” will become blind. The Pharisees are there and want to exonerate themselves from “blindness.” Not us, we’re not blind! But that’s what Jesus is saying. Pride, claiming you can see, causes your guilt to remain. When we think that we have it all figured out apart from God that ushers in blindness. That’s whether it’s the Pharisees who thought they had it figured out by following an amped up rule book or whether it’s me or you thinking that we have the right combination of education, profession, situation. When we think, “Man, I’ve got it. I can do this on my own.” then we’re in danger.
Without pause, Jesus launches into the beginning of chapter 10.
“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” John 10:1-5
Jesus is continuing his answer to the Pharisees, and the Pharisees had just showed their quality in how they had handled the blind man. Effectively, they were behaving as thieves and robbers. They did not rejoice at the healing. They questioned him repeatedly how he received his sight. They accused the man of not being blind in the first place. They hurled insults at him. And finally, they threw him out. Hardly the attitude you would expect from a spiritual leader or a shepherd.
We’re going to talk a lot about sheep today. There are a couple of hundred instances of the word sheep in the Bible. Just over twenty of those instances are in the book of John. Within chapter 10, the word sheep shows up 18 times. It’s a bit harder for us to relate to the details of shepherding because it’s not so common a part of our landscape any more. Anybody been around sheep?
During Bible times, sheep were much more a part of day to day life. In fact, not much about shepherding had changed throughout the time of the Bible. Sheep were valuable. Therefore, they needed to be kept safe and looked after.
You’ve also heard many things about the ills and folly of sheep. They are prone to different diseases, especially around their eyes and ears. Shepherds often used oils or ointments to treat them. Sheep are likely to wander. Sheep have no defenses other than bunching up and hoping whatever is after them will get full and leave them alone. In the absence of a shepherd, they will just kind of follow each other around blindly. If they do fall into a bad spot, they will sometimes resist rescue. Their legs can get stiff and they fall over and need a shepherd to come and massage their legs and limber them up again.
The shepherd had what I think could be a very boring job most of the time punctuated by very tense moments. If one sheep wandered away, then he had to leave the group and find the one which was lost. If a predator came up on the flock, the shepherd would have to drive it away or kill it. Sheep must be watched both day and night to keep them safe. It was interesting too in that time that the shepherd would not drive the sheep using dogs like is seen today. Instead, the shepherd knew the sheep and they knew him and would follow him. The shepherd led the sheep not drove the sheep.
Psalm 100:3 says, “Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we not we ourselves; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Of course, Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”
The Bible also talks about the leader of the people as shepherd. David was a shepherd before he became king, and he was the best king the nation had, before Jesus of course. In Jeremiah (23:1-2) and Ezekiel (34:2), God speaks harshly of the “shepherds” of the people who had failed in their responsibility to lead and protect the people.
Jesus speaks about a sheepfold or a sheep pen here in this first section. The sheep for a town or village were often kept in a common pen, so all the different sheep from different flocks of that village would be together in the protection of the pen. Sheep belonging to different owners would be all together in the pen. The pen would have only one entrance to keep the sheep safe from wandering off and from wild animals.
The picture in the background in the power point is an image of a sheepfold or sheep pen. This particular picture is more interesting than others I saw because you can tell that the pen is used. The area inside the pen is brown compared to the pasture around it. The sheep have stripped the pen bare. You can see why the shepherd needed to lead the flock to green pastures every day. There was nothing left in the sheep pen to eat.
The watchman opens the gate, but it is the shepherd who leads out the sheep. How do they know their shepherd? By his voice. First, he calls them out. He calls them by name. The shepherd knows all his sheep individually. Then, once he has brought them out, he leads them. The sheep don’t follow a stranger because they don’t recognize the stranger and do not trust him.
Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again,
"I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. John 10:6-9
Jesus’ explanation apparently was not clear for them. They could not get the drift of what he meant by thieves and robbers in comparison to the good shepherd. This is a decision point for us as well. Do we recognize Jesus as the good shepherd? Do we believe that thieves and robbers exist?
Jesus takes the explanation a step further. He switches from third person narrative to first person. “I am.” Not only is Jesus the good shepherd, he is also the gate. It was not uncommon for sheep pens to not have a gate at all. In the picture, it looks like this particular pen may have a gate. However, sheep pens often had no gate. A smaller pen located farther away from the town or village closer to pasture may have had no gate. The shepherd would lead the sheep into the pen and then he would lay down himself as the gate. That way the shepherd could rest, but the sheep would be protected and they couldn’t get out without the shepherd’s notice.
Whoever enters through Jesus will be saved.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:10-11
The thief is not coming to take sheep home to his own flock. Instead, the thief is coming to steal the sheep, kill it, and eat it. Jesus isn’t a shepherd for the purpose of “consuming” the sheep. Jesus came to give us life and not just survival. Eternal, abundant life even though it cost him his own life.
The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. John 10:12-13
Those hired hands while they are not thieves or robbers, they are looking for what they can get out of “shepherding.” It is a means or a form of income for them. The last phrase makes it clear. They care nothing for the sheep. They’re in it for themselves not for the good of the sheep. As such, they don’t have the willingness to sacrifice in the face of danger.
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:14-16
There is only one perfectly good shepherd, and that is Jesus. There is also a relationship promise for us. We can know Jesus in the same way that He knows the Father. If you do not feel close to Jesus, this is a good verse to pray over. You can take Jesus at his word and pray something like this, “Jesus, you said that you are the good shepherd. You also said that I can know you just and you know the Father. You are true, so I pray that you will help me know you more and more.” Of course, if you want to know someone better or get closer to them, it’s a pretty good idea to spend time with them. That time can be spent in prayer, reading the word, singing songs of praise, and just listening.
There is not only one sheep pen. Jesus did not just come for the Jews only. He came for all those who belong to him. Colossians 3:11 says, “… there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” Ultimately, there will be only one flock. Revelation 5:9 speaks of Jesus, saying, “you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” No one is excluded from the invitation to hear his voice and respond to him.
The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." John 10:17-18
Jesus pleased the Father by sacrificing his life for us. Jesus was not killed unexpectedly. Nothing that happened in Jesus’ life was a surprise to him. He could see it all coming. If he did not want to lay down his life, he could have stopped coming back to Jerusalem. How many times already have they tried to kill him?
This word authority can also be translated power. It is interesting to see that it takes Jesus’ authority or power to both lay down and take up his life. Taking up his life will mean that he comes back from the dead. That obviously takes power. However, it may seem a bit strange that it takes power to lay down his life.
And yet, have you ever been offended or insulted? Have you ever been taken advantage of? It is really difficult to be imposed upon without getting just a little bit miffed deep down in a corner somewhere. It takes power and authority to lay down a life. People put their lives on the line both in the military and police and fire departments, but at the end of the day, the expectation is that everyone will come back alive. What immense power did it take for the Son of God to choose to endure it all and take every insult and condemnation, to literally become “sin” so that we could be saved. (II Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus death on the cross was part of God’s plan. Jesus received this command from His Father.
At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?" But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" John 10:19-21
Regarding this claim by the Jews that Jesus was a madman, David Guzik wrote this:
By what we know of Jesus, is if fair to say that He was a madman?
i. The words of Jesus were not the words of a madman; instead, they are supreme sanity.
ii. The deeds of Jesus aren’t the deeds of a meglo-maniac; instead, they were utterly unselfish.
iii. The effect of Jesus isn’t the effect of a madman; instead, He has changed millions for the good.
In addition, there is the testimony of Jesus’ miracles. The man born blind said it best himself, “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.”
I had a couple more sheepish thoughts. At the time of Jesus, the profession of shepherd was not a hallowed or esteemed profession. In fact, shepherds were not considered trustworthy, and their testimony was not allowed in court. Shepherds also lived among the sheep and carried sheep that were lame or lambs that were prone to wander, so they smelled like sheep. They probably weren’t the cleanest guys in town. No wonder the Pharisees who were so concerned with outward appearance failed as shepherds. You can’t really shepherd the sheep if you’re afraid you might get dirty.
But, that’s how I see Jesus. He was right among the people of all classes. It didn’t bother him. He’s not worried about where we are or where we’ve been. He’s been to hell and back to save us. There’s nothing that’s going to surprise him. He’s not afraid that he’s going to get cooties or something. One of my favorite moments was when Jesus healed the leper. I imagine it as an electric moment, like a half a million volts kind of moment. The leper came to Jesus and fell on his knees and said, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” And then Jesus reached out his hand, and I just see it hovering there if only for a fraction of a second. I imagine the demons just holding their breath waiting to see if Jesus can really turn back the tide. Up until that moment, clean things could only be made unclean if they touched an unclean object. Then, Jesus touches that leper, and he’s made clean. Now, instead of uncleanness spreading, cleanness has spread. That leper’s death sentence was lifted. He was brought back from death to life. Jesus is the good shepherd.
I had a couple more sheepish thoughts. At the time of Jesus, the profession of shepherd was not a hallowed or esteemed profession. In fact, shepherds were not considered trustworthy, and their testimony was not allowed in court. Shepherds also lived among the sheep and carried sheep that were lame or lambs that were prone to wander, so they smelled like sheep. They probably weren’t the cleanest guys in town. No wonder the Pharisees who were so concerned with outward appearance failed as shepherds. You can’t really shepherd the sheep if you’re afraid you might get dirty.
But, that’s how I see Jesus. He was right among the people of all classes. It didn’t bother him. He’s not worried about where we are or where we’ve been. He’s been to hell and back to save us. There’s nothing that’s going to surprise him. He’s not afraid that he’s going to get cooties or something. One of my favorite moments was when Jesus healed the leper. I imagine it as an electric moment, like a half a million volts kind of moment. The leper came to Jesus and fell on his knees and said, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” And then Jesus reached out his hand, and I just see it hovering there if only for a fraction of a second. I imagine the demons just holding their breath waiting to see if Jesus can really turn back the tide. Up until that moment, clean things could only be made unclean if they touched an unclean object. Then, Jesus touches that leper, and he’s made clean. Now, instead of uncleanness spreading, cleanness has spread. That leper’s death sentence was lifted. He was brought back from death to life. Jesus is the good shepherd.
He wants to give us abundant life. We just need to listen and follow his voice.
Jesus doesn’t force himself on us. He leads us. He is calling to us. It is up to us to decide to heed his call.
We were down at the beach last week, and we built all kinds of castles and structures in the sand. Joseph came up with a new one and asked me to help him build a bridge in the sand. I was helping one of the other kids at the time, so in addition to thinking man that’s not gonna work, I said I couldn’t help him right then. And after a pretty good run at the sand bridge, it collapsed.
Well, Joseph was not put off by the collapse, so he decided he needed to change his strategy, so he moved from the drier lighter sand where the first bridge was to the wetter sand. At the same time, he increased the span from about a foot to a foot and a half to two feet. I’m thinking this is really not gonna work, but I was freed up so I went in to help him. I won’t bore you with what I find to be the really exciting details, but suffice it to say, we made a sand bridge that could hold a 200 lb man. When I first started to dig, I was totally not digging where Joseph was. He looked at me and said why are you digging way over there. I don’t really remember what I said, but it was something simple like I need to dig over here so we can make it deep enough to last.
Later that evening, I was relating the sand bridge story to Melissa, and it sort of dawned on me. How many times do I second guess God? Joseph was kind of shocked at my approach to building a sand bridge, and he asked about it almost as if I hadn’t dug a hole in the ground before. But, I didn’t come firing back at him with a litany of my qualifications for digging in the dirt. I love the upstate. I think it is one of the most beautiful places on God’s green earth, and you may not know it, but the ground here is cursed. You can’t dig a hole in the orange clay up here for anything. When I was a kid, I lived down in the lower part of the state where the soil was nice and sandy. Our backyard had a row of azaleas with a good bit of space behind them adjacent to a block wall where my Mom let us dig to our hearts content. You couldn’t find a more idyllic place to play. How many holes have I dug in my life? I have no idea but it’s not a small number. On top of that, I went to school as an engineer not a civil engineer, but still when Joseph asked about building a sand bridge, I’m thinking about distributed loads and angles and statics and depth of the water table at the construction site he’d selected. All kinds of perverse stuff only engineers think about.
Why do I tell you that? Well, Jesus doesn’t bowl us over with a litany of his qualifications either. He doesn’t hit us over the head with who he is. He tells us he is the good shepherd and he does the work of the good shepherd and then he calls to us. It’s up to us to respond in faith. His claims and the evidence supporting those claims are there plain for us to see. Now what do we do about it. Do we come to him in trust?
Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” John 10:22-24
The feast of dedication is known better to us today as Hannukah. We jumped from the end of the feast of tabernacles which would have been about the same time of year as now forward to December which of course is the beginning of winter.
I don’t know about you, but I almost imagine Jesus sighing and thinking, “Here we go again.”
Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me … John 10:25
Again and again, Jesus has said and done things which affirm that he must be the Christ. He had openly proclaimed He is the living bread that comes down from heaven, He is the river of life, and He is the light of the world. He had told them that God is his Father. He had told them that before Abraham was born, “I am” which was a unmistakable claim to be equal with God. In addition, the miracles speak for him.
… but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:26-27
It is up to the sheep. We must listen and follow. It is God’s desire to be “patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9)
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28
Awesome assurance from Jesus! We are secure in him for eternity.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. John 10:29
Better still! God the Father and Jesus have a secure grip on every believer. Psalm 23 talks about God as our shepherd. It says “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” I’ve often focused on the staff which can be used as a tool to rescue me from whatever mess I can get myself into, but I did not think of the rod until I heard a pastor a couple of years ago. The rod is for protection. We can take comfort in God the Shepherd that he has the necessary firepower to protect us in any circumstance. Nothing can snatch us out of His hand.
I and the Father are one. John 10:30
Here is another small sentence from Jesus which has big implications. He’s made himself equal to God. Of course, it is true. He is the Son of God, and in him “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9)
These couple of verses are very strategic in refuting claims of some cults you may encounter. Some do not believe Jesus is God. Others teach that there are a plurality of Gods that God the Father and Jesus are separate entities. Here we see the Father and the Son playing an active role in preserving or securing our eternal life. We also see the unity of the Father and the Son, “I and the Father are one.” If Jesus is not equal to the Father, how can they be one together.
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
Jesus doesn’t force himself on us. He leads us. He is calling to us. It is up to us to decide to heed his call.
We were down at the beach last week, and we built all kinds of castles and structures in the sand. Joseph came up with a new one and asked me to help him build a bridge in the sand. I was helping one of the other kids at the time, so in addition to thinking man that’s not gonna work, I said I couldn’t help him right then. And after a pretty good run at the sand bridge, it collapsed.
Well, Joseph was not put off by the collapse, so he decided he needed to change his strategy, so he moved from the drier lighter sand where the first bridge was to the wetter sand. At the same time, he increased the span from about a foot to a foot and a half to two feet. I’m thinking this is really not gonna work, but I was freed up so I went in to help him. I won’t bore you with what I find to be the really exciting details, but suffice it to say, we made a sand bridge that could hold a 200 lb man. When I first started to dig, I was totally not digging where Joseph was. He looked at me and said why are you digging way over there. I don’t really remember what I said, but it was something simple like I need to dig over here so we can make it deep enough to last.
Later that evening, I was relating the sand bridge story to Melissa, and it sort of dawned on me. How many times do I second guess God? Joseph was kind of shocked at my approach to building a sand bridge, and he asked about it almost as if I hadn’t dug a hole in the ground before. But, I didn’t come firing back at him with a litany of my qualifications for digging in the dirt. I love the upstate. I think it is one of the most beautiful places on God’s green earth, and you may not know it, but the ground here is cursed. You can’t dig a hole in the orange clay up here for anything. When I was a kid, I lived down in the lower part of the state where the soil was nice and sandy. Our backyard had a row of azaleas with a good bit of space behind them adjacent to a block wall where my Mom let us dig to our hearts content. You couldn’t find a more idyllic place to play. How many holes have I dug in my life? I have no idea but it’s not a small number. On top of that, I went to school as an engineer not a civil engineer, but still when Joseph asked about building a sand bridge, I’m thinking about distributed loads and angles and statics and depth of the water table at the construction site he’d selected. All kinds of perverse stuff only engineers think about.
Why do I tell you that? Well, Jesus doesn’t bowl us over with a litany of his qualifications either. He doesn’t hit us over the head with who he is. He tells us he is the good shepherd and he does the work of the good shepherd and then he calls to us. It’s up to us to respond in faith. His claims and the evidence supporting those claims are there plain for us to see. Now what do we do about it. Do we come to him in trust?
Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” John 10:22-24
The feast of dedication is known better to us today as Hannukah. We jumped from the end of the feast of tabernacles which would have been about the same time of year as now forward to December which of course is the beginning of winter.
I don’t know about you, but I almost imagine Jesus sighing and thinking, “Here we go again.”
Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me … John 10:25
Again and again, Jesus has said and done things which affirm that he must be the Christ. He had openly proclaimed He is the living bread that comes down from heaven, He is the river of life, and He is the light of the world. He had told them that God is his Father. He had told them that before Abraham was born, “I am” which was a unmistakable claim to be equal with God. In addition, the miracles speak for him.
… but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:26-27
It is up to the sheep. We must listen and follow. It is God’s desire to be “patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9)
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28
Awesome assurance from Jesus! We are secure in him for eternity.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. John 10:29
Better still! God the Father and Jesus have a secure grip on every believer. Psalm 23 talks about God as our shepherd. It says “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” I’ve often focused on the staff which can be used as a tool to rescue me from whatever mess I can get myself into, but I did not think of the rod until I heard a pastor a couple of years ago. The rod is for protection. We can take comfort in God the Shepherd that he has the necessary firepower to protect us in any circumstance. Nothing can snatch us out of His hand.
I and the Father are one. John 10:30
Here is another small sentence from Jesus which has big implications. He’s made himself equal to God. Of course, it is true. He is the Son of God, and in him “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9)
These couple of verses are very strategic in refuting claims of some cults you may encounter. Some do not believe Jesus is God. Others teach that there are a plurality of Gods that God the Father and Jesus are separate entities. Here we see the Father and the Son playing an active role in preserving or securing our eternal life. We also see the unity of the Father and the Son, “I and the Father are one.” If Jesus is not equal to the Father, how can they be one together.
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” John 10:31-33
There is no mistake among the Jews about what Jesus means. They are ready to stone him again for claiming to be God. Of course, it is only blasphemy if it is not true.
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came--and the Scripture cannot be broken--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’?” John 10:34-36
Here’s another time where Jesus pulls a shocker on these supposed learned men. They are ready to kill Jesus for his claim. And yet, God himself has said “you are gods” referring to men. This quotation comes from Psalm 82:6. There are also 4 occurrences in Exodus where God speaks of men, rulers and judges as elohiym. This is the same word used more than 2000 times in the Old Testament to refer to God.
“Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 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.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. John 10:37-39
The proof is in his actions. Does he do the miraculous things that only the Father could do?
It is indirectly demonstrated that Jesus is following a planned sequence of events. He will not die until the appointed time.
Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus. John 10:40-42
Although Jesus can no longer openly stay in Jerusalem, his ministry continues. Now the people come to Jesus as they once came to John the Baptist. In John 1, it said that John the Baptist “came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him all men might believe.” This is a continuing fulfillment of John’s ministry. He testified that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And so, the people continue to believe in Jesus.
Jesus is the gate. He is the door. No one comes to the Father except through him. We have to believe in him for who he says that he is. He is God’s son. He is the one who takes away the sin of the world. When we put our trust in him, we have security that no one can snatch us out of his hand. Let’s listen intently to his voice and follow him wherever he leads. Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for your many precious promises. We thank you that we can have assurance in you for our eternal hope and future. Thank you that the abundant life begins when we believe in you. Help us to listen to your voice. Please heal our ears that we can hear clearly your call and not be deceived by the call of the world, the flesh, or the evil one. We want to follow you always. Thank you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus. John 10:40-42
Although Jesus can no longer openly stay in Jerusalem, his ministry continues. Now the people come to Jesus as they once came to John the Baptist. In John 1, it said that John the Baptist “came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him all men might believe.” This is a continuing fulfillment of John’s ministry. He testified that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And so, the people continue to believe in Jesus.
Jesus is the gate. He is the door. No one comes to the Father except through him. We have to believe in him for who he says that he is. He is God’s son. He is the one who takes away the sin of the world. When we put our trust in him, we have security that no one can snatch us out of his hand. Let’s listen intently to his voice and follow him wherever he leads. Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for your many precious promises. We thank you that we can have assurance in you for our eternal hope and future. Thank you that the abundant life begins when we believe in you. Help us to listen to your voice. Please heal our ears that we can hear clearly your call and not be deceived by the call of the world, the flesh, or the evil one. We want to follow you always. Thank you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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