If you have your Bible with you, please open it up to John chapter 10.
John chapter 10, we are coming down to verse 22 here, a new section.
John chapter 22, John chapter 10 verse 22.
Let me read the first couple of verses for us this morning.
Then came the festival of dedication at Jerusalem.
It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts, walking in Solomon's colonnade.
So John now gives us a sense of the timeline here in his account of the story of Jesus.
And the last clear indication that we had of that was back in chapter 7 verse 1,
where he told us it was the Feast of Tabernacles.
And it seems that most of what's happened in between then and now happened closer to the Feast of Tabernacles.
But now John kind of fast forwards a few months.
The Feast of Tabernacles happened in the fall.
And this is now another festival, the Festival of Dedication happening in Jerusalem,
which happens in kind of our calendar in December.
And there's another major event that comes in the story of Jesus here.
So I'm going to just share with you a little bit of what the Festival of Dedication is about.
It's not a festival that was commanded in the Old Testament.
In fact, it only started being celebrated 200 years or so before Jesus.
It's known today as Hanukkah.
And it marked the date that the Jews revolted against an oppressive ruler,
the Syrian Antiochus Epiphanes.
They regained independence.
They recaptured the temple and they reconsecrated it and rededicated it to God.
And then every year after that, they began to celebrate this.
It was also called the Feast of Lights.
There's lots more that could be said about it, but that's the gist.
And John tells us that this is the occasion of the next part of the story of Jesus.
This festival is on and the people, again, as they usually do,
all kind of converge on Jerusalem to celebrate and mark the festival.
It's now winter.
And Jesus, John tells us, was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's colonnade.
That was kind of a covered part of the temple, like a portico with large pillars.
So Jesus is walking there.
And John tells us in verse 24,
The Jews who were there gathered around Jesus, saying,
How long will you keep us in suspense?
If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.
This is somewhat amusing to read in the original language.
A little more literally, they say,
How long will you take away our lives?
Tell us plainly if you are the Christ, the Messiah.
In other words, stop wasting our time and just tell us.
Are you the Messiah or aren't you?
Verse 25,
Jesus answered,
I did tell you,
but you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father's name testify about me,
but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice.
I know them,
and they follow me.
So the Jews gathered around him.
They're asking Jesus to tell them plainly whether he is the Messiah.
And Jesus says,
I already told you,
and you do not believe.
Notice that it's the present tense,
like you do not believe in me.
Even now, in this moment,
you still do not believe.
And we might be tempted to think,
well,
that's a pretty reasonable question
that they're asking.
Like,
Jesus,
we've been waiting patiently for a long time now.
We've been following your story.
How long are you going to leave us wondering?
But judging by what Jesus says to them in response,
this is not the kind of question that they're asking.
Jesus makes it crystal clear.
They have already heard the things that he's been saying.
I did tell you.
They have already seen the works that he's been doing,
the miracles,
the signs,
the things I do in my Father's name.
They bear witness about me.
And yet they are still refusing to believe Jesus.
More likely,
this question that they're asking
is an attempt to subtly pressure Jesus
into making the claim outright,
publicly,
to be the Messiah.
And they're hoping to use that against him.
to accuse him,
to go after him.
Jesus says to them,
I did tell you.
Now,
it's not as though Jesus has publicly said,
I am the Messiah.
He did say that,
pretty much word for word,
in private,
to various individuals.
the woman at the well,
in John chapter 4.
He said,
not quite in word for word,
but basically said,
I am the Messiah to his disciples,
in Matthew 16.
He said,
what equates to,
I am the Messiah,
to the man who had been born blind,
when he tells him that he's the Son of Man,
just a couple chapters ago.
But Jesus has never publicly,
and openly declared word for word,
I am the Messiah.
In the more public settings,
he often uses metaphors,
and analogies.
But to anybody who's been listening,
it's pretty obvious,
that in all these metaphors,
and analogies,
Jesus is basically saying,
I am the Messiah.
He's told them that he's been sent from heaven.
He's told them that he speaks for his father,
God.
He's told them that he's the Son of Man,
and all the messianic meaning,
that goes with that,
we've talked about.
He's told them that he's the bread of life,
the bread of heaven,
the light of the world.
Back in John chapter 5,
he's told them that he's the one,
who will judge at the end,
with the authority given to him by God.
And now here in John chapter 10,
he's told them that he is the true shepherd,
of God's flock.
The one who will shepherd,
and lead God's sheep.
Just like King David,
was God's chosen shepherd,
and king long ago.
So,
I did tell you,
says Jesus.
Not only did I tell you,
but the works that I am doing,
in my father's name,
testify about me.
You want some evidence?
Some proof that I am the Messiah?
Look at the things that I've been doing.
The miracles,
the healings,
the signs.
They're things only God can do.
You've heard all I've done,
and you've seen all I've done,
all I've done,
and yet you do not believe me.
And then Jesus goes a step further,
in verse 26,
and tells them why they don't believe.
You do not believe,
because you are not my sheep.
Or as some translations say,
because you are not of,
you are not among my sheep.
We're going to leave that one alone for today.
It's not the first time we've heard something like that,
that Jesus said,
and it requires careful consideration.
We might come back to it in the weeks ahead.
But for today,
it's enough simply to say,
the reason they refuse to believe in Jesus,
even though they've seen his works,
and heard his words,
is that they are not his sheep.
Jesus then goes on to tell us,
what is true about his sheep,
again,
here in verse 27.
Three things.
He says,
my sheep listen to my voice.
I know them,
and they follow me.
They listen to my voice.
And here,
listening implies more than just listening.
It implies faith.
It implies obedience.
It's not just that they hear what Jesus is saying,
like these Jews that he's talking to right now.
It's that they listen.
They really listen to him.
They accept his words.
They obey them.
They follow me,
says Jesus.
They do what I ask them to do.
They recognize me as their leader,
their shepherd,
their Messiah.
Verse 28.
Jesus goes on.
He says,
I give them,
that's my sheep,
I give my sheep eternal life,
and they shall never perish.
No one will snatch them out of my hand.
Here it is again.
Jesus declares plainly
that he will give eternal life
to his people.
Life that lasts forever.
He says that for his sheep,
they will never perish.
And this translation in English
is a little bit flat.
Literally,
it's,
they will not ever perish
unto the ages.
It's a very emphatic way of saying it.
They will live forever and ever
and never.
Not die,
but perish.
He's not saying they will never die,
but rather that he will give to them
everlasting life.
Life that goes on forever.
And we know from other places
in this gospel
that that everlasting part
of this life
will begin after they die.
When Jesus,
as he said earlier,
raises them
back to life from the dead
at the last day.
And we'll hear more about the resurrection
in the chapter ahead.
I give them eternal life
and they shall never perish.
No one will snatch them
out of my hand.
I love this statement
that Jesus makes.
This is Jesus' way of saying,
you see these sheep of mine,
these followers of mine,
you can't touch them.
Let's think about these words.
These words about snatching the sheep
take us back to what Jesus said
a few months earlier,
earlier in chapter 10.
He was telling us there,
really likening the Pharisees
to thieves and robbers.
Talking about how
the true shepherd uses the gate,
but those who aren't
the true shepherd,
they go in another way.
Like they climb over the wall
to try and snatch the sheep.
He talked about how
thieves and robbers
only really come around
for one purpose.
To steal.
To kill.
To destroy.
They come to snatch
the sheep for themselves.
To steal them away
from their true shepherd.
He also likened
the religious leaders,
the Pharisees,
to the wolf.
He talked about
how the wolf comes around
and when he does,
the hired hand runs away
and then the wolf
attacks the sheep.
That's actually the same word
for snatch.
It literally means
to make off
with someone's property
by attacking,
by seizing,
by stealing,
carrying off,
dragging away.
And here Jesus says,
no one will snatch them.
my sheep
from my hand.
And to really appreciate this,
I think we need to put ourselves
as best we can
in the shoes
of Jesus' disciples
right now.
Imagine that you're
one of them.
You're standing there
right now
in Solomon's portico
watching this unfold
between Jesus
and these Jews,
probably many of them
Pharisees
or religious leaders.
here in this moment,
the sparks are flying
between Jesus
and the religious leaders.
They want Jesus dead.
They hate him.
They've been plotting
and scheming
for some time now
about how to take
this guy out.
How do you think
the disciples of Jesus
are feeling right now
in the midst of this?
Do you think
they feel safe?
Do you think
they feel safe?
their master,
who they know
is the Messiah,
is a wanted man.
And he's a little bit
outnumbered,
it seems.
Even though he's managed
to avoid arrest
so far,
even though he's been able
to outmaneuver
the Pharisees
in all of these
public encounters
up to this point,
things are continuing
to heat up.
the tension is rising
between Jesus
and the religious leaders.
In fact,
in just the next chapter
after Lazarus dies,
Jesus will say
to his disciples,
let's go back
to Judea,
to Bethany,
the village of Lazarus,
which is like
right next door
to Jerusalem.
And what does
the disciples say
when Jesus says
this to them?
They say,
but Rabbi,
a short while ago,
the Jews there
tried to stone you.
Like,
we can't go back there.
It's not safe.
Thomas,
one of Jesus' disciples,
actually said,
great,
let's go
and we'll all die
with him.
So what's unfolding
right now
that we're hearing
is the reason
why the disciples
are afraid.
They don't feel safe.
this situation
between Jesus
and the Jews,
the Pharisees,
the religious leaders,
it feels dangerous.
And yet,
what does Jesus say
in the midst of all this?
He says,
no one
will snatch
my sheep
out of my hand.
This is a word
both for his disciples
and for his opponents.
to his disciples,
it means,
don't worry about them.
Don't fret about them.
They will not get you.
Your life
is in my hand
and it's safe
in my hand.
This is a word
for his disciples.
But it's also a word
to these Jews
who aren't his sheep,
Jesus' opponents.
to them,
it means,
you can try
your hardest
to go after
my sheep,
my people.
You can try
to draw them away.
You can try
to poison them
against me.
You can try
to hurt them.
But no matter
how hard you try,
you will fail.
No one
can snatch them
from my hand.
No one
can steal them
away from me.
They are my sheep.
I am their shepherd
and they are secure
in my hand.
And then Jesus
takes it a step
beyond that.
In case there's
any doubt,
verse 29,
Jesus says,
my father
who has given
them to me
is greater
than all.
No one
can snatch
them out
of my father's
hand.
I love this.
It reminds me
of all those
silly little arguments
I had with other
kids at the playground.
background.
This is probably
more a thing
for boys,
but maybe you
remember those
little things.
Like,
you better stop
trying to hurt
my friend.
I'm going to
punch you
in the face.
Well,
if you do that,
I'm going to
get my dad
and he's going
to come
and he's going
to punch
you in the head.
Well,
then I'll get
my dad
and my dad
knows karate
and he'll
block your dad's
punch and
punch him
right out.
All the things
that we said
to each other
when we were
kids,
at least us
boys.
this is a
little bit
like that,
but this is
the holy
and righteous
version of
that.
You can
try to
snatch them
out of my
hand,
but let me
tell you a
little secret.
My father,
God,
is holding
them too
in his
hand.
And he's
the greatest
that there
is.
He's the
strongest,
he's the
most powerful.
Nobody
can snatch
them out
of his
hand.
I hold
my sheep
safe and
secure and
at the
same time,
so does
he.
And then
Jesus says
it in
verse 30.
I and
the father
are one.
I love
it.
The ultimate
statement
of unity
between
father and
son said
by anyone
else,
absolute
blasphemy,
but by
the divine
son of
God,
the word
who became
flesh.
This is
the truth
about who
Jesus is.
It's as
though Jesus
is saying,
not only do
we work
together,
my father
and I,
but we
are
together
one.
One
and the
same
God.
Again,
his Jewish
opponents
picked up
stones
to stone
him.
But Jesus
said to
them,
I have
shown you
many good
works from
the father.
For which
of these
do you
stone me?
We are
not stoning
you for
any good
work,
they replied,
but for
blasphemy,
because you,
a mere man,
claim to be
God.
God,
the Jews
who were
there that
day understood
perfectly well
what Jesus
was claiming
when he
said,
I and the
father are
one.
It was a
claim to
share in
the same
divine nature
as God,
to be
united,
to be
one with
God,
the father.
I asked a
little earlier
if you thought
the disciples
of Jesus
felt safe.
how about
now?
Jesus'
opponents
now have
stones in
their hand
and they're
ready to
let fly.
I can only
imagine the
disciples'
hearts probably
pounding,
racing,
and their
thoughts,
what do we
do?
Do we run?
Where are we
going to meet
up later with
Jesus if we
get away?
What do we
do?
Well, for the
moment, Jesus
manages to hold
the stones at
bay simply
by speaking.
He asks them
a question.
He calls
them to
consider again
the good
works that
he has been
doing.
Could he
be doing
such things,
the things
of God,
while at
the same
time blaspheming
God and
trying to steal
his glory?
But sadly,
Jesus'
opponents don't
seem to care
too much about
the countless
signs and
miracles that
he's been
doing.
It's just
like earlier,
the Pharisees,
they didn't
give a rip
about the
man who
had been
born blind
that was
now healed.
They're
focused on
one thing,
taking Jesus
out.
Verse 33,
we are not
stoning you
for any
good work,
but for
blasphemy
because you,
a mere
man,
claim to
be God.
This is at
the heart of
the issue.
In the eyes
of these
Jews,
Jesus is
just a
man,
a mere
man,
and therefore
they accuse
him of
blasphemy,
despite the
fact that he
is doing
the things
that only
God can
do.
So the
stones are
ready to
fly at
Jesus.
And let's
imagine for a
moment again
that you are
one of his
disciples.
Let me ask
you again,
do you feel
safe in this
moment?
And yet,
even though
they might not
feel safe,
they are
safe.
even though
they might
feel threatened
and in
danger,
are they
in danger?
No.
What did
Jesus just
say?
I give
my sheep
eternal
life,
and they
shall never
perish.
No one
will snatch
them out of
my hand.
My Father
who has given
them to me
is greater
than all.
No one
can snatch
them out
of my
Father's
hand.
what's the
worst they
can do?
Pelt us
with stones?
Destroy our
reputations?
Make life
miserable for
us and our
families?
Arrest us?
Kill us?
I give
them eternal
life,
and they
shall never
perish.
snatch.
No one
can snatch
them out
of my
hand.
Even
though in
this moment
the disciples
do not
feel safe
and secure,
the truth
is they
are,
because Jesus
holds their
lives in
his hand,
and he is
very capable.
He is the
good shepherd.
He will
lay down
his life
for his
sheep,
and after
rising from
the dead,
Jesus,
just as he
promised,
will raise
all of us
who believe
back to life
from the
dead,
never to
die again.
And so
even if they
kill us,
through Jesus,
our shepherd,
we win.
We have
life
forever.
he will
raise us
up.
And so
these words
of Jesus
should put
a boldness
and a
confidence
in our
hearts.
They should
give us
peace.
Our
ultimate
hope
in
Jesus,
through
Jesus,
we are
untouchable.
Nobody
can take
it away
from us,
this life.
no one
can snatch
us
from our
Savior's
hand.
And there
are a couple
other places
where this
comes out
so wonderfully.
I have to
highlight a
couple of
them.
Luke
chapter 21
verse 16,
Jesus is
talking to
his disciples
there about
how things
are going
to be at
the very
end of
the world.
And he
says this
to them,
he says,
you will
be betrayed
even by
parents,
brothers and
sisters,
relatives and
friends,
and they
will put
some of
you to
death.
Everyone
will hate
you because
of me,
but not
a hair
of your
head
will perish.
Stand
firm
and you
will win
life.
I love
that.
In the
same breath,
Jesus says,
they will put
some of you
to death,
but not a
hair of
your head
will perish.
Nothing,
no one
can snatch
my sheep
from my
hand.
Or take
the words
of the
apostle Paul
in the
beloved
passage,
Romans
chapter 8
verse 35.
Who shall
separate us
from the
love of
Christ?
Shall
trouble
or
hardship?
How about
persecution?
Or what
about famine?
Nakedness?
Danger?
What about
the sword?
As it is
written,
for your
sake,
we face
death all
day long.
We are
considered as
sheep to be
slaughtered.
no,
in all
these things,
in all
these things,
we are
more than
conquerors
through him
who loved
us.
For I'm
convinced,
said Paul,
that neither
death,
do you hear
that?
Neither
death
nor life,
neither
angels
nor demons,
neither the
present nor
the future,
nor any
powers,
neither height
nor depth,
nor anything
else in all
creation will
be able to
separate us
from the
love of
God that
is in
Christ Jesus,
our Lord.
Nothing,
not even
death,
can separate
us from
the love
of our
Lord Jesus.
If you
belong to
Jesus,
no one
and nothing
can snatch
you from
his hand.
So how
do these
words speak
to us
today?
Well,
this good
promise of
Jesus is
only for
his sheep.
So let me
ask you,
are you one
of them?
Do you
have Jesus
as your
shepherd?
And if
not,
I urge you
to come to
Jesus to
repent of
your sins and
to believe in
his name.
him?
And if you
do,
his promise
is that
you will
be saved
and you
will have
him as
your good
shepherd.
Most of
you here,
I think,
have already
done that.
And so for
you,
this morning I
have a
different
question.
As you
look around
at what's
happening in
our world
today,
do you
feel safe?
Do you
feel safe?
Are you
worried?
Are you
fretting?
Are you
panicked?
Like Jesus'
disciples are
in this
moment.
Do you
feel safe?
If Jesus
is your
shepherd,
you are.
Let your
heart hear
these words
one more
time.
I give
my sheep
eternal
life.
They shall
never perish.
No one
will snatch
them out
of my
hand.
my hope
and my
prayer is
that these
words will
sink deep
into our
hearts.
And that
as a result
we will have
peace.
We will have
a calm in
our hearts.
Even as we
look out at
what's going
on in our
world today,
we are going
to be just
fine.
We are in
the care of
our Lord
Jesus.
We are in
the care of
God,
the Father.
Father,
we don't
need to
hide in
our homes.
We don't
need to
worry about
what will
happen if
we can
have confidence,
we can have
boldness,
because this
is the end
of our
story.
And my
hope and
prayer is
that that
will enable
us to
continue to
reach out to
the people in
this community,
to love
them, to
invite them
into our
homes, to
go over to
their homes,
knock on the
door,
share with
them the
love of
Jesus and
the truth
of Jesus.
Let's
pray.
Lord Jesus,
thank you so
much for
these words.
You are the
ultimate.
Father, you
are the
ultimate, the
one true
God.
Put our
hearts at
rest, we
ask.
you know
the things
that we've
been thinking
about this
week, you
know the
news articles
that we've
read, you
know the
media posts
that we've
seen.
Put our
hearts at
rest, Lord,
with these
words.
Thank you
for an
unshakable hope
and confidence
that will
come true
when you
return.
Lord.
We pray this
in your
name.
Amen.