You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace.
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We're back in John's Gospel this morning.
We've been encountering Jesus there time and time again, learning who he is, seeing
most recently Jesus as the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep and then
takes it up again in resurrected glory to give life forever to us.
We're going to read the rest of John chapter 10 this morning.
But before we do, I want us to notice something that Jesus mentions in this passage almost
as an aside.
It is a fundamental premise that he states in his argument to make a different point,
but it's really important for us to consider briefly because it shows us Jesus' view of
the Bible.
What develops in this passage that we're about to read is that Jesus is about to be stoned.
And just like in that difficult trial of his temptation by Satan, when the going gets tough,
Jesus quotes Scripture.
In fact, in an effort to hold off his potential murderers, Jesus quotes that famous line of
the rarely mentioned Psalm by the really unknown guy, Asaph, Psalm 82.
Is that what's on the tip of your tongue?
You were thinking, that's where I would go in that moment, Psalm 82.
No, I don't know if that would be my go-to.
And then what Jesus states is the foundational premise of his whole argument.
He says, and Scripture cannot be broken.
Every jot and tittle of every word on every line of God's word is completely certain.
It is utterly infallible.
It is absolutely true, Jesus says.
It is his view of the Bible.
It's the way he uses the Bible in every situation, counting on it.
Do you approach God's word that way?
Followers of Jesus?
Do you follow him only in his loving example, his wise teaching, his gracious forgiveness?
Or do you follow his view of the Bible, too?
It cannot be broken.
Not one word, even Old Testament words, not one will misguide you.
You can stake your life on it.
He does.
You must order your life by it.
He does.
He came, he says, to fulfill the law and the prophets, not to abolish any of it.
So yes, we may need to study its appropriate application.
But not in order to avoid submitting ourselves to its authority.
In order to trust the authority of our own wisdom or our own culture.
No.
Does God's word guide our lives the way it did Jesus' life?
Is it on our lips the way it was on his every time he was squeezed?
That's what came out.
Does it examine us rather than the other way around?
If we say we follow Jesus, it must.
And that is part of why we read it together every week.
Read it personally every day.
God, thank you for your word.
It is truth.
If we come to you this morning and ask that you would teach us your truth.
That you would transform us then by your truth.
Your word is truth, Father.
And we ask you to do that in Jesus' name.
Amen.
John 10 at verse 22.
The word of God.
The word of God which cannot be broken.
At that time the feast of dedication took place at Jerusalem.
It was winter and Jesus was walking in the temple in the colonnade of Solomon.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
How long will you keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.
Jesus answered them, I told you and you do not believe.
The works that I do in my father's name bear witness about me.
But you do not believe because you are not part of my flock.
My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.
I give them eternal life and they will never perish.
And no one will snatch them out of my hand.
My father who has given them to me is greater than all.
And no one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand.
I and the father are one.
The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.
And Jesus answered them, I have shown you many good works from the father.
For which of them are you going to stone me?
The Jews answered him, it is not for a good work that we are going to stone you.
But for blasphemy.
Because you being a man make yourself God.
Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law?
I said you are gods.
If he called them gods to whom the word of God came.
And scripture cannot be broken.
Do you say of him whom the father consecrated and sent into the world you are blaspheming?
Because I said I am the son of God?
If I am not doing the works of my father then do not believe me.
But if I do them even though you do not believe me.
Believe the works that you may know and understand.
That the father is in me.
And I am in the father.
Again they sought to arrest him.
But he escaped from their hands.
He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first.
And there he remained.
And many came to him.
And they said John did no sign.
But everything that John said about this man was true.
And many believed in him there.
Thus far God's holy word.
It is yet another encounter with Jesus.
Where John wants us to consider who he is.
And whether we believe him.
The story centers around the identity of Jesus.
Doesn't it?
It is what they ask him about.
At the beginning of the conversation.
It is what they start to stone him for.
In the middle of it.
It is what many believe in him.
About by the end of it.
Jesus identity.
Particularly as divine.
Is crucial.
But Jesus doesn't enter into merely theoretical discussions about nuanced theology.
He also shows here why his identity matters.
He teaches doctrine that makes a difference.
Let me give us a picture of this that we'll come back to some this morning.
Imagine that you are hiking up on a mountain near some steep and dangerous looking cliffs.
You can't even see how far the fall is below.
Maybe you are up on the local land trust trails.
Maybe you have taken a visit to Chattanooga.
And you are there at Rock City.
And you are coming to enjoy the beautiful views.
But you look up and you see near the edge of the cliff a toddler and an adult.
Okay.
The toddler looks excited and energetic.
And he is running around at the edge of the cliff.
And you look and you see them.
And they are hand in hand.
Okay.
Now let me ask you something.
You start to wonder.
Who is holding whom?
In this toddler and adult situation.
And by the way does it matter?
Does it make any difference who is holding whom?
Let me ask you that.
Does it make any difference if the adult is merely standing there with hand available?
It's there in case you need it.
But it's just hanging limply while the adult distractedly looks all around.
And presently the toddler is holding on to that hand.
But at any moment the toddler could decide to let go, run off, frolic and go anywhere to his own danger.
Or would it make a difference if in fact the toddler who seems to know nothing of the dangers around him is actually being held, this is likely, in a vice grip by an adult who says,
I am holding you and you are going nowhere whether you want to or not.
I'd suggest it makes all the difference in the world.
Who is holding whom?
Even if the toddler stumbles then, even if the toddler falls, even if the toddler tries to run off, he will be safe.
The distinction in who is holding whom makes all the difference in the world.
Jesus doesn't want us to miss the glorious doctrine or the great difference that it makes in this passage.
The overarching doctrine will start there.
Another issue here in Jesus' teaching is his unity with his father.
We've seen Jesus' divine nature come up repeatedly in John's gospel.
It's on almost every page, but perhaps never so directly to this point as verse 30 of chapter 10.
I and the father are one.
Clearly here, God the father and the son are two distinct persons.
They interact with one another in relationship here, fulfilling different roles.
They're even referred to in the plural.
I and the father are one.
But the two are mysteriously united.
Are said to be one.
In what ways, we might ask?
What does Jesus mean here?
Well, first, they are united in grace.
They're specifically united in the giving of the gift of salvation.
Life eternal with God, giving that gift to undeserving people.
Referred to here as sheep in Jesus' analogy.
Jesus' sheep hear his voice and follow him.
And verse 28, I give them eternal life.
Jesus is giving a gift.
Now keep looking.
Who else is giving gifts?
Verse 29, my father, who has, same verb, given them to me.
What great gifts are being given here by the father and the son.
Just ponder it for a second.
This is eternal life.
Relationship with God as a free gift.
Salvation by grace alone.
These are called the doctrines of grace because they flow to undeserving sinners.
From the unending supply of love in the heart of the triune God himself.
We've read it in chapter 1.
To those who received him.
Who received the gift.
Not earned it.
Who merely believed in his name.
John says, Jesus gave the right to become children of God.
Listen, I don't want you to miss this.
There's only a few words in the passage.
But brothers and sisters, let your heart soar to this for just a minute, okay?
We are brothers and sisters because God the father and God the son together in eternity past
decided for their grace and love to overflow to us.
That they decided they were going to rescue us and adopt us into their family.
The father said something like, son, my love is so overflowing and so full that I've got a gift to give to you.
A people.
A bride.
Lost sheep to bring into our fold.
And Jesus the son responded and said, oh father, my love too is so overflowing that I will be the good shepherd.
And I will go lay down my life for those sheep so that I may bring them into our family.
That's how they're going to be saved.
They'll become my brothers and sisters.
They'll become sons and daughters of God.
Wow.
Father and son in covenant together for our sakes.
Who deserve nothing.
Grace flows and flows and flows.
It's gifts.
Gifts all over the place.
Gifts to our unending blessing.
Right?
I say unending blessing because father and son grasp onto us and won't let go.
Verse 28.
No one will snatch them out of my hand.
No one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand.
Both of those.
Now we have, as it were, the toddler teetering on the cliff grasped tightly by two adults.
That's the way you would do it, isn't it?
Two adults grasping on two mighty hands that will never let go.
The father and the son united in their grip on us.
Who is holding on to whom?
Wonderfully.
Reassuringly.
Graciously.
His is the love that will not let me go.
Amen?
Listen, some of you talk theology.
You talk about the perseverance of the saints.
That's us making it to heaven.
It is not something that should be credited to our account.
We persevere because of the preservation of the saints by our mighty God and Savior.
It was never my strength to grab hold of him in the first place, was it?
It was grace, grace, grace.
And so it's not up to me to hang on or else.
No, no one is able to snatch us out of his hand.
And that is wonderful.
But we can't stop there in understanding the unity of the father and the son.
It's not only in grace, but also in glory.
It's not only in action and purpose that they decide to come rescue us,
but it's also in being and divinity.
See, some of you, like me, have had conversations with people who've come and knocked on your door.
And you've talked with a Mormon or a Jehovah's Witness
who would like to take you to John 10, 30
and explain to you at great length how this is a unity merely of action.
Jesus does things that God does.
He gives.
He saves.
He holds us.
But Jesus is not claiming to be divine, they say.
He's not fully God.
He's just God-like or godly.
Please, please, please don't stop there and miss the full glory of the Savior, okay?
There is so much more than unity in action and purpose.
Now, I will admit to you, the grammar of the sentence itself doesn't demand our understanding it that way.
It certainly allows for the understanding that I and the Father are one means in our very essence
as we believe Jesus, the Son, very God of very God.
But the context does demand this very straightforward reading of Jesus' words,
I and the Father are one.
Just a couple of points here to help you.
First, when someone tells you it's merely a unity of action,
just consider what those actions are that Jesus and God the Father are united in.
The clearest one is giving life,
which throughout the Bible is the prerogative of Yahweh alone and no one else.
And then it is preserving life eternally.
That's another God job in case you're unclear on that.
You can't claim to do those things without claiming to be divine.
It's not as though Jesus is saying that God, by the word of his power, speaks the Son into existence.
And over here we have a child who picks up a yellow crayon and some paper
and draws a round picture with rays coming out from it.
And now we say, oh, look, you both made the Son.
You're one.
It's not the same thing.
The actions themselves here are uniquely divine.
Next, when Jesus comes back to this teaching, this point he's making,
he comes back to it in verse 38.
He says that the things he does, the works, the actions,
are to demonstrate the reality of his union with the Father.
There's something else they're pointing to that clearly predates and undergirds his powerful actions.
The Father in me and I in the Father, two in one.
By the way, we will see the Spirit in this relationship later in John.
I know it's three in one.
But listen, one difficult, glorious concept at a time, okay?
Just one for this morning.
Last, in case you're still wondering how to take Jesus' words here,
both times he says this about being one with God,
what do the people listening to him do?
Pick up stones to kill this blasphemer?
Right?
Let's arrest him.
They don't miss it.
You, being a man, make yourself God.
Yep, he doesn't correct them on that.
Except, just notice this for a second,
they miss the glorious, the wonderful reality
that actually, what's really happening here,
Jesus, being God,
made himself man.
Plenty of men claimed to be doing things
that would further God's purposes.
They were claiming to be godly.
That was no problem.
Jews loved that.
This one, Jesus,
was claiming to be one with God.
That we can't have.
We won't tolerate it.
Indeed, as John keeps showing us in so many ways,
the word was with God,
and the word was God.
One in grace,
one in glory.
Fully, fully God.
Glorious truths, right?
Glorious truths.
And,
let's not miss what Jesus would have us hear.
The difference
that these wonderful doctrines make in our lives.
first,
they should lead us to
unusual humility.
What I mean by that is that the picture here
of Jesus giving eternal life to his sheep
is not of sheep competing to win the prize,
of best sheep.
It's not what happens, is it?
We're not receiving a reward.
We are recipients of grace.
Palms up, right?
Empty-handed,
grateful recipients,
more interested in the greatness
and glory of the giver
than in anything about us.
That grateful humility will always be
warm and welcoming to others
because you don't think you're any better than they are.
These doctrines of grace ought to make a difference
in that normally achievement-oriented,
task-rewarding,
success-honoring people like you and me,
isn't that how you spend most of your weeks?
We now delight in,
we now seek out,
we are now exceedingly patient with
those who don't achieve,
those who fail to perform,
those who get overlooked by everyone else
because all of a sudden we're not so high and mighty,
down here,
humble,
dependent,
needy,
receiving grace.
Nobody looks lower than us.
There's nobody beneath me.
I so need what you need.
Isn't that the way God loved and welcomed you
into his family,
isn't it?
I dare say it's the way he is showing us
that the love of the Father and the Son
flows to us
and then through us
to many,
many others.
As many have said,
gratitude is the current
of the river of grace.
When you marvel
at God's amazing grace to you,
sing it,
shout it,
show it
in a life
of humility.
But when I say humility,
please don't hear
wimpy,
fearful,
woe is me.
It's not at all what Jesus is talking about.
Jesus is telling us
that the glorious truth
of his unity with the Father
is to inspire
unusual security
in his sheep.
It's not just enough
to know that he is divine,
that he's part
of the eternal Godhead,
the second person
of the Trinity,
that his is the mighty hand
that flung out the stars,
that it's his outstretched arm
that parted the Red Sea
and delivered his people
from Egypt.
No,
that's not enough.
Jesus wants you to know
something more.
Jesus wants you to know
that that almighty hand
is holding you
and it won't let go.
Hear it again.
I give them eternal life
and they will never perish.
No one
will snatch them
out of my hand.
My Father
who has given them to me
is greater than all
and no one
is able
to snatch them
out of the Father's hand.
That is the difference
that the glory
and grace
of Jesus
make for us.
We're now
the toddlers,
aren't we?
We're on the cliff's edge.
We're playing around.
We're having fun.
We're completely oblivious
to anything
that might
could happen,
the danger
that could come
to us.
No fear
in the world
about what could come next
and the uncertainties
that lie ahead
because we are grasped
tightly
by God
the Father,
by God
the Son,
by a strong
Savior
who will not
let us
go.
See,
the picture
of security
is not
people cowering down,
curled up in a ball,
deep underground
in a cement bunker
surrounded by
the most amazing
system of vaults
in the world
just trying to survive
to get through
one more dangerous day.
No, no, no, no, no.
Jesus wants those
who believe in him
to hear his voice,
to follow him
confidently
into the world
with nothing to lose,
with eternal life
secure forever
with him
and a whole creation
in front of you
to enjoy him in
and to share him with.
That's the life
Jesus is offering us.
The underground
zip lines
of the Louisville
Mega Cavern
have been there
recently.
They're about
a hundred feet
above
a rock floor.
Several hundred
feet
of zip lines
stretched across
this dark
cave,
darkness
everywhere.
It's a bit scary.
One of our guides
through the dark
cave was a young
woman who was
joyfully zipping
around from line
to line.
She was joking
around as she
invited others
into the fun
that she was having.
She was screaming
with delight
as she flew
several hundred
feet across
the zip line
and her voice
was echoing
off the rock
walls all around us.
after watching
her for a while
another man
in our party
chuckled and
said to her
you always
wanted to do
this job
didn't you?
She said this
she said
actually
no
actually
I've been
really afraid
of heights
my entire
life.
In fact
I really
wasn't sure
my first time
in here
I'd ever
come back
but I've
learned to
trust
what's
holding me.
I've
learned
to
trust
what's
holding me.
Are you
learning
to
trust
what's
holding
you?
Who
is
holding
you?
Maybe
you're not
so much
afraid of
heights
or the
edge of
a cliff
but you're
afraid of
your sin
your
weakness
your
death
your
world
falling
apart
with a
war
your
family
falling
apart
with
arguments
you're
afraid of
your
failing
your
not
being
enough
your
missing
out
your
grip
slipping
friend
listen
to
Jesus
it's
not
about
the
strength
of your
grip
it's
about
his
and
nothing
can
separate
you
from
the
love
of
God
in
Christ
Jesus
your
Lord
nothing
can
snatch
you
out
of
his
hands
yes
it is
we sing
it
prone
to
wander
Lord
I feel
it
prone
to
leave
the
God
I
love
I
understand
you're
being
afraid
you're
going to
run
off
from
him
but
I
know
whom
I
have
believed
and
am
persuaded
that
he
is
able
to
keep
that
which
I've
committed
unto
him
against
that
day
we sing
that
too
oh
love
that
will
not
let
me
go
I
rest
my
weary
soul
in
thee
it
is
well
it
is
well
with
my
soul
sing
those
two
resting
in his
strong
grip
trusting
what
holds
me
I
can
zip
around
joyfully
I
can
savor
the
view
it's
glorious
for me
or
Jesus
I
can
point
others
to the
path
of
life
and
I
can
quit
chasing
security
everywhere
else
Thursday
I
thought
I
was
going
to
write
this
sermon
about
having
security
in
God's
strong
grip
on
us
that
was
the
plan
for
the
day
on
Thursday
I
wrote
zero
words
zero
didn't
feel
good
instead
God
took
me
by
the
hand
and
one
event
after
another
in
my
life
and
in
others
lives
that
I
love
all
day
he
just
kept
showing
me
the
things
that
I
grasp
it
for
security
and
how
they
vanish
as
quickly
as
I
reach
for
them
picture
a
vapor
a
bubble
that
you
grab
it
and
as
soon
as
your
hands
around
it
it's
gone
or
if
you're
with
me
in
the
cliff
imagery
if
you're
still
dangling
on
the
ledge
these
are
the
little
weeds
and
twigs
that
as
we
start
falling
we're
grasping
for
everything
that
we
can
to
hold
us
and
it
just
leaves
us
empty
handed
and
we
crushed
I
can't
share
most
of
the
details
this
morning
but
God
showed
me
how
I
look
for
security
in
health
in
money
in
job
security
in
fitting
in
being
right
in
being
able
to
fix
in
my
commitment
and my
resources
to
make
it
all
right
one
after
another
after
another
what
are
you
grasping
at
to
hold
you
friend
I
challenge
you
if you
haven't
experienced
this
if you
haven't
lived
this
already
try
it
see
how
quickly
anything
you
want
to
grasp
at
will
disappear
and that's
not what I
want you
to
experience
I
don't
want it
to
stop
there
experience
that
there
you
are
and
you're
frantically
flying
off the
cliff
and you're
grasping
an empty
hand
and I've
got
nothing
and all
of the
sudden
a
strong
hand
grasps
you
it reaches
out to
you
it holds
on to
you
and it
will
not
let
go
my
only
comfort
is that
I belong
body
and soul
in life
and in
death
to my
faithful
savior
Jesus
Christ
he's
holding
you
he is
fully
paid
for all
my sins
with his
precious
blood
and set
me free
from the
tyranny
of the
devil
in fact
he also
watches over
me in
such a
way
that not
a hair
can fall
from my
head
apart
from the
will of
my father
in heaven
in fact
all things
must
work together
for my
salvation
I give
them
eternal
life
and they
will never
perish
and no
one will
snatch them
out of my
hand
no one
is able
to snatch
them
out of my
father's
hand
I
and the
father
are one
let me ask
you something
as we
prepare to
come to
this table
if all
that is
true
regardless
of me
and how
tightly I
cling to
Jesus
then why
bother with
this table
Jesus
why would
Jesus want
us celebrating
this sacrament
if he's
going to
hold on
to us
forever
no matter
what
whether we
hang on
to him
or not
I think
at least
one of the
reasons
at least
part of
his view
of this
table
is that
he wants
all of
us
always
to remember
his grace
and his
grasp
both
of those
things
his grace
to give
us life
and his
grasp
to keep
us in
that life
forever
it's why
as the
crowd
gathers
around
Jesus
in this
passage
with
stones
in their
hands
to kill
him
that he
actually
keeps
pleading
with them
to understand
that they
would know
that he
indeed is
God
and that
they
can find
life
in him
that they
would come
and believe
in him
Jesus
keeps
pleading
with them
that's
what he
would say
to you
this morning
if you
are here
and you
don't yet
trust
in Jesus
that could
be for
any number
of reasons
if you're
here and
you don't
believe
in him
yet
maybe
it's
because
this is
the first
time
you've
ever
heard
the
good
news
of
Jesus
maybe
you're
here
and you've
been in
church
your whole
life
you've
heard this
many times
but you're
just not
quite
convinced
yet
maybe
you're
a young
person
and you've
grown up
in church
but you
have never
yet yourself
trusted
in Jesus
confessed
your sins
to him
received
his forgiveness
then to
all of you
who fit
those
categories
let me
invite you
not to
come to
take bread
and wine
this morning
but come
receive
Jesus
he is the
one
who will
hold you
and never
let you
go
he invites
you
today
to come
and trust
him
we would
love to
talk with
you more
about him
if you
do trust
him
if that
is your
great
comfort
your
only
comfort
then I
want you
to come
this morning
empty
handed
because you
are coming
to receive
all that you
need
so you can
let go
of all those
other things
that you've
been grasping
at all over
the place
you can
let them go
in fact you
have to
it's the only
way to come
you come
empty handed
because you're
here to
receive
his grace
again
his grace
and his
grasp
he
won't
let
you
go
let's
pray
Jesus
thank you
for that
thank you
for that
promise
thank you
for the
fact that
you let
go of
your life
that you
would grab
onto us
use these
common elements
for a sacred
purpose
that we
would trust
you
more
we ask
in your
name
amen
for more
information
visit us
online
at
southwood.org