Wednesday in the Word...John 10:22-30...in the palm of His hand

Today's Wednesday in the Word is John chapter 10 and verses 22 through 30 which read,

v.22, 23 - At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.

What is the Feast of the Dedication?  It is the Feast of Lights or modernly called Hanukkah.  Jesus celebrated Hanukkah.  In 170 B.C. a Syrian leader conquered Jerusalem.  The most upsetting situation for the Jews was the desecration of the temple by setting up a pagan altar in the place of the Holy of Holies.  A revolt came from the Jews called the Maccabean Revolt and freed the temple and land from Syrian occupation.  

It was 164 B.C. and on the 25th day of Chislev which is December approximately that the Jews liberated the temple.  It is celebrated by the lighting of candles to remember this great victory for the temple and the city of Jerusalem.  It was also wintertime in the Holy Land and therefore Jesus is taking shelter under the portico of Solomon.  This will also be an area that Christians occupied after the resurrection and proclaimed the gospel about a risen Lord.

v.24 - The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense?  If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."

As much as Jesus had said so far about being God's Son and also being connected to the Father in such an intimate way, I could see Jesus hanging His head or putting His head in His hands.  The motive must have been to get Jesus to say just the right words in just the right way to justify an attach upon Him.  We will see that attempt in verse 31.  

v.25, 26 - Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me.  But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep."

Ouch!  Jesus is not going to do another big spectacular whiz bang miracle to get them to believe.  He had already done enough "only God can do" miracles to testify who He was and His connection with the Father.  They can look at what has been said and done just like us.  Many want something more to happen for them to believe but Jesus has come and Jesus has done already.  We have the Bible from the witnesses of His appearance, His presence, His death, and His resurrection and ascension.

Why don't some believe?  The reason is because they are not of His flock.  They are lost.  They haven't been found.  His evidence is there and I think some are caught up trying to find a way to disprove what is evident.  They are looking for a loophole to justify their sinful life rather than seeking the Savior who gives true justification.  Those who do this are not one of God's children or one of His flock.  They are outside the kingdom of God and what a dreaded thing to be said of someone by our Lord.

v.27-29 - "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, 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."

To be a child of God or a sheep in His flock requires us being able to hear His voice.  We must be born again by Him so that His voice is recognizable.  Some will call Jesus "Lord, Lord" but He will say, "I don't know you."  So just saying "Lord" is not enough.  Something has to change in you by God.  God knows you intimately and you respond to His call by following Him.  

With that rebirth comes the gift of eternal life and assurance of salvation.  Those God knows as made alive by Him are in the palm of His hand.  Jesus equates His hand with the hand of the Father.  They are one in the same.  The Father who is all powerful has His sheep in His hand and we can rest assured there of everything He has said and done for His sheep.  If someone is truly saved then they are truly secure in the salvation that God has provided through His Son, Jesus.  

v.30 - "I and the Father are one." 

There, He said it.  How more plain can Jesus say it.  Those sheep are in His hand and they are also in the Father's hand.  They can not be snatched out of Jesus' hand in verse 28 and they can not be snatched out of God's hand in verse 29.  How can they be both in Jesus' hand and the Father's hand if they are not one and the same?

Did they take that statement seriously?  Yes they did by a little peek at verse 31.  They picked up stones.  Jesus had said the right words in the right way for them to accuse Him of blasphemy against God but how can you blaspheme God if you are God?  While they were looking for an excuse to pick up some stones to kill Him, Jesus gives His sheep some of the most comforting verses about the salvation He has ever given.  

For those who hear Jesus' voice and follow Him, which is a response to what God has already done, find themselves securely in the hand of Jesus and the Father, un-snatchable by any other because no one is greater than our God.   

Let me close with something I skipped over on my sermon on Sunday.  I guess I was a little wrapped up in what I was doing.  It was the layering of the word "justified."   The tax collector who called out to God for mercy was proclaimed by Jesus as going to his home "justified."  The root word deals with the eyes.  Put on top of that the concept of right.  Something is right before the eyes.  Put on top of that the concept of position.  Something is in a right position before the eyes.  Finally, put on top of that the phrase "the way it ought to be."  To be justified is to be the way you ought to be in a right position before the eyes of God.  Jesus says in the parable that the actions of the tax collector show someone who is "justified" before God.  Look at the tax collector and read his prayer.  Are you justified, the way you ought to be by God's definition to be before His eyes?  If so, you are in the palm of His hand.  Let us pray.

"Heavenly Father, some tremendous words spoken by Jesus in the face of people trying to trap Him and all the while giving His sheep truth of our salvation in Him.  May we continue to live in the salvation that we have been given.  May we sense the security of Your hand and therefore proclaim boldly who is holding us.  Amen."

Pastor Adam