I and the Father Are One

22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 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.” 25 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, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 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.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 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’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 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.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.

SERMON NOTES

Sunday, March 7, 2021

The Book Of John

Series: LOVED BY JESUS

Message: The Divine

Scripture: John 10:22-42 ESV

Pastor Philip Miller

Many of us like Jesus—who he was, what he did, how he loved others—but we struggle with his claims of deity. These are edgy claims that catch everyone off guard. What are we to do with Jesus’ unexpected, extraordinary claims?

In this passage from John 10, we find four dimensions of the unexpected that reveal the heart of Jesus:

Unexpected Feast (vs. 22–23, 36)

• Themes: blasphemy, consecration, light & worship

1) Unexpected Feast: The setting of the story begins at the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah, and themes of this feast are themes of confrontation: blasphemy, consecration, light, and worship. These are the very points of contention in the conversation that Jesus has in the story with the Pharisees. The irony is that it is the Pharisees who are in fact blaspheming, because by refusing to acknowledge God’s own son revealed before their eyes, they are blaspheming Jesus.

22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.

36 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’?

Unexpected Clarity (vs. 24–33)

• Jesus makes an unmistakable claim to deity.

2) Unexpected Clarity: The unexpected feast leads to unexpected clarity. Responding to requests for clarity about his words, Jesus identifies two pillars of his witness—his words and his works. Jesus then makes an unmistakable claim to deity. The people asked for a plain claim to be the Messiah, the chosen one of Israel, but instead Jesus claims to be divine.

24 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.” 25 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, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 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.”

Unexpected Nuance (vs. 34–39)

• Jesus claims, not equivalence, but equality.

3) Unexpected Nuance: The unexpected claims of Jesus lead to unexpected nuance. Jesus challenges the religious leaders to think critically about who he really is and what his words really mean. It would be one thing if Jesus had nothing to back up his claims, but his works show that he is from God. Moreover, he claims that the Father is in him, and he in the Father. Jesus is claiming not equivalence (meaning the same person), but equality with God. If Jesus were to claim that he was the Father, that would be heresy. The one true God eternally exists as three co-equal, co-eternal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And these three are one God. This is the doctrine of the Trinity. These are three persons in one essence: equal, but not equivalent. So deep is the loving union of this eternal community of persons that they mutually indwell one another while maintaining their distinctions.

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 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’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 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.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

Unexpected Mercy (vs. 37–42)

• Jesus patiently pursues hostile hearts.

4) Unexpected Mercy: The unexpected nuance leads to an unexpected mercy. Jesus knows that what he is saying is hard to believe, so he asks them to believe his works. Jesus looks his assassins in the eyes and gives them this merciful invitation to start with a small amount of faith to know him. This is such a clear example of how Jesus patiently pursues hostile hearts. None of us believes as we ought; yet Jesus is so patient with us.

37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 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.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.

Takeaways:

• Jesus didn’t stutter.

• Jesus deserves our worship.

• Jesus welcomes you where you are.

Takeaways:

- Jesus didn’t stutter—either he is, as he claims, the Lord or heaven, or he is a liar and lunatic.

- Jesus deserves our worship as the Son of God.

- Jesus welcomes you where you are, even the parts of you that are skeptical and hesitant.

When our faith feels weak, all we must say is, “Lord, I believe…help my unbelief.”

Benediction Pastor Philip Miller

Stand Firm