An Eternal Life Time Guarantee!

John 10:19-30

In verses 19-30, the more the Lord described Himself, the more the Jews became angry and divided. Some once more resorted to their charges of demon possession. But others wondered if someone who had a demon could heal anyone! They could not ignore the fact that this Man they accuse had caused the opening of a blind man’s eyes. The works He did testified to who He is.

In verse 31 John states that it is the time of the Feast of Dedication, sometimes called the Feast of Lights. This feast which came three months after the Feast of Tabernacles is also known as Hanukkah and was not a required pilgrimage festival. The festival was instituted in B.C. 165 by Judas Maccabeus. It was a time of great hope, for it marked the last national deliverance. It also celebrated the restoration and purification of the temple, particularly the altar, three years after its desecration by the Greek general Antiochus Epiphanes in b.c.178.

The return of their liberty was to Jews as life from the dead, and, in remembrance of it, they kept an annual feast on the twenty-fifth day of the month Cisleu (kislēw) , about the end of November and the beginning of December. It has been noted that the eight day celebration of lights in the temple was beautiful. Many pious Jews from nearby Galilee would come to Jerusalem to enjoy the sight and be apart of this festival. It is at this time that we find Christ Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem.

John 10:14-30
14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 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. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again. 18 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." 19 At these words the Jews were again divided. 20 Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?" 21 But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" 22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."

1. True Sheep Believe in the Shepherd (vs. 22-26)

There was a lapse of some months between verse 21 and verse 22, it was now winter and John notes that Christ Jesus moved to the east side of the temple, to Solomon’s porch, to find shelter from the chilling winds. There the earlier conversations and questions continued, you see Christ Jesus was still a target for the Pharisees and the unbelieving Jews. Again they asked Christ Jesus who He was. It did not matter that He had told them time and time again. But what were they really interested in, who He was or in who He said He was? Were they really looking for the Messiah or were they looking to charge Christ Jesus with sedition? 

In verse 22-24 John almost wrote like Luke with a seasonal notation, specific geographical reference, and identification of the surrounding crowd. Why give us all this information? Look at the feast again, it was The Feast of Dedication or Feast of Lights. This feast pointed to a time when the Messiah would come to the temple and throw out all invaders, thereby reestablishing the kingdom. These grand visions persisted in the Israeli nation until the sack and destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.

The Messiah, the Light of the world; was there in front of them and these Jewish leaders did not want to believe because the kingdom Christ Jesus was ushering in was not the one they expected. Are you missing the Messiah this morning because of some preconceived expectations or notions?

Christ Jesus returns again to the metaphor of the shepherd and the sheep to emphasized the security for those sheep who belong to the true shepherd. The key word here in verses 25 and 26 is believe – it indicates that the first characteristic of true sheep or followers of Christ Jesus is that you believe in the Shepherd. Christ Jesus made faith the main issue separating the unbelieving Jews from the true sheep. It is still the same today. 

The Jews only pretended that they doubted, but Christ Jesus told them that they did not believe. Matthew Henry in his Commentary On The Whole Bible states, “Skepticism in religion is no better than downright infidelity. It is not for us to teach God how he should teach us, nor prescribe to him how plainly he should tell us his mind, but to be thankful for divine revelation as we have it.” 

If you have made up your mind not believe that Christ Jesus is God, then you probably will not be persuaded of who He is no matter how plainly you are told. Maybe it is time for you to re-think preconceived ideas, maybe it is time to step out of you comfort zone. Let there be no maybe about it, it is time for you to step out on faith. It is time for you to ask Christ Jesus into your life now.

2. True Sheep Follow the Shepherd (vs. 27)

This verse has only 13 words in the English Text, but wow what a verse! First this verse identifies two more identifying marks of the true sheep. True sheep listen to the shepherd and they follow the shepherd. Now I know this is not anything new, after all we read the same thing in verse 16, but repetition emphasizes importance. True sheep listen to and follow the Good Shepherd; false sheep pay no attention to the Shepherd. 

Now then, it is time for some basic Christian doctrine; and it is all found here in verse 27, 28, and 29.

1. Union of Christ: “my sheep”
2. Calling: “listen to my voice”
3. Omniscient: “I know them”
4. Sanctification: “they follow me”
5. Grace: “I give”
6. Security: “eternal life”
7. Election: “given them to me”
8. Omnipotence: God “greater than all”

Will you listen to the calling of the Holy Spirit this morning and join yourself to Christ Jesus? Will you trade a life of sin for the grace and sanctification of Christ Jesus? Will you trade a life eternally separated from God for an eternal life spent in His glory?

Harry Ironside stated that salvation was like Noah inviting a pagan in his day to place his trust in God's Word and come in to the ark. Some view salvation like Noah offering to put a peg on the outside of the ark. "If you just hang on through the storm, you'll be saved." Salvation is not dependent on our holding on to God, but on our being securely held by and in Christ.

3. True Sheep Receive Eternal Life (vs. 28)

Eternal life, everyone will be given eternal life – but where you will spend it that million dollar question. If you know Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour you have the assurance that you will spend eternity with Him in a place called heaven. If you know Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour you will spend eternity in a place were: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Rev 21:4 

If you know Christ Jesus you will never perish, that is you will not be destroyed. You want to know why? Because no one or nothing can snatch you out of Christ Jesus' nail scared hands. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 

There is a line from an old Swedish hymn that says, “More secure is no one ever than when the loved ones of the Saviour.”

Now the flip side, if you are not one of Christ Jesus' sheep you are going to spend eternity in a place called Sheol, Hades or Hell. Hell is not just a cuss word or a thing to scare people into doing the right thing. Hell is a real place. 

As most of you have probably heard, there are more references to Hell that there are to heaven. Have you ever wondered why? Well it's not some great theological answer, but here is what I think. If you read enough times about how bad Hell really is, then maybe you'll decide it is not a place you want to spend eternity.

If you think that Hell is some kind of party place I've got bad news for you: And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev 20:13, 14, 15 

If you think that you'll be hanging out with people you knew here on earth, think again: “but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt 8:12 

If you think a guy in a funny red suit, horns, and a pitch fork will be running the place, no such luck: And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Rev 20:10

You may be sitting there thinking, “Well I'm living a good life, or at least better than...” That may well be the case, but without the grace of Christ Jesus you'll never be good enough to get into heaven. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,...For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 3:23; 6:23 

Bro. Orden you're just trying to scare us with that fire and brimstone stuff. Yes I am, how am I doing? Hell is so bad I wouldn't wish my worst enemy there, and I sure don't want any of you spending eternity there. 

 

4. True Sheep Are Protected (vs. 29-30)

Throughout these verses and the one preceding them Christ Jesus repeatedly referred to the Father's power. Even if the unbelieving Jews doubted Christ Jesus' ability and authority, they could never doubt the omnipotence of the Father. 

Here is the crux of it, the Jewish leaders could not and would not believe that this itinerant prophet, this carpenter from Nazareth, had any relationship with God. They surely did not see Him as their Good Shepherd. It is the same with many today – they refuse to believe. 

But here in verses 30 Christ Jesus' wording about His unity with the Father is all to clear: as He echoes back the basic confession of Judaism: that God is One (Deut. 6:4).  Even though some theologians argue that Christ Jesus never claimed to be God, His statement here is irrefutable - “I and the Father are one.” Here is the answer to the question asked back in verse 24. I am God!

There you have it, a guarantee form God Himself that if you place your faith in Christ Jesus (God) you will experience salvation. That is eternity spent with God.

Conclusion: You now know that to be a true sheep is to believe in the Good Shepherd. To be a true sheep of the Good Shepherd means listening to and following Him. Because you choose to follow the Good Shepherd you are given eternal life with Him in His kingdom. You also have an assurance of protection – nothing can snatch you out of the hand of God, nothing can erase your name from the Book of Life. And all of this is because Christ Jesus and the Father are one.

This is all great news if you are a true sheep, but what if you are not? Well you have a security of another kind – that without Christ Jesus in your life as Lord and Saviour you will spend eternity in great pain and sorrow separated from God. Is that what you really want?