April 9, 2020
Jesus Is God's Son, and That's Simply Good News!
John 10:22-42
Meredith Rooker
Central Truth
Jesus is God's Son and equal with God. Eternal life comes through a relationship with Him.
Key Verse | John 10:25-28
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 among my sheep. 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."
John 10:22-42
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, 1 10:29 Some manuscripts What my Father has given 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.
Dive Deeper | John 10:22-42
Confucius once said, "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." While I'm certain he wasn't talking about Jesus, he does raise a good point. I am the queen of making things complicated or more confusing than they need to be. I get caught up in the details and forget the bottom line.
In today's passage, the Jews continue to complicate the simple good news of Jesus. The date was Hanukkah, a Jewish tradition also known as the Festival of Lights. Coincidentally, Jesus was proclaiming, "I am the light of the world." (John 8:12a) The Jews asked Jesus, "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." (John 10:24b) So, He patiently presented Himself in three ways. First, He reminded them of His deeds—healing, comforting, and feeding, miracles that demonstrated that He was God. And He declared, "I and the Father are one" in John 10:30, making Himself equal with God.
Second, He spoke in their language referring to the Old Testament, and simply stated, "I am the Son of God" in John 10:36. Third, He challenged them to not look at what He said, but at what He had done. A word is arguable, but a deed is beyond argument.
Jesus was as straightforward as it gets, but it was the unbelief of the Jews that complicated His claims. They wanted a different kind of Messiah. His service and love didn't fit the mold (Matthew 20:28). If I call myself a believer in Jesus, do I simply listen to His voice and follow Him?
Sometimes, I go about my day making everything about me, and suddenly wonder, "How did things get so complicated?" I don't always see the truth that's right in front of me. The Jews didn't have the full story; but, because of God's Word, we know what happens next. Jesus lived a perfect life, died in our place for our sins, and rose again revealing that He is God! This is simply good news! So today ask yourself: will I complicate life, or will I simply trust in who Jesus said He is—God's Son and the Savior of the world?
Discussion Questions
1. Who do you claim Jesus is in your head, your heart, and to others?
2. Like the Jews, are you looking for God to be someone else or to fulfill another desire? Who is that, and what is that desire?
3. Because of Jesus' works, many people believed. Are people believing in Jesus because of your works?