New Testament Reading: John 11:1-44

“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.’

After saying these things, he said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.’ Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’

Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’ When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.

Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’  When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?’

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’

So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out.’ The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’”

Introduction 

Chapter 11 is a very significant chapter in John’s gospel. Notice that in chapter 12 we will enter into what is known as the passion week of Jesus’ life. Chapters 12 through 19 will tell us about things that happened in the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Think about that for a moment. Chapters 1 through 11 tell us about Jesus’ earthly ministry, which lasted about 3 years. And yet 8 chapters (12 through 19) are devoted to the one week leading up to Jesus’ death. The significance is this: the death of Jesus was very important to John. Jesus came to die. His mission from the Father was to lay down his life for the sheep that he might take it up again. Chapter 11 is significant in that it serves as the conclusion to the first half of John’s gospel, which focused upon the earthly ministry of Jesus in general. We will, once we move on from here, give attention to last week of Jesus’ life.

But this chapter is also significant in that it contains the last miracle of Jesus recorded in John’s Gospel (besides Jesus’ own resurrection). The miracles of Jesus play a very important role in John’s Gospel. The pattern is this: there will be some claim made concerning Jesus – some teaching concerning his person or his work – and then John will tell us about a miracle that Jesus preformed, which serves to illustrate, or demonstrate, that what has been said of Jesus is in fact true. The miracles of Jesus are called signs, in John’s Gospel. They are called signs because they point to the fact that what was said by Jesus, or about him, was in fact true. Jesus, for example, claimed to be the light of the world in chapter 8 – in chapter 9 we read about him healing a man who was blind from birth. The man lived his whole life in darkness but Jesus, who is the light of the world, gave him light. This is how miracles function in John’s Gospel – they signify things that are true of Jesus – they demonstrate truths about Jesus.  This miracle is no different.

I think you would probably agree that this miracle is really spectacular. It is the last of Jesus’ miracles as recorded by John, but is also the biggest, if you will. I suppose it could be said that a miracle is a miracle – it doesn’t matter if it involves turning water to wine, healing a man lame or blind from birth, or raising up a dead man – a miracle is a miracle. And there is a certain degree of truth to that. But I think you would agree that this is big. Consider that Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were well known. Also, this miracle was preformed in a very public way so that it would have been very hard to deny.  Also consider that the man Lazarus was in the grave for four days. He was obviously dead, and everyone new it. And lastly, consider what it was that Jesus overcame. He overcame the power of death – our most formidable foe. This was the climax of Jesus’ miracles as presented to us in John’s Gospel.

But what was the significance of it? What did Jesus demonstrate when he called Lazarus out of that grave?

Let us consider three things:

In the Raising of Lazarus, Jesus Demonstrates that He is the Son of God

First of all, in the raising of Lazarus Jesus demonstrated that he was in fact the Son of God, as he had claimed.

We should not to quickly forget the preceding passage. The Jew’s had picked up stones to stone Jesus because he claimed to be equal with God. To them this was blasphemous! And it would have been blasphemy if indeed Jesus were only a man making himself out to be God. But Jesus continued to insist that he was in fact the eternal Son of God, come in human flesh.

After reasoning from Psalm 82 with the unbelieving Jews, he said in 10:37, “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.” (John 10:37–38, ESV)

Jesus understood that the things he was claiming concerning himself were incredible and hard to believe from a human perspective. And so he exhorted the Jews to look at the works that he had preformed. Look at the works, he said. So you don’t believe my words, that I am from the Father? At least look at the works! Look at the miracles that I have preformed! These are clearly from the Father! And once you see that the works that I preform are from the Father, then you must see that I am from the Father, and believe in my name.  That was his reasoning.

It is after these words that John tells of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. If we still had doubts concerning Jesus’ divine origins – if we were still struggling to accept his claims – then surly this would get our attention (or so you would think). The raising of Lazarus from the grave demonstrated that Jesus was in fact the eternal Son of God, come in human flesh, as he claimed.

In the Raising of Lazarus, Jesus Demonstrates that He is the Resurrection and the Life

Secondly, notice how in the act of raising Lazarus from the grave Jesus demonstrates that he is the resurrection and the life. This, I think, is at the heart of this passage. We are shown that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

You probably noticed how Martha and Mary take center stage in this story. They are the ones who send for Jesus when their bother falls ill. They are the ones whom the Jews from Jerusalem come to console (indicating that they were prominent and well respected women). And they are the ones who come out to meet with Jesus once he arrives in Bethany – first Martha, and then Mary. Both sisters are understandably filled with sorrow.

Look at how Jesus consoles them. Verse 23:  “Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’” As a pastor this is exactly how I would comfort a Christian who is grieving the loss of a loved one in the Lord. I would say, You will see him again, or, you will see her again in the resurrection. They have not died – they have merely passed from this life to the next. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And your loved one will rise again. This is probably how the Jews who came from Jerusalem were consoling Mary and Martha. Most of the Jews believed in the resurrection at the end of the age, and so they were likely encouraging the sisters, saying, “your brother will rise again.”

Martha’s response:  “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” (John 11:24, ESV)

She knew these things. She was probably taught this from childhood. Jesus probably taught her these things too. But look at how Jesus responds to her. He says in verse 25, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

This is quite a claim. It is yet another “I am” saying of Jesus –  “I am the bread of life”; “I am the light of the world”; “I am the door”; “I am the good shepherd”. Here it is, “I am the resurrection and the life”. The resurrection and the life that the Jews were looking forward to – the resurrection and the life that the Jews were comforting the sisters with – the resurrection and the life that Martha was hoping in is found in Jesus! He is the resurrection and the life.

He goes on to say in verse 25, “…Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

Notice three simple things:

One, it is those who believe in Jesus who benefit from the resurrection power and life that is in him. Jesus says, “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” Belief, or faith, is the instrument, or conduit, which brings the benefit of Jesus’ resurrection power to us. We must believe in him – trust in him – follow him, if we are to live in the way that he has described.

Two, notice that those who believe in Jesus who die according to the flesh, in fact go on living. You say, how can that be? The answer is simple: though followers of Christ still face physical death, they have passed from death to life according to the spirit.  The body will die, but the soul of the Christian goes on living.  Paul puts it this way, saying, “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8, ESV)

Three, notice that those who are living according to the flesh will never die according to the spirit. Jesus put the same truth another way in John 5, saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24, ESV) The one who believes in Jesus has passed from death to life. He or she existed in a state of death – spiritual death, that is – but in the moment they believed they were made alive in the spirit. They moved from a state of death to life.

This is the power that Jesus has within him.

The question posed to Martha – and to you and I by way of extension – is, “do you believe this?” Her response is the model response. Verse 27:  “She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” Why did John write this Gospel? He tells us in John 20:30-31: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” And what did Martha confess? “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” (John 11:27, ESV) She is a model for us. We ought to confess what she confessed.

How could it be that Jesus has this resurrection power? How could he have the ability to give life? He could give it because he was and is the Christ, the Son of God. He has the power to give life because of who he is.

The raising of Lazarus from the grave was a demonstration of the fact that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He claimed to have power over death. He claimed to have within him the ability to give eternal life. He claimed to be the one who would bring about the bodily resurrection at the end of the age. But those are just claims. Anyone can say these things. The miracle that Jesus preformed in raising Lazarus from the grave was a demonstration of the life giving resurrection power that he has within himself. He is the resurrection and the life, and he proved it in accomplishing this work.

In the Raising of Lazarus Jesus Demonstrates the Great Love that He has for His Friends

Thirdly, see that in the the raising of Lazarus Jesus demonstrates the great love that he has for his friends.

Notice that there is a tension that permeates this story from beginning to end – I’m sure you noticed it as it was read. The tension is created by these two realities:

On the one hand we are told time and again how much Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Did you notice the repetition? Verse 3: “So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’” Verse 5: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” And so we are told from the outset that Jesus loved these three.

But on the other hand we observe Jesus behaving in such a strange way. After Jesus received word of Lazarus’ illness, and after we are reminded of how much Jesus loves these three, we read in verse 6, “So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” This is an odd way for any person to behave who’s loved one is ill. It is especially strange for Jesus to respond in this way, given that he had the power to do something about Lazarus’ sickness.

The sisters noticed this. The first thing that Martha said to Jesus was, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21, ESV) Mary complains in the same way saying, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:32, ESV) The Jew’s who were there consoling Mary and Martha also took notice, saying, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:37, ESV)

The tension in the story is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. Jesus claims to love these three, and yet he deliberately left them alone in their moment of need. He withheld his presence. He did not come in answer to their heartfelt plea. There is a tension that exists between the claim that Jesus loves these three and what we know that Jesus allowed them to suffer.

That same tension exists in the life of God’s people still today, doesn’t it? We are told that Jesus loves us. We are his sheep; he is the good shepherd. We are told that the Father cares for us. We are his beloved children in Christ Jesus. And we know that God is able to do anything he pleases! Nothing is impossible for him! And so we pray to him. We cry out to him. We say, Lord, come and do this or that. Lord, would you heal? Lord, would you take away this suffering? Lord, would you heal this sorrow? Lord, would you save? And often there is no answer. It seems as if God is distant. It seems as if God is withdrawn. That he could act, we all know to be true! But what are we to think when he determines to withhold?

These scenarios create tension in our lives. We might start to wonder if God is able. We say to ourselves, perhaps he has not answered my prayer because he is unable to act? Or we reason, perhaps he is able, but he does not care. And so we are left with this tension in our lives.

This passage is immensely helpful in that it provides a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one of these scenarios. When you and I experience trouble in life and wrestle with the reality of unanswered prayer, rarely, if ever, are we able to see the answer to the question, why? Why, Lord? Why have you allowed this in my life? Rarely are the answers revealed to us fully in this life. Sometimes we are given a glimpse of the answer to the question why? after the trial has passed. But often times we are left to wonder. But Christian, don’t you see that God’s word reveals why. God’s word lays bare the answer to the question, why? 

This is one of those places in scripture where we are given a glimpse into the inner workings of a trail. The book of Job also comes to mind. Job, a righteous man, suffered much. He pleaded with the Lord to take away the suffering, but there was no answer – not for a long time. The story of Joseph also comes to mind. Again, a righteous man who suffered long and hard, who’s prayers seemed to go unheard for a time. So too, Mary and Martha and Lazarus – friends of Jesus – people loved by Jesus – and yet Jesus stood back and allowed them to experience suffering and sorrow for a time.

Why does God do this? Certainly we will not understand it fully until we see him face to face in eternity, but the scriptures do point us in the right direction. All of these stories reveal that the sufferings we experience in this life are for the glory of God and our ultimate good.

Notice that Jesus is primarily driven by the impulse to obey the Father and to glorify his name.

Look at 11:4: “But when Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” (John 11:4, ESV) Also, listen to how Jesus spoke to Martha before raising Lazarus up:  “Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’” (John 11:40, ESV)

The suffering that Mary, Martha and Lazarus endured was used to glorify God in such a tremendous way as they continued to trust in Jesus. Did they have questions for Jesus? Yes. Did they experience authentic sorrow in their hearts? Yes. But notice that they went on believing in Jesus, and in the process of time Jesus used it all for his glory by raising Lazarus from the dead.

The non-believer hears all of this and says, if this is what it means to follow Jesus, then I’m out! But the one called by God considers all of this and says, I’m in! For what can be better than to be used by God to bring glory to his name?

The Christian understands that all things happen in order to ultimately bring glory to God, but they also understand this: “…that for those who love God all things work together for good…” (Romans 8:28, ESV) When we read that all things work together for good we are to think, not only of those things that we would consider good but even those things which seem to us to be pure evil.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4, ESV)

“In this [your salvation] you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6–7, ESV)

After Jesus announced to his disciples that Lazarus had died he said, “…and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.” (John 11:15, ESV)

I’m not saying that this information makes enduring suffering easy. But I am saying that this information is vital if you are to bear up under the pressures of life, maintaining a deep love for God and others. You must understand that God is real and powerful and sovereign, and that he sometimes allows suffering to come into our lives and to remain, but it is not without purpose. It is for a reason. It is for his glory and our ultimate good. And the last thing that you must be assured of is that, if you are in Christ Jesus – if he has called you friend – he does indeed love you. He loves you deeply, authentically, and from the heart. This is true even if the circumstances of your life seem to point in the other direction.

If anything is clear in this passage it is that Jesus loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus, through he clearly allowed them to suffer for a time. Verse 32:

“Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’” (John 11:32–36, ESV)

Is it true that Jesus delayed in order to accomplish the will of God? Indeed it is true! But that does not mean that Jesus’ heart was cold and indifferent towards his friends! This emotion that we read of was genuine emotion. Jesus was “deeply moved”. He was “greatly troubled”. He was filled with a righteous anger concerning the suffering and death experienced by his friends. The scriptures tell us that “Jesus wept”. It has been pointed out by some that this is the shortest verse in the Bible. But how important it is! When we begin to consider the unavoidable truth that God almighty sometimes allows his people, the people whom he loves, to suffer tribulation for a time, it is easy to think that perhaps his heart is cold towards us. No. Look at Jesus. Jesus weeps with us. He is troubled by the troubles we encounter. He sympathizes with his people. Hebrews 4:15:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15–16, ESV)

Conclusion

When you are in the midst of a trial, big or small, remember that God is in sovereign – powerful – in control. Remember also that he sometimes allows trials and tribulations, but those are for a purpose. They are for his glory and our good. And if you are in Christ never forget that Jesus loves you. Hold the image of him troubled and moved and weeping close to you heart knowing that he, as the only mediator between God and man, has suffered with us and for his. He sympathizes with us in our weaknesses.

Cling to Jesus. He is the Son of God. He is the resurrection and life. He is our only hope for life now, and life eternal.

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 82

“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: ‘How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.’ They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.’ Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!” (Psalm 82:1–8, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 10:30-42

Jesus said to them… “‘I and the Father are one. ‘The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 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.” (John 10:30–42, ESV)

Introduction

Jesus is important to us.  We worship him. We pray in his name. We trust in him,  and we proclaim him. We even take his name when we call ourselves Christians, which means “little Christ’s”. It is not to much to say that Jesus Christ is the central figure of our faith. It’s true that we live to give glory to God the Father, but we do it through the Son, and by the Spirit. Without Jesus we would be hopelessly lost. Jesus is everything to us. He is our greatest love, and our only hope for eternal life.

We talk about Jesus often, but do we know who he is? Do we understand him? Do we grasp the significance of his person to the point that we would be able to explain to others why it is that he is so important to us – so central to our faith?

You’ve noticed that John’s Gospel is very much concerned to answer the question, who is Jesus? And there is good reason for this. For the way that you answer this question reveals whether or not you are in fact a follower of Christ. The one who receives Jesus’ revelation covering himself is a follower of Christ; the one who rejects Jesus’ revelation covering himself is not a follower of Christ.

And so John’s Gospel is largely devoted to the task of answering the question, who is Jesus? 

Notice that this question can actually be referring to two things. First of all, we could ask who is he? in respect to the significance of his person. What did he come to do? What did he accomplish? What role did he play in human history? What was his task? But we can ask the question in another way. The question, who is he? can also be seeking answers to questions pertaining to his nature, or “what-ness”. What is he? What was and is his nature like? Who is he in his essence?

We can actually speak this way concerning any person. The answer to the question, who is she? could be, she is a mother, or teacher, or wife. Or the answer could begin with the reply, she is a human. When we say, she is human, we are speaking of her essential nature. When we say, she is a mother, we are referring to her role, or position, in life.

I say this because it is helpful to keep this distinction in mind as we seek to properly understand John’s Gospel. Sometimes the text is concerned to reveal to us what Jesus was and is; and at other times the text is concerned to reveal to us who he was and is – the position he held, or the role he played within God’s eternal plan. 

I’d like to ease into our text for today by considering what the Gospel of John as a whole has to say in response to the question, who is Jesus?

Jesus of Nazareth Was and Is Divine

First of all, we must confess that Jesus of Nazareth was and is divine. This, of course, has to do with his essential nature, or substance. You and I are human – that is all that can be said. But with Jesus of Nazareth the scriptures compel us to say that he was and is divine. He is God. He is made up of the stuff of deity, to speak in a rather rough and fleshy way.

Remember that his was name was Immanuel, which means, God with us, according to Matthew 1:23.

Listen to the way that Paul speaks concerning Jesus, saying, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily…” (Colossians 2:9, ESV)

Notice that John’s Gospel begins and ends with powerful statements concerning the deity of Christ.

The opening words say this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It is in 1:14 that we read, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” So the Word existed in the begging. The Word, we are told, was with God. More than that, the Word was God. The meaning is this – the word was and is divine; what God was, the Word was. And it was the Word – the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity – that took on human flesh and came to us in the person of Jesus Christ. This is how John’s Gospel begins.

Also, consider how it ends. At the conclusion of the Gospel we encounter this confession from the lips of doubting Thomas: “Thomas answered [Jesus], ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28, ESV)

And so from beginning to end, John’s Gospel reveals that Jesus of Nazareth was divine. When we answer the question who is Jesus one of things that we must say is, he was God come in the flesh.

This is precisely what our confession of faith articulates so beautifully in 8.2:

“The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father’s glory, of one substance and equal with him who made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things he hath made did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man’s nature…”

To deny the full deity of Christ is to reject Jesus’ revelation concerning himself.

Jesus of Nazareth Was and Is Human

Secondly, when we speak of Jesus of Nazareth, we must confess that he was and is human. This too has to do with his essential nature. That he is divine is clear. But we must not forget that he was and is also fully man.

Paul puts it this way in Galatians 4:4: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4–5, ESV)

And again, in 1 Timothy 2:5 Paul says, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” (1 Timothy 2:5, ESV)

Here is how John puts it in 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, ESV)

Listen to the language of our confession on this point. Picking up where we left off in 8.2:

“The Son of God…did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her: and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was made of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the Scriptures; so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man. (John 1:14; Galatians 4;4; Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14, 16, 17; Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35; Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5)

The language is technical, I know. It’s technical because it is seeking to be precise. Jesus, in his essential nature, was and is fully divine, and he was and is fully human. These two natures are inseparably joined in one person – Jesus of Nazareth. But notice that the confession says that these two natures were joined in one person without conversion, composition, or confusion. This is important. This is a wonderful summery of the teaching of scripture. These words – without conversion, composition, or confusion – guard against the error of thinking that Jesus was somehow a mixture of God and man. It is tempting, when we consider the Biblical teaching that Jesus possessed both a divine and human nature, to imagine that the two natures were somehow thrown together in Jesus and stirred up, making him into some new thing. If this were the case – if the divine nature and the human nature were mixed up within Jesus, then we would have to consider him to be neither God nor man, but a third thing. He would be less than God and more than man. He would be something like the superheroes we read about in comic books and watch on the big screen. No, these two natures – the divine and human – were united in the person of Jesus without conversion (change), composition (mixture), or confusion (unsureness). The end result is that we must confess that Jesus is both fully God and fully man, in one person forever.  Though difficult to comprehend, this is the clear teaching of scripture.

To deny the full humanity of Jesus is to reject the scripture’s revelation concerning him.

Jesus of Nazareth Was and Is The Only Mediator Between God And Man 

Thirdly, when we think of Jesus of Nazareth, we are to think of the only mediator between God and man.

Noticed that I have now transitioned from talking about Jesus’ essence (his “what-ness”, if you will), to speaking of who he is in regard to his position, or role, or function. When it comes to his essence we must confess that he is the eternal Son of God come in human flesh – God incarnate. But when it comes to his role or function as it pertains to the plan of God for salvation we must say that he is the only mediator between God and man.

When I say that he is the only mediator I mean that he is the middleman; he is the go-between; he is the one through whom we must go to get to God, and to have eternal life.

Paul puts it this way in 1 Timothy 2:5-6: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5–6, ESV)

The same truth is communicated in John’s Gospel: “So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.’” (John 10:7, ESV) Again “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, ESV)

Jesus Christ, as the God-man, is the only mediator between God and man. He is the only way to the Father. He alone can reconcile us to God. It is through faith in him alone that we can enter into life eternal.

Notice a few things about Jesus as our mediator:

One, it is because of who Jesus is in his essence that he is able to fulfill the role or function of mediator between God and man. Another way to say it is that the accomplishment of the salvation of sinful men required the incarnation. On the one hand, only God himself could live a sinless life, bear the sins of the human beings, and have the power to rise from the dead, conquering sin and Satan and death forever. Only God – that is, something other than a human – could accomplish these things. No mere man could do it! But on the other hand, the Savior had to be a man. He had to be the second Adam. He had keep the law for us and in our place. He rose from the dead, not only as God, but as a man, making a way for you and I to have eternal life. Immanuel, God with us, had the right stuff to get this utterly unique job done. His unique essence made it possible for him to fulfill his unique role.

Think of it this way: One of  the most fundamental prerequisites for fulling the role of Pastor is that a person be human.  It takes a human to fulfill the role of Pastor. A dog cannot be a Pastor. It does not have the right stuff to get the job done. A dog cannot reason or speak or empathize. A human can. A Pastor must first be human. In the same way it was necessary that Jesus be both God and man in order for him to fulfill the role of savior, redeemer, mediator between God and man.

Two, notice this about Jesus as our mediator: though Jesus of Nazareth (the God-man) did not exist prior to his birth to the virgin Mary some 2,000 years ago, the decision to save a particular people in this way – through the mediation of the Christ – was made by the Triune God in eternity past, that is, before creation. Theologians call this decision made by the Triune God in eternity past the Intra-Trinitarian Covenant of Redemption. The word Intra-Trinitarian is used to communicate the idea that this decision was made within (intra) the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is called a covenant in order to communicate the truth that an agreement was made between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father determined to send the Son, the Son agreed to go in obedience to the Father, and the Son would send the Spirit to empower the work that he had accomplished. The word redemption is used to rightly communicate that this covenant had as it’s mission the redemption or salvation of a particular people. The point here is that the decision to save, or redeem, sinners in this way was made by the Triune God before the world was created. John’s Gospel is abundantly clear on this point. I will not read it again, but this truth is obviously present in John 17 in Jesus’ high priestly prayer.

Three, notice that when Jesus of Nazareth was born of a virgin some 2,000 years ago, and having lived and died and rose again, it was the culmination, the execution, the final accomplishment of that plan made by God in eternity past. The covenant of redemption was made within the Triune God before creation. After the fall this plan of salvation was announced in human history to Adam and Eve by way of promise (Genesis 3:15). The promise of God to redeem was reiterated and clarified and developed throughout Old Testament times. The promise was given to and through Abraham, Moses, and David. The prophets spoke often of this promise. This promise to save had the cross of Christ in view from the beginning. The plan was made in eternity past by the Triune God. The plan was executed in human history by the giving of a promise, the making of covenants, and ultimately through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, the only mediator between God and man.

Listen again to our confession on this point. LBC 8:1:

“It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them both, to be the mediator between God and man; the prophet, priest, and king; head and saviour of the church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world; unto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed [his sheep, the elect] and to be by him in time [in human history] redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.” (Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19, 20; Acts 3:22; Hebrews 5:5, 6; Psalms 2:6; Luke 1:33; Ephesians 1:22, 23; Hebrews 1:2; Acts 17:31; Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30)

So tell me Church (and be careful how you answer this): has Jesus of Nazareth always existed? In other words, was Jesus of Nazareth with God in the beginning, before the universe was created? The answer is no! Jesus the Christ was born of a virgin some 2,000 years ago.

Now answer me this: Has the Word of God – the Son of God – the second person of the Trinity always existed? In other words, was the Word with God in the beginning before the universe was created? The answer is certainly yes! John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1,14, ESV)

The eternal Son of God became man for the purpose of redeeming us – saving us – from sin and death as the only possible mediator between God and man. When we think of Jesus of Nazareth we must think of him as the only possible mediator between God and man. He is the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

Jesus of Nazareth Was and Is One With The Father

And this brings us to our last point, and to the sermon text for today (don’t worry, this will be brief).  When we think of Jesus of Nazareth we must think of one who was and is one with the Father.

In verse 30 Jesus says to the unbelieving Jews, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30, ESV) I mentioned last week that Christians often use this verse as proof that Jesus was divine – of one essence with the Father. I think this it is a mistake to interpret this particular verse in that way. That Jesus is divine is abundantly clear in other passage of scripture. But here the point seems to be that Jesus and the Father are united in purpose – that they have the same mind. The rest of the passage doesn’t make much sense if we see it the other way.

Notice in verse 31 that the Jews “picked up stones again to stone him.” The word “again” is significant because it reminds us that this wasn’t the first time they tried to kill him. They wanted to stone him to death in 8:59. We’re told that they sought to kill him in 5:18. In each instance they wanted to kill him because he claimed to be God.

Listen to their accusation here in 10:33: “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.’” (John 10:33, ESV)

Notice three things: One, they rightly understood that Jesus was claiming to be God. They heard him say, for example, in 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I Am.” They knew what he was claiming, and so they picked up stones to stone him. They rightly understood that he was claiming to be God – that he was claiming to be divine. Two, they only considered him to be a man. Verse 33: “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.” They understood his claims, but they rejected them, thinking of Jesus as only a man. Three, notice that they, therefore, thought that Jesus was making himself God. In other words, this was something that Jesus fabricated. It was something that he made up. He was only a man, but he was making himself divine.

It is at this point that Jesus quoted from Psalm 82 in order to defend himself.

Look at verse 34:

“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’?” (John 10:34–36, ESV)

This passage can be very confusing to Christians. It becomes almost impossible to understand if we approach it with the idea that what Jesus meant in 10:30 when he said, “I and the Father are one”, was that he and the Father were one in essence. But when we rightly understand that Jesus was speaking here of he and the Father being one in purpose – on the same page, if you will – then this quotation of Psalm 82 makes perfect sense.

I read Psalm 82 at the beginning of the sermon. The Psalm is all about God holding judgment over unjust judges or kings. These human judges or kings are reprimanded by God: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?” (Psalm 82:2, ESV) They are exhorted by God: “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” (Psalm 82:3, ESV) And they are warned by God:  “…like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” (Psalm 82:7, ESV) Psalm 82 is a vision of God rebuking unjust human rulers and kings.

The interesting thing is that these human rulers are called “gods”. God himself calls them “gods”. 82:6: God says to them, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you…” (Psalm 82:6, ESV) Why does God call them “gods”? Is he saying that these kings or judges were divine? Certainly not! He immediately warns that they will die like men! But they were call gods, or Sons of the Most High, for these reasons. One, they were given, or entrusted with, the word of God. And two, they were given, as kings and judges, the authority to judge as God judges. They were entrusted with the word of God and were appointed as kings and judges to represent God’s justice on earth. They were rebuked and threatened by God because they were arrogant – they disregarded God and his holy word – they forsook justice – they abused the weak and neglected the needy.

Here is the reasoning that Jesus uses: If it was right for God himself to call men “gods” in Psalm 82 due to the fact that they had received the word of God and were given a position of authority on earth that they might serve as God’s just representatives (think Romans 13), how much more appropriate is it for Jesus, who is the Word, who is God come in the flesh, who is the one true mediator between God and man, consecrated by God and sent into the world, to claim to be the Son of God.

The argument seems complex to us, but is sound. Jesus is reasoning with the unbelieving Jews, urging them to not jump to conclusions the moment they they here Jesus say, “I am the Son of God”, or “Before Abraham was I Am”, or “I and the Father are One”. He’s urging them to slow down and to consider these things carefully. If the scriptures (the scriptures which they loved) could use this language of mere men – sinful, fallen and unjust men – how much more appropriate is it for Jesus to call himself the Son of God given his true identity.

He again points to the works that he has been preforming as evidence concerning his claims. Verse 37: “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.” (John 10:37–38, ESV)

Conclusion

These are difficult teachings, I know. I’m not quite sure what else to do with a passage like this except teach through it. And I think it is of great importance that these things are taught. We say we love Jesus above all else, but do we know him? Do we know who he was and is?

He is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh. He is the mediator between God and man. He was more than man, but not less. He did not make himself God, but was in fact divine. He was not claiming to be a God separate from, and in competition with the Father – he and the Father are one. They are of one purpose, one mission, one mind. The Father sent the Son, the Son came in perfect obedience to the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin and to help those who are in Christ.

The end result of understanding these things is that we ought love Jesus all the more! We should be all the more eager to worship him, to pray to him, and to proclaim him, because truly “…there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, ESV)

 

Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 34:22-31

“I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken. I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild beasts from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will provide for them renowned plantations so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the reproach of the nations. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 34:22–31, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 10:22-30

“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 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. 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.’” (John 10:22–30, ESV)

Introduction

That Jesus was and is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh is something that all Christians believe. And that he came to deal with the problem of sin and death is also something that all Christians agree upon – he lived his life in full and perfect obedience to the law of God, and yet he died the death of a sinner in order to pay the price for sins – he atoned for sin – he appeased the wrath of God – he defeated sin and death for us. All true Christians believe these things.

But there exists is a significant disagreement over the question, who did Jesus come to save, exactly? Who did he come to rescue? Who’s sins did he come to die for?

Some see it this way: Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came to make salvation possible for all. He lived and died and rose again for all people. When he paid the price for sins, he paid for all sins – every sin that has ever been committed in the history of the world. When he bore the wrath of God, he stood in everyones place. But it is only those who choose to believe who benefit from the redemption accomplished by Christ for all people everywhere.

In this view, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirt had every person who has lived in mind when the Christ was sent to hang on that cross. Jesus took upon himself the sins of all people without exception, and paid for them in full, saying, “It is finished”.  And now God, having accomplished salvation for all through the cross of Christ, applies the benefits of that salvation to the ones who choose to believe in the Son. This is how many Christians in our day picture salvation working.

But there is, as you know, another way of seeing things. There are others who believe that Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came to accomplish salvation for some. He did not merely make salvation possible. He actually accomplished it – he earned it, completed it, and finished it.  And he did not do it for all – leaving it ultimately up to the individual to believe or disbelieve – he came to accomplish salvation for a particular people in order to give those particular people eternal life.

In this view God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirt had particular people in mind when the Christ was sent to hang on that cross. Jesus took upon himself the sins of those people, and paid for them in full, saying, “It is finished”. And now God, having accomplished salvation for them through the cross of Christ, is active in bringing those particular people to salvation through faith in Christ, by the proclamation of the gospel, and the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.

This second view is our view.

I hold to this second view (what has come to be known as the Reformed position, or the Calvinistic position) because I believe it is what the scriptures clearly teach. I would not hold this view if unaided human reason were my final authority for truth. And I would not hold this view if my emotions were my final authority for truth. It is because the Holy Scriptures are my final authority for truth (and I believe that they abundantly clear on this point) that I am moved to view Christ’s atoning work in this way.

Jesus came in order to save those who are his. He came to save those who were given to him by the Father in eternity past. These were chosen, elected, predestined by God the Father and they were given to the Son so that he would save them by dying for their sins. They were chosen, mind you, not because of anything deserving in them – not because of any good or redeeming quality foreseen by God within them – but by pure unconditional, unmerited, undeserved grace. These are the ones that the Good Shepherd has laid down is his life for.

Truthfully, there are very many passages of scripture that we could point to to prove these things. But I really cannot think of a book in the Bible that presents these truths more consistently, more clearly, and more powerfully than the Gospel of John. And it here in chapter 10 that these truths are brought to the forefront.

The Gospel of John reveals that some people have been given to the Son by the Father from before creation.

First of all, notice how the Gospel of John reveals, time and again, that some people have been given to the Son by the Father from before creation.

This is most clear in the prayer of Jesus found in John 17.

Verses 1-3:

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:1–3, ESV)

In verse 6 Jesus says,  “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” (John 17:6, ESV)

In verse 9 Jesus says, “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” (John 17:9, ESV)

This same truth – the truth that some have been given to the Son by the Father from before creation – is also clearly articulated here in John 10. Jesus uses the image of a sheepfold to communicate this truth to us. He is the Good Shepherd, and he is also the door of the sheep. The sheepfold contains many sheep – at first we are only told of one sheepfold which represents all of the people of Israel – later we are told of another sheepfold, representing all of the peoples of the earth. Both sheepfolds house sheep – some who belong to the Good Shepherd, and some who do not. Jesus the Good Shepherd knows his sheep and they know him. He calls them by name and they recognize his voice and follow him. All of this was clearly set forth in verses 1-21of chapter 10.

The teaching is clear. A distinction is made between sheep and sheep – some belong to the Good Shepherd and others do not. The sheep who belong to the Good Shepherd represent the elect. They represent those who were given to the Son by the Father in eternity past. These sheep represent the same people that Jesus would later pray for in his high priestly prayer, saying, “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” (John 17:9, ESV)

This is the doctrine of unconditional election.

The Gospel of John reveals that those not given to the Son by the Father are unable to believe. 

Secondly, notice how the Gospel of John reveals that those not given to the Son by the Father are unable to believe.

This truth is stated in a number of places in John, but we will limit our attention to the passage before us here in John 10:22-30, since it is at the heart of the text.

Notice that we have now experienced a change of scenery in John’s Gospel. From the beginning of chapter 7 all the way to 10:21 we hear about Jesus’ activities in and around the temple in Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths. Now we read in verse 22, “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.” (John 10:22–23, ESV)

The Feast of Dedication was not a feast instituted by God and recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures. It began in 167 B.C. The Syrian leader Antiochus Epiphanes had overrun Jerusalem. He had polluted the temple by setting up a pagan altar to displace the altar of Israel’s God. Israel suffered for a time under the oppression of Antiochus until many of the Jews began to revolt. They eventually developed the fine art of guerrilla warfare and grew strong enough to overthrow their oppressor. This all happened under the leadership of Judas Maccabaeus (Judas the Hammer). They eventually recaptured the temple and reconsecrated it to God on 25 Kislev (the lunar month that approximately coincides with December), 164 B.C. The people celebrated the rededication of the temple for eight days, and it was decreed that a similar eight-day Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) should be held every year, beginning on 25 Kislev (cf. 1 Macc. 4:36–59; 2 Macc. 1:9, 18; 10:1–8).

Jesus was in Jerusalem for this feast and was walking in the colonnade of Solomon (also called Solomon’s Porch), which was a covered patio located to the east of the temple serving as boundary to the temple platform. Interestingly we hear of this place again in the book of Acts because the early Christians would gather there to preach the gospel. Peter and John would heal a man in this same location.

But it was here under the colonnade of Solomon that (verse 24)  the “Jews gathered around [Jesus] and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’” (John 10:24, ESV)

It is interesting that Jesus rarely, if ever, spoke before the religious leaders of the Jews in an explicate or direct way concerning his being the Christ – the Messiah of Israel. He spoke with the woman at the well directly, saying, “I who speak to you am he”(John 4:26, ESV), but his answers were always less direct – more elaborate and involved – when he spoke with the Jews in general, and especially with the religious leaders. The reason is simple. People had in their minds all kinds of expectations concerning what the Messiah would be like. If when asked, are you the Christ?, Jesus simply said, yes!, he would have been saying yes to all that was in their minds, and not necessarily the truth. So although he never said yes, in a direct or explicit way, he had already said yes dozens of times before in other ways.

They wanted a simple yes or no. But Jesus responds to them saying,  “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me…” (John 10:25, ESV) I’ve already told you, he says. I’ve told you in word, and I’ve shown you by my deeds. Jesus was always pointing to the miracles that the he preformed as proof that he was indeed the Christ. But they did not believe.

But I want you to notice something very significant. Jesus reveals here in verse 26 why it was that these men did not believe. He said to them, “you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.” (John 10:26, ESV) The Arminian, or the anti-Calvinist – whatever you want to call them – turns this statement on its head. They insist that a person is free to believe if he so choose; and that a person is made into one of Christ’s sheep because they choose to believe. But Jesus says exactly the opposite. You do not become a sheep of the Good Shepherd’s the moment that you believe. No, you believe because you are one of Christ’s sheep. Those who are not Christ’s sheep – not one of the elect – are not able to believe. Christ does not know them, and they do not know Christ They do not hear his voice. They do not follow his voice. Why? Because they were not among those given by the Father to the Son in eternity past. “You do not believe because you are not among my sheep”, Jesus says.

This is the doctrine of total depravity, or total inability.

The Gospel of John reveals that those given to the Son by the Father will certainly believe.

Thirdly, notice how the Gospel of John reveals that those given to the Son by the Father will certainly believe.

Listen to John 6:35:

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.’” (John 6:35–37, ESV)

Notice the same teaching in 10:27 when Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” This is in contrast to what Jesus said to the non-believing Jews. They did not believe because they were not Christ’s sheep, but those who are Christ’s sheep hear the voice of the Good Shepherd; he knows them; and they follow him.

This is the doctrine of irresistible grace, or effectual calling.

The Gospel of John reveals that those given to the Son by the Father will never be lost.

Fourthly, notice how the Gospel of John reveals that those given to the Son by the Father will never be lost.

In verse 27 Jesus says,

“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.” (John 10:27–29, ESV)

I cannot think of a more clear statement in scripture concerning the security of the believer.  There are other clear statements indeed, but this is rather powerful. The teaching is this: If a person has been set apart by the electing purposes of God Father, and that persons sins have been paid for by the death of the Son, and if that person has been brought to faith in the Son through the effectual calling of the Holy Spirit, then that person cannot be lost. He cannot be lost because he has been saved, not on the basis of something within himself, but by God. God has saved him through Christ and by the Spirit. Christ holds his sheep in his hand. More than that, the Father holds those who are his in his hand. Who could possibly snatch them away?

Christians struggle with this concept because they have seen some who profess to believe in Christ for a time and then walk away from Christ in the end. It can be difficult to know how to explain that phenomenon. The Biblical way to talk about that is to say that though they claimed to know Christ, they in fact never knew him. This is what John himself says in his epistle: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:19, ESV)

What we see here in John10:27-29 is the doctrine of the preservation of the saints. Those who truly belong to Christ will persevere to the end. Better yet, they will be preserved until the end, being kept by the Father and the Son.

The Gospel of John reveals that those given to the Son by the Father are the ones for whom Christ died.

Fifthly, notice how the Gospel of John reveals that those given to the Son by the Father are the ones for whom Christ died.

Let us look back into chapter 10 for a moment. Jesus says in verse 11,

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11, ESV) Also look at verse 14: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14–15, ESV)

So for whom did Christ die, according to John? He died for his sheep. He died for the ones given to him by the Father. These are the ones that he laid his life down for. He payed for their sins and gives them eternal life.

Look also at 10:30. Jesus concluded this entire conversation with the unbelieving Jews by saying,  “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30, ESV) We will look more closely at this well known and often quoted text next week as we pick up with verse 30 and move on. This verse is most often used as a proof that Jesus was divine. “I and the Father are one” is taken to mean, I am divine just as the Father is divine. Truthfully, I do not think that this is the most accurate understanding of Jesus words here. There are other texts in scripture – other texts in John – that clearly refer to Jesus’ deity. The context here seems to be more about the unity of purpose that the Son has with the Father. I’m not saying that this verse has nothing to do with Jesus deity. I’m only saying that the statement, “I and the Father are one” has more to do with the unity of purpose, or the unity of mission shared between the Father and Son. There will be more on that next week.

What I want you to see today is that Jesus claimed to be one with the Father. He was perfectly in sync with the Father. They were about the same purpose – the same mission. The Father decreed in eternity past to send the Son into the world to save the elect, and it was the elect that Jesus came to save. He knows his sheep and he calls his sheep. He died for his sheep in order to give his sheep eternal life. He gives them eternal life and he holds on to them. Jesus keeps his sheep by holding them in his hand. And the Father also holds them in his hand, the end result being that no one is able to snatch them away.

This oneness that exists between the Father and Son supports the doctrine of limited atonement.

Not only do the scriptures explicitly say that Jesus came to lay down his life for the sheep, they also say that there exists a unity between the Father and Son. The Father’s purposes are the Son’s purposes. The Father’s mission, is the Son’s mission. If the Father sent the Son into the world to save those whom he had given to the Son (the elect), then it should be no surprise to us that the Son came to lay down his life for them. He came to pay for their sins. He came to earn salvation for them. And is it they that he draws to himself by calling them by name. They are at the ones who follow the Good Shepherd because they are his, having been set apart from all eternity.

Application 

Have you ever wondered why it is that God has chosen to reveal these difficult things to us in his word. He could have left it unstated. He could have relegated this to the realm of mystery. But he did not. He speaks plainly concerning these things in his word. Why?

The reason is that these truths, when rightly understood, have a significant impact upon the people of God. These truths transform.

First of all, these truths are the ground out which true humility springs. If I were to ask you, why are you in Christ? Why are you a part of his flock? Why is he your shepherd? The answer must ultimately be, because God has been gracious to me.

Secondly, these truths are the firm foundation of our assurance in Christ. If you Christ’s then you you will be Christ’s to the end because he holds on to you! This does not do away with the need for exhortation or effort. It is good for us to say to one another, hold on to Christ until the end! But we hold on to Christ – we strive after him, and labor in our obedience to him – knowing that he is the one who holds on to us!

Thirdly, these truths provide a firm footing that we might have confidence in evangelism. It is because of these truths that we are able to confidently proclaim, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, ESV) We offer the gospel freely to all who will hear knowing that the Good Shepherd will draw his sheep to himself in his time and in his way.

Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-24

“For thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. As for you, my flock,’ thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?’ Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: ‘Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.’” (Ezekiel 34:11–24, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 10:1-21

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.’ There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, ‘He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” (John 10:1–21, ESV)

Introduction

It would be good for us to start by noticing – or for those who were here last Sunday,  remembering – that there are two “I am” sayings of Jesus found in this text.

In the first Jesus reveals himself as the door, saying,  in verse 7, “I am the door of the sheep”. This is the image that we fixed our attention upon last week. Jesus is the door. He is the only way to salvation. True shepherds enter by the door and lead the sheep through the door, who is Christ. False shepherds are identifiable by the fact that they refuse to enter by the door themselves. They climb into the sheepfold by some other way; they lead the sheep by some other way. They care nothing for the sheep. They are only concerned to benefit from their wool and meat and fat. All of this (and more) we considered last week.

Today we will turn our attention to the second “I am” saying of Jesus found within this figure of speech. Jesus not only identifies himself as the door of the sheep, he also identifies himself with the shepherd of the sheep, saying in verse 11, “I am the good shepherd”.  This is certainly a most comforting thought to the people of God – Christ Jesus is our good shepherd. The question we will eventually ask is, what makes the good shepherd so good?

But before we do that I think it would be wise for us to look in upon a theme that runs in the background of this text. It’s true that Jesus Christ is the main focus of this text – he is the door and the good shepherd – this whole saying is meant to reveal truth concerning who Jesus is. But notice that something is revealed concerning who we are. We are likened to sheep.

The image is a powerful one, isn’t it? The image is used in other portions of scripture too. When we, as the people of God, are compared to sheep the implication is that we are needy creatures. Of all the beasts of the field sheep seem to me to be the most needy. They need a shepherd. They need a shepherd to guide them, to lead them, and to feed them. They need a shepherd to protect them from harm. They need a shepherd to train and discipline them, and to bind up their wounds. Sheep are needy animals. They need a shepherd; they need the flock.

As it is with sheep, so it is with us. We like to think that we are independent, and self-sufficient – fine on our own. But the scriptures reveal time and again that we were designed to live in community, in the midst of a flock. More than that, we were created to live under the perpetual care of our creator, the shepherd of our souls.

Christ Jesus is the good shepherd. When he called himself that he was claiming to be the fulfillment of what was promised in Ezekiel 34:15, which say,

“‘I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down,’ declares the Lord God. ‘I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.’” (Ezekiel 34:15–16, ESV)

Jesus is the fulfillment of these promises of God. He is the good shepherd.

But the question may be asked, what makes the good shepherd so good? Certainly many things could be said about the goodness of our Savior, but I see I four examples of his goodness in this passage.

I. Christ is the good shepherd because he leads his sheep in the way of truth.

First of all, see that Christ is the good shepherd because he leads his sheep in the way of truth.

This is a bit of a reiteration of what was said last week, but it needs to be said again as we focus in upon Christ as the good shepherd. The test for whether a shepherd of God’s people is good or bad, true or false, is this: do they lead the sheep through the door, who represents Christ? Do they lead the people in the way of truth?

This test could be applied to the shepherds of Israel under the Old Covenant – the prophets, priests, and kings. There is a reason why David is considered the greatest of all the kings of Israel. He, as Israel’s shepherd king, led the people to God through Christ. There is reason why, when we think of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel we think of men who shepherded the people of God well. They faithfully lead Israel to God through the Christ. And their is a reason why when we think of Melchizedek we think of a faithful priest. He mediated between the people of God and the Most High through the Christ.

You may be thinking to yourself, this is a really strange way to talk about David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Melchizedek given that all of these men lived before Christ came! Perhaps your thinking, how can you say these led people to God through the Christ when the Christ had not yet come! 

Brothers and sisters, if this is your thought then may I encourage you to read your Bibles more often and more carefully! Read the Old Testament and see the way that Adam and Abraham, Melchizedek and Moses, David and Isaiah approached God with the confidence fixed – not in themselves, not in the law – but in the Christ – the Messiah –  who would one day come. Read the Pentateuch and see Christ there. Read the Psalms and behold the Christ. Read the prophets and see the Christ faithful proclaimed. The Old Covenant saints were saved by grace alone through faith alone just as we are. They were made righteous before God as they trusted in the finished work of the Christ. They looked forward to his coming – we look back upon it. The good shepherds who labored under the Old Covenant entered through Christ, the door of the sheepfold, themselves, and they faithfully led the people of God through the door. They are therefore rightly considered to have been good and faithful shepherds.

The same standard should apply today. When we judge the goodness of one of Christ’s under shepherds – those pastors and elders who serve in Christ’s church – the first question that should be asked is does the man know Christ? And does he faithfully lead the people to Christ, proclaiming all of his words? A good and faithful shepherd will always be found leading the flock of God through the one door of the sheepfold, who is Christ.

The fascinating thing about this figure of speech is that Jesus is both the door of the sheep and he is the good shepherd. And what is it that makes him good? Well, for one, he leads his flock, as the chief shepherd, through the door of sheepfold, who is in fact himself. Jesus Christ was and is the good shepherd because he faithfully leads the people of God to God, through the Messiah, the Savior. And he is the Messiah. He is “the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through [him].” (John 14:6, ESV) He is “the light of the world. Whoever follows [him] will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, ESV)

We are to call Christ the good shepherd because he leads his sheep in the way of truth.

And life is so good when we walk according to the truth. Have you noticed this? Have you noticed how good and joyous and full life is when we walk according to the truth of Christ? Or perhaps you have learned this same principle, but in a negative way. Perhaps you have you learned of how good God’s ways are by walking away from him for a time. You, like the prodigal son, have been reminded of the goodness of God by wandering away from the Lord. And having wandered far from God, you have discovered the emptiness of the things of this world and you have been reminded of the goodness of God.

It is so good to have Christ. It is so good to follow him and to walk in his paths. It is so good to see believe in him, to see the world as he sees it, and to live in obedience to his commands. When we walk with Christ we experience, what Jesus here calls, abundant life – a life that is rich and full and overflowing. We feast upon green pastures (vs. 9)

Christ is the good shepherd because he leads his sheep in the way of truth.

II. Christ is the good shepherd because he protects his sheep from harm, even to the point of death.

Secondly, see that Christ is the good shepherd because he protects his sheep from harm, even to the point of death.
Notice the recurring theme in verses 11-18.

Verse 11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

A shepherd that is good will certainly be willing to suffer harm, even death, if that is what it takes to protect the sheep.

Verses 12 & 13: “He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

I think we would all admit that it would take a good deal of resolve, courage, and gumption to see a bear or a pack of wolves coming towards the flock and to run towards the threat instead of away from it. If a person does not own the flock – if he has no vested interest in the flock – if he does not love the sheep of the flock, nor the owner of the flock – he will not stand against the threat. A hired hand tends the sheep for a daily wage. He is interested only in the money. He does not care for the sheep. And so it is no wonder that he flees from anything that threatens his life. He has nothing motivating him to stay.

But Christ is the good shepherd. He is ready and willing to lay down his life for his sheep.

But there is something that separates Jesus from common shepherds of sheep. Shepherds of sheep may be willing to die for their flock, but they intend to stay alive, don’t they? In fact it is in the flocks best interest that they do stay alive! For who will protect them if the shepherd is overcome? Not so with Christ. He came in order to die for his flock. To die was the purpose for which he came. And his death would be for the greatest good of his flock. For in the moment he died and rose again the threat of the enemy would be neutralized. The enemy would not be left to ravage the sheep because the Christ had died. Quite the opposite! The evil one would be defeated through the death of the good shepherd.

This is what verses 17 – 19 speak of:

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father…”

The Father sent the Son to die for his flock;  and the Son came to willingly laid down his life for his flock. It may sound strange for Christ to say, “No one takes [my life] from me.” As we consider the rest of John it will seem as if people took Jesus’ life from him. But the point is that all that happened to Jesus – the false accusations, the false trial, the brutal treatment, and ultimately his crucifixion – was according to the will of the Father and the Son. In other words, things were not out of control. Jesus maintained his authority through it all.

We are to call Christ the good shepherd because he protects his sheep from harm, even to the point of death. He has earned salvation for his sheep through his death and resurrection.

III. Christ is the good shepherd because he knows and loves his sheep, and his sheep know and love him.

Thirdly, see that Christ is the good shepherd because he knows and loves his sheep, and his sheep know and love him.

Verse 14: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me…”

Remember what has already been said earlier in this passage. There are many sheep in the sheepfold. Some belong to the good shepherd, some do not. Those who belong to the good shepherd know the voice of the good shepherd and follow him. This distinction between sheep and sheep represents the distinction between the elect and non-elect. He were are simply told that the good shepherd knows his own, and his own know him. The good shepherd knows particular sheep and those particular sheep know him.

But what is the nature of this knowledge? Does Christ simply know about his own? No, far from it! Verse 15 reveals to us the kind of knowledge that he has of his particular sheep, and the knowledge they have of him.  Verse 15 says, “just as the Father knows me and I know the Father…”

In other words, the good shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep know him in the same way that the Father knows the Son and the Son the Father. This is more than mere informational knowledge. It is intimate knowledge – relational knowledge.

Think of the love that exists in the Godhead. Think of the love that exists in the one true God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we say that God is love, we are, first of all, saying that he is love to the fullest – he is love in the most pure and perfect sense. We are mistaken when take the truth that God is love to mean that he is somehow obligated to show mercy and grace all equally and without exception. No! God is love in and of himself. His perfect love is perfectly contained and perfectly displayed within the Godhead himself – Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

The Father knows the Son, and the Son knows the Father.  The principle being communicated here is that Jesus, the good shepherd, knows those people who belong to him – the elect – in the same way that Father knows the Son, and the Son knows the Father.  He knows them and love them with a saving love. Those who are united to Christ by faith have come to share in the perfect love that exists eternally between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Notice verse 16: “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Up to this point all of the sheep of the sheepfold seem to represent all of the people of Israel. Not all who are of Israel belong to the good shepherd – that seems to be the point. There were and are elect and non-elect peoples from amongst the Jewish people. Now Jesus refers to other sheep not of this fold. This is a clear reference to the elect from amongst the gentiles. So there are two sheepfolds. One represents Israel, the other the gentiles. And there are some from within each – the Jews and gentiles – who belong to Christ, the good shepherd. He calls them by name, they here his voice, and follow him. He knows them just as the Father knows the Son.

The end result is that there is “one flock, one shepherd.”  The text is clear. There is one people of God – they are the elect from all the peoples of the earth. There is also one shepherd – there is only one way of salvation for all people in all times. All who have ever been saved, or who will ever be saved, will be saved by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus the Christ, the good shepherd, the door of the sheep.

When I consider all that is said here in John 10 I can’t help but think of Jesus’ prayer in John 17. What is taught here in this text through this figure of speech is communicated again in the form of a heart felt prayer in John 17. Please listen to it. Jesus prayed,

“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17, ESV)

Conclusion

Do you see the love of the good shepherd for you? Do you love the good shepherd? Would you draw near to him that he might lead you and feed you, protect you, and that you might know him more dearly?

Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 34:1-10

“The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.’  Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ‘As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep’, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.’” (Ezekiel 34:1–10, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 10:1-21

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.’ There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, ‘He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” (John 10:1–21, ESV)

Introduction

This saying of Jesus has been a most wonderful comfort to the people of God throughout the ages. By it we are moved to think of our Savior as a shepherd – a shepherd who loves his sheep. He leads them to green pastures. He knows his sheep intimately; and his sheep know him. He calls them by name, and they know his voice and follow. He is the good shepherd. He defends his flock from predators, even to the point of laying down his own life for them. It is no wonder then that this image of Christ as the good shepherd has warmed the hearts of the people of God from generation to generation.

Christ as the good shepherd is certainly the predominant theme in this passage. All things eventually point this, that Christ Jesus our Lord is the good shepherd. But it is important to see that there is more to this figure of speech, or wise saying, than a simple presentation of Christ as the good shepherd. The gospel of John never ceases to amaze me in its ability to be at once utterly simple and at the same time deep and complex. We will eventually come to set our attention upon Christ as the good shepherd, it is true. But it would be unwise to go straight there and, in so doing, to pass over the nuances of this wonderful passage.

Notice that Jesus does not explicitly reveal himself as the good shepherd until verse 11. It is there that Jesus utters those most famous words, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Up to that point the emphases is upon something else. Notice verse 7: “Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.’” And in verse 9 Jesus again says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” So notice that in this figure of speech Jesus makes not one, but two declarations concerning himself. He first says, “I am the door”, and then he says, “I am the good shepherd”. 

Today we will set our attention upon Jesus as “the door”. Next week we will consider his as the “good shepherd”. It is understandable that thinking of Jesus as the “good shepherd” warms the heart more than thinking of him as “the door”, but both of these sayings of Jesus are of great importance.

The Figure of Speech 

Both of these “I am” sayings of Jesus find their source in the figure of speech uttered by Jesus in verses 1-5.

Keep in mind (and this is very important) that Jesus uttered these words in the presence of the man who was born blind whom had healed, the Pharisees who had cast that man out of the synagogue because he would not renounce Jesus, and before whoever else happened to be gathered around. In other words the audience that surrounded Jesus at the end of chapter nine is the same audience in chapter 10:1-21.  It is to them – the healed man, the Pharisees, and others –  that Jesus says,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:1–5, ESV)

We need to be careful in our interpretation of this saying of Jesus. One mistake that students of the Bible have made in the history of interpretation is to treat this saying as if it were an allegory – as if it were a story where each and every figure represents someone or something in a very exact and specific way. For example, some have labored to figure out who exactly the gatekeeper of verse 3 represents, or who exactly the thief and robber represent, as if they were two separate and very particular people. This kind of interpretation goes to far. This is not an allegory, but a figure of speech, or wise saying whereby Jesus makes comparisons between himself and his opponents. Some of the figures in this saying are not meant to represent something in particular, but they add detail to the image that Jesus is proving so that we might have in our minds a vivid picture concerning the point that Jesus is making.

The Sheepfold

Notice that Jesus uses the image of a sheepfold in order to tell us something about himself and how we relate to him. This is similar to what we will see in John 15 where Jesus famously uses he the image of a vine, saying,  “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Here were are to picture, not a vine, but a sheepfold, which might be a bit more difficult for us, given the modern world in which we live.

When we think of a sheepfold we are to envision an area enclosed by a wall, open to the sky, with one door through which the shepherds would be able to lead their sheep out to pasture and back in again. Sometimes a sheepfold will be attached to a house as if a courtyard; sometimes they will be detached and freestanding. Some are large; some small. It would seem, from the details given in this passage, that we are to imagine a large sheepfold – one capable of holding multiple flocks for multiple shepherds. The usefulness of a sheepfold is obvious – the sheep are brought in from the pastures at night and kept in these so that they might more easily be protected from predators – thieves and wolves and such.

A Distinction Between Sheep and Sheep

It is clear that the sheep in this figure of speech represent people in general. At first all of the sheep in the sheepfold represent all of the people of Israel. As the figure of speech develops the sheep will also come to represent all of the people of the world.

The interesting thing is that a distinction is made between the sheep in general and those particular sheep that belong to the good shepherd who eventually takes center stage. The sheepfold is filled with many sheep belonging, apparently, to many shepherds, but there are some particular sheep who belong to the shepherd, who will eventually be called the good shepherd, who is Jesus. These sheep clearly represent, not all of the people of Israel, not all of the people of the earth, but the elect of God.

There are two characteristics that set these particular sheep off from the rest. One, notice that the shepherd calls these particular sheep by name. And two, notice that these particular sheep hear and recognize the voice of their shepherd, and therefore follow him.

In the West we think of shepherds driving their flock using sheep dogs, don’t we? But in the Near East the custom was, and still is, different. The shepherds lead their sheep. They call their sheep, and the sheep follow, because they recognize the voice of their shepherd. Evidently experiments have even been conducted where strangers will dress like the shepherd, even wearing the shepherds own clothing, and will try to lead the sheep, but they will not follow because they do not hear the voice of their shepherd.

Notice how the voice of the shepherd is emphasized in verses 3 and 4. We are told that, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

The meaning is this: that of all the people of Israel (and later in this passage it will become clear that this same principle is true of all the peoples of the earth (see v. 16)) there are some who belong to Christ, the good shepherd. A distinction is made here. Some belong to Christ, whereas others do not. Some belong to Christ’s flock, whereas others do not. These are the ones that scriptures in other places call the elect. And how do we know who the elect are? They are the ones who Christ calls by name. He personally, specifically, and effectively calls them; they in turn recognize his voice and follow him as their shepherd king.

So a distinction is made between the sheep of the fold and the sheep of the good shepherd.

A Distinction Between Robbers and the Shepherd of the Sheep 

But notice also that a distinction is made between the thieves and robbers (also called strangers)  and the legitimate shepherd of the sheep.

This distinction will be developed more fully in the following passage, which we will consider in detail next week. For now simply notice that there are thieves and robbers and strangers who threaten the sheep. They do not care for the wellbeing of the sheep. They are only concerned to devour the sheep. They are only concerned to make use of their wool and meat and fat.

And how do we distinguish between the true shepherd specifically – or true shepherds in general – and those who are strangers and thieves?

Two things are mentioned in verses 1-5. The first thing mentioned is rather objective and verifiable, the second thing more subjective, having to do with spiritual discernment.

Let’s look at the second thing first. It actually has already been mentioned. We are told time and again in verses 3 and 4 that the sheep who belong to the good shepherd hear his voice. They recognize his voice. Verse 5: “A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This is subjective and spiritual, it’s true. It has to do with the ability that those within God’s flock have to distinguish between the voice of the good shepherd and the voice of counterfeit thieves and robbers. This principle can, of course, be pressed to far. Those who are young and immature in Christ will obviously have less of a refined ability to discern between the voice of the good shepherd and the voice of thieves. As it is with sheep, so it is with the people of God – their are some who are more wise and discerning than others. But the general principle is certainly true. Those who belong to Christ – the elect – are abel to recognize the voice of the good shepherd. They hear his voice – they hear the truth of his word – and they say, yes! That is my shepherd king. That is my Lord! And they follow. 

Let us now consider the first thing mentioned. How do distinguish between true shepherds and those who are strangers and thieves? The objective and verifiable test is this: are they found entering through the door of the sheepfold, or do they climb in another way?

If you are driving down the street and you see someone break the window of a house and begin to climb through, there is good reason for concern. Owners tend to use the door. If you are walking through the parking lot and you see someone break the window of a car and begin to climb in there is reason for concern. The owner would most likely be using the door. And so it is with true shepherds and the sheep of God.  If they are true, they themselves will enter and exit the sheepfold by way of the door, and they will lead the sheep in and out of the door as well.

Christ, The Door Of the Sheep

And so the all important questions becomes, what does the door represent in this illustration?

Just as we are not left wonder about who the shepherd represents, for Jesus tells us, “I am the good shepherd”, so too we are not left to wonder about who the door represents, for in verse 7 Jesus says,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:7–10, ESV)

Some have puzzled over how Jesus can be both the good shepherd who enters through the door and the door itself all at the same time. Again, we should remember that this is not an allegory or a parable, strictly speaking, but figure of speech or wise saying. Jesus is painting a picture for us and illustrating certain truths concerning himself using that picture. He points to the shepherd and says, that is me. And he also point to the door of the sheepfold and says, that is me.

When Jesus says that he is the door of the sheep he is saying something very similar to what is said in John 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus says in verse 9, that “If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, life eternal is found in and through Christ. We must partake of these things through him – that is, through faith in him.

He also says, “If anyone enters by me, he… will go in and out and find pasture.” Here Jesus promises not only save his people, but to provide for them. He promises to feed our souls.

In verse 10 he contrasts his purpose to save and feed the sheep with the intent of the thief: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” The heart of our Lord is to save his sheep, to feed them, and to give them, not merely life, but life abundant – a life that is full and overflowing.

And so how do we distinguish between the good shepherd (and his good and true under-shepherds) and those who are thieves and robbers? True shepherds lead the sheep through the door of the sheepfold, who is Christ. Thieves and robbers prefer to some other way.

Christ, the good shepherd, leads his sheep through himself – Christ who is the door.

Those who are good and true under-shepherds of Christ – that is the good and true priests and prophets before Christ, and good and true pastors and elders after Christ – are only good and true so long as they lead the sheep through Christ, who is the door of the sheep.

Thieves and robbers – though they may claim to be shepherds – are recognizable by the fact that they come and go, not through Christ, and not according to the word of Christ, but by some other way.

These are are the ones that Christ refers to in verse 8 saying: “All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.” It is not that all who came prior to the time of Christ were thieves and robbers. If that were the case then what are we to say of Abraham, Moses, David, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and John the Baptist? No, this is a reference to those false shepherds, false prophets, and false messiahs who – just like the false shepherds in Jesus days and in ours – refused to lead the sheep humbly and through Christ.

A Most Direct Condemnation of the Unbelieving Pharisees 

As we move towards a conclusion I would ask you to think with me for a moment about how this saying of Jesus would have applied to his original audience. This figure of speech was first and foremost a condemnation of the so-called shepherds of Israel – the Pharisees.

Jesus had just healed a man blind from birth. He looked upon him with tender compassion. He anointed his eyes and sent him away and he was healed. And what did the Pharisees do with all of this? They disregarded the miracle, they rejected Jesus as the Christ, and they cast the man out when he refused to renounce Jesus. In other words, they were behaving more like thieves and robbers than true shepherds of Israel. They were treating the sheep brutally and they refused to lead them through the door, who is Christ our Lord.

In other words, they were worthy of the condemnation of Ezekiel 34:1-10 which I read at the beginning of this sermon.

In contrast to this, Christ is the good shepherd. He is tender with his sheep. He called the blind man, he touched the blind man, he healed the bland man, and he pursued him after he had been cast out of the synagogue by the Pharisees. He called the man and the man recognized the voice of the true shepherd king.

Application

So what does this figure of speech mean to us?

To Shepherds Of Christ’s Flock 

It ought to speak powerfully to those who are under-shepherds within Christ’s church. The ears of pastors and elders ought to perk up when they hear this saying of Jesus. We pastors and elders should ask our selves, do we resemble the chief shepherd – the good shepherd himself – or do we resemble the thieves and robbers? Are we tender and compassionate with Christ’s flock? Are we diligent in the defense of Christ’s flock? And do we speak Christ’s words, so that when the sheep hear our voice they in fact hear the voice of Christ himself? The question is this: Are we faithful under-shepherds who come and go ourselves through the door, and who lead the sheep in our of the door, who is Christ our Lord?

To All Christians 

As Christians we must ask ourselves if we are indeed following the good shepherd out to green pastures and back into the fold again. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly.

To Those Not Yet Trusting In Christ

If you are not yet trusting in Christ I would only say to you that there is but one door through which we are able to lay ahold of life eternal.

New Testament Reading: John 9:1–41

As [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.

Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”

And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” (John 9:1–41, ESV)

Introduction

I know that it is unusual for me to take a whole chapter in a single sermon. This chapter certainly could be broken up into small parts. It’s rich. There is much that could be said about each little part. But you probably noticed as we read the text that chapter 9 tells one story – the story of the healing of the man born blind.

I consider this story to be a refreshing interlude. Chapters 7 and 8 contain long, and rather intense, accounts of Jesus’ dialogue with those who opposed him. The Jews and Jesus go back and forth, back and forth. Jesus reveals himself ever more clearly. And as he does the Jews grow more and more hostile until they are ready to put him to death. In chapter 9 the back and forth between Jesus and the Jews gives way to this beautiful story.

The reason I have decided to deal with this story as a unit instead of breaking it up in to pieces, is because the story makes an important point. I believe that there is one main point to the story. It was a point that the original recipients of the gospel needed to hear in their day, and it is point that we desperately need to hear today.

The point is this: We ought to be willing to suffer exile for the sake of Christ. Put another way, we ought to be willing to be cast out if that is what it requires in order to follow Christ. For the original recipients of this gospel that meant being willing to be cast out of the synagogue. That involved suffering persecution of various kinds. For you and I that means being willing suffer as exiles when it comes to the opinions of friends and family, coworkers, or the broader society in which we live.

The Miracle

Let’s consider the miracle of verses 1-7 which sparks the controversy of verses 8-41.

Jesus and his disciples were leaving the temple area and they walked by a man who was blind from birth. Jesus noticed the man, and so did his disciples. His disciples then asked in verse 2, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

It was a common view in the days of Jesus that physical ailments were the direct result of some particular sin. The ailment of this man provoked an interesting question given that he was born blind. The question was, who’s sin led to this man’s blindness – his parents sin, or his own?

Notice that the disciples do not ask, are ailments like these the direct result of sin? Instead take the predominate view of the day and assume that they are and ask Jesus who’s sin caused this blindness?

This idea might sound absurd to you and I, but it was a common view in Jesus’ day. And actually there are many who still think in this way. They assume that physical suffering of any kind is the direct result of some sin, or some lack of faith, or the curse of God. Perhaps you’ve run into people who hold to a view like this.

But notice what Jesus says. He does not answer the disciples question, but addresses the false assumption behind the question.  Verse 3: “Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” In other words, this ailment is not the direct result of sin as you assume. It is not the direct result of a particular sin – neither his nor his parents – but is here so that God might be glorified through it.

While it is true that Jesus was speaking of this man’s situation in particular, some general observations should be made. One, it is clear that not all suffering can be viewed as the direct result of some particular sin. And two, it is clear that God is able and willing to use our suffering for his glory and our good.

We should take great in formulating our doctrine of suffering according to the truth of scripture. To lack a biblical understanding of suffering will make dealing with the trails of life very difficult indeed. It may be that you are suffering now. It may be that someone you love is suffering. I suppose it is good to ask the question, is their some sin that needs to be repented of. Perhaps the Lord is trying to get your attention with the suffering so that you might repent. But it is wrong to see yourself as cursed of God, if you are in Christ Jesus. Your suffering should refine you as you cling to Jesus. Your suffering should bring glory to God as you go on trusting him. But not all suffering is the direct result of some particular sin, as the disciples of Jesus assumed.

Jesus would bring glory to God through this man’s ailment in a most amazing way.

In verse 4 Jesus says, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” I find that I am always tiered during the summer months. I think the reason is that the days are longer. There is more daylight. And more daylight means there is more time to get stuff done, and so I’m on the go for a longer period than in the winter months. Jesus’ word’s here in verse 4 indicate that he knew his days were numbered. He knew he would not live long. There was a sense of urgency that the work needed to be done before night set in.

We should live with this same sense of urgency concerning our work for Christ.

In verse 6 we are told of the miracle: “Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.”

Why did Jesus preform this miracle as he did? He could just healed the man with a word. Why did he spit on the ground and make mud? Why did he put the mud in man’s eyes? And why did he make the man go and wash in the pool of Siloam?

We really can’t know for sure. But notice some connections with the themes that have been introduced in John’s gospel up to this point. One, Jesus has been introduced as the light of the world. Here is a man living in darkness in physical sense, and Jesus gives him light as sign that he is able to do the same thing of the human soul. Two, we have been told that Jesus is the source of streams of living water. Here, Jesus uses his saliva to heal the man. He did not need to do this. I think this symbolizes what has been said earlier about him. And three, notice that Jesus tells the man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. This is the pool out of which the Jews would have drawn water during the feast of pools to poor out on the alter. Jesus makes a connection with that symbolism once again. And notice that Jesus tells the man to go and wash. This is how it works with Jesus. He is our savior. He has attuned for our sin and calls us to himself. But we must respond in faith and repentance.

The miracle itself is significant. It symbolizes things that are true of Christ – light of the world, streams of living water. But it is the response to the miracle that becomes the focus of the text. 

The Neighbors 

Let us first consider the response of the neighbors and acquaintances of the man healed. Verses 8-13: “The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘It is he.’ Others said, ‘No, but he is like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ So they said to him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.” (John 9:8–13, ESV)

I will not say much about this section except for that the miracle is here confirmed as valid and true. This man was well known. That he was born blind was well known. People were understandably skeptical at first, for who has ever heard of a man born blind being made to see? But in this course of time many people came to believe that a miracle had indeed taken place – that this was the blind man and now sees. The man himself testified agains and again saying, “I am the man.” They were so convinced that a miracle had taken place that they brought the man to the religious authorities.

The Pharisees

Verses 14 – 34 provide us with many details concerning the Pharisees investigation of theses thinking. Notice that they do not interact directly with Jesus, but with the healed man and those who might be able to shed light (pun intended) on the situation. I will not deal with verses 14-34 in detail, but notice a few things about the Pharisees:

One, it seems that they were hellbent on dismissing the validity of this miracle. They heard from the neighbors, they called the man, and then the mans parents, and then the man again, to testify concerning these things. Everyone’s testimony confirmed that an incredible had been preformed. The man stood before them seeing. That he was born blind was clear as day, and yet they would not believe it.

This is how it is with unregenerate man. It does not matter how much evidence you give them. Unless the Holy Spirit enlivens the soul, they will not believe.

Two, notice how the Pharisees find comfort in their legalism. As the evidence is presented concerning the working of a true miracle they feel threatened and retreat to the confines of their man made religion, and to the comfort of their self-righteousness.

Jesus was a sinner, they say. And no sinner can possibly do works like these. And why did they say that Jesus was a sinner? They claimed that he broke the Sabbath when he made the mud with his saliva. According to their man made rules (and notice that these are man made rules, and not the laws of the Bible) a person was not not allowed to knead bread of Sabbath. And this was essentialy what Jesus did. He made the mud in a way similar to the way that people knead bread when he mixed the earth with the liquid and worked them together. Jesus was a Sabbath breaker, according to their reasoning.

Wow. They ignored the miracle. They ignored the act of mercy. And the chose to dismiss Jesus in favor of their man made rules and regulations.

In truth, Jesus never broke the Sabbath – he kept it purely. For him it was a day of rest and worship, a day to gather with the saints, and a day to show compassion to those in need. He kept the Sabbath, but intentionally thrashed the man made customs that had been heaped upon the fourth commandment.

Three, notice how the Pharisees in their self righteousness considered others to be lower than themselves. Jesus was a sinner, in their opinion, but they were not because they “kept” the law (verse 16). In verse 34 they said to the man born blind and now healed they said: “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” This they said to him after he answered them well and refused to be moved concerning his opinion of Jesus. They looked down upon him. They believed that they were better than him. He was born in “utter sin” whereas they we free and pure.

Those who view themselves in this way will never see their need for Jesus. They are better than others – more spiritual, more wise, more pure. This self-righteous disposition will forever hinder someone from seeing their need for the Savior.

Four, notice how the Pharisees use their power to threaten those who disagree with them. The Pharisees spoke to the parents of the man healed and they were very careful with their words. And why were they careful? John tells us in verse 22: “His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.” And after the healed man stood for Christ notice what happened to him. The end of verse 34 reveals that “they cast him out.” This means that they cast him out of the synagogue. He was ostracized from the Jewish community – excommunicated, to speak in Christian terms.

I’d like you to recognize that at the theme running through this passage is the pressure that Jews were putting on those who considered following Jesus. The threatened to put people out if the followed Jesus.

This was no little thing. The Jewish community was a tight knit community in Jesus’ day. Being put out of the synagogue (or congregation) was a serious thing. It meant loosing important relationships. It meant suffering economic hardship. It meant losing your good reputation.

The Jews who lived in Jesus’ day were already threatening in this way – but the people to whom John was writing in, let’s say, 85 A.D. were struggling even more so with these threats as the divide between the Jews and the, so called, Christians had widened significantly. One of the things that hindered Jews from confessing Jesus as the Christ was the fear of being put out.

Why did John write his gospel? So that his readers might believe in Jesus as the Christ. And what is one of the main things that hold’s people back from confessing Jesus as Lord? Is it not the fear of being put out. The Jews who witnessed the healing of the blind man were afraid of being put out. The parents of the man who was healed were afraid of being put out. The man who was healed was undoubtably struggling with the fear of being put out. The people to who John was writing in 85 A.D. were afraid of being put out. And do you want to know something? We find ourselves holding back in our confessing of Christ because we are afraid of being… put out.

You say, how are we afraid of being put out? There is no synagogue for us to be cast out of. No, but perhaps you have been reading the news over that past week and have noticed that our society is moving at a rapid pace away from Christian values. Or perhaps you have noticed how being Christian has become much less popular in our society over the past 15 to 20 years. Or perhaps you have noticed how, even within the Christian community, believing the Bible and confessing it’s truths has become an unpopular thing.

I see it. I feel it. If the church is to survive – if Christianity is to survive – in this new, anti-Christian culture, she had better learn to live in a countercultural way. She had better be willing to be cast out for the sake of Christ.

The Man’s Parents

Notice the way that the man’s parents interact with the authorities. They are unwilling to stand for Jesus. They answer the questions of the Pharisees concerning their son – Yes, he is our son, they say, and, yes he was born blind and now he sees – but they were unwilling to give an opinion concerning Jesus. Why? John tells us that “his parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.”

They would not stand for Jesus because they feared the Jews. And so it is with many today. They will not stand with Jesus because they fear the opinions of man.

 The Man Who Was Healed 

But notice the way that the man who was healed responds to the questions of the Pharisees.

He first of all stated the facts. Verse 15: “So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.’”

He then confessed to believe that Jesus was a Prophet. Verse 17: “So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’”

And after being ridiculed and threatened by the Pharisees, what does the man say? He does not back down, but Identifies with Jesus in a most bold way, saying in verse 30, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” He confesses that Jesus is from God. And for that he is cast out.

Jesus

Thankfully the story does not end there. Look at verse 35: “Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’”

Notice that Jesus took the initiative to seek the rejected man out. Jesus drew near to him in his suffering. What message do you think that John is trying to communicate to his audience as he tells of these things? Is he not reminding us in most beautiful way that we are not alone when we are despised and rejected by men, but that he walks with us?

And having found the man, what does he say? He says, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Remember that Jesus’ interaction with the man has been limited up to this point. The man does not now much about Jesus. He knows enough to confidently assert, “he is a prophet”, and “he is from God”, but he does not possess a full understanding of the Christ. This should remind us that coming to true faith in Christ is often a progressive thing. We come to him as we learn more and more about him.

Jesus said to the man, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” And the man replied to Jesus in verse 36 saying, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” (John 9:36, ESV) He responded to Jesus with respect. He acknowledged that he did not understand what Jesus was talking about. And he was willing to listen. Jesus replied, in verse 37 “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.”

Notice the play on  words, “you have seen him”, Jesus says. Remember that the man was blind, and now he sees. And the man’s response reveals that, not only did he see Jesus with his physical eyes which were once blind, but with the eyes of his heart which were once blind as well. He responds, saying, “‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.” (John 9:38, ESV)

Perhaps Psalm 27:10-11, was written for this man: “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.”

Jesus concludes with this saying in verse 39: “Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, ‘Are we also blind?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.’”

The meaning is this. Those who admit their need – those who admit that they are blind and in need of light from above – will receive it. Those who in their pride insist that they have no need – that they can see in and of themselves – will remain in their blindness. They guild will remain.

Application 

Will you acknowledge your blindness apart from Christ? Will you acknowledge your need?

Will you identify with Christ in this world, even is you are pushed to the margins and considered a fool?

Do you know that Christ walks with those who are his and that you are never alone?

Revelation 1:12-16: “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.”

What is communicated in this vision? Christ walks in the midst of his church even to this day!