Feast of Dedication

John 10:22-42

HOOK-

Feast of Dedication (vv.22-30)

a. That is, Hanukkah or the 'Festival of Lights.' The Greek name for the feast, τὰ ἐγκαίνια (ta enkainia), literally means "renewal" and was used to translate Hanukkah which means "dedication." (NET Bible)

b. It represented the deliverance of the Jews by Judas Maccabaeus (Judas the Hammer) from Antiochus Epiphanies in 165 BC, who claimed to be God and sacrificed a pig on the altar.

i. In response the Jews revolted, overthrew their oppressor, recaptured their temple and rededicated it to God in the month of Kislev.

ii. Jewish historian Josephus (Ant. xii. 325) calls the victory and deliverance "unexpected," as if light just fell on them (Jews). It was considered to be a second Exodus.

iii. John presents this metaphor as also accomplished in Jesus--he intentionally captures the theme of deliverance for God's people

c. Solomon's Portico (v.23)

i. The most external court of the temple (see image) and served as the educational hangout; it was also an incubator for in climate weather. This would become a regular gathering place for the early disciples (Acts 3:11; 5:12)

d. Tell Us Plainly (v.24)

i. The Jews want Jesus to speak differently than he has been

ii. The text literally reads--"how long our life will you take up"; in others words, "Jesus when will you stop wasting our time?"

iii. If I were preaching, I'd ask, have you ever felt as if the Lord was wasting your time--meaning he had you doing things that seemed unnecessary and inconsequential

iv. They are upset because Jesus doesn't speak as they think he should--but we know better, don't we

(1) Because God is not subject to our time frame

(2) He doesn't have to act according to what we think is possible

(3) God is only bound by his own character and volition

e. Jesus Responds (v.25)

i. Jesus denies the claim that he has not spoken clearly, but rather youhave not believed what you have heard

ii. As communication theory would tell us--it's not a sender problem but a receiver issue

iii. Jesus says, it's not a hearing problem, but really a heart problem

iv. John Locke, a premodern thinker (1632-1704): "I have always thought that the actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts."

f. The Validation of Jesus' Work

i. The works that he performs bear witness (1)

ii. John the Baptist bears witness (2)

iii. The words (truth) that Jesus speaks serves as witness (3)

iv. The Father (at his baptism) bears witness (4)

v. The disciples that believe bear witness (5)

vi. According to Mosaic Law, he only needed 2, but at this point in his ministry he has five--Jesus says no excuses

g. Those Who Fail to Hear are Not Sheep (vv.26-27)

i. "We should not think that the Jews understood God but had a hard time fitting Jesus into the already established Jewish belief system. Rather, the very fact that the Jews rejected Jesus was proof of their rejection--no, unbelief--of God himself"--E. Klink

ii. They didn't recognize Jesus because they didn't know the Father either

iii. I think there are many of our day--who claim a relationship with the Father through Jesus, but when I look at their actions, and the focus of their life, it is a serious cause for pause.

h. A Secure Life (vv.28-30)

i. To his sheep, Jesus gives eternal life--this he says matter of factly; the metaphors of bread, water, light, good pasture are all images to describe this

ii. So to the question of what is/will life be like with Jesus--bread that fills, water that satisfies, light that takes away all darkness and pasture that provides comfort and rest

iii. In verse 28, Jesus uses the strongest negation in the Greek language (οὐ μή) never, never, it could be translated, but he simply says that no one will ever or has the ability to snatch them out of my hand.

iv. If you needed a verse for eternal security, here is one. Jesus speaks of the invincible nature of his salvation--which nothing in this life has the capacity to offer.

v. Tim Keller

Tim Keller said he would never forget the story about one of his mentors, a college professor named Dr. Addison Leach.

Two young women at the college were both bright and their respective parents wanted them to get Master’s Degrees and go on to careers. But, instead, they both became Christians. Both decided that they were going to become missionaries. Their parents had a fit. One of the mothers called Dr. Leach, thinking that Dr. Leach was one of the reasons that the girls had become (in the mother’s words) “religious fanatics, rather than pursuing the course they had hoped, getting a career and having security. Instead, they were going to go wildly off into the blue.”

This mother said, “We wanted our daughter to get a master’s degree, start a career, and get something in the bank, so she could have some security. Dr. Leach responded:

Please just let me remind you of something. We’re all on a little ball of rock called earth, and we’re spinning along through space at zillions of miles per hour. Even if we don’t run in to anything, eventually we’re all going to die. Which means that under every single one of us there’s a trap door that’s going to open one day and we’re all going to fall off this ball of rock. And underneath will either be the everlasting arms of God or absolutely nothing. So maybe we can get a master’s degree to get some security.

But the biggest savings account in the world cannot stop cancer. It can’t stop traffic accidents. It cannot stop broken hearts. It can’t give you anything … any of the things that only God can give you. He’s the only significance you can have. He’s the only love that you can get and can’t lose.