John 10:31-42
Notes
Transcript
Text: John 10:31-42
Series: Seeing Jesus Clearly
Setting: Gospel Community Church, Price, Utah
To set the tone for today, instead of trying describe it to you I thought we’d read the verses Chris closed with last week.
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.”
Discuss using verses above.
The Jews are taking notice and they don’t like their ways being challenged. Stuck in self-righteous rule and worldly power seeking.
Jesus is defining Himself, clearly.
Actions that back up Truth
Pride blocks them from Hearing and seeing.
Humility, in God, brings hearing, and seeing.
The Great Shepherd gives life and holds us secure.
Glory to God!
Jesus, clearly states who He is...God in the flesh! Emmanuel, God with us!
And now into today’s verses.
John 10:31-42
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.
PRAY!
What is Jesus claiming?
I and the Father are one.”
Clearly He is claiming Godhood. Not just a good man, not just a prophet. Claiming to be God!
No mistake about this view!
Look at the Jews response.
The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.
Clearly the Jews know what Jesus is saying.
If He wasn’t one with God, it rightly deserves stoning.
But what does Jesus say?
Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”
What have my actions shown, thus far?
What only God given gifts have been seen through me?
Are you going to stone me for this?:
Turning Water into Wine (John 2:1-11): Jesus' first sign, changing water into wine at a wedding in Cana.
Healing the Nobleman's Son (John 4:43-54): Jesus heals a royal official’s son from a distance.
Healing the Paralytic at Bethesda (John 5:1-15): Jesus heals a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years.
Feeding the Five Thousand (John 6:5-14): Jesus multiplies five loaves and two fish to feed a large crowd.
Walking on Water (John 6:16-21): Jesus walks on the Sea of Galilee to reach his disciples.
Healing the Blind Man (John 9:1-7): Jesus heals a man born blind, a sign that demonstrates his divinity.
This is only what is written...
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
What bad have I done that doesn’t show God’s Truth about 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.”
Oh, such the way of the world here.
Ignore the Truths of creation, order, Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection all in the name of man’s righteous, all knowing wisdom.
Ya, we see good works that are outside of man but that doesn’t matter to our righteous wisdom!
Maybe take a step back and look into this a bit more. Dive into the Word of God humbly, taking direction, guidance, & counsel to see and understand through God’s righteous ways.
This is exactly what Jesus does, points them to scripture.
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?
No verses or chapters just quotes to bring them to go look.
Before we jump into what Jesus is referencing in the Scriptures lets look at the type of wording used here.
“your Law” (The study in Galatians)
Who made the law and set it’s standards, it wasn’t Moses? God!
What have the Jews made the law?
Works of righteousness outside of God!
Instead of the law leading them to love God and love others, it led them to works of Self-righteousness and Self-love.
I’m doing this more than you and better than you, therefore I’m better and more deserving of God over you, and therefore again, I’m over you!
“Is it not written in your Law” this is what they worshipped. The law over the creator of the law.
The law and how well they did the law became their identity, not a humble identity in being CHOSEN to show God to the rest of the world.
Let’s look at the very thing meant for good being used for bad. The very thing they worshipped but didn’t follow. Scripture.
Let’s use your god to prove God.
No verses or chapters just quotes to bring them to go look.
A Psalm of Asaph.
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!
What’s going on here?
First this type of wording is used sparingly in Scripture.
And I believe for good reason within the bounds of mans fallen nature.
Secondly, this is talking about authority given, not nature of being. Meaning we are not discussing in any way, shape or form, man being God’s (big “G”) or man becoming God’s (big “G” again).
Remember we use scripture to define scripture and all of scripture is clear on the meaning of this!
The very fall of man shows this!
There is only One God, as defined by Himself, not us, as the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. 3 Person’s as One being.
What we are discussing in this Psalm is authority given or status. Not nature!
To further show this, the Hebrew word elohim is used in Psalm 82 and is a very complex word used within the Hebrew language. More than we have time for today and more than I’ve been given in full understanding to share of the Hebrew language.
This is the word used in Psalm 82 for gods (little “g”). Elohim.
To quote author Jeff Jansen about the wording and context of elohim used in Psalm 82 I quote.
“More specifically, the Hebrew word elohim is used in the context of gods being magistrates and judges appointed by God as His representatives or delegates”
This Psalm is not a matter of classifying people as deity but as in the responsibility that is bestowed upon God’s chosen people, namely Magistrates and Judges.
A responsibility like God’s, in the name of God, to practice fair, righteous, loving judgement and care.
This is what Psalm 82 is discussing. Jews being magistrates and judges appointed by God as His representatives or delegates.
And how they’re being terrible at it. This authority they’ve been given has become wicked and corrupt.
Their works are showing it.
This Psalm, who wrote it?
Asaph.
Who is Asaph?
Asaph was one of several Levite worship leaders assigned by God through king David.
In 1 Chronicles 6:31-32 it starts the introduction of these men and the charge put before them.
These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting until Solomon built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they performed their service according to their order.
And later on in 1 Chronicles 16:4-5a, it gives a little more depth on Asaph’s roles and responsibilities.
Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.
1 Chronicles 16:5a ESV: Asaph was the chief,
Who is Asaph?
A worship leader through song.
A minister before the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.
And we see here today in Psalm 82 a leading of invoke.
An invoke of who the Israelites were and what they were called to do.
1 Peter 2:9 says it best.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
We are God’s possession and we are god’s (little “g”) in only the sense of authority given to proclaim His righteous rule. Not ours.
Moving on into John 10:35-36
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’?
So, if we use your law, your god, and it can’t be broken (this is one area they hold fast to and are correct).
And we see authority given within the identity of being gods (small “g”) as it relates to power given in judgement over people.
What do you say when that very authority of the Father is manifested before you?
This manifestation that has been set apart as sacred and holy.
The very authority of final judgment, given by the Father, stands before you, practicing righteous works and you call blaspheme!
Why? You know about Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Gotquestions.org describes the meaning of government very well within this context of teaching.
The Hebrew word translated as “government” in Isaiah 9:6 means “dominion, power, or sovereignty through legal authority.
This language of placing dominion or “the government” on someone’s shoulders symbolizes royal authority.
The Jews knew very well of the promised Messiah.
Unfortunately, in their world view of what a ruler is they missed what a Good and Righteous ruler really is.
Remember the parable of the forgiving king and the unforgiving servant?
They forgot about their stench and His forgiveness.
Pray that it never be so for us.
Do you also notice the similarities within Psalm 82 and Jesus’ rebuke of the Jews throughout the letter of John?
This rebuke in Psalm 82 so mimics the rebukes within this letter. Amen?
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.”
What does Jesus show? Truth!
Performed many miraculous signs of good works that show Truth.
Taught the full counsel of scripture in love and not one word against it!
Prophesied and fulfilled His death and resurrection and the world’s never been the same.
Without a doubt Jesus performed the works of His Father, God.
Remember this in our daily walk with others.
Our words can be pretty cheap, but when we do the works of the Father, it’s pretty hard for the world to deny, not impossible, but pretty hard.
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.
Let’s close with this.
Many will come seeking, point them to the Word of God and let them see the Truth of Christ in your life.
And pray for their belief in Him. Amen?
