In Good Hands

Solomon Ginsburg, a Polish Jew, became a flaming evangelist across both Europe and South America. In 1911, needing rest, he decided to head to America on furlough. His route took him to Lisbon where he planned to cross the Bay of Biscay to London, then on to the States.

Arriving in Lisbon, Ginsburg found the bulletin boards plastered with weather telegrams warning of terrific storms raging on the Bay of Biscay. It was dangerous sailing, and he was advised to delay his trip a week. His ticket allowed him to do that, and he prayed about it earnestly.

But as he prayed, he turned to his W.M.U. prayer calendar and found the text for that day was Deuteronomy 2:7—“For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” The Lord seemed to assure him that his long, worldwide travels were under divine protection. Ginsburg boarded ship at once, crossed without incident, and caught the Majestic in London. His transatlantic voyage was smooth and restful.

He knew he was in good hands. To me, that is a big part of what this passage is about.

Let’s pray, and ask the Lord to open our eyes and hearts to hear what He has to say to us today.

We are going to work our way through the passage, and then see how this can encourage us today.

John 10:22 NIV

Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter,

The feast of Dedication was not one of the feasts that God required the nation of Israel to celebrate. Rather, it was one that they came up with to celebrate the Dedication of the Temple which had been desecrated during the time of the Greeks, and restored to use. When they went to rededicate the temple to the worship of the Lord, there was only one jug of oil for the lamp in the temple that was not desecrated by the Greeks. That jug should have lasted only 1 day, but it lasted for 8 days! It was enough time for them to make more oil for the lamp. God was with them, and miraculously providing for them. So the Jews celebrated this each year for 8 days.

I love that John records for us the settings. It helps us see that this is a true account, and not just made up conversations. It also helps us understand some of what was going on.

John 10:23 NIV

and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.

This was a covered porch on the temple grounds where the Jews believed there was a portion of Solomon’s Temple upon which they walked. Jesus often taught here.

John 10:24 NIV

The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Quite literally, while Jesus was there, these Jewish leaders (John often uses the term ‘Jews’ for the Jewish leaders) encircled Jesus. They were out to get Him. He had slipped away from them at the temple the last time He was in Jerusalem. This time, they encircled Him like a bunch of bullies surrounding their victim.

They told Jesus to tell them plainly if He was the Messiah.

To which Jesus replied,

John 10:25 NIV

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,

Jesus had done what the Messiah was prophesied to do. He healed the sick. He made the blind to see and the lame to walk. He cast out demons. He taught with wisdom and authority that no one could deny. He performed what they, the Jewish Leaders, had determined would be messianic miracles, miracles that only the Messiah could perform: Healing a leper (which Jesus did multiple times), Casting out a demon from a mute (which Jesus did multiple times), and healing a person who was born blind (which Jesus had just done a month or two prior to this occasion.

But even though Jesus did all these things,

John 10:26 NIV

but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.

They refused to believe.

Jesus went on to say,

John 10:27 NIV

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

As we talked about last week, Jesus’ sheep, those who belong to Him are known by Jesus, just like a shepherd in that culture knows every one of His sheep by name.

Jesus’ sheep will hear and know Jesus’ voice. They will listen to Him.

John 10:28 NIV

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Jesus gives His sheep eternal life, and none will ever perish.

This is a great verse of encouragement. The way it is worded in the Greek is with a double negative. Now in English, we don’t use double negatives. It is improper English. And, because of our understanding of Mathematics, two negatives make a positive. So, if we jokingly use a double negative, it is like saying the opposite.

But in Greek, the original language this was written in, this double negative construction uses two words for Not, and the meaning is No Never, Not even possible.

A better translation in English would be, I will give them eternal life and they will Not ever even possibly perish.

He goes on to say,

John 10:29 NIV

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

Once again Jesus calls God His Father, which the Jews had heard Him say before. They knew the implication of this.

John 5:17–18 NIV

In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

But this time, Jesus goes even further than calling God His Father...

John 10:30 NIV

I and the Father are one.”

Now Jesus said that He and the Father are equal. This verse is worded really well in that Jesus and the Father are referred to as two separate persons. Yet, it tells us that they are one. The word for ‘one’ is a neuter rather than masculine, so it is not saying they are one person. Rather it indicates that they (two persons) are one essence. They are the same. They are both God.

This is the mystery of God. That God is one God, who is three persons working in complete unity, and are of one essence. Mind blowing because we cannot fully fathom three being one. But we know is it true because of what God has revealed to us.

Well, Jesus could not get any plainer than this. He has in the past referred to Himself as God the Son. He calls God His Father. He has claimed to be the ‘I am’ who existed before Abraham. Now He plainly says that He is the One God.

John 10:31 NIV

Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,

This is not the first time they tried to kill him. They had tried to kill Him when He called God His Father. (John 5:18)

They tried to Kill Him when He claimed to work in the Father’s authority and that He was sent here to Earth by the Father. (John 7:30)

They tried to kill Him when He claimed to be the ‘I am’ who existed before Abraham. John 8:59

Now they try to kill Him again. But this time, it is a little different.

Remember they encircled Him? Now, there is another detail…

Where this verse says they ‘picked up’ stones, the word is different in that it is the word for carrying something. They were in Solomon’s collonade on the temple mount. There were not stones here to pick up. They had picked them up before they came and carried them here.

They were here on purpose surrounding Jesus, and planning to kill Him. This time, they did not want Him to get away.

Now that Jesus said plainly what they knew He would say, they were ready to act. They were ready to stone Him.

Jesus knew what they were up to. He is God. But He still spoke the truth anyway!

And, He answered them in a way that they would have to acknowledge...

John 10:32 NIV

but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

He starts with a question. Why?

John 10:33 NIV

“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

The obvious answer.

John 10:34 NIV

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’?

John 10:35 NIV

If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—

John 10:36 NIV

what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?

Jesus uses what in His culture was a great argument. It goes from something little to something greater. If this little thing is true, than this greater thing must also be true.

He goes back to Psalm 82.

Psalm 82 NIV

A psalm of Asaph. God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods”: “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.” Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.

This Psalm is about God judging the rulers and judges who were not judging properly.

But the word God uses for judges here is Elohim. That word in Hebrews is literally ‘gods’. It can be used for God Almighty, and for rulers and judges as in this Psalm, and also in Exodus 21:6, and 22:8-9

Exodus 21:6 NIV

then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.

Exodus 22:8–9 NIV

But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to the other.

So back to Jesus’ argument.

John 10:35–36 NIV

If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?

If God can refer to those men, to whom God’s word came and appointed them as judges, as ‘gods’, then certainly the One who was set apart by God (like the temple of which dedication they were celebrating), and send into the world can be given the title God.

What is more, they should recognize the works!

John 10:37–38 NIV

Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 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 in the Father.”

If you recognize the miracle of the oil lasting 8 days, and believe that was God, and celebrate it, you should recognize the miracles I have been doing and celebrate what God is doing! You should recognize that God is working in me.

Did they hear it?

John 10:39–42 NIV

Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus.

That is the passage. But I want to go back and think a little more about the implications for us today.

Jesus is God

He showed that He was God through all the works that He did. No one else but God could do what He did.

He taught with authority, and had understanding beyond human understanding.

He plainly told them that He was God.

It is important that we remember just who He is. Too often we can be to familiar with this concept, and forget exactly who we are dealing with. He is the Almighty. He is completely sovereign. He does not answer to us or anyone else. He knows what He is doing. He has the power to accomplish all things. He may not do things they way I like, but He has a plan, and He is carrying it out.

And, because He is a loving God, I can trust that all He is doing will work out for my good.

Jesus is My Shepherd

He cares for His sheep. He knows me intimately. Even though He has millions upon millions of sheep, He knows me by name. He calls me by name. He cares for me day by day.

He is the Good Shepherd who demonstrated His love for me by laying down His life for me. When the enemies of sin and death wanted to take me, He stood up for me, and laid down His life that I might live!

Jesus gives Eternal Life

He gives us eternal life. By its very definition, could eternal life be lost, or could it end? No, if it could, it would not be eternal.

It is something He gives. We could never earn it, and we don’t earn it. It is not based upon what we do. Since it is based upon faith, not what we do, what we do cannot effect it. It is not like a an academic scholarship. Academic scholarships have to be earned. You have to perform to a certain level to earn it. Then, you have to maintain a certain level of performance or you lose it. The scholarship is based upon one’s performance.

Eternal life is not based upon performance. It is something Jesus gives to His sheep. He gives it to all who will hear Him and believe Him! And since it is a gift and not based upon performance, it is eternal, it will not end or be taken away.

We can lose a lot of things in life, but we cannot lose the eternal life He gave us!

We are in Good Hands with Jesus

Jesus is with us all through our lives. He will take care of us.

We do live in a world that is broken, and we do have bodies that are mortal. We will struggle with different things in our lives, like pain and sickness, and ultimately death.

But that is why we have insurance!

That is why we have the best insurance! We have the Lord Almighty who is with us to give us just what we need to get through each trial, until the time that He takes us to be with Him to face no more suffering and shame!

We are truly in Good hands with Jesus.

This reminded me of one of my favorite Psalms. Psalm 37. I am not going to read the whole thing, but pull out portions of it.

Psalm 37:1 NIV

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;

Psalm 37:7–8 NIV

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.

Psalm 37:16 NIV

Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;

Psalm 37:25–26 NIV

I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.

Psalm 37:23–24 NIV

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

Matthew

Only after arriving in the United States did Solomon learn that had he delayed his trip in Lisbon, he would have arrived in London just in time …

… just in time to board the Titanic.

Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes, electronic ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000), 382.

Homework

Read John 10:22-42. Jesus very clearly stated that He and the Father were One. He was claiming to be God. Where else in John have we seen Jesus claiming to be God? What other verses can you find to show someone that Jesus really is God, and not just a good man, or a lesser being than God?

Read John 10:28-29. Jesus was claiming to be the good shepherd that will not lose one of His sheep. How does Him being God, and saying that no one can take you from Him encourage you?

Read Psalm 23. How does this Psalm talk about how we are good hands with Jesus? Is there anything that you truly need that Jesus does not provide? Has there been a time in your life that He has not provided for you? When is a time in your life that you knew His resfreshment? Why can we go through the darkest of times and not be afraid? Think of the blessings God has given you. List them. Thank God for those blessings. Where are you going? Look at the end of the Psalm. What do we have to look forward to?

Read Psalm 37. Reread Psalm 37:1-11. What is fretting? What other words might we substitute for fretting? When do you ‘fret’? We are not to fret because of what evil people do. This world is full of things that are being done by evil people. What causes you to fret or be anxious? What prescription does David give us? What are the commands in verses 3-8? Think of a specific situation where you are concerned/anxious/fretting about what people are saying about you, or doing to you or someone you love. How can you trust the Lord and do good in that situation? How can you delight in the Lord in that moment? How can you commit your way to the Lord and trust Him? How will you be still before the Lord and wait for Him? What will you do to refrain from anger and turn away from being wrathful? What will God do for you?

Read Psalm 37. Reread Psalm 37:12-22. Is God concerned or fretful about wicked people doing wicked things? Was Jesus fretful when encircled? Why not? Sometimes we see the wicked prospering and having more than we do. But what does verse 16 say? Why is that? How does verse 18 encourage you?

Read Psalm 37. Reread Psalm 37:23-33. What does verses 23 and 24 say in your own words? What does it mean that we might stumble, but we won’t fall? How can the righteous utter wisdom and speak what is right? Because of verse 31. What can we do to help us have this be true of us? Do you have the law of God (the scriptures) in your heart? What will you do to have more of it in your heart?

Read Psalm 37. Reread Psalm 37:34-40. Think through your day. What all did you put your hope in? I put my hope in my alarm to get me up. I put my hope in my car to get me places. I put my hope in… Think about it. Where should our hope truly be? How can we more actively keep our hope where it should be? Why does God deliver the righteous at the very end of the Psalm? How can we do that?

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