John 10:19–21 Sermon

Sermon Text

John 10:19–21 ESV

19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Introduction

In verse 35 of John chapter 9, Jesus had heard that they cast out the man He had healed. The man healed was blind from birth.

Jesus found him and said, Do you believe the Son of Man?

And He answered in verse 36.

John 9:36 ESV

36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”

Then in verses 37 and 38 we see,

John 9:37–38 ESV

37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Jesus followed in verse 39,

John 9:39 ESV

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.”

Then in verses 40 and 41,

John 9:40–41 ESV

40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

Going into John chapter ten, Jesus would go on to talk about Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep. And He would warn about those who climbed in another way. How they would be thieves and robbers.

Jesus used figure of speech but they didn’t understand what He was saying.

In verse 7 He would say to them,

John 10:7 ESV

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

And in verse 10 He would tell them that the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. But He came to give life and to give life life abundantly.

Jesus went on to talk about a hired hand which was someone hired temporarily to watch the sheep.

But the hired didn’t do what the Shepherd would do which was to lay down his life for the sheep.

John 10:12 ESV

12 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.

Jesus is using the example found in the hired hand to say that this is not who He is.

Jesus would lay His life down for the sheep because He is a Good Shepherd.

He also spoke of other sheep which we concluded were the Gentiles who would be of the fold.

John 10:16 ESV

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.

Jesus when speaking about laying down His life made it clear that it was not that it would be taken but given.

John 10:17–18 ESV

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 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.”

It was this that the Jews were divided over.

Jesus claimed to be:

the Door

the Good Shepherd

the Shepherd who knew the sheep by name

the Shepherd who would lay down His life for His sheep

the One who would take up His life again

These are the words that they were divided over.

Words that Jesus spoke concerning Himself.

Outline

1. The Division (v.19)

2. The Accusation (v.20)

3. The Reminder (v.21)

1. The Division (v.19)

Verse 19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.

Three times in the gospel of John do we see division taking place over what Jesus had done and said.

Let’s look at them.

First, .

John 7:37–44 ESV

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

Second, .

Second, .

Second, .

John 9:13–16 ESV

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 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.” 16 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.

A pattern we have seen in the division that took place is there are those that:

accuse and reject Jesus

curious of Jesus

believe Jesus

It’s important for us to remember what Jesus said about Himself because He is who He said He was and a rejection of who He said He was is proof of someone’s condemnation.

Let’s remember what Jesus said in .

John 3:16–18 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Calling Jesus just a man, or an insane man, or demon possessed is an accusation. It is denying what Jesus said about Himself.

Because it is denying what Jesus said about Himself.

A refusal to believe in Him and in who He said He was is to

If you do not believe in Jesus Christ as who He said He was you are condemned already.

“Whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

We can say also that there were those who were curious about what Jesus was saying about Himself.

John 9:16 ESV

16 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.

People wondered how a man who (according to the pharisees) who was not from God; how could He do these works. Especially works that were done and prophesied about pertaining to the Messiah.

Though there was division with those who rejected Jesus those who were curious about Jesus, its important to note that curiosity doesn’t save someone.

The person curious about God and the one blatantly rejecting God have the same issue.

Both are unbelieving at the core. Until one comes to a saving faith in Christ both will go before God guilty.

That is why we are not out to make unbelievers into theists.

I bring this up because some have settled for argumentation that is out to prove the existence of a god while being covert about the gospel.

Jesus did not do this and neither should we.

Jesus claimed to be:

the Door to the sheepfold

the Good Shepherd

the Shepherd who knew the sheep by name

the Shepherd who would lay down His life for His sheep

the One who would take up His life again

This is what we need to share even if it causes some to reject it and even if people just remain curious.

And even if it caused division. As what happened here with what people did with what He said.

We are not called to tweak the gospel. We are called to share it. We are called to faithfulness in the gospel.

In our text today,

There were those who were divided over what Jesus was saying about Himself. In context we read that:

John 10:1 ESV

1 “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.

a) Jesus is the door of the sheep (v.7)

Question: Why would someone reject this claim?

Let’s also look at .

John 10:9 ESV

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

Jesus speaks of Himself as the way into the sheepfold. Which means that in order for one to enter into the people of God they had to go to and through Christ.

Jesus did say later on in ,

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

People reject this because first, they are spiritually unable because of being dead in sin and the excuses they use is that there cannot be only one way to God.

Many claim that there can be many ways to God. But Jesus did not talk about other ways and doors. He did not talk about other Good Shepherds. He only pointed to Himself as the way.

He talked about Himself as the door to the sheepfold and that any other way would only prove one to be a thief and a robber.

You can see why they would have trouble with what He said.

In context we also read that:

b) Jesus is not a hired hand (.v12)

b) Jesus is not a hired hand

Jesus is not someone who does not care for the sheep.

John 10:11–13 ESV

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 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. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Jesus is not a hired hand. Not only does He remain when danger comes. He has given us salvation by laying down His life.

Putting Himself in harms way in order for the wrath of God to be satisfied which was the real danger to our soul for those of us who came to saving faith.

You can see why those who rejected Him would have trouble with this.

c) Jesus is the Good Shepherd (v.14)

I was reminded of .

Psalm 23:1–4 ESV

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

A Good Shepherd:

owns the sheep and cares for them

He sees the wolf coming and He does not leave the sheep and He remains to protect the sheep

He will not allow the wolf to snatch and scatter the sheep

He stays because He cares for the sheep

He will never leave us or forsake us because He is a Good Shepherd.

Question: Why would they be divided over this?

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Psalm 95:6–8 ESV

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

Psalm

d) Jesus willingly lays down His life (v.18)

In we saw a man worship Jesus and Jesus in chapter ten reveals Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep.

He also spoke of hearing His voice and how the sheep would know Him.

John 10:14–15 ESV

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

This troubled them because Jesus was speaking of Himself as the Shepherd of not only Israel but of others who would be included into the fold.

This was a testimony to His Deity.

d) Jesus willingly lays down His life (v.18)

Jesus according to the will of the Father and by His own, He laid down His life. It wasn’t taken.

Matthew 26:53 ESV

53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

There was a specific reason for His death. And it was to be given to those who were His.

Given to Him by the Father. Those who know His voice and will follow Him.

Psalm 95:6–8 ESV

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

This claim Jesus made about Himself wasn’t just to say that He was a Shepherd but that He was God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. As it says in .

What He had said about Himself caused many to accuse Him.

Remember what Jesus said in ,

John 2:18–21 ESV

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

John 10:17 ESV

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

This authority is what must have troubled them.

All these things said about Himself is what caused many to accuse Him.

2. The Accusation (v.20)

Read Verse 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?”

Notice there were two things they said about Jesus and a question.

First they said, “He has a demon and is insane”

They first accused Jesus of having a demon in .

And it was used there to try to say that Jesus was not in His right mind.

It was also used to offend as seen in .

John 8:48 ESV

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

When Jesus spoke of one who would keep His word as one who would not see death they said,

John 8:52 ESV

52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’

John

In the synoptic gospels we do see people who were oppressed and possessed by demons. Which people saw as those who were overpowered by the demonic and insane or not in their right minds.

Jesus was accused of being possessed by Beelzebul in .

Being demon possessed would also mean that one was unclean.

They also accused John the baptist of having a demon in .

Being called demon possessed was an accusation that Jesus was not from God.

What is sadly the truth here is that those who accused Him of having a demon were proving that they themselves were under demonic rule. Which is what unbelievers also prove in their rejection.

2 Corinthians 4:1–4 ESV

1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

They prove to be blind. Which is what the context our passage is all about.

The miracle in was that the blind man who was healed could see. But not with his physical eyes but it was in the fact that He saw Jesus as the Son of Man and worshipped.

He believed Jesus to be who He said He was.

True blindness is rejection. A rejection of who Jesus said He was. And calling the Son of God who is God the Son as having a demon is the greatest display of being blind!

Secondly, we see that they asked a question. “Why listen to Him?”

The answer to that question is that He is the Good Shepherd!

John 10:3–4 ESV

3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

Question: Why listen to Him? Well a question I have is why couldn’t they listen or hear what He was saying?

Their accusation proved that they were not of the sheepfold even though they believed to be.

They couldn’t hear His voice.

They proved that they were not His sheep.

The very person they accused of having a demon and insane was the Son of God.

Jesus in healed a man born blind. He spoke of Himself as the light of the world.

And the great work of belief (which the blind man who was healed came to) was the work of God.

John 6:28–29 ESV

28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

They did not believe but rejected and accused Jesus.

Their rejection proved their condemnation.

This is why we must take great care about what we believe!

our ministry has been given to us by the mercy of God

We must

we must refuse to practice cunning (meaning being crafty) or to tamper with God’s word

we must be unashamed of the truth

we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

People in unbelief, rejection and accusing Jesus of being other than who He said He was are in trouble and they need the gospel.

Many thought Jesus to be insane and possessed for what He said which shows their unbelief.

Many thought Jesus to be insane for what He said. Showing their unbelief and others said; “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

“These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Others said; “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

3. The Reminder (v.21)

Verse 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

I called this the reminder because the miracle in proved something.

To them it proved that the works Jesus did was not demonic or from someone who was insane.

Jesus was fulfilling the promise of the Messiah.

The reminder here is that Jesus is the light of the world.

John 9:2–5 ESV

2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Everything Jesus said about Himself and everything He did and everything recorded in the gospel of John was 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.

John 20:31 ESV

31 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.

These were not written to get people curios about Him.

The division that happened here was between those who did not believe and those who seemed curious.

But for those of us who are sheep this was meant to show us that we are one flock with One Shepherd.

one flock, one shepherd

John 12:44–50 ESV

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .