Jesus, The Messiah

Introduction

I saw a picture this week of the actor Mark Hamill sitting in his home with a bowl of popcorn ready to watch the prime time congressional hearing on the January 6th capitol riot, excited to watch the proceedings.

Here was an actor who is famous for pretending to be a space wizard in training and the voice of an evil clown, posting a picture figuring he might influence others to watch it.

But, unfortunately in our modern society, too often actors and people who perform on screens have an outsized influence on people.

In fact, over the past few years a new term, “influencers” has been used of celebrities or internet personalities who have the power to influence people just by sharing their opinions…regardless of whether these opinions are informed, or even cogent.

Preparing this sermon I looked at some different lists of the top influencers during the past few years and all of them have similar things in common:

I don’t know who any of them are;

They have funny internet names, many of which I can’t make out;

They have significantly more hits on their YouTube videos than my weekly 4 or 5 hits;

They are all a lot younger than me;

They all say pretty much the same thing but think they are being original;

They will all be forgotten about ten years from now.

What does this have to do with Jesus? To begin, I think it’s crude to us the term “influencers” for Jesus because it cheapens who He really is.

That being said, while all these people today are seeking to influence people by bravely saying the same thing everyone else says, Jesus said things different that those that came before Him.

Jesus made claims that were risky. And, in chapter 10 of John’s Gospel, Jesus makes some of His most theologically robust claims that would eventually make people decide for themselves just who Jesus was. And, would lead to His death.

Last week we saw why Jesus is the Good Shepherd and what that means for us.

Today, we will look at His most important claim: that He is the Messiah.

Body: John 10:22-42

Verses 22-24

Feast of Dedication

Solomon’s Colonnade

“How long will you keep us is suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Key Question: What makes Jesus the Messiah?

Jesus words and works testify to Him being the Messiah.

Verses 25-27

Jesus words bear witness:

Jesus doesn’t come right out in public settings and say, “I am the Messiah” because:

It would have political ramifications that could potentially throw off God’s time schedule.

They wouldn’t have believed Him anyway.

He told His sheep privately because His sheep hear His voice, He knows them, and they follow Him.

Thus, if they were His sheep He would have told them.

Jesus works bear witness:

John 10:19-21

John 10:37-38

John 10:40-42

The works of Jesus, here and throughout the Gospels, point to the fact that God was at work through Jesus in a more powerful way than with anyone else who ever walked the earth.

Those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah are assured of eternal life and eternal security.

Verses 27-30

Eternal Life

Jesus defines “eternal life” here as “they will never perish.”

Now, we understand that He’s not talking about never dying; dying is a normal and natural part of life.

Throughout John’s Gospel, when Jesus speaks of perishing He speaks of eternal perishing; eternal separation from God, eternal punishment for the unredeemed, and eternal wrath for all those who reject the atoning substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus.

So, eternal life is the opposite of that horrible end.

Eternal union with God instead of separation;

Total forgiveness because of the redemption found in Christ Jesus;

Eternal peace because your sins have been atoned for by the One and Only worthy sacrifice for sins, Jesus Christ.

Eternal Security

There’s a lot of good news in this passage. But eternal security is one of the best pieces of news!

Look again at verses 28-29

John 10:28–29 (ESV)

...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.

What this verse tells us is that if we are genuinely Christ’s sheep, then no one or nothing can steal us from Him.

Consider the visual image of God the Son’s hands around us and God the Father’s hands around His hands. Who’s going to break through that!

If you have genuinely put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and are His follower, the sheep of His pasture, then your salvation is completely secure.

JC Ryle - “Christ declares that his people ‘will never perish’. Weak as they are they will all be saved. Not one of them shall be lost and cast away; not one of them shall miss heaven. If they err, they shall be brought back; if they fall, they shall be raised. The enemies of their soul may be strong and mighty, but their Saviour is mightier; and none shall pluck them out of the Saviour’s hand.”

Here’s a wonderful piece of news: Our status as Jesus sheep doesn’t depend on our ability to maintain that relationship but His ability to hold us!

But wait, what if someone turns away from Christ? A few brief points.

Notice that Jesus doesn’t talk about followers simply professing to a set of theological points. His call is to be His disciples; His followers; His sheep. For some, historically and today, they believe Christ in theory, but practically live as if He is nothing more than wishful thinking.

This is not someone who is genuinely one of Jesus own. All of them will eventually turn away.

Additionally, notice that Jesus says, “My Father, who has given them to me...” This is a reminder that God’s divine sovereignty is at play here.

Divine sovereignty, in short, is the belief that God has complete dominion or rule over everything, salvation included.

This doesn’t mean that human responsibility and divine sovereignty are mutually exclusive, however.

We are known by God, chosen by God, saved by God through Christ Jesus, secure in the hands of both the Son and the Father.

Yet, throughout Scripture we are also called to believe and to follow Him.

The point being, we cannot lose through works that which we cannot gain through works. It is the divine work of God!

As the Son of God, Jesus has perfect unity with God the Father.

Verses 29-33

Verses 34-39

Here we see that God the Father and God the Son have perfect unity when it comes to their mission of salvation for His sheep.

Jesus makes a statement here that is clearly understood by the religious leaders, that’s why they want to stone him.

Truth be told, verse 30 alone is grounds for stoning Him if it wasn’t true.

But doesn’t Jesus deny that He was making Himself God in verses 34-36?

This quote is from Psalm 82:6. Contextually, God was speaking about the rulers and judges of Israel, who were commanded to rule justly and help those in need. Yet, they more often than not failed.

Jesus point is, if God called that group of people gods, then how much more could be said of Jesus Himself when Jesus was both set apart for.0 the mission of God and sent into the world to fulfill that mission.

The title, “Son of God” is extremely important here.

To the ancients, an earthly son was to be a reflection of his father. So, Jesus, speaking to the people of His day, uses unmistakable language to reveal His relationship to the Father.

Paul explains this well in Colossians:

Colossians 1:15–20 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

See, unlike this idea that Jesus is trying to “make yourself God” Jesus did nothing of the sort.

“Making yourself God” carries the idea that you are a rival for the God of the Old Testament. That’s why they were so angry with Him.

But, Jesus is no rival God. He is perfectly unified with the Father as God the Son.

John 10:38 (ESV)

...that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

So What?

I started this sermon talking about influencers. After looking at the text this morning, I hope we all can see clearly that no one in all of history had the influence that Jesus did.

Either His claims of being the Messiah are false and He must be rejected, or His claims are true and He must be worshiped.

Are you one of His sheep?

Do you know that eternal life is yours and you have eternal security because you belong to Jesus?