Why You Can't LOSE You Salvation!!! John 10:22-33

John 10:22-33 Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 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.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

The "Festival of Dedication", is also called what we know as "Hannakah". In the middle of the 2nd century B.C., the Jews revolted against Antiochus. the brutal King of Syria, who had desecrated the temple and committed many other atrocities among the Jews. Hannakah is also called the "Festiveal of Lights", because of the history and story behind how the Jews reclaimed the temple. 

 “It was told that when the Temple had been purified and the great sevenbranched candlestick re-lit, only one little cruse of unpolluted oil could be found. That cruse was still intact, and still sealed with the impress of the ring of the High Priest. By all normal measures, there was only oil enough in that cruse to light the lamps for one single day. But by a miracle it lasted for eight days, until new oil had been prepared according to the correct formula and had been consecrated for its sacred use.” (Barclay)

The Jewish leaders, who had been following Jesus around, kept asking Jesus the same questions about whether or not he was the Messiah. Though Jesus had alluded to it before, they want yet another explanation.  They continue to try and trap him in his words. It doesn't seem like they sincerely wanted to know. Jesus rarely talked about being the Messiah, but certainly did and said everything the Messiah was supposed to do and say. 

Here are the ways Jesus had already "told" them:

- I told you, I am the one who came from heaven (John 3:13, 6:38).

· I told you, whoever believes on Me has eternal life (John 3:15).

· I told you, I am the unique Son of God (John 5:19-23).

· I told you, I will judge all humanity (John 5:19-23).

· I told you, all should honor Me just as the honor God the Father (John 5:19-23).

· I told you, the Hebrew Scriptures all speak of Me (John 5:39).

· I told you, I perfectly reveal God the Father (John 7:28-29).

· I told you, I always please God and never sin (John 8:29, 8:46).

· I told you, I am uniquely sent from God (John 8:42).

· I told you, before Abraham was, I Am (John 8:58).

· I told you, I am the Son of Man, prophesied by Daniel (John 9:37).

· I told you, I will raise Myself from the dead (John 10:17-18).

· I told you, I am the Bread of Life (John 6:48).

· I told you, I am the Light of the World (John 8:12).

· I told you, I am the Door (John 10:9).

· I told you, I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

The bottom line was the leaders didn't want to hear it. They were unwilling to consider what Jesus had been teaching. They were selectively listening. 

Not only did Jesus speak the words of the Messiah, but he ALSO did the WORKS the Messiah was supposed to do. Jesus had:

- Turned water into wine. John 2:1

- Heals the official's son John 4:43

- Healed the man at the pool. John 5:1

- Feeds the 5,000 John 6:1

- Walked on Water John 6:16

- Heals a man born blind John 9:1

As you can see there is no little amount evidence in both Jesus' works and words. Then Jesus asks after all of this evidence why they don't believe him?  Why? They don't listen to him. They do not know him. They are not his sheep. 

They had asked Jesus to speak plainly, and now Jesus is speaking plainly, probably more plainly then they would have liked. Jesus had already told them they were not true shepherds, and now he is telling them they are not even his true sheep! (Guzik)

By contrast his true sheep know his voice and they follow him. They know him and he knows them. And Jesus gives his sheep an eternal security in him. This verse is "prima facie evidence" for the argument about whether once one is saved, they are always saved.

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand." John 10:28-29

You can't lose your salvation because once you are "born again", you can't be "un born again"!  Paul says it this way in Philippians 1:6, "He (Jesus) who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it." 

The linchpin which will put the Pharisees over the edge is when Jesus says, 

"The Father and I are one". John 10:30 

Once again Jesus makes it crystal clear he considers himself as a equal of God the Father. At this point his opponents began to pick stones to stone him, which was the penalty for blasphemy in Jewish law. Leviticus 24:6 There are no bones about about it, Jesus a "mere man" claimed to be God. 

The Pharisees could either accept or reject this claim. The evidence was there in the words Jesus had preached. The evidence was there in what Jesus had done. There was only one problem, the Pharisees were not his sheep. They didn't know him or listen to them.  

The decision the Pharisees had to make is the same one everyone must make today. The story of Jesus' words and works have been passed on by the faithful transmission of the four gospel writers. The bible has stood the test of time. No one has been able to refute anything Jesus has said or done over the past 2,000 years.  On Christmas Jesus was born in a manger. On Good Friday, Jesus died on the cross. On Easter Jesus rose from the dead. One day Jesus will return as promised by the scriptures to take his sheep to be with him forever.   

On Christmas Day, the promises God had made to the Jewish people came true in a lowly manger in Bethlehem. Unto us a child was born. Immanuel, God with us. 

May God be with you today; as we continue to listen to the Good Shpherd's voice and live in the protection of His hands!