Or, Once a Sheep - Always a Sheep
Scripture: John 10:22-30
Date: March 3, 2013
Speaker: Sean Higgins
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We all have a story. We all came from somewhere at sometime with some people for some reason. We might not always think about our story; we might call it something else. In some cases, we may purposefully try to hide our story, or at least forget about it. But all of us are part of something bigger than what we see in the mirror, part of a plot that tells us who we are and why we’re here and what we’re supposed to do.
We all have ways to explain our lives, our sitting down and walking around, our lying down and rising up. We all give reasons, some based on information we’ve gathered and others based on our best guesstimates, for our decisions and our discouragements and our delights. We all want to fit somewhere and have some purpose. We get our security from our story. Or we don’t.
I hate to love this picture painted by David Wells in his book, Above All Earthly Pow’rs: Christ in a Postmodern World.
Postmoderns are no longer actors in a vast and unfolding drama. They are actors in their own petit dramas. We are but the pieces of confetti that flutter down, each on its own erratic course, none joined to the others but each making its own solitary way through the air. (250)
For many people living around us, all is vanity and striving after wind. Their story is an unbearable burden of emptiness.
As Christians, our security depends on our story. It does not depend on our testimony but it does depend on God’s testimony of what He’s doing. We can explain why things are the way they are in the world, where history is going, and what part He’s given us to play.
One of the most beautiful and dependable metaphors in Scripture is that of the Shepherd with His sheep. It is a strong image, a comforting reality as part of an amazing story. We will think differently and live differently and worship differently depending on our familiarity with this story. This is a leaded gas story. If we put unleaded fuel in our tanks we shouldn’t be surprised if our car conks out a quarter mile down the road.
As we come back to John 10, remember that the Jews had a story. They were chosen by God to be His people, His nation. God called them, gave them His word, and promised to provide for them and to protect them.
One account of His deliverance occurred in 164 BC. Antiochus Ephiphanes ransacked Jerusalem around 167. He defiled the temple by setting up an idolatrous altar. He also made it a capital offense to possess a copy of the law or to circumcise one’s son. Within a few years the Jews grew strong enough to revolt and under the leadership of Judas Maccabaeus they recaptured the temple on 25 Kislev (December for us) 164.
The people celebrated the rededication of the temple for eight days and established a similar eight day feast of dedication every year. We know it as Hanukkah. It was also called the Feast of Lights because of the lighting of lamps not only in the temple but also in individual homes, a unique element from the other national festivals that took place in the Capital.
It was during this Feast that we find Jesus again in Jerusalem. From 7:1 through 10:21 we saw events around the Feast of Tabernacles. John sets the new context for us in verses 22-23.
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. (John 10:22–23, ESV)
Perhaps a few weeks or even a couple months have passed since 10:21 and the Good Shepherd discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon, a covered area on the east side of the Temple that provided a bit a shelter from the weather since it was winter.
It is ironic that the very Feast the Jews were celebrating was part of their story. They were awaiting the fulfillment of temple worship, the Messiah, but they missed the fact that Jesus was the fulfillment of the feast. Their version of the story involved national and political deliverance so that life would be better. God’s story was of deliverance from sin so to eternal life as a gift for His Son.
The Jews were not happy about Jesus. Ever since He cleansed the Temple (John 2:13-22), then healed a paralytic on a Sabbath and claimed that it was okay since He was doing the work of His Father (John 5:1-18), and since He called the Pharisees thieves and robbers (10:1-18), they did not appreciate Jesus. They were spiritually blind (9:40-41). Now they find Jesus and they see their window to do something about Him.
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.” (John 10:24, ESV)
So is an interesting way to begin the verse. It’s a “therefore” (as in the NAS). Because Jesus was walking in the temple the Jews gathered around Him. The translation gathered around is too soft. This is not a cordial welcome committee. The idea of gathered is that they surrounded Him, they circled around Him, they hemmed Him in. They see their opportunity since there is no mention of any crowds. For that matter, even the disciples aren’t mentioned though they were probably nearby. Now the Jews can have it out with Him without a friendly multitude to protect Him.
Specifically they wanted Jesus to speak plainly (παρρησίᾳ) rather than figuratively (παροιμίαν, verse 6). What they couldn’t see is that they were blind. It wasn’t a problem on the transmission end but on the receiving end. That didn’t stop them from demanding an answer.
Perhaps they were genuinely inquisitive. But Jesus’ answer and their response to Jesus’ answer (verses 31, 33, and 39) prove that they came with an unbelieving, if not harmful, agenda.
Rather than being surprised or cornered or threatened, Jesus picked up the story of the sheep. For all the building of suspense Jesus says, “I already told you.” They came looking for a fight and Jesus says they should know better.
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.” (John 10:25–30, ESV)
He said I told you, and you do not believe. He hadn’t explicitly said in sound-byte form, “I am the Christ,” but everything He had done and said pointed to the reality. He claimed things that were connected to the Christ and He did things connected to the Christ, including opening the eyes of the man born blind. Even the figure of speech about being the Good Shepherd and laying down His life connected with the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. If they weren’t blind, they would have heard Him.
They also would have rejoiced in His works rather than been threatened by them. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me. The Jews had more than enough proof just based on the signs Jesus did. He did them not in only in the power of the Father, but as a representative of His Father. They did not have a sentence problem or a sign problem. They had a heart problem.
Miraculous works aren’t enough to cause true faith. Many people saw Jesus’ miracles and looked for ways to ignore them. But Jesus said that His works weren’t useless. For all those with eyes to see, His works authenticated His identity as the Son of God by doing God’s works. They bear witness about me.
What Jesus says next is no afterward or marginal note to the story. He explains the cause for their unbelieving: but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.
The reverse is not stated: “You are not among my sheep because you do not believe.” This is how many Christians tell the story. But to reverse the verse does no explaining. If Jesus had wanted to assert their prerogative as the problem, now was a good time. Instead, what was Jesus explaining? The whole chapter declares the authority of the Shepherd. He is telling His story. The cause of their unbelief is their identity; they weren’t His sheep.
The opposite is true for His sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Jesus shows no doubt, no uncertainty, no hesitation, only certainty. Believing is a gift. This is the story. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them; they follow me; I give to them, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand.” The works and words of Jesus resonate in every heart tuned to hear His grace. Everything corroborates the Shepherd to His sheep. They know His voice, His pace, His leading. Jesus declares the mutual knowledge over and over.
I give them eternal life! He gives them His own sort of life, a life of abundance (10:10) and security. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. He states the fact. Part of belonging to Him is always belonging to Him. Eternal life that is temporary is not eternal. Eternal life that can be lost is not forever, or abundant.
Sheep don’t lose sheepership. Once a sheep, always a sheep because it doesn’t depend on the sheep! The Shepherd calls and leads and protects. He laid down His life to pay it all and He will keep us until the end. He will not lose any of His own.
In the midst of a mob, Jesus asserts His story, His sovereignty. He reveals unbelievable encouragement in a grave situation. How we answer unbelievers may help believers even if the unbelievers get more angry. Even if they get more angry, they can’t touch our sheepness. They can kill us but they cannot separate us from the Shepherd’s love.
No one will snatch them out of my hand. It is personal to Jesus and it’s His power on display. No thief or wolf can destroy them.
Not all understand it this way. One commentator that I read said:
Yet a believer may after all be lost (15:6). Our certainty of eternal salvation is not absolute. While no foe of ours is able to snatch us from our Shepherd’s hand, we ourselves may turn from him and may perish willfully of our own accord. (Lenski, 756)
If it depended on them to become sheep, wouldn’t it depend on them to stay sheep? The sheep did nothing to earn their eternal life, nor can they do something to lose it. The certainty of the sheep’s salvation is entirely dependent on something outside of themselves, or rather Someone. Jesus does not fail in His eternal mission. His assignment was to save (and preserve) all those given to Him by the Father.
It is entirely possible that someone could use these truths to lie to himself, to convince himself that he is eternally saved when he has no relationship to the Shepherd. Praying a prayer is not following the Shepherd. Knowing that He is the way of salvation is not salvation any more than knowing when to plant flowers is digging in dirt. God warns men not to depart, but the point here is that Jesus will keep them from departing. He’s not the only one.
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. The repetition about snatching out of hand deliberately connects the Father and Son. They are in this together. No snatching is a fact, it is not even a possibility. The Father throws His weight into the guarantee. No one is greater than God, no one stronger or more able. No throne or dominion or power or king or any other created thing. He’s got the whole world in His hands, and no one and no thing can get the sheep into eternal danger.
The Father gave the sheep to His Son. When? Why? This is the story. This explains it all. ([See more about the story in this message.) God’s sheep are God’s sheep before they know it. That’s why Jesus said, “I must bring them” (verse 16). They sheep don’t know if they’re sheep until they hear and follow. God knows the sheep so He calls them, so the Son laid down His life for them.
God chose a flock for His Son. In other metaphors, God chose a bride for His Son. God selected a gift for His Son, a people to praise Him and be like Him and be with Him to see His glory forever.
This is the plan. This is what’s happening around us. This is our story. This is no petit or pianissimo song. We are given by the Father to His Son and our security is in our identity as His sheep. Our security is also in His unity.
I and the Father are one. Interesting that “one” is neuter rather than masculine. A masculine form might suggest that the two were one person. Instead, Jesus is saying that they are one in some other sense. The Jews took Him to be claiming to be God (10:33). He wasn’t claiming anything new.
The Father chose sheep for His Son, not based on seeing their belief but in order that they would believe. It does not depend on their nationality. The Son laid down His life on behalf of the sheep. Jesus calls the sheep and says, “I will bring them.” They will hear His voice because they are His sheep. And the Father and Son work together to keep the sheep forever. Do those points sound familiar? Could you summarize them with theological terms?
Or, the last four petals on the flower of Calvinism. All we need to find is depravity.
This is a story about love and a story of security. If we can separate the oneness of the Trinity then we can separate the oneness of the Shepherd and His sheep. If we could get the Father to despise His Son then we could get Him to dump our salvation.
Have you ever thought about telling this story to unbelievers? After preaching about this story a few years ago I received the following email:
I work at…a Hospital as a dentist and while doing a root canal on a lady 10 minutes ago I told her the eternal love story between God and Jesus. Granted I had a “captive” audience but the flow of the only true meta-narrative was easier to relate than the Navigator Bridge Illustration, besides that, I can’t spell TULIP anyway.
People without a story, or with a miserable story, may by God’s grace be called to the flock as we tell them about the Shepherd.
Because we can’t be snatched out of His hands doesn’t mean there won’t be attempts to snatch us. The Father means for us to keep listening and following the Shepherd.
Once a sheep always a sheep, yes. But don’t claim to be in His hands if you’re not following His lead.