The Fifth “I Am” StatementJohn 10:22-42

“I Am the Son of God”

“I Am the Son of God”, after Door and Good Shepherd

Pretty spectacular, because He is bringing to “a head” the whole discourse of the past few months

The Scripture will give us the correct time frame

I’m excited to share this one too, because as I studied, became clear it was appropriate for pre-Christmas as well!

His Third Declaration in this passage

22  ‘At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 24 The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;

28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 [d]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. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”

39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.

40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 41 Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” 42 Many believed in Him there.’

John 10:22-42, NASB

Door, Good Shepherd, now Son of GodThe feast time tells us when this happened,

Hannukkah About 2 ½ months after the events

of vv 1-21John put them altogether because

of the imageryCommemorates the re-dedication

of the Temple in 164 B.C. by Judas Maccabeus

The Encounter, Vv 22-24

Jesus is probably referring to the history in V36They were celebrating this great event, yet

passing on the Greatest Opportunity ever!The Pharisees surrounded Jesus so

that He had to stop & listen to themThey had decided it was time for a

“showdown”They didn’t want Him to evade the

issue any longer (How long? Tell us plainly…)

The Encounter, Vv 22-24

Jesus reminded them of what He’d already taughtBut He went much deeper into explanation this

timeHe reveals why they did not understand His words

or grasp the significance of His worksThey are NOT His sheep

The Explanation, VV 22-45

There is a mystery here, that we cannot really fathom or fully explain, but we can accept it and rejoice, Romans 11:33-36

The Explanation, VV 22-45

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:33-36, NASB

There is a mystery here, that we cannot really fathom or fully explain, but we can accept it and rejoice, Romans 11:33-36

From the human standpoint we become His sheep by believing

From the Divine Standpoint, we are His Sheep, therefore we believe

God has sheep, knows who they are and they hear His voice

The lost man knows nothing of Election, yet hears!

The Explanation, VV 22-45 (Chosen)

We learn of our having been “Chosen” after we are born again, Ephesians 1:4

Vv 28-30 He goes from Election to SecurityYou can rest in the understanding that

once you’ve given yourself to Him, NO FORCE in the universe can change it!

First, we have “eternal Life”, which by definition cannot be conditional

Secondly, life is a gift, not earnedThirdly, don’t be fooled: false professors

The Explanation, VV 22-45 (Secure)

The security Jesus promises is only for True SheepWe’ve all known people who make huge

professions of God’s Grace and work in their livesThen they run off back into the worldThat only proves that their faith talk

was just that– talk, Mat 13:1-23This was the “plain answer” they were

asking for, but He knew it would be a startling thing to them

The Explanation, VV 22-45 (Secure)

Equating Himself with God was the last straw for these guys, V.30

“I and the Father are One” is His clearest statement yet about His deity

“One” doesn’t suggest they are the same personIt means “one in essence”– they are one, but the

Father is not the Son and the Son is not the FatherYet Father is God AND Son is God too!Make sense?

The Explanation, VV 22-45 (He’s God)

He’s talking about Unity rather than identity

The Pharisees understood EXACTLY what He meant

That’s whey the picked up the stones

He was saying, “I AM GOD!” which was blasphemy to them and punishable by death (stoning)

The Explanation, VV 22-45 (He’s God)

Jesus used Psalm 82:6 to halt their actionThe picture there is in a court with judges assembled to warn them of their (Israel’s) impending judgment

The word for Judges is elohim, or gods– how could they stone Him for using the same word God used?

Vv 36 is crucial because it gives a double AFFIRMATION of the deity of Christ

The Explanation, VV 22-45 (He’s God)

I Am the Son of GodThe question is asked, “Could they have Believed?”

Jesus invited them, urged them, all but begged them to judge His miracles by Scripture…

Once again they tried to arrest Him but He slipped away

So, He answered them simply…

What’s your response to the 3 declarations?He’s the Door. Have you entered in by faith?He’s the Good Shepherd. Have you heard His voice and trusted?

He laid down His life for YOU!He is the Son of God. Do you believe that? Have you given yourself to Him and received eternal life?

Will you believe today?

The Take-Home today is the question…