We all want people to tell us the truth. There was a police officer that pulled a car over and he walked up to the window and said to the man driving, “Sir, can I see your driver's license?” The man said, “Sure. What is the problem officer?” The officer said, “Well, you were going 75 mph in a 55-mph zone.” The man said, “No sir. I was only going 60.” His wife said, “Now Harry, you know you were 75 mph.”
The officer then said, “Sir, I am going to also have to give you a ticket for your broken taillight.” The man said, “Broker taillight? I don't know anything about a broken talk light!” His wife said, “Now, Harry, you've known about that taillight for five weeks.” The officer said, “I’m also going to have to give you a ticket for not wearing your seatbelt.” The man said, “Oh, I just took it off when you were walking up to the car.” The wife said, “Now, Harry, you know you never wear your seatbelt.”
At that point you can imagine the husband had heard enough. He turned to his wife and said, “Sarah, would you please shut your big, fat mouth!” The officer turned to the woman and said, “Ma’am, does your husband talk to you that way all the time?” His wife said, “No sir. Only when he is drunk.”
Jesus tells us the truth like no other.
Today’s Scripture
“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. 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.’ 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 10:22-30).
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2. Don’t be Anxious of the Truth
1. Don’t be Afraid of the Truth
1. Don’t be Afraid of the Truth
“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).
1.1 “Once Upon a Time”
So many good stories start “Once Upon a Time.” But this isn’t one of those. The Bible tells us that this is a real story when it says, “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter” in verse 22. I’m not going into great detail here, but this “Feast of Dedication” is tied to Hanukkah for our Jewish friends today. This “Feast” was celebrated in the second half of December. You won’t find this feast commanded in the Bible. Instead, it celebrated the guerilla warfare of Judas Maccabaeus (aka Judas the Hammer) because he rededicated the Temple around 164 BC.
It would be like me saying this story happened when the NASA astronauts were landing on the moon. You’d know that was July 20, 1969. So, our story would have been between December 18-25, 32 AD.1 This isn’t “Once Upon a Time”; this is a fact.
1.2 Tell Us Plainly
Jesus was walking through one of the covered court areas called Solomon’s porch when the Jews surrounded Him. They press Him with this question: “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). Jesus didn’t come out in open and public settings and declare, “I’m the Messiah.” I invite you to find even one instance of this. But He would do it in private settings, such as with the Woman at the Well (John 4:26). The word “Messiah” was a political and military hot-button kind of word. The word “Messiah” was a dog whistle kind of a word that called all kinds of zealots out of the closet (John 20:30-31). But while Jesus didn’t use the word “Messiah,” anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear could see who He was. Remember, this conversation was taking place during a holiday where they were celebrating a Messianic figure nicknamed “The Hammer” in his attempt to free Israel from Roman rule. Jesus didn’t want to launch that kind of revolution. They wanted political and national deliverance. Jesus came to offer spiritual freedom from ourselves.
1.3 I’ve Already Told You
That’s why Jesus could say in verse 25: “I told you, and you do not believe” (John 10:25a). Someone has said, “Jesus always gives just enough of himself to make faith possible, and yet he also always hides just enough of himself to make faith necessary.” Heck, even the raising of Lazarus from the dead didn’t convince them. Theirs was a “Don’t confuse me with the facts” kind of belief that led them to seek even to kill Lazarus because his existence was a threat. Where your Bible says they “gathered around him,” you can picture they encircles Him. They asked Him effectively, “How long are you going to annoy us?” Of course, they already had their answer. Why had they repeatedly sought to kill Him if they didn’t already have their answer? Jesus responds, “The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me” (John 10:25b). Their whole question was nothing more than a ruse to catch Jesus saying something incriminating.
1.4 Are You the One?
But it is a million-dollar question, isn’t it? “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly” (John 10:24c). Are you the One? We are all looking for the One. We all want to latch on to something or someone who is real and brings hope. Who lifts us up and offers us hope. “Are you the One? Tell us straight-up.” Everybody needs saving.
1.5 Picking a Savior
When you go to pick a Savior, pick a good one. So, when you go to pick a Savior, check out your Savior’s track record. Who else can but speak a word and make a child whole? Who else can tell Lazarus to come out of the grave after rotting for four days? Who else has turned around drug addicts? Prostitutes? Drag Queens? And Alcoholics around? What other name other than the name of Jesus can pull men out of a life of crime? When you go to pick a Savior, pick a good one. Everybody needs saving. So, when you go to pick a Savior, I tell you to check out your Savior’s track record.
What other name can walk on water? What other name can turn water into wine? What other name can tell the sea to calm down? Tell me who else can make the blind see and the lame walk. Listen to the voices of millions of people around the globe chant, but one name and one name only: J E S U S. There is no other name!2 Jesus tells us He is the truth, and He’s the truth that sets us free!
1.6 No One Like Jesus
Historians say that perhaps the three greatest philosophical thinkers of all time were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates taught for forty years, Plato for fifty years and Aristotle for forty years, but Jesus only taught three years. And yet who can dispute His influence? His influence for three years is far greater than the combined 130 years of some of the greatest philosophers and thinkers who ever lived. Although He never painted a picture, He is the subject of the finest paintings of the finest artists in history. He didn’t write any poetry or any books, but some of the greatest poets and authors in history have written about Him. He composed no music, but from Beethoven to Bach some of the greatest symphonies and musical works were written about Him. Again, Jesus tells us He is the truth, and He’s the truth that sets us free!
1. Don’t be Afraid of the Truth
2. Don’t be Anxious of the Truth
“but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:26-27).
Verse 23 tells us the setting for this conversation is this huge colonnade porch called Solomon’s Portico during the Festival of Lights. It was a beautiful setting to have this kind of conversation where the columns were 38 feet tall of white marble, and the ceiling overhead was cedar.3
2.1 Jesus’ Logic
Jesus’ logic is tight here, and for many, it’s circular logic. In the hit TV series, “The Office,” Michael Scott asks, “Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy,” he says. “Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” That’s circular logic.
Jesus says, in effect, in verse 26, “If you were my sheep, you’d hear my voice and believe. Since you don’t believe, you don’t hear my voice, you are not one of my sheep.” Listen very carefully to what the Lord says. He does not say, “You are not my sheep because you do not believe.” It’s the other way around: “You do not believe because you are not of my sheep.” That may be circular logic, but it’s also Jesus’ logic.
2.2 Repeatedly Ignoring Him
Now, the kind of hearing Jesus is speaking of here isn’t an “I called once, and you didn’t hear me.” No, this is a stubborn refusal to repeatedly ignore the voice of Jesus and the obvious implications of His miracles and His teaching. Imagine ignoring a marching band inside a library. Impossible to ignore. Imagine your date wearing a tuxedo to a backyard barbeque. Impossible to ignore. Imagine if you had a giant rip in the back of your pants. Impossible to ignore. You get the picture.
They were all kinds of people who heard the physical voice of Jesus and ignored Him. But His sheep hear His inner voice deep inside them when they read the Word. You can’t miss who Jesus is!
2.3 Do You Listen to the Voice of Jesus?
I wonder, do you hear the voice of Jesus? Sheep recognize the Shepherd’s voice. In a world full of noise and voices, listen to the voice of your Shepherd. Follow His voice. Do you listen for the voice of Jesus? Some of you listen to the voice of a preacher. Some listen to the voice of their church. Some listen to the voice of the President. And others listen to the voice of their favorite podcast? That’s well and good, but do you listen to the voice of Jesus? In a world full of noise and voices, listen to the voice of your Shepherd.
2.4 Relax, He’s Your Shepherd
A shepherd is somebody who takes care of you. A shepherd does everything for His sheep. Sheep have many wants, yet they are very helpless. Sheep quite unable to provide for themselves. A shepherd is somebody who you put yourself in his arms, and He says, “Don’t think about another thing. I have everything under control. Relax. No worries.”
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).
That’s what a shepherd is. That’s what a shepherd does. The Shepherd speaks to us with a voice that we cannot ignore. He says, “Relax, I’m your Shepherd. Don’t think about another thing. I have everything under control. Relax. No worries.”
2.4 I Know Them
“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” (John 10:26-27).
You know, there’s evidence that ancient shepherds gave nicknames to their sheep. Rejoice in the fact that the Creator of the world knows your name. Your teacher may not know your name, but Almighty God knows your name. Your parents may have deserted you, but Almighty God knows your name, believer. That certain boy or girl you’re interested in may not know your name, but Jesus does. Pause now and marinate on this truth: the Creator of the universe knows my name.
2.5 They Will Listen to His Voice
How will we know they are Jesus’ followers? Jesus tells us that “they will listen to my voice” in verse 16. Isn’t that fascinating? When Jesus calls, His people respond to His voice. He didn’t say, “I hope they listen. He said, “I know they’ll listen.” We will know them when they respond to the voice of Jesus, to the Bible. It’s not a matter of if these followers listen. No, they will indeed, and for certain, listen to the voice of the Shepherd.
1. Don’t be Afraid of the Truth
2. Don’t be Anxious of the Truth
Conclusion - Lord’s Supper
What we are about to do today is observe an event that is 2,000 years old, but that event is based upon another event that is 1,000 years older than that.
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:17-26).
“and when he had given thanks” (1 Corinthians 11:24a).
Paul tells us that Jesus gave thanks before the meal took place. The Greek word behind the words “give thanks” is the word “eucharist.” The very word eucharist means “to give thanks.”
The Head of the House on Passover Remember when Jesus was doing the first Lord’s Supper with the Disciples on the night before He was crucified, He was celebrating the ancient Passover meal. The ordinary Jewish meal began with the head of the house giving the traditional blessing over the bread, breaking it, and giving it to those at the table with him. When Jesus, the “Teacher,” was with the Disciples, He undoubtedly played that role in meals with the disciples. Again, the Passover is in the background to the Lord’s Supper.
The Passover celebration was explicitly tied to God’s redemption of his people. At Passover, usually, one of the kids is asked a question. “Why is this night different than all other nights?” It’s because it was referring back to the great act of liberation in which God brought the Israelites out of Egypt. The people of God gave thanks that their firstborn child was delivered from the angel of death (Exodus 12). Jesus is showing us a whole new layer to give thanks.
“In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me’” (1 Corinthians 11:25).
Jesus refers to the wine in the cup that He will pass around. Only hours from His death, Jesus says His blood seals the promise. His blood seals the covenant. His blood offers you undeserved favor. His death offers your forgiveness.
EndNotes
1 Andrea J. Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 309.
2 E. V. Hill and Joseph M. Stowell, A Savior Worth Having (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2002).
3 Robert W. Smith, “Solomon’s Portico (Place),” in The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, edited by David Noel Freedman. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), vol 6, 113.
