The Wonderful Works Of Our Lord Series

The Wonderful Works of Our Lord

The Gospel of John

John 10:27-42

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - March 29, 2017

(Revised November 12, 2019)

BACKGROUND:

*Please open your Bibles to John 10, as we think about the wonderful works of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

*Verses 22-24 give us the immediate background for tonight's Scripture.

22. Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.

23. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.

24. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.''

*Last time, I mentioned that the Feast of Dedication wasn't one of the Feasts established by God in the Old Testament. That's because it didn't begin until after the Old Testament was completed, and it is still celebrated as Hanukkah today.

*The Feast of Dedication began in 164 B.C. to celebrate the rededication of the temple after the blasphemy and butchery of Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes. William Barclay explained that "this wicked king was a lover of all things Greek. Antiochus decided that he would eliminate the Jewish religion once and for all. He introduced Greek ways, thoughts, religion and gods into the nation.

*At first, Antiochus tried to do so by peaceful means, but in 170 B.C. he attacked Jerusalem. It was said that 80,000 Jews perished, and 80,000 more were sold into slavery. It became a death penalty offence to have a copy of the Word of God, or to circumcise a child. And mothers who did circumcise their children were crucified with their children hanging round their necks.

*The Temple courts were profaned. The Temple chambers were turned into brothels. Antiochus also took the dreadful step of turning God's great altar of the burnt offering into an altar for the Greek god Zeus. He commanded that swine flesh be offered to the pagan gods on the altar that belonged to the Lord.

*It was then that Judas Maccabaeus and his brother arose to fight their epic war for freedom. In 164 B.C. the struggle was finally won, and in that year the Temple was cleansed and purified." (1)

*That's why they started the Feast of the Dedication. It is usually celebrated in December, and John noted that it was winter, which was about four months before the cross. Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's porch. Then the hateful Jewish leaders surrounded the Lord and began to pepper Him with questions. They were trying to goad Jesus into committing a death-penalty offence against God's Law.

*With this background in mind, let's read vs. 27-42, thinking about the wonderful works of our Lord.

MESSAGE:

*In these verses, Jesus focused on His unique and wonderful works.

1. SO, FIRST NOTICE THAT HIS WORKS ARE GOOD.

*The Lord made this truth clear, when He responded to the murderous Pharisees. In vs. 27-33, Jesus said:

27. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

28. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

29. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

30. I and My Father are one.''

31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

32. Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?''

33. The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.''

*In vs. 33, even the Lord's worst enemies had to admit that He had done good works. They hated Jesus with the heat of a thousand suns. They even hated the Lord for His good works. But they had to admit them, because they had seen them with their own eyes.

*We see a good example of this fact that in Luke 6:6-11. There God's Word says:

6. Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered.

7. And the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.

8. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here.'' And he arose and stood.

9. Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?''

10. And looking around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand.'' And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.