WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.260 I'm going to invite you to John 10 this morning. 00:00:02.380 --> 00:00:03.920 John 10 is where we are together. 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:09.900 And this morning, this is what I need from you if we're going to dive into this text the proper way. 00:00:09.900 --> 00:00:17.060 Jesus is going to say a couple of things in this text that are head-turning and a little 00:00:17.060 --> 00:00:21.800 bit complex because he's diving into the nature of who he is. 00:00:21.940 --> 00:00:29.180 This is a very important section of scripture for us to look at together, because this is the last public presentation Jesus 00:00:29.180 --> 00:00:32.439 gives to us concerning his identity. 00:00:33.380 --> 00:00:40.520 As you read along in the story of John, all that Jesus has done to this point, this is his last real public declaration of his identity 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:43.020 before it leads to his crucifixion. 00:00:43.020 --> 00:00:49.000 So after this point, it's really the last few days of Jesus's life and into the crucifixion of Christ. 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:55.440 And so, this is the last declaration of who he is, and it centers on the identity of his nature. 00:00:55.440 --> 00:00:55.540 Right? 00:00:55.540 --> 00:01:02.630 So Jesus is going to really answer the question, "Who are you?" Because in verse 24, 00:01:02.720 --> 00:01:04.310 that's the question that Jewish people ask. 00:01:04.739 --> 00:01:06.540 They've gotten the feeling to this point. 00:01:06.540 --> 00:01:13.700 They're thinking, "I really feel like Jesus wants us to understand who he is." He's been so polarizing to this moment that we should 00:01:13.700 --> 00:01:16.200 probably come to understand who Jesus is. 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:18.580 He's done some really exceptional things. 00:01:18.580 --> 00:01:19.970 I mean, he's given sight to the blind. 00:01:20.360 --> 00:01:20.500 Right? 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:22.170 I mean, he's healed a lame man. 00:01:22.220 --> 00:01:23.840 Jesus has done some incredible things. 00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:24.900 Who is this guy? 00:01:24.900 --> 00:01:25.520 We want to know. 00:01:25.520 --> 00:01:26.660 Apparently, he wants us to know. 00:01:26.880 --> 00:01:33.880 And in John 10:24 you see this, the question here is, "The Jews then surrounded him and began saying to him, 00:01:33.960 --> 00:01:36.460 'How long will you keep us in suspense? 00:01:36.620 --> 00:01:41.050 If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.'" Which, this is a very jaw-dropping statement. 00:01:41.180 --> 00:01:45.160 If I were Jesus, I probably would just throw my arms up and just quit right there. 00:01:45.420 --> 00:01:52.520 If you read the gospel of John at all, Jesus has given multiple occasions where he has clearly identified who 00:01:52.520 --> 00:01:53.680 he is for us. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:56.580 I mean, you remember, we started at John 1. 00:01:56.760 --> 00:01:59.520 John presents this argument from the very beginning of who Jesus is. 00:01:59.900 --> 00:02:01.560 In the beginning was the word. 00:02:01.600 --> 00:02:02.340 The word was with God. 00:02:02.360 --> 00:02:03.280 And the word was God. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.960 John very plainly says that. 00:02:05.320 --> 00:02:10.080 But in chapter two starts the miracles of Jesus, the declarations of Jesus in that identity. 00:02:10.320 --> 00:02:12.880 He turns water into wine, which is a bizarre thing. 00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:16.980 We've looked at the importance of what that represented in John 2. 00:02:16.980 --> 00:02:20.620 When Jesus turned water into wine, as it relates to him being our ultimate bribe. 00:02:20.860 --> 00:02:21.840 Don't have time to go through it all. 00:02:21.880 --> 00:02:22.630 But it's an incredible miracle. 00:02:23.260 --> 00:02:24.800 Strange miracle when you don't understand it. 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:28.060 But when you understand the context of it, it's a powerful miracle that Jesus does. 00:02:28.780 --> 00:02:35.560 John 3, he tells Nicodemus that he's here to bring life like fulfill the promises of Ezekiel 36 and 37. 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:42.760 And then he goes to the woman at the well, and the woman at the well even says, "We're waiting on the Messiah." And Jesus says, "I am the Messiah," right? 00:02:43.060 --> 00:02:50.160 And Jesus heals a lame man in John 5, Jesus declares himself the light of the world, the living water in 00:02:50.160 --> 00:02:54.140 John 7:10 Jesus give sight to the blind, John 9. 00:02:54.140 --> 00:03:01.560 And he tells the blind man, "I am the son of man." I am, which is a name of deity, a name of God in the old Testament in Daniel 7. 00:03:01.860 --> 00:03:03.460 I mean Jesus, over and over. 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:10.600 In John 8, he says, "Before Abraham was, I am." And in that moment, that's a declaration of him being God, that's the name of God 00:03:10.600 --> 00:03:11.260 in the old Testament. 00:03:11.540 --> 00:03:12.880 The Jews tried to kill him. 00:03:13.940 --> 00:03:16.100 Over and over Jesus said who he was. 00:03:17.480 --> 00:03:19.480 And now in John 10 they're thinking, you know what? 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:21.800 It's probably pretty important we understand who this guy is. 00:03:22.880 --> 00:03:24.820 And they say, "Tell us plainly who you are. 00:03:25.020 --> 00:03:26.800 Don't keep us in suspense any more. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:34.260 We can't stand it, Jesus." And Jesus is like, I could imagine the frustration at this point, because anytime that you ever have to repeat something, 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:36.840 do you find yourself just a little irked sometimes? 00:03:37.020 --> 00:03:37.860 Like, "I told you. 00:03:37.860 --> 00:03:38.680 You didn't pay attention. 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:40.260 I don't even want to say it again." Right. 00:03:40.860 --> 00:03:44.820 And Jesus, and this morning is like, "I've said it a hundred times," right? 00:03:46.900 --> 00:03:52.100 And in John 10, Jesus one more time is going to answer this question. 00:03:53.040 --> 00:04:01.380 "Who are you, Jesus?" Who Jesus is the 00:04:01.380 --> 00:04:06.530 most important question I think any of us could answer in life. 00:04:07.340 --> 00:04:15.240 In fact, in John 8:24, Jesus said, "Unless you believe that I am he, you 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:22.350 will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he." In 2 Corinthians 11, 00:04:22.500 --> 00:04:29.130 Paul warned that people will come after Jesus and teach about Jesus, but it won't be the same Jesus. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:33.300 It'll be the name of Jesus, but a completely different identity than Jesus. 00:04:34.840 --> 00:04:40.740 And when you study world religions, world religions have differing views on who Jesus is. 00:04:40.820 --> 00:04:47.940 Like Buddhism says, "He was wise and an enlightened man who taught similar things like Buddha." Christian 00:04:47.940 --> 00:04:55.140 Science says, "He's a wise man, especially attuned to the divine Christ." Hinduism, "Incarnation of God, akin to Krishna or 00:04:55.140 --> 00:05:00.740 a Wiseman." Islam, "A prophet of God whose message has been corrupted." Jehovah's Witness, "The word of God. 00:05:00.860 --> 00:05:08.260 God's first creation." The Archangel Michael." Unitarian Universalism, "He's a great teacher, a faith healer incarnation 00:05:08.260 --> 00:05:15.720 of God's love." You look at all the different religions of various views 00:05:15.720 --> 00:05:19.140 of who Jesus is and you've got to deal with Jesus. 00:05:19.160 --> 00:05:24.440 I mean, he's the most revolutionary figure in all of history, right? 00:05:24.440 --> 00:05:31.120 I mean, he changed the world without holding a political office, leading an army, really holding no position, never writing a book. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:34.220 And yet Jesus has re centered the world around him. 00:05:34.220 --> 00:05:41.560 So you've got to go with Jesus, but what's more important rather than what religion says about Jesus is, who does Jesus 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:42.540 say he is? 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:51.860 And the whole point of today is not to be contentious or argumentative over the identity of Jesus, but just to simply see what Jesus 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:59.120 says about himself, because Jesus plainly said in John 8:24, "Unless you believe that 00:05:59.200 --> 00:06:06.480 I am He, you will die in your sins." So the Jews asked this question of 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:07.020 Jesus. 00:06:07.140 --> 00:06:12.240 So in verse 22, if I pick it up from the beginning here, we're going to cover verse 22 to 42 very quickly. 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:20.320 But in verse 22, it says this, "At the time the Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem, it was winter and 00:06:20.320 --> 00:06:25.400 Jesus was walking in the temple area in the Portico of Solomon." So here's what it's saying for us. 00:06:26.320 --> 00:06:34.180 If you started reading in John 5 it tells us in John 5 the time of the feast was at hand and John 00:06:34.180 --> 00:06:39.280 5 to John 10, it covers Jesus's life as it centers around the feast. 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:45.060 And so what it's saying to us is, what Jesus does in Israel is not something done in a dark room. 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:51.480 Starting in John 5, Jesus was present before Israel during their festivities, their feast that they would celebrate. 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:59.260 Jesus goes into the public spotlight in Jerusalem where everyone would gather to make the declarations of his identity before his own 00:06:59.260 --> 00:06:59.360 people. 00:07:00.760 --> 00:07:07.900 So Jesus is not beating around the bush and this Jesus is being very upfront in the way he's giving the declaration his presence in Israel 00:07:07.900 --> 00:07:15.900 and here at the end of John 10, this is the last feast Jesus attends to publicly declare his identity before his crucifixion. 00:07:15.980 --> 00:07:20.600 And it tells us that the Feast of Dedication and Jesus was walking around in Solomon's Portico. 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:27.820 And so you reading this, the feast of dedication might be surprised to know that you were actually very familiar with 00:07:27.820 --> 00:07:29.860 this piece or at least to a degree. 00:07:30.700 --> 00:07:36.120 This is probably out of all the Jewish feasts, the one that you might even be most familiar with. 00:07:36.640 --> 00:07:38.770 We don't call it the Feast of Dedication today. 00:07:39.300 --> 00:07:42.540 What you're typically used to hearing referred to as, is Hanukkah. 00:07:43.820 --> 00:07:50.940 Now this might blow your mind because some of you might think, "Well, I thought Hanukkah was the Jewish Christmas because it happens around Christmas time." 00:07:50.980 --> 00:07:56.040 But lo and behold, this Jewish holiday existed before Christmas exists. 00:07:56.180 --> 00:08:00.540 We celebrate Christmas, came in later sort of celebrating around the birth of Jesus. 00:08:00.540 --> 00:08:07.820 And you might think, "Well, I thought the Jewish people were piggy-backing off of our holiday of Christmas, trying to give themselves a holiday." It's kind of like Kwanza, right? 00:08:07.960 --> 00:08:09.580 Like you got Hanukkah. 00:08:09.580 --> 00:08:10.620 They celebrate during Christmas. 00:08:10.620 --> 00:08:15.040 It's like the Jewish version of Christmas and Hanukkah has nothing to do with Christmas. 00:08:15.180 --> 00:08:20.530 In fact, Christmas is probably not celebrated when Jesus was born. 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:20.720 I hate to... 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:27.900 there's a couple of spoiler alerts for us this morning, but Jesus is walking around in Jerusalem, celebrating Hanukkah or 00:08:27.900 --> 00:08:30.860 as they referred to it, in the Feast of Dedication. 00:08:31.520 --> 00:08:36.700 And because this is towards the end of the year, it tells us he's under a covered area of Solomon's Portico. 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:37.799 This would have been a covered area. 00:08:38.260 --> 00:08:44.300 Jesus out of the elements, but he's still publicly teaching people about his identity during this celebration. 00:08:44.700 --> 00:08:51.800 So if you want to know a little bit about why the Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, Hanukkah began because of a man named Antiochus 00:08:51.800 --> 00:08:52.200 Epiphanes. 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:54.200 He was a Greek leader. 00:08:54.760 --> 00:08:55.880 He came into Jerusalem. 00:08:55.900 --> 00:08:57.460 He conquered the Jews. 00:08:57.800 --> 00:08:59.280 He goes into the temple. 00:08:59.280 --> 00:09:00.920 He steals its treasure. 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:07.280 He makes a sacrifice of a pig on the altar, which is an unclean animal for the Jewish people, right? 00:09:07.380 --> 00:09:12.970 That's not kosher at all and he erects a place of worship for the god Zeus. 00:09:13.220 --> 00:09:20.380 So Antiochus Epiphanes he establishes all this and then he sets up a rule for the Jewish people that they need to bow down to these gods. 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:27.700 In fact, if they engage in their Jewish worship, they continue in their system of wars that they had previous to this, Antiochus will kill 00:09:27.700 --> 00:09:27.880 them. 00:09:29.160 --> 00:09:31.600 And some of the Jews tried to revolt and he did. 00:09:31.860 --> 00:09:33.120 80,000 Jewish people. 00:09:33.160 --> 00:09:35.840 He slaughtered, he put another 80,000 into slavery. 00:09:35.860 --> 00:09:39.660 He wrote laws that said, "If you try to circumcise your children, you'll be killed. 00:09:39.980 --> 00:09:47.300 And if a mother attempted it, he would crucify the mother and hang the baby on the neck of the mother as she died on the cross." This 00:09:47.300 --> 00:09:47.980 man was ruthless. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:50.880 In fact, you can read about... 00:09:51.260 --> 00:09:58.260 There's a span of history between the Old and New Testament called the intertestimonial period where no books in the Bible were 00:09:58.260 --> 00:10:02.640 being written a span of about 400 years from where the Old Testament ends to the New Testament begins. 00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:06.810 The Jews still wrote during this period, but we don't include them in the Bible. 00:10:07.060 --> 00:10:10.740 They wrote first and second Maccabees, especially about this time period. 00:10:10.760 --> 00:10:17.570 If today you do nothing else but if you want to learn about this time period, if you pick up 2 Maccabees and just read chapter seven. 00:10:18.500 --> 00:10:25.580 I thought about throwing up some verses from it but it's honestly so awful, I was worried about the ages of people in our room that might 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:26.100 read it. 00:10:26.540 --> 00:10:30.620 It's horrific, but it records what happens during this time. 00:10:30.640 --> 00:10:38.320 Well, it was also during this time a man named Judas Maccabeus and his brothers led a revolt and they were successful in 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:40.060 bringing liberation to the Jewish people. 00:10:42.500 --> 00:10:49.560 And in their liberation they celebrate by lighting the lights in the temple again, but they didn't have the oil 00:10:49.560 --> 00:10:50.640 to burn the lights. 00:10:51.920 --> 00:10:59.340 And for eight days, the candles remained lit as they reproduce the oil again to burn the lights 00:10:59.340 --> 00:11:00.410 within the temple. 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:07.420 And in honor of those eight days that the candle burned and the liberation of the Jewish people, they established this holiday, Hanukkah. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:15.780 And so two days, they continue for eight days to burn candles to remind them of how God liberated his people and didn't 00:11:15.780 --> 00:11:17.720 let the candle go out in the temple. 00:11:20.180 --> 00:11:27.640 Jesus is in Jerusalem during this festivity and again, 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:35.120 he answers the question of his identity and he's in this place where he's out of 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:37.040 the elements so the crowds can gather. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:41.800 So he's not doing this in a dark room, but he wants people to understand who he is. 00:11:41.800 --> 00:11:43.960 And verse 25 goes on from there. 00:11:44.020 --> 00:11:45.420 It says, "Jesus answered them. 00:11:45.420 --> 00:11:52.280 'I told you, and you did not believe.' The works that I do in my father's name, they testify of me. 00:11:52.340 --> 00:11:55.260 But you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 00:11:55.420 --> 00:12:02.980 My sheep listen to my voice and I know them and they follow me.'" Jesus is saying, "Look, I've already answered your questions. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:08.000 In fact, not only have I answered them verbally, I've also demonstrated it in the things that I've done. 00:12:08.340 --> 00:12:10.300 So everything that I've said, I've backed up. 00:12:10.300 --> 00:12:12.580 I've proven, I've shown you." Right. 00:12:12.880 --> 00:12:20.040 But he's also saying, "Here's the reason why you don't understand is because you don't want to understand." You ever have 00:12:20.040 --> 00:12:27.060 the conversation or maybe this has been you where someone's trying to explain something to you or you're trying to explain something to someone, but you can tell their 00:12:27.060 --> 00:12:31.760 mind isn't grasping it because they're expecting a completely different answer than what you're saying? 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:34.640 And when you get to the end of what they're saying, they're like, "Oh, hold on, wait a minute. 00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:36.080 Can you just repeat that again? 00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:37.980 Because my mind thought you going to say something else. 00:12:37.980 --> 00:12:42.800 You said something different and I didn't grab it at all." It's like where the Jewish people are here in this moment. 00:12:42.900 --> 00:12:45.150 They have this expectation of the Messiah. 00:12:45.620 --> 00:12:52.820 Jesus isn't fitting into that mold and so they aren't embracing what Jesus is saying even though Jesus has clearly said who he is and 00:12:52.820 --> 00:12:54.540 he's demonstrated that to them. 00:12:55.820 --> 00:13:03.040 So you can understand in this moment, maybe if Jesus were to express any sort of frustration, why it would be there, but Jesus is still patiently 00:13:03.040 --> 00:13:07.460 teaching the people to the point that he's still out in public and he's still answering this question. 00:13:07.940 --> 00:13:14.980 And when we get to this section of scripture, verse 28, Jesus, he's going to answer exactly who he is once again for 00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:15.420 the people. 00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:18.180 So verse 28 to verse 30. 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:22.600 This is a very theological statement that Jesus is about to give us. 00:13:22.660 --> 00:13:22.780 Okay. 00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:30.380 So I got to say, if you're going to answer the question, "Who is Jesus?" this is an important passage of scripture to just let your mind tune into for 00:13:30.380 --> 00:13:37.640 a minute and not just believe what I say or just listen to what I say, but understand this passage yourself, because this is a declaration 00:13:37.640 --> 00:13:41.320 in your own life that you should be making about Jesus. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:49.680 So Jesus answers a question and he says it in verse 28, "What he gives," in the second half of verse 28, "What he promises," 00:13:50.140 --> 00:13:52.320 and then in verse 30, "Who he is," okay. 00:13:52.740 --> 00:14:00.480 What he gives, what he promises and who he is, verse 28 he says this, "And I give 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:08.240 them eternal life." Remember he says, "You're not my sheep," verse 27, "But 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:09.120 I have sheep. 00:14:09.160 --> 00:14:10.720 They follow me and this is what I give. 00:14:11.660 --> 00:14:18.830 I give them eternal life." When you think about this phrase, 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:22.950 eternal life, it's important to know eternal life isn't just about a quantity. 00:14:23.740 --> 00:14:25.860 Eternal life is about a quality. 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:28.440 You believe in Jesus. 00:14:28.740 --> 00:14:30.060 Jesus gives you this promise. 00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:32.180 The promise is eternal life in him. 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:39.520 This is life forever in Jesus and it's not just the duration, but it's also a quality that God 00:14:39.520 --> 00:14:43.400 gives you new identity, new meaning, new life. 00:14:43.400 --> 00:14:45.140 He makes all things new in you. 00:14:45.140 --> 00:14:48.040 New position in him because you have been adopted. 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:54.900 We talked about the importance of adoption last week, but you belong to the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Royal priesthood. 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:56.740 That's what God calls you to do. 00:14:56.920 --> 00:15:01.300 You're both priest and you're both a possession of kingship because you belong to him. 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:02.780 Then you're in the Royal family. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:04.560 You can connect to God anytime. 00:15:04.900 --> 00:15:06.100 You can relate to God now. 00:15:06.100 --> 00:15:10.020 God gives you this quantity of life and this quality of life. 00:15:10.020 --> 00:15:10.680 Very important. 00:15:11.040 --> 00:15:18.120 But I know in talking about this, I've had this conversation with people enough as a pastor where we'll say, "Okay, you put your faith in 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:18.580 Jesus. 00:15:18.620 --> 00:15:19.920 You put your trust in Jesus. 00:15:20.400 --> 00:15:22.140 Jesus came to give his life for you. 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:26.680 Jesus paid it all for you that you could know him and enjoy him for all of eternity. 00:15:27.180 --> 00:15:28.770 God made you for relationship. 00:15:29.660 --> 00:15:32.820 God desires to know you to the point that God came to this earth. 00:15:32.880 --> 00:15:38.240 God gave his life for you and he calls you to put your faith in what he has done for you on the cross. 00:15:38.700 --> 00:15:45.700 If you put your trust in Jesus, not religion, not yourself, but in Jesus, Jesus promises you eternal 00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:48.840 life." But even then sometimes we worry, right? 00:15:49.060 --> 00:15:50.700 Jesus says that, but we worry. 00:15:51.300 --> 00:15:52.180 How do I know? 00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:54.940 How do I know I'm not going to lose it? 00:15:55.900 --> 00:15:58.740 How do I know I'm not going to say the one thing that ticks him off and he never comes back? 00:15:58.860 --> 00:16:00.440 I'm good at that sometimes in relationships. 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:03.260 How do I know that I'm not going to ruin this relationship, right? 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:05.120 We sometimes ask that question. 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:11.460 Well, Jesus goes on further and he explains it and he says this, "And they will never perish. 00:16:14.040 --> 00:16:18.930 And no one will snatch them out of my hands." I mean, just think about those two phrases. 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:26.200 "Will never" and "No one." And when the Bible talks about words that are absolute or when the Bible uses 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:28.820 words that are absolute, those are words worth clinging to. 00:16:31.300 --> 00:16:34.840 What Jesus is saying is, "Look, you did nothing to earn your salvation. 00:16:35.860 --> 00:16:36.860 Jesus paid it all. 00:16:38.040 --> 00:16:39.940 And you do nothing to keep your salvation. 00:16:40.900 --> 00:16:41.800 Jesus paid it all. 00:16:43.420 --> 00:16:46.940 No one, no one will snatch them out of my hands. 00:16:46.940 --> 00:16:53.100 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. 00:16:53.400 --> 00:16:55.900 I and the father are one." Here's what Jesus is saying. 00:16:57.920 --> 00:16:59.960 Your eternity is secure. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:04.480 Not based on who you are, but based on who he is. 00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:07.089 Did nothing to earn your salvation. 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:08.440 You do nothing to keep your salvation. 00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:10.630 It's because of who Jesus is. 00:17:11.800 --> 00:17:13.660 Now there's sometimes on the back end of that people get concerned. 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:18.359 "Well, what's going to make a Christian to not walk out of here and just live like hell of Jesus pays for it all? 00:17:20.980 --> 00:17:28.160 The answer to that, the reason we choose to respond the way that we do because we're God's people, it's because of the incredible 00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:35.360 grace that he has demonstrated to us, that you could know God, a 00:17:35.420 --> 00:17:43.940 God would become flesh for you, that God would give his life for you so 00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:47.460 that you could experience both the quality and quantity of what eternal life is. 00:17:49.560 --> 00:17:52.270 There is no one who has ever loved you like Jesus has loved her. 00:17:53.020 --> 00:17:55.600 There is no one who has ever pursued you like Jesus has pursued you. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:59.020 This is the very reason for which you were made. 00:18:00.360 --> 00:18:00.800 Forgot. 00:18:02.760 --> 00:18:03.900 Why not live for that purpose? 00:18:05.620 --> 00:18:11.470 If Jesus went through such an extent for you, why not live for him? 00:18:12.620 --> 00:18:19.190 Our motivation for what we do as Christians, isn't fear that we might lose it, but love because we have it. 00:18:21.080 --> 00:18:26.730 This moment we do what we do for the sake of Christ, because Christ has given everything for us. 00:18:27.760 --> 00:18:35.060 That's beauty in relationship to think that in any relationship that you have in this world, the motivation behind it is not fear, but love. 00:18:36.220 --> 00:18:38.420 That's where healthy relationship thrives. 00:18:38.420 --> 00:18:41.330 And that's why Jesus has paid it all for you. 00:18:42.380 --> 00:18:49.420 That's what God desires for you more than anything this morning is not to know him out of fear, but to know him because 00:18:49.420 --> 00:18:52.740 of who he is in his love and that you would love in response willingly. 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:55.780 That's what this faith is about. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:57.180 Putting your trust in him willingly. 00:18:58.300 --> 00:19:02.000 And then Jesus, in verse 30 gives this the reason all of this is possible. 00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:05.540 How do we know God you can give eternal... 00:19:05.600 --> 00:19:12.910 Or how do we know Jesus, that you can give you eternal life and how do we know that you're not going to allow us to be snatched out of your hand?How's this even possible? 00:19:13.660 --> 00:19:14.340 He says it in John 3. 00:19:15.540 --> 00:19:22.620 "I and the father are one." It's 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:25.000 based on who He is. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:31.790 "I and the father are one." It's based on His identity. 00:19:31.940 --> 00:19:40.200 So let me just say it like this because when you talk about what Jesus is saying here in just a minute, but when you think about what His identity is, the 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:44.290 reason you can have what He promises is because of who He is. 00:19:45.520 --> 00:19:52.540 So when you think about the precarious nature of our faith, like, how do I know when I screw up that Jesus isn't 00:19:52.540 --> 00:19:53.500 going to forsake me? 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:56.360 Great verse to learn, John 19:30. 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:02.940 John 19:30, Jesus says, "It is finished." While He's hanging on the cross. 00:20:03.080 --> 00:20:05.990 "It is finished." And then He defines for us what is finished means. 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:13.480 He says, "Paid In full." And when he talks about paid in full, he's talking about your life, right? 00:20:13.560 --> 00:20:20.260 Whatever it would cost to cover your sins, Jesus has paid it in full. 00:20:20.840 --> 00:20:22.230 That's why you can't be snatched. 00:20:22.320 --> 00:20:30.010 Hebrews 10:10-14, I think I have in our slides as well, but Hebrews 10:10-14, look 00:20:30.010 --> 00:20:30.550 at this passage. 00:20:30.790 --> 00:20:37.790 This is another important passage to know, "By this will, we have been sanctified through the offer of the body 00:20:37.790 --> 00:20:43.880 of Jesus Christ once for all times." So, they're saying when Jesus made this sacrifice for you, it was sufficient forever. 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:52.450 Once for all time, 11, "Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time, the same sacrifices, which can never take 00:20:52.450 --> 00:20:52.790 away sins. 00:20:54.690 --> 00:21:02.010 But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all, all times sat down at the right hand of God, the father." Verse 14, 00:21:02.410 --> 00:21:09.570 "For by one offering, He has perfected for all times, those who are sanctified." So Jesus knows 00:21:09.570 --> 00:21:12.090 you're going to sin, right? 00:21:12.110 --> 00:21:15.790 It says in 1 John 1:8 "If we say we have not sinned, we've deceived ourselves. 00:21:15.810 --> 00:21:19.730 But if we confess our sins, [inaudible 00:21:17] faithful and just to forgive us." God knows you're going to sin. 00:21:21.210 --> 00:21:28.290 But even in knowing that you're going to send Jesus 2000 years ago, went to the cross to pay for all of your past, present, 00:21:28.470 --> 00:21:28.670 future sins. 00:21:30.550 --> 00:21:32.810 One offering for all time, your sin covered. 00:21:32.890 --> 00:21:34.170 That's why you can't be lost. 00:21:35.690 --> 00:21:37.140 That's why no one can snatch you out of his hand. 00:21:37.890 --> 00:21:38.230 All of it. 00:21:38.630 --> 00:21:41.830 Every sin in your life, past, present, and future paid for in Jesus. 00:21:42.910 --> 00:21:44.400 One sacrifice sufficient. 00:21:45.010 --> 00:21:49.470 And it's because of his identity in John 10:30, he said it right. 00:21:50.110 --> 00:21:55.370 "I and the father are one." What's Jesus claiming here? 00:21:56.950 --> 00:22:03.530 "I and the father are one." I want to tell us, when you read this verse, I've heard two interpretations of this verse. 00:22:05.010 --> 00:22:06.790 One is right, and one is wrong. 00:22:07.370 --> 00:22:10.370 And there's really no way to make that difference. 00:22:10.490 --> 00:22:11.870 It's a bit pretentious. 00:22:11.950 --> 00:22:12.190 Isn't it? 00:22:12.210 --> 00:22:17.710 Maybe a slight bit arrogant to say, you've heard two interpretations and one is right, and one is wrong. 00:22:17.830 --> 00:22:23.050 And I will tell you, we just work through this verse just a minute, we'll get to the end of it, and you'll be like, "Oh yeah, he's right. 00:22:23.070 --> 00:22:23.470 One is right. 00:22:23.530 --> 00:22:27.630 One is wrong," because the Jewish people interpret this for us in just a moment and you'll see it. 00:22:28.470 --> 00:22:33.130 But Jesus, in this statement says, "I and the father are one." What did Jesus mean by this statement? 00:22:34.330 --> 00:22:41.410 Some say right interpretation, I'll say, Jesus means that he is God, "I and the father are 00:22:41.410 --> 00:22:43.630 one." Wrong interpretation. 00:22:44.490 --> 00:22:51.350 "I and the father are one in purpose." Now let me just explain why and as we look through this text, okay. 00:22:51.450 --> 00:22:55.750 So why don't I say, what Jesus is claiming here is deity and not just simply one in purpose. 00:22:55.790 --> 00:22:59.210 It's important because we're dealing in this passage with his identity. 00:22:59.390 --> 00:23:02.530 And Jesus wants to clearly articulate this to the people, right? 00:23:03.070 --> 00:23:10.370 They ask the question, "Who are you." And one more time publicly, Jesus has given this declaration, "I and the father are one." Everything that Jesus promises you 00:23:10.370 --> 00:23:13.570 is possible because of who he is. 00:23:14.390 --> 00:23:19.890 If he isn't who he says he is, then the things that he says that we should believe in, you should not believe, right? 00:23:20.130 --> 00:23:27.170 Because he's just nothing more than maybe a powerful man but the type of promises Jesus gives, he could only deliver if 00:23:27.170 --> 00:23:27.650 He is God. 00:23:29.350 --> 00:23:31.340 And so His identity matters to us. 00:23:32.090 --> 00:23:33.530 I and the father are one. 00:23:33.530 --> 00:23:34.910 What is Jesus saying here? 00:23:34.950 --> 00:23:41.970 Well, Jesus is causing the Jewish mind to immediately think of Old Testament declaration about the identity of God. 00:23:42.030 --> 00:23:48.430 In fact, I would say here, probably the most prominent thing that we could consider as Jesus is giving this statement is Deuteronomy 6:4. 00:23:49.250 --> 00:23:51.510 Deuteronomy 6:4 is the Shama of Israel. 00:23:52.470 --> 00:23:58.730 Faithful Jews will quote Deuteronomy 6:4 every morning when they wake up, every night when they go to bed. 00:23:59.110 --> 00:24:01.290 Judaism is monotheistic. 00:24:01.370 --> 00:24:03.750 Meaning they only believe in one God, right? 00:24:03.970 --> 00:24:05.060 It's in the 10 Commandments. 00:24:05.230 --> 00:24:06.470 There is one God, right? 00:24:06.790 --> 00:24:08.310 It's written throughout scripture. 00:24:08.310 --> 00:24:09.510 The Bible gives that declaration. 00:24:10.230 --> 00:24:17.550 There is only one God, Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:6-8, James 2:19, 00:24:17.550 --> 00:24:21.130 Deuteronomy 4:35, Deuteronomy 6:4-5. 00:24:21.190 --> 00:24:21.970 And it goes on and on. 00:24:21.970 --> 00:24:25.090 The Bible over and over says, "There is only one God," that is it. 00:24:25.810 --> 00:24:33.630 And if you read Deuteronomy 6:4, it says this, "Hero, Israel, the Lord is one and 00:24:33.650 --> 00:24:37.170 you shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. 00:24:39.670 --> 00:24:46.810 The Lord, your God is one." Meaning there is only one god, Elohim 00:24:46.810 --> 00:24:47.630 is one. 00:24:47.670 --> 00:24:48.050 That's what it says. 00:24:51.790 --> 00:24:59.170 Jesus in noting the Shama of Israel takes his name with the father and gives the same statement, "I 00:24:59.170 --> 00:25:06.190 and the father are one." Because Israel sees this as a declaration to the identity of God, 00:25:06.830 --> 00:25:12.450 Jesus, by giving the statement is giving himself a declaration in the identity as being God. 00:25:12.710 --> 00:25:16.870 Jesus is saying, "I am 100% God. 00:25:17.810 --> 00:25:19.050 I and the father are one. 00:25:19.290 --> 00:25:22.980 I know this is Trinitarian teaching, Trinitarian teaching for... 00:25:23.110 --> 00:25:30.210 We look at that sometimes like our eyes go cross and we perplex in our brain, our brains in knots to try to just figure out what Jesus is saying in 00:25:30.210 --> 00:25:32.450 the statement like, what is Trinitarian teaching? 00:25:32.710 --> 00:25:39.770 Trinitarian, when you think about the theology of Christianity is the most difficult theology in all of Christianity, I think and it's because 00:25:39.770 --> 00:25:43.090 it's the theology that dives deeper into the nature of God than anything else. 00:25:44.470 --> 00:25:45.970 I and the father are one. 00:25:48.710 --> 00:25:53.350 And Jesus is giving that declaration towards Trinitarian teaching that Jesus has gotten... 00:25:53.350 --> 00:25:53.950 The father has gotten... 00:25:54.030 --> 00:26:01.190 Trinitarian teaching is simplistic in its statement, and its comprehension fully is very difficult 00:26:01.190 --> 00:26:04.650 because there's nothing that can fully relate to the identity of God. 00:26:04.750 --> 00:26:07.730 Nothing in this world can fully compare it to the identity of God. 00:26:07.830 --> 00:26:11.730 We look at it today and we think, "Okay, there's Jesus, there's the father, there's the spirit. 00:26:11.830 --> 00:26:14.490 One plus one plus one equals three, right? 00:26:14.830 --> 00:26:15.550 So simple. 00:26:15.610 --> 00:26:21.550 So Christianity worship three Gods and we say, "No." Bible plainly declares there's only one God. 00:26:22.370 --> 00:26:23.950 There is only one God. 00:26:23.950 --> 00:26:30.430 All three persons call themselves God and they're equal to each other and distinct from one another. 00:26:30.870 --> 00:26:32.130 That's Trinitarian teaching. 00:26:32.650 --> 00:26:37.270 There's one God, all three persons call themselves God and they're equal and distinct. 00:26:37.290 --> 00:26:38.410 That's what we say. 00:26:38.810 --> 00:26:40.930 That's Trinitarian teaching in it's understanding. 00:26:41.010 --> 00:26:49.610 The best way to think about it is like this, rather than one plus one plus one, it's one times one times one, meaning 00:26:49.610 --> 00:26:51.430 Jesus is 100% God. 00:26:53.370 --> 00:26:56.210 The father, his nature's 100% God. 00:26:57.130 --> 00:26:57.890 And so is the spirit. 00:26:57.930 --> 00:27:05.170 That's why in Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus tells his disciples, "Go to all the world and make disciples and baptize in the name of the father and 00:27:05.170 --> 00:27:10.480 the son and the holy spirit," because they carry equality in worship. 00:27:10.850 --> 00:27:10.950 Right? 00:27:11.210 --> 00:27:13.000 They're distinct, but they're equal. 00:27:13.110 --> 00:27:18.910 And so when we're baptized and we're honoring or worshiping in the name of the father, son, holy spirit, one times, one times one. 00:27:19.230 --> 00:27:22.350 Now the best way maybe if I gave the illustration, is that like this. 00:27:23.790 --> 00:27:28.930 Picture in your mind a taco, we all like tacos, right? 00:27:29.230 --> 00:27:30.510 I hope. 00:27:30.550 --> 00:27:35.450 Unless you don't eat meats, I guess, picture a vegetarian taco. 00:27:35.450 --> 00:27:38.830 I don't know how to help you all there, but picture a taco. 00:27:38.830 --> 00:27:39.010 Right? 00:27:39.010 --> 00:27:43.030 And you had the privilege this morning of making the taco however you want. 00:27:43.030 --> 00:27:43.630 And I don't know. 00:27:43.730 --> 00:27:47.950 Maybe you're like me, but I like sour cream on my taco, but I have a particular way with my sour cream. 00:27:48.730 --> 00:27:51.710 I can't just have a glob of sour cream in one section of my taco. 00:27:52.290 --> 00:27:59.350 It must go through all sections of my taco equally because when I take a bite, I don't just want to just savor the one section with 00:27:59.390 --> 00:27:59.590 sour cream. 00:27:59.790 --> 00:28:02.340 I want to savor every section of sour cream. 00:28:02.530 --> 00:28:06.990 But suppose I take my taco and I cut it into sections and I eat my taco. 00:28:08.590 --> 00:28:09.250 That's a delicious taco. 00:28:10.750 --> 00:28:14.570 It's 100% taco every bite, right? 00:28:14.710 --> 00:28:20.360 And I go onto the next section and it's 100% taco in every bite until I get to the end. 00:28:20.390 --> 00:28:24.670 And I have experienced the joy of 100% taco in every bite. 00:28:25.650 --> 00:28:29.190 And this is what it is to understand the nature of God and father, son, and spirit. 00:28:31.110 --> 00:28:34.130 The father is 100% God. 00:28:34.610 --> 00:28:35.830 Jesus is 100% God. 00:28:36.770 --> 00:28:39.450 The spirit is 100% God. 00:28:41.090 --> 00:28:42.090 All of them, 100% God. 00:28:42.310 --> 00:28:49.370 Now I'll tell you that illustration breaks down in saying, when you cut a taco three ways, it doesn't work that 00:28:49.370 --> 00:28:49.930 way with God. 00:28:49.970 --> 00:28:53.070 It's not one third, God, one third, God, one third, God. 00:28:53.130 --> 00:28:55.450 It's all 100% God. 00:28:56.790 --> 00:28:58.480 And Jesus is giving this declaration. 00:28:58.750 --> 00:28:59.810 That's the right declaration. 00:29:00.390 --> 00:29:01.090 I and the father are one. 00:29:01.110 --> 00:29:01.740 How do I know that? 00:29:01.850 --> 00:29:03.180 Well, let me move on quickly here. 00:29:04.150 --> 00:29:09.050 Jesus, His statement Is defined for us, right? 00:29:09.350 --> 00:29:11.810 How do I know that Jesus doesn't just simple mean one in purpose? 00:29:12.030 --> 00:29:14.370 How do I know Jesus has given a declaration to God? 00:29:14.370 --> 00:29:16.470 Well, Deuteronomy 6:4 the Shama. 00:29:16.570 --> 00:29:17.210 He always go, "Lord. 00:29:17.250 --> 00:29:20.250 your God is one." Jesus is saying, "I am one," in this passage. 00:29:20.590 --> 00:29:20.730 Right? 00:29:21.390 --> 00:29:23.090 But how do I know it's not one in purpose? 00:29:23.170 --> 00:29:25.970 Well, two problems with that interpretation. 00:29:25.970 --> 00:29:29.630 One is that Jesus doesn't say one in purpose, right? 00:29:29.950 --> 00:29:36.850 He clearly says, "I and the father are one." He doesn't say, "I and the father are one in purpose." If Jesus was saying, "I and the father are one in purpose," here's what would have happened. 00:29:37.350 --> 00:29:39.750 The Jews would have been like, "Wait, wait, wait, wait. 00:29:40.070 --> 00:29:42.970 You're trying to accomplish the same thing that we're trying to accomplish. 00:29:42.990 --> 00:29:45.090 Like you want to fulfill God's plan in this world. 00:29:45.090 --> 00:29:46.010 The father's plan in this world. 00:29:46.250 --> 00:29:48.690 We want to fulfill the father's plan in this world. 00:29:48.770 --> 00:29:49.640 Hey, you know what we should do. 00:29:49.870 --> 00:29:52.530 Let's all get together, hold hands and sing Lean On Me." Right? 00:29:52.570 --> 00:29:54.330 Or some little bit of kumbaya or something. 00:29:54.510 --> 00:29:55.430 That's what the Jesus would've said. 00:29:55.530 --> 00:29:56.350 "Hey guys, guess what? 00:29:56.350 --> 00:29:57.730 We thought Jesus was against us. 00:29:57.790 --> 00:29:59.320 But Jesus is on the same team. 00:29:59.410 --> 00:30:00.510 We're all one in purpose. 00:30:00.550 --> 00:30:02.630 Let's gather together and just hug this out." Right? 00:30:02.630 --> 00:30:03.990 That's what they would've said about Jesus. 00:30:04.230 --> 00:30:06.440 But that's not what they said because that's not what Jesus meant. 00:30:06.530 --> 00:30:07.250 And they understood it. 00:30:07.890 --> 00:30:13.990 They understood it because when you read in verse 31 look what it goes on to say, the Jews interpret the statement for you and they interpret it correctly. 00:30:14.990 --> 00:30:22.390 It says, "The Jews picked up stones again to stone him." Now, if Jesus just means one in purpose, why in the world would 00:30:22.390 --> 00:30:25.550 you pick up stones and stone me?" We're on the same team guys." Right? 00:30:26.190 --> 00:30:27.770 Jesus asked that question. 00:30:27.770 --> 00:30:31.510 Verse 32, Jesus replied to them, "I showed you many good works from the father. 00:30:31.530 --> 00:30:38.570 For which of these are you stoning me?" Hey guys, if we're all just one in purpose, why are you 00:30:38.570 --> 00:30:39.570 stoning me? 00:30:39.630 --> 00:30:39.970 Right? 00:30:39.990 --> 00:30:44.020 Like, I mean, Jesus asked the question, "Why are you picking up stones?" And then they gave the answer. 00:30:44.210 --> 00:30:51.390 Verse 33, Jews answered him, "We're not stoning you for a good work, 00:30:52.050 --> 00:30:59.050 but for blasphemy because you, being a man, make 00:30:59.050 --> 00:31:07.410 yourself out to be God." They understood exactly what Jesus was saying or 00:31:07.410 --> 00:31:08.730 monotheistic Jesus. 00:31:08.750 --> 00:31:09.620 I don't know if you know that. 00:31:09.750 --> 00:31:14.130 We only believe in one God and you're calling yourself that God. 00:31:14.570 --> 00:31:16.080 So there's only one of two options here. 00:31:16.270 --> 00:31:17.530 It's true or you're committing blasphemy. 00:31:19.310 --> 00:31:24.410 And Jews understood if someone committed blasphemy to this degree, the immediate punishment was to stone. 00:31:26.850 --> 00:31:30.150 And so their desire in this moment was to kill Jesus. 00:31:33.750 --> 00:31:40.790 They didn't want to accept what Jesus was saying, but Jesus, in verse 34, he encourages 00:31:40.790 --> 00:31:45.810 them one final time before really he leaves this public spotlight. 00:31:48.430 --> 00:31:52.210 Jesus encourages them, verse 34, to consider what he said and what he did. 00:31:53.890 --> 00:31:58.650 It says and Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your law? 00:31:59.690 --> 00:32:01.270 I said you are Gods. 00:32:02.290 --> 00:32:09.350 If he called them Gods to whom the word of God came and the scripture cannot be nullified, are you saying of him whom the father is sanctified 00:32:09.350 --> 00:32:16.470 and sent to the world, you are blasphemy because I said, 'I am the son of God.' If I do not do the works 00:32:16.490 --> 00:32:18.470 of my father, do not believe me. 00:32:19.490 --> 00:32:26.750 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works that you may know and understand that the father is in me and I am 00:32:26.750 --> 00:32:28.630 the father." Let me explain this. 00:32:28.910 --> 00:32:31.250 Well, this is interesting what Jesus does here. 00:32:32.450 --> 00:32:39.470 Jesus is saying, "Look, you want to know how to believe me is one, listen to the words I've said, 00:32:39.870 --> 00:32:41.250 but don't just listen to the words I've said. 00:32:41.290 --> 00:32:42.120 Look at what I've done. 00:32:43.110 --> 00:32:43.530 Here's my identity. 00:32:43.830 --> 00:32:45.130 Look at what I've said and what I've done. 00:32:46.290 --> 00:32:48.010 And that's, guys, that's how you examine it. 00:32:48.010 --> 00:32:48.890 What I've said, what I've done. 00:32:48.890 --> 00:32:51.490 We've examined this together for 10 chapters now. 00:32:51.490 --> 00:32:54.650 What I've said, what I have done. 00:32:55.110 --> 00:32:58.650 But Jesus says something interesting here when he talks about what He says and what He's done. 00:32:59.210 --> 00:33:00.130 He calls them God. 00:33:00.410 --> 00:33:00.970 Did you see that? 00:33:02.230 --> 00:33:03.430 Has it not been written in your law? 00:33:03.490 --> 00:33:04.300 I said you heard God's. 00:33:04.510 --> 00:33:08.390 [inaudible 00:33:05] That's crazy because I just spent all this time talking about there's only one God. 00:33:08.830 --> 00:33:15.330 And now all of a sudden he's like and your God and that completely contradicts everything I just told you, does it not? 00:33:15.650 --> 00:33:22.810 Like how in the world do we just call in a monotheistic religion Jesus, God and now all of a sudden now Jesus is 00:33:22.890 --> 00:33:23.610 calling them Gods? 00:33:24.210 --> 00:33:25.430 How does this work? 00:33:25.970 --> 00:33:26.540 So this is what I say. 00:33:26.590 --> 00:33:29.370 Jesus makes two very head-turning things, statements, right? 00:33:29.570 --> 00:33:30.470 I and the father are one. 00:33:30.470 --> 00:33:35.650 That's a complex statement to work through together, but you can have the interpretation, verse 31 and 33. 00:33:35.650 --> 00:33:38.970 And now in verse 34, Jesus was now calling other people God. 00:33:39.010 --> 00:33:39.890 So how do you deal with this? 00:33:39.890 --> 00:33:46.950 Well, Jesus is actually quoting from a Psalm and what's important to understand about this term, 00:33:47.170 --> 00:33:54.250 Gods is this is actually, this specific term Gods is the Hebrew word Elohim and the Hebrew word 00:33:54.250 --> 00:33:57.490 Elohim can refer to God. 00:33:58.050 --> 00:34:00.370 Israel, the Lord, your God is one. 00:34:00.750 --> 00:34:05.530 So it says, the Lord is Elohim is one. 00:34:05.530 --> 00:34:09.070 It could refer to the Lord that we know as God. 00:34:09.370 --> 00:34:11.710 It could refer to false Gods, Elohims, right? 00:34:12.510 --> 00:34:15.730 Or, it can even refer to rulers and judges. 00:34:16.370 --> 00:34:23.590 I mean, this was a generic name for anyone that had any position of authority in life and I 00:34:23.590 --> 00:34:30.610 think Jesus has giving this play on words here to mock the situation a little bit or poke at the situation a little bit, but 00:34:30.610 --> 00:34:33.770 also identifying the judgment of these people. 00:34:34.190 --> 00:34:37.310 So He's saying, "Look, you guys think you're better than me, you God's," right. 00:34:37.370 --> 00:34:41.929 I think He's kind of saying that here, but more importantly, He's saying, "Look, you can judge for yourself. 00:34:43.070 --> 00:34:48.210 I want you to judge for yourself what I'm saying and look at what I've done as well as what I've said. 00:34:49.250 --> 00:34:50.409 You think you're the judge? 00:34:50.690 --> 00:34:57.790 Well consider this." And the reason I would say that Jesus is saying, or teaching that we can become Gods or Jesus 00:34:57.790 --> 00:35:03.410 and we're all a bunch of Gods is because he's quoting from Ps 82:6 and look at this. 00:35:03.670 --> 00:35:10.790 Ps 82:6, "When Jesus was saying this, he said, 'I said, you are Gods and all of you are sons of the most high.'" 00:35:11.990 --> 00:35:19.090 If you look at this entire Psalm and it's context, Ps 82, Jesus is talking to rulers that are judging 00:35:19.090 --> 00:35:19.710 unjustly. 00:35:21.710 --> 00:35:24.740 He's talking to authorities in this world that are judging unjustly. 00:35:25.690 --> 00:35:27.030 He's not talking to people that are Gods. 00:35:27.230 --> 00:35:29.870 He's not talking to Gods or anything like that. 00:35:30.770 --> 00:35:37.810 But he's acknowledging, "Look, you are, judges or Gods and all of you are sons of the most high..." Meaning, you're in a position to represent God of this world 00:35:37.810 --> 00:35:38.450 because you have authority. 00:35:39.670 --> 00:35:42.610 But rather than doing that the right way, look what it says in verse seven. 00:35:43.370 --> 00:35:48.690 "Nevertheless, you'll die like men," acknowledging these aren't deities. 00:35:48.710 --> 00:35:52.370 These are people and they're going to die like people. 00:35:53.010 --> 00:35:58.470 And the reason they're going to die like people is because God's going to put them under judgment for not living in their position correctly. 00:35:59.670 --> 00:36:01.610 They're not using their authority to bless people. 00:36:01.650 --> 00:36:03.010 They're using their authority to hurt people. 00:36:04.350 --> 00:36:09.630 And so God is going to judge them and they're going to die like men to be reminded that that's what they are. 00:36:11.230 --> 00:36:14.270 "Who are you, thinking you're high and mighty?" That's the point of Psalm 82. 00:36:14.870 --> 00:36:18.910 "Don't you understand that there is a God over all of this and this God will judge you here? 00:36:18.910 --> 00:36:24.130 You are sitting in a place of a judge and you're not using this position to bless others, but to hurt others. 00:36:25.730 --> 00:36:32.870 Therefore, I'm going to judge you and you're going to die like men, because that's what you are." And that's what Jesus is quoting 00:36:32.870 --> 00:36:35.840 in John 10, because I think Jesus is saying the same thing. 00:36:37.930 --> 00:36:38.630 You're judges? 00:36:40.090 --> 00:36:41.970 You see yourself in this position of authority. 00:36:41.970 --> 00:36:42.980 You have the scriptures. 00:36:44.190 --> 00:36:50.090 Well, you need to judge what I'm saying in both word and deed, because if you judge incorrectly, you'll die in your sin. 00:36:52.310 --> 00:36:57.390 Who I am matters." And that's the declaration Jesus has giving to this people. 00:36:57.790 --> 00:37:04.870 He's proven it, both word and deed, water into wine in chapter two, healing a noble man's son in 00:37:04.870 --> 00:37:08.190 chapter four, healing a lame man in chapter five. 00:37:08.910 --> 00:37:10.450 He's walking on water. 00:37:10.450 --> 00:37:12.370 He's feeding 5,000 in chapter six. 00:37:12.680 --> 00:37:16.650 He's declared himself the light of the world, the living water in chapter seven and eight. 00:37:16.650 --> 00:37:20.050 And he's healing a blind man that couldn't see. 00:37:20.050 --> 00:37:23.110 And now he can see, and he's going to the, next chapter, raise the dead. 00:37:25.630 --> 00:37:35.030 The point is, both his word and his deed gave this declaration to his identity and we 00:37:35.030 --> 00:37:39.170 started in the beginning, just listing all the things that religions in this world say about Jesus. 00:37:41.510 --> 00:37:46.910 But out of all the religions in the world, how many of its founders claimed to be God? 00:37:50.850 --> 00:37:51.350 One. 00:37:51.610 --> 00:37:51.890 One. 00:37:53.690 --> 00:37:59.990 Of all of the major religions in this world, only one claim to be God, which means really only one thing about Jesus. 00:38:00.910 --> 00:38:06.740 Either he is the devil himself or he is who he claimed to be. 00:38:08.850 --> 00:38:10.450 The choices we have with Christ. 00:38:10.470 --> 00:38:18.100 And it says in verse 39, "Therefore they were seeking again to arrest him. 00:38:19.130 --> 00:38:21.330 And he alluded their grasp. 00:38:24.750 --> 00:38:25.390 They didn't believe. 00:38:29.310 --> 00:38:35.990 They didn't embrace him because their time has passed. 00:38:36.130 --> 00:38:41.410 I think for us, the more important question is, do you believe what Jesus said? 00:38:44.050 --> 00:38:45.750 Who do you believe Jesus is? 00:38:48.910 --> 00:38:49.330 Who is Jesus? 00:38:51.950 --> 00:38:59.690 And Jesus escapes this moment and it's an important lesson for us because it's saying to us, "No 00:38:59.690 --> 00:39:01.150 one really takes Jesus's life. 00:39:03.310 --> 00:39:10.330 Jesus decides when Jesus will lay down his life." And when he went to the cross, Jesus, didn't go to the cross 00:39:10.330 --> 00:39:11.290 kicking and screaming. 00:39:11.290 --> 00:39:17.300 He went with his arms wide open, embracing the nails for you and for me. 00:39:19.610 --> 00:39:25.690 When you look at a story like this, it's a little more heady theologically, in this final declaration that Jesus gives. 00:39:25.710 --> 00:39:26.650 A little more heady theologically. 00:39:27.230 --> 00:39:32.910 And so we could very easily drift off in this kind of teaching Jesus has provided. 00:39:33.270 --> 00:39:34.770 Sometimes we don't like to think this way. 00:39:34.910 --> 00:39:40.110 We look at Jesus and we think, this is great, Nathaniel, but men are, right now... 00:39:41.130 --> 00:39:42.930 my workplace is falling apart. 00:39:43.530 --> 00:39:45.070 My marriage is struggling. 00:39:45.090 --> 00:39:48.810 My kids, my family, things are just not going well. 00:39:48.810 --> 00:39:56.050 I mean, right now, it's fine that we want to talk about the theology of Jesus, but I need to know how God 00:39:56.050 --> 00:39:58.010 intervenes in something like that. 00:39:58.330 --> 00:40:02.790 Why does this matter towards that situation in my life that we're facing? 00:40:02.870 --> 00:40:02.970 Right? 00:40:04.270 --> 00:40:08.670 And I would say that this lesson matters tremendously. 00:40:11.710 --> 00:40:18.990 Because if Jesus isn't who he says he is, then all of these stories that we've read are simply just great stories from 00:40:18.990 --> 00:40:19.610 a great guy. 00:40:22.690 --> 00:40:30.070 But if he is who he says he is, the promise for us then is that these stories continue to happen 00:40:30.090 --> 00:40:31.730 in the miracle of knowing Jesus. 00:40:34.930 --> 00:40:43.050 His authority matters tremendously in everything we're reading about him in these pages, because 00:40:43.050 --> 00:40:49.970 the same God you're reading about here, would be the same God who's living and active today. 00:40:52.050 --> 00:40:59.370 The same miracle-working God that transforms the life of people in the first century is the same miracle-working God 00:40:59.370 --> 00:41:02.030 that transforms lives today. 00:41:04.030 --> 00:41:11.610 And so who he is matters because of who he is true, than who he is still changes 00:41:11.610 --> 00:41:13.310 you and me, even in these moments. 00:41:15.710 --> 00:41:22.870 Understanding his identity is the miracle because that's where life is found. 00:41:24.830 --> 00:41:32.450 You may not be able to solve ultimately, or just right now in this moment, you may not be able to solve the complexity of some relationship 00:41:32.610 --> 00:41:38.400 that you're facing, but you can walk with the God who can. 00:41:40.290 --> 00:41:40.930 That's why this matters. 00:41:43.210 --> 00:41:50.370 And so in verse 40 to verse 42, "And he went away again beyond the Jordan, to the place where John was first baptized 00:41:50.370 --> 00:41:51.510 and he stayed there. 00:41:51.990 --> 00:41:59.030 Many came to him and were saying while John performed, [inaudible 00:41:55] everything John said about this man was true and many 00:41:59.030 --> 00:42:00.330 believed in him there. 00:42:02.310 --> 00:42:09.730 And guys, when I think about the importance of the ending of this chapter and many of us come from different 00:42:09.730 --> 00:42:19.450 places in different points to this passage and we may not have put our faith in Jesus, but 00:42:19.530 --> 00:42:26.750 to look at this passage and understand how important it is to put your faith in Jesus, that's what Jesus 00:42:26.750 --> 00:42:27.470 wants you to know. 00:42:27.490 --> 00:42:29.130 Unless you believe that I forgive your sin. 00:42:29.430 --> 00:42:35.370 But if you see the significance of who he is, that he can only save you because he's God. 00:42:36.670 --> 00:42:44.170 But because he's God this is beautiful because he pursued you and he gave his life for you and he said it is finished, eternal life, quality and quantity, 00:42:44.170 --> 00:42:49.770 yours and no one can ever snatch that because he is the great I am, He is the one, I and the father are one. 00:42:51.050 --> 00:42:56.910 If you would put your faith in him and for us as a church, I wanted to read the end of the story. 00:42:57.010 --> 00:43:04.110 I think this is so important to see that if he is the same God today as he records himself in this passage of scripture, the very last verse as has many 00:43:04.110 --> 00:43:04.910 believe is his name. 00:43:06.190 --> 00:43:07.150 Many believed in his name. 00:43:08.710 --> 00:43:16.210 And I think for us at this valley, like we need to live with that same heart of understanding with conviction, the deepness of who Jesus is 00:43:18.130 --> 00:43:25.510 because this same God in this story is the same God who works today and lives can be transformed in our valley if we would just embrace 00:43:25.510 --> 00:43:29.130 with deep understanding, conviction, the identity of this God that can transform life. 00:43:29.630 --> 00:43:34.970 And we share that with passion, knowing the goodness of this God that has pursued people, he has pursued you. 00:43:35.150 --> 00:43:42.330 And he can come into this world and make a difference that you would know him and let him live through your life, if we could see him as that same life-giving, 00:43:43.570 --> 00:43:50.770 life-transforming God, I think many in this valley could believe 00:43:50.770 --> 00:43:52.040 in him. 00:43:53.410 --> 00:43:54.600 Unless you didn't [inaudible 00:43:54] this story. 00:43:55.870 --> 00:44:03.330 This past week, I hope this doesn't surprise anybody that knew Pat and Larry Thomas, but Larry Thomas passed 00:44:03.330 --> 00:44:08.030 away Thursday night and Pat and Larry... 00:44:08.310 --> 00:44:10.790 Pat passed away about April of last year. 00:44:10.790 --> 00:44:17.790 And Larry passed away this year, but probably no one has made more of a difference to see Alpine Bible Church exist than Pat and Larry 00:44:17.790 --> 00:44:18.130 Thomas. 00:44:23.430 --> 00:44:28.850 I met Pat and Larry 18 years ago, finishing up my degree in theology. 00:44:30.610 --> 00:44:32.850 I had no intention of ever living in Utah. 00:44:32.930 --> 00:44:34.190 I didn't even really know anything about Utah. 00:44:35.470 --> 00:44:37.150 I came out to Utah just to see the Rocky Mountains. 00:44:38.790 --> 00:44:45.790 And when I came out to see the Rockies, I met Pat and Larry Thomas and Pat and Larry said to me, "We 00:44:45.790 --> 00:44:50.410 have been praying." Larry came to the Lord about in his late fifties, early sixties. 00:44:52.110 --> 00:44:59.950 And Larry and Pat said to me, "We have been praying for someone to come to Lehi and start a church." And 00:44:59.970 --> 00:45:06.630 they said to me, "If you come back here and you start a church, we will be the first people here to see that it happens. 00:45:08.630 --> 00:45:11.870 And a few years later came back and we started Alpine Bible Church. 00:45:12.770 --> 00:45:14.890 First people in the church, Pat and Larry Thomas. 00:45:16.590 --> 00:45:19.670 Jesus, radically transformed Larry's life. 00:45:20.670 --> 00:45:22.090 Larry would even tell you, when we bought this building. 00:45:22.470 --> 00:45:27.650 There was a little bit of trepidation for him coming here, because Larry used to visit this building before it was a church. 00:45:29.070 --> 00:45:32.710 If you know anything about this building, the six to eight year old room was where the beer cooler was kept. 00:45:33.570 --> 00:45:36.230 And the backroom where the nursery is where the pool section was. 00:45:36.410 --> 00:45:39.330 And before that it was where people could get their haircut while they came to the bar. 00:45:39.570 --> 00:45:44.460 You guys on this side are sitting near the bar and Larry would come here and he would grab a beer and go get his hair cut. 00:45:44.630 --> 00:45:44.730 Right? 00:45:46.330 --> 00:45:47.550 And God changed his life. 00:45:50.050 --> 00:45:55.250 And Thursday, I thought I had a little bit more time with Larry, but I happened to stop in for a visit. 00:45:55.450 --> 00:46:02.810 And I just said to Larry, "Larry, you're not doing good physically, but how are you spiritually?" And 00:46:02.810 --> 00:46:05.550 he'd just lost his wife and he's struggling. 00:46:08.010 --> 00:46:16.130 But he says to me, "But I will never say anything bad about my God." Larry 00:46:16.130 --> 00:46:21.910 in his time of need has found his whole trusting in the goodness of this Jesus. 00:46:24.070 --> 00:46:31.450 And with anticipation in these moments, he's still, he had a hope in his suffering and 00:46:31.450 --> 00:46:33.170 guys that is so vital for your life. 00:46:34.310 --> 00:46:41.410 You may look at a passage like this today and think, I mean, "This is good, but I don't really need it." But rest assured in your life, you're going to get to a place where you're 00:46:41.410 --> 00:46:48.530 going to have wished you've come to John 10 and you really took time to get to know this Jesus, because this Jesus 00:46:48.530 --> 00:46:55.670 has come for you and this Jesus can transform you and the reason he does it is because he's 00:46:55.670 --> 00:46:57.210 God and he loves you.