In The Word
Read: John 10:22-42
Jesus Asserts His Deity
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 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.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
The Jews wanted to know for sure if Yahshua was the Christ (the Anointed one sent from God). The fact that they were in suspense shows that they were hoping He was the one. They almost believed that He was the Christ. Yahshua, tells them, “I have already told you, and My works speak for themselves that I am the Christ.” However, He let them know that only those that believed would know His voice and follow Him. He also let them know that to “almost” believe would not cut it. To those who do believe and follow Him, as the good Shepherd, He would take care of them, and the enemy would not be able to steal them from Him. The crowd turns from suspense and hope, to anger and hate. However, the ones that looked back at what John the Baptist said, realized this was the Christ and believed.
Many in the world today are in suspense when hearing about Yahshua, hoping that He is the Christ sent from God to save them. However, without fully believing in Him, they can never follow Him. Those of us who do believe, are following. By the power of God, found through faith in the good Shepherd, we have the confidence of protection from the enemy. To those that are not quite there yet, we must point them to the scriptures and share about the works of God done in our lives. When we do, many will move from almost believing, to hearing and following by the Spirit, to the glory of our Father and our Savior.