John 10:22–42 - Cameron Jungels -Sunday AM, September 7, 2014

“Blindness and Belief” (John 10:22–42)

^{Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday AM/September 7, 2014}

 

John 10:22–42 (NIV)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. ²⁴ The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, ³² but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’? ³⁵ If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? ³⁷ Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. ³⁸ 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 in the Father.” ³⁹ Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And in that place many believed in Jesus.

 

There is plenty of evidence to show that Jesus is the Son of God, but those who are blind to the truth will never see enough evidence to believe.

 

No matter how useful evidence and proof is, it’s not ultimately about proof. It is ultimately about the state of the heart—the hardness of unbelief or the tenderness of belief.

 

Unbelief is not ultimately mental and intellectual—due to a lack of knowledge.

 

Unbelief is spiritual and moral—rooted in rebellion against God.

 

The difference between belief and unbelief is not the abundance of evidence, intelligence, goodness of character, family history, or the ability of the person sharing the gospel.

 

The difference between belief and unbelief is grace-given regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

 

“Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

 

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12–13, NIV)