Gospels (36) - John 10:22-42 & Luke 13:21-30

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: Gospels

Rusty's Notes

John 10
JESUS AT THE FESTIVAL OF DEDICATION
22 Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter.

• One of the seven festivals that Matt talked about on Labor Day Weekend
• This is actually Hanukkah which starts next Tuesday, December 12 and lasts 8 days.
• It was never mentioned in the Old Testament but obviously is here in the New Testament and Jesus observed this celebration.
• It was a celebration that actually occurred between the testaments.
• Greeks defeated the Persians (Alexander the Great)
• In 167 B.C. a Greek ruler by the name of Antiochus Epiphanies set up an altar to Zeus over the altar of burnt offerings in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. He also sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple in Jerusalem. This event is known as the abomination of desolation.
• A year later, The Maccabees came in and defeated Anctiochus Ephiphanies and cleansed the temple.
• This rededication of Jewish faith and the temple is this Festival of Dedication. (Hanukkah)

23 Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s Colonnade

• Pictures
• All sides
• Probably protected by weather. (avg low in Dec is 43 degrees)

24 The Jews surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 “I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them.

• Jesus is basically saying, “I am always going to keep you in suspense because you simply choose not to believe.”
• You’ve dug in and chosen a side.
• How many times do I have tell you?
• You will always have two choices… Spirit or Flesh.
• You come to me… I am going to tell you the same thing every time.
• You come to me to get approval of your flesh
• You want to tell me your story and justification
• I’ve got one answer… follow the Spirit.

“The works that I do in my Father’s name testify about me. 26 But you don’t believe because you are not of my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.

• You have to know the Father to know His voice.
• Can you be distracted? Absolutely.

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.

• There is no question about salvation here… it is about living life here on earth.

29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

• Security of the believer.
• We can know 100% that we have salvation.
• Your works will prove that.

 
RENEWED EFFORTS TO STONE JESUS
31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone him.
32 Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these works are you stoning me?”

• Jesus has done 3 Messianic miracles:
• 1) Healed a Jewish Leper
• 2) Cast a demon out of mute
• 3) Healed a man blind since birth

33 “We aren’t stoning you for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because you—being a man—make yourself God.”

• Jewish law required those guilty of blasphemy (saying they were God) would be killed.

34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods? (Psalm 82:6 – men who have been given positions of Jewish leadership – delegated power… represented as small “g” gods) 35 If he called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— (talking about the judges and the prophets) 36 do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?

• Your judges had delegated authority
• But Jesus and His Father are one… not delegated authority

37 If I am not doing my Father’s works, don’t believe me. 38 But if I am doing them and you don’t believe me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I in the Father.”

• It was simply a matter of examining the evidence honestly and being willing to accept the truth.[1]

39 Then they were trying again to seize him, but he eluded their grasp.
 
MANY BEYOND THE JORDAN BELIEVE IN JESUS
40 So he departed again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there.

• Perea - 10-15 miles east of Jerusalem.
• The Pharisees (Jews) would not follow Him there.
• Sanhedrin had no authority in this region
• Herod Antipas had authority here.

41 Many came to him and said, “John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.[2]

• Geographically thinned out the crowds.

 
Luke 13
THE NARROW WAY
22 He went through one town and village after another, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem.

• This is Jesus’ last trip to Jerusalem.

23 “Lord,” someone asked him, “are only a few people going to be saved?”

• Jesus’s public ministry is coming to an end… and someone asks Him why He has so few followers.

He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able

• The broad way is Law (Mishnah)
• The narrow way is Grace. (Rest in your works)
• “Make every effort” – Strive (Believe & Know)
• John 6:29 - 29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”
• John 17:3 - 3 This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ.
• I strive to forget what I have been incorrectly taught.

25 once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door. Then you will stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up for us!’ He will answer you, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’ 26 Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you’re from. Get away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown out. 29 They will come from east and west, from north and south, to share the banquet in the kingdom of God.

• In a statement that would have shocked His hearers, Jesus alludes to non-Jews coming from all over the world to join the banquet in God’s kingdom[3]

30 Note this: Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

• You don’t always have to be right.
• It’s OK to let others go before you

It’s OK to say, “I am wrong.”

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 333). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jn 10:22–42). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Lk 13:29). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.