Has there ever been a time after you accepted Jesus as your Savior, when you wondered if you were truly saved? Perhaps you knew you had accepted Jesus, but then did something wrong, and felt that you were no longer saved, that maybe you had “lost” your salvation? You hear what you think to be your conscience speaking to you, telling you that you are no longer a Christian. There is good news in today’s Scripture passage for you. Once we are in God’s Hand, no one can snatch us out! Let’s take a look at what God has to teach us from His Word.
As our reading begins, we see that it is winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication (vs. 22). This was the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Hanukkah celebrated the victory of the Jewish people over the Syrian leader Antiochus Epiphanes in 164 BC, and their rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. Antiochus had severely oppressed the Jews, killing many, and also fouly desecrating the Temple, including setting up an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs on God’s altar.
Seeing Jesus in Jerusalem for the holiday, some of the Jewish leaders confronted Him, asking Him to tell them plainly whether He was the Messiah or not (vs. 23-24). Some of these people may have genuinely wanted clarification and understanding of Jesus’ sayings, but most of these leaders just wanted Jesus to proclaim openly that He was the Messiah so they could justify attacking Him, as later was shown in verses 31-39.
Jesus didn’t fall into their trap, nor did He get into a big argument with them. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice and what He says (vs. 25 - 27). They hear and understand His words and message. Those religious leaders didn’t comprehend what Jesus taught because they were not His sheep. Not everyone will be saved. Jesus clearly stated here that those Jewish religious leaders He was talking to right then were not His sheep. Not everyone who claims to be religious are really his sheep (followers of Jesus). We may witness to them, but God’s Words fall on deaf ears.
In verse 30, Jesus proclaims His unity of nature and equality with God. We can either believe Him, or else acknowledge He is a lunatic. Anyone who proclaims they are truly God either is God or is crazy, a candidate for a mental hospital. Jesus cannot be just a “good teacher”. Not with the claims He made. Will you acknowledge Him as the only begotten Son of God?
Jesus also taught that His sheep, those who truly follow Him, are safe in His hand, and no one can snatch them out of His protective grasp (vs. 27 - 29). It is the shepherd’s job to keep the sheep safe, not the sheep’s job. The security of the sheep rests with Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd, and He has the power to keep all of us believers safe. No one is able to steal from God what is His. He is in sovereign control of all things. This is a strong passage showing the absolute eternal security of all true believers.
When we take hold of a child’s hand to cross a busy street, it is our grip on their hand which keeps them safe, not theirs. God has us in His hand, and nothing can take us out of there. We are doubly safe - we have Jesus holding on with His hand in verse 28, and God the Father holding us in His hand in verse 29, both holding tight on to us!
Just as a shepherd protects the sheep from wolves and other predators, Jesus protects His followers from eternal harm. We may suffer while here on earth, but Satan cannot harm our souls or take away our eternal life with God. Satan may whisper to us that we are lost, especially after we might slip up. Whose voice are we going to listen to? Jesus or the devil? Remember, Satan is a liar, as Jesus clearly said in John 8:44. Keep filling our hearts with God’s Word. Jesus knows us and loves us. We can trust Him.
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