Sermon for 05/11/25
Written by Pastor John Eich
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Alma, MI
John 10:22–30
22Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon's Colonnade. 24So the Jews gathered around Jesus, asking, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered them, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I am doing in my Father's name testify about me. 26But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep, as I said to you. 27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30I and the Father are one.”
Trust is essential in life. Every day, we place our trust in people, systems, and routines—whether driving a car, following medical advice, or even sitting on a chair. Yet the book, "The Day America Told the Truth" (1991 Prentis Hall) says that 91 percent of those surveyed lie routinely about matters they consider trivial, and 36 percent lie about important matters; 86 percent lie regularly to parents, 75 percent to friends, 73 percent to siblings, and 69 percent to spouses.
Every brand claims to offer the best value for your money. Ever buy the advertised brand of paper plates only to throw half of them away un-used because they were so flimsy, crumbling as soon as you placed so much as a scoop of potato salad on them?
But even if you have the cash to buy the best of everything, how do you know what is the best? How can we trust anything anyone says? We want proof don’t we? Like kids in a school yard we shout “PROVE IT!”
That was the basis of the question that the people asked Jesus. John tells us, the crowds gather around Jesus as he walks in Solomon’s porch. “Stop talking in riddles and parables,” they complain. “If you are Messiah, just tell us!” It’s a challenge of authenticity, a call to prove that what he was saying was trustworthy. Tell us plainly.
Haven’t there been times when you prayed that prayer? Just tell me plainly what I need to know, Jesus. Show me clearly who you are. Sure the name Jesus means “Savior” but did that Babe of Bethlehem live up to the hype? Help me make the right decision. Make your will for me crystal clear. Give me a sign. Send me an email, a text, a tweet, something! We know his promises in Scripture, but sometimes, perhaps more often than we care to admit, don’t we wonder if they are true? Don’t we wish for some word, some sign that all those promises are trustworthy?
Yet, hasn’t Jesus already proven himself, many times? Yes. But the people didn’t pay attention. Even though His miracles proved what He was saying, they weren’t satisfied.
It’s like the person who complains that they didn’t know about some event, some decision that was made. There have been announcements in the bulletin, in the newsletter, on the bulletin board, the television in the narthex, from the pulpit. Yet, they grumble about a lack of communication. We want proof God will keep his word before we step out of the boat although He has given us that proof throughout Scripture and in our own lives. We just don’t always pay attention.
Jesus is calling his followers into something completely different, something more. Jesus is calling his followers into a life-changing, intimate relationship. Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”
Why would we follow Jesus? He made some pretty wild claims, didn’t he? “Believe in me and you will live forever.” “The Father and I are one.” “I will die and on the third day rise again.” Or in the Twenty-third psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd I lack nothing.” Those are pretty wild claims. Almost unbelievable. So why do we believe them?
Because Jesus, our Good Shepherd, proved he is trustworthy.
Jesus promised that on the third day he would rise from the dead. If Christ is not risen our faith is futile. Or preaching is useless. But Christ has risen! He has risen indeed. Every religious leader there ever was has claimed their teachings were true. Mohammed, Confucius, Zoroaster, Mary Baker Eddy, Buddha, Krishna, Rhonda Byrne, all claimed to teach the truth. But none of them proved it by rising from the dead. Only Jesus proved what he said was trustworthy and true by doing something no one else could do. The historical, provable fact of Jesus’ resurrection is God’s stamp of acceptance and approval of all that Jesus has said and done.
That’s why we follow him.
That’s why the resurrection of Jesus is so central to our faith. Everything hinges on Jesus proving that what he said was true by rising from the dead. We know our sins and our need for a Savior. We know that our sin brings hell on us. But Jesus came to be our Shepherd, to lay down his life for us. That’s what we need him to do, and that’s what he did for us. As our Good Shepherd, he laid down his life for his sheep and took it up again. The resurrection proves that God’s anger against sin has been appeased. It proves that the payment for sin – death- has been paid.
So with our eyes on the resurrected Lord, we hear his voice and trust what he says.
He is with us at every moment and in every place. We are never alone, never separated from him because He fills all creation. His resurrection and ascension proves it.
He is King—He is powerful, nothing is beyond His powerful reach, nothing is outside of His sovereign rule. He wields that power for the sake of His church, those who believe in Him. His resurrection proves it.
He is our Good Shepherd who supplies us. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Why do we pray that? Because proved it by his miracles that provided what people need. Why do we still believe it? Because He proved His promises by rising from the dead.
He is the Forgiver of all our sins. He is the sacrifice that made peace with God. He is the all sufficient payment for the sins of the world. Your guilt has been washed away. He proved his promise to forgive us by…His resurrection.
Jesus makes one more promise in our text: “No one will snatch them out of my hand.” Allstate insurance adopted the “You’re in good hands with Allstate” slogan in 1950 and has used it ever since. As advertising slogans go, “in good hands” is a memorable one. It suggests strength, support, stability, skill, guidance, protection, and above all, personal involvement. We use our hands to touch. Touch is personal and comforting, as we all know from countless handshakes, gentle caresses, and sympathetic pats on-the-back.
Imagine the many circumstances in which you would welcome such words as “you’re in good hands.” When dropping the children off for their first day of school, we’re glad to hear, “Oh, don’t worry. Your children are in good hands.” When considering major surgery: “Don’t worry. Doctor Jones is a skilled surgeon. You’re in good hands. Relax.” When stepping onto a commercial airliner, investing hard-earned retirement funds, purchasing a house, or following a military commander onto a battlefield, who would not welcome the knowledge that, “You’re in good hands?”
There are no better hands to be in than the nailed scarred hands of a God who loved you so much that He hung on a cross suffering and dying when He had the power to save himself.
When you are in God’s hands, He is always leading you. Jesus said in verse 27, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” I can think of no greater, more reassuring reality for our personal lives and troubling daily headlines than the reality: “Jesus is always leading me. My hand is in the hand of Jesus.” How does the old song go by Loretta Lynn? “Put your hand in the hand of the Man who stilled the waters. Put your hand in the hand of the Man who calmed the sea.”
Can you remember holding your parents’ hand as a child? Can you remember clasping your own child’s hand—teaching him to walk, leading her across busy streets, holding on to him in crowded airports, or helping her up when she fell? How do those memories make you feel? Aren’t they filled with feelings of love, support, protection and gratitude?
We are eternally safe in God’s hands. This lesson is so important for us to remember that Jesus taught it twice in consecutive verses. Verse 22: “no one can snatch them out of My hand;” and in verse 23: “no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
When I was a boy, I used to play a game with my dad in which he would clench his fist tightly and I would try to open it. I would use one hand, then two hands. Then I would try to wiggle my fingers between his fingers, targeting his big thumb or little finger, looking for any indication of weakness; all while grunting and giggling and using my legs to gain leverage. But nothing worked. He was too strong.
The same hands too strong for me to open were also the hands strong enough to go on providing for me and protecting me. With those strong hands of his, my dad disciplined me when I did wrong and hugged me to show he still loved me. I was blessed to have him. For in him I had a brief glimpse of what it means to have a ‘Father’ in heaven.
Is there anything more encouraging or heartening than the knowledge that ‘nothing can snatch you out of God’s almighty hand?’ Nothing can interfere with His love and purposes for your life or the inheritance that He has freely given you or the eternal life waiting for you. Nothing can come between you and God. Not terrorist bombings or destructive weather. Not petty dictators making nuclear threats. Not your own self inflicted folly. Not even death itself. Nothing can change God glorious plan for your life because you are in God’s hands; and as Jesus said, “no one can snatch them out of My hand;” and “no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
That’s a promise from the risen, trustworthy Good Hands-God.