22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said 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 bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[a] 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 have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 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 am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
Personal Reflection and Discussion
This passage talks a lot about believing or not believing. “God desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim 2:4)
- Why do you think some people believe and others don’t? (See also Jn 4:39-42; Jn 4:46-53; Jn 20:30-31)
- Does John 10:28-29 teach “eternally secure” / “once saved, always saved”? (See also Lk 8:5-15)
- Why is it important that Jesus continues to remind people that He and the Father are one?
- Could the use of the word “snatch” be prophetic or used later as a recollection in relationship to John 18? Thoughts?
Prayer
Dear Jesus, you came to demonstrate to all that you are the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through you. Please help me in my unbelief. Let my life be a living testament to your work in me. Amen.
Greek Word of the Day
English Word: snatch | Transliterated Word: har-pad-zo
To seize — carry away, catch up, plunder, snatch (away, out); take by force, to rob
Family Engagement Activity
Have the family write down ways that they have shown love to you and that you have shown love to them. This will help give you a sense of how they best understand the action steps of love AND get you to understand how they typically feel love. Note that this list will change as they get older. As they become old enough to be married and have kids, they will start to better understand the parts that you hoped they might mention now.
AND/OR
Play a game called “Honey If You Love Me Will You Please Please Smile”. One person will be ”it” and you will have to try to get your family to love you after you say the name of the game to them. Try to be silly with it, use props. You can even tickle them if that’s the kind of family you are!
AND/OR
Have each person in your family do crazy acts of kindness for the other members of the family for 5 minutes each. Do this until every one has loved everyone else for a crazy five minute time period. Things that can be done are cleaning something they would love cleaned, making them a card that tells them how much you love them and why, writing a coupon that says “good for one ice cream date,” write a post about how much you love that person, etc.
Going Activities To Consider
Plan a random day of kindness for someone you love in which you show them signs of the love you have for them, and try to include all 5 love languages. Consider taking this quiz to find out how you best receive love or how others best receive love. https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/