Moments to Ponder

Episode 134: Contemplating Beliefs and Truths (John 10:22-42)

• Betsy Marvin • Season 15 • Episode 134

Share episode

Thought to share? Send me a text...

Have you ever wondered if there is a connection between Jesus and the Jewish festival of Hanukkah? Join me on Moments to Ponder, as I share my personal journey of discovery, including warm memories from my college years spent with a Jewish family who introduced me to the vibrant traditions of Hanukkah. We'll explore how this festival is intricately linked to Jesus, as depicted in the Gospel of John, and reflect on the compelling conversations he had with those questioning his identity as the Messiah. This episode invites you to contemplate your own beliefs and consider what might be holding you back from embracing certain truths.

As we navigate through these biblical narratives, we'll consider how grounding our faith in Jesus can bring peace amidst the chaos of modern life, offering love and assurance that we are safe in his hands.

To read my blog, find out more about me, or to book a speaking engagement, head to
https://betsymarvin.com/

For access to past podcasts and transcripts, head to
https://betsymarvin.com/podcasts/

You can follow me on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/betsyjmarvin/
and Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/betsy.marvin.98

Speaker 1:

Hi friends, welcome to Moments to Ponder. This is a podcast designed to help you spend a few moments in God's Word, gain fresh perspectives and find a meaningful takeaway to ponder throughout your week. I'm Betsy Marvin and this is episode 134. When I was in college, I cleaned houses, and in one case that cleaning led to babysitting the kids of that family and then into being their nanny. It was a great Jewish family that opened their lives to me. Once I was married, my husband and I would stay with the three kids when the parents went on vacation. It was so much fun. One of the blessings was attending the bar mitzvahs for the boys. Another was learning all about Hanukkah. Hanukkah is eight days long and is celebrated in December. I remember thinking eight days, that is a sweet holiday. They would sing as they lit candles in their menorah Now, a menorah holds eight candles and each night they would light one more candle as they sang songs about Judah Maccabee. Have you ever heard of them? I hadn't either, until spending time with this family, so I did a little research.

Speaker 1:

Way back when Antiochus Epiphanes was king of Greece, he attacked Jerusalem. He killed hundreds and horribly defiled their temple. He made it illegal to practice the customs and tradition of the Jewish religion. In 165 BC, the Maccabee family led by Judah up and they led a rebellion to retake the temple and win back their religious rights. And they won. From what I understand, to purify the temple for their use, they needed to light the temple menorah with special oil that was made by the high priest. Yet as they searched the temple, they only found one remaining sealed bottle of oil, and it only held enough for one day. In hope, they lit the menorah and miraculously it remained lit for eight days while more oil was made ready.

Speaker 1:

Hanukkah, the festival of dedication, is the celebration of those eight days and the rededication of the temple. Why share all of this? Because Jesus celebrated Hanukkah. I love that. To me, this makes him a little bit more relatable. He enjoyed celebrations with his family and friends For eight days. He lit the candles and sang the songs, and it's where we find Jesus, as we pick up at verse 22 in chapter 10 of John. It was now winter and Jesus was in Jerusalem.

Speaker 1:

At the time of Hanukkah, the festival of dedication, he was in the temple, walking through the section known as Solomon's Colonnade. The people surrounded him and asked how long are you going to keep us in suspense. If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. Jesus replied I have already told you and you don't believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father's name. But you don't believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish.

Speaker 1:

Once again, the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said At my father's direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me? They replied we're stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy. You, a mere man, claim to be God. Jesus replied it is written in your own scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people I say you are gods and you know that the scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God's message were called gods, god's message were called God's little g. By the way, why do you call it blasphemy when I say I am the son of God? After all, the father set me apart and sent me into the world? Don't believe me unless I carry out my father's work, but if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don't believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.

Speaker 1:

Once again, they tried to arrest him but he got away and left them. He went beyond the Jordan River, near the place where John was first baptizing, and stayed there a while, and many followed him. John didn't perform miraculous signs. They remarked to one another. But everything he said about this man has come true and many who were there believed in Jesus.

Speaker 1:

First, let's address the people's words. If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly After all that Jesus has said and done. I'm amazed at this. I feel like he has told them and shown them over and over again, but I do realize he hasn't said the actual words. I am the Messiah. So let's take a look. What has Jesus proclaimed so far in John?

Speaker 1:

In John 3, he said I am the one who came from heaven. Whoever believes on me has eternal life. In John 5, he said I am the unique Son of God. I will judge all humanity. All should honor me, just as they honor God, the Father. The Hebrew scriptures all speak of me. In John 6, he said I am the bread of life. And in John 7, I perfectly reveal God, the Father. Then John 8, I always please God and never sin. I am uniquely sent from God. Before Abraham was, I am. I am the light of the world. And in John 9, I am the son of man prophesied by Daniel. And in John 10, I will raise myself from the dead. I am the gate, I am the good shepherd.

Speaker 1:

I'm not sure what else he can say to help them understand who he is, but I think it shows us that the problem wasn't proof or words. They were simply unwilling to believe in him. Have you ever been unwilling to believe something? It doesn't really matter what has been said or shown to you. You've just decided what you believe, and that's that Like. Maybe you believe the earth is flat or the earth is round, maybe it's that we've been to the moon or that we haven't been to the moon. Maybe you struggle to believe you belong, or maybe it's a struggle to believe you are loved. There are some things that are hard for us to believe. But then there's that step we take when we're unwilling to believe something, no matter what's shown to us. And that's where these people are, even with all the miracles and teaching. It is just hard for some of them to take this step, for probably a variety of reasons.

Speaker 1:

Jesus is saying something incredible. He returns the language he used before and he says my sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. No one can stash them away from me. Jesus is saying something so huge that when we follow him, we are given eternal life, that we will never our soul will never die, and no one can take that from us. I mean Jesus is so clear. I mean Jesus is so clear.

Speaker 1:

How can he promise such a thing? Because in verse 29, he says For my Father has given them to me, meaning his sheep, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand. The Father and I are one. The Father and I are one, the power and the authority of God in Jesus. He's showing us the oneness of God here and in the authority of God, jesus' sheep, his followers, are spiritually safe. This is a promise. As followers of Jesus, nothing and no one can take us from him. Just as a shepherd protects his sheep, the Father protects us. Yes, bad things will happen Hurts, accidents, illnesses. Jesus isn't saying we won't experience the world around us. He is saying that our hearts are safe with him, our souls are in his care, granted life, and in his goodness he protects our eternity. This is a majorly big statement and it's one that we can hold on to. The people asked him to speak plainly and then, when he does, they pick up stones and Jesus is forced to leave.

Speaker 1:

He goes beyond the Jordan to a place called Perea. Matthew, mark and Luke all write of Jesus's time spent in this area. There's parables and teaching, blessing of children and a call to discipleship. Many in this area will come to believe in Jesus, unlike those in Jerusalem. And as we come to the close of chapter 10, we end the first half of this gospel. And as we come to the close of chapter 10, we end the first half of this gospel. The book will now turn as we learn of a significant event that will accelerate the threat on Jesus' life.

Speaker 1:

John has used different cycles to help us see the signs he wanted to highlight in this witness account. So let's review them a second. In the first few chapters of John, we saw the cycle of Cana beginning with a sign at the wedding, turning water into wine. Then he clears the temple and, coming back to Cana, he heals the official's son. The second cycle is the festival cycle, which we're just finishing. There was the unnamed festival that Jesus was in Jerusalem attending and at that point he healed the blind man at the pool. Sorry, he healed the lame man at the pool. Then there's Passover and he feeds 5,000. Then there's the Feast of Tabernacle, where he heals the man born blind, and now this last feast, the feast of dedication. This is how John chooses to share his witness and in reading the other accounts we learn of so many other miracles and teachings and signs. Yet John has maintained his own way of sharing. He has spent the first 10 chapters covering three years of Jesus' ministry. He has spent the first 10 chapters covering three years of Jesus' ministry and he will spend the rest of the book focusing in on just one week. He's leading us towards something and it will begin in chapter 11.

Speaker 1:

Dear one, what's making you anxious today? What are you struggling with? There are so many things our world wants us to believe, from creation to politics, to theology. It can make our heads spin with all that comes at us. The only thing Jesus asks us to do is believe in him. This doesn't mean we won't care about the things happening in our world, but it does mean that our foundation, our belief, our deepest stand is in Jesus. His words are true. Do you believe them? His words are true. Do you believe them? He tells us that we're safe in his hand. He tells us that we can know his voice. He tells us that God is more powerful than anything else and nothing can take us from him. Jesus said it and I believe it. Do you, when we choose to place our faith in him. Trust builds, peace comes, love grows. May you rest in the knowledge that there is no better place to be than in his hand. I encourage you to take him at his word and trust your shepherd. You are loved, amen.