“It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem 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. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”      John 10:22-30

Fast forward several months and Jesus and His disciples are back at the temple. Its Hanukkah, so lots of people at the temple to celebrate. When they see Jesus they begin to surround Him, probably hoping to see a miracle. In the midst of all of this, they ask Jesus, “how long will you keep us in suspense– if you are indeed our Messiah, please tell us plainly” (vs 24)! Jesus replies, “I’ve been telling you and if you belonged to Me-if you’re listening and hearing Me-if indeed, you are My sheep, you’ll hear my voice and will follow Me (vss 26-27)! (Note how John in his old age is linking what Jesus says here with what He’d said months before about being the Good Shepherd (vs 11 & 14)).

Here however, Jesus says some of the most profound things about being His sheep:
1st, He says–“they (His sheep) hear My voice and follow Me”. Amazingly, shepherds of Palestine would often allow their sheep to graze together or pen them together, and would simply call their sheep to separate them and the sheep would follow their own shepherd! Whose voice do you hear?

2nd Jesus promises to “give them eternal life, and they will never perish.(vs 28)”.

3rd Jesus promises, “No one can snatch them away from Me.” We have immense safety in Jesus’ “sheep fold”. He’s all powerful and says here that NOTHING can snatch us from Him!

4th Jesus adds, “my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand” (vs 29)! As if being safe in Jesus’ hand were not enough, Jesus says here that He and us are in the Father’s hand, doublely safegauarded!

Jesus ends by reaffirming that He and the Father are One (vs 30). One in Nature, One in mission, One in love for humanity! Jesus’ love and care for His sheep is reflective of the Father’s, Who gave Him the task if redeeming mankind!

Whose voice do you follow? Whose desires do yours reflect? Eternal safety and satisfaction are found in the care of Jesus our Lord!

Think about it!