March 14 Listen, Receive, Keep

John 10:25-30 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
 
JESUS responds to the ruling Jews’ angry, exasperated words of John 10:24 “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” The Son of God then replies, “But I did tell you.” He has told them with his miraculous work. And he has taught repeatedly he is of the Father, doing only as his Father in heaven directs him. The Jews cannot understand he is the Christ – the prophesied Messiah. They are not as the Samaritans in John 4:42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” Why not?
   They do not understand the Good Shepherd because they have refused to be in his flock. Their self-centered lives have led them away from the sheep pen – from God’s covenant promise of a benevolent Father – Family relationship. Here’s a sample from Leviticus 26:12 “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people…14 But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands…17 I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.” 
   Read all of Leviticus 26, and you will see God’s extraordinary promises of peace and plenty to his people if they would live in his teachings. You will also see God’s profound penalties on their sins. He says that if Israel will set their face toward him (desire to know and obey him) and become his faithful children, they will know the Lord’s generous provisions. If, however, they turn their face – their desire for God – away from him, he will turn from them. He will send them out of his relational sheepfold.
   God’s Word is true. He will do as he says. The Old Testament describes Israel’s disobedience and God’s punishment. But then Jesus came to recall the lost sheep home. The Spirit of God must turn the Jews’ deaf ears to hear the Son. Only then will they believe Jesus is the Christ.
   Are you in the sheepfold? Praise God! Celebrate Jesus’ blessed assurance: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
   Believe and know you are his forever. His gift of faith that you call Jesus, “Savior.” Is an eternal gift.
   This is the great miracle of salvation. Your face – your attention, love, heart, desire – turns toward the Savior. You listen to the Christ. You receive the Christ. You keep Christ in your life forevermore.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for your teachings, miracles and sacrifice. I turn my face toward you to acknowledge you are the Christ of my life. Amen.