I and the Father are One          John 10:22-42

How well do you know, or did you know, your dad? We have just come back from New Zealand. My dad studied and lived in Dunedin when he was in his late teens/early twenties. It put me in the picture a little bit more as to what he experienced as a young man. I discussed a few of the places we had been to and he filled me in on a bit of his history. I have a good dad.

Jesus spoke about His dad – whom He simply called the Father. He said those who know the Father are like sheep. They hear His voice and they follow Him.

The sheep hear His voice; they follow His voice. Why? Because they know him. I don’t know how much you trust your father. I heard of a father who called his son into the entrance of a cave. The young son was up the top and had to jump down before they could continue on together. The boy was quite young standing at the top. He couldn’t see his father, but he could hear him. His dad simply said, “jump and I’ll catch you.” He had been thrown in air and caught safely by his dad many times. In that situation, no-one else would jump, but at the request and knowledge of his dad’s voice, the boy simply jumped. He landed safely in his dad’s arms and they continued on together.

As we celebrate Father’s Day, I wonder how much we know and celebrate our heavenly Father. The disciples wanted to know God the Father and asked Jesus if it were possible. Philip asked at one point, “show us the father.” (John 14:8) Jesus said, “Philip have I been with you so long that you ask ‘show us the father?’ Anyone who has seen me, has seen the father.” Many still doubted and here it says, “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.”” (John 10:25…)

Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” The Jews then picked up stones to stone Him. Why? For blasphemy. They said, “you make yourself equal with God.” Jesus said, but if I do the works of the Father – then what is the problem? He then told them plainly that he is the Son of God. (verse 36) Jesus shows us the Father. What is God like? Look at Jesus. What does the Father do – look at what Jesus did.

God the Father, like the Son, is a God of giving and sacrifice. Jesus is the ultimate gift from the Father. The most famous verse: “For God the Father so loved the world that He gave his only Son…,” tells of sacrifice from the Father. (John 3:16)

What is the greatest gift you can give your children? I think in our generation, we have lost sight of this. We give the best of education – which is very noble. We give them protection and safety from things that would harm or hurt - fair enough. We give them love, affection and encouragement which gives them a stable character and emotional balance to handle society and to progress in the world and the challenges that present themselves.

But what is the one thing that is needful? What is the most important thing you can give to your children – those of us who are fathers?

Surely the greatest thing our children have are their souls. The greatest gift for our children is showing them who the heavenly father is. The best thing I could give our boys is to introduce them to Christ. A formal education does not save your soul. Sport and training, while they attain to some measure of earthly glory, will never make them known by the Father: heavenly glory. Offering our children financial stability and security will never make them inheritors of heaven.

While in Napier in New Zealand, we heard what looked to be husband and wife street preaching. I offered up a prayer for them and thanked God because of their faithfulness. There was a child with them and I thought: that child is seeing something far more important than the seven wonders of the world or the history of empires on display. That earthly father was showing his boy the heavenly Father and that eternal life was the most important thing. He was making him a son of the eternal kingdom. He was training him to hear the voice of God.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and I give them eternal life.” (verses 27, 28) He said they will never perish. They won’t be taken out of His hand. Whose voice is most prominent in your life?

You know we trust our earthly dads, even with our lives; we readily jump into their arms. What about our heavenly Father? My question is, how well do you know and trust Him? You only have to look at Jesus. Can I encourage you to do that? Study the life of Jesus. He shows the perfect example of the Father.

Jesus, the One who calls His sheep, offers Himself up. He is the true Shepherd; like those shepherds in the Middle East, He lays down His life.

The poor sheep don’t know they have a problem; sheep have a tendency to wander. This is sin. We wander away from God, but He is calling you back this morning. Why keep going in the direction that you know is not right?

What better day than Father’s Day to come to the Father through the Son? Let’s do that now.

He laid down His life, but he had the power and authority to pick it up again, after dying on the cross. 3 days later he rose from the grave, defeating sin and death. He secured eternal life and prepares a place for us.

Does the Father have a place for you? Surely, He does, if you finally submit your life to Him. You have nothing but pride to lose and eternal life to gain.

Follow the Father, through the Son, this morning. We thank God for our earthly fathers, but they can’t save our souls.  Turn to Christ now. Jesus said, “"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”” (John 11:25, 26) Why would anyone choose death? - this is absurd. Worse than folly; it is insanity when Christ is offering you eternal life through Him.

In John 17, the Lord Jesus praying to the Father for us, said this, “O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:24-26)

Your heavenly Father is calling you to know Him this morning!