The Oneness of Father and Son

Order of Service

• Hymn — Hallelujah, Thine the Glory
• Call to Worship — Psalm 47
• Hymn — Hallelujah, Thine the Glory
• Prayer of Invocation
• Apostles' Creed
• Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 34:11–24
• Hymn — He Leadeth Me
• Pastoral Prayer
• Offering
• Prayer of Dedication
• Hymn — Children of the Heavenly Father
• Sermon
• Hymn — How Deep the Father's Love for Us
• Benediction

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Sermon Title: The Oneness of Father and Son

Scripture: John 10:22–42

I. The Son's Works Are the Father's Works

A. Jesus appeals to his works as testimony from the Father about who he is (John 10:37–38)

B. The healed blind man of John 9 illustrates the proper reception of Jesus's miraculous works

1. Before saving faith, he correctly assessed Jesus's works as a demonstration of divine power (John 9:32)
2. This proper assessment prepared him to believe when Christ came to him

C. The words and works of Christ are a package deal — there is no "half-Christ" option

1. Beginning in the 19th century, many Mainline churches accepted Christ's teaching while rejecting his miracles
2. J. Gresham Machen in Christianity and Liberalism: "Without the miracles we should have a teacher; with the miracles we have a Savior"
3. The miracles are the Father Yahweh visiting his Sheepfold with the power necessary to save dead souls from sin (Matthew 1:21)

II. The Son's People Are the Father's People

A. The sheep belong equally to the Son and to the Father (John 10:26–30)

1. The sheep hear the Son's voice because the Father gave them to the Son
2. No one can snatch them from the Son's hand; no one can snatch them from the Father's hand

B. Salvation is monergistic — God the Father goes all the way through the Son to his sheep

1. The sheep persevere because both Father and Son by their power will not allow the evil one to snatch them
2. Eternal life is a grace-gift decreed by the Father and given through the Son

C. The intercession of Christ guarantees the security of the sheep even in failure

1. Luke 22:31–32: Jesus prays for Peter before Peter's threefold denial, showing Christ intercedes for tomorrow's failures today
2. Philip Melanchthon's experience: "Old Adam is too strong for young Philip" — the believer's security rests not in personal strength but in the strong Shepherd

III. The Son Is God as the Father Is God

A. Jesus's declaration "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) echoes the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4, causing the Jews to take up stones for blasphemy

B. Jesus responds by arguing from the lesser to the greater, quoting Psalm 82:6

1. Three interpretations of "you are gods" in Psalm 82: corrupt judges, angelic powers, or Israel at Sinai receiving the law
2. Most likely interpretation (favored by the rabbis): Israel as God's corporate son (Exodus 4), who received the law and failed to uphold it
3. Argument: if Israel can be called God's son, how much more is the one consecrated and sent by the Father the Son of God

C. The word consecrated (Greek: the same root as "dedication") links Jesus's claim directly to the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah)

1. Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple in 167 BC; the Maccabean Revolt led to its rededication
2. Jesus is the true and greater Temple — the place where Yahweh now dwells (Colossians 1:19; John 10:38)
3. The blasphemer is not Jesus but those who reject the consecrated Son who tabernacles among us

D. Application: To misuse the name of Jesus Christ is to blaspheme Yahweh, the Covenant God of Israel — honor the name of Christ in word and conduct