Safe in the Hands of Jesus: An Unshakeable Promise

Safe in the Hands of Jesus: An Unshakeable Promise

Have you ever felt the weight of doubt pressing against your faith? Have you wondered if your salvation is truly secure, or if somehow you could lose what God has given you? These questions have troubled believers throughout history, and the answers found in John chapter 10 offer profound comfort and unshakeable assurance.
The Question That Demands an Answer
Picture the scene: Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication, a celebration commemorating the restoration of the temple and the triumph of light over darkness. Religious leaders surround Jesus on Solomon's porch, demanding clarity: "How long will you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Their request sounds reasonable enough. They want a straightforward answer. But here's the uncomfortable truth—they didn't really want to know. They had already predetermined their response. Sometimes we ask questions not because we're genuinely seeking answers, but because we're hoping for a different answer than the one we already know.

Jesus responds with piercing honesty: "I told you, and you do not believe me." He had already revealed His identity through His words and His works. He had turned water into wine, healed the sick, fed thousands, walked on water, and given sight to the blind. The evidence was overwhelming, yet they remained unconvinced.

This reveals a profound spiritual principle: unbelief isn't always about a lack of evidence. Sometimes it's about a lack of belonging.
The Nature of True Belonging
Jesus makes a startling declaration: "You do not believe because you are not my sheep." This isn't about exclusion—it's about spiritual reality. Those who belong to Christ have been given something miraculous: spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear.

Consider this: a black cow eats green grass and produces white milk. We can't fully explain it, but we still enjoy the benefit. Electricity travels through wires in ways most of us don't understand, yet we plug in our devices with confidence. A fax machine can transmit organized letters across the country, and they arrive in the exact same order. The mechanism mystifies us, but the result is undeniable.

Similarly, we may not fully comprehend how God takes a heart blackened by sin, dips it in the blood of Jesus Christ, and brings it out whiter than snow—but countless believers experience this transforming reality every day.
The Security of the Shepherd's Grip
The heart of this passage contains one of the most comforting promises in all of Scripture. Jesus declares: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand."

But the promise doesn't stop there. Jesus adds: "My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand."

Think about this remarkable image: believers are held in Jesus' hand, and the Father's hand surrounds them both. This is double security—divine insurance that cannot fail. As long as God remains on His throne, as long as He never grows weak or weary, as long as He never takes a vacation or falls asleep on the job, believers remain secure.

And here's the beautiful truth: God never gets sick. He never grows tired. He never slumbers or sleeps. He never leaves His throne up for a popular vote. Satan never catches Him off guard or finds Him in a weak moment.

If our salvation depended on our ability to hold onto God, we would all be lost. Our grip is weak, our faith wavers, our resolve crumbles. But salvation doesn't depend on our grip—it depends on His. And His grip is unbreakable.
The Gift That Cannot Be Earned
Eternal life is described as a gift. This simple word carries enormous implications. If something must be earned, it's not truly a gift. If something can be lost, it's not truly a gift—it has strings and stipulations attached.

Jesus said, "I give them eternal life." This cannot be earned through good works, religious observance, or moral achievement. It cannot be purchased with money or secured through sacrifice. It must simply be received by faith, like a child receiving a present.
The question becomes: Can we become childlike enough to simply receive what God offers?
When Doubt Creeps In
Here's an important distinction: doubt is different from unbelief. Doubt is a normal human emotion that believers experience. It's part of the human journey.

Even John the Baptist, whom Jesus called the greatest man ever born of woman, experienced doubt. While imprisoned, John sent messengers to ask Jesus, "Are you the one we're looking for, or should we expect someone else?" This was the same John who had baptized Jesus, who saw the Holy Spirit descend like a dove, who heard the Father's audible voice, who boldly proclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

Yet in prison, facing uncertainty and perhaps death, John doubted.
Jesus didn't rebuke him. He didn't scold him or declare him faithless. Instead, He affirmed John's greatness and sent back evidence of His messianic work.

If John the Baptist experienced doubt, shouldn't we expect moments when our own faith feels shaky? When trials come, when personal failures sting, when the weight of sin feels heavy, doubts may surface. But those doubts don't change the reality of God's grip on us.
Our security isn't about our grip on Him—it's about His grip on us.
The Response of a Hostile World
The religious leaders responded to Jesus' claims with hostility. They picked up stones to kill Him. This shouldn't surprise us. The natural response of the human heart apart from grace is hostility toward Jesus.

Today, the vast majority of the world holds open hostility toward Christ. But this doesn't mean we give up. It doesn't mean we stop inviting people to experience His love. It doesn't mean we cease sharing the good news.
Because here's how this passage ends: "And many believed in Him there."

Despite the rejection, despite the hostility, despite the stones being gathered—many believed. Many will believe. But they need someone willing to pay the price of rejection, mockery, and even persecution to share the message.
The Invitation Remains Open
The invitation still stands today: "Whosoever will may come." There's no barrier too great, no sin too dark, no past too broken. The Shepherd is calling, and His hand is extended.

For those already secure in His grip, the mission is clear: invite others. Care for others. Share the message that has the power to snatch souls from darkness and place them safely in the hands of Jesus.

Because once there, nothing—absolutely nothing—can remove them.
That's not just a promise. That's the unshakeable guarantee of the God who never lets go.