“IF YOU ARE THE MESSIAH”

The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 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” (John 10:24-29, NRSV).

“IF YOU ARE THE MESSIAH”

“How long do you intend, Jesus, to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Messiah, why do you not tell us plainly?”
        “I’ve told you, yet you don’t believe, despite the evidence.
        The works done in my Father’s name have testified quite plainly
        to me, and yet you don’t believe, because you don’t belong to
my sheep. I know them and they follow me, but you don’t long to.
        I give my sheep eternal life and they will never perish.
        No one can snatch out of my hand my own sheep that I cherish.”
                So what if he had said outright that he was the Messiah?
                Would we be more inclined to say, “Jesus is the Messiah!”?
                For even if he'd said he was, it’s still our faith decision.
                And now as in his own time there would bound to be division.
                To our world as to his he’d say, “My works bear testimony 
that I am who I said I was.” Yes, Jesus was no phony!