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The gospel's reference to the unity of Son and Father (v. 30) provides wonderful assurance. Early African theologian Calus Marius Victorinus compared the unity of Father and Son to the power to act (Father) and the action of God (Son) (Fathers of the Church, Vol. 69, pp. 132, 159, 173-174, 224). And now as none of us would doubt the Father's good will toward us, so the Son's unity with the Father ensures that those good intentions are already "done deals," for the Son makes happen what the Father intends! So we can say with Martin Luther: "It follows from this that we are not now, nor ever to be forsaken, no matter how many temptations and sorrows we have here on earth" (Complete Sermons, Vol. 6, p. 74).
If we keep in mind that Jesus would have us be sheep (v. 27) we cannot miss this, cannot but feel confident in God's care for us, for as Luther points out: "... sheep have the sharpest and most acute hearing of all animals" (Complete Sermons, Vol. 6, p. 83).
If we keep in mind that Jesus would have us be sheep (v. 27) we cannot miss this, cannot but feel confident in God's care for us, for as Luther points out: "... sheep have the sharpest and most acute hearing of all animals" (Complete Sermons, Vol. 6, p. 83).
