Do You Understand?

Introduction

Today in preparation, I decided to share with you this message. The manner in which this message was selected two fold: First, as I lay in bed this morning, I asked the LORD to give me strength & wisdom for this day. Secondly, I (opened & point in the Bible). This is the first place I turned to - and being that the Word of God is Perfect and Able in it’s entirety, I figured this is as good as any to preach unto you tonight.

But as I read this passage of Scripture, I read the verses to which we read as our text, and the portion that struck me was found in v6. Joh. 10:6 “This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.”

I began to think of how Jesus - the LORD of Glory - spoke unto these people, given them this great wisdom, yet they understood not… We’d like to think that this is an isolated incident - the fact that as Jesus spoke they didn’t understand, however, I believe it’s a problem that is rather common in our society at large, and even within our churches.

As I began developing this passage of Scripture, the manner in which Jesus presented led opportunity to address false doctrine within conservative Christians denominations - to which we will examine today.

The first thing that I want to examine is His Call

I. His Call (v3)

Salvation

The Impartiality of the Porter (v3a)

In this parable, our LORD mentions a porter. A porter is a door-keeper - He tends the door, and openeth at the behest of the Shepherd. In other words, He’s impartial to the sheep - He opens the door not for the sheep, but for the Shepherd.

There is a porter at work today. There is one who opens the door for the Shepherd. We know Him as the Holy Ghost of God - the third Person of the Triune God. He’s fully God, equal unto the Father and the Son.

The Bible tells us: Joh. 16:7-14 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

When Jesus Raised from the dead, 49 days from that Sunday came the feast of Pentacost. It was during that feast that the LORD sent the comforter unto His disciples. The Holy Ghost of God enabled them, helped them & most importantly guided them & showed them the truth.

I want you to know that what Peter preached 2,000 years ago is still true today: Act. 10:34 “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:” The Bible tells us: 2Pet. 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

The Porter shows no partiality unto the sheep - He simply opens the door for the Shepherd. Calvinists & Reformed pharisees like RC Sproel, John MacArthur & John Piper tells us that God has elected some men to go to Heaven and others to go to Hell - I’m not sure what perversion of Scripture they are relying on - but Jesus taught that the porter opens the door to the Shepherd indiscriminate of the sheep!

Do you Understand the Impartiality of the Porter?

The Invitation by Christ (v3b)

We see that the sheep hear His Voice.

We see that it’s a Call Heard by All - ‘the’ sheep

We see that it’s a Call Answered by Some - ‘his own’ sheep

What we see in this verse is that there are some who will hear His voice, but will not respond. And there are others who He calls by name that respond. This is not teaching selective Salvation, but rather the Infinite Wisdom & Foreknowledge of God.

Going back to the heretical Calvinist / Deformed theology, one of the words that is siezed on in Scripture is the ‘elect’ and ‘predestinate’ They teach that God has elected some, damned others according to His good pleasure. They use Scripture such as: Eph. 1:4-5 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”

They fail to recognize Scripture such as 1Pet. 1:1-2 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

And most importantly - the entirety of the process found in Rom. 8:28-30 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

The invitation is unto ALL - but Christ knew long before Creation itself who would and would not accept the gift that’s found in Christ Jesus. Therefore, they ALL hear His voice, but His are called by name.

The Insight of the Sheep (v3c)

This insight is simply that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.

(Ill.) Let em say this: I’m glad some 22 years ago that I heard the voice of the LORD. I remember when the porter opened the door, and I heard my name and came forward and followed Him.

Listen, if you don’t remember when God spoke to your heart, showed you your need of a Saviour, and you accepting the gift of Salvation through faith in Christ, then it’s not too late! You still can! God knows what choice you’ll make, but IT’S STILL YOUR CHOICE TO MAKE!

Do you understand the Insight of the Sheep?

We see His Call. Do you Understand His Call Church? Secondly, Do you Understand His Course

II. His Course (v4)

Servanthood

He Professes Ownership (v4a)

Notice that here in v4 is the second time that Jesus uses the word ‘own’ to describe His Sheep.

We see that Jesus is professing ownership over those sheep that answered His call.

Something that we as Christians need to understand is that IF we are born again, and we are NOT obeying the voice of the LORD, we are living in a state of rebellion.

So many Christians trust Christ as Saviour, then continue to live as if nothing has changed.

(For some - nothing HAS changed). But what we must understand is that IF we’ve been born again, we have no more say over our bodies or our lives. We are a purchased possession.

Eph. 1:13-14 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

We have been given a down-payment by Christ upon us with the Holy Ghost until payment is recieved in full when we are recieved up in Glory!

1Cor. 6:19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

(Ill.) Let’s say you bought your neighbors car. You have given them down-payment and sealed the purchase by an irrevocable guarantee. But instead of taking possession of your car, it’s still parked at the neighbors house, they won’t let you drive it at all - just maybe on Sunday’s for an hour or so? How would you feel? Now how do you think God feels when we do to Him in like manner?

Do you Understand that He Professes Ownership?

He Presides Over Them (v4b)

Now the sheep are no longer their own - they have no say in the matter. However, there’s a flip-side to this church. There’s something that is really great about this arrangement, and that is that the Shepherd goes before the sheep & watches over them!

I could think of no better explanation of this than Psalms 23: “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

He have a Shepherd that:

Provides for us

Protects us

Gives us Plenty

Is a Permanent Fixture in our Lives

Do you Understand that the Good Shepherd Presides over us?

They Pursue After Him (v4c)

Let me say this: The way that the Shepherd leads is far better then the path the sheep will lead.

(Ill.) In 2005 in Istanbul Turkey, there occured something very interesting that I believe is a great illustration for us today. Approx. 1,500 sheep were in a field grazing while the shepherds ate breakfast. Suddenly, one sheep jumped off a cliff. Then another followed. And another, etc… until all 1,500 sheep literally jumped off a cliff together. Over 450-500 sheep died as a result, the others survived as they fell upon the dead carcasses of the others.

It’s popular to follow the crowd. It’s easy to not think nor go against the grain. But when sheep follow sheep, destruction waits in a moments notice. You may be only injured, you may be destroyed - but one thing that we know is that it’s far safer to follow the Shepherd!

Do you pursue after Him? Do you understand that it’s what’s best for you?

We see His Call. Secondly His Course. Lastly, we’ll examine His Concern

III. His Concern

Separation (from God)

His Concern is that there will be Separation from the Good Shepherd that can happen for a variety of circumstances.

Predators (v1)

Jesus has a concern for predators. Do you understand that there are some who are trying to enter into the sheepfold and hurt the sheep? They’re thieves & robbers is what Jesus called them in v1

Jesus warned of those:

Mat. 24:5 “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

Luk. 21:8 “And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.”

I want you to know that there are predators church! The chief among them is Satan! The Bible admonishes us: 1Pet. 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Satan is promoting a false Christ today - and he uses Christian denominations to do it!

The Christ that needs water baptism to save is a false christ!

The Christ that needs works to save or keep is a false christ!

The Christ that needs sacraments to save or keep is a false christ!

The Christ that cares not for separation and holiness is a false christ!

These predators are trying to steal your joy, steal your testimony, steal your soul...

Do you understand that there are predators out there trying to get to the sheep?

False Professors (v5)

Christ is concerned that men will hear the voice of a stranger - and follow after him.

It’s stated here as the opposite, but the truth remains. We (those that are Christs) hear His voice & follow Him - but others are following the voice of a stranger.

(Ill.) In the Catholic church, they teach a doctrine called ‘The Mediatrix’. This doctrine teaches that all graces that God bestows unto man come through Mary. It’s written that: “The Council refers to Pope St. Pius X, who said that Mary is the “dispensatrix of all the gifts and is the ‘neck’ connecting the head of the mystical body to the members. But all power flows through the neck” (Ad Diem Illum 13)”

To teach that you must go through Mary to get to Jesus is to teach that you must trust Mary as well as Jesus. They are being taught a false Jesus. And these will tell you that they believe in Jesus, but in truth they are trusting in Mary. This is a false profession.

(Ill.) Just this morning bro. John Gossett testified that as a 31yo deacon, he was lost. He had a false profession in Christ. He’d followed a strangers call instead of the Christ’s. Church I do believe that church-houses are filled with people with this very same problem!

Do you understand that false professors are a concern for Christ?

Pleadings Misunderstood (v6)

Lastly, Jesus is concerned that His pleadings & His teachings are misunderstood. We see that in v6.

Do you know what Jesus did to remedy that? He gave them another opportunity and further explanation.

Sometimes we misunderstand the LORD. But I’m glad that Jesus doesn’t throw us out, but cares enough for us to continue working with us, attempting to perfect our knowledge of Him in Him.

Do you understand?

Conclusion