Words of Grace: Believe
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1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.
7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
19 A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?”
22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 24 The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.
John 10:
26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
Well…ready or not, Christmas is here and along with it are all sorts of decorations and signs with “Believe” written in magical snow font letters. It is a word that rings of truth to every Christian…but what is the truth of which it rings?
Believe and believer, are perhaps the most common words used by Christians to describe what one has to do in order to be “born again” or “saved.”
However, we have already pointed out that the redeemed, ransomed children of God are invited to believe what He had done for them, to trust their loving heavenly father, and rest completely in His finished work.
It is a fundamental law that two concepts which contradict each other can not both be true and no place in life is this more important than in the study of God’s Word.
We are commanded to compare Scripture with Scripture and search the Scriptures daily to seek truth.
And so, with this word belief ringing so true to so many Christians this Christmas season, let us seek.
Let us simply begin with the word “believe”
You all know well what is meant or intended by the commercial use of the word believe.
The concept is that rooted in ones belief is the power to make something be. It is a thought that the belief in anothers existence births a special result. It is that rooted in that same belief is a special, magical joy which fills the whole world through at this time of year.
Oh how this concept of “belief” is driven into us from an early age. You remember: If you only “believe” you are told as a child…and believe in what…the magic of Christmas: Santa Clause
Now just to be clear…this is not a scrooge sermon, nor am I seeking to go after jolly, bearded guys in red suits.
I love decorations and celebrations. If you want child like…then I’m your guy. If Christmas gifts were limited to toys, then I would be a happy man. I’m the guy that had to go to grief counseling when Toys R Us announced their closing down.
So what I am speaking of this morning is not all of the things or even the traditions surrounding us. But I do what to use those to bring forth a understanding of the word belief. So I am going to use some commercial Christmas things as examples.
First…you have all seen or know of the movie “Polar Express”…It is centered around having ears to hear a silver bell ring. We find in the movie that only those who believe can hear the bell. Everyone else just thinks that it is broken or has stopped working.
Or the movie “The Santa Clause”....or any movie about Santa Clause....what is the dramatic storyline or twist? It is that Christmas is at great risk because the magic of Christmas is running out due to a lack of belief in Santa. All of Santas abilities are limited by peoples belief. The only way for Santa to delver Christmas is for enough people to believe. In other words…Santa can do all that he can to get everything ready for Christmas, but the “magic” of Christmas…the “presents” being delivered and recieved is dependent upon peoples willingness to believe.
In other words Santa is dependent upon the people of the world.
The story is that anyone can believe and the hope that all would believe.
And in this you have what the first concept of “christian belief” and the one that a majority of Christians have adopted not as fairytale but as doctrine:
We will call this concept 1
Concept 1: Any one can believe and in so doing will go to heaven.
This concept, just like the Santa story line shows that God has prepared the gift but His power to deliver it, the morning of wonder and redemption can only happen if the people can muster up enough belief. In other words, God is dependent upon the people of the world. God can only move once enough people have believed.
Concept 2 would not be taken from Santa Clause but from the gospel of John.
Concept 2: Christ says in , that only His sheep can believe.
26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
Now here is the issue. These concepts contradict each other.
This means that both can not be true. Only one is truth.
Lets begin with simply the word believe that Christ uses here.
It is “pisteuo” - “to be persuaded of” - “to place confidence in, to trust”
The question between the two concept is, how/why is the one who is persuaded of or trusting in God able to do so? The answer is that the persuaded to trust is persuaded because they are of God. The one who trust God, trust God because they are of God. The believer believes/trust God because they are a believer/of God.
The truth is that only redeemed, ransomed, reconciled sheep that belong to Christ can believe.
The principle is one such as:
A individual steals because he is a thief, he does not become a thief by stealing.
If one was not a thief then he would not steal.
A individual believes because he is a believer as “sheep”.
If one was not a sheep/believer then they would not believe.
The same example can be used of any sinerio...
The individual sins because he is a sinner…or ...
The flesh sins because it is fleshly....The new man…born of the spirit does not because it is not of the flesh but of the spirit.
What is earthly is earthly....what is heavenly is heavenly.
Again we are speaking of a consistant doctrine.
The Lord Himself uses this principle:
13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.
The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and not the true shepherd...
the fleeing does not make him a hired hand.
One does what they do because of who they are.
So if this is also true of belief, then one believes because one is a believer.
This demands a grace salvation.
Meaning you are who you are by the predetermined grace of God.
But if you turn this around the other way, then you have a works based salvation,
Meaning you are who you are because of who you have determined yourself to be.
Friends, let us be different from the masses this Christmas who are seeking to determine what is not there to determine.
Let us come before the God who holds all in His hands,
Let us rest in His good and perfect will.
As believers, let us praise Him for gathering His sheep.
As those who hear His voice, let us listen to know His calling.
As believers, let us give thanks for the grace gift of belief. - Amen