John #30 Safe and Secure
That you may Believe and have Life #30
John 10:22-42
Well last week we debunked the post-modern, ancient lie that everyone is going to Heaven and there are multiple ways to Christ and found Christ is the ONLY Good Shepherd and he is the ONLY Gate into the Flock of God.
We finished in verse 21. Now starting at verse 22, two and ½ months have passed but they are still talking about Jesus, the Sheep the Gate, who is Jesus anyway?
It is winter time, close to what we would call Christmas NOW, because it is the “Feast of Dedication” which we would know as “Hanukkah”. It is a celebration also called the feast of lights. It celebrates the Rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus in 164 B.C.
The Temple had been desecrated by the Romans and the desecrated Temple had been restored
Jesus came that our desecrated Temple that is our body, our lives could also be restored in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Last week we read that not all sheep in the fold are in his flock. And that the sheep that listens to his voice and follows him is part of his flock and can be lead out into the goodness of a relationship with him, the good pasture.
So let’s pick up again looking today at the Truth that in Christ we are not just into goodness of a relationship but we are also
Safe and Secure
READ 10:22-42
Oh I don’t have time to preach it, but may this always be a place where the Truth about Christ is taught to the very best of our ability and under the power and direction of the Holy Spirit and in this place MANY will believe in Jesus
There are four words that Jump out at me, Choosing, Chosen, Given, Kept
the first two go together and then the last two will stand alone
We are safe and secure in two opposing words that work together
1. Choosing / Chosen
To know the security and safety of a relationship with Jesus Christ
A. There is a Choice
1. They said “if you are the Christ, tell us plainly” – oh so many people say they are looking for the truth, but when you tell them they don’t want to embrace it. It has been 2 ½ months since Jesus said “I AM THE GATE” “I have Authority” “I am from the Father”
2. Jesus says “I have told you, but you did not believe” ---
a. At the judgment seat of God, there will be a refrain that will play over and again, “Why don’t you tell me?” and
b. the Lord will say “I told you … I showed you … I called you … but you did not believe.”
c. not only will he say “I told you” … but I provided for you … 2 Peter 2:1 says there will be those who deny even though he bought them
3. we all make a choice. We embrace the call of God or we reject it
4. remember though this is two and ½ months after the last story … the image of the sheep is still there … “my sheep listen” … Remember that at night several flocks might sleep together in the fold and in the morning the shepherds come in and call out. So Jesus says “I DID tell you … I DID call you … but you didn’t believe …
5. every sheep that doesn’t respond to his voice has made a choice to remain in the flock that they are in.
6. some are more militant, some more passive, some respond in faith and love, but all make a choice. If you ignore Jesus you are choosing, if you take up rocks to stone him … you are making a choice
7. We are safe and secure because we make a choice in faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6) … Without faith it is impossible to experience the Salvation that comes from God’s grace … because It is by Grace that we have been saved through faith … but Salvation is a Gift of God.
8. Jesus said, I have given you plenty of reasons to believe … to make a choice …
a. believe because he said “I am God’s Son’ “I and the Father are One’; Believe because I do what the Father does”
b. believe because the prophets pointed infallibly to him
c. believe because of the Miracles he preformed as a sign to show his deity and power
d. then as you believe you gain the knowledge and understanding that Jesus really is one with the Father, Lord and God
So we are safe and secure in our choosing
But also because we are
B. Chosen
we have a choice to make but be not deceived God is on the Throne and he is all loving, all powerful, all places, all knowing …
notice he says …
1. “My Sheep”
a. to others he said …“you didn’t believe … you are NOT my sheep
b. MY sheep listen
c. I know them and they follow me
2. Before the sheep heard his voice had already called out, he had already identified them as his sheep
3. before he called their name he knew they would be his sheep
4. Before some would reject him, he knew they would not be his sheep that they would reject his call
5. Before he would know us by experience, he knew us by knowledge
We are choosing yet chosen. It is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian Faith and salvation experience
C. The Paradox
Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Romans 8:29 (NIV)
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Ephesians 1:4 (NIV)
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
1. Our choosing only works because God allows it to be sufficient. This PLAN of Salvation was NOT our idea but God’s
2. God is omniscient and knows everything as a completed incident. He sees the pages of history as complete before they began.
3. I was his before I chose him because he chose me and he knew that I would choose him. So he says MY sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow. That word for KNOW means to know by experience … so in an experiential sort of way, he hasn’t known us until after we have listened and responded but yet we are already his sheep.
4. one Philosopher describes it this way. When we come to Christ we experience the grace of salvation through the door of free will as we exercise faith. But when we walk through the door of free will and stand in the Salvation provided by God’s grace … we see a sign on the back side of the door of free will that says “chosen from the foundation of the earth.”
5. it is not a paradox for God because he sees it all completed. But we are linear people. We see history as a time line
Creation happened here
Adam sinned here
Moses lived
Jesus died
George Washington lived here
I was born there …
Etc …
So we see salvation that way and we argue and split hairs over minute seconds of faith and regeneration … but I believe that God wanted to explain it so our linear minds could understand and so Paul wrote Romans 8:29-31
Now we know that 8:28 says “all things work together for good …”
But let’s finish 29-31
Romans 8:29-31 (NIV)
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
He is FOR us and since he KNEW and called us … he was working all things out for our good that we might be HIS …
Look at that linear expression of a completed work of Salvation
He Foreknew – proginosko -to have knowledge beforehand … he knew beforehand in his perfect knowledge, everyone who would come to him and as 1 Timothy says “he is the savior of all, but especially those who believe” …
Those he foreknew he
Predestined – prooridzo – to predetermine, to decide before hand, to appoint - he predestined, determined, appointed us to be conformed to the image of his son … and then he
Called kal-eh-o - to invite / call by name – he called you by name knowing and appointing … and if he called you he
Justified dikaioo (kik-ah-yo-o) to render righteous … you were NOT righteous but he rendered you righteous and then he
Glorified doxazo – to think, magnify, clothe in splendor that is our destiny in Christ Jesus
Notice that ALL of these things are in the PAST TENSE
He foreknew in the past
He predestined me to be conformed … but even though I’m not there yet, it is a done deal
He Called me and I heard on August 9, 1969
When I received him in faith he justified me and rendered me righteous a done deal
And though I have not been physically and spiritually “clothed in the majesty of glorification … it hasn’t happened yet in linear history … but it IS a done deal
Choosing and Chosen what a beautiful thing
One thing before I move on. Some have said that if my Faith participates with God to bring Salvation into my life that it “steals glory from God.”
That is silly, now think with me
If I were monetarily bankrupt and in tremendous debt; and a benefactor wrote me a check to wipe out my debt and give me more than enough for my life … would I be taking credit or glory from the benefactor if I chose to cash the check?
Of course NOT …
Jesus chose me,
he chose to die for our sins
he chose to give us eternal life if we respond in faith to his voice and follow him
and I have done No THING worthy of credit if I receive his grace by faith
so, I have heard his voice and chosen the one who chose me … so
NOW WHAT?
Is Salvation eternal?
Is that deposit safe and secure?
Is your Money Safe?
I guess it depends where you have your money and what backs it.
My Bank, your bank has something called FDIC … which is the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. That means that if my bank goes bankrupt my money is covered. But if Fort Knox was full of Green Cheese my money might not be so safe. If it was run by people who weren’t trustworthy … it might not be so secure …
Well my safety and security in based on what I have on deposit and how it is secured and protected … so let’s finish answering that Question … is My Salvation Safe, Secure, Eternal? …
Well what is
2. Given
A. Eternal Life to the Believer
1. Under the condition of Faith / Belief, something has been deposited in me
2. verse 25 says some DIDN’T believe … and didn’t have life … but WHEN we LISTEN to his voice … follow in faith … we believe “pisteuo” – to think to be true, to be persuaded, to credit, to place confidence in
3. I deposit faith and he renders me righteous and he gives …
4. He GIVES – didomi … to give of one’s own accord … to give one something to the advantage of another; to give one asking; to supply, to furnish …
5. He gives ETERNAL … aionios (ahee-o-nee-os) without beginning or end … never to cease … everlasting
Please notice something he GIVES ETERNAL Life … he does NOT make OUR life eternal … NO … we are born again … we are REBORN … not REFORMED … HE is eternal … HIS LIFE is eternal and he brings US into It
Hallelujah he doesn’t rework it he gives us something NEW, something I don’t have … and it will NOT end. … it is …
6. LIFE zoé absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, life real and genuine, life active and vigorous, devoted to God … that is what has been given to me … and I will
7. never perish – never destroy, never abolish, never render useless
He has Given ME Eternal Life as a Believing sheep and …
B. Believers are (I am) GIVEN to Christ v29
1. you and I are given salvation
2. then we are given to Christ … remember that word given means to deliver, to entrust, to commit, to give one to someone as his own
3. do you see where I am headed? Our security is based on WHAT is given, WHO it is given to and WHO is giving and Keeping
Safe and Secure
Choosing and Chosen
Given Eternal Life as a Believer
As a Believer Given to Christ and
I am safe and Secure … because I am
3. Kept
Can Jesus … Can the Father Keep Me?
Read vv 27=28 again …
Oh this is Good News!
Oh there’s no cheese in Ft. Knox
My Money in the bank is protected
My Salvation is Safe and Secure because it is …
A. Dependent on God
If keeping my salvation was dependent on me to keep it, it would cease to be grace and become credit … but it is not dependent on me, before, during or after … it is
1. Dependent on his Nature
a. he made a promise and he will keep his promise; he is Righteous
b. he is Just so he cannot punish us for sin that has already been counted to the sacrifice of Christ. When I receive him … his blood atoned for all my sins, I am declared righteous and without guilt …
It is also dependent
2. on HIS strength, not mine
a. he doesn’t say “if you can hold on to me” … “if you can keep up with me” … no he says “no one can take them out of MY hand” …
b. and “my Father is greater … no one can take them out of HIS Hand ….
It is based on the strength and power of God and …
3. on HIS Authority
a. whose authority? My money is safe in the bank because the US Govt. is behind it
b. but my Salvation is Kept by the Authority of Jesus and he says “I and the Father are One” So, I’ve go Father and Son and they back my salvation in authority, power, and nature …
My Salvation is Kept also because it is not ONLY for me … I am
B. For Him
1. When I received him, I was given by the Father to the Son
2. I am safe and secure because I am a valuable treasure to the Son.
3. I am his precious possession. I am a pearl of great price, I am a treasure in a field that he would sell to own me
And Yes I am safe and secure … Kept because of what is
C. For Us
1. we are kept BY him, FOR him and we do get the beautiful “leftovers” as we’ve already said
2. we will never perish
3. we will HAVE eternal life
4. no one can SNATCH me FROM his hand … Why? because Jesus HAS Me … and the Father is Greater … Greek word “megas” it literally means he carries greater weight, stature and authority and so
5. No One – oudeis (oo-dice) means no one and nothing … NOT me … not satan … not by sin … (past present future) no THING … NO ONE is ABLE … to snatch harpazo seize, carry off by force, seize, claim for one’s self, snatch away from his Hand
We are Safe in Him
Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV)
27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you …
Some say “Jesus is Just a Crutch, a Security Blanket” …
Well
Yes he IS!!!
Because I am crippled and helpless without him … I NEED HIM
There is nothing emasculating about that truth
Do you hear his voice?
Have you answered his call
Maybe you did and have strayed … be sure that you have responded in faith, but if you have … you ARE kept … Satan may have convinced you that you have left his hand …
But you can know you are Safe and Secure
Banish Fear
Confess your Sin
Follow him in Faith
And know that he will treasure you and lavish you with Safe Secure Eternal Life
Let me close with this story …
It use to be a custom in some eastern cultures that if you were granted a meal with someone it was a promise of protection …
A Persian nobleman was sitting in his garden, when a man prostrated himself before the nobleman and implored protection from a mob that he said was coming after him seeking his life. The nobleman gave him what was left of a peach he had been eating, and when the crazed mob arrived, he declared his protection. But the cried “he has killed the nobleman’s ONLY son” … The heartbroken Father looked to the broken accused man and said … “we have eaten together; go in peace.” And did not allow the murdered to be punished …
Well not only have I caused the death of God’s only Son, but when I prostrate myself before him, receiving that death as atonement for my sin, Jesus says “behold I stand at the door and knock, anyone who opens the door, I will come in and dine with him and he with me”
I have supped at his table, I have received his forgiveness
And I am Safe and Secure
Oh God is So Good!