Sermon Nuggets Weds June 25
Theme- The Sheep of His Pasture
Verses John 10: 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. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
Considering the Call.
Jesus had talked earlier in the chapter of the relationship between sheep and shepherd. He contrasted Himself, the good shepherd, with those who were hired, and some who were robbers. Spiritually we know that there were false teachers, and religious workers who were only out for what they could get. Instead of protecting the sheep and leading and providing for them, they abused the sheep, and treated them only for their own ends. We see examples of this still today.
Jesus returns to the figure of sheep when he talks about those who belong to God. He reminds us of some basics. His sheep hear his voice. People that are truly Christians desire God. They want to please Jesus. They want His will for their life. They wait expectantly for Him and for His direction. They are eager for a relationship with the Shepherd and their joy is in the Lord. Anything else is either immature faith, or man-made religion.
It is interesting that He says the sheep hear His voice, and He knows them. Doesn't it seem that if the sheep hear His voice, they would know Him? Another important consideration of being a Christians isn't just knowing Jesus, and listening for his voice, it is being known by Jesus. What a mystery and marvel that Jesus knows us. He calls us to himself. The reason many do not believe Jesus told them was they were not his sheep.
In the Bible divine elections and human responsibility are balanced and taught. They appear to be contradictory. I cannot get away from the call of God to you and me to respond in belief in Jesus. I cannot get away from the fact that before we were born He already chose us for Himself. Theologians have been debating this one for years. Eph. 1:4 "Chosen before the foundation of the world." Each saved sheep is a love gift from the Father to His Son. Life is a life. You and I were born into a world, into a culture, into a country, to parents none of which is our doing. We had no voice in it. Yet it is grace. God planned your birth here, now, under the conditions in which you face. You could have been born today in famine stricken Africa and the chances of living beyond 5 are 50-50. You could have been born in Japan and the chances of coming to know Jesus Christ is less than 5%. You could be born in one of the closed countries of Moslem domination and your chance of hearing the gospel, not to mention responding to it, is less they 5%. Eternal life and the opportunities of coming to Christ as our Savior and Lord is not earned, nor is it because of intrinsic merit or value. We are His sheep because God willed it.
God initiates salvation. He calls us to be His own. In that I delight.
Pastor Dale
