Study in John’s Gospel

1. Study in John’s Gospel Presentation 36

2. The Plain Truth Chap 10v22-30 Presentation 36

3. Introduction Recently, I became aware of a major communication problem. A radio interviewee constantly used obscure and specialised vocabulary despite the interviewer regularly asking him to use simpler language. The interviewee may have known what he was taking about but no one else did! Sometimes it is dullness on the part of the hearer that is the cause the communication failure. Some people only hear what they want to hear. They refuse to accept anything that challenges their strongly cherished beliefs. Think of the problems Galileo had trying to convince the people of his age that the earth revolved around the sun and not the other way round! Some of Jesus’ hearer’s were spiritually dull. Presentation 36

4. Introduction Jesus purposefully taught in parables, the meaning of which was not clear to those who were not spiritually perceptive. Cf. Matt 13v10ff. “The disciples came …and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes’.” Presentation 36

5. Introduction During Jesus’ ministry many religious leaders had difficulty in understanding him, not because he used obscure language but because they would not accept the things he was saying. He clearly did not fit their identikit picture of the Messiah. As a result the religious leaders complained that Jesus did not communicate clearly, “If you are the Christ tell us plainly” v24. They wanted plain speaking. Clearly, the miracles were not plain enough! And certainly the fact that Jesus fulfilled the O.T. predictions concerning the Messiah was not plain enough! Presentation 36

6. The Doctrines Of Grace The Pharisees did not like the truth that Jesus revealed and so Jesus says, “You want plain speaking, I’ll give you plain speaking and in the process, I will make it clear why you have not really heard anything I have been saying to you. You’re not my sheep!” The following verses take us into the heart of Christian theology - the great doctrines of grace. Note for example that the quality that marks out Jesus’ sheep is that they have been given to him by the Father v29. They were chosen by God. They had not earned a place in Jesus’ flock; they are not there because they took a first step towards God but because God had set his love upon them. God miraculously drew them to Christ. Presentation 36

7. The Doctrines Of Grace John has already made it clear that God is the source of spiritual life 1v12-13. Jesus made it clear to his followers that, “You have not chosen me but I have chosen you” Jn.15v16. Paul writes, “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.” Eph.1v11 Peter describes the dispersed Christians he was writing to as, “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”. 1Pet.2v9 Presentation 36

8. The Doctrines Of Grace We don’t earn a place in Christ’s flock. We can’t argue, ‘We deserve a place because of what we did’. Itis God’s grace that marks us out as Christ’s sheep. Is that just? Technically, No! Justice clearly says, ‘None deserve God’s blessing.’ Butgrace does what justice is not qualified to do. It bestows what we do not deserve. Grace does not contradict justice it transcends it. Someone may ask, ‘Well if God hasn’t chosen me, how can I be accountable for not following Christ?’ But we don’t live in a deterministic universe. We face real choices and are responsible for those choices. When we choose to follow Christ only then do we discover to our complete amazement that it was he who chose us first! Presentation 36

9. The Doctrines Of Grace God not only chooses, he calls us to himself. Now the call of God is also very remarkable. In several places in the N.T. Christians are described as ‘called of God’. 1 Cor. 1v9, 1Pet.2v9, Jude 1v1. When we call people we often do so in hope, but with no degree of certainty that they will come. Teenagers are called to the dinner table but there is no guarantee that they will hear. They may be wearing headphones or, be engrossed in some computer game! When the police call for help after a crime has been committed, there are no guarantees that there will be a whole queue of people lining up to act as witnesses. But the call of God is different. Presentation 36

10. The Doctrines Of Grace Note what Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me” v27. God’s call is so effective that whatever obstacles or impediments lie in the way they are cast aside. There is a wonderful illustration of this in chap.11 when Jesus stands outside of the tomb of Lazarus and calls him to come out. Now, what greater impediment to responding to a call could there be than death itself? But the powerful call of Christ overcame even the obstacle of death and Lazarus walked out of the tomb. Presentation 36

11. The Doctrines Of Grace Men are by ‘nature dead in trespasses and sins’, [Eph.2v1] dead to God and as such cannot initiate any change in their spiritual condition. But God’s call is issued with power enabling man to respond. Therefore Jesus says, “my sheep hear my voice and follow me”. There is an inescapable irresistibility associated with this call. Time and again in Christian biographies we discover apparently insurmountable obstacles to people coming to faith but the call of God blows those difficulties away. Think of John Newton, formerly a drunkard and slaver, who wrote the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’. The last verse of the original reads as follows: The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who called me here below, Will be for ever mine. Presentation 36

12. The Doctrines Of Grace Thirdly, note what Christ gives his sheep, “I give them eternal life” v28. Many ask, “What happens when I die?” Popular philosophy says, “When you’re dead your dead”. Popular morality says, “I hope that the good I have done will earn me a place in heaven”. And popular religion says, “I hope that my church rituals will secure eternal life”. But eternal life is not earned, it is a grace gift given to Christ’s sheep. No one else can bestow this gift. Muhammad cannot bestow it, Buddha cannot bestow it, and Confucius cannot bestow it. It is Christ’s alone to bestow and he gives it to his sheep. Presentation 36

13. The Doctrines Of Grace Eternal life is not life as we know on earth ‘ad nauseum’ – that is not an attractive prospect for many. Eternal life is life in Christ’s kingdom, sharing in his resurrection life. It finds its consummation in a new world that will not be marred by sin, war, grief orpain. It will be a tear-free environment, where we will enjoy unclouded fellowship with God for all eternity. We will be more and not less human. We will attain the original purpose of our creation where we will lead more fulfilled and not less fulfilled lives. When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun. Presentation 36

14. The Doctrines Of Grace Now someone asks, “It is easy to be committed to God when things are going well but what if some trial or temptation comes along and I let go of God?” Many Christians think that the security of their salvation rests with them and the strength of their grasp upon God. That of course is to miss the point. It is not my hold on God which I should be focusing upon but his hold of me. Jesus says ‘they shall never perish, no one can snatch them out of my hand’ v28 and again in v29 ‘no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand’. Presentation 36

15. Conclusion Do you see how secure Jesus’ sheep are? He does not mean that his people will not face dangers and difficulties. He does not suggest that none will try to shake their faith. The Christian may be deprived of many things; he may lose his friends, his job, his wealth his reputation etc. But he will not be lost! The ship may sink but he will get to the shore safely. The perseverance of the saints is one of the most remarkable pieces of Jesus’ teaching. Not only are we wrapped up in the hand of the Son but in the Father’s hand also. It is the most secure place in the entire universe! Presentation 36