Are you a Sheep?
Are you a Sheep • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewSheep test. Are you a sheep of God's?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The Sheep Test (Its Plain and Simple)
Are you saved?
Why not take John 10’s "sheep test"
Chapter 10: Jesus, The Good Shepherd.
The Sheep Test: Its Plain and Simple. (10:22-30)
[John 10:22-33 ESV]
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,
23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.
24 So the Jews gathered around him and said 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 bear witness about me,
26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, 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 have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?"
33 The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."
I have taken some hard tests in my life. There is only one test that I have taken that has eternal implications and it’s not as hard and scary as it seems.
Are you one of God’s Sheep…One of His chosen? There are some simple steps to see:
1. The sheep understands God’s Word. (v. 24)
24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
In order to become a believer, you must have an understanding of the Gospel.
Scripture:
[1Co 1:18 ESV] 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
[Rom 1:21-22, 25 ESV] 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ...
25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
[1Pe 1:4-5, 9-12 ESV] 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ...
9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
[Luk 10:21 ESV] 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.(Remember, to experience salvation, you have to come as a little child!)
Why did Jesus speak in parables. Jesus tells us in the parable of the sower. (A parable about the Gospel!)-
Mark 4: 11-12 ESV] 11 And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that "'they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.'"
Why would some have a hard time understanding?
A. They are consumed by a rationalistic outlook.
--The listeners to the parables who did not receive Christ did not have a hearing problem, but a heart problem. They understood what God was saying, but not the penetrating power of the truth. Therefore, they didn’t understand fully the implications of Jesus’ teaching.
--Salvation comes by faith…if you focus on logic, faith is nowhere to be found. This is the problem with many who do not understand the Gospel…they keep everything in the realm of logic.
B. They are consumed by misplaced priorities.
--Many of the listeners enjoyed hearing Christ because of what they thought he could do for them, but they did not understand much of what he said.
--Many wanted to follow Jesus and hear more of His teaching, but they didn’t understand that they would have to give up some of their “priorities” in life to do it. There understanding was only partial, because if they realized the full extent of what was going on, their “priorities” would vanish in light of the grand message Christ was bringing.
C. They are consumed by pride.
--Many refuse to understand because their pride gets in the way. Faith and belief and the humbling involved in the gospel message takes humility. Those obsessed with pride miss a deeper understanding of what God has for those who accept Him.
2. The sheep believes God’s Word. (v. 25a)
25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me,
Jesus says here: “I told you the Gospel, but you just didn’t believe it.” Maybe it was pride, or misplaced priorities, or rationalism. Whatever it was, it stood in the way of these men’s belief.
You can understand the Gospel message, but if you don’t believe it, then you will go nowhere.
[Heb 10:39 ESV] 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
[Mar 1:15 ESV] 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
[Jhn 16:8-9 ESV] 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
[Jhn 3:16 ESV] 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
[Jhn 12:36 ESV] 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
[Jhn 3:18 ESV] 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
3. The sheep accepts God’s Word. (v. 25b-26)
25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me,
26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.
Jesus in essence says: “I told you my word, and you didn’t want to believe it. Then I showed you my works, and you still refused to believe in who I am.”
God’s word is revealed through preaching, or through someone picking up a Bible and beginning to read. But, the more God’s Word sinks into a person’s heart, the more it starts to work.
Jesus Christ not only SPOKE the words of salvation, he SHOWED the works of salvation- the word testified of Him, and the miracles He did authenticated Him.
--Today, we don’t have miracle workers to authenticate the message, but we do have the Holy Spirit, who comes to convict the unsaved person that what is being said is true. This is called revelation. But the next step is the sinner’s, and that is to respond to the power of that inner working, and to accept the truth.
--This is what salvation is all about- agreeing with God. Agreeing that you are a sinner, agreeing that only He can pay for your sin, and agreeing that you should allow Him to come into your heart and save you from all your sin.
--Back to the parable of the Sower. Will you accept the Word not just superficially, but let it penetrate your heart. Will you accept Jesus Christ as Savior?
4. The sheep follows God’s Word. (v. 27-30)
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, 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."
Part of the legitimacy of your faith—to tell if you are saved or unsaved, comes after the point of salvation.
Jesus alludes to some telltale signs that a person is born again. This is a good inventory to take if you doubt your salvation, or don’t know whether or not your saved at all:
A. God only calls His sheep to follow Him. (v. 27)
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Plain and simple. If God is leading you to follow His will for your life, then you are one of His.
If you are unsaved, God will only lead you in one direction: Salvation. He will testify to you that you are lost, and in desperate need of a Savior.
B. God gives His sheepsecurity. (v. 28)
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
--God will testify to you that you are safely found in Him. Not only will he lead you, but he will give you a peace that you are safe from the penalty of sin, that Jesus Christ has paid that debt.
--Warning! This peace is only guaranteed as long as you stay close to Him. If you wander, your peace will fluctuate. If you act like the World, God will allow you to experience the confusion of the World.
--Insecurity for the unbeliever means that salvation needs to be experienced. Insecurity for the believer means that sanctification needs to be regained. Test this area to see how God is prompting your spirit.
C. God gives His sheep a sense of His power. (v. 29)
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.
--God works through ordinary people in extraordinary ways. If you are not one of His, you will not be filled with the Holy Spirit, and thus the power of God. Period.
--Bottom line: If you are in the Father’s hand (you are saved), you will never fall out of it. You will always have access to that power through prayer and a godly life. Straying away from either will diminish that power, and cause you to doubt.
--ON the other hand, if you have never experienced the power of God in your life, then you must examine yourself to see if you are one of His.
--Examples of “the Power:”
--People being saved when you share the Gospel with them/ your testimony/preaching.
--The ability to overcome besetting sins in your life.
--The power of a divine calling- an unmistakable impression by God on your life beyond the need for salvation. (Surrender to ministry, a clear picture of service, etc.)
--A separation from worldly people and influence. An ability to rise above the darkness and follow the Light.
D. God gives His sheep a clear picture of Jesus Christ as God. (v. 30)
30 I and the Father are one."
--In other words, you don’t just see Christ as a man, but as the God-man, the provider of the soul’s longing.