Jesus, The Savior Of Our Salvation

1. INTRODUCTION. OUT OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVER LIVED, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ONE LIKE JESUS! HE WAS BORN WITHOUT THE AID OF A MAN. HE LIVED A PERFECTLY SINLESS LIFE. NO ONE IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY HAS LOVED LIKE JESUS. JESUS IS THE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THE INVISIBLE GOD; WHO REIGNED WITH GOD IN GLORY BEFORE BEING BORN BY THE VIRGIN MARY. JESUS IS THE ONLY PERSON TO CARRYOUT THE WILL OF GOD WITH PERFECTION. JESUS NEVER HAD AN EVIL THOUGHT, HE NEVER PERFORMED AN EVIL DEED, HE NEVER SPOKE AN EVIL WORD, AND HE NEVER GAVE IN TO THE TEMPTATIONS OF LIFE. WHEN YOU EXAMINE HIS LIFE, HE WAS FULLY DEVOTED TO BOTH GOD AND MAN. HE NEVER JUDGED OTHERS BASED ON HOW THEY LOOKED, BUT HE WAS JUDGED BY JEALOUS RELIGIOUS LEADERS. HE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE WHO WERE CONSIDERED OUTCAST AND CEREMONIOUSLY UNCLEAN. HE DEMONSTRATED COMPASSION TO THE MASSES, NOT FOR WHAT HE COULD GAIN, BUT, FOR WHAT HE HAD TO GIVE. YES, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, OUT OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVER LIVED, I COME TO TELL YOU THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ONE LIKE JESUS. JESUS, AND ONLY JESUS WAS THE ONLY PERSON QUALIFIES TO BE THE SAVIOR OF OUR SALVATION!

2. THE TEXT. AS THIS CHAPTER OPENS, JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT SHEPHERDS, SHEEP, THE SHEEPFOLD, AND HOW ONE TRULY ENTERS INTO THE SHEEPFOLD.

a) JESUS IS THE MASTER SHEPHERD. ONE WHO TRULY LOVES AND CARES FOR THE SHEEP.

b) HE KNOWS HIS SHEEP AND IS KNOWN BY HIS SHEEP.

c) THE TRUE SHEEP OF JESUS, THOSE WHO ARE TRULY BORN AGAIN WILL NOT FOLLOW A STRANGER.

d) WHY? BECAUSE HIS SHEEP KNOW HIS VOICE!

e) HE MAKES REFERENCE TO THE HIRELING; ONE WHO DOES NOT OWN THE SHEEP, BUT HAS BEEN HIRED TO WATCH OVER THE SHEEP.

f) THE HIRELING IS INTERESTED IN GETTING PAID AND NOT FOR PROTECTING THE SHEEP IN HIS CARE.

g) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THERE ARE MANY PASTORS WHO ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN GETTING PAID, WHO DO NOT TAKE INTEREST IN THE SHEEP!

h) JESUS TEACHES IN THIS CHAPTER THAT HE LOVES HIS SHEEP SO MUCH, THAT HE IS WILLING TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THEM.

i) MEMBERS SHOULD LOVE THE PASTOR WHO IS WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR THEM, WHO SEEKS THEIR SECURITY, COMFORT, AND WELL-BEING!

j) WHEN JESUS MAKES THE STATEMENT THAT NO MAN TAKES HIS LIFE, HE IS EMPHASIZING THAT NO ONE CAN VIOLENTLY TAKE HIS LIFE.

k) JESUS LAID DOWN HIS LIFE VOLUNTARILY FOR US.

l) NOT ONLY DOES HE LAY IT DOWN VOLUNTARILY, BUT HE HAS AUTHORITY TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN, WHICH WAS GRANTED BY GOD!

3. JESUS, OUR GREAT SHEPHERD. SHEPHERDS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THEIR FLOCKS WILL PROTECT THE FLOCK.

a) AS OUR GREAT JESUS SHEPHERD, JESUS IS OUR PROTECTION.

b) AS OUR GREAT SHEPHERD, HE FEEDS US AND ALWAYS SEEKS THE BEST NUTRIENTS FOR HIS SHEEP.

c) AS HIS SHEEP, OUR NUTRIENTS ARE HIS WORD AND OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.

d) AS OUR GREAT SHEPHERD, HE DOES NOT WALK BEHIND US, BUT HE LEADS US, AS WAS THE CUSTOM OF THE SHEPHERDS OF HIS DAY.

e) WE WOULD DO WELL TO FOLLOW WHERE HE LEADS US.

f) SHEPHERDS DID NOT LEAVE THEIR SHEEP TO THEMSELVES, AND THEY WERE NEVER FORSAKEN.

g) AS OUR GREAT SHEPHERD, JESUS WILL NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE US.

h) THAT IS REASON ENOUGH TO SERVE HIM, LOVE HIM, AND FOLLOW HIM!

4. CONSIDER HIS LIFE. JESUS GAVE UP THE RICHES OF HEAVEN TO COME TO THE WRETCHEDNESS OF THE WORLD!

a) JESUS GAVE UP THE PRAISE IN GLORY ONLY TO BE DESPISED BY MAN.

b) JESUS SACRIFICED SPLENDOR AND MAJESTY FOR MANS REDEMPTION.

c) HE SACRIFICED PEACE IN GLORY FOR PAIN AND TURMOIL ON EARTH.

d) JESUS WAS THE MOST SELFLESS PERSON WHO EVER LIVED, TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR SELFISH HUMANITY.

e) HE GAVE SO THAT OTHERS COULD HAVE.

f) HIS SOLE PURPOSE IN LIFE WAS TO SAVE US FROM SIN BY OFFERING HIMSELF FOR OUR SINS! ISAIAH 53:5, “BUT HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES: THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM; AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.”

g) BECAUSE OF CHRIST, THOSE OF US WHO ARE HIS SHEEP, WE HAVE ABUNDANT LIFE AND ETERNAL LIFE.

h) HIS MERCY HAS NO LIMITS.

i) HIS COMPASSION IS NEVER CONFINED.

j) HIS LOVE CANNOT BE MEASURED.

k) HIS FORGIVENESS IS EVER PRESENT.

l) HIS GRACE IS ALWAYS SUFFICIENT.

m) HIS PRESENCE AND POWER IS NEVER ABSENT!

n) ONLY JESUS COULD BE THE SAVIOR OF OUR SALVATION!

5. CONSIDER HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS/ HE SAW OUR…

a) THIRST, AND HE QUENCHED IT.

b) HUNGER, AND HE SATISFIED IT.

c) SHAME, AND HE REMOVED IT.

d) TROUBLE, AND HE CURED IT.