Living The Sweet Life

Living The Sweet Life

John 10:9-11

April 8, 2007

Easter Sunday

Chester First Baptist Church, Chester, Illinois Dr. Mike Fogerson, Pastor

Introduction:

A Today there will be enough Peeps ate that if all lined up end to end, they would circle the planet. (That’s a lot of marshmellow!)

1 In the early 1950’s it took nearly 27 hours to make a Peep and today it only takes 6 minutes.

a The details of how the Peeps get their shape is still a closely guarded family secret by the Just Born corporation that makes them.

b They’re also very healthy:) Only 32 calories each and ZERO grams of fat.

c You would have to eat 62.5 of this little guys to meet your suggested daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories.

2 Many of us have celebrated Easter for decades with these little sweet guys in our Easter baskets.

B Today, I invite you celebrate the sweet life that God so generously offers through His Son Jesus.

1 9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. John 10:9-11 (NASB)

2 There are plenty of doors for us to choose from with only one leading to the sweet life. (ETS)

a I hope you’ll choose (or reaffirm) the sweet life that only comes from the Good Shepherd. (Objective)

b Which door do you find yourself at trying to find the sweet life?

3 Let’s look at two doors we can choose to go through. (T.S.)

I The door of the Good Shepherd

A Jesus said he was a lot of things.

1 I am the . . . way, truth, life, good shepherd, Alpha, Omega, Beginning, Last, bright morning star, root and offspring of David, gentle and humble of heart. Here; Door.

a Not a semi-gloss lacquered piece of wood with a high-polished bronze handle.

b He’s saying, "I’m how you get to where you want to go."

c Dozens of Discovery Channel documentaries would refute that Jesus is the door.

aa They would attest that He was a great teacher and good man, but not God.

bb If Jesus wasn’t God, then He wasn’t Good because He claimed to be God.

cc John 14:9 "He who has seen me has seen the Father"

dd John 10:30 "the Father and I are one"

2 We have a choice to make about this door named Jesus.

a IF anyone enters through me

aa "if" puts a choice in our laps between "the" door or "another" one.

bb Any thinking person is asking the tough question about God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.

cc If God already knows then I don’t really have a choice, do I?

b C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity, illustrates the balance between God’s soverinty and our freedom to choose.

aa A child playing a piano, whose hands are guided note-by-note by the experienced fingers of a master pianist. At first the expert may play the melody and the child is invited to rest her fingers on the skilled fingers.

bb Then perhaps they change places, the child’s fingers working under the guidance of the skilled hands of the master.

cc The point is that God continues to powerfully work in His sovereignty, but His work always invites (or even demands) our participation.

B Jesus said through Him was salvation, freedom, plenty and abundant life.

1 This Good Shepherd looks out for His sheep; not to eke out a bare and miserable life.

a He is offering a full life with plenty of pasture.

b We find safety and we flourish.

2 As long as we stay under the protection and gift we can experience the best this life has to offer. That’s Sweet!

T.S.: You and I have the capacity to disbelieve and resist God’s effort on our behalf to have the sweet life.

II The door of the thief

A When we choose "another" door we find ourselves temporarily disappointed and eternally regretful.

1 In our text, Jesus tells us what is behind all other doors that are not Him.

a The opposite of saved, go in and out, pasture.

b Lost, slavery, want (v.9)

c Also given in the affirmative: steal, kill, destroy (v.9).

2 The other door holds death: death always brings separation.

a There are two deaths we can experience: physical & spiritual.

aa Physical: Your soul is separated from you body. (No choice)

bb Spiritual: Your soul is separated from God. (Choice!)

b All other doors other than Jesus lead to spiritual death.