“Listen to Your Heart”
John 10: 7-10
October 9, 2011
Intro: A # of years ago there was a game show on TV called “Let’s Make A Deal.” The host would come out and go into the audience and offer cash to a person. He’d tell them, “You can keep this cash or you can choose what’s behind door #1, #2, or #3.” That meant the contestant had to make a choice. He had to decide if he was going to keep what was in hand or go out on a limb and take a chance that what was behind one of the doors was better.
-In that game the worse thing that could happen was to go home w/a really bad gift like a bucket of dirt or a goat, but as we’re going to discover today the results of choosing poorly can have eternal consequences.
-Today we’re continuing our series “Classic Rock.” One of my favorite little ballads in the 80’s was the song “Listen to Your Heart” by Roxette. The song, while it wasn’t meant to be spiritual, actually has some spiritual truths in it. One of the verses in the song says, “Listen to your heart, when he’s calling for you. Listen to your heart, there’s nothing else you can do…Listen to your heart before you tell him goodbye.”
-As I listened to that song I thought, “When we make decisions in life, who or what is it we’re listening to to guide us; to help us make decisions?” When it comes to us making a decision on how we’re going to live and whom we’re going to live for, how are we coming to our conclusions?
-My thought is that deep w/in us we KNOW how to live. Deep w/in us we have etched into our hearts God. The Bible tells us in Jer. 31: 33, “I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” So if that’s the case then it comes down to us making the choice to follow what God has set in our hearts.
Sermon Idea: Today in our passage of Scripture we’re going to see Jesus giving us a choice on how we’re going to live our lives. He lets us know that we can make a deal w/Him and have some guarantees in this life or we can choose to go thru another door in life that doesn’t include Him.
-My hope is that as we go thru this text that we’ll simply listen to what God’s already etched on our hearts and choose wisely.
TEXT: JOHN 10: 7-10
Bckgrd: This section of Scripture is in response to the religious leaders of the day. As you may know, the religious leaders in general weren’t too fond of Jesus. They saw Him as being a threat to their religious power. He was getting more attention than they were.
-The real tragedy is that for these religious men who claimed to have a connection w/God, they couldn’t even recognize His presence when He stood before them. In ch. 9 Jesus healed a blind man! Instead of it causing them to consider what had happened they automatically rejected what Jesus had done. They ignored what God had written on their hearts and chose to follow their own leading.
-Today, let’s make a decision to choose wisely how we’re going to live and to whom we’re going to live for. So I want to share w/you 3 reasons from our text to choose Jesus. The 1st reason to choose Jesus is b/c:
DIV. 1: HE PROTECTS US (vv. 7-8)
Exp: Jesus said He was the gate for the sheep. The people in Jesus’ day knew exactly what He was talking @ b/c they lived in a rural society w/a lot of shepherds. So for us to really get the full gist of what Jesus was saying we need to understand how shepherds worked w/their sheep when they were in the pasture.
A. The shepherd would take his sheep and find a shelter of rock walls or a cave or a section that had brambles. He would then bring the sheep into this enclosed structure leaving only a narrow opening as an entry and then he would lie down across the opening and literally become the door or the gate into the sheep pen.
1. The only way the sheep could leave or the only way predators could get in would be to go thru the shepherd. Now what was the purpose of this? It was for the shepherd to be able to PROTECT His sheep!
a. The correlation Jesus was making here is that if you come into His fold He is going to protect you! He’s going to be the gate watcher of your life! Some people like to think they don’t need anyone to watch over their lives; that they can survive on their own. But the fact is we can’t! We all need God! Why? B/c God has created all of us w/a God sized hole in our lives that only He can fill.
b. The comparison of our lives to sheep is interesting. You see, sheep don’t have any natural defense mechanisms. If they’re left to their own devices they end up being defenseless. I’ve always found this to be an interesting fact @ sheep. If a sheep isn’t periodically sheared, his wool will get so long that if he goes to drink from a stream w/moving water, his wool can get waterlogged and he’ll fall down under the weight and drown!
B. Sheep have been created to rely upon a shepherd! Otherwise they’re left susceptible to the elements of life. And the same thing is true w/us. We’ve been created to rely upon God! Yet many of us want to go thru life living under our own power. Now we can wander around thru this life on our own, but we weren’t CREATED by God to do that! To live w/o His guidance and instruction is unnatural and it means we’ll never fulfill the purpose for which we’ve been created.
1. And we’ll be left to the whims of natural predators. What’s our predator? Ultimately it’s Satan. Why do we need protection from him? B/c his intent isn’t to give us life but to destroy us!
a. 1 Pet. 5: 8, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” I’ve seen people time and time again devoured by Satan. I’ve seen marriages in shambles b/c people refused to listen to the law that God placed on their hearts. And they’ve fallen into infidelity. I’ve seen young people wander out of the sheep pen for what they thought was freedom only to be enslaved by drugs and alcohol.
b. I don’t think there’s anyone in this room who wouldn’t say that there’s a lot of evil in this world. Emily and I have 3 children and we want to do whatever we can to keep them from falling victim to the lies of this world, the chief of them being if you live for God you’re going to be enslaved; you can’t enjoy life!
2. But the fact is it’s only God who has the power and ability to protect us from the slings and arrows of sin. So the question is, “Who are you relying on for protection?”
ILLUS: Police sharpshooters were called to a scene in Rochester, NY. They surrounded a car b/c they noticed there was a man in the back seat w/a rifle. The police attempted to negotiate w/him but he wouldn’t respond. So they watched and waited. There was no movement. Finally, the police discovered the truth.
-The armed man in the backseat was a mannequin. When the authorities tracked down the owner of the car, he told them he kept the mannequin in his backseat for protection. He said, “You’ve got to do this. W/the car-jackings, it helps if it looks like you’ve got a passenger.”
a. There’s no doubt we live in dangerous times. But who is it you’re relying on for protection? A mannequin or the Mighty One? Jesus said He’s the gate; He said He is willing to be our protector. As v. 8 says, there are a lot of thieves and robbers out there who are looking to steal your joy in life; who are looking to rob you of hope and meaning.
b. If you’re living under your own leadership, if you’re living under your own rules, how’s that working out for you? Some of you may finally be at a point where you’re desperate. You’re worn out and tired of trying to make things work on your own. And the harder you try the more desperate you get.
3. I want you to know that there is One who wants to be your protector! There is One who is concerned @ your life and who desires you to live a life of purpose and hope! As Rom. 8: 31 says, “If God be for you then who can be against you?”
Reit: The 1st reason to choose Jesus is b/c He protects us. The 2nd reason to listen to your heart and choose Jesus is b/c:
DIV. 2: HE PROVIDES FOR US (v. 9)
Exp: Jesus has told us He’s the gate. We now know that the gate is there for our protection. Now you can look at this and think, “It sounds like a prison to me! He keeps us all shut in like we’re in jail!” But that’s not the point of the gate. The gate is there for protection. But the gate is also there for provision!
A. Jesus is telling us that He will provide for us. Back to the shepherd analogy, a part of the job of the shepherd is not just to protect the sheep from predators but also to lead them to food and water. The food and water provided the sheep w/sustenance to be able to survive; in order to be healthy. W/o the shepherd leading them, the sheep would starve to death.
1. W/o leadership, a sheep can get so caught up in walking around looking for food that he ends up getting lost and has no idea where he is. But a shepherd is the lookout for the sheep. He finds food and water for him to drink and then leads him back to a place of safety to find rest. That is part of the meaning where Jesus says that His followers will be able to come in and go out and find pasture. The leadership of the world doesn’t do this. The leadership of the world looks to see what it can get OUT of the sheep. All they want is your wool and meat. But Jesus wants to provide and care for you!
a. So who is it that He wants to care for? Does He just have a specific group in mind? Has Jesus looked down on us and said, “I want this group of people but not that one”? “I like this group of people b/c than that group of people”? Absolutely NOT!
b. The key word in v. 9 is the word “whoever.” Jesus said that “whoever” enters thru Him will be saved. Another word for “saved” is “rescued.” That means it’s an open invitation to EVERYONE to come into God’s flock. And if you come into His flock, He’s going to provide for you!
2. He’ll provide you w/forgiveness. He’ll provide you w/purpose. He’ll provide you w/the necessary equipment to be able to survive the storms of life that come your way.
ILLUS: Let me share w/you a personal example of how God provided me w/confidence. 10 years ago Emily and I made a decision that we were going to leave our church in Lexington and come to Blythewood and start a church. I resigned from our church and went to work planning for the beginning of VillageChurch. But it hit me right then that the only people we had in our congregation were me, Emily and our 3 children.
-I broke out in a sweat and started thinking, “Lord, do I need to go back to our old church and see if they’ll take me back? This thing might not work!” Then I said, “God, I really need you to affirm me that what we’re doing is right! Please speak to me today as I read my regular Bible readings.”
-I’ll never forget opening up my Bible and reading Matt. 28: 10. It says, “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.” When I read that tears came to my eyes. It was as though God was speaking directly to me.
-He was telling me, “I’m going to take care of you. You go and I’ll meet you there. Was it easy? NOPE! But it sure has been worthwhile! I know from firsthand experience that God provides for His people.
a. Don’t listen to what the world says. Listen to your heart; the heart that God has inscribed a natural longing for Him. Seek Him out and you will find Him. You see, He’ll give you everything you long for and you seek in other things: relationship, friendship, a listening ear, love, security, purpose, meaning, direction, and most of all eternal salvation.
b. Everyone else is a thief and robber. Why go to them? They only want to take from you. Jesus offers Himself. The world’s ways will leave you enslaved. Jesus provides your life w/freedom and allows you to go in and out of the sheep pen.
Reit: The 1st reason to listen to your heart to choose Jesus is b/c He protects us. The 2nd reason is b/c He provides for us. And the final reason to listen to your heart to choose Jesus is b/c:
DIV. 3: HE GIVES ABUNDANT LIFE (v. 10)
Exp: We are bombarded everyday w/images that tell us all the great things this world offers. It’s hard to watch TV for long w/o the show demonstrating what a good, fulfilling life looks like. We’re bombarded w/images of financial success telling us that if we have more and more that life will be better and better. Images of sex flash across our screen all the time telling us that joy is found in pleasure.
A. We’re told that sometimes it’s necessary to drop our core values and run over people to get what we want. But if you’ve ever tried any of these things it won’t be long until you discover that heartache is the result! Those things don’t satisfy and unfortunately many of us spend our lives like a dog chasing our tail round and round never quite getting what we want.
1. King Solomon was considered the richest and wisest man of his day. He could have whatever he wanted. He had all that $ could offer him. He had 1,000 wives and concubines! He was smart and the kingdom of Israel was at its largest in land area than at any other time in Israel’s history.
a. But w/all those things that would signify success, here’s what he said in Eccl. 2: 10-11. “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”
b. Everything the world offers us is just a chasing after the wind! You can never quite get your hands on it. It never quite satisfies. And that’s what Satan wants us to do. To waste our time chasing after things that we can never attain so that we’ll miss out on the one who can protect and provide for us.
2. But Jesus desires for us to listen to His voice, as our shepherd, b/c He came that we might have life! Now it’s awesome that He wants to provide us w/life. But He doesn’t just want us to have life. He desires for us to have it TO THE FULL. That phrase is a picture of someone filling a glass to where it is continuously overflowing!
a. This is in contrast w/what the world can give us. The world can’t continuously give us life b/c the things of this world are passing away. There is a beginning and end to everything. As time passes things deteriorate. Those of us who’ve crossed over into our 40s and above are very aware of this!
b. I’m stunned at how my body doesn’t function and recover like it used to! Every softball season I’m reminded that I’m not 20 anymore! The balls that are hit to me in the outfield that I used to be able to run down seem to be getting farther and farther away from me. When I run the bases I’m like a whirlwind that’s going nowhere!
B. Let me tell you something. You don’t want to invest yourself in something that’s only going to give you diminishing returns. But look at what Jesus says! He says He’ll give us CONTINUOUS, ABUNDANT life!
1. If you listen to this world your investment is only short term. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to respond to God’s offer of eternity!
ILLUS: When it comes to the gaming industry I’m pretty much clueless. I grew up in the Atari joystick and one button generation. But the gaming industry is a billion times larger than it was when I was a kid.
-I read an article @ Seth Godin when he was at Stanford’s business school. He went to see Jim Levy, the president of Activision, which at the time was one of the fastest growing companies in the world. They ran Atari.
-Godin wanted to work for Levy and he proposed that he move into a new area of gaming: the computer. He told him he had an opportunity to dominate the PC gaming market, which was pretty much non-existent at the time, like Atari dominated.
-Levy looked at him and told him, “We’re in the cartridge business—and those machines use floppy disks. Forget it!” 25 years later most kids don’t even know what Atari is and no one uses cartridges for gaming. I think we could all agree that Levy was rather short sighted and missed out on a great opportunity.
a. A lesson to be learned here is that when we base our decisions merely off the present; when we base them merely of feelings, then we’re being short-sighted b/c we’re not seeing the big picture and how things play out DOWN THE ROAD.
b. Jesus said He came to give us life and to give it to us to the full. Why would anyone reject a life to the FULL? Can it get any better than that? Is there anything that can offer you MORE than that? Absolutely not!
2. I believe every person intuitively KNOWS that there is a God. It has been written on our hearts by God. Eccl. 3: 11, “He has set eternity in the hearts of men.” The key is for us to respond to what God has placed into our hearts. The key is for us to listen to our hearts and choose Jesus. Why? B/c He protects us. B/c He provides for us. And finally, b/c He gives abundant life.
a. Listen to your heart when He’s calling for you. If you’re ready to respond to His voice, simply call out to Him in prayer and say, “Jesus, I believe in you. I ask for your forgiveness and I ask you to rescue me and to give me life in you. I will serve and live my life for you.”
b. If you prayed that prayer, open your bulletin and fill out the section on the right side. Then check the line that says you committed your life to Christ. After the service is over, take your bulletin to the Welcome Desk and give it to Beki and she’ll give you a workbook called “Survival Kit” that will explain what it means to live life as a Xian.
