THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN THE SEASON OF EASTER,,
THE MESSAGE FOR SUNDAY THE 6th OF MAY, 2001
THE TEXT ARE:
The LESSON:.....PSALM 23: 1-6
The Gospel......JOHN 10: 22-30
PRAYER...MAY THE WORDS OF GOD AND HIS MESSAGE SPOKEN THIS HOUR BE BOTH A WORD OF COMFORT AND CHALLENGE
WE PRAY THAT IT WILL CHALLENGE THOSE WHO ARE COMFORTABLE
AND COMFORT ALL THOSE WHO ARE BEING CHALLENGED THIS DAY.
Psalms 23:1-6 INTRODUCTION
Turn with me this morning to the 23rd Psalm, perhaps one of the best loved passages in all the Bible. We often read it in times of stress or sorrow. But I would like you to see it in a slightly different way this morning.
I’d like you to see in this Psalm three great reasons for us to be thankful unto God. A. The 23rd Psalm begins with these familiar words, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." When someone says, "I shall not want," we need to sit up & take notice because this is an age of discontent. THERE IS A QUITE POEM,
It was spring. But it was summer I wanted - The warm days, & the great outdoors.
It was summer. But it was fall I wanted - The colorful leaves, & the cool, dry air.
It was fall. But it was winter I wanted - The beautiful snow, & the joy of the holiday season.
It was winter. But it was spring I wanted - The warmth, of nature. I was a child. But it was adulthood I wanted - The freedom, & the respect
I was 20. But it was 30 I wanted - To be mature, & sophisticated.
I was middle-aged. But it was 20 I wanted - The youth, & the free spirit.
I was retired. But it was middle-age I wanted - The presence of mind, without limitations.
Then my life was over, & I never got what I wanted.
Many people never seem satisfied, & almost everybody wants more.
Obviously, God wants us to be a happy, satisfied people. But We shouldn’t be restless , always grumbling about what we don’t have.
So with the 23rd Psalm in mind, we affirm THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I SHALL NOT WANT..
OFTEN in the Bible, human beings are compared to sheep.
Now that sounds nice, but surely you realize that is not necessarily a compliment, because sheep are among the dumbest & dirtiest animals in the world.
So when Isaiah says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray," he is not saying "That’s good." He’s saying, "That’s bad, because we’re just about on a level with sheep."
When Jesus looked out on the people with compassion, the Gospel writers say that He saw them "as sheep without a shepherd." That’s not a compliment, either, but a concern, because sheep are so helpless when they’re all alone.
Now let’s look at what David says..
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I SHALL NOT WANT
David then says, "HE MAKE ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES,
He leads me beside quiet waters. Then David says, "He restores my soul." "He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake."
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."
Why? Because "you are with me." David goes on to say, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."
Finally, listen to this, "You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness & mercy will follow me all the days of my life, & I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Jesus was a Master teacher. He drew attention to what the people understood and then moved them from there to spiritual insights.
He saw a man sowing seeds and told the people that the different soils the seed landed on was like different hearts that receive the Word of God.
He said looking for the Kingdom of God was like looking for a lost coin.
He told us that God’s love for us was like that of a Father who’s son had left home.
In the passage before us Jesus uses A SHEEP IMIAGE..
NOW WE UNDERSTAND THE IMAGE AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE POINT AS WELL.
THE POINT IS THAT Jesus is the One True Shepherd . . . . the only way of salvation (v.9)
BUT AT THE TIME OF THIS PASSAGE The Pharisees believed them selves to be the guardians of the people.
BUT Jesus makes it clear that He alone can lead the people to a restored relationship with God.
He alone is the Redeemer.
HE ALONE IS THE Good Shepherd.
JESUS IS QUICK TO REMIND HIS FOLLOWER THAT HE IS WHO HE CLAIMS TO BE AND AS HE ALSO IDENTIFIES THE QUALITIES OF SHEEP HE THEN GOES ON TO GIVE US INSTRUCTIONS ON TO How to Defend Against Those who would lead us astray
First, we must beware of Strange Voices. When something doesn’t sound right we must check it out thoroughly. Be careful of things that sound "too good
to be true". Beware of those who present a Christianity that is absent of difficulties, trials, and sacrifice.
Second, and most important: We must learn to recognize the Master’s Voice there is only one way to train your ear to the voice of God and that is to become a student of the Word of God.
We must not be content with a few verses a week read from the pulpit. If we want to get to know God we must listen and listen carefully. There are many impostors out there and many of them know all the "lingo". The only way to withstand these people is to be better acquainted with the truth than they are.
Finally, We must trust the True Shepherd for Salvation You see, it’s not enough to merely recognize the gate, you must enter at the gate.
IT NOT ENOUGH TO KNOW THE WAY YOU MUST WALK THE WAY..
IT S NOT ENOUGH TO KNOW THE SHEPHERD YOU MUST FOLLOW THE SHEPHERD.
You can know ABOUT Jesus is the true Shepherd, the only way of salvation and still not be part of the flock.
YOU CAN KNOW ABOUT THE FLOCK BUT YOU MUST become a part of the flock you have to commit yourself to the Shepherd.
FINALLY I WANT TO COME TO THE MAIN POINT OF OUR PASSAGE TODAY WHICH IS VERSE # 27..
MY SHEEP KNOW MY VOICE ..WE MUST KNOW THE VOICE OF THE
SHEPHERD..
MY SHEEP FOLLOW MY VOICE..WE MUST FOLLOW THE LEADING OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE AND NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND.....WE MUST AFFIRM HOW WE ARE Kept by the Power of THE SHEPHERD..
I want us to look at those three truths today that demonstrate God’s intention of keeping the saved.
1. The power of God
2. The presence of the Holy Spirit
3. The prayers of Jesus Christ
The Scriptures are clear that all who name the name of Jesus are in a spiritual battle against Satan and the demons of hell.
If he has his way none of us will survive with our faith in tact.
Satan is going to try to..disrupt, disturb and
destroy your faith in God.
He will use poverty or prosperity. He will use sin or self-righteousness.
It matters not to him what method is used so long as the end result is the destruction of your faith in Christ.
So it would be wise to ask, "will God protect us from Satan’s evil plans? Will he keep us safe from the evil one?"
We also know from personal experience that there lurks in our hearts a sinful nature. It constantly pulls and tugs on our hearts.
This desire to disobey God and His laws constantly seeks to seduce us into forsaking Christ and indulging ourselves in the sinful pleasures of this world.
You know as well as I do that each one of us has a pressure point in our life. A spot where we are most temptable.
So we naturally wonder if God will keep sin from conquering us?
As if the flesh and the devil were not enough to keep us concerned we still have another enemy.
This world we live in is at war with the people of God.
The world system and the culture of which we are a part is not designed to produce godliness and faith in our hearts. The centers of power in America are
Hollywood and Washington DC and neither one is friendly to the cause of Christ. MUCH OF WHAT WE SEE IN THE MOVIES IS COMPOSED OF WHAT...IT A SHAME ..
This world seeks to lure us with flattery AND EXIST TO CALL US away from our walk with Christ.
It holds out its entertainment and pleasure and brings all of that seductive force to bear against our souls.
So it only makes sense to ask whether or not God will keep us safe from the Can He keep us safe?
I want to declare to you today God’s determination to keep us safe for Himself.
And the very first guarantee we have that God will not allow us to be overcome by Satan. OR OVER INFLUENCED BY SATAN...
A......God has made certain promises to those who place their faith in Christ for salvation.
B.....Not one promise of God will fail to come to pass.
C...God has made promises to us that He will keep us, that He will complete His work in us, that He will bring us to glory and that nothing will separate us
from Him.
VERSE # 27..Listen to the passage AGAIN..IN WHICH WE find God’s promises to us. "My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand."
(John 10:27-28)
JUDE 24: Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the Presence of his Glory with Exceeding Joy.....
This was written by Jude the brother of Jesus and James. It was Written to the Jewish Christians, and the believers everywhere. The Purpose was to remind
the Church to be Watchful & to keep strong in the Faith and Hold On To The Truth..
Now Jude was Telling them that in these times we are rapidly approaching the time of the Ascension of the Lord. But as for the time being we must "Stand Strong And Hold On To Your Faith".
Yes I no that it might get tough sometimes But Stand Strong.
You may have to cry sometimes but Hold on and Stand Strong.
You may have to Walk alone but God Is Able to see you through.
That’s why the Prophet Isaiah said "Fear Not For I’m God Be Not Dismayed For I’m God and I Will Strengthen the Weak, And I Will Uphold You With My Right Hand".
For it Was the Lord That: Deliver the Hebrews Boys from the Fiery Furnace.
Added 15 More years to Hezekiah Life when he had his face turn to the Wall.
Some of You All has Got your Face to the Wall But God Is Able to do exceedingly and abundantly and above all that you can think are even ask. God Is Able to see you though.
He’s Able To: HEAL THE SICK.....
Make A Way Out Of No Way...
Set The Captives Free...
He’s Able: To Take You Through The Storm...
To Take You Through The Rain...
To Deliver You...
God is truly able to keep you in the palm of his hand ..he is able...To See You Through...
God has an incredible future for you--but you’re going to need to get under His hand. That hand is a hand of promotion, protection, power and purpose.
A..PROMOTION.
B..PROVISION.
C..POWER.....
D..PURPOSE...
E..PROTECTION
A. Promotion---God’s mighty hand lifts us up to greater levels of influence and fruitfulness in serving the body of Christ and in the world.
B. Provision---God provides us with everything we need physically, emotionally, relationally, spiritually and financially.
C. Power---That mighty hand of God is a hand of power. Under that hand we have the power to overcome and defeat the circumstances and problems that come against us and place us in harm’s way.
D. Purpose---God’s hand points the way to His eternal purposes for our lives.
Our fulfillment as Christians depends on fulfilling the purposes of God by the way we live our lives.
E. Protection... God for protection from anything or anyone who would stand against us and threaten to cause us harm. God looks around us, places His
hand against our chest and tells the world, The safest place in the world is in the center of God’s will.
The principle then is clear. When you come under the mighty hand of God, the mighty hand of God comes under you.
THE WORD OF GOD STATES....I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that what I have committed to Him until that Day." 2 Timothy 1:12
"Kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:5
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Jude 24
Our salvation is not secure if it depends upon us.
We don’t have the power, the strength, the ability or the wisdom to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil.
If left to us we will surely fall. But what these Scriptures teach us is that the keeping depends upon God.
He has promised to keep us. And I want you to know that He has the power to keep us. He is able to do that which He promised.
SO WE have A reason to be confident.
We are not only secure because of the power of God, we are secure because of the presence Holy Spirit.
When a person is born again the Holy Spirit of God comes to indwell the spirit of that person. Our bodies become the very temple of the Living God.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer accomplishes a number of very important purposes in our life.
A....The most obvious result is that the presence of God’s Spirit within the believer gives us the power to live the Christian life. Without the Holy Spirit
filling our lives we would be incapable of carrying on the work of Christ in our cities, our churches and our homes.
B....The Holy Spirit of God is not only the person who coveys to us the power of God for godly living. He is the light of Christ in us to give witness of the
reality of Christ’s love and salvation for the world. Jesus said, "you shall be witnesses - after the Holy Spirit has come upon you."
The Holy Spirit is also that personal presence of Christ in our lives that brings to us the possibilities of peace and joy and love and faith in this world. The Christian is given the Spirit and He fills us with the divine personality of God and grants to us the fruits of Who He is.
With all of that said, we must not overlook the fact that the Holy Spirit’s presence is also the guarantee that God will keep us safe and bring us into our
heavenly home.
FINALLY.... you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.
The BIBLE says that those who have genuine faith are sealed with the Holy Spirit.
But what does he mean when he says we are sealed with the Holy Spirit?
We are sealed by the Holy Spirit and what that means is that He is the mark of God on us that guarantees us the protection of God on our soul and spirit.
So we are secure first because of the power of God, second because of the presence of the Holy Spirit and third because of the power of Christ.
I don’t know when, or through what circumstances of life, or by what strength of temptation it will come. But I am sure of this - your faith will be sorely tried and tested.
And what hope do we have that we can stand the test?
The hope we have is this. If we are children of God and if we truly know Christ, He is always interceding for us.
And when Satan comes to sift us as wheat, Jesus Christ prays that our faith will not fail.
And even though we might stumble as Peter did, we will return. Not because of the strength of our character and the nobility of our heart. We will return because of the effectiveness and power of His prayers.
We are kept by the power of God. We are secure because of God’s integrity -
He will keep His promises; we are secure because of the presence of the Holy Spirit - He seals us; we are secure because of the prayers of our Lord - He saves us to the uttermost.
AMEN..................AMEN...............AMEN
