Sunday Sermon
sunday morning 22nd June 2008
John 10v1-21
Intro:
Jesus tells the people a story v1-5.
It is very straight forward, the shepherd gets his sheep the proper way and the sheep listen to him because they know his voice. The thief tries to get the sheep the wrong way but the sheep don’t follow because they don’t know his voice.
But the listeners don’t get the point of this message v6.
Thus Jesus explains further v7-18.
- What does Jesus say?
1) he is the gate - that is the proper way in. We must go through him to be saved v9. And to enter into life to the full v10
2) he is the good shepherd who will do anything for the sheep, even lay down his life v11. The Good Shepherd knows his sheep v14.
Then the response v19-21, there is division of opinion about Jesus.
What did the people think Jesus was saying?
The two “I am” statements would have stood out.
A) I am the gate - obviously a metaphor.
Jesus was not saying that he was literally a gate!
But a gate was a place of entrance into and out of, a house, a city, a sheep pen etc.
Jesus is saying that he is the way of entrance into some other place, the place of life.
Thus Jesus was saying to them I am the gate into another realm, another way of life!
Note: OT background. Gates were places of discussion and wisdom, gates had to be strong to keep out the enemy at night, they had to be shut at night, Jacob dreamt he was at the gate of heaven - the entrance to heaven etc.
B) he said I am the good shepherd.
Not like the hired hand who runs off at the first sign of trouble. The good shepherd dies for the sheep and he knows the sheep, they know him too.
Note: OT background. Gen 48v15 Jacob says God has been his shepherd all the days of his life. Joshua is appointed Moses’ successor so that the people are not like sheep without a Shepherd numbers 27v17. David is anointed king, the shepherd over the people 2Sam5v2. Psalm 23 - the Lord is my shepherd. Etc. The OT picture of the shepherd is one who rules of the people, leading and caring for them.
When there was no shepherd the people suffered.
So what really is the overall impact of these two statements?
Jesus is saying “I am your leader who loves you and is willing do everything for you, I know you and I will die for you, if you follow me I will lead you into life eternal” - I am the Shepherd, I am the Gate.
In it’s original context this statement of loving leadership clearly went down well with some but not so well with others. There was division! V19.
The claim is the same today: Jesus is our Leader, how will you respond?
We live in an age that is crying out for leadership.
At the world level we need good leaders on the political scene.
At a church level and in the family we need good leadership.
Many of our social problems today arise because of a lack of good leadership.
And here is Jesus proclaiming boldly - I am your Leader! He is the answer to all our needs for good leadership. He is the leader and the role model for every under-leader!
So what does it mean that Jesus is our leader?
1) first of all it means that in Him we have access to fullness of life! V9-10.
As the Gate, in Christ we have access into the kingdom of Heaven.
Through him we are saved, and that means we enter into life eternal, life to the full.
Jesus is our Freedom Fighter - our Moses, our king David.
Jesus is the interface between the seen world and the unseen realm.
The Gate through which we enter life to the full.
What does life to the full consist of in the Kingdom?
Freedom “he will come in and go out” v9.
Access - to the whole realm of Gods Kingdom.
Satisfaction “and find pasture” v9.
Because of that full access there will never be a shortage of supply:
Grace to help us in our time of trouble, forgiveness as we repent, fullness of the Holy Spirit, infinite love / care / attention / support / comfort …..
Our leadership is to be from this fullness of life that we have in Christ. If we try to lead in out own strength and wisdom then we will only fail.
2) as our Leader he has given himself for us v11.
Most of the time the worlds leaders are selfish. They lead for their own ends.
If they are concerned for the people they serve it is only to a degree!
But Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life!
He would rather hurt and die himself than see his own people suffer!
Leadership is sacrificial - it always puts others first.
App:
How can we put others first? We need to know their value. There value lies in the fact that they belong to God. The hired hand runs away because he does not own the sheep! People are valuable because they belong to God!
3) as our leader He knows us personally v3, 14-15.
Most of the time in the world, leaders simply use the people they lead.
We are seen as object that are to be productive!
If we are not productive then we are useless!
Jesus the Leader has an altogether different approach!
He knows us by name, not as objects but as people to have a personal relationship with. He knows us and calls us by name v3.
This is perhaps thee most impressive thing about the Lords leadership.
The fact that it is personal. He knows us!
We live in a lonely age, where people don’t even know their neighbours names.
Leaders are not expected to know the names of the people they lead. They can’t.
The shepherd knows us, cares for us, protects us, dies for us etc.
Our worldly leaders are unapproachable - to busy, to important, to powerful to bother!
Divine Leadership is nothing if it is not Personal.
App:
This personal aspect is two way. Like the gate for coming in and going out.
Jesus knows us and we are called to know Him v4,14.
We do know him when we come to believe but we are called to grow in that relationship.
sunday evening 22nd June 2008
John 10v22-39
What is going on here? What is Jesus saying in this section?
Well it is really quite simple. The Jews want a plain simple answer to their question of v24 - are you the Messiah? In response Jesus tells them plainly - I am God v30.
They wanted to know if He was the Messiah. Jesus says I am God v30.
This time they get the message - 31, they try to kill him, why? V33 “because you, a mere man, claim to be God."
Tell us plainly are you the Messiah? “Yes” says Jesus. “right your dead” say the Jews!
The great spiritual truth that is brought out in these verses is that the promised Messiah, the Saviour that the Jews were looking for, longing for, is in fact God.
Not just a “mere man”, not another prophet like those of old, not even a great saviour like Moses was, but God!!! The God that the Jews worshipped, the Holy One, Yahweh, - that same God is the Messiah!
In its original context this claim went down like a ton of bricks.
The Jews wanted to kill Jesus right there and then. It was too much.
The divinity of Jesus 2000 years later is a well established orthodox Christian belief.
To deny the divinity of Jesus is to deny the faith and take one outside of the orthodox church. Yet every generation needs to come to understand this for itself.
Today, for us here in Kingussie Free church, this claim of Jesus is not just some piece of Christian theology that we must accept in a theoretical fashion.
This truth is of every day significance to our lives.
If Jesus is God then we can still talk to him. He can still influence our lives.
He is still alive. Faith then is a living thing, not a dead religion.
If Jesus is God then he is here now, he fills the universe. He fills this place.
He gives meaning and purpose to our lives.
Our worship tonight is offered up to Jesus who is God.
If Jesus is God then the world is a different place! Possibilities are endless, life really is worthwhile. Following Jesus is worthwhile.
Jesus is God, “I and the Father are one,” “the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
1) “I and the Father are one,”
The pivotal point here is this oneness. What is Jesus driving at?
He is simply telling the people that the Father and himself are in the same business.
Their purpose is one. Which is : they are united in the work of salvation.
V27-28: Jesus makes his purpose clear. He is here to save. And all that he saves will never be lost.
V29: the Fathers purpose is the same. To save and lose none.
Gods purpose all along has been to save!
From Adam and Eve, to Abraham and Sara, to Moses and the Israelites, down to the Samaritans and the Gentiles, the Scots and the English, etc.
Our God is a God who saves - Ps 68v20
The proof of Jesus claim that he is God is that he does what God does. He saves!
How do we know Jesus is God? Because he saves. He brings salvation to you and me.
Think on that for a moment:
The divinity of Christ is proven, not by any great theological / philosophical argument but by his practical saving action in the lives of you and me!
How could Jesus save unless he was God?
A mere man like you and me could never bring salvation to a soul!
Why do we worship Jesus? Because he is the God who saved me!
He is God therefore he saves.
2) “the father is in me, and I in the Father”
This speaks of the relationship that Jesus and the Father have.
They have a unity of purpose as we have seen, and a unity of relationship.
Theologians call it “mutual indwelling”. (pericorasis)
There is no disagreement, no falling out, no division. They are so close!
We can add to their relationship the relationship of the Holy Spirit who relates in the same way, but we will see that at another time.
For the moment Jesus wants the people to know and understand that he is there not on his own! When they see Him, they see the Father.
When he works, the Father works, his work is the Fathers work!
Jesus is God.
Their purpose is one: to save.
They carry out that purpose together: the Father in me, and I in the Father.
Do we know and understand that? All that we see in Jesus is God. Whatever thoughts we may have about God have to line up with what we see in Jesus or else they are false!
Note too: the way in which Jesus is God. Or the way God is God.
God is God in relationship. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
This relationship is at the core of reality.
Fellowship is at the core of reality.
Jesus say I am God and therefore I exist in relationship to the Father, as the Father does to the Son.
We sometimes see it as a sign of strength that a person can “go it alone”. But really going it alone is nothing to be proud of.
Equally admitting that we need help, that we need others, is no sign of weakness.
Jesus says I am God and therefore I exist with the Father and in the Father.
God exists as God always in relationship with the persons of the trinity.
He is never alone!
Loneliness is one of our modern curses.
As the church we have a great opportunity to reach out with a message of eternal friendship with God! No need to be alone - why? Because Jesus is God.
God invites us into a relationship with Himself that can never be lost or broken!
