Sermon Title: BLESSED ASSURANCE
Scripture Text: JOHN 10:24-30
Sermon Series: HERE I STAND: BUILDING A STRONG FAITH
Sermon Notes:
JOHN 10:24-30 NIV
24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me,
26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
30 I and the Father are one.”
“Once saved, always saved.”
“If anyone saith, that a man, who is born again and justified, is bound of faith to believe that he is assuredly in the number of the predestinate: let him be anathema.” –Canon XV, Council of Trent
Is our relationship with God permanent or conditional?
There are people who:
Don’t have a relationship with God and don’t want to.
There are people who:
Don’t have a relationship with God but they want to.
There are people who:
Do have a relationship with God and are sure they have a relationship with God.
There are people who:
Do have a relationship with God and are sure they do, but are afraid they can lose it.
Mark of a Genuine Relationship with God
I. PERSONAL
JOHN 10:24-30 NIV
24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me,
26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28
JOHN 10:3-5 NIV
3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
JOHN 10:27 NIV
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
“Hearing God is not just something you do, it’s who you are.”
JOHN 10:14 NIV
14 I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
JOHN 10:9 NIV
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
JOHN 20:31 NIV
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
JOHN 1:12-13 NIV
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
Mark of a Genuine Relationship with God
II. PURSUIT
JOHN 10:27 NIV
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
“Following Jesus means you don’t just talk the talk, you walk the talk.”
Mark of a Genuine Relationship with God
III. PERMANENCE
JOHN 10:28 NIV
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
“Eternal life is not something you get when you die, it’s something you get when you believe.”
JOHN 10:28 NIV
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
“…and never, no never shall they perish;…”
JOHN 10:28-29 NIV
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
JOHN 10:24-30 NIV
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
“Our security is not based on our holding on to God, but on God holding on to us.”
Marks of a Genuine Relationship with God
I. PERSONAL
II. PURSUIT
III. PERMANENCE