1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,040 As I mentioned at the beginning of service, we continue this What's in the Name sermon 2 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:14,960 series looking at the distinctives of Jesus and we will continue that in Lent, like I 3 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:19,840 said, with a little bit different flavor, especially getting a couple weeks from now 4 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:24,440 to Holy Week, which is the week starting with Palm Sunday, going through Maundy Thursday, 5 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,920 which is midweek service we have here at Munster, more on that later, where we look at that 6 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:35,440 communion table, that last supper of Jesus and His disciples then leading to, obviously, 7 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,240 Easter Resurrection Sunday, and we have 40 day journey through all of that, starting 8 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:41,600 on Wednesday. 9 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,600 But it feels good to be back in the pulpit. 10 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,160 It's been a couple, three weeks, which as a lot of you have pointed out, that's the 11 00:00:48,160 --> 00:00:51,560 longest I've ever gone, so I don't know if that was a hope that it would be three more 12 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,880 weeks or you wanted me to come back. 13 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:55,480 It's always a good thing to feel that way. 14 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:56,480 You may be split on that. 15 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,220 I'm not going to have you raise your hands. 16 00:00:58,220 --> 00:01:03,440 But put yourself in gospel times, put yourself in the first century. 17 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:09,280 We've now gone through eight sermons that talk about a distinctive of Jesus, and though 18 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:14,620 let's go seven, because that first one was John's preamble, word made flesh. 19 00:01:14,620 --> 00:01:18,480 That was not a declarative done by Jesus. 20 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:25,580 That was John putting that on Jesus in the way he talked about the logos in John 1. 21 00:01:25,580 --> 00:01:26,660 So let's go nine. 22 00:01:26,660 --> 00:01:29,640 We've heard nine other distinctives. 23 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:31,640 Now put yourself in Jesus' day. 24 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:37,600 Put yourself roughly in Jerusalem or Galilee or even Samaria, because Jesus has now had 25 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:43,760 those teachings and those miracles and those, insert whatever here, those experiences, and 26 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:48,620 you're hearing about this guy that is calling himself, claiming himself to be all of these 27 00:01:48,620 --> 00:01:54,600 things, whether it's Nicodemus, whether it's the woman at the well, whether it's the disciples 28 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,920 or the feeding of the 5,000. 29 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:04,280 A couple people, what would you be thinking about this guy, this person of Jesus? 30 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:09,920 Mind you, there have been people before Jesus that claimed to be the Messiah, a little m. 31 00:02:09,920 --> 00:02:16,240 There were claims like that all over the place, but now this Jesus steps on the scene and 32 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,160 now he's claiming these things. 33 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:23,000 And not only is he claiming, not only is he talking the talk, he's walking the walk in 34 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,280 some fairly incredible miracles. 35 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:31,960 What would be going on through your mind if you were a Gentile or even a Jew during this 36 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,320 season, during this time? 37 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,160 I know you haven't had a lot of pastors ask you questions over the last three weeks, so 38 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,360 I'll give it a minute. 39 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:43,360 Let's check it out. 40 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:44,360 I'd like to go see this guy. 41 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:45,440 There's something about him, okay? 42 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:46,600 Where can I buy a ticket? 43 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,520 All those things, okay? 44 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:50,520 Others? 45 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:51,520 What? 46 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,720 Fake news? 47 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:57,320 I knew I shouldn't have asked. 48 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,160 Oh gosh, fake news. 49 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,160 I got to double down on you. 50 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:04,160 Why? 51 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:09,040 Ah, what's the difference in this? 52 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,560 Okay, Jesse, I'm just going to rip that up. 53 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,560 You're going to change that. 54 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:15,560 It's good. 55 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,160 No, I think that that's an excellent point. 56 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:19,640 I still don't know. 57 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:21,120 I still doubt, right? 58 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:28,560 I maybe wasn't one of the ones that got fed, which I got my fill and saw leftovers, right? 59 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,560 Anyone else? 60 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,560 Afraid. 61 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,480 Came from somewhere on this side. 62 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:36,480 Afraid. 63 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:37,480 Interesting. 64 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:38,480 Why afraid? 65 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,400 You're like, nope, I said my word. 66 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:42,400 I'm good. 67 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:43,400 I'm not. 68 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:44,400 Does anyone want to take it? 69 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:48,920 Why would that person say afraid? 70 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:49,920 Where are you? 71 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:50,920 Oh, thank you. 72 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:52,760 Oh, you're up in the balcony. 73 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:58,920 I'm looking at all these people going, nope, nope, nope, up in the balcony. 74 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:00,920 Yeah. 75 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:05,320 Oh, a fear drew you in. 76 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:06,320 Interesting. 77 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:07,320 Okay. 78 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:08,320 One more. 79 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:13,680 Nope, didn't think you could top fear. 80 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:14,680 Fair enough. 81 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,840 So, fear, doubt, and somewhat excitement. 82 00:04:18,840 --> 00:04:20,200 I think that that's all good. 83 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:25,840 I think that that engagement in the text, that he's claiming things, claiming to be 84 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:30,200 things that we haven't heard those same claims before. 85 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:35,880 And if we did, he doubled down and actually walked it out. 86 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:37,520 He didn't just talk it out. 87 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:44,000 The thing that got me from two weeks ago when my little brother was preaching was this woman 88 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:49,320 that, and then Jonathan preached on it a little bit three weeks ago, this woman at the well. 89 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,760 And just the whole thing, again, I'm not going to re-preach it, but she goes and tells. 90 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:55,760 She goes and tells. 91 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,960 And she doesn't tell the gospel, because the gospel hasn't been done yet. 92 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:01,880 Wait, Pastor, what do you mean? 93 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:03,080 What is the gospel? 94 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:10,840 The life, death, and if you're a really good Christian, the, okay, three of you are good 95 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:17,920 Christians, good, the ascension, the life, death, resurrection, ascension of Jesus. 96 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:19,160 That hasn't happened yet. 97 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,840 But what did she tell? 98 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:26,680 She went and gave testimony of a guy that knew everything about me. 99 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:31,800 Now, to Jesse's point, okay, so you had someone that was a good guesser, someone that was 100 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,240 a psychic or something like that, but yet there was something different. 101 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,160 She did it with joy. 102 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:44,120 And how many people, if your story was the same of the woman at the well story, would 103 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,960 go, this guy knew everything about me, all of the guys that I have been with, all of 104 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,560 the things that I have done, all the shame that has brought, and because she's been delivered 105 00:05:52,560 --> 00:06:02,040 from it, because Jesus gave her part of himself in the assurance that he was different, which 106 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:06,000 would have spoken into the doubt a little bit, would have drawn a lot of the excitement 107 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:11,200 and still would have brought fear, because you could have engaged her testimony like, 108 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,560 I don't want to meet that guy. 109 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:15,120 She only had this many husbands. 110 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:16,120 I've had that many. 111 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:17,120 Or this many wives. 112 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:21,360 Or I've done these things, or I don't want him to tell me my stuff. 113 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,120 So that's where that fear came from. 114 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,280 But there's going to be a context here in John 10. 115 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:31,840 We take a little bit of a turn, because what Jesus is doing now, Jesus is setting up to 116 00:06:31,840 --> 00:06:35,120 teach the Jews something. 117 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,280 Where we just saw him in Gentile country, he's now going to be kind of talking specifically 118 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:46,120 to the Jews and their understanding of their faith system, their faith or belief system. 119 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,920 Even though the Gentiles will pick up stuff from it, because there's a declaration that 120 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:56,760 comes, there's a claim being made, the context for the church is very, very important here. 121 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:01,320 And so we're going to read the first six verses of John chapter 10. 122 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:09,660 So John 10 we read from the ESV, but whatever translation you have with you is fine. 123 00:07:09,660 --> 00:07:14,320 Where Jesus says, truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the 124 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:20,480 door, but climbs in another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 125 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,760 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 126 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,720 To him the gatekeeper opens. 127 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:33,080 The sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 128 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:38,520 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, for 129 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:40,400 they know his voice. 130 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:46,040 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the 131 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:47,840 voice of strangers. 132 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:53,200 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying 133 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:54,200 to them. 134 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:59,640 So Jesus is making this claim, or really this teaching, he hasn't claimed it yet, this teaching, 135 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,600 he uses imagery of a shepherd and a sheep. 136 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:06,160 So this would have been something that everybody would have picked up on. 137 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:10,080 Shepherds were one of the lowliest jobs, but they were all over the place, because the 138 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:16,080 amount of sheep, the amount of animals you had showed a lot about your status, your wealth, 139 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:19,800 your possessions, these were the hired hands. 140 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:25,360 That Jesus used the imagery of the shepherd and the sheepfold to describe his relationship 141 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:27,680 to his followers. 142 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:31,440 But we have to look at, there's a historical and a cultural context here that we need to 143 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:36,360 dive in, in order for verses seven through 10 to make sense. 144 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:42,080 You see in Jesus' time, shepherds would lead their flocks into walled sheepfolds or sheep 145 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,560 pens at night for what? 146 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:46,600 Why would they do this? 147 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:48,720 Protection, absolutely. 148 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:55,920 They brought them in for protection, the enclosure of a single opening without a door. 149 00:08:55,920 --> 00:09:02,640 The shepherd himself would lie across the opening, literally becoming the door. 150 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,480 I don't know how many of you guys ever thought that. 151 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:11,600 I've been to farmers' farms, and I think you guys have a door to your pen, right? 152 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:13,400 Or is that something the kids have to do? 153 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:14,920 They have to lay across it, right? 154 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:21,920 Or if Jesse gets in trouble, you don't go to the couch, you go in front of the pig pen. 155 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:23,680 But how many of you actually realize that? 156 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:25,640 They didn't do doors. 157 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,960 The shepherd himself was the door. 158 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:35,240 They literally became the door, keeping predators out and ensuring the safety of the sheep. 159 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:36,480 And why? 160 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:43,120 Because animals, right, can be classically conditioned to work through certain things. 161 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:48,920 So you put a door up, and a wolf, first couple times, probably can't figure out a way through 162 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:50,960 the door, and you're mostly safe. 163 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,080 But again, this wasn't the industrial revolution. 164 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:55,500 This was the first century. 165 00:09:55,500 --> 00:09:59,480 So the technology of all these things really wasn't great. 166 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:03,480 And my guess is this door, if they were to put one up, wouldn't be like the big brass 167 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:09,680 doors of cathedrals in Europe, or even like our doors with magnetic locks. 168 00:10:09,680 --> 00:10:12,160 They didn't have any of that. 169 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,880 And if they did, that would be expensive. 170 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:21,280 And so there wasn't that kind of materialistic protection. 171 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,200 It was a person. 172 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:28,600 But a person was there to protect the sheep. 173 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:30,880 So there's the historical context. 174 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:32,280 They would have put all that together. 175 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:37,600 And I'm seeing in a lot of you, you just assume there was a door, as I would have assumed 176 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,040 there was a door. 177 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:44,080 But the fact that there wasn't and the shepherd is the door really lifts up what Jesus is 178 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:45,460 about to claim. 179 00:10:45,460 --> 00:10:50,640 Because this imagery reveals that Jesus is not just the way into salvation, but he is 180 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,600 the only way. 181 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:58,600 And the reason why he's going to attempt it, but it's Jesus, so he did it, is he's going 182 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:04,280 to make this claim because there were others trying to steal the sheep. 183 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:06,400 There were false shepherds and there were thieves. 184 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:11,840 Jesus warns of thieves and robbers who climb in another way. 185 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:15,800 These represent false teachers, religious leaders, and any who attempt to lead people 186 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,120 astray from the true salvation of Christ. 187 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:24,040 Because let's be honest, a door back in that day, a pen back in that day, maybe a wolf 188 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,200 wouldn't be able to get in, but people could. 189 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:32,640 And if sheep were the commodity of the day, or animals were a commodity of the day, they'd 190 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:35,920 just go in and climb over and steal them. 191 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:37,480 It's just something that they could do. 192 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,360 That's why a person was the actual door. 193 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:47,640 And this rebuke, now going a little bit deeper contextually and theologically, this rebuke 194 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,560 by Jesus was aimed at who? 195 00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:57,560 For a cup of coffee and a conversation with Pastor Jim, who is this claim about the thieves 196 00:11:57,560 --> 00:12:02,280 or the false shepherds would be aimed at who? 197 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:03,280 Who said it? 198 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,240 Somewhere way up in the balcony again. 199 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:06,920 Okay, you have like a voice shifter. 200 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,120 I keep hearing you down there. 201 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:09,400 All right, coffee up there. 202 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:11,300 It was the Pharisees. 203 00:12:11,300 --> 00:12:12,880 He is making this claim. 204 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:19,680 So not only is he around the Jews, he's around the Pharisees, he's around the Sadducees and 205 00:12:19,680 --> 00:12:22,080 the teachers of the law. 206 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:28,100 What Jesus is rebuking, this aim at the Pharisees is because they've misled the people to think 207 00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:34,800 of a legalism way of walking out their faith in Yahweh rather than leading them to God's 208 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:36,760 grace. 209 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:40,120 You have not done this, so therefore you're not in the fold. 210 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:41,440 You're not part of the elect. 211 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,040 You're not a true Israelite. 212 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:45,600 They made those claims all the time. 213 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,360 They became judge, jury, and at times executioner. 214 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,080 And Jesus is calling that out saying this is false. 215 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:58,160 So what does that mean for us? 216 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:02,440 This may make you, some of you uncomfortable, may get mad at me. 217 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:08,360 We are not to be judge, jury, and executioner. 218 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,640 Because if we're going to take Jesus' claims and we're going to stand them and walk them 219 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:14,720 out, we can't be like the Pharisees. 220 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:17,040 Because notice there isn't grace there. 221 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:21,400 You cannot give the gospel of Christ without grace. 222 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:25,680 Because if you are going to attempt to give the gospel without grace, what are you actually 223 00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:26,680 giving? 224 00:13:26,680 --> 00:13:28,740 It works righteousness understanding. 225 00:13:28,740 --> 00:13:33,480 You do enough things, you teach enough things, you give enough money, you'll make it to heaven. 226 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:39,480 Jesus is refuting that a hundred times over and going to double down on it. 227 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:49,160 So as we see the life of Jesus really making the Pharisees mad, no wonder sin and human 228 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,200 flesh carnal nature takes over. 229 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:55,720 This guy is going to upset the apple cart of everything we're trying to do. 230 00:13:55,720 --> 00:14:02,040 Our power, our authority, our money, that everything needs to be done our way. 231 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:05,880 And if not, they're gone. 232 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:06,880 They're out. 233 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:13,440 Jesus is calling the whole system and turning it on its head saying this is not my father's 234 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:14,620 house. 235 00:14:14,620 --> 00:14:21,560 This is not what we attempted and this is not what we intended this to be. 236 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:25,960 For the true shepherd enters by the door and the sheep recognize his voice. 237 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:31,960 One of the things I love about having animals, though there's a lot of reasons why I don't 238 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:39,520 like them anymore, being many dogs in, I still love them ish, is hopefully you have an obedient 239 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:41,640 trained animal. 240 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:42,640 And kids. 241 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:50,240 But understand that you see it more in animals and I will remember our first dog, Pierce. 242 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,520 Some of you remember we had him when we moved up. 243 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:53,520 He was our Dalmatian. 244 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:54,520 We loved that dog. 245 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,280 Way more than Annie and Archie now. 246 00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:58,640 They're not going to see this. 247 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:03,160 But understand that he was a very well trained dog. 248 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,960 To the point where he was almost too trained that he would try to manipulate Carrie and 249 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:07,960 I. 250 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:12,200 If I would tell him no on something, he would literally go try to get it from Carrie. 251 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:13,200 That's how it was. 252 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:14,280 And then she usually gave in. 253 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:21,360 But understand that he, with just a look, he knew what we meant. 254 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:23,320 He knew to sit or to lie down. 255 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:25,760 He hated rolling over but if you got a treat he would do it. 256 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:30,240 But understand that we see that obedience, it was the same with sheep. 257 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:35,560 And sheep, I'm going to ask my resident farmers, not the brightest animals in the bunch, right? 258 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:37,400 No. 259 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:38,400 Just say no. 260 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:39,480 No, don't go into more stuff. 261 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:40,480 Just say no. 262 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:41,480 Thank you. 263 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:42,480 Okay. 264 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:43,480 So they're not. 265 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,120 And the Bible makes that very clear. 266 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:48,160 But they are repetitious animals. 267 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:52,260 They know and learn classically conditioned by habits of many things. 268 00:15:52,260 --> 00:15:54,240 They always kind of go through the same door. 269 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:59,760 They come back from the same door but here Jesus is going, they know my voice. 270 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,520 So what does that tell us? 271 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:05,120 You had people that didn't know the Pharisee's voice. 272 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:07,440 They just knew the fear. 273 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,840 They just knew the submissiveness that they needed to cower. 274 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:15,160 They needed to cower to understand the things of God. 275 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:18,800 That is a different kind of fear than we're called to fear the Lord. 276 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,800 They exploited that. 277 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,520 Fearing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 278 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:28,720 God says that we recognize the reverence of God, that God is here and we are here and 279 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,240 that's okay. 280 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:34,760 But they turned it into fear of damnation. 281 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:38,000 If you break this law, you're out. 282 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:42,920 That was what they tried to get the sheep to understand. 283 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:44,680 So what do we pull from this? 284 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:51,680 That those who belong to Christ will not follow a stranger. 285 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:57,160 We're showing the necessity for spiritual discernment and recognizing Jesus' voice in 286 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:58,160 our life. 287 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,080 More on that in a minute. 288 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,200 So now he makes this claim and this claim is a big one and we're going to be in verse 289 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,440 7 through 9. 290 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:12,680 So Jesus said to them, so Jesus again said to them, truly, truly I say to you, I am the 291 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:14,440 door of the sheep. 292 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:18,960 All who came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not listen to them. 293 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:20,740 I am the door. 294 00:17:20,740 --> 00:17:29,920 If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 295 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:34,120 Can you go back April to that? 296 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:38,320 So talking about how the Pharisees got, we're getting more and more kind of upset with Jesus 297 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:42,080 and aggravated and frustrated and wrathful about him. 298 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:46,120 What would they have gotten really upset about in this, what Jesus says? 299 00:17:46,120 --> 00:17:48,440 I'm not going to put coffee on it because you can read it. 300 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,600 But who has a guess? 301 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,520 What? 302 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:55,800 He will be saved. 303 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:56,800 Good answer but no. 304 00:17:56,800 --> 00:18:01,280 All right, all right, all right. 305 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,920 Over here, someone back here. 306 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,920 What did you think? 307 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:08,920 You call them thieves? 308 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:13,640 That makes total sense and I love it but it's wrong. 309 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:14,640 Anyone else? 310 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:15,640 They're like, now I'm afraid to answer. 311 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:16,640 Don't be. 312 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:18,640 What? 313 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,640 He is, nope. 314 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:28,280 I mean that is a good answer but again, you're with Nikki, great answer but wrong. 315 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:35,440 Middle right in the middle but the sheep did not listen to them. 316 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:42,040 So Jesus is recognizing the heart of the people that looked at what was going on in this religious 317 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:47,120 system through their expectations of a Messiah, through their understanding of cultural kind 318 00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:54,680 of milieus, if you will, of norms that, wait, hang on, he's telling us something different. 319 00:18:54,680 --> 00:19:00,520 We have been indoctrinated in understanding that if A equals B equals C equals A, this 320 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,480 is how I live my life, it's how I live out my faith. 321 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:09,920 Yahweh will love me if I do my A, my B, my C back to my A every day. 322 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,400 Again, sheep like repetition. 323 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:13,880 The Pharisees knew what they were doing. 324 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:17,000 Though it was dark and evil, they knew what they were doing. 325 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:22,640 They were exploiting the understanding of how we live out that vertical relationship 326 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:23,640 with Jesus. 327 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:32,320 But what Jesus is saying here is there are people that you are killing spiritually. 328 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,160 You are stealing them. 329 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:36,160 What are you stealing? 330 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:37,600 You're stealing their joy. 331 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:39,060 You're stealing their hope. 332 00:19:39,060 --> 00:19:44,640 You're stealing any opportunity they have to receive grace. 333 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,480 So this claim is massive. 334 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:52,160 Because what he's saying, and Tucker, that is where you do get part of the coffee I didn't 335 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:56,800 offer on that, is he's claiming to be the door. 336 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:58,400 He's claiming to be the way. 337 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:02,480 If anyone enters by me, they will be saved. 338 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:03,760 Record scratch. 339 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,360 Let's kill them now. 340 00:20:06,360 --> 00:20:11,920 Jesus just completely overthrew everything the temple had become. 341 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,160 Salvation is found in Christ alone. 342 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:19,320 Not through works, not through religion, not by human effort. 343 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,760 And I know I'm saying that to a predominantly Dutch church. 344 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,480 And a church in the Midwest that we like to work. 345 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,280 That we like to do a good, honest work. 346 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:32,040 We have our businesses, our jobs. 347 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:33,680 It's part of who we are. 348 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:38,520 And we like to climb that ladder and what that looks like. 349 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:47,840 And that working is not a bad thing, but being defined by what you do pre-Christ means nothing. 350 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:52,360 Defining how I live after Christ is what matters. 351 00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:56,320 Heideberg Catechism, question answer 20 says this. 352 00:20:56,320 --> 00:21:00,440 Are all people saved through Christ just as they were lost through Adam? 353 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:01,560 No. 354 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,600 Only those are saved by true faith. 355 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:10,080 Are grafted into Christ and accept all his benefits. 356 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:11,080 True faith. 357 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:12,080 Right? 358 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:19,600 Lord's Day 7 says a knowledge and conviction of the things of Christ. 359 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:20,600 Right? 360 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:27,680 If I believe and confess or confess and believe, I will be saved. 361 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,880 Some of you may look at this and go, but Jesus is short circuiting this. 362 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:35,040 Jesus is saying it's about faith and belief, not about the things I have to do. 363 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:40,440 When the things that I do are important and they matter, yes, but he's putting them in 364 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,400 the right sequence. 365 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:48,000 Works Righteousness says I will do all these things, give all these things, be leader in 366 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:52,840 church and not miss more than two Sundays a year. 367 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,580 And God will look at me and say you have done enough. 368 00:21:56,580 --> 00:21:59,680 You have climbed the ladder to heaven. 369 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:05,360 I just described all other world religions. 370 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:10,400 You lowly people down here, earn your way to God. 371 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,360 Christianity is so much different. 372 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:17,320 God comes down to his people and says believe in me. 373 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,840 Woman at the well, this guy told me everything. 374 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:22,760 He brought me to salvation. 375 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:24,040 He brought me to himself. 376 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:28,440 And Jesus says follow me. 377 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:33,160 And through me you will find heaven and glory. 378 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:34,500 It's a knowledge. 379 00:22:34,500 --> 00:22:37,840 It's an understanding and conviction. 380 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:43,840 This echoes John 14 six when he says I am the way, the truth and the life. 381 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:49,120 Nobody comes to the father except through me, which is where we find security in Christ. 382 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:52,800 Another way of saying it, assurance of our faith. 383 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:54,920 The door provides protection. 384 00:22:54,920 --> 00:23:00,320 What's inside, the sheep are safe from danger. 385 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,960 It doesn't mean when we go out we won't have those highs and lows, the fires and the waters, 386 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:09,280 but we have the shepherd, the true shepherd that protects us. 387 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:16,920 That's why we can claim to me one of the simplest understandings of the gospel and the way to 388 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:18,180 verbalize it. 389 00:23:18,180 --> 00:23:21,400 And I totally forgot to have Mike make a slide for it. 390 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:26,160 It is what is your only comfort in life and in death? 391 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:31,240 That I am not my own, but belong. 392 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:34,220 That I belong to Christ. 393 00:23:34,220 --> 00:23:35,220 What does that mean? 394 00:23:35,220 --> 00:23:38,440 Well, you just walked in it at the table. 395 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,540 You stepped in what it means to be belonging to Christ. 396 00:23:41,540 --> 00:23:47,800 You take him upon yourself and together you live out this life. 397 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:48,800 What life? 398 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:50,520 Well, it's the promise. 399 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:54,760 The promise of abundant life, John 10. 400 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:56,920 John 10, 10. 401 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,320 The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. 402 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:04,860 I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly. 403 00:24:04,860 --> 00:24:08,040 So this should excite us. 404 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:14,120 This should terrify us and should destroy our doubt. 405 00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:17,720 Because the others never claimed this through themselves. 406 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:23,440 They claimed it like some kind of cult that you have to do it this way. 407 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:25,480 But the leader never does. 408 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,280 Jesus is going to double down. 409 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,160 How can he say that he is this? 410 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:34,720 How can he say that I may come that may have life and have it abundantly? 411 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:40,600 How in the world does this guy offer life and life abundantly? 412 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:42,880 Let's talk about what abundant life means. 413 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:47,020 It is not about material wealth or earthly success. 414 00:24:47,020 --> 00:24:50,200 For true abundance are found in three things. 415 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,960 First, spiritual fulfillment. 416 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,160 Knowing Christ and growing in him. 417 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:58,160 Think about that. 418 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:03,880 That if you know Christ, the savior of the world knows you, claims you, and is with you 419 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:05,300 to the very end of the age. 420 00:25:05,300 --> 00:25:08,040 So we should grow in him. 421 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:10,680 It's not a once saved always saved. 422 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:11,880 I went to church once. 423 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:12,880 I got the message. 424 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:13,880 I am now in. 425 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:15,240 My name is in the book of life. 426 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:16,240 I am out. 427 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:17,240 No. 428 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:22,240 You get to some churches, that's a false conversion. 429 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,080 We've talked about that a couple of sermons here before. 430 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:29,800 But the promise, the abundant life is that we get to know Christ and grow in him. 431 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,800 Second is the security in salvation. 432 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:38,440 Resting in God's grace and his promises. 433 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:46,160 I think about this week Jim Wulcher struggling in the hospital of Andy Reinsma struggling 434 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,920 at home. 435 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:50,880 And we pray for them. 436 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:52,920 But they are blood bought believers. 437 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,040 Their faith is secure in Jesus come what may. 438 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:59,760 And though for Jim it may be a gallbladder issue that will probably be out of the hospital 439 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:03,840 in a couple of days, for Andy it's not. 440 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:07,080 And though we think and we have, we want to pray for them, we want to show compassion 441 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:14,080 to them because we love them, it is the reminder that they have of the assurance of faith. 442 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:19,360 That they are bought by Christ and they are resting in his grace and his promises. 443 00:26:19,360 --> 00:26:22,840 Yeah, it may be hard to see it in the midst of a hospital bed. 444 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:28,760 In the midst of kind of just withering away within your physical body. 445 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:31,240 But it puts the right perspective. 446 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,520 It's not about this life. 447 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:34,520 Guess what? 448 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,240 It's never been about this life. 449 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:37,920 It's about the next. 450 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,640 It's about the abundant life we will have forever and ever. 451 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:42,640 Amen. 452 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:45,600 And the third is the joy in obedience. 453 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:50,400 And I love and hate this one. 454 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:55,480 Following Christ leads to lasting joy. 455 00:26:55,480 --> 00:27:01,800 I'm sure if I did a straw poll today, how many of you have joy in life right now? 456 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:05,480 I'd probably give it an average grade. 457 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:10,000 Because I'm sure there are some of you right now that just don't have it. 458 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,600 For whatever reason, it's hard for you to get to joy. 459 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:15,720 Or you're finding joy in other things. 460 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:22,000 Yet, the joy of Christ, the joy of abundant life is a lasting joy. 461 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:27,640 And this is the part of my job, of the job of the elders and the deacons to meet with 462 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:31,480 people in their bad days in the fires and waters of life. 463 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:35,960 And we can't just say, I know life stinks right now, but find joy. 464 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:38,160 Take joy in your suffering. 465 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:39,600 No. 466 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:42,720 That's going to probably fall on deaf ears. 467 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:46,520 But it's the perspective shift that abundant life gives us. 468 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:47,680 I've said this before. 469 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:49,080 I'll continue to say it. 470 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:58,560 This turns, and kids listen up, this turns the I have to's to the I get to's. 471 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:02,960 I have to go to church? 472 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:08,040 Probably said by 80% of the people in this room at one point in their life this morning. 473 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:12,000 No, you get to come to church. 474 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,560 Not because I'm the world's best preacher because I'm not. 475 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:17,960 Not because our stage is the world's best band. 476 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,440 They're not, though they're real good. 477 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,280 It's not because of what we do. 478 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:23,920 It's because of where we are. 479 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,040 It's who we're resting in. 480 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:27,680 It's why we get to. 481 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:33,960 Wait, I have to show grace as I drive in my car? 482 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:36,240 Some of you blank out for that. 483 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:41,320 And again, if you do, just don't put a magnet that says you're from this church. 484 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:45,080 No, you get to. 485 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,000 I have to send my kid to youth group? 486 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,040 No, you get to. 487 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:53,480 Even in the unknowns of life. 488 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:54,480 What does that mean? 489 00:28:54,480 --> 00:29:00,360 Because a couple weeks ago when we did the baptism, that was, the dikes committed to 490 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:01,360 that. 491 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:06,760 Now, that doesn't mean we're going to take attendance at every youth group, but if we 492 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:11,640 get to be a part of it, we get to be a part of what God is doing. 493 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:17,200 I have to give two bags of candy every year for the trunker treat? 494 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:18,200 Yes. 495 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:19,200 Just yes. 496 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:21,040 I'm not even going to go any farther. 497 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:22,640 Yes, we always run out of candy. 498 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:23,640 We need it. 499 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:24,640 Okay? 500 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:25,640 That's it. 501 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:26,640 You have to and I have to deal with it. 502 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,000 But no, we get to. 503 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:34,840 Because what kind of trunker treat do you go to where they don't, they give out pencils? 504 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:36,760 We don't want to be that church. 505 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:41,000 No, we get to do these things. 506 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:42,880 I have to pray to God? 507 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,160 No, you get to. 508 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:47,460 The God of the universe wants to hear from you. 509 00:29:47,460 --> 00:29:49,560 He wants to walk alongside you. 510 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:55,360 He wants you to recognize him in your struggles because he wants to give you his mercy and 511 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:57,680 his joy. 512 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:00,320 That's abundant life. 513 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:01,320 We could keep going. 514 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:04,960 I could do that for a long time and I'll probably bring it back. 515 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:10,360 But in those times we were just like, oh, I have to do these things. 516 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:12,560 Try to change it. 517 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,480 You get to do these things. 518 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:19,560 Because the opposite holds true. 519 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:24,280 That the thief comes to destroy but Christ comes to give life. 520 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:29,160 Satan and false teachers seek to steal our joy, kill our faith and destroy our hope. 521 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:35,320 But Jesus who is the door brings life, purpose and eternal satisfaction. 522 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:40,200 So what does this mean for us? 523 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,000 Like I started, I'll continue. 524 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:43,000 Three things. 525 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:44,420 For the head, the heart and the hands. 526 00:30:44,420 --> 00:30:48,760 For the head, know the door. 527 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:50,460 Know who the door is. 528 00:30:50,460 --> 00:30:53,600 Study the exclusivity of Christ and salvation. 529 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,480 Read John 10, John 14, Acts 4. 530 00:30:56,480 --> 00:31:02,760 And reflect, have I truly embraced Jesus as the only way to salvation or do I still doubt? 531 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:05,920 For the heart, trust the door. 532 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:08,160 Rest in the security that Christ provides. 533 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:14,680 Let go of fear and trust that in him you are eternally safe. 534 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:19,860 And reflect, am I relying on Jesus alone for salvation or am I trying to earn my way in? 535 00:31:19,860 --> 00:31:25,520 Listen for our hands, walk through the door, share the good news of Christ as the door, 536 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:30,280 invite others into the safety and the abundance found only in him. 537 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:31,280 Final challenge. 538 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:36,520 Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus as the only way to salvation? 539 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:40,640 How can you share this truth with them this week? 540 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:41,640 Let's pray. 541 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:54,120 Jesus.