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The True Vine
John 15:1-5 15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. So we come to the Fifteenth chapter of John. Just to set the stage, a background of this lesson. Starting at chapter 13 & running through chapter sixteen of the Book of John, we find ourselves on Thursday night of Passion week, the last week of our Lords ministry. Thursday night was an important night. Jesus gathered with the 12 disciples to celebrate the Passover, in a secret place we call the upper room. When Jesus says that He is the Vine, He is employing an image that is very familiar to His followers. He often used elements from nature to illustrate His teaching – water, seeds, soil, wheat, fig trees, flowers and birds. Grapes were common everywhere and have always been central to Israel’s agriculture and economy. In fact, the grapevine was the emblem of Israel. The image of the vine and its fruit has far deeper spiritual symbolism. The grapevine represented Israel’s fruitfulness in doing God’s work on earth. Unfortunately, His people neglected to keep the vine nourished and, as a result, they ended up going wild and losing their fruit. God’s desire has always been for His people to be fruitful. This goes all the way back to Genesis 1:28 when He said, “Be fruitful and increase in number.” In fact, a Christian who does not produce fruit is a contradiction in terms. According to John15:16, we have been chosen to bear fruit “that will last.” John 15:16 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. According to our Lord Jesus, when He chooses His followers, bearing fruit is a must. And that… “that fruit should remain”. So…with this verse alone shows proof of a true conversion/true calling. Whenever Jesus is the One choosing, He /She is saved for life, for all eternity. (that your fruit should remain) Let us now take a look at the character of this vineyard… There are three characters in this extended allegory….
In contrast to faithless and fruitless Israel, Jesus is the fulfillment of all that they were not. We could translate it this way: “I myself am the vine, the real one.” The word “true” means, “genuine and real.” This claim of Jesus is a manifestation of Him being the Messiah
A vineyard is planted for a different purpose than a flower garden. We plant flowers because they’re pretty. A vineyard is planted in order to get grapes. The goal is not flowers, but fruit.
Here’s the principle. God the Gardener loves us so much, and is so committed to displaying His glory, that He actively cultivates our lives so that we will move from no fruit, to more fruit, too much fruit. Church, If today were harvest day, how much fruit have we grown? Are we still growing/bearing fruit? Or like some…withered and died. Appeared only to have a Christian life that is false. How can I say that to be true? Scripture said it no fruit! Here’s the good news. More is always possible because you and I were created for this very purpose. According to Matthew 7:20 fruit bearing is a sign of spiritual life: Matthew 7:20 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Listen. Many church goers are holding on to their church background even though they might not have Christian belief. You can be connected to a church and not be converted. Let me say it this way. If you don’t have any fruit, it might be because you don’t have saving faith. You may think you’re a Christian but you’re not following Christ. A true Christian will bear fruit. There are three ways to grow more fruit according to our opening text. Prepare for Pruning. Notice the last part of John 15:2: John 15:2 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Pruning is done so that those who bear a meager amount of fruit will bear more fruit. Good pruning creates a strong root system, improves the health of the fruit and most importantly, increases the yield. It will continue to grow, and it doesn’t stop until the time of harvest. Here’s some examples of why pruning a Christian is very important. • God does not prune us without thought. He knows what He’s doing because He always follows a precise plan. Since He’s working to make us more like Christ, He only removes what is necessary and avoids unnecessary injury. • Pruning involves pain. The Father’s pruning knife is sharp, but it is not designed to ultimately damage or destroy us. He uses all sorts of unpleasant things to prune us – circumstances, failures, relationships, illnesses, and trials in order to get us to bear more fruit. • Pruning can last a long time. The pruning process doesn’t continue for one day, or for one week, or one year. We really can’t say, In fact, the longer a grapevine is alive, the more pruning it needs. Some of us who are older in our faith may need more pruning than we think we do. Is God pruning you right now? If so, remember it’s not ultimately for your pain but for your gain and for His glory. David realized this when he wrote in Psalm 119:67… Psalm 119:67-68 Before I was afflicted, I went astray, But now I keep Your word. 68 You are good and do good; Teach me Your statutes. The only way for that to happen is to be pruned. Discipline from God has to happen from time to time. John 15:3 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. In the natural course of time, a branch will grow rapidly but will not necessarily go where it should. Left to itself, it will head to the ground, where it will become coated with dust and eventually get covered with mud and mildew. A gentle gardener will pick up the branch, wash it off, and tenderly tuck it back into the trellis where it can do what it was created to do – bear fruit. Church, are you playing around in the mud of sin? Allow the heavenly Gardener to clean you off and pick you up. Sometimes He sends discipline our way in order to get our attention. These painful measures are designed to bring us to repentance so that we can get back to the business of bearing fruit. This has been referred to as “the best good news you didn’t want to hear.” Deal with the discipline that God may be sending your way and remember that the Gardener corrects in order to redirect. Hebrews 12:11: Hebrews 12:11 (NIV) 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. The Gardener has plans for you, and His actions are intended to move you towards the place He wants you to be. Sometimes He disturbs our slumber so He can shock us with growth. You may wonder what the difference is between discipline and pruning. While they both hurt and they’re both for our good, discipline primarily comes as a result of sin while pruning deals with the problem of self. You don’t have to stay where you are right now. You can fast forward to fruitfulness… but you must run to Him, not away from Him any longer. God’s discipline is always intended to be redemptive and to restore. He is more interested in propelling you toward fruitfulness than He is in punishing you. Don’t spend a minute longer languishing in the muck and mire of sin. You are not stuck where you are with no way out. Allow Him to lift you up. If we are faithful, God will make us fruitful. Remaining in Christ is a must, after all we cannot call ourselves Christian if not for Christ. John 15:4-5 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If we want…I said want, if it’s our desire to follow Christ because we have felt His love and forgiveness, then we must actively abide in Christ. Not just lip service. Actions need to take place. Moving/growing needs to be evident. We must stay closely connected to Christ at all times. To “abide” means, “to stay,” “to dwell or remain,” or “to settle in for the long term.” Jesus is saying something like this: “Live in such a manner that you are at home in Me and that I am at home in you.” The word “abide” is used 11 times in John 15 and 40 times in the Gospel of John. Here is why I said “want/desire to follow Christ… John 15:8 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. This is not a suggestion but an imperative. When we settle in with the Savior, we will demonstrate abundant fruitfulness and bring glory to God. Conversely, if we do not remain in fellowship with Christ, our fruit/so called fruit, will be barren and we’ll bomb out spiritually. IN CLOSING: If you have the courage to take a look at your life and can’t find any fruit, you need to figure out why that is. Perhaps you’re not saved or maybe you need to repent of some sin in your life. You see…the truth is, God CANNOT be the one holding you back. The Christian life is a supernatural life and none of us can live it apart from a dependence on Christ. We can do nothing apart from Him. All our attempts to produce Christian character will be fruitless and frustrating apart from cultivating a close relationship with the Vine. Have you been drifting spiritually? Are you neglecting the spiritual disciplines? A branch disengaged from the vine will dry up and decay. It’s time to strengthen your attachment to Him. James 4:8 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Here’s the encouraging thing. Our job is not to produce fruit, but to bear fruit. Faithfulness is our obligation; fruitfulness is God’s concern. It’s not a matter of you and me, trying to get some fruit to flourish, our job is to trust and obey and abide, and He will grow His fruits in you and me. Our responsibility, by God will and strength, is to stay as close connected to the Vine as we can. When we are faithful, we will be fruitful. The result of spiritual fruitfulness is that God will be glorified
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What Faith Does
Hebrews 11:1-7 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Faith is a common denominator. Everyone alive daily expresses faith in something. No one can live a single day without exercising faith – faith in the physical world. When you awoke and went into the bathroom this morning you flipped a light switch and you had faith that it would work. When you get in your car you have faith that it will start. When you mail a letter, you have faith the postal system will get it to the right address. When you go to the pharmacy you have faith that the pharmacist will give you the right drugs. Every time you walk into this building or any building you are expressing faith in the architect and the workmen. Faith is also expressed in the spiritual realm. Each of us regardless of our backgrounds or educations, our social status or our talents can express faith. The difference between the faith we exercise in our daily routine and our religious faith is the object of that faith. Again, everyone places their faith in something or someone. The Moslem puts their faith in the Koran and in Mohammed. The Hindu puts his faith in reincarnation and Nirvana. Some place their faith in themselves, and their own good works. Yet, none of these can save, because in each case the object of faith is wrong. Your faith is only as good as the object in which you place your faith. The Bible insists that we personally put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. This afternoon we come to the greatest teaching in the Bible on the subject of faith found here in eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews. Today I want us to see two things; “What faith is and what faith does.” WHAT FAITH IS: Hebrews 11:1-3 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. To understand what faith is, we must get past certain misconceptions about faith. The first misconception is that faith is the ability to manipulate God. Whether they realize it or not this is the approach of the proponents of the “health and wealth” prosperity gospel. This approach only sees faith as having one aim – one fruit – the ability to get from God what will make life easier and more satisfying for ourselves. The second misconception about faith is that faith is merely adherence to the right set of beliefs. What you must do is believe the right doctrine. But Paul says in 2 Tim. 1:12, “ I know whom I have believed.” Paul said he knew whom he had believed, not what he had believed. If your beliefs are not founded on the right person, it does not matter what else you believe. The third misconception about faith is that faith is a blind leap into the dark. To many unbelievers… faith is the parallel of science. To these individuals saying, “you just have to have faith” is the same as saying “just have to act contrary to everything you know and trust that it will all work out for the best.” But as we will see this is not biblical faith. The last misconception about faith is that faith is simply devotion to whatever god one happens to follow. It can be said, “He is a person of deep faith” about a follower of Mohammed or the Ayatollah or of a Christian. What matters is that they are sincere. But unfortunately, it is possible to be sincerely wrong. It is possible to believe firmly in something that just is not true. So, what does real faith look like? Fortunate for us, Hebrews chapter eleven portrays what real biblical faith looks like. True faith is confident obedience to God’s word in spite of circumstances or consequences. Faith is described in a two-fold way. It is the “substance of things hoped for,” and “the evidence of things not seen.” First, the word translated “substance” (hupostasis) in the Greek, means literally ‘to stand under or to support.’ Faith is the foundation that gives the believer the confidence to stand. Dr. J. Vernon McGee says, “Many folk… feel like the little girl who was asked to define faith. She said, “Well, faith is believing what you know ain’t so.” That is what faith means too many. They think it is a leap in the dark, an uncertainty, or some sort of a gamble. If that is what it means to you, then you do not have faith, because “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” which means that faith rests on a foundation.” Secondly, word describing what faith is, is translated “evidence” and means “conviction.” Evidence is something you take into court to prove your case. This inward conviction enables the believer to believe things not yet seen, that God will perform what He has promised. Faith is substance and evidence—substance for a scientific mind, and evidence for a legal mind. If you really want to believe, you can believe. To have this faith, one must believe in the One who is the Author & Perfecter of our faith. WHAT FAITH DOES (11:4-7) Hebrews 11:4-7 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Somehow in our world today “faith” has come to mean something that we believe intellectually that can be divorced from the way we live our lives on a day to day basis. Faith is somehow… suppose to be something believed privately but does not touch how we relate to other human’s who have their own frame work of faith. That is not what the Bible refers to as faith. For example…we’ll break down these characters mentioned here in regards to faith. First, True Faith Worships God! – The Example of Abel (v. 4) “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.” According to the account in Genesis chapter four, both Abel and Cain sought to worship God, bringing their gifts before Him. Abel’s sacrifice was accepted by God, but Cain’s was not. But in spite of the fact that the account in Genesis (4:3-7) does not explain why Abel’s offering was accepted and Cain’s was not. There continues to be much speculation over why God accepted Abel’s offering and rejected Cain. Some point out that Abel made an animal sacrifice, symbolic of the shedding blood for atonement for his sin while Cain’s grain offering was unacceptable since it contained no life and blood. Others point to the costliness of Abel’s offering compared with the cheaper value of Cain’s. Still others point to the fact that Abel offered the first of his flock and Cain’s had nothing to do with the first fruits but may have been leftovers. All we really know is that here in Hebrews we are told “Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice.” It seems most probable the difference in the sacrifices was in that of the heart not of the sacrifice. In some way Cain held back from God in his heart. We do not know the details of Abel faith. We do not just how much had been revealed to Abel about how he was to worship. We do know that his faith caused him to respond to God in lavish unrestrained worship. He chose the choicest lamb as an offering and he brought it to the place of sacrifice. When Jesus responded to a question about the kind of worship acceptable to God, he said “…those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). The “truth” refers to the revelation of God in his Word. It is not enough to be sincere and passionate in worship. We must worship the Lord according to the way he has revealed himself. Faith responds to this revelation in worship. It would seem significant that this chapter on faith begins with a word about worship! I am no one’s final judge, but I find it extremely hard to believe that a person whose faith never compels them to come into the Lord’s house to worship is truly saved. True faith looks for an opportunity to worship!! Second, True Faith Walks with God – The Example of Enoch (vv. 5-6) “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Enoch is a fascinating biblical character whose story is found in Genesis 5. Enoch lived in one of the darkest period of the history of the world. Enoch lived just before God had to destroy the earth because of man’s evil, yet Enoch managed to keep himself pure. Enoch walked with God. There are several interesting things about Enoch’s “walk with God.” First of all, Enoch had not always walked with God. The Genesis record indicates Enoch had not always “walked with God” (Gen 5:21-24). For the first 65 years of his life, Enoch did not walk with God. Presumably he was a man of his times. But from the birth of his son, Methuselah, throughout the remaining 300 years of his life he “walked with God.” The Hebrew form of the verb means he walked closely and continually with God. The walk that Enoch experienced was one of deepening intimacy with God. Secondly, other than fathering sons and daughters the only thing we are told about Enoch is that he “walked with God.” There is no indication that was a great deliverer or statesman or prophet. As he faced every day and the demands that it brought – “he walked with God.” On bad days when everything seemed to go wrong – “he walked with God.” When he did feel like it – “he walked with God.” Third, the hallmark of Enoch’s life was that “he pleased God” (v. 5). What a wonderful description of a believer’s life. Can that be said of our life? Is God pleased with how we use our time? Is God pleased with what we read? Is God pleased with the words we speak? Is God pleased with our plans for the future? Have we even bothered to consult God with our plans? Enoch’s walk of faith delivered him from the consequence of death. Will ours? This verse does not say that faith is simply one way to please God: it is the only way. Third, True Faith Works For God – The Example of Noah. (v. 7) “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” The story of Noah’s generation is the story of the degeneration of humanity into sin. (Gen 6:5-7). “The wickedness of man was great…every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Gen 6: 5, 11) It is also the story of the marvelous grace of God, in saving believing Noah and his family. Noah stood alone against the whole world. Jesus used the “days of Noah” as representative of the condition of the world before His own second coming (Matt. 24:37-39) and indicated that His followers should be prepared to face the same kind of scornful hostility that Noah met day after day. Noah built an Ark because he believed God. Every tree he felled shouted, “I believe God!” Every board he sawed shouted, “I believe God!” Every swing of his hammer, shouted, “I believe God!” Every seam to which he applied the pitch shouted, “I believe God!” Do our works reflect our faith? Faith will make us work. Only his steadfast belief in God kept Noah faithful for the 120 years cutting the trees and planning the construction of the Ark. The ark was 450 feet long, 75 ft wide and 45 ft. high (Gen 6:15), that means that it was nearly one and a half times the length of a football field and more than four stories high, it could hardly be hiden from the ridicule of the scoffers. Can you imagine the mockery and jeering that Noah must have faced on a daily basis as he built this huge ship? It was a hundred miles from the nearest ocean and far too big to move. The majority of the people simply refused to believe Noah’s witness concerning the coming flood. Yet, he in faith went right on working and witnessing, building the ark and warning of the coming judgment. Then as a final act of faith, he and his family stepped into the ark and closed the door. Noah was a man of faith and his life continually showed his faith. Does ours? Noah worshiped God faithfully as Abel had, and he walked with God faithfully as Enoch had and he worked for God faithfully. Conclusion: Short Story: “The three year old felt secure in his father’s arms as dad stood in the middle of the pool. But dad, for fun, began walking slowly toward the deep end, gently chanting, ‘Deeper and deeper and deeper,’ as the water rose higher and higher on the child. The lad’s face registered increasing degrees of panic, and held all the more tightly to his father, who of course, easily touched the bottom. Had the little boy been able to analyze his situation, he’d have realized there was no reason for increased anxiety. The water’s depth in any part of the pool was over his head. Even in the shallowest part, had he not been held up, he would have drowned. His safety anywhere in the pool depended on Dad. At various points in our lives, all of us feel we are getting out of our depth – problems abound, a job lost, someone dies. Our temptation is to panic, for we feel – we’ve lost control. Yet, as with the child in the pool, the truth is we’ve never been in control over the most valuable things of life. We’ve always been held up by the grace of God, our Father, that does not change. God is never out of His depth and therefore we’re as safe when we’re ‘going deeper’ as we have ever been.” Be Forgiven And Restored
Luke 22:54-62 54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. 55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” 57 But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” 58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly. This afternoon, we’re going to look at a very familiar story that we can all relate to. We’re going to look at the Life of Peter, and how he felt by failing Jesus. You see…we all have our past that we wish we can erase. I am sure I am not the only one who carries regrets. We’re going to look at letting go of ourselves! Ooh, this is gonna be good. We’re talking about letting go of our past and moving forward. You see…if we cant let go of our past, we can never move forward. 2019 is done, who wants to go back there? I would like to see what God has instore for 2020. Although we can't change our past, God can planned our future. You see, here’s the thing about our past. It doesn’t always stay in the past. Isn’t that true? Anyone ever bring up something from the past. A reminder of what you did that time and the hurt you inflicted on yourself or to someone else. Sometimes, we can remember the funny things that have happened which lead to lots of laughter, the things that aren’t hurtful. Maybe they were at one time, but we know we’ve been forgiven and we can laugh about them now. We do need to make sure that those reminders about the past, are not with the intention to hurt another person. Maybe you’ve blown up in anger more than a few times. You wish you could hit the rewind button and take it all back. But you can’t! You can’t take back the hurt you inflicted. Or maybe it’s the recurring sin, which becomes a constant reminder. Maybe it’s the expectations that you had for yourself years ago of what life would look like. But, today, it’s not what you thought and not in a good way. The past doesn't always stay in the past. If anybody understood what that was like, it was one of the disciples, Peter. He's with the rest of the disciples at the Last Supper, the night that Jesus was betrayed, would go to trial, and later be crucified. When Jesus looked at His disciples and said, "Some of you will deny me and some of you will desert me." But Peter, who was never slow to speak, said what? He said, "No, Lord, even if all of these other people "betray you, deny you, not me, "even if I have to look death itself in the face, "I won't deny you." We’ve all been there right! We make promises…we try to remain true to our word…our actions. And sometimes, we fall short and fail. And there the pain/hurt comes in. Have you ever run out on someone, maybe it was yourself, or a loved one, or even God. Here's what happened next in Luke 22:61-62 “61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.” Imagine you're Peter, and the Son of God, your leader, mentor, the Savior -- who's on trial for something He didn't do, who was going to die on a cross for sins He didn't commit in order to save people just like Peter. Peter saw Jesus perform countless miracles, yet Peter had just denied knowing Him, not once, not twice, but three times. Jesus turns and looks him in the eye. What did Peter feel? Guilt! I can't believe I just did that. Shame, what if the other disciples find out what I did? Regret, I wish I could take it back. And while you’ve never seen that look from Jesus, many of us have seen that look before, haven't we? It's a loved one that we let down, it's somebody at work that we talked about and they found out about it. It's somebody that we go to school with - - that we didn't stand up for when we should have. You see, we can’t go back. Yet our past continues to remind us it’s there. And our enemy uses that, doesn't he? Because he reminds us of what we've done, and our enemy says because of what we've done, we’re unforgivable. We've done too much, or we didn't do enough. we're unforgivable. But he doesn't stop there. He says not only are you unforgivable, you're also unlovable, because if people really knew, if the people who were sitting next to you really knew about you, if they knew your secrets, they wouldn't love you. Because you're unforgivable and unlovable, the enemy closes the door on us by telling us we’re useless. We have no future. God can’t use you and nobody else can too. There lies the problem– If we can't let go of our past, we can't take hold of the future God has for us. And the good news is that Jesus doesn't leave us holding onto our past. Instead He comes to us and reminds us that we are worth it. We are loved. We are forgiven. Jesus did it with Peter. He came to Peter after Peter denied Him. Peter and some of the other disciples went back to what they were doing before they met Jesus, fishing. One day, Jesus appeared to them on the shore. They didn't know it was Jesus, and He called out to them, "Hey, throw your nets on the other side of the boat." They hadn't caught anything, so they threw their nets out, and they caught so many fish they couldn't pull them back in, at which point Peter recognized, "That's Jesus." So… this time, Peter didn’t try to walk on the water, he jumped into the water, and swam to shore. They ate together and then Jesus spoke to Peter, and here's what Jesus said to Peter, who’s full of guilt, shame, insecurity and regret. when Peter was full of guilt, shame, insecurity, and regret. John 21:15 says - - "After breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John." Jesus used Peter's full name, and Peter had to be thinking - - here it comes, right? Jesus is going to lay it on. He’s going to remind him of what he did! "Peter, are you ashamed of yourself? Do you feel guilty for what you did? Do you realize I needed you and you deserted me?” But that's not what Jesus said to Peter. Instead, Jesus said, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" A simple question, do you love me? Jesus didn't ask just once, but He asked Peter 3 times. John 21:15-17 15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Do you think Peter had forgotten just a few days earlier, he denied Jesus 3 times, and a third time Jesus asked him, "Peter, do you love me?" Here's what the Bible says next. It says what? Peter was hurt that Jesus would ask him a third time. It was a sign of caring by Jesus. Jesus could have ignored what happened. "Hey, let's just not worry about that. "Let's act like it didn't happen." But instead he brought it up, asking 3 times, why? Because God is far more concerned with lasting healing in our life than short-term feelings. Jesus understood this, that when you have a wound in your life, you need to clean it out so that it can heal properly. It's like when you would cut yourself as a kid, and you were with your parent/grandparents, and they'd get the hydrogen peroxide and pour it on there, and it would sting and it would bubble, and they would blow on it. (It never did anything when they blew on it.) It was just to distract you. They put that on you, or that green soap that burned because they understood you have to clean out the wound for it to heal properly. Jesus came to Peter and said, "Let's clean out the wound "so that you can heal properly." We do this so the enemy can't continue to speak lies into our lives that we’re unforgivable, unlovable, and unusable? We must accept this truth, that God's grace is bigger than our sin. God's grace is bigger than our past. We know this because the Bible tells us. In 1 John 1:9… 1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God simply says, "If you confess your sins, I/Jesus am faithful and just and I will forgive you”. Isn’t that great!! Why? Because God’s grace is bigger than our sins. Ultimately our standing with God is determined by our relationship, not the rules that we've broken. Have you ever made a mistake? Committed a sin? Ever hurt someone? And you expect to be verbally beaten, maybe spanked, or whatever it is and whatever age you were. And instead of a beat down . . . you hear, “you’re loved, the past can’t be changed, learn from it, grow from it, but know that you are forgiven.” Isn’t that the most precious and powerful gift we can receive? We have to make the decision, am I going to close the door to those lies that I continue to hear or will I believe who God says I am. If you're in Jesus Christ, you are forgiven, you are loved, and you are a child of God. In John 1:12-13, we read… John 1:12-13 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the [a]right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. You see, when you are someone's child, your relationship isn’t based on the rules you broke, it's based on the relationship you have with the parent. You become a child of God. You are born again! You have a spiritual rebirth. As Jesus tells us in John 3:16-17 … John 3:16-17 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. God didn’t send His Son to condemn, to beat you up about your past. He came to save you, to give you abundant life. To offer you freedom and power and grace and mercy and strength. God doesn’t hold our past against us. He cleans it up. As the writer of Hebrews tells us on 2 occasions - - Hebrews 2:12 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Here this great news in so many other passages of the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament. God will not remember your sins. He will not throw them back in your face. He’s not going to remind you of them and beat you up over them. He has forgiven you and released you. As long as you confess them to God, repent of them . . . you are forgiven. In Conclusion: Understand that God loves to use imperfect people to proclaim His message. The beauty and the power is the fact that all of us are imperfect. In a strange way, the only qualification to be used by God is not having a perfect past, and to proclaim Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It’s to believe in the Christ child. That He came into the world for us. You see, this story today about Peter is about Peter's past, it's about Peter's failure, it's about Peter denying Jesus, it's about Peter deserting the call God had on his life. Isn’t that right? Well . . . not really! The story is about Jesus Christ! You see, it's not a story about what Peter has done in his past, it's a story of what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross, it's a story of what he's doing, and it's a story of what he wants to do. You see, when I get it right, and I don't get it right every single day, but when I get it right and I look to my past, do you know what I see? I don't see my own failure. I see God's faithfulness in my life. And when I get it right and I look to the past, you know what I see? I don't see how bad I was, I see how good God is in my life. And when I look to the past, I don't see defeat in my life, I see God's victory in my life. And for you, I don't know what's in your past, but I do know what God wants to have in your future, and it's this. He wants to write the greatest story that's ever been written, and it's the story of Jesus Christ, what he's done in your life, what he's doing, and what he wants to do through you. My prayer for each of us as we move into a new year is to follow what Paul did – Philippians 3:13-14 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [a]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let’s not let our past determine our future. YES!!! We all fail and at times we will fail. But we cannot stay there. I am thankful the Jesus restored Peter, because He loved him so much that Jesus didn’t want Peter to remain where he was. Jesus had bigger plans for Peter. And because of the Bible we know the story. What Jesus did for Peter, he can do for you and I. “You cannot go with God and stay where you are.” (Preview from Experiencing God) Let us Pray: John 10:25-30 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 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. 30 I and My Father are one.” Good afternoon and a Happy New year to you all. Our Lord Jesus has been faithful in His words since creation. 2019 was a very fruitful and blessed year. Throughout the year we had gone through some good and peaceful times, and yes…we all faced some challenges, some struggles and yet, our Lord was there each and every step. As we start this new year, it is good to be reminded of who we are and who our God is. For this year to be as fruitful as the last, we need to remember who Jesus is in our lives. He is our Creator. Lord and Savior. Our Great Provider. He is our Good Shepherd. The Bible is like a gold mine, and the deeper you dig the, more rich gems you find. This shepherd chapter is like a crown jewel, and it is difficult to look away. You see…for you and I, we need to keep Jesus high and lifted up. We cannot look at Him as we do each other. To keep us from being conceited, remember where we came from. Back to creation…Adam and Eve. From Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being”. From dust, soil, dirt. A non-living thing until God gave it life. How about Eve? Gen 2:20-22…God said, “But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. Woman/Eve was created through Adams rib. Dirt and rib. That is where we came from. They live because God gave them life. You and I, we are no different from Adam and Eve. Because sin entered the world, we were dead. We may walk, talk do normal things humans do, but inside we were dead. But by Gods grace…we were given life. God has given us this new life…a life that belongs to Him. From our opening text, we can see that Jesus called Himself the “Good Shepherd”. One who takes care of His own/ His sheep. How does a shepherd take care of his sheep? He would care for them, protect them, feed them…because they are precious to him. Jesus is our “Good Shepherd”. We would not have made it this far if it wasn’t for Jesus, our Good Shepherd. You see, throughout the years…since God has breathe life into our lives and made us new. He never left. He has always been there. He has remained faithful in His words. Our Good Shepherd, our True Shepherd, is the Faithful Shepherd! Eternal security, soul security. It's a clear and comforting doctrine. This is a major truth in God's Word, and it's always been amazing to me that some people debate it. Many debate it, because they want some part in it. Its all God. If you are saved, then you are safe and secure! I guess it is debated by some because of how so many professing Christians seem to 'take advantage' of their soul security. I remind you that the Bible assures you that if that is your attitude, you've never been truly saved! But remember, this chapter is all about the Shepherd and His abilities, not the sheep and anything of themselves. This doctrine of the Faithful Shepherd who secures us is all about His integrity and faithfulness, not ours. In and of ourselves, we are insecure. Our security is provided by the Faithful Shepherd. He that saved us is the one who is faithful to keep us saved. Salvation: How did we get it? By grace, as a gift, and not of ourselves. How do we stay saved? The same way! We are secure because: We are in His possession. v. 27 First 2 words. "My sheep". It's possessive. v. 29 'given them to Me'. It's possessive. Here's what everyone is saying these days. "We're all God's sheep...all God's children, even if wayward/lost". That is simply not the case. Not according to scripture. V26 “you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. He says to the unbelievers. Actually, the Bible divides us into 2 categories: sheep and goats. Matthew 25:31-33 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Don't believe the false doctrine… which says, We're all going to heaven regardless of the differences in our beliefs. How many here are one of God's sheep? If so, you are in His possession. And why so? Because He/Jesus sought you. Luke 15 is God's lost and found department. Lost silver, lost son, lost sheep. In the latter, a shepherd had 100 sheep, and lost one of them. In business, that would be just a 1% loss...very acceptable. ill.--Wal-Mart's loss rate is 1.6%, based on shoplifting, employee theft, and other factors. Poor little company! In God's economy, we're not talking about jewelry, DVDs, or flatscreens. We're not even talking about sheep! Sheep in the parable is a picture of people! No shrinkage is acceptable to the shepherd. Even if you were the only lost soul on earth, Jesus would have come down to seek and find you! And even a saved soul sometimes wanders astray, but the shepherd goes out and brings him back in, no exceptions. It's the mark of a true believer, they may wander for a while, but God will bring them back around… if they are truly His child, His sheep! If you are a wandering sheep, know this: The Lord is more committed to you that you are to Him! He's more faithful to you than you are to Him. He loves you where you are but loves you too much to leave you there! He'll do what it takes to bring you home. “27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Those whom the Lord has called will follow…His voice only. They will never follow a strangers voice. Because they were created to follow Him. They were created for Him, for His purpose. Far worse than being physically lost is being spiritually lost. Think of that word "Lost". It's God's word for an unsaved person. What would it be like to be lost forever? Hell is real, and forever, and those who are there are lost to that place forever. But also lost from God, the Father, the faithful Shepherd. Separated from Him, from everyone, from any light, from all hope...all is lost! Luke 19:10 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” And also…let me remind you of how precious you are… John 10:11-14 11 “I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own. a. He sought you. b. He bought you. vv. 11-13 A hireling is a hired hand...not a real shepherd. He doesn't care...he just wants a paycheck. He has no special relationship with the sheep like the shepherd does. The hireling doesn't risk his life [v. 13] If you aren't saved, you don't have a shepherd, you have a hireling named Satan. He doesn't care about you and will dump you in an instant in the gutter. Don't think the devil is your fun friend and then treat God like your enemy who wants to spoil your fun...you've got it all backwards. Jesus gave His life for you…voluntarily! V11 “The good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep”. That is what Jesus did…He gave his life for His sheep. And also… John 10:17-18 17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” You see… Jesus laid down His life for our salvation. His life for ours. With the devil it’s the exact opposite, he will not lay down his life for anyone. It is your life that he will take. When humans die, they raise their heads for one last gasp of air. When Jesus died, He bowed His head and surrendered His life away willingly, He predicted how He would die, when, and where, and why. Soldiers didn't keep Him on that cross, nor nails. It was love! And His soul didn't leave His body until He was ready to 'give up His spirit. “It is finished” John 19:30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “it is finished” and bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. That is what Jesus/The good Shepherd did for His sheep. Why do we get to go to heaven when we die in Christ? It's not because God overlooks our sin, but because He took our place, and gives us His place...trading spots with us! In Conclusion: John 10:2-4 2 But he who enters by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep. 3 To Him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear His voice; and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. The security of the sheep is a reflection on the Shepherd. If He sought us, and bought us, and then lost us, it wouldn't look too good on Him. But what Jesus does, He does right! He had already promised the Father that every one of them would safely arrive. And He's not about to let the Father down! When something belongs to God, it belongs to Him forever! |
AuthorPastor Richard Santos Archives
February 2021
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