JOHN 10:22-29

BIG IDEA 

YOUR SALVATION IS, WAS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE IN GOD’S HANDS, NOT YOUR HANDS.

INTRODUCTION: “GOING OVER THE EDGE”

A group of botanists went on an expedition into a hard-to-reach location in the Alps, searching for new varieties of flowers. One day as a scientist looked through his binoculars, he saw a beautiful, rare species growing at the bottom of a deep ravine. To reach it, someone would have to be lowered into that gorge. Noticing a local youngster standing nearby, the man asked him if he would help them get the flower. The boy was told that a rope would be tied around his waist and the men would then lower him to the floor of the canyon. Excited yet apprehensive about the adventure, the youngster peered thoughtfully into the chasm. “Wait,” he said, “I’ll be back,” and off he dashed. When he returned, an older man accompanied him. Approaching the head botanist, the boy said, “I’ll go over the cliff now and get the flower for you, but this man must hold onto the rope. He’s my dad!” 

If you are going over a cliff, it is important to know who is holding the rope. How much more important is it then, when you consider your eternal state, to know who is at the other end. Is your salvation contingent upon you holding on, or is it contingent upon the One who is holding you? (Gene Getz,  Looking Up When you Feel Down, (Regal: Ventura, CA, 1985), p. 27).

Listen, your salvation is contingent upon the One who is holding you. If it were up to you to work to keep your salvation, you would have every right to be afraid. Truly. But since your salvation is up to the One Who is holding you, you have every reason to rest in a state of Blessed Assurance.

YOUR SALVATION IS, WAS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE IN GOD’S HANDS, NOT YOUR HANDS.

The Hands of God the Father planned your salvation.

The Hands of Jesus the Son purchased your salvation.

The Hands of the Holy Spirit of God preserve your salvation.

“AT THAT TIME THE FEAST OF DEDICATION TOOK PLACE IN JERUSALEM. IT WAS WINTER (23) AND JESUS WAS WALKING IN THE TEMPLE, IN THE COLONNADE OF SOLOMON. (24) SO THE JEWS GATHERED AROUND HIM AND SAID TO HIM, “HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP US IN SUSPENSE? IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST, TELL US PLAINLY.” (25) JESUS ANSWERED THEM, “I TOLD YOU, AND YOU DO NOT BELIEVE. THE WORKS THAT I DO IN MY FATHER’S NAME BEAR WITNESS ABOUT ME, (26) BUT YOU DO NOT BELIEVE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT AMONG MY SHEEP. JOHN 10:22-26 

This text picks up a discussion that we began last week. In that message we saw,

1. There is one sheepfold where the true sheep live
2. There is one door
3. There is one way
4. There is one Shepherd
5. There is one gatekeeper
6. There is one voice
7. There is one Leader
8. There is one way
9. There is only one right way to live it is by following the Good Shepherd.

But Jesus said there is also a stranger.

1. The stranger is a thief
2. The stranger is a deceiver
3. The stranger enters by his own way
4. The stranger seeks to lead astray 
5. But true sheep will not listen nor follow the stranger
6. But those who are not the true sheep follow the stranger

Jesus is admonishing the Pharisees. Listen, “There is only one way to go that is good. There is only One Shepherd to follow, and He is Good. Everything else is just going to steal your good life, kill you, and destroy you.” You, Pharisees, you lot who are stuck in religion and tradition, you are not my sheep. 

So, with that background perhaps you are left with a question: how do I know if I am of the true sheep following the Good Shepherd. And if I am following the Good Shepherd, will I ever fall away and no longer be one of His sheep? More plainly, “If I have been saved, will I ever be lost?”

EXPLANATION

1. THE BLESSED ASSURANCE OF BEING PLACED IN THE HANDS OF JESUS.

“MY FATHER, WHO HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME, IS GREATER THAN ALL; AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM OUT OF THE FATHER’S HAND.” JOHN 10:29

THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH.

Never. Not now. Not ever. Not in life. Not in death. When you truly commit your life to follow Jesus, you have eternal life that begins here on earth and is completed in heaven. It’s not a “lifetime warranty;” It is an “eternal life warranty.” It’s not “eternal life if you don’t mess up.” It’s eternal life!

AND NO ONE WILL SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND.

The measure of your salvation is not how tightly you hold onto Christ. It is the fact that you are held in His Hand. When you follow Jesus, you are HIS sheep, and no one can snatch you out of HIS hand. If the Devil could snatch you out of the Shepherd’s Hand, he would be superior to the Shepherd. If the demons could pluck you out of the Shepherd’s Hand, they would be more powerful than the Shepherd. But no one, and nothing can pluck you, snatch you, steal you from the Shepherds. “You are not your own; you have been bought with a price.”

The Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep, and with His blood paid the price to purchase His people. And there is no “return to sender,” and there is no “refund.” Nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

II. THE BLESSED ASSURANCE OF BEING PLACED IN THE HANDS OF THE FATHER

“MY FATHER, WHO HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME, IS GREATER THAN ALL; AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM OUT OF THE FATHER’S HAND.” JOHN 10:29

Listen, the true sheep are twice hidden. First, they are hidden in the hand of Christ. Second, they are hidden in the hand of the Father. Christ’s nail scarred hands and the hands of the Father doubly secure the saved!

What a blessed assurance. 

“FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT WHICH I HAVE ENTRUSTED TO HIM UNTIL THAT DAY.” II TIMOTHY 1:12

Paul was telling young Timothy, I know that I have heard the call of the Good Shepherd, that I have followed Him trusting my entire destiny to Him, and now, I am persuaded, I am convinced that God will hold on and preserve me until the day of judgment.

Now listen, maybe you are thinking, “I guess I believe that God wouldn’t kick me out of His Hand, but what if I jump out of His Hand?” In other words, can sin separate me from the sure Hand of God?

Paul wasn’t done talking to young Timothy.

“IF WE ARE FAITHLESS, HE REMAINS FAITHFUL, FOR HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF.” II TIMOTHY 2:13

Despite our faithlessness, God remains faithful.

• Can you sin and lose your sense of peace? Yes.
• Can you sin and lose your joy? Yes.
• Can you sin and lose blessings and rewards? Yes.
• Can you sin and lose your intimacy with God? Yes.
• Can you sin and lose your salvation? NO. Because your salvation is based on God’s hold on you, not your hold on God!

There are multiple verb tenses in our text. First, there are the present tense active verbs.

• My sheep are always hearing my voice
• I am always knowing my sheep
• They are always following me
• I am always giving them eternal life

Then there a future tense verbs

• Never in the future will anyone be able to seize them
• Never in the future will you be able to separate yourself

Let me put this all together.

MY SHEEP ALWAYS KNOW MY VOICE, AND I ALWAYS KNOW THEM, AND THEY ALWAYS FOLLOW ME; I AM ALWAYS GIVING THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY WILL NEVER, NOT EVER PERISH TO THE END OF THE AGE, AND NEVER WILL ANYONE SEIZE THEM OUT OF MY HAND. MY FATHER WHO HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME IS GREATER THAN ALL, AND NOONE IS ABLE TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES OUT OF THE HAND OF THE FATHER.

III. THE BLESSED ASSURANCE OF BEING PLACED IN THE HANDS OF THE SPIRIT

Though not taken directly from the text, the Scripture declares that the true follower of Jesus Christ is also in the Spirit’s hands.

3 BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS BLESSED US IN CHRIST WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES, 4 EVEN AS HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE SHOULD BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS BEFORE HIM. IN LOVE 5 HE PREDESTINED US[B] FOR ADOPTION TO HIMSELF AS SONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIS WILL, 6 TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE, WITH WHICH HE HAS BLESSED US IN THE BELOVED. 7 IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR TRESPASSES, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE,8 WHICH HE LAVISHED UPON US, IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT 9 MAKING KNOWN[C] TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE, WHICH HE SET FORTH IN CHRIST 10 AS A PLAN FOR THE FULLNESS OF TIME, TO UNITE ALL THINGS IN HIM, THINGS IN HEAVEN AND THINGS ON EARTH.

11 IN HIM WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, HAVING BEEN PREDESTINED ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM WHO WORKS ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL, 12 SO THAT WE WHO WERE THE FIRST TO HOPE IN CHRIST MIGHT BE TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY. 13 IN HIM YOU ALSO, WHEN YOU HEARD THE WORD OF TRUTH, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION, AND BELIEVED IN HIM, WERE SEALED WITH THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT, 14 WHO IS THE GUARANTEE[D] OF OUR INHERITANCE UNTIL WE ACQUIRE POSSESSION OF IT,[E] TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY.

It’s right there at the end. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee, the earnest payment, the deposit of our inheritance, until we are safely received into glory.

Can you have the blessed assurance of knowing that your salvation is secure? Yes.

CONCLUSION:

• You can have blessed assurance when you believe that the Father planned your salvation. Long before you even began to run away from God, He had already begun to run to you. He loved you before you loved Him, and He has prepared a way for you to become adopted as His son/daughter.
• You can have blessed assurance when you believe that the Son purchased your salvation. If you will confess with your mouth, “Jesus is LORD,” and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.
• You can have blessed assurance when you believe that the Spirit preserves your salvation. It’s a guarantee. It’s a promise.

	Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine; Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
	This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.
	Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels descending, bring from above, Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
	Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest; Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.