Jesus got what he paid for

We're going to have the Bible reading now. I'll be reading from John chapter 10, verses 1 to 30.

John 10:1–30

John 10, 1 to 30.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.

But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.

This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees,

and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd.

I know my own and my own know me, just as the father knows me and I know the father,

and I lay my life down for the sheep.

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold.

I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.

So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

For this reason, the father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.

I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.

This charge I received from my father.

There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.

Many of them said, He is a demon and is insane.

Why listen to him?

Others said, These are not words of the one who is oppressed by a demon.

Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

At that time, the feast of dedication took place at Jerusalem.

It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the colonnade of Solomon.

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.

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.

But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish,

and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

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.

I and the father are one.

Good morning, everyone.

For those who are visitors, my name is David.

I'm one of the pastors here.

We're going to be looking at John chapter 10 this morning.

John 10 · chapter mention

Sometimes you find yourself thinking you're committed to an idea,

and you think you're committed to the idea

because you think it's something we need,

or something we want, or something we expect,

or something we even demand.

But then, when we actually experience the thing

that we think we're committed to in reality,

we actually quickly reject it

and decide we don't like it at all.

Let me give you an example.

It's been happening over this past few days.

So we want, we expect, we need,

we demand our government keep us safe from COVID.

That's their job.

But when we experience that strong lead,

when they exercise their jurisdiction, their power,

to enforce an extended lockdown,

to tell us to wear masks,

to use a QR code to check into a venue,

suddenly we feel the resentment rising up within us

because, at the end of the day,

we don't want them to use their power

to control us individually.

It cramps our lifestyle.

So we think we want something,

but we don't really want it when we experience it.

I think it's the same sort of principle

when we come to thinking about God's sovereign power.

We believe that we need it,

that we want it in our lives,

we expect it,

sometimes we even demand it.

We particularly say when it comes to God's sovereign power

and control in the world.

We expect God to be in control.

We expect him to use his power

for good in the world.

But again, you see,

we quickly resent that sovereign power

when we experience it in our own lives.

And we quickly move to crying,

that's not fair.

Especially when that sovereign power

impacts us in our lifestyle

or in our personal life.

So, for instance,

it might be loss of health

or the Lord bringing a circumstance to it

that robs us of happiness.

And we suddenly find ourselves saying,

well, actually,

no, I don't like God's sovereign power.

It's unfair.

It's unfair.

I want you to bring that thought with you this morning

as we move into John chapter 10,

John 10 · chapter mention

but I'll say more about it in a little while.

Because this morning,

we're continuing the series

of exploring how we experience

God's sovereign power in our salvation.

And this morning,

third in the series,

we're going to be looking at

Jesus as God's good shepherd

who lays down his life

for his sheep.

Now, again,

I want to ask you the question.

We all know the phrase,

God's good shepherd

who lays down his life for the sheep.

But the question I want to ask you now

before we jump into the detail is,

what sort of shepherd

do you have in mind?

Now, theoretically, I suspect,

we want,

we expect,

we need

a strong shepherd.

A shepherd who will guide us.

A shepherd who is capable

of protecting us.

A shepherd who wants to nurture us.

Nurture us into the green pastures

to follow the metaphor

or what the Bible would call

the good life.

Isn't that what we want

the shepherd to do?

Well, perhaps at a theory level,

but I think, again,

when it comes to practicality,

we actually

are more likely to demand

a shepherd

who will actually just be happy

to sit on the hillside

and stay out of our lives

and let us do

what we want as sheep.

Let us go where we want

and do what we want

and think what we want,

but still be there

to rescue us

if we get ourselves

in serious trouble.

By definition,

I think,

a shepherd

must have sovereign power

over his sheep

if you want to follow through

the picture with me.

Now,

a good shepherd

will exercise

that sovereign power

in love

and mercy

for the good of the sheep.

But even then,

we dig down into that.

What will that look like?

Well,

at times,

it will look like

the shepherd up the front.

Remember,

this is picture language.

Shepherd out the front

saying,

come on, sheep,

follow me.

I'm going to take you

to good pastures.

I'm going to take you

to the place

where you can thrive

and enjoy the good life.

But at times,

the shepherd

will need to be

behind the sheep,

giving them

a good prod

or a good thump

because they're being difficult.

They don't want to go

where he knows

they need to go.

They want to go

somewhere contrary.

They want to do

their own thing.

And it's at that point

the good shepherd

becomes evident

in how he

masters his sheep.

So,

with those two thoughts,

I'm just going to

leave them in your mind

for a minute

and you'll see

hopefully how they

come with us

and become relevant

as we move into

John 10.

But before we do that,

I just want to recap

the series thus far.

And we're saying

that we really need

God's sovereign grace

in our lives

individually

if we're to be saved.

Why?

Because we saw

two weeks ago,

three weeks ago,

that in our natural

born state,

we are spiritually

dead towards God.

That is,

unable

and unwilling

to come to God.

We're actually

hardwired to rebel

against God.

We're under God's

wrath and condemnation.

It would be

a terrible plight.

It is a terrible plight.

Except that then,

God also said

in Ephesians 2

that God

makes us alive

in the Lord Jesus.

God,

in his love

and mercy,

acts sovereignly

to call

spiritually

dead sinners

to new life,

to new relationship

with him.

and he does that,

as we saw last week,

both through

what I call

the outward call

of actually hearing

the gospel of Jesus

and the inward call

which is taking

those words

that we hear

by the Holy Spirit

and actually using

those words

to change us

from the inside out,

change our hearts,

our minds,

our desires,

our attitudes

so that we actually

are able and willing

to respond to Jesus

and come to him.

We need

the sovereign power

of God

at work

in our lives

if we're to be saved.

But it's more than that.

God's justice

demands that guilt,

the guilt of sin

cannot be ignored.

So not only does God

need to sovereignly

call us to himself

because otherwise

we wouldn't come,

but God needs to actually

do something

to deal with our sin,

something that we

couldn't do for ourselves.

And God does that.

He acts sovereignly

to deal with our sins,

clearing the way,

therefore,

to new acceptance

and relationship

with him.

And in Bible language,

God did this

through what we call

the atonement

or the sacrificial

substitutionary death

of Jesus

on the cross.

The word is,

another word we use

is redemption.

or in John chapter 10,

John 10 · chapter mention

the language is

the good shepherd

laying down his life

for his sheep.

So let's jump into

John 10

and explore the atonement

or explore the redeeming

work of Jesus

under the metaphor

of shepherd.

I want to just ask

three questions this morning

to try and help us

walk through this.

And the first question

is if you're following

and if you've got

one of these coming in the door,

you can follow the outline

of the sermon.

First question is,

what was God's intent

for the good shepherd?

What was God's intent

for the good shepherd?

Well, let's have a look

at some of the verses

in John chapter 10.

John 10 · chapter mention

Look at verse 18.

No one takes it from me,

but I lay down

my life of my own accord.

I have authority

to lay it down

and I have authority

to take it up.

Then this sentence,

this charge

I have received

from my Father.

And verse 30.

Jesus says,

I and the Father

are one.

Jesus is willingly

working in partnership

with his Father

and in the light

of his Father's purpose

and salvation,

which includes

the atonement,

which includes redemption,

the good shepherd

laying down his life

for his sheep.

Verse 9.

Jesus says,

I am the door.

If anyone enters by me,

he will be saved

and will go in and out

and find pasture.

Jesus is the doorkeeper

of heaven.

And only his died-for sheep

will be allowed in.

But,

once they're in,

then they'll find pasture.

That is,

they'll be safe and secure.

They'll thrive.

They'll enjoy life.

The good life

for eternity.

verses 14,

15,

and 16.

I am the good shepherd.

I know my own

and my own know me

just as the Father knows me

and I know the Father

and I lay down my life

for the sheep.

Jesus has been given

the responsibility

of doing

everything necessary

to bring

God's sheep

back to himself,

back to glory.

And thus far,

it's entirely consistent

with what we saw

back last week

in John chapter 6,

John 6:51

verse 51,

where Jesus said,

again,

a different metaphor.

He's talking about

being the bread of life

in the passage

in chapter 6.

And Jesus says,

the bread that I give,

sorry,

the bread that I will give

for the life of the world

is my flesh.

Jesus' mission

from heaven

was to be

God's

life-giving bread

to those

in the world

called by God.

Now,

step back

from John chapter 10

John 10 · chapter mention

or John chapter 6.

John 6 · chapter mention

This idea

of Jesus being sent,

Jesus on a mission,

is so important

to John

that across his gospel,

no less than

30 times

does John

put in the lips

of Jesus

or Jesus

speaks

and John records it

is a better way

of saying it,

that he's been sent

on a mission

by the Father.

He was sent

into the world

and the word

world there

is a theological

description of the world.

That is,

the world of rebellion

and sin

in opposition to God.

And he's been sent

into the world

to do what?

To save

God's sheep.

Now,

here's the point.

The Father

has a particular

intent

in sending

Jesus

into the world.

So that means

Jesus has

a particular

mission

in the world.

That is,

as I've already said,

to do

everything required

to deliver

or save

God's guilty,

condemned,

helpless sheep.

Now,

second question.

For whom

did the good shepherd

lay down

his life?

In other words,

who

and what

did Jesus

have in mind

when he died

on the cross?

Who

and what

did Jesus

have in mind?

Well,

John 10

gives a really

clear answer.

Who

and what

did Jesus

have in mind

when he died

on the cross?

He had

his sheep.

What

did he have

in mind?

Their

actual

or particular

redemption.

Look

at the

verses.

Verse 3.

The

sheep

hear his

voice

and he

calls

his own

sheep

by name

and leads

them out.

Now,

in past

life,

I come

off a

farm

and I

can tell

you

that

farmers

did not

know

their

sheep

by

name.

Nor

could

they

care

less

about

individual

preferences

of their

sheep.

In a

big spread

with a

big mob,

you

mastered

them,

and you

were doing

well if

they were

within 50

or 60

of what

should have

been there.

You

just lived

with

losses.

That's

life as a

sheep

farmer.

But

Jesus

knows

his

sheep

by name.

Personal,

individual,

particular.

Verse

11.

Sorry,

he knows

them and

they know

him and

will

respond

to

him.

Verse

11.

I'm

the

good

shepherd,

says

Jesus.

The

good

shepherd

lays

down

his

life

for

the

sheep.

See

how the

two things

are coming

together?

Jesus

has a

particular

group

of

people

in mind

that are

the focus

of his

mission,

and it

is for

this

particular

group

that

Jesus

will

lay

down

his

life

in

redemption.

Verse

14 and

15.

Same

thing

again.

I'm the

good

shepherd.

I know

my own,

and my own

know me,

just as the

Father knows

me, and I

know the

Father, and I

lay down

my life for

the sheep.

again, get

the impact

that Jesus

knows those

for whom he

will lay

down his

life as

distinctly,

individually,

and particularly

as the

Father knows

him,

Jesus.

Verses

16,

17,

and 18.

And I

have other

sheep that

are not of

this fold,

or this

sheep pen.

I must

bring them

also, and

they will

listen to

my voice.

So there

will be

one flock,

one

shepherd.

For this

reason, the

Father loves

me, because

I lay

down my

life that

I may

take it

up again.

No one

takes it

from me, but

I lay

it down

of my

own

accord.

I have

the

authority to

lay it

down, and

I have

the authority

to take

it up

again.

Jesus'

death will

be the

key act

of

mastering

God's

one

flock, a

flock made

up of

Jews,

Jewish

sheep, and

Gentile

sheep.

But

Jesus'

death will

be the

mastering or

the gathering

of this

one

flock, the

saving of

this one

flock, the

collecting of

specific

individuals known

to him, and

who will in

turn respond

to him.

Now, this

flock is

described in

other parts of

the Bible as

the church, the

bride of

Christ, or

the elect.

Verses

26 and

27.

You do

not believe,

remember he's

speaking to the

Jewish religious

leaders here

particularly, but

he's actually

speaking to a

bigger crowd.

he says, but

you do not

believe because

you're not

part of my

flock.

Again, we

see the

parameters and

the delineations.

Clearly, not

all people

belong to the

shepherd.

Clearly, the

shepherd is not

dying for all

people.

The fact that

the Jews and

the Jewish

religious leaders

as a whole

refused to

believe in

Jesus was

confirmation that

they're not

part of the

flock.

They're not

part of his

sheep.

They're not

the focus of

his mission.

27 to

30.

Jesus

affirms the

particularity of

his intention in

his forthcoming

death.

father and

son working in

an inseparable

partnership of

absolute sovereign

power to

gather the

sheep, to

bring them into

the sheep pen,

and to secure

them forever.

God's intent,

Jesus' mission.

Friends, hopefully

you don't think I've

labored that too

much, but I

did mean to

labor it.

because here's

the point.

The Bible never

speaks of Jesus

dying simply to

make salvation

possible.

The Bible never

speaks of Jesus

just sort of

putting it on the

table and saying,

well, look, here's a

great opportunity for

anybody who will

avail themselves of

it.

But you need to

decide for yourselves

whether you want to

embrace the benefits of

my death, says Jesus,

or not.

It's up to you.

No, the Bible

doesn't speak about

that.

The Bible doesn't

speak like that.

The Bible always

speaks about Jesus

dying to save or

secure the

salvation of his

sheep, his

people.

So, may I

suggest that

particular, the

word particular,

and I'm using a

theological term

now, the word

particular is an

important description

of redemption and

atonement.

So, we talk about

particular redemption

or particular

atonement.

Now, here's the

practical issue

here.

When it comes to

redemption or

atonement, all

Christians agree

about the necessity

of God's sovereign

power for

redemption through

the atoning death

of Jesus.

All Christians

believe that that's

necessary to deal

with sin, to

restore relationship

with God.

But apparent

unity quickly

vanishes because

many Christians,

and might I say

this morning, most

evangelicals, find

it impossible to

accept that Jesus

died for a definite

or particular group

of sinners.

sinners.

Instead, they

believe that

Christ's sacrificial

death made it

possible for

everyone in the

world to be

saved, but

doesn't directly

save anyone.

What's required

then for the

benefit for the

Christ's death to

be effective in the

life of an

individual is for

that individual to

decide to respond.

using their own

faith to embrace

what Jesus has

done in his

death.

And so I

argue with you

this morning, or

present to you

this morning, the

proposal, that that

is why the term

particular redemption

or particular

atonement is a

really important and

indeed helpful

term.

It helps us to

speak with the

same precision as

the Bible speaks.

It avoids

diminishing Christ's

sovereign power and

salvation by

thinking that Jesus

died simply in the

hope that some

would respond and

make use of that

which he's put on

the table for

them.

that would

diminish the

effectiveness of

Christ's death.

And it also

avoids diminishing

Christ's sovereign

power and salvation

by suggesting that

the quality or

sufficiency of

Christ's sacrificial

death is somehow

limited.

No, the quality of

Christ's death is

without limit.

it is a perfect

sacrifice.

Well, he'll

save anybody.

But what's

particular is God's

design, God's

intention in

salvation.

It's that that's

limited or

particular to his

chosen sheep.

So, at this point

then I need to

address an

objection.

What about all

those verses that

speak of Christ's

death as being

for the world

and for all?

And I've given

you three or

four of the most

common ones

referred to in

this objection.

Well, lots

could be said

about this and

so I'm giving you

a very, very

summary form.

Hopefully it's

not a trivialized

response but it

is going to be a

brief summary

response.

And I would say

this, that a

careful study of

these words in

their context

shows that the

first impression

of what they

mean is not

correct.

In context,

when you read

the word all

or the whole

world, it

never means all

people or the

whole of humanity

without exception.

Context will

show that fairly

easily, I

believe.

Now, sometimes

all or the

world actually

means all types

of people

regardless of

their social,

political, or

economic

circumstances.

That is, Christ

died for all

types of people.

And those

sorts of verses

are sometimes

emphasized against,

say, that the

narrow thinking of

the religious

Jews who

thought, well,

Jesus only died

for Jewish

people or

good people.

Sometimes, all

or the world

emphasizes the

fact that there

is no limit to

the power of

Christ's death to

forgive.

And so, it's

used to affirm

the genuine

offer of the

gospel to any

sinner in any

circumstance, in

any generation, in

any part of our

world.

The offer of the

gospel is the

same.

The outward

call of God is

the same.

And sometimes

all and the

world is used

in a theologically

defined context.

That is, it

emphasizes the

cosmic significance

of Christ's death.

sin had a

cosmic significance

in God's

creation.

Christ's death

has an

equal cosmic

significance

in undoing the

effects of sin

and restoring

God's creation.

It's right to

say that

Christ's death

is for the

world because

the world

theologically

represents the

kingdom of

Satan, the

kingdom in

rebellion against

God.

And Christ's

death is

powerful and

significant at

that same level

as he reconciles

the universe to

himself.

Now, I just

want to illustrate

that touched

down in 1 John

1 John 2:2

chapter 2,

verse 2.

So, if you

want to open

your Bible to

that, then I

just want to

take a couple

of minutes and

touch down on

one of these

verses.

Probably the

verses that

people would

go to most

commonly and

it's the

verse that

most, I

think, would

think was a

king hit to

this notion of

particular

redemption.

1 John

1 John 2:2

chapter 2,

verse 2.

Well, I'll

read the first

three verses,

the first two

verses.

John says,

My little

children, I'm

writing these

things to you so

that you may

not sin, but

if anyone does

sin, we have an

advocate with the

father, Jesus

Christ the

righteous.

He is the

propitiation for

our sins and

not for ours

only, but also

for the sins of

the whole world.

But also for the

sins of the

whole world.

Now, it seems

to be there that

Christ dies for

all people without

exception.

salvation.

But when you

look at the

context of

that verse, and

the context is

Isaiah 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1, then

quite a different

perspective pops

up.

As I say, chapter

1 is the

context.

I don't have

time to get into

it in detail.

You can do it

for yourself.

John in

chapter 1 is

bursting with

excitement about

the eternal

fellowship or

salvation.

that is now

enjoyed by

those who

have come to

know and

experience the

word of life,

the Lord Jesus

Christ.

And he's

bursting with

excitement,

especially given

that these new

Christians are

struggling on a

daily basis with

ongoing sin and

failure in their

lives.

Christians.

And into that

situation, there's

been some

heresies thrown

in, some ways of

trying to reconcile

that.

And so if you look

at chapter 1, you'll

see in verse 6,

three things, three

options that people

have been given by

locals.

Verse 6, if we

say, verse 8, if

we say, verse 10,

if we say.

So what it means in

short form is that

some were encouraging

the Christians to

play down or find a

way to reduce the

notion of sin so

they could live

comfortably and not

be worried about

their daily failures

and sin.

And John says to

them, no, no, no,

that's not the way

to go at all.

One, it's not right,

but two, it's not

the way to go.

What you should do,

moving into chapter 2,

is not try and find a

way to play down

your sin, but look

to Jesus and play up

what he's done for

you in redemption.

Sin is a reality for

us as we move on in

our Christian life.

It's a daily struggle,

John's really saying.

And John's urging

believers not to

attempt to play down

the reality of

ongoing sin, but to

take comfort in

Christ.

Totally confident

that his propitiation

or that word just

means atoning

sacrifice, has dealt

with all the sins of

his people, including

past and future

sins.

So John's just

making a gospel

statement of comfort

and encouragement to

these Christians.

Christians.

And John reassures

these Christians with

all the warmth, the

authority, and comfort

of a father, speaking

to them as little

children.

He said, look, this

includes you in your

daily struggle with

sin.

So to put it all

together, John's saying

this, the salvation that

comes through Jesus'

death is not restricted

to the immediate circle

of disciples who had

actually seen, heard,

and touched Jesus.

That's where John

started his letter.

He's so excited because

he had seen, heard, and

touched.

Well, John says, well,

yeah, that's true.

But the benefits of

Christ's death aren't

restricted to that

group.

Nor are they restricted

to those who are

Jewish and who had

been converted through

the apostles, something

that John also speak

about.

Rather, says John, it

is equally real for

all Christians.

Any Christian, anyone

who has come into

union with Christ, has

this assurance that the

atoning death of Christ

has actually dealt with

their sins once for all.

Any nationality, any

part of the world, any

period of history has been

covered.

If you've come into

union with Christ, you're

covered by the death of

Christ.

Now, again, there's lots

more to be said on that

and those of you who may

differ from me may well

be thinking, no, that's

not fair.

But, anyway, that's an

attempt to be fair in the

dealing with that and I

can talk to you later or

you can talk to me.

Third question, and we're

not far from being done

now.

Did the good shepherd get

what he paid for?

Well, go back to John

John 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10 now and look

again at verses 28 to 30

and the answer, we've

already read that out.

I won't read it again.

The answer is obviously

yes.

And it has to be yes

because the father in his

salvation plan entrusted to

Jesus a great number to be

saved.

Father's intent, the son's

mission.

And since he sent Jesus

into the world to secure

their salvation and master

the flock, the flock we call

the church, then this is

precisely what will happen.

Friends, it's inconceivable

that God the father in his

intent and God the son in his

execution or mission, that

those two would fail or that

somehow or other would get out

of sync with each other.

Both the cost of salvation

and the return on the

investment, God's investment

in salvation, was calculated

precisely by the father.

The cost was enormous.

The life is on precious son.

But the return on his

investment was also enormous.

Every one of his guilty,

spiritually dead sheep would

be saved.

That is, moved from spiritual

deadness to spiritual life and

vitality for eternity.

It must be yes.

Jesus did get what he died for

because logic demands it.

God's death.

The doctrine of total inability,

total depravity of all people,

the doctrine of God's sovereign

irresistible call of God's

chosen sheep to life,

demands the next step of God's

sovereign power in our lives.

That is, particular redemption.

God's determined that one dead

sheep should be brought to life.

God calls that sheep to life.

The sin of that sheep must be

dealt with in particular

redemption as Jesus dies for

that particular sheep.

God determines that not only,

sorry, God determines not only

that a great number of

spiritually dead people will be

made alive, but he also makes

it happen.

He makes it happen by the

sovereign power of his Holy

Spirit renewing a person from

the inside out and creating

those responses that would bring

a person to Jesus.

And he does it by dealing with a

sin that's a barrier to your

renewed relationship.

God's process from start to finish.

It's particular in its view going

forward.

It's particular in its application.

It's legally binding and it's

eternal in nature.

And it results in abundant life.

Now friends, as usual, there's

lots more that could be said

and perhaps lots more that

should be said.

But just let me conclude the

last couple of minutes by asking

this question.

Does it matter practically to

talk about particular redemption?

The answer is yes, it does.

It's enormously beneficial in the

area of assurance.

If you know anything of your

sinful heart and realize that at

one time you were dead, spiritually

dead, in response or in respect of

God, in terms of relationship with

God, if you know that where you've

come from, then it's lovely looking

forward to know that your security,

eternal security, is not rest on

yourself and what you've done, but

rest entirely on what Jesus has done

for you and has done in you and

continues to do in you.

And this in turn will mean that the

Father and Jesus are worthy of all

our praise.

So let me speak personally to you.

If you're a Christian here this

morning, you've already experienced

God's absolute sovereignty in your

salvation.

The sovereign power of God took hold

of you when you were spiritually dead

and couldn't have cared less about

God.

The renewing power of the Holy

Spirit changed your heart and mind

and desire so you responded to God's

irresistible call to come to him for a

new life and new security.

And Jesus has died specifically for

your sin.

So your relationship with God has been

restored.

Now go back to my very opening point.

What's not to like about that?

That's one of those things we long for.

We need.

We need God's sovereign power in our

lives.

And here when we see God's sovereign

power in our life, it's such a

beautiful thing.

And likewise, your friends and family

and neighbors and workmates, they too

are in a spiritual state of deadness

towards God.

And you know what?

As the Bible says, they don't even

know it.

They too need more than just the

possibility of salvation made available

to them.

They too need more than just an

opportunity for salvation provided by

Jesus and left conveniently on a table

saying, well, look, here it is.

You know, just make use of it if you

want to.

They need God's sovereign power to do

for them and do in them exactly what

he's done for you and in you.

That which they could never do for

themselves.

They need the good shepherd to rescue,

restore,

keep and lead them into green pastures.

And isn't it just wonderful to know

that that's precisely the description

of Jesus and precisely his intent

for his sheep.

Let me pray.

Lord, help us not to stumble over your

sovereign power.

Quite possibly, Lord, the point of

stumbling for each of us is that our

own sense of sovereignty gets in the

way of your sovereignty.

And Lord, quite honestly, we

pontificate and we cry unfair and we

raise all sorts of objections from a

point of view of great limitation in our

understanding of your plan and your

purpose and your character.

Help us, Lord, to hang on to that which

you say.

That you have chosen to act in a particular

way in salvation in our universe for your

own glory.

To show people that you're a loving,

merciful and good God who wants a vast

multitude to be saved.

Even those who deserve nothing but condemnation.

Help us, Lord, not to trip over that as

something abhorrent or unfair.

But help us to see something of your beauty

and your wonder and just to be amazed that

you have deigned to operate in your world in

this way.

And help us individually, Lord, to respond to

you as the one who is all goodness, all mercy,

all grace.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

Amen.