Blood-bought people, you who
are the redeemed of the Lord, have you ever stopped sometimes
and pondered and being left in awe and wonder at the security that the believer
has in Christ? Of the security that the believer
has in Christ? Now in biblical times, in the
land of Palestine, there was in each village a sheepfold.
A sheepfold. And it was the common property
of all the farmers, all the shepherds. And the sheepfold was protected
by very high walls. And when night fell and when
wild beasts would come out, the shepherds, to protect their sheep
from the beasts and from robbers, would put their sheep in the
sheepfold. And there would be a number of
different shepherds that would do this. They would lead their
flocks to the door of the sheepfold. And they'd leave them in the
care of the porter while they found lodging to sleep for the
night. And now the porter remained at
the door of the sheepfold until the morning when the shepherds
returned. And then the porter would allow
each shepherd to enter in. And each shepherd would call
out his own sheep. And the marvel of it is that
only his sheep would follow his voice. And they would slowly
come up to the shepherd and he would lead them out of the sheepfold.
And they would hear the voice of their shepherd. And they would
follow in response to their shepherd's voice. In verses 6 to 18 of this
chapter, the Lord had spoken a parable about himself being
the shepherd of his people. And the sheep are the fold of
God. God's chosen people, given to
Christ from eternity. And he brought forth how he died
for his sheep. And how they will hear his voice
when he calls them. And they'll hear his voice in
the preaching of the gospel because they're his sheep. They're his
sheep. Now when the Lord spoke this,
it caused division amongst the Jews. And we see this in verses
19 to 21. Let's look there. There was a
division, therefore, among the Jews for these sayings. And many
of them said, he hath a devil and is mad. Why hear ye him? Others said, these are not the
words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of
the blind? So let's read from verses 22
to 42 to get the context of our text, which will be found in
this portion. Verse 22, and it was at Jerusalem, the feast of
the dedication, and it was winter, and Jesus walked in the temple
on Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about
him and said unto him, how long dost thou make us to doubt? If
thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you,
and ye believe not the works that I do in my Father's name,
they bear witness of me. But ye believe not. because ye
are not of my sheep. That's a pretty sobering verse
right there. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice, remember he had told them that earlier in the
chapter, and I know them and they follow me. Now know there
is Gnoska, he knows them intimately. He knows them so intimately that
he's knowing them from eternity because God gave them to him. And I give unto them eternal
life. God is the giver of eternal life. And they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which
gave them me is greater than all. God's absolutely sovereign. He's more powerful than anyone
and anything. He's God. He's not like us. My Father which gave them me
is greater than all. And no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." This
is the Word of God, the second person of the Trinity speaking.
And he says, I and my Father are one. The Father, the Word,
and the Holy Ghost, the three are one. Jesus answered them,
many good works have I showed you from my Father. For which
of these do you stone me? The Jews answered him, for good
work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, because thou, being
a man, makest thyself God. Little did they know that standing
in front of them is God incarnate in the flesh, the God-man mediator,
the Lord Jesus Christ. But he hasn't revealed himself
to them, because they're not his sheep, and they don't hear
his voice. They don't hear his voice. The
Jews answered him, saying, Again, for a good work we stone thee
not, but for blasphemy, and because thou being a man makest thyself
God. All they saw is him as a man.
Jesus answered, Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods? If ye call them gods unto whom
the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, say
ye of him of whom the Father hath sanctified, and that's being
himself, and sent into the world, thou blasphemest because I said
I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my father,
believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe
not me, believe the works that ye may know, and believe that
the Father is in me, and I in him. Therefore they sought again
to take him, but he escaped out of their hand, and went away
again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized,
and there he abode. And many resorted unto him, and
said, John did no miracle, But all things that John spake of
this man were true, and many believed on him there. Today,
I'd like us to look at verses 27 and 28, considering the wonder
of the saints' security, the wonder of God's blood-bought
people's security. And we know that our security
is only in Christ. We know that. We know that. Outside
of Christ, we have no security. We have no hope. We have no redemption. We have no justification outside
of Christ. But in Christ, we who believe,
we who are his blood-bought people, we have all spiritual blessings
in Christ. It's wonderful. And what security
we have. What security we who are his
blood-bought people have in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Look at verses 27 and 28. My sheep hear my voice. Now remember,
again, the shepherd would go in the sheepfold and he would
call And there'd be all kinds of sheep mixed in there, wouldn't
there? From all different shepherds. But the shepherd would go in
there, and he'd call his sheep, and they would come to him. And
this is the context that the Lord is saying this in. My sheep hear my voice. And I
know them. That's Gnoska again. That's an
intimate knowledge. And they follow me. And I give
unto them eternal life. And they shall never perish.
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Now we know
that God chose a people in eternity, and that the Lord Jesus Christ
died for those whom the Father gave him in eternity, in the
eternal covenant of grace. Take note of verses 15 and 16
in light of this. Look at this, as the Father knoweth
me, even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for who?
The sheep. He doesn't lay down his life
for everyone, he lays down his life for his sheep. For his sheep. And other sheep I have, this
is speaking of the Gentiles, which is we who believe here,
which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall
hear my voice, and we have, we who believe have, through the
preaching of the gospel, and there shall be one fold and one
shepherd. And remember on Wednesday night
we looked at how Jew and Gentile, believing Jew and believing Gentile,
are one in Christ. One in Christ. there's one fold
one foot and there's one shepherd and that's the Lord Jesus Christ
in him alone have you ever pondered though the wonder of the saint
security the wonder of the saint security in Christ have you ever
pondered how we are sinners by birth nature and choice and and
we who are the redeemed of the Lord are our safe sinners we
still sin don't we but we're safe sinners We who are His redeemed,
blood-bought people. And because we are redeemed by
Him, what security we have in Christ! What security we have
in Christ! So let us keep these questions
in our mind as we consider today the wonder and marvel of the
saints' security in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Now when
you hear me say saints, it's what's meant for clarification
of those who do not know I mean the blood-washed saints of God.
Born again, blood-washed saints of God. Born again by the Holy
Spirit of God, chosen in eternity by God the Father, given to Christ
in eternity, the ones for whom Christ purchased and died for
on Calvary's cross, which is in opposition to the false and
wicked church, which claims that they make saints. Beloved of
God, only God can make a sinner a saint. Only God can do that. It's a work of God. It's a miracle
of grace. And it's a work of God from beginning
to end because salvation's of the Lord. We know that because
that's what the scripture proclaims. That's what the scripture proclaims.
Brother Matt brought out a wonderful message in Sunday School where
it shows very clearly that salvation's of the Lord. Salvation's of the
Lord. And let's read our scripture
for today and then consider our first point with it. with wonder
and marvel, and may we leave here in awe of the saints' security
in Christ. Look at verses 27 and 28. My
sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And
I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Now let us consider
with wonder and awe the fact of the saints' security in Christ,
in light of the character of those who are chosen by God in
Christ. Turn, if you would, to 1 Corinthians
chapter 1. So let us consider with wonder
and awe the fact of the saints' security in Christ in light of
the character of those who are chosen by God. 1 Corinthians chapter 1, and then
we'll be going to chapter 6 after this. Paul gives a description
of the character of those chosen of God in Christ over here in
1 Corinthians chapter 1. Let's look at verses 26 to 29. For you see your calling, brethren,
how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not
many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise. I like what Brother
Henry Mahan said there. Foolish there means common. God's
chosen the common things of the world, the common people of the
world, to what? To confound the wise. And it
does confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak things
of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and
the base things of the world and things which are despised
hath God chosen." And note it's God who's chosen, isn't it? You
see how plain it is in scripture? Our God chose Israel of all the
nations, didn't he? And our God hasn't changed. He's
still the same God from the Old Testament as he is in the New
Testament. It's God who chose the people. But God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God
hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things
which are mighty, and the base things of the world, and things
which are despised hath God chosen, yea, in things which are not,
to bring to naught things that are. Why? Why? That no flesh
should glory in his presence. All the blood-bought saints who
are in glory, they know that they're there only by the grace
of God, plus nothing. They know that. And that's why
they sing, worthy is the lamb. Worthy is he who was slain. Oh
my, God has chosen the foolish things of the world, the common
things of the world, common people, not the wise or the mighty, not
them of noble birth, but God has chosen the foolish things
of the world to confound the wise. And these are those who
are spoken of in our text here. Those who have been given eternal
life, who we read about in John chapter 10, verse 27 and 28.
God's sheep. God's sheep. And it's Christ
who keeps them. And no man, including themselves,
now always remember that too. When it says, they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hands, that's
including themselves. You can't unplug yourself from
Christ's hands. Oh my, if you're in his hand,
you're in his hand, beloved. No man, that is including themselves,
can pluck them, God's sheep, out of Christ's hands. Now let's
turn over to 1 Corinthians chapter 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 6. And look what Paul writes here.
1 Corinthians 6, and this shows
us again the character of those who are chosen by God. The character. And God's people, we're not a
haughty people, we know, we remember the rock we were hewn from. Like
the scripture tells us to do. Like Brother Matt, we're just
dead stones. Dead stones! We saw that in Stones
Made Ready, the message there. We're stones quarried out of
the same quarry of humanity as the stones that are left behind.
And look what it says here in 1 Corinthians 6, verses 9 to
11. Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers. nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revivals, nor extortioners shall inherit the
kingdom of God." And look what Paul writes here, "...and such
were some of you. But ye are washed, washed clean
in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ." But ye are
sanctified. We know we're washed clean in
Christ and we know we're sanctified in Christ, aren't we? We're made
holy in Him. That's what saints means. The
word saints in Scripture means to be made holy. And we know
that we're only made holy in Christ, in Christ alone. But
ye are justified. Who are we justified in? Christ,
in Christ alone. He was raised for our justification. But ye are justified in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Let's
go back to our text in John chapter 10. That shows us the character
of those who are chosen by God. Let's now go back to John 10,
verses 27 and 28. We'll read that again. And let us consider with wonder and
awe the fact of the saints' security in Christ in light of the fewness
of God's sheep. Look at it, it says, Hear my
sheep, hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And
I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Turn, if you
would, to Genesis chapter six. So let us consider with wonder
and awe the fact of the saints' security in Christ in light of
the fewness of God's sheep. Now billions of people have lived
upon this world, lived in this world. Look at this in Genesis chapter
6. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord while all the others
in the world around him perished in the flood. Noah and his family were the
only ones spared. All the others perished. And
that flood pictures the wrath of God fallen, fallen upon those
who were left in their sin. And remember, the ark is a picture
of Christ. And all who are in the ark are
safe. Remember? And it was pitched,
which pictures the blood of Christ. Which pictures the blood of Christ.
And there was not a drop of God's wrath that fell upon those who
were in the ark. They were safe. Safe. And all
the safety that God's people have in Christ. Look at Genesis
chapter 6, verses 1 to 8, and it came to pass when when men
began to multiply on the face of the earth, and the daughters
were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters
of men, that they were fair. And they took them wives of all
which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit
shall not always strive with men, for that he also is flesh,
yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. There were
giants in the earth in those days. And also after that, when
the sons of God came into the daughters of men, and they bare
children to them, the same became mighty men, and were of old,
men of renown. And God saw the wickedness of
man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented
the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved
him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy
man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man
and beast, and creeping things, and the fowls of the air, For
it repenteth me that I have made them. And here's a good verse
to underline or highlight in your Bible because every believer
has found what Noah found in the eyes of the Lord. But Noah
found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah, I stand before you
a man who's found grace in the eyes of the Lord. It's not based
upon anything in me. I don't deserve it at all and
I know you don't deserve it either. you who are His blood-bought
people. But we who are born again by His Spirit, we who are washed
in the precious blood of Christ, we have found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. Now, Israel in the Old Testament
pictures the church of God. They were chosen by God to be
His people. Turn, if you would, to Deuteronomy
7. They were chosen by God to be the people of God, while all
the other nations of the world were left in darkness. And there
was nothing in the people of Israel which caused God to set
His love upon them. It was all by His mercy and all
by His grace. And what a picture, what a picture
of the church of God, His blood-washed people. Now remember, we looked
in Nehemiah 9 a couple Sunday nights ago, and how Abraham was
taken out of the land of Ur. There was no merit in him, he
was an idol worshiper. But God took him, chose him,
took him out of there, and left all the others behind. What a
picture of God's distinguishing grace, beloved. Look at this
in Deuteronomy 7, verses 5 to 8. And again, we know that Israel
is a picture of the church. Israel in the Old Testament is
a picture of the church. But thus shall ye deal with them,
verse 5, ye shall destroy their altars and break down their images
and cut their groves and burn their graven images with fire.
God told them to go in there and just destroy them in the
land of Canaan. For thou art an holy people unto
the Lord thy God, and we know the only reason they're holy
is because they're God's chosen people. It pictures us being
chosen in Christ and how we are holy in Christ in him alone.
The Lord thy God hath chosen thee, look it, to be a special
people unto himself. All the other nations around
Israel were left in darkness, were left in their sin, and God
chose Israel. Above all the people that are
upon the face of the earth, Not just in the region, but of all
the people on the face of the earth. What a picture of God's
sheep that we've been looking at in John chapter 10. What a picture. The Lord did not set his love
upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any
people, for ye were the fewest of all people. Think of that
in light of God's church, in light of how many people have
lived upon this earth. How many people? But because the Lord
loved you, and how long has he loved his people? From eternity,
from eternity. And because he would keep the
oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord bought
you out with a mighty hand, and there's the power of God, and
redeemed you, it's him, God himself has purchased his people. God
himself, the Lord Jesus Christ has purchased his sheep. And
he is God incarnate in the flesh. Oh, what a great God we have.
The Lord bought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you.
And remember, the mighty hand, that represents Christ. And redeemed
you out of the house of the bondman from the hand of Pharaoh, king
of Egypt. And our Lord said this about
his people in the book of Luke. He said this, fear not little
flock. Fear not little flock. for it's your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom. Many, many, many are on the broad
road which leads to destruction, and few find the way. Turn, if
you would, to Matthew 7, verse 14. Few find the way which leads
unto life. Only those to whom Christ reveals
Himself will find the way which leads unto life, and that is
Christ, and Christ alone. He is the way, He is the truth,
and He is the life, beloved. Look at this, Matthew 7, 14.
Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, but few there be that find it. Matthew 7, 14. Because straight is the gate,
and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there
be that find it. If you're one of his blood-bought
people, rejoice. Rejoice, beloved. The third point
I'd like us to consider in light of our text, in light of the
saint's security which we have in Christ is this, the fact that
the Lord leaves us in this world until he calls us home. Now remember
last week we studied about the Gadarene demoniac and in that
text we looked at last week, he healed the Gadarene demoniac
The gathering demoniac, he wanted to go with them. He wanted to
go with the Lord, didn't he? That man, that certain man, as the
text said, our dear brother in Christ, he wanted to go with
the Lord. And who doesn't? Which one of
God's blood-bought saints, when the Lord saves us, do we not
want to be with him? And that's a longing that he
keeps in our hearts. We long to be with our Savior.
We long to be with him. But do you remember what he said
to that certain man? He said, go and tell the great
things that the Lord has done. Go and tell the great things
the Lord has done for you. And we consider that in light
of our Lord having us stay in this world until it's the time
of our promotion. Turn, if you would, to 1 John
5.19. 1 John 5.19 and 20. Again, let us marvel in considering
the security which the saints have in Christ and the fact that
He leaves us in this world until He calls us home. Until He calls
us home. Look at this. In this world,
it lieth in wickedness, beloved. It lieth in wickedness. And you
don't have to tell the blood-bought believer that. We know that,
don't we? We struggle enough with our own sin. But we know
the whole world lieth in wickedness. Look at this. Verses 19 and 20
of 1 John 5. And we know that we are of God,
and the whole world lieth in wickedness. Now God has taught
us not only our own sinfulness, but the sinfulness of all men."
And we know that the Son of God has come, look at this, and has
given us an understanding. We will know nothing about God
unless He gives us an understanding. To know Christ is a revelation
from God. And God the Holy Spirit teaches
His people who Christ is. And He regenerates us and reveals
to us who Christ is in our desperate need for Him. He gives us an
understanding. Look at this, that we may know
Him that is true. If He doesn't give us an understanding,
we won't know Him. We won't know Him. That's very
plain right here. And look at this, and we are
in Him. He's the head, we're the body.
He's the vine, we're the branches. We are in Him that is true. We
are in Him who is the way, the truth, and the life, beloved.
We're in Him. Even in his son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God and eternal life. There's only one true God
the Lord Jesus Christ God incarnate in the flesh and only in him
only in Christ is eternal life in This book if you read first
John, it's written for you to know that you have eternal life
It's written for the believer to know that we have eternal
life. And it constantly points you just to Christ and Christ
alone. But I love how very plainly it's stated here that God has
given us an understanding. It's His work, beloved, from
beginning to end. That we may know Him that is
true. Without Him revealing, the Holy Spirit revealing Christ
to us, we will never ever know Him. The Scripture says there's
none that understand Him. None. None. And we're in Him. Oh, praise God. I'm crucified
with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Oh my. And He is the way, the truth,
and the life. He is eternal life. He leaves us though in this world
of wickedness until the time of our going home to be with
Him. But beloved, He doesn't leave us to ourselves. Aren't
you thankful He doesn't leave us to ourselves? No, He cares
over us and He feeds us and He protects us just as a shepherd
watches over his sheep. And that's what the whole portion
of John 10 is all about. It's all about the shepherd,
the great shepherd of the sheep of God. He is the Great Shepherd. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
overseer of our souls. He is the overseer of our souls.
And we are kept by the power of God. We can't keep ourselves.
We're kept by the power of God while we're in this world. And
God alone makes the security in Christ that we have wonderful
to our souls because we are constantly reminded that we can't keep ourselves
because we constantly fall into sin. We do, don't we? We're saved sinners. I'm a sinner
saved by the grace of God. And I give Him all the glory
and honor and praise for saving me and for keeping me. Do you?
It's true, isn't it? We're constantly reminded of
our great need for Christ. We're constantly reminded that
Christ is our shepherd and overseer of our souls. And we are constantly
reminded that we are kept by the power of God. And it's wonderful
to the believer. It's absolutely wonderful. Let's
read our text again. My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. The next point I'd like us to
consider in light of the saint's security in Christ and the wonder
and awe of it is that we have this body of flesh which we battle.
this body of flesh, which we battle. Turn, if you would, to
Galatians chapter five. We battle, and the grace of God
comes to we who are fallen creatures. We who are fallen creatures.
The battle with the flesh was so fierce with Paul, the apostle,
that he penned these words, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver
me from the body of this death? And every believer can say, with
Paul, that's me. That's me. Oh, wretched man that
I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Look at Galatians
5.17. Paul wrote this to the Galatian believers. He said,
For the flesh lest it is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh. And those are contrary, the one
to another, so that she cannot do the things that she would. Beloved of God, this flesh, this
flesh is like a wagon filled with dynamite and set in the
middle of a fire. That's what it's like. It's going
to go boom and it will. And it's a constant battle. It's
a constant fight with our flesh. The spirit battles the flesh. The Lord has left us in this
wicked world and we have the flesh to battle against. So we
marvel in the fact that the saint can be secure in this world of
wickedness and yet still have such a battle with the flesh
and yet be eternally secure. And yet be eternally secure.
Why? Why is that so? Because our salvation
And the keeping of us is in the hand of the great shepherd, the
great shepherd of our souls, the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's
pictured right in our text. Let's look at our text again.
That's pictured right there. My sheep hear my voice. God's
blood bought chosen people chosen by God in eternity. And I know
them and they follow me. They hear the voice of the shepherd
through the preaching of the gospel. And I give unto them
eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man
pluck them out of my hand. That's eternal security. You
can't get more secure than that, last verse. And I give unto them
eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any
man pluck them out of my hands. Now the Greek word there, see
the Greek word there, never? And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish. The Greek word for there is in
the double negative. It means never, certainly not,
not at all, by no means. Let that sink in, beloved. And
I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never, certainly
not, not at all, by no means, perish. That's amazing. That is amazing,
beloved. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hands. Despite our fallen condition,
that which is impossible for us to do, save ourselves, regenerate
ourselves, redeem ourselves, Justify ourselves before God,
it's all done in Christ for his people. It's all done in Christ.
And despite our struggle in the flesh, and the fact that we fail
again and again and again, falling into sin and then repenting of
it, the Lord Jesus Christ here speaks comfort to the soul of
the believer. And the fact that none of his
sheep will ever perish. Never, certainly not, not at
all, by no means. Amidst our struggles with the
flesh, God's grace reigns. It reigns, beloved. In Psalm 71.7 it says this, I
am as a wonder unto many, but thou art my strong refuge. Christ is our refuge. Again,
amidst our struggles with the flesh, God's grace reigns, and
it is Christ, and Christ alone, who we look to. And it is He
who keeps us. He who keeps us. Again, in verse
28, And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Note the word
there, pluck. And look in wonder and awe, again,
at the security that the believer has in Christ. The Greek word
for pluck there means to seize or carry off by force, to seize
on claim for one's self, to snatch out or away. No one can take
one of God's sheep out of the hand of Christ. No one, no one,
not even yourself. Isn't that wonderful? Now that
doesn't give us a license to go crazy, does it? No, not at
all. The love of Christ constrains
us from sin. The love of Christ constrains
us. But what security, what security God's people have in Christ. Those lost fallen sheep are found
by the great shepherd of their souls and they will never be
lost again. They will never be lost again.
They are born again by the Holy Spirit of God. They've been purchased
by the Great Shepherd. Remember, the One who's seeking
out the lost sheep has purchased them with His own precious blood.
With His own precious blood. And now He watches over those
of us who are upon this earth until the day He takes us to
glory, to be with the blood-washed saints, the sheep of God, who
are right now in glory. And oh, what a day that'll be
for the believer. What a day that'll be for us. The next point I'd like us to
consider in light of the saints' security in Christ and the wonder
and awe of it is the saints' exposure to Satan's attacks.
Turn, if you would, to 1 Peter 5. 1 Peter 5. Paul said this
about the adversary of our souls. 1 Peter 5, verses 6-9. And then we'll look at Ephesians
6. 1 Peter 5, verses 6-9. Humble yourselves therefore unto
the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,
casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. What a
wonderful verse that is for the believer. Verse 7. Be sober,
be vigilant, be on guard, beloved, because your adversary, the devil,
is a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom
resists steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. Now turn,
if you would, to Ephesians chapter 6. Satan caused a third of the
angels to rebel, and Adam fell the first time he was tempted.
And this should show us our weakness, beloved, our weakness. That's
why Peter wrote that we are to be sober and vigilant, because
your adversary the devil is a roaring lion, walking about seeking whom
he may devour. Look at this in Ephesians chapter
6. We're in a battle, beloved, in
this world. Ephesians chapter 6, verses 12 to 13. For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers. against the rulers of darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore,
take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and heaven done all to stand." Now
remember, the whole armor of God is Christ. It's all Christ. It's our Lord, and He goes forth
before us in battle. We're no match for the enemy
of our souls. We're no match for our great
adversary. But the enemy of our souls is
no match for the Lord Jesus Christ. No match at all. He has to ask
the Lord permission to do what he would do. God is absolutely
sovereign. He's in full control. It's not
like this lie that you've heard and I've heard where folks say,
well, God cast a vote for you and the devil cast a vote for
you, now it's up to you. That's a lie from the pit of
hell. That's so not true. has chosen a people in Christ
in eternity, Christ redeemed those people, they will be regenerated
by the Holy Spirit of God, and they will be taken home to glory
by God. And there's no deciding vote
cast by us, like those folks say. That's not true. That's
not true at all. No. God is all-powerful. All-powerful. Look at Luke chapter
22, verses 31 and 32. Look at this. Luke 22, verses
31 and 32. Again, we're no match for our
adversary, but he's no match for the Lord Jesus Christ, who's
God incarnate in the flesh. Look at Luke 22, 31 and 32. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon,
behold, Satan hath desire to have you, that he may sift you
as wheat. But I have prayed for thee. Oh,
what wonderful words, beloved. God prays for his people. The
great mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ, prays for his people.
That thy faith fail not, and when thou art converted, strengthen
thy brethren. Oh, wonderful words. Wonderful
words. Turn, if you would, to Revelation
chapter 12. How do we overcome the enemy of our souls? Oh, Revelation
chapter 12 proclaims this wonderful truth. Beloved, we just flee
to Christ. We flee to Christ. Look at Revelation
12, verse 11. I have no strength in my own.
I need Christ. Look at this. How do we overcome
the enemy of our souls? Revelation 12, verse 11. And
they overcame him, how? By the blood of the Lamb, and
by the word of their testimony. Who do we testify of? Christ,
and Christ alone. We say, salvations of the Lord.
He did it all. I just looked to him. He did
it all, beloved. He made me well in the day of
his power. He redeemed me 2,000 years ago
at Calvary's cross. And they overcame him by the
blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. and
they love not their lives unto the death. Oh, we overcome the
enemy of our souls by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word
of our testimony, which speaks of Christ. My, let's go back
to John chapter 10, verses 27 and 28, and we'll read this again. My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal
life. And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. What wonder security the believer
has in Christ, the next point I'd like us to consider in light
of the same security in Christ and the wonder and of all of
it is in what we renounce. We renounce some things. When the Lord saves us, turn,
if you would, the Luke chapter 14. Luke chapter 14, I know I've
got you turning around a lot today, but this is good, we need
to have Scripture, Scripture interpret Scripture. Luke chapter 14 verses 25 to
27, And there went great multitudes
with him, and he turned and said unto them, If any man come unto
come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife,
and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life
also, he cannot be my disciples. And whosoever doth not bear his
cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." What are some
of the things that we renounce as believers in Christ? Well,
we renounce our own strength to save ourselves. I can't save
myself. And I know you who believe, you
know you can't save yourself. And we renounce our own wisdom,
don't we? We thought we knew who God was, until He revealed
Himself to us. And we renounce our own righteousness. We renounce our own righteousness,
proclaiming that there's nothing in us that will save us. And there's nothing in us that
merits God's grace. Nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation
is all the grace, isn't it? It's all the grace. It's all
by the grace of God. And also think upon this, there's
nothing within ourselves, our own works of righteousness, that
would cause God to keep us. But we're kept by the power of
God. We're born again of the Holy Spirit of God, and we're
clothed in Christ's perfect, spotless righteousness. And what
does this do? This leaves the believer in awe.
Think of that. Think of the wonder of your security
that you have, you who are His blood-bought people, that you
have in Christ. And it's all based upon the works
of another. It's not based on anything in
us. It's all based on the works of Christ and Christ alone, the
God-man, the one who came to this sin-cursed world to redeem
his people from their sins, the one who shed his blood on Calvary's
cross to purchase our eternal souls, and the one who obtained
eternal redemption for us by the sacrifice of himself, the
sinless one, having the sins of his people laid upon him.
And he cries, it is finished. And then the wonder and awe of
the security that we have in Him that He keeps us. We renounce our sinful ways,
don't we? And we walk in the way of holiness. We seek to walk in obedience.
Do any of you sin more than you want? Yeah. I sin more than I
want to. I can't wait for that day when
I won't sin no more. It'll be a glorious day. It'll
be a glorious day. Oh, we seek to walk in obedience
to our Lord, and and this is a difficult and lonely way, but
the Lord's blood bought born again, people do it willingly
and all by God's power, all by God's power, just as we willingly
come to Christ, all by God's power, grace and mercy. And if
you would, again, we read a little bit of this before Matthew seven,
we read verses 13 and 14. Look at this. Many, many are on the broad road,
the broad way. And the broad way is folks who
think that you can be saved by your works, or think that you
can be saved by someone else other than Christ. It's a broad
road. Many are on that road. Many. And it leads where? To destruction. It leads to destruction. Eternal
damnation. Look at Matthew 7, verses 13
and 14. Enter ye in at the straight gate,
for wide is the gate. And broad is the way that leadeth
to destruction. It's a broad road. And it leads
to destruction. And many there be which go in
thereat. And then look at verse 14. Because
straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth into
life. And few there be that find it. And the only reason we find
it is because God reveals Christ to us. And Christ is the narrow
way. Christ is the narrow way. False
religions and works-based religions is the broad path. The broad
path which leads to destruction. But oh, the narrow way is Christ. Salvation by grace alone plus
nothing. In Christ alone. To the glory
of God alone. And that's the narrow way. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. And
we walk on the narrow path. We walk in Christ. And think
of this. We were on the broad path. We were on the broad way, weren't
we? But it's God who took us off that way. It's God who set us upon the
narrow path, the narrow way. We were happy going along the
broad path. We didn't think nothing was wrong. But God takes his people off
that broad way to destruction, and he puts us on the narrow
way, which is Christ, which leads unto life. The opposite of what
the broad way leads to. Life. And few there be that find
it. And he keeps us on that path,
beloved. He keeps us looking to Christ.
Because we're prone to wander. We're prone to wander, but he
keeps us on that path. What a gracious God. What a merciful
God is our God. And the last point I'd like us
to consider in light of the same security again, let's let's read
our text here. I'll read it. It says my sheep
hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give
unto them life, their maternal life, and they shall never perish.
Neither shall any man pluck them by hand. Last point I'd like
us to consider, in light of the saint's security, and the wonder
and awe of it, and I hope that you leave here, you who are his
blood-bought people, leave here in wonder and awe of the security
that we have in Christ. And the last point I'd like us
to consider is the frailty of the Christian, the frailty of
the believer. Turn, if you would, to John chapter
15. John chapter 15. Our Lord tells us in the parable,
of the vine and the branches, where he very plainly brings
forth here the frailty of the Christian, with seven words which
are found at the end of the verse which we'll look at. And I think
it'll be profitable for us to ponder this These last seven
words for this week. Just ponder it. Roll it over
in your mind. Ponder the truth of this. Because
it'll leave you in awe of how secure we are in Christ, despite
what he says here. This is amazing. Not despite, but in light of,
if we were left to ourselves, where we would be. Look at this.
Verse five. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, he that's
in Christ, And I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.
Look at this. For without me, ye can do nothing. Seven words for us to ponder
right there for this week. For without me, ye can do nothing. Can't save yourself. Can't keep
yourself. Can't redeem yourself. Can't
justify yourself before God. Can't understand God. can't know
who he is, can't come to God. The Lord Jesus Christ says very
plainly here, for without me, you can do nothing, nothing. These words proclaim just how
weak and frail we are. And think of that in light of
we who are believers, who he keeps, how weak and frail we
are even after he saves us. For without me, you can do nothing,
nothing. Think of this in light of the
salvation we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. For without me,
you can do nothing. Nothing at all. Think of those
who are trying to justify themselves before God based upon either
their law keeping or their supposed good works. The Lord thunders,
these words thunder forth. For without me, you can do nothing. Think of this in light of our
battles with the flesh in our sin. In our battles with the
enemy of our souls, Christ proclaims to his people, for without me,
you can do nothing. And think of this in light of
what we've been looking at today, the security of the believer's
soul in Christ, the keeping of our souls. The Lord Jesus Christ
tells us here, without me, you can do nothing, nothing. Turn, if you would, to Isaiah
chapter 40. We know that Peter, remember
Peter, he thought he was strong, right? But he found out that
these words of the Lord here are very true, didn't he? He
found out that without the Lord, he can do nothing. He found that
out. And let's consider these words
in Isaiah 40, verse 29, in light of the frailty of the believer
and how we are secure in Christ. how we're secure in Christ. Look
at this in Isaiah 40 verses 29 to 31. And remember these words by their
master, for without me you can do nothing. Look at this, Isaiah
40 verses 29 to 31. He giveth power to the faint.
Without me you can do nothing. And to them that have no might,
he increases strength. Without me you can do nothing,
our Lord said, right? Even the youth shall faint. and
be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait
upon the Lord shall renew their strength, because without the
Lord we can do nothing. They shall mount up with wings
as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall
walk and not faint, because without the Lord we can do nothing. It's
He who keeps us, our great God. And what security, what security
we have in Christ. And beloved of God, does this
not leave you in awe, in wonder, in amazement at the security
of the believer in Christ. We've been shown today our utter
weakness in all these points that we've looked at. We've been
shown that we cannot keep ourselves, we cannot save ourselves, and
yet the believer in Christ is perfectly secure in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Beloved, let us leave here remembering
we are complete in Christ. In Christ. Praise His mighty
name. Heavenly Father, we thank Thee
again for Thy goodness and mercy and grace. And we who are Your
blood-bought people, we are in awe of the security that we have
in Christ. We know that there's nothing
in us that merits it, that we in no way can keep ourselves.
We can in no way save ourselves, but Thou, Thou, the lover of
our souls, has purchased us with Thy own precious blood. And O
Lord, we who are Your blood-bought born-again people have heard
Thy voice through the preaching of Thy gospel, and we are in
awe. And then we are in awe and wonder
that the fact that You keep us, You keep us, and that we are
secure in Thee, all we can say is praise Your mighty name. And
we love You because You first loved us. In Jesus' name, amen. Well, if you're secure in Christ,
then you can sing with me with gusto in our closing song this
morning that you are bound for the promised land. Turn in your
hymnals to number 517 on Jordan Stormy Banks, number 517. Let's
stand. The Jordan Stormy Banks. I say it in gesture with peaceful
mind. Do you think you can escape in any land when you're on opposition's mind?
I am bound for the promised land, and when I die, ? Come and go with me ? ? I am
bound for the promised land ? ? All along the road extended ? ? When it shines bright the eternal
day ? ? There have I a son forever with me ? I am bound for the promised land.
I am bound for the promised land. So with me, I am gone for the
promised land. Oh, tilling, reeling storm, hoist
this grand band, we stand on the full shore, singing this
epic song. I am bound for the promised land.
I am bound for the promised land. Go with me, I am bound for the
promised land. With excellent deeds that can
be, let this end be for ever blest. With excellent deeds that
can be, let this end be for ever blest. I've seen my father's face, and
in him, his words of rest. I am bound for the colorless land, and heaven, I am bound
for the colorless land. And go get me, I am bound for
the promised land.