Good evening, everybody. If you
will, open your Bibles to John chapter 10. You know, that's what we're waiting
for, isn't it? To behold our Savior face to
face in all His glory. That's what it's all about, that
we may behold Him. Luke quoted my text in his message.
It's John 10, verses 27 through 30. And let's read our text together. John 10, verse 27. This is the Lord speaking. He said,
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. 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. Now the title of the message
this evening is They Shall Never Perish. Are you interested in
that? I am, because I know that if
left to myself, that's exactly what I'll do. I will perish.
If left to myself, I will perish. Now, I want us to consider who
it is that he's talking about here that shall never perish,
what it means that they shall never perish, and why they shall
never perish. First, who shall never perish? Look back at verse 27. He said,
my sheep. Now, there's nothing special
about a sheep until he said, my sheep. That makes it very
special. That's precious to me. He said,
my sheep. Well, who are his sheep? Look
what else is, look at verse 29. He said, my father, which gave
them me. God, the father gave the sheep
to Christ from eternity. He gave him a people, chose a
people in him. from before the foundation of
the world. How special is that? That's wonderful. That's so wonderful. The Lord said back in John chapter
six, he said, all that the father giveth me, he gave his son of
people, they shall come to me. He said, all which the father
hath given me, I should lose nothing. He's not gonna lose
one of his sheep. And you know what, the sheep, I love this,
the sheep are also called the bride, the bride of Christ, the
lamb's wife. You think about that. Let me
read you a verse Isaiah 62 verse 5 said as the bridegroom. That's
Christ Rejoiceth over the bride. That's his sheep so shall thy
God Rejoice over thee is that not amazing? Who else are the sheep look back
at our text verse 27 he said my sheep hear my voice I You
know, the sheep, God's sheep, they hear one voice. You know,
there's only one voice. That's God. The sheep hear the
voice of the shepherd. David just read about it. The
Lord our shepherd, that's who we hear. We come to this place
week in and week out desiring to hear the same voice. Perhaps
a different man, but the same man. Does that make sense? Christ,
who speaks through his word. Have you heard him who speaks
by his word? Oh, I pray we would tonight.
Look up at verse two in our text. He said, but he that entereth
in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter
openeth, and the sheep hear his voice. And he calleth his own
sheep by name, and he leadeth them out. Has he called you by
name? We just read the shepherd, he
calls his sheep by name and leads them out. Do you remember Martha? It's Martha, Martha. You're troubled
and careful about many things, but one thing is needful. You
know, it doesn't go on to tell us what happened after that,
but I think I have good reason to suppose that she probably
put the dishes down, put everything away, went and joined Mary right
there in the floor at the Lord's feet. Because His sheep hear
His voice. Remember their brother Lazarus?
He heard his voice, did he not? And he which was dead, Lazarus,
come forth. And he that was dead came forth.
I pray that we might hear his voice tonight, as if for the
very first time. Who are the sheep? Look at verse
27 again. He said, my sheep hear my voice,
and I know them. Is that not comforting to you,
to know that the Lord knows them that are his? Oh, I find such
comfort knowing that. You remember what he told Jeremiah?
He said, Jeremiah, before I formed thee in the belly, it was me
that formed you in the belly. And before I did that, I knew
thee. I ordained thee a prophet long ago, long before you were
even a thought. You were in my thoughts. I purposed
you. I knew you from eternity. You
see, salvation is not so much, do I know him? Though that is
certainly so, it's, does he know me? Does he know my name? Oh, I pray that he does. You
know, many will claim to have known him. In that day, Lord,
Lord, they claim to know him. But what does he confess? I never
knew you. He must know me. He must know
us. And I also have reason to rejoice
because his disciples, you may recall in Luke chapter 10, he
sent out many disciples to preach the gospel and heal the sick.
And they came back and they were so excited. They said, Lord,
even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. What did
he tell them? He said, oh, don't rejoice over that. I'll give
you something to rejoice about. Rejoice because your names are
written in heaven. Now that's cause for rejoicing.
To know that our names have been written in the Lamb's book of
life. Who are his sheep? Look at verse
27 again. He said, My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. We follow him. Look up at verse 4. It says,
When he, the Lord Jesus Christ, putteth forth his own sheep,
he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him. For they know
His voice, and a stranger will they not follow, but will flee
from Him. For they know not the voice of
strangers." We follow Christ and Him alone because He is the
one we hear. We hear His voice alone. We hear
His voice alone. We follow Him. He has called
us by name. As verse 4 just told us, He called
us by name. We hear him, and we follow him. Do you recall when the Lord came
to Peter and Andrew, and he called them? They were fishing. And
he said, follow me. I'll make you fishers of men.
What did they do? They forsook their nets, and they followed
him. You know, you read that. You read over in Matthew chapter
4. It honestly, you try to put yourself in their shoes. You
think, this stranger came up to them and called them? Oh,
he was no stranger. That was the shepherd of the sheep. Those
were his sheep. Of course, they followed him. And right after
that, he went down and saw James and John with their father Zebedee
in the ship. And he called James and John. He didn't call their
father. He didn't call the hired servants in the ship. He called
them. He said, follow me. And immediately, they left the
ship. They left their father. They left the hired servants.
And they followed him. Do you get the picture? God,
his sheep, follow him alone. We follow him. You know, the
way people speak of God is so awful as if he's just begging
for someone to please follow him. That's not our God. That's not our God. God says,
follow me. We follow him. And we're happy to do it. He
makes us willing, makes us joyful. Who shall never perish? The sheep. Only the goats shall perish.
Read about it in Matthew 25, but not the sheep. Not one of
his sheep shall be lost. Well, what does it mean that
we shall never perish? I just said it. We follow him, and we'll never
be lost. Yes, once I was lost, but now
I'm found. I was lost, but he found me,
wandering far from my home, clothing, garments so filthy, yet he made
me his own. We once were lost, but Christ
found us. He found us. He said, I am not
sent but unto the lost sheep. He was sent for the lost sheep.
Isn't that good? Of the house of Israel. I'm so
glad. Because all we like sheep had gone astray. Is that what
the book says? We'd all turned everyone to our
own way. But Christ found us. He found us on purpose. You mentioned
Noah found grace. God's grace found him. And then
he found God's grace. Oh, isn't that wonderful? And
once we've been found by the shepherd of the sheep, we can
never again be lost. Never again. We just sang it.
Savior, like a shepherd, lead us. Keep us. And he does. And he will. What does it mean
that we shall never perish? It means that we shall never
die. Turn over to John chapter 11. I just mentioned Lazarus. We're
going to look at this. You remember what happened. Martha
came to the Lord. Lord, he whom thou lovest is
sick. My brother's sick, and the Lord
waited. He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew exactly
what he was doing, that he should make his glory known. But then
he came, and Lazarus was dead. He told her, Lazarus is dead.
And she was upset. She said, Lord, if you'd have
been here, if only you'd have been here, he wouldn't have died.
And what did he say? Look here in John 11, verse 23.
Jesus saith unto her, thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith
unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection
at the last day. Look at this. Jesus said unto
her, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in
me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Do you know anybody
that's been dead who's been given life? I'm talking spiritually,
because I believe I'm looking at a lot of people who were dead,
whom God has quickened and given life. Look at it again. Jesus said
unto her, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth
in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever
liveth and believeth in me shall never die. That's the truth of
the gospel. Christ is our life. We're dead,
and our life is hid with Christ in God. Our life is in Him. Whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die. I ask you the question he asked
Martha. Believest thou this? Believest thou this? And look
what she said. I love her answer. Yea, Lord, I believe that thou
art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. Christ We live for me to live
as Christ to die as gained if we're in Christ to be we must
drop this robe of flesh Yes before the believer to be absent from
this body is to be present with the Lord. Oh I love thinking
about that What does it mean that we shall never perish? Look
up at our text verse 28 He said, I give unto them 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, and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father's hand. We will never leave the hands
of our God. We will never leave his side.
We will never leave his presence. The fact that we will never perish
means that we shall never, never, be separated from God. You see,
that's what heaven is. It's being with God. It's beholding
Christ in His glory. Over in Romans chapter 8 it tells
us, it lists several things and it tells us that nothing Not
even death shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus. Again, death is the stepping
stone. We lose our sin, and we're right
there with him at his feet forever, singing his praise. We will spend
eternity with our Lord. And you know what? A lot of things
satisfy us in this life. But truly, we're not satisfied.
We're content. He tells us in all things be
content. But you know, we'll be satisfied when we awake in
his likeness. conformed to his image, seeing
him as he is. That's the believer's satisfaction. David just read this. Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Why? Because the Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want. Why shall we never perish? Because
the Lord, Jesus Christ, is our shepherd. There's our hope. Look
at verse 11 of our text. He said, I am the good shepherd.
What a statement. That's who our Lord is. He's
the good shepherd. Let me tell you a few things
about the good shepherd. The good shepherd provides for
his sheep. You think Christ, if an earthly
shepherd provides for and feeds his sheep, do you think Christ
is going to feed his sheep? He commanded, that's what his
preachers are to do, to feed his sheep, feed us with knowledge
and understanding of Christ, our shepherd. And the Lord provides
for his own. We just read it, I shall not
want. The Lord asked the disciples, lacked ye anything? He sent them
out with hardly nothing. And they said, no, Lord, we've
not lacked anything. Because as long as we have Christ, we
have everything. We're complete in him, totally,
fully complete. The good shepherd leads his sheep
beside the still waters. He makes us graciously. You know,
we think of make as a hard word. When it comes to the Lord making
us, it's such a good word. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. He comforts his sheep. Yea, though
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'll fear
no evil, for thou art with me. That's the only reason I'm comforted,
because thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort
me. All our comfort is in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no
comfort, there's no rest, there's no peace anywhere but in Him. The Good Shepherd protects His
sheep. He said, Thou preparest a table
before me in the presence of mine enemies. He said, no good
weapon, no weapon formed against thee shall prosper, none. If
God be for us, who can be against us? He sent his disciples out
and he told them, nothing shall by any means hurt you, nothing.
We're safe and secure in him. And most importantly, the good
shepherd loves, we're gonna say this, he loves his sheep. You
know, anytime we come into this place, we ought to think about,
and anytime we hear a message or definitely stand to preach,
we ought to be thinking about the love of God in Christ. The gospel is a loving message.
It's wonderful. Oh, it's so wonderful. It's so
loving. The shepherd has sheep whom he loves. And you know what? It's shameful for someone to
say or imply that God loves everybody. Because it's very obvious that
not everybody loves God. There's a lot of empty seats
here. But I believe I'm looking at people who love God. The shepherd
loves the sheep, and the sheep love the shepherd. We love him
because he first loved us. If God loves you, that love is
going to earn your love in return. It's not going to try to. It
will. It will. He that loveth not knoweth not
God. God is love. Look at verse 11 again. He said,
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his
life for the sheep. Turn over to John chapter 15. John 15 verse 13. Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. We just read that the good shepherd
giveth his life. That's everything he had. Giveth
his life for the sheep. No greater love than a man lay
down his life for his friends. Now I find this so comforting.
If we're his sheep, and I believe we are, we're also his friends. And we're going to see we're
much more than that, too. It just keeps getting better. The
good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. He laid down his
life for his friends. Look at John 10, verse 16. He
said, another sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also
I must bring. And they shall hear my voice,
and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Don't you love
that? One fold and one shepherd. He said therefore doth my father
love me Because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taken it from me. Oh,
no But I lay it down of myself That's love. He gave himself.
I'll have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again
This commandment have I received of my father? Jesus Christ the
lamb of God the lamb slain from the foundation of the world sacrificed
himself for purpose like you said he went to that cross wearing
that crown of thorns on purpose out of love to save his people
from their sins that's why that's why he did that that's why he
laid down his life to save his people he hath made him to be
sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him that's why look at verse 27 of 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.
Why shall we never perish? Because the Lord is our shepherd,
and because he gives unto us eternal life. I just said he
laid down his life. He gave his life for the sheep. And as a result of him doing
that, something wonderful happened. He saved all for whom he died.
Isn't that amazing? Now, this matter of eternal life,
he said, I give unto them eternal life. Not everybody knows this,
but eternal life is a gift. Scriptures are abundantly clear
on this matter. It's not something we can earn. It's not something
we can work for and then we'll get there. I've arrived. Oh no,
it's a gift. Turn over to Romans chapter six. Eternal life is the gift of God. Look at verse 23 of Romans 6.
It says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, the wages
of sin is death. We need to understand what that
says. You and I are nothing but sin. It's not simply what we
do. It's what we are. We're corrupt within and without.
It's all we are. We have a heart problem. Our
sin is what we are. It's all we are. And God says
that the wages, the punishment, the just recompense of sin is
death. Death. That means you and I deserve
to perish in our sins. The message is they shall never
perish. But the fact of the matter is, in and of ourselves, that's
exactly what we deserve is to perish. I need forgiveness. My sins are more than the hairs
on my head. I can't put a number to them. I need pardon. I need peace. Because God will
punish every single sin. Don't be mistaken. People think
you can outweigh the good with the bad. God doesn't. God says
there is no good. None good but God. Hebrews chapter 9 tells us that
without the shedding of blood, there's no remission. There's
no forgiveness of sin, no pardon, no peace. And it's not just any
bloodshed can put away sin. Sinful blood, sinful blood cannot
put away sin. It takes the holy blood of God.
That's why Christ came in the flesh. Holy blood of God that
put away sin. Let's read Romans 6.23 again.
It says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I'm going to
ask you a simple question. Are you interested in this gift?
Eternal life? The gift of God? Are you interested
in this gift? Eternal life is through Jesus
Christ, our Lord. Over in John 17, he said, There's
eternal life, and eternal life is in God's Son. Eternal life
is in Christ alone. In 1st John chapter 3, John tells
us, And ye know that he, the Lord Jesus, was manifested to
take away our sins. Now if he was manifested to take
away our sins, I think he took away our sins. Don't you? Psalm
103 verse 12 tells us, As far as the east is from the west,
so far hath he removed Our transgressions from us call his name Jesus.
He shall save his people from their sins Turn over to Hebrews
chapter 10. It's hard to preach without turning
this passage. This is just so glorious Hebrews chapter 10 Hebrews 10 verse 11 And every priest standeth daily,
ministering an offering, oftentimes the same sacrifices which can
never take away sins, but this man. But this man, after he'd
offered one sacrifice for sins forever, he sat down on the right
hand of God from henceforth, expecting till his enemies be
made his footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected forever
them that are sanctified. That right there is why we shall
never perish. It doesn't matter how many sacrifices
you stand and make to God, there's one sacrifice God will accept,
and that's the sacrifice of his son. We heard about the Passover
Christ. When he sees that blood covering you, he'll accept you. We have no acceptance apart from
Christ. None. He is our redemption. By one
offering, He perfected for ever them that are sanctified. He
obtained eternal redemption for us. He did it all. Jesus paid
it all. That's why I will never perish.
And one more reason. Turn back to our text, John 10. We shall never perish because
Christ our shepherd is God Almighty. I can't explain that, but look
at verse 28 again. He said, I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. That's comforting. My Father
which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able
to pluck them out of my Father's hand. What assurance. You know,
what is it? Is it an all-state that says
you're in good hands? Well, as far as our souls go,
if we're in not only Christ's hand, but the Father's hand,
I like to think of there being two hands, Christ's hand and
the Father's hand, and we're in both. Be enough to be in one,
wouldn't it? And we're in God's hands. We
are in good hands. We're in the best hands possible.
We're in the hands of God Almighty. We just read God is greater than
all. The scriptures say that Christ is the blessed and only
potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He alone is
God, our Savior, and we're in his hands. And we read twice,
no one's going to pluck us out of his hand. No, no one. It's
not possible. Nothing can separate us from
him. Now I'm going to show you one more thing here and then
we'll be done. In verse 30, the Lord said, I and my father are
one. I and my father are one. Now
turn over with me to John 17. I and my father are one. He is
one with God. You know, some religious people
accused him because they said, you make yourself equal with
God. You make yourself one with God. And they took up stones
to stone him. I find great comfort knowing
that he's one with God. But not only is he one with God,
look what I'm going to show you here in John 17. In verse nine,
he said, I pray for them. Aren't you glad? I pray not for
the world, but for them which thou hast given me for their
thine. He ever lives to make intercession for us. He pleads
our case. We have an advocate with the
Father. Jesus Christ the righteous, he prays for us. You know, I
rejoice to hear that one of you is praying for me, but I rejoice
far more to know that Christ prays for each one of his sheep.
He always has. Even when we put him to death,
he said, Father, forgive them. They know not what they do. Look down at verse 20. He said,
neither pray I for these alone. He said, Father, I've given them
thy word, and they've received your word. They believe you.
What did we just read in John chapter 10? He said, other sheep
I have which are not of this fold, them must I also bring. That's us. That's us. He said,
neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall
believe on me through their word, that they all may be one. Do you see that? I said Christ
is one with the Father. Now look at this, that they all
may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me. Is that not? astonishing that they may be
one in us oh that makes my heart rejoice and look at verse 22
he said and the glory which thou gavest me now look at this I
have given them what not only has he made us Bob told us this
morning he's made us kings and princes with God he's made us
one with God He has given us his glory. Oh, oh, that they
may be one, even as we are one. I in them and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that
thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. He has made us one with Him,
one with God, and given us His glory. Now lastly, look at verse
24. The Lord said, Father, I will. Now when He says, I will, you
can take that to the bank. Look at it. Father, I will, that
they also, whom Thou hast given Me, the sheep, be with Me where
I am. That's why I will never perish,
because he prays, Father, I will that all those whom thou hast
given me be with me where I am. Where's that gonna be? What are
we gonna be doing when we're with him? Look at the last part
of that verse. That they may behold my glory. Like Bob said again, casting
our crowns that he gives us, throwing them down at his feet,
because he's worthy of all glory. He said that they may behold
my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before
the foundation of the world. You know, that's what glory will
be. That's what heaven will be for all of his sheep. We're going
to behold him in his glory. We will gather round the throne,
singing that beautiful hymn, worthy is the lamb that was slain.
He's worthy. He alone is worthy. Is that not
comforting to you? Oh, it's so comforting to me.
I want to read that text one more time. 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. 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. Praise be to our great shepherd,
who will not let us perish. Amen.