I'm reading from the Gospel of
John chapter 10 this morning. John chapter 10. And I want to
read verse 19. John 10 verse 19 reads this way. There was a division, therefore,
again among the Jews for these sayings." A division. There was a division among the
Jews, or those that professed to be God's people. A division
over what Christ said, over these sayings, over the Word of God,
the Word of the Son of God. There was a division, it says,
again among them. for these saints. Again, it happened
everywhere the Lord went. Every time He spoke, there was
a division. John chapter 7, I read verse
43, which says, so there was a division among the people because
of Him. John chapter 9, verse 16 reads,
there was a division among them. After the Lord spoke, it says
there was a division over His sayings, over His word. And there in John 9, it says,
because of Him, over Him, who He is. And there is still a great
division today. Now, obviously, there is a division
between those who profess to believe God and the world out
there who makes no profession of believing God. There is obviously
a division between those who call themselves believers or
Christians and the world. But the division which is spoken
of here, it says, was among the Jews, or those who professed
to be God's people. A division among professing believers
over these sayings, over Him, over who Christ really is. And there is a division today. It hasn't changed. There always
has been and always will be. Now, listen to me. These divisions,
this division, was no mere petty differences of opinion over non-essential
doctrine or subjects, but it was the difference between sheep
and goats. Yes, it was the difference between
those who truly know Christ and believe Him and those who do
not, over the saved and unsaved, sheep and goats. Now, what a
person believes about God, about Christ, about God's Word, reveals
whether they are a true child of God or not. You see, people
are divided into two classes in the Scriptures. There is no
middle ground. There is no middle of the road,
no straddling the fence. If you want to turn to Luke chapter
12, I'll show you that. There's no middle ground here. You cannot be undecided. There
cannot be indifference here. One is either a believer or an
unbeliever, a sheep or a goat, saved or unsaved. One is either
a worshiper of God or a worshiper of man, self. One is either a
true child of God or a child of the devil. All are not the
children of God. Christ plainly, plainly said
that in John chapter 8. Well, in Luke chapter 12, these
are verses which are seldom seen or read. I don't recall hearing
a preacher ever quote these verses. Luke chapter 12. The Lord Jesus
Christ Himself says in verse 49, I am come to send fire on
the earth. That's the Lord Jesus Christ
talking. I am come to send fire on the
earth. Verse 51. Listen as Jesus Christ
speaks in Luke 12 verse 51. He says, Suppose ye that I am
come to give peace on earth, This is very relevant right now,
isn't it? All anyone can talk about is
peace on earth. Christ said, suppose ye that
I am come to give peace on earth, I tell you, nay, but rather division. Division. Not peace and unity. Division. Oh, peace for his people. unity among his people. But there
is, there was, and there is a division because of these sayings. Now,
who makes the division? God the Father makes the division. He makes a difference between
his people, and as it said in the book of Numbers, I believe
it is, God made a difference. No, Exodus, where God said he
made a difference between his people in the Egyptian. Who makes
the difference? Jesus Christ does. He separates
sheep from the goat. Who makes the difference? The
Holy Spirit is one who sanctifies, which means to separate, sanctify,
set apart. What is it that caused this division? What is the source of this division?
What was it back then and what is it now? Well, it is God's
Word. It says, I read again, there
was a division. John 10, 19, there was a division
therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. God's word, what God says about
himself, what God says about man, what Jesus Christ says about
himself and his work, about his people. John 10, the Lord spoke
very, very plainly. Look at verse 24 through 26. 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 believed 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. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Ye believe
not, Christ said, because ye are not my sheep. He didn't say you're not my sheep
because you believe not. He said, you believe not because
you are not my sheep. What makes a person believe?
God made them sheep. Believing doesn't make them sheep.
Being sheep makes them believe. Did you hear that? Well, it could
be plainer. You believe not because you are
not my sheep. Very plain. What God's Word says
is very plain. about who he is, what man is,
what salvation is. Very plain. In Proverbs 8, the
Lord himself said, All my words are plain to him that understandeth. They are right. All the words
of my mouth are plain to him that understandeth. If you understand,
they are very plain, and only God can give the understanding. Christ said very plainly, you
believe not because you are not my sheep. He said, as I sit unto
you, my sheep hear my voice, my word, the word of God. They
hear it. They believe it. God's true people
believe. They receive and they follow. They follow what God says, not
what man says or thinks. This is what separates sheep
from goats. Faith. Belief. Some believe. Some don't. You want to turn
back to John chapter 6 with me? I'll show you that. John chapter
6. Our Lord is speaking again. And
He says in John chapter 6, it is the Spirit, verse 63, it is
the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh, profiteth nothing. Oh my, how we need to hear this
today. How all this The show of religion
needs to hear this today. It is the spirit that quickeneth,
that maketh alive. It is the flesh prophet of nothing.
God does not worship with men's hands. He does not worship with
the flesh. All this show of flesh, the spirit that quickeneth. Down
in verse 65, the Lord goes on to say, Therefore I said unto you, No
man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my
Father. No man can come unto me, Christ
said, except it were given unto him of my Father." And he went
on to say that from that time, many of his disciples went back
and walked no more with him. In other words, they didn't like
what he said. What do you mean no man can come
except the Father? which hath sent you draw us."
What do you mean, no man can come except it be given unto
him? What do you mean by that? We've
come to you of our own free will. We don't like that. They left.
Well, it's obvious it wasn't given to them, was it? They had
come, but only in body. They didn't believe Him. They
rejected what He said. There was a division because
of what He said. They were divided. And they didn't
like it. They are divided between God's
glory and their own will and works and decision. And they
chose their decision. They rejected Christ's sovereignty.
Well, Christ said in verse 67, to his twelve, Will you also
go away? Peter answered, Lord, to whom
shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ,
the Son of the living God. Listen to what Christ answers.
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one
of you is a devil?" He chose Judas to be his very betrayer. Do you believe that? Have not
I chosen you? Who believes? All whom Christ
gives faith to believe. Who are His people? All whom
God chooses to be His people. Now, the truth is what separates.
The truth is what divides. There is a division, it says,
because of these sayings. The truth is what separates and
divides, the truth of who God is. The Scripture says, listen
to what the Scriptures say, the Scriptures say, God will work
and who shall let it? But man says, well, you must
let go and let God. Well, the scriptures say, no
man can come unto Christ except the Father which sent him draw
them, except it were given to them by the Father. No man can. Man, says Jesus, can't save you
unless you let him. Well, the scripture says, Jesus
Christ the Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep. There in John 10, he said, I
lay down my life for the sheep. He said in John 10, I give unto
them eternal life. Verse 28, I give unto them eternal
life and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them
out of my hand. But man says, but goats say,
Christ died for all people, made salvation possible, now it's
up to you. It's a great division, isn't
it? Surely you can recognize there's a big division between
these sayings. Well, the Scriptures say, The
Spirit bloweth where it listeth, and thou cannot tell the sound
thereof. Even so, everyone that is born
of God, born of the Spirit, the Spirit bloweth where it listeth,
the Scriptures say. But now I hear these fellows
say, Come tonight to our service at seven o'clock, the Holy Spirit
will anoint you. We know he's going to be here.
Well, Scripture says, it's not of him that willeth, not of the
will of the flesh or the will of man. Scripture says, it's
God that worketh in us to will. All that I hear preachers say,
men have free will. My, my. Well, there's a division
because of these sayings, because of the truth of what God says. Not what man thinks he says,
but what he says. The truth of who God is. There's a division right now
amongst all who hear this. Yes, there is. Sheep bow, believe,
receive, rejoice. Goats say, but, but, but, but,
but. That's what goats like to do,
but. What's the truth? Let me give you something which
you can rightly divide all doctrine, rightly discern all issues. Who
gets the glory? God or man? Between two doctrines,
what gives God all the glory, not just most of it, but all
the glory, because Scripture says he won't share his glory.
Who has the will? Who has the power? Who does the
choosing? Who does the saving? Who gets
the glory? That will tell you what the truth
is. There is a division among them because of these sayings. Until next Sunday. Amen.