Sunday Service For Mar 7, 2021

The transcript of the service is below

John 10:22-30

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter,²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.²⁴ The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.²⁷ My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.³⁰ I and the Father are One.”

Revelation 2:7 “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

John 10:22-30 LISTEN TO JESUS’ VOICE AND FOLLOW
Springford Baptist Church: March 7, 2021.

In just a month’s time, we will celebrate again the miracle of Easter. As we anticipate the hope of the powerful message of Easter, over these next weeks, we will be travelling with Jesus, God’s Son, as He moves steadily toward the cross. In keeping with our theme of listening for what God wants to say to us, we will be listening for what Jesus has to say to us on His way to the cross.

This is a gift of time given to us to still our hearts and minds so that we can be reminded of who Jesus is for us and how He calls us to follow Him.

When we hear the compelling voice of Jesus telling us how much He loves us and demonstrating His intense love for us in His willingness to go to the cross, we must do more than listen. We are called to decide. Will we follow Him or not?

In today’s Scripture Jesus is in the temple courts at the time of the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah-the Festival of Lights). We are told that the Jews gather around Jesus with a pressing question, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” (vs. 24)

It seems that they want to know, but Jesus’ response reveals that they have been given opportunity to know and have not believed.

Jesus says, ““I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify about me,but you do not believe because you are not My sheep. (vss. 25,26)

Unwillingness to accept reality can happen with any of us. Sometimes the truth is staring us right in the face and we do not accept it.

Sometimes we can think that we are listening and yet we are not really willing to hear from Jesus.

What prevented them from hearing the voice of Jesus and what prevents us from hearing the voice of Jesus?

I want to share a personal experience here. If we are looking for a particular answer and it does not come in the way we expected or hoped, where do we find God in that? I have been praying for some time for God to answer a prayer that God has not answered as I would have hoped. Recently, I have become quite frustrated over it. I have told God that if I did not believe He could do something to answer this prayer it would be different, but I do believe He has the power and ability, yet I have still not seen the answer for which I have prayed.

I know that this has happened for others. You have prayed and the outcome has not been what you were seeking.

There might then be an inclination to give up on God and to conclude that we cannot trust Him, but as I have been listening for Jesus, I have actually come to a very different conclusion.

I have sensed God saying to me, “Are you willing to consider that I have something else in mind”?
In one of my intense times of pouring out my heart to God, I was reminded of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the cross when He was asking that if it was possible for God to “remove this cup from Me.” Still Jesus maintains, “Yet, not My will but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

If you or I insist on the answer we want, we are not listening for Jesus.

Just this week I have received a beautiful consolation from God in these simple words, “I KNOW AND I CARE.”
Through this promise from God, I have been reminded to keep looking for evidence of where God is in every detail of life. And when He is not answering as I long for, God certainly does know and God does care.

I am thankful that I have been able to hear Jesus’ voice in the midst of this.

Jesus maintains, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me.” (vs. 28)

As we follow Jesus in His journey to the cross, we too might protest that there must be some other way, but then we would be resisting God’s plan to bring us eternal life.

Jesus explains that for those who are His sheep and choose to follow Him no matter what, “I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.” (vs.28)

There are always dangers threatening sheep and they need a good shepherd to protect them.

Jesus is for us the Good Shepherd. We, His sheep, need to be protected from the dangers that swirl around us when we refuse to listen to Jesus and the way that He is guiding us to go. We need God to guard our faith in Jesus when we try to insist on our way instead of His way.

Here we have a picture of the Shepherd guarding the sheep and no one can snatch us away from the loving hands of Jesus our Shepherd.

Jesus further backs up our safety when we choose to follow Him by saying, My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.I and the Father are One.” (vss. 29,30)

Jesus is again giving answer to the demand, “If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” (vs. 24b)

Jesus has told them plainly and clearly indicated that He and God the Father are one. He is the Messiah, the Promised One and He has come to save and to care for His sheep who will listen to His voice and follow Him.

The verses that follow our Scripture reading for today, indicate that those who had asked the question are prepared to stone Jesus because He has claimed to be God. (vss. 31-33)

When He does tell the truth, they reject the truth of who Jesus is and they reject Jesus.

What about us? As we encounter here and in our every day lives the truth of who Jesus is, will we listen to His voice and follow Him?

When we come together today to Communion and recall the sacrifice that Jesus God’s Son made when he went to the cross for us, will we reaffirm our commitment to follow Him?