Security for the Savior's Sheep

John 10:27-30

Heritage Baptist Church

After Alexander the Great died in 323 BC, his kingdom was divided into four parts.  One of those authorities was Syria, which took authority over Israel.

In around 200 BC, the Jewish people paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, and by and large were free to follow their own faith, maintain their own jobs, and engage in trade.

By 175 BC Antiochus IV Epiphanes ascended to the throne and things began to change quickly for the worse. Under Antiochus, who was the “Little horn” predicted by Daniel (Daniel 8:8,9), he made his special enemy the Jewish people.  (The apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees which I quote below tell the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy of what we can now call the Hanukkah story.  These apocryphal books are not inspired literature but they are good history.)

Under his reign Jews were gradually forced to violate the law of God.

Anyone found with the Word of God was put to death.  Any women who circumcised their child was put to death and the children were also killed.  The Temple in Jerusalem was looted, and Judaism was effectively outlawed. Antiochus offered pig flesh on the holy altar and burned the books of the law. 

According to Daniel 8:14, Antiochus’ notorious persecution endured for 2,300 days.  Antiochus worked along with unbelieving Jews who said, “We have not had any peace or joy in following in the ways of God.  Let us follow in the worldly, unbelieving ways of Antiochus.” 

Antiochus’ laws were spread throughout all Israel and the true worshipers fled into secret places.  Because of the pressure of persecution, many in Israel followed his reforms and caved in to his political power and persuasion.

In the midst of this, God raised up a courageous deliverer.  There were some who would not forsake God for popularity, ease, and convenience.  A man named Mattathias and then his son, Judas Maccabees stood for the truth of God.

Mattathias led a revolt against unbelievable odds.  When he fled into the hill country, many who had a zeal for God and His Word fled with them to assist him in standing for the truth of God’s Word.

Mattathias said at his death, “Be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers. Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms. Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, because they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished. My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor.”

Mattathias’ son, Judas became the new leader after Mattathias’ death and he began to win some great victories over Antiochus’ army even though he was greatly outnumbered.  Antiochus was angry and sent larger armies against Judas, the Hammerer, but it was all in vain.  For instance, Antiochus’ army of 65,000 went against Judas’ army of 10,000 and was defeated after this prayer by Judas:

“Blessed are you, O Savior of Israel, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and gave the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan son of Saul, and of the man who carried his armor. ³¹ Hem in this army by the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry. ³² Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction. ³³ Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns.”

A complete victory was eventually experienced.  Finally, on December 25, 165 B.C. the temple was rebuilt, reclaimed, and rededicated and sacrifices according to the Law of God were offered.  It was a time for dedication and re-dedication to God, and this is exactly what Hanukkah means.

“So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and joyfully offered burnt offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving offering. ⁵⁷ They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and fitted them with doors. ⁵⁸ There was very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the Gentiles was removed.”

According to the Talmud, oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. But there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight-day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle.

The story of Hanukkah is one of decisive victory, of preserving the truth, of worshiping the True God, in spite of great worldly pressure, or idolatry, and even at the risk of persecution and death.  The Devil constantly fights against God’s eternal plan and God’s redeemed people.  Antiochus sought to destroy the temple, the Word of God, the people of God.  He could not because the Jewish people are safe in God’s hand.

In spite of the worlds’ best efforts to doom God’s purposes, they could not.  The people of Israel are inscribed in the palms of God’s hand, and as long as there is a sun in the sky and a moon and stars shine in the sky, then there will not cease the nation of Israel from the earth (Jeremiah 31:35-37).

God’s people are safe in the hand of God.  That is why Jesus, during the “feast of dedication,” which is what we call Hanukkah, gave these great words which magnify God’s power to save and to keep (John 10:22-30).  These words tell us of the security of the Savior’s sheep even in tumultuous times.  This security is emphasized as we see two marks, two gifts, and two mighty hands.

1.    The Two Marks that evidence our security, v.27

Just as a shepherd will brand his sheep, so the Lord in love brands His.  We are marked by our Master.  One mark is on our ear, and the other is upon our foot.

A.  The Ear-Mark: “My sheep hear my voice…”

A true child of God hears the voice of the Lord Jesus, His commands, His counsel, and His compassion coming through His Word.  This is a present tense that emphasizes continuous hearing of Jesus’ voice. 

When Mattathias was confronted with compromise by Antiochus, he declared that he would not.  Mattathias answered Antiochus’ wickedness with courage and conviction. 

1 Maccabees 2:19; Though all the nations that are under the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments: ²⁰ Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. ²¹ God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances. ²² We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.

So it is with the true child of God.  They find such sweetness in the Word of God, that they must obey God rather than men.  There is truth in His Word they find God speaks to them like a friend through the very Word of God.

The Bible is a book that touches the heart, illumines the mind, and refreshes the spirit.

John 5:25; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life!  Do you hear that, dear sheep of the Great Shepherd?

John 5:28,29; Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; some to the resurrection of life, and others to the resurrection of damnation!

There are so many voices in our world, and many in our city, but do not let them drown out the voice of the Lord!  The LORD’S voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name!  (Micah 6:9) 

In an interesting article this week, it said “We’re obsessive watchers, listeners, and readers.”  And more than a third of our year, that is January – April and even into May, is taken up watching television, reading newspapers, surfing the Internet, listening to music.  And the time will be increasing as I-pods, blackberries, text messaging, instant messaging, emailing become more and more a part of our everyday lives.  The average American spends 1,555 hours or 65 days per year watching television! 

B.   The Foot-Mark: “And they follow me.”

Notice the foot mark: they follow me.  The present tense speaks of continuous action.  We are gently led, and not harshly driven.  We follow by faith, trusting in the goodness of our Shepherd.

We follow Him no matter our failures, our future, or what our friends say.  We follow Him because He knows us like a shepherd does his sheep.  He knows us by name.  He knows that we are his.  And He leads us into paths of righteousness and through the valley of the shadow of death!

One of the most fearful verses in all of Scripture is when Jesus tells those who prophesied, cast out demons, and did many wonderful works in His name, “I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

One of the greatest incentives to follow the Lord Jesus is to have the peace in our hearts that He does know us.  He knows YOU: your sicknesses, your thoughts, your temptations, your sins, your trials and your struggles.  And because you are His sheep, He has forgiven you and sometimes chastened you.  He will strengthen you and be with you, leading and directing, for He is your Shepherd!

2.    The Two Gifts that emphasize our security, v.28

A.  The Gift of Eternal life: “I give unto them eternal life”

This is the greatest of all gifts.  It also is present tense which speaks of us having eternal life NOW.  It was a wonderful gift for God to give the Temple back to Israel in the days of Judas Maccabees, but there is a greater gift still, eternal life!

Think of life with me for a moment, and the different levels of life.  One level cannot really comprehend the next level.  For example, plants and trees live, but can you say that that tree lives like an animal, a dog or a cat?  And animal life is real, but try to explain how to build a house or how to read or write to a dog or a cat and they will just give you a very loving, but dumb look!  And every man lives, the natural man wakes up and walks and talks, but if he does not have spiritual life, which is the divine life in us, then he does not understand that, just as a dog or cat cannot understand the natural life we have.  The gift of eternal life is us being made “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).  We are born of the Spirit, by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23).

This eternal life is a gift.  That means it is undeserved and unearned.  If we earned eternal life, it would be a wage.  If we could merit eternal life, it would be a reward.  Eternal life is not an award we win because we win a contest.  Eternal life is not a debt that God owes to us.

Romans 4:4,5; Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

B.   The Gift of Eternal security: “And they shall never perish”

Jesus’ true sheep will never perish!  What a gift!  Eternal life must be secure, or it is not eternal. 

Philippians 1:6; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

2 Timothy 1:12; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

1 Peter 1:5; Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Romans 11:29; the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Job 17:9; The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

Those who object to the teaching of eternal security often say, But, then a man can live as he wants and do what he likes!  Not if a person is truly the Lord’s.  That person who is a believer will know that his body is the very temple of God’s Spirit, and that we are no longer our own.  The Spirit dwells in us and teaches us that we have an anointing and a power when we are obedient to Him that we do not have when we are not obedient.  Obedience is the heart cry and desire of every born again child of God.  The Spirit in us is the HOLY Spirit, and that is what He leads us to become, which we would never become on our own.  God does not save us and then give us a spirit of “Now I can do my own thing.”  No!  God saves us and gives us a Spirit that tells us the flesh wars against the Spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and we cannot do the things that we would or merely want according to the natural man (Galatians 5:16,17).  The Holy Spirit purges the love of sin from our heart and gives us a love for righteousness. 

·   Can a Christian sin and if so, what happens?

Being a Christian does not mean that you will not be overtaken in a fault, or that you will not stumble through weakness or fall to a temptation.  A child of God can and often does fall into a sin.  But he hates himself for it, he grieves over it, and is not at peace with that sin.  Can a Christian sin and remain at peace and be happy?  No!  And if a person can or does, then he is not a Christian.

·      The doctrine of eternal security encourages greater love and dedication to God, not less!

The teaching of eternal security for a child of God does not make us free to sin, but gives us great peace and confidence in God and actually keeps us from sinning.  Does it do well for a child to know that he is unconditionally loved by his parents?  What if I came to your house and told your children, “Now, you better be good because if you are not, your parents will throw you into the street and not let you ever back into your house!  If you are bad, they will put you up for adoption!”  Why, when I left, you would be rightly angry with me!

Or, does it do well for a child to know who his parents are?  Or does it make the child more disobedient having the assurance that he is actually living with his parents?  This question hardly needs an answer.

God does not throw us into the street, either.  A child’s sense of security and unconditional love will encourage better behavior, not worse.  And so it is with this wonderful teaching of God keeping us saved.  Eternal security rightly understood will encourage greater godliness and holiness, not less.

3.    The Two Mighty Hands which assure our security, v.28b, 29

God's Hands are a place of Majesty and Power!  To say that God has hands is to say He can act with power.

In Isaiah 45:12 - His hands spread out the heavens.  In Exodus 7:5 - His hands shattered the enemy.

With that same power, God can meet our needs and take care of us, no matter what!  Fierce attacks are met with powerful hands.  Cunning and strong enemies are met with omnipotent promise!

They are distinct hands, for the Son is a distinct person from the Father, but they are one, one in purpose and one in plan and essence. 

They are sure hands, and in both cases, there are powerful forces arrayed against us and our God to pluck us from this sure security.  The word “pluck” is a very violent word.  The Greek word is “harpazo,” from which we get our word harpoon.  It means to seize by force or violence, to snatch away with great eagerness, or to claim one for oneself.  The Devil would like nothing more than to seize us and tear the Holy Spirit from us, but He cannot.  We are in the mighty hands of the Father and Son.

Some have said, nothing can pluck us from his hand, but we can jump out ourselves or slip out.  What happens if a believer sins?  Then God will convict them and they will return to Him. They will never perish still.

Jesus has paid the full amount of our debt, so my balance in heaven’s bank regarding my sin is always PAID IN FULL.  I stand REDEEMED, bought with the blood of Jesus.  I have no penalty to suffer, for Jesus suffered sufficiently for me and for all the sins of the world.  Grace says I am saved, but so does Justice, for Jesus died for my sins.

·      Romans 8:35-39 tell how nothing we are facing today, tomorrow, or what we faced yesterday can separate us from Christ. 

Our path is full of peril, and if the hand of Jesus and the hand of our Father were not protecting us, then we would not make it. 

It was the hand of God that delivered the Jews from the apostasy of Antiochus in the days of Judah Maccabees; and His same hand can deliver us and provide the oil of power for our lamps as well.

This is why we ought to dedicate our selves to Jesus:  Praise God today that as His sheep you can have the confidence of security for all eternity!