When God Says We Are Safe#1

Text: John 10:1-30

It is so good to be with you on this Lord's day morning at the West Side Church of Christ! God is so good and may the church of our Lord with one mouth sing the praises of Him who is the essence of Love!
This being our thanksgiving Sunday, how better could it be than to meet together and be reminded of all the reasons we have to be thankful for what God is doing for each of us every day of our lives.
One of the challenges of our lives is to be making sure that our premier focus in life is on the things that God is doing and not necessarily on the things we are not doing. For some reason or another, we can become trapped by solely concentrating on the effort of man and forget about the accomplishments of God and His Son Jesus Christ. Beginning this week and continuing for roughly the next 6, we are going to be looking at what I believe is the most important message that God has for His people in today's world!
This is the message of what does it mean to us when God says we are safe?

A lot of people don't know what it means to be safe. A lot of people can even belong to Jesus Christ, take their faith in His name and His work, receive him in baptism, live in the fellowship of the body and maybe have it in their heads that they are saved in a technical sense but not have the feeling of being safe! What does it mean, to not only be 'saved' in Jesus Christ but safe in Jesus? Is this a possibility for us today?

Back in 1992, the movie, Thunderheart, starring Val Kilmer came out based on actual events in the Dakota reservations from the early 1970's. Now in this movie, Kilmer plays an FBI agent named Ray Levoie who is 1/4 native American but very uncomfortable about this and really spiteful towards the natives. He is brought in to somehow appease the Natives who have defied the FBI. As the story goes, Kilmer begins to become more and more involved in a struggle with his identity. As he eventually sees the truth on the matter and falls more and more in love with who he is he becomes enamored with an older native who understands the struggle inside of him! The man then tells Kilmer, to simply go to the stronghold. Near the end of the movie, the crooked FBI is chasing Kilmer and a native policeman and he decides to follow the old man's advice to go to the strong hold. He doesn't know what is to happen there, but he was just told to go. To simply trust the old man's advice and go to the strong hold. When he gets there he is met by a large wall of rock and the FBI agent has him at gun point and it looks like its over for him. All of a sudden at the top of the rocks is hundreds of armed Natives guaranteeing Kilmer's safety.

When Jesus Christ was sent from heaven to come down and rescue doomed and fallen mankind, his message to the world was to come to the stronghold and find guaranteed safety.
Before we get to the lesson let's read a few passages:
Luke 18:9-14, Hebrews 7:22-27, John 10:7-10, 27-30

Now, in John 10, Jesus tells one of the most beautiful passages that many people who are struggling with a view of security need to comprehend. Now, to set up what he tells us in John 10, we have to look at what preceded this story. In John 9, Jesus met a blind man who everybody thought had done something terrible to be in this condition.
Somehow you can feel good if you can blame a condition that someone has that you don't have on his being 'less' of a good person. (vs.3) Jesus however clears up the notions and says this condition is actually going to be used for the glory of God and Jesus cures his blindness, why?
Because Jesus is the light of the world. (vs.5) With Jesus, one who is blind can see. So, this causes quite a stir and listen to the blind man's response to the controversy,
vs.25- One thing I know, I was blind but now I see. All I know is that I was completely blind when I was around everybody else. I could not find my way properly when I followed others, but when I met Jesus; I was blind, but blind no longer!
So, this brings an argument between Jesus and the Jewish leaders who don't like him.
This sets up the beautiful story of Jesus. Listen closely in that setting, what Jesus has to say to the self-righteous leaders of his day.
Jesus has one message in this story:
what is the only way to feel totally safe!
The only message that can bring peace to the masses is this:
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. Not only that but My Father who has brought them to me, is greater than all other forces in the world and no one can take them from His hand.
When we are told by the wiser One to go to the strong hold, we may not understand everything that is going to take place, it may even seem like we are facing a big wall that we can't get around and the enemy has got us in his sights, but all of a sudden from above, we recognize that in the strong hold, the hand of the Father, we are perfectly safe!

When we come to Jesus Christ, and accept his hand as our stronghold of life, he wants us to understand this principle:
nobody can take you away from me! Now, why do some not feel this safe even though they are in the arms of Jesus today?
Why is it that when some people think of judgment day, their thoughts are ones of uncertainty or fear?
The reason is seen in one four-letter word Jesus used in verse 27: I GIVE them eternal life!
Now, the only way we can go through this world where sin is all around us, evil hits us hard and questions always abound and feel confident about our future is knowing we have been given something that nobody, no force, no event in this present age can touch.
But, at the same time learning to trust a gift is hard for men to do.
Most of us would feel more comfortable if security in our salvation was something we could achieve! If there was some line we could cross, some exam we could pass, some work we could accomplish, some check list we could check off we would be able to sit back, relax and when people ask us if we are saved and safe, we would be able to pull out our certificate of completion and say for sure!

Listen, if salvation depends on the achievement of Drew, Drew runs into a problem:

All of a sudden Drew becomes very dishonest with himself!
Like the Pharisee of Luke 18, instead of leaning on the everlasting arms of love, I begin to look and see my successes and my lack of failures that I see in others.

All of a sudden Drew becomes very depressed about his prospects.
Like Adam and Eve who shortly after falling into sin, when I hear the footsteps of God walking into my garden, I become very afraid to meet Him. Why?
Because Drew soon understands that there is always something somewhere he didn't do or did do. Or, did he accomplish what he needed to accomplish in the way he had to accomplish and is he still accomplishing it?
We can never feel totally confident about our prospects with God if we have the mindset that not only is salvation partly God's work, but it also is our work!
Even though we would prefer to obtain salvation the old fashioned way:
by earning it. We soon find ourselves with the ongoing question:
have I earned it?

Why then, can we feel totally confident that we are safe in the arms of Jesus?
Well, there are basically four concerns people have about judgment:

I didn't do enough!
Now, if you ever have a problem finding out where you have failed have no fear for everybody's favourite brother Noddy Nuff comes around. You see, he's the guy who has been commissioned in life to make himself feel better by always reminding you that your service to God is not enough!
Now, this is one of the big problems with people and their thoughts on salvation. They can't feel good about the prospect of going to heaven because they are always of the mindset that they haven't done enough. Churches, preachers and teachers can be an awful help in promoting this fear. People think about whether or not their standing with God is safe and they can only think,
"I haven't done enough to please God."
After all didn't Peter say that in 1 Peter 4:17,18…?

I wasn't good enough!
Here comes another brother Remim Berwin who likes to come around and serve as our reminder of the things we have done that deserves God's punishment. Unfortunately many people are scared and hurting today because when they look over their lives all they can see are the times they messed up.

It's unsure because it's unknown!
Judgment is something we have never come across and so therefore we can't stand too confident because until we actually hear the words of welcome we stand unsure.

I wasn't converted enough!
How many people has the Devil got with this one?
There's even a song in the old hymnbooks, "Did you repent, fully repent…" How terrible a thought to be placing in someone's mind. Many people have wondered about judgment because they question whether or not their conversions were valid. Was my faith perfect when I confessed his name?
Did my repentance fully bear fruit in my life the day after I was baptized?
Was my heart perfectly in tune with what was happening at my baptism?
How do we answer these concerns?
Or, is judgment something that says:
we can only do our best and hope (wish) that it is enough?
I mean, does my going to heaven rely on dying at the right moment of my life so that it comes right after I've done something perfectly?
Here is the biggest clue:
The message of Jesus Christ and his search and rescue mission is called by its promoters "Gospel"!
The message of Jesus is not a scare message or is it called manipulating people to do what you want them to do. The message is simply called good news!
Now, if God sent us good news, do you believe that its fruit would be any of these concerns we've spoken about?
When Paul spoke about the heart of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4- his definition was not the gospel of Jesus Christ is that you have to do the best you can and maybe you will get in!
The gospel of Jesus Christ is this:
Christ Jesus paid it all!

How do we answer the concerns of sincere people?
How do we answer when someone replies well God is an angry God at the sins of man, and perhaps my sin is too great to be forgiven?

1 John 2:1,2- Listen, if any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One!
Listen, if Jesus' blood could cover the sins of the world, can it not cover mine!

Romans 8:34- nobody can accuse us anymore of our failures. Why?
Jesus Christ gives them no evidence to throw our way.

While there are some things we cannot know about judgment, Jesus has told us the main thing to know:
with me you are safe.

What about not being converted enough?
When a child is born into this world, there is a lot he/she doesn't know or can even do. Are they not still our children and will we still not do everything we can in our power to bring them safely home?
As children of God, our faith, our repentance, our understanding may never be perfect, but is not the hope of salvation based on His perfection and not ours?
Listen, the whole argument comes down to this:
Is our safety in Jesus tied more to man's obtainment or Christ's atonement?
This is what is so beautiful about our faith & baptisms into Jesus Christ:
we are simply saying, I no longer trust in myself, but trust that you have done enough, you are good enough, you know enough and you alone are perfect enough to make sure I can make it!

We can cheer up today:
none of us are as good as God wants us to be, but all of us who love Him will eventually be what He wants us to be.

One night I was restless and stayed up all night. I didn't know what was to happen but chills ran up and down my spine. Soon a voice came in my ear as quiet yet as thundering as can be.
"My child why are you so worried about the future you face?"
I asked the voice who was speaking and in the friendliest tone he simply replied "Your Shepherd. So tell me, why are you so worried about the future you face?"
"My Lord, I cried, I look at your life and stand amazed in your perfection. But Lord, I am afraid that I can never match up and I am afraid that I can never deserve to spend a lifetime with you."
The kind Shepherd replied "Oh my son, how long have I been trying to tell you that your focus is all wrong. You need not worry about matching my efforts, or deserving me, but simply follow my voice."
"But Master, that is the problem, I listen to your voice and follow your feet, but I am so weak and so human that I often have fallen off the path and often have had to turn my face for fear you would discover this."
The loving Shepherd continued, "Oh dear child, why will you refuse to understand? I already discovered this before you were even born. I know you are weak and I know you are human, and that is the reason I came. I want you to know that following my voice and walking in my footsteps is not so much that you walk it alone, but you have me to carry you in these times. Why are you still worried about your future?"
"Oh, good shepherd please do not be angry with me. Your offer of life sounds so good and I know that only you can save, but I just cannot know that glory is waiting for me, and so I still am a little concerned with where I am heading?"
Then the Shepherd stopped and spread open wide his arms and simply said "Please look at me. See my hands and see my feet. Look into my side and be reminded exactly what happened so long ago on the Old Rugged Cross. No longer doubt dear friend, but believe. Believe that what I have done for you is enough. Since you are one of mine, go to sleep each night, knowing that while you are imperfect, you are in love with the One who is perfect and He has promised you eternal life and nobody can take this away."

Next week we will begin to look at why the Good Shepherd makes us eternally safe but for now as you think about your future with God and you remember the day when you were baptized into Christ's death. Think about the promise of Jesus, I give them eternal life and no one can take them from my hand. That's good news and it's news that is too good to refuse.

Isaiah 26:3- "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You."

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