John Chapter 10:28-38

It's not that we loved God and so God finally responded to our love.

It's not like you know maybe you can remember in high school or college or whenever you work wanting to lose somebody and you saw them and gave them flowers and then chocolates and whatever else then finally they said okay I'll go out with you know it's not that kind of thing with God is matter fact it is that kind of thing was God. He was 17 flowers saying come let us reason together though your sins are like scarlet, the widest welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina you ever wonder why did Jesus leave heaven and become a man and also why does the Lord keep us in the palm of his hand. Today is Pastor David McGee continue teaching in John chapter 10 answer these questions and more. Now here's David McGee with part one of his teaching, the son of God, let's turn our Bibles to John chapter 10 we are continuing on with our verse by verse teaching in the book of John were going to pick it up in verse 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. What a glorious verse.

Notice the word give give them eternal life, that means it means eternal life is a gift, so something you are. It's not a reward for good behavior.

What would you feel like if you give somebody a gift at Christmas in the open. That is why it's really nice. It's really awesome young and they pulled out their checkbook and said how much do you I would be a little bit weird when it and yet you understand some of us treat salvation like that.

It's a gift from God.

Now granted it's a gift that we are indebted for. We should be appreciative of. Remember because it's a gift. So many people in so many places and so many churches get so confused about this one central issue that salvation is a gift from God were told that Ephesians 289 it says, for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast. What a perfect plan seeking God's wisdom he set up the plan where we would be saved by our faith by our belief in Jesus Christ, not by our works. You gotta love the beauty of the system and this tells us one of the reasons he did it, lest anyone should boast.

Or so nobody can brag about it. Diagnosis see we could earn salvation, then you know what we would do is is, then we would begin to make phone calls and possibly hang out at the front of the church on Sunday morning and as people come in. We gotta be standing over there today. How are you yeah I got my idea of yours. Oh, oh yeah, you don't really look safe.

You don't really look like you've gotten their season will begin the brag and be arrogant and be prideful about a mineral me and see we tend to do that anyway. Even though this is not of works.

Verse 29. My father who was given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand I look at this this is awesome. He says something very similar twice.

Verse 28. He says neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. The hand of Jesus. Verse 29 says my father which is given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand.

Verse 30 I and my father are one. What an awesome thing to know that were in the hands of the Lord. If you're a believer. If you've asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins. You're right there in his hand. What better place to be not know that we we get into this thing and we talk about eternal security and and and and be honest I think a lot of times we would take a lot of time and and we waste a lot of breath and a lot of energy talking about the minutia of eternal security. And when we talk about those things it usually revolves around somebody that is not walking with the Lord will let me ask you something.

If somebody is not walking with the Lord.

Should they really feel secure in their relationship with the Lord. I wonder I wonder I know at times I wandered away from the Lord and in I wasn't secure in my relationship with the Lord one because it was kind of a warning device to be honest, it was a warning device of the Holy Spirit going you need to get right. You need to come back to the Lord. So whether you divide the line of going well. You cross the line and and and you know what be allowed in the heaven or or your own look the side of going where you'd make it in but just barely. You'd make it in like smell like smoke with dashes on your tennis shoes or something you but the fact is, believers.

I believe the word of God teaches right here. Believers are eternally secure in the hand of the Lord now again if you're here and you're wandering in and you've drifted away. You probably lactic security. You probably lactic that feeling of knowing that you're right in the hands of the Lord. That's why it's important to repent and come back to the why does the Lord keep us in the palm of his hand is not because were good people. It's not because God looked down from heaven thought oil you know what, there's a spark of innate human goodness and that when I believe I'll save that one know know many of you have a testimony soar like mine in the sense that God God looked out the hand that 1 Is Way out there left field man that point he got saved. Boy, people would know that was a God thing.

They would know that was a God thing in the palm of his hand because he loves us he loves us that much. You know what I know, that's a simple truth but I think we get away from that so quickly we forget that so quickly if we would member that I mean really, remember that my heart and in our head. I don't think we ever have a bad day. The rest of our lives. See, we can remind each other that all how you doing all horrible, remember God loves you and you're in the palm of his. We forget God loves us a first life lesson loves you.

Not because you're deserving of his love, but because that's what he does. That's his nature. That's his character and he's willing to throw out the red carpet and dropped us as we believe in. That's an amazing thing to me and remember it is not that we loved God and so God finally responded to our love. It's not like you know maybe you can remember in high school or college or whenever you work you know you will wanting to to woo somebody and you saw them and you gave them flowers and then chocolates and whatever else then finally they said okay I'll go out with you know it's not that kind of thing with God. As a matter fact it is that kind of thing was God. He was once in the flowers and chocolate scene come let us reason together though your sins are like scarlet be white as snow. God loves us. First John 419 says we love him because he first loved us. We love him because he first loved us. See, God loves you and not discount. I love you like you know love and somebody from afar.

The Lord knows us sees us all the time.

He loves us beyond what we can comprehend.

He gives us things. Blessings we've not earned grace and mercy. He lavishes these things upon us that verse Ephesians 289 it be a good first couple verses free to memorize, but just for by grace you have been saved through faith that not of yourselves as a gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast. It goes on the first hit. I love verse 10 for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them you an awesome thing about this verse, the Greek word for workmanship is poor IMA. The Greek word for workmanship is poor IMA to in that versus is for we are his Helena, do you know what word we get from that word Greek word appointment. We get our word poem for you are his pole. You may have been called a lot of things today or this week or this year.

Chances are, nobody has called you there: that's what God calls you. You are his pole your your daddies pole. What an awesome thing.

The God that makes that has made the universe formed the universe loves you intimately and knows you and he's not going to forget you. He's set you apart to be forgiven of your sins.

Isaiah 49 verse 15 says can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son of her womb. Surely, they may forget, yet I will not forget. See Ivan scrapped you on the palms of my hand. Your walls are continually before me in what I like about this verse is, it doesn't say that I've written your name even on my hand. This is often engraved you your likeness. Your picture's again maybe think back to high school, college or junior high whatever when you reach really like somebody and you wrote their name on your hander or whatever God took it one step further and engraved you on his hand thinking about you. Even now, watching you get ready to come here this morning, I asked my son that's that's my daughter. There'd been coming to worship me and learn about more about me from the word. Perhaps you don't knowing owe the Lord God excited about you coming this morning.

If you don't know because he thought all this is awesome.

I'm going to let them know one more time how much I love him and that I want to do it document I want to forgive him know. Here they come in. This is great. So much so, that were told that when somebody comes to the Lord, the Angels and the heaven rejoice.

So God's excited to don't think of your sit here is an unbeliever.

Not sure of your eternal destiny. Not sure if you've been born-again Christians don't think well, God's not happy about me being here all your so wrong. God is tickled if I may use that God is tickled about you being here this morning in the Lord's will walk with us he's walking to have a relationship with us so much that he's able to eat you will orchestrate your entire life so you get to the place where you will respond to this proposal.

Maybe this morning. Come walk with me walk with me, whispering in your ear over and over. I love you want to fellowship with you as a backslidden Christian. The Lord's order whispered through a believer in my ear that he missed and that was the end of my wandering to realize that God Creator God.

It missed me to Jesus wants to say and because I know this is kind of Christianity 101 but it's so important we drift from it so fast.

Jesus is wont to say at the end of this life. After all, you go through and all the things that you do good and all the things that you do wrong at the end of this life as you approach the throne room.

Jesus was to say you know what father and this one may have messed up some but he's with me. This was with me to put this row of righteousness on her own.

Her what an awesome thing you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for them.

You need someone to present God's word to them every day were present in God's virtual here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee.

We can pray for them as well. Just by simply going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love that needs know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring your love ones to Jesus. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown about wanting a minute. Pray for some our listeners in these cities and why he had a lanai city Lee, who and also Ammon assets and Boise in burly Idaho God, we thank you that we get the pray for these listeners today we pray that they will be encouraged and remember how much you love them, Lord of some of them are sick.

We pray that you please heal them from the top of their head to the bottom of their toes. Lord, we pray that you would equip them and empower them to share their testimony of your goodness to other people. In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse in the book of Proverbs says come here and listen to me. I'll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise.

I called you so often, but you didn't, I reached out to you but you paid no attention. Hope that's not what happens at the end of your life. I hope that's not what you hear but you hear well done good and faithful servant. It is important to listen to the voice of Lord even this morning. The Lord is reminding each and every person how much he cares for you and how he longs to be in a relationship with you and you know it's weird some of us are having a hard time hearing this right now there's people in here that are getting really uncomfortable because I keep talk about how God loves some the keep on saying because you need to realize God loves you he loves you and it's not a love like well you know you did. You don't do something rider you know you don't look rider you don't act right or whatever and equips love and you. It's not that kind of thing it off. Romans chapter 8 awesome two versus Romans chapter 8 verse 38, 39 save for I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come.

Your height, depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, what awesome two versus them understand or not safe necessarily in our actions were safe in his love and his care and his love and his care diversity in 30 he says I and my father are one know this is a reference back to the Shema, will we call it the Shabazz Deuteronomy 64 and chapter 6 verse 45 from the Hebrew word, the first Hebrew word is Shema Shema Israel. Israel, not Yahweh Elohim guys a HUD meeting in the Lord our God is one God, now and if you remember there's another clue about the Trinity way back in book of Genesis.

When God said, let us make let us plural make man in our image, an interesting and it ceases. I and my father are one. So he's claiming deity, so less see what their reaction is verse 31 then the Jews took up stones again. The study sucks. So there they are letting us know that Jesus said something really important concert picking up rocks again and keep in mind these are little bitty rocks.

These are like big rocks.

Okay verse 31, 32 Jesus answered them in many good works I've shown you for my father, for which of those works do you stone me. The Jews answered and sent for good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy because you being a man make yourself God while the Jewish people here in this chapter, the Jewish leadership.

They understood something that some people today miss they understood something that Dan Brown, the author of the da Vinci code is obviously unaware of and that's that Jesus did claim to be God in the Bible. He claimed to be God that what you do, that is between you and the Lord, but understand that is part of his claim, you can't say what he never claimed to be God will yes he did.

He just did it in this verse right here and in many other verses. So what you do with that. You know what's interesting is the accusations that they made of him here there saying that Jesus who was a man made himself out to be God, but interesting reason is interesting is is backwards is backwards. Jesus was and is God who made himself to be a man so they could walk this earth and lay down his life for us it's a Hebrew Scripture concept is called the Goel is the Hebrew word kinsman redeemer and some of the laws of the kinsman redeemer include that you have to be a relative of the one you want to redeem so Jesus became a man, and walked among us, not half man half God effort.

People say that no 100% God 100% man wanted to do that he did that Jesus became a man, so we could become children of God. Jesus became a man, so we could become children of God. Jesus did that so that we could do something that we can scarcely comprehend that we as sinful men and women can stand righteous before a holy God. Something that we had dared not dream outside of that is been said Jesus paid a debt he did not know because we owed a debt that we could not pay. That's why I did it.

Verse 34 Jesus answered them and said, is it not written in your loss that you are God's. If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came in the Scripture cannot be broken. Do you say of him whom the Lord sanctified and sent into the world you're blaspheming because I said I am the son of God. Now look back at verse 35 Jesus says something very interesting here, he says, to whom the word of God came. What was he referring back to he was referring back to the Hebrew Scriptures and what was economy he was calling the word of God.

It's important to understand that Jesus validates and verifies the Bible is the word of God and the word of God validates and verifies Jesus as the son of God, so you cannot say will I believe the Bible, but I don't believe that Jesus was the son of God, you can't say that and neither can you say wobbly. Jesus is a son of God, but I'm really not sure about the Bible. Jesus called it the word of God. If you believe Jesus you believe the Bible. If you believe the Bible you believe Jesus is not a cosmic salad bar where you can pick and choose well and Lieut. Lou this Natalie. Little of that truth. But the rest of you can't do that can't do that you shouldn't do that now. The word here in in the Hebrew Scriptures is Elohim of some of us know that as one of the names of God and neighbor Scripture. But it's also the Hebrew word for for a judge or an official in this case that's that's sort of what Jesus is alluding to in Exodus chapter 22 verse eight it says if the thief is not found in the master of the house shall be brought to the judges that were judges there is Elohim to see whether he has put his hand into his neighbor's goods. For any kind of trespass with her concerns an ox, donkey, sheep or clothing or any kind of lost thing which another claims to be his calls in both party shall come before the judges and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor. Again, judges, judges, those three judges and there is the Hebrew word Elohim. Okay, so in the Hebrew Scriptures. They are called gods and notice it's a little G and then and then in Psalm 82 though Elohim is used in an annexes and then they the judges they will die like men so obviously it's not a term distinctly of deity and what Jesus is saying is that you know what if they call judges, Elohim, how can it be blasphemy to call me God when I'm doing these things when I'm doing the works of the father is something they were missing else interesting to look at the names of God. And what's really interesting is to see all the names that are used for God in the Hebrew Scriptures and similar titles that are used for Jesus in the New Testament.

There's a whole lot of listed just a few right here Yahweh.

I am we have the IM statements God Alpha and Omega, Lord, Savior King judge light rock redeemer, our righteousness, Shepherd creator, giver of life forgiven of sin, our healer, omnipresent and omniscient, omnipotent, preexistent and eternal. That's just a few of the names that Jesus is given in the New Testament to correspond to the names God the father is given in the Hebrew Scriptures, God, Jesus Christ is God. There's no doubt about it there's no doubt that that is what this book teaches in verse 36 is do you say of him in the father, sanctified and sent into the world you're blaspheming because of said I am the son of God. Verse 30 services.

If I do not do the works of my father do not believe me but if I do do you do not believe me, believe the works that you may know and believe that the father is in me and I in him, think about this Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life and he brought somebody back from the dead. He said I am the light of the world and he healed somebody that have been born blind. These are all things that are believable.

Jesus said I am dying for your sins that will be resurrected again and anyway he was raised from the dead three days later, an amazing thing friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry.

Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out also.

Thank you so much for DA before we go.

What are some ways that we bless our listeners days you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and the thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee.

Thanks again for listening and join us next time.

As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God