Wednesday April 9, 2014

Read John 10:22-30, Romans 8:38-39
The crowd gathered in the Temple of Yahweh knew Jesus. They had seen the miracles. They had heard His words and teaching of authority. They had watched his life of integrity. There was a question mark suspended over the crowd. Is he the Christ? Is he the long awaited Messiah? Is He the Son of God, the great Davidic King?

As they approached Him and asked Him if He were the Messiah, Jesus referred to the Old Testament image of God’s shepherd watching over and protecting His people. In the midst of this imagery Jesus made a startling claim. In verses 28-29 Jesus said, 

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can 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.”

Notice the absolutes with which Jesus speaks. NO ONE can snatch the sheep out of Jesus’ hand. They will NEVER perish. The Father is GREATER than all and NO ONE can snatch them out of His hand. The teaching is as clear and simple as it is powerful. If you are a sheep that follows Jesus then no one or no thing can remove your salvation. God is so great that no one can snatch you out of His hand.

If I could lose my salvation, or in the language of Jesus, be snatched out of His hand, then I am implicitly saying that God is not all powerful and that He is not greater than all. If I state this to be true then I state clearly and irrevocably that Jesus is a liar because He said the opposite to me. We both cannot be right when our two views contradict each other! Either Jesus is right or I am. If I claim to be right I call Jesus a liar. If Jesus is a liar then our salvation is shot to pieces and we are all hell bound!!!!

The Scriptural reality is that nothing or no one, not even I myself, can separate myself from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. The truth is that God is greater than all, even greater than me and nothing or no one can undo the salvation he has wrought for me in Christ Jesus. Even I can’t undo the salvation God has wrought for me at the cross of Calvary!

Walk Moment
We can spend all day, every day under God’s sovereign care and we can commune with Him every single moment of each day. Alternatively we can forget about Him and go our own way in our own strength. Which do you think is the better option??

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Do you believe you can lose your salvation? Why or why not?
2. A friend says to you in tears, “I have sinned again. God could never love me. I don’t think I can call myself Christian.” How do you respond?
3. Someone else says to you, ‘If you can’t lose your salvation then you can sin all you like and still get to heaven.’ How do you respond?

Prayer:
Having read today’s passages, jot down 2 points for each type of prayer.
Adoration:

Confess:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Pray that our cell groups would be growing and multiplying as they mature and deepen in the faith together. Pray that we’ll see more and more people in cell groups and that cells will be dividing and growing regularly.
• Pray that God would bless the ministry of Uni Impact in NZ. Pray that each campus would have adequate staff and volunteers and that more students would be reached with the gospel. Pray for many conversions through this ministry.