"L" Sermon: John 10:26

“L”

[John 10:26]

November 11, 2018, Second Reformed Church

            Every mere human is born with Original sin – that is, we are spiritually dead, inclined to sin, unable to do any spiritual good.  Therefore, the only way anyone can be made right with God – saved – is if God chooses to save him.  And God has – in His astounding love – chosen to save a people out of all of humanity throughout time and space.  God could have chosen to save everyone, but He was not obliged to, since the grace of God that is salvation is a gift.  Everyone deserves eternal punishment, but God chose to make some – in His astounding love – right with Him through Jesus.

            Today we consider the third doctrine affirmed at the Synod of Dort in 1619.  And we remember that the Canons of Dort are one of the three standards that we hold as accurate summaries of the Bible’s teaching.  This third doctrine is called, “Limited Atonement.”

            This is what R. C. Sproul says about this doctrine:

“This doctrine is chiefly concerned about the original purpose, plan, or design of God in sending Christ into the world to die on the cross. Was it the Father’s intent to send His Son to die on the cross to make salvation possible for everyone, but with the possibility that His death would be effective for no one? That is, did God simply send Christ to the cross to make salvation possible, or did God, from all eternity, have a plan of salvation by which, according to the riches of His grace and His eternal election, He designed the atonement to ensure the salvation of His people? Was the atonement limited in its original design?

            “I prefer not to use the term limited atonement because it is misleading. I rather speak of definite redemption or definite atonement, which communicates that God the Father designed the work of redemption specifically with a view to providing salvation for the elect, and that Christ died for His sheep and laid down His life for those the Father had given to Him”  (https://www.ligonier.org/blog/tulip-and-reformed-theology-limited-atonement/).

            The question before us is, did Jesus live and die for the sake of every single human being throughout time and space – making salvation possible for every single one, or, did Jesus live and die to secure the salvation of specific people – the elect of God?

            Well, we have verses like this – Peter writes, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:8-9, ESV).

            Peter is addressing the issue of scoffers who come in the last days and make fun of the fact that Jesus has not returned.  Peter tells his readers not to be upset, but to understand that God, in His great patience, is waiting for everyone to come to faith – for everyone to believe savingly in Jesus.  Peter says that God does not wish that “any” should perish, but that “all” should reach repentance.

            A quick read of this and we might be tempted to say, “Well, Jesus made salvation possible for everyone, but certain for no one, because God does not want any to perish, but all to reach repentance.”

            But we need to look at this more carefully and ask a question:  “not wishing that any [of whom?] should perish, but that all [of whom?] should reach repentance.”  Who do the “all” and “any” refer to?  Don’t just jump to the conclusion that it means “every single human being.”

            Hear the whole sentence again:  “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

            “Any” and “all” refer to “you.”

            “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any [of you] should perish, but that all [of you] should reach repentance.”

            So, the question now is, who is “you”?

            Peter opens his letter, “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:” (2 Peter 1:1, ESV).

            The “you” that Peter refers to in his letter is the elect – believers – “those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:”

            So, what is Peter saying in the third chapter in response to those who mock the fact that Jesus has not returned yet?

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward [the elect], not wishing that any [of the elect] should perish, but that all [of the elect] should reach repentance.”

Peter is telling his readers – and us – that Jesus is not slow in returning, but He is waiting until every last member of the elect – those that God chose to give the gift of salvation to out of all of humanity – He is waiting for every last one of them to be born and come to faith in Jesus.

Consider this – if I wrote a letter that read:

“Dear members of Second Reformed Church, I want to make sure that every one of you enjoys Christmas, so I am going to send each of you a check for $1,000.  I am not willing that any should not get it, but that all should enjoy the gift.”

Listen again to this example:

“Dear members of Second Reformed Church, I want to make sure that every one of you enjoys Christmas, so I am going to send each of you a check for $1,000.  I am not willing that any should not get it, but that all should enjoy the gift.”

When I write, ‘I am not willing that any should not get it, but that all should enjoy the gift” – in this sentence, whom does “any” and “all” refer to?

            “You.”  “I want to make sure that every one of you enjoys Christmas…”

            So, whom does “you” refer to?

“members of Second Reformed Church”

It does not refer to anyone who is not a member of Second Reformed Church.  It does not refer to anyone who is a member of another church.  It only refers to people who are members of Second Reformed Church.

And so, we understand this example to say:

“Dear members of Second Reformed Church, I want to make sure that every [member of Second Reformed Church] enjoys Christmas, so I am going to send each [member of Second Reformed Church] a check for $1,000.  I am not willing that any [member of Second Reformed Church] should not get it, but that all [members of Second Reformed Church] should enjoy the gift.”

Do you understand?

By the way, the Consistory said “no” to sending out the checks – so it’s not going to happen.

Now, having considered one of the major verses that objectors use against the idea that Jesus’ work in life and death is for a definite people – the elect – let us turn to the Scripture to see that Jesus’ work of salvation – His work of reconciliation – His work of atonement – is given to the people that God has unconditionally elected – chosen for His own reasons – out of the mass of humanity that are born dead in their sins and unable to respond to the Gospel.

When the angel comes to Joseph, he says, “She [Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21, ESV).

Whom will Jesus save?  “His people.”  Jesus came to save a specific people.  Jesus did not come to make salvation possible for everyone – remember – that wouldn’t work – everyone is born spiritually dead – and if we hand the cure for death to a dead person, what will he do?  Nothing!  He’s dead.  He can’t do anything.

What does Jesus say? (John 10:11–8, 22-30, ESV).

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Jesus says that He lays down His life for the sheep and the sheep that make up the flock are all those who “listen” to Him and believe the Gospel.  Jesus says He comes to make atonement – to reconcile to God – the elect – all those who will ever believe in Jesus.

Jesus continues:

“At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.’”

Unbelieving Jews come to Jesus and ask Him to tell them if He is the Savior – the Promised Messiah, and Jesus tells them that He has told them that He is the Messiah.  He has done works that prove He is the Messiah.  In fact, Jesus tells them, I am the same God as God the Father.

The problem, Jesus explains, is that He did not come for those who will never believe.  His sacrifice was not for those who will never believe. 

Jesus does not say, “you are not among my sheep, but you can be if you just believe.”  No, Jesus said, “you are not among my sheep.  Period.”

Jesus says, “I came for My sheep.  I lay down My life for My sheep.  My sheep follow Me.  I give My sheep eternal life.  My sheep will never perish.  No one can snatch My sheep out of My hands.”

Jesus’ work of salvation is specifically and definitely applied to and for His sheep – the elect.  Jesus work of salvation is the means by which those God unconditionally chose out of all of humanity are eternally saved – reconciled to God – atoned for – and we have eternal life and remain eternally in the hands of our strong Savior.

And here we see one of the benefits of understanding this doctrine:  we understand that our salvation is secure.  If God chose you to be His and Christ died to pay the debt for your sins and to make you righteous, you are now and forever saved and at peace with God.

Hear what Paul tells us about the Church – the elect of God:

            “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27, ESV).

            In the context of how husbands and wives ought to love each other, we learn that Christ loves the Church and gave Himself up for her – not for everyone and no one in particular – but for the Church – the elect of God.  And Jesus gave Himself for her so He would perfect her and present her to Himself at the end of the age.

            So that is good news for those of us who believe:  Jesus did not merely make salvation possible, and we stumbled onto the Gospel and believed – no, Jesus came to die and save and perfect a specific people for Himself throughout history.  Jesus came to save Carol.  Jesus came to save Sandra.  Jesus came to save Sabitree.

            Before the foundations of the earth, the Son of God knew He would come to die to save Carol and Sandra and Sabitree and each one that God the Father gave Him as His people – His sheep – the elect of God.  He came knowing you and loving you and living and dying for you   because you are His forever and ever – and you are with Him forever and ever.

            If you believe savingly in Jesus, He knew you before the Creation.  He loved you.  He received you as His own from His Father.  He purposed to specifically and eternally save you.  He chose to lay down His life for you specifically.

            Jesus knew me from before the Creation.  For some reason I do not know, God chose me to be one of His people and Jesus loved me and gave His life for me that I would be eternally His.  He truly came for me – great sinner that I am – and He is working in me to perfect me and glorify me on that final day when the Church is presented to Jesus as His Bride.

            Let us pray:

            Almighty God, when we think about all those who die not believing, we weep.  We do not rejoice to see the wicked die – and neither do You.  Help us to keep remembering that salvation is a gift.  We are born spiritually dead and You have given us a gift we don’t deserve in Jesus.  And the gift of salvation in Jesus was not left out for anyone who wanted it, but You specifically and lovingly gave it to me and to everyone who believes.  Lord, keep us amazed at Your love for us.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.