WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:06.879 If you have your Bibles with you and I hope you do, open with me to the book of Philippians, chapter 1. 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:10.800 Philippians chapter 1, and drop an anchor. 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:12.800 That's a great Navy term. 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:15.199 Drop an anchor at verse 6. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:30.000 The late theologian and pastor James Montgomery Boyce called this verse 6 one of the three greatest verses in the Bible that teaches about the perseverance of the saints. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:36.880 The doctrine that no one whom God has brought to salvation will ever be lost. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:41.200 What God began, he will truly finish. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:01:03.600 Anticipation of our celebration this morning of corporate communion, I want to unpack this verse, this powerful verse of Scripture, and to remind ourselves of the fact that God is completely sovereign over every aspect of our salvation, sanctification, and eventual glorification. 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:15.599 That we should be encouraged to know that God is the sole, benevolent, powerful, reliable author, sustainer, and completer of our faith. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:19.439 What God starts, he will indeed finish. 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:32.480 If you and I truly belong to Him by faith alone, apart from works, then we cannot and will never ever lose our salvation. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:36.719 That ought to be a comforting thought in our minds today. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:46.159 Little more than 15 years ago, I personally began a painful three-year period of my life where I was in medical jeopardy. 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:54.959 Involved a number of hospital stays, many medical procedures, and interaction with some of the best medical experts in the region. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:02:06.560 All of that culminated in a very high risk, a very long eight-hour surgery that would eventually replace one of my major organs in my body. 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:17.759 I can still remember being on that table, being wheeled into the operating room, and as I got in there, my surgeon came and stood over me right before they put me under. 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:25.360 He said, I want you to be completely confident in my ability and my capability to make this a successful surgery. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:33.199 He said, My face will be the last one you see before you go under, and it'll be the first one you see when you awake. 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:41.439 He said, I want you to know that what I start, I will finish no matter how difficult this surgery will be. 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:49.919 You know what, as a patient going into a very difficult surgery, I cannot think of greater words to have for my surgeon. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:03:02.479 But in a much greater sense in life, can you imagine the fact that the great physician is the one that oversees all of our life and our salvation? 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:07.360 He is more capable, more committed to carry this through. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:19.039 The fact that he began a good work in us that he will see it to completion, no matter how difficult we make it for him, in the carnality and the sinfulness of our life. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:21.680 He will see it through. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:31.599 That is why the Apostle Paul here in Philippians chapter 1 claimed so boldly this verse in verse 6 of Philippians chapter 1. 00:03:31.680 --> 00:03:32.960 Look with me in your Bible. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:44.719 Paul says, For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:54.639 This statement by the Apostle Paul was timely and pertinent to the situation at the church of Philippi, the church that he helped found. 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:57.840 We know the story in Acts chapter 16. 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:05.360 Paul and his traveling partner Silas were literally summoned by the Holy Spirit to go to Macedonia. 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:15.280 And when they got there, they met a group, a small group of believers, led by a woman, a businesswoman by the name of Lydia, who had come to faith in Christ. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:30.399 And Paul and Silas had spent time not only in her home where the church was being meeting, but they also spent time in prison, having having led a young lady out of a difficult business and led her to Christ. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:33.199 And Paul and Silas were thrown in prison. 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:40.399 And we know that the story, as it unfolds, at midnight, Paul and Silas are praying and worshiping God. 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:43.439 And suddenly there's an earthquake. 00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:00.160 If probably not his life, he's going to take his own life. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:02.000 And Paul stops him. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:04.160 Says, Nobody's left. 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:05.759 We're still all here. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:13.680 And that jailer asked the apostle Paul, friends, the most important question in all of life. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:18.639 He said, What must one do to be saved? 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:22.399 It's the most important question in all of life. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:24.959 What must one do to be saved? 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:32.959 Without any hesitation, the apostle Paul said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:39.519 We can see how the Philippians had an incredible love for the Apostle Paul. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:50.399 They were the ones, though not financially wealthy, they were the ones that sent the Apostle Paul on his missionary journey with a healthy monetary gift to get him started. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:55.120 But ten years have passed now and they've lost contact with Paul. 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:57.839 Paul's been now on his third missionary journey. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:01.680 He's now in a in a Roman prison. 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:06.079 And now the church of Philippi has found Paul again. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:10.560 And they want to send him a gift and a report on how the church is doing. 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:18.720 So they send this man by the name of Epaphroditus, who gets deathly ill on his journey to see Paul bringing that monetary gift. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:27.519 What we have here in the book of Philippians, this letter to the church of Philippi, is Paul's response to receiving that gift. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:32.639 Some despair, some discouragement had set into the church. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:36.240 Some false teaching had set into the church. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:41.040 And some doubt about their salvation had set into the church. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:46.959 Paul didn't want anything to happen to them to rob them of their joy. 00:06:47.279 --> 00:07:00.639 And so he sent this letter from the book of Philippians to the church to describe to them in detail who they were in Christ and what Christ had done and will continue to do for them. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:22.000 And so in our time today, together in this, so I want to unpack this one powerful verse and make the same application that the Apostle Paul made for the church of Philippi to make it for us because I want us to see from this one verse, Philippians chapter 1, verse 6, that you and I are, number one, we are confident in Christ alone for our salvation. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:25.279 We are confident in Christ alone for our salvation. 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:29.680 Secondly, we are created in Christ alone for our salvation. 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:35.680 And thirdly, we will be completed in Christ alone for our salvation. 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:43.040 The Apostle Paul also says here at the end of this verse, he will do this until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:49.839 He is committed to bring us to the point of our glorification until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:08:00.319 We understand this to be the marriage of Christ in the church, when the rapture will occur, and all of us who belong to Christ will meet him in the air, and we will become anew. 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:04.399 We will be made glorified at that point. 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:06.879 Jesus is committed to that. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:14.720 Let's look at the first point in the first part of verse 6, where Paul writes, For I am confident of this very thing. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:20.000 He says, I am confident in Christ alone for my salvation. 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:27.839 And frankly, we should say we're thankful that it's not based on our ability alone for our salvation. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:36.720 Can you imagine what would happen if everybody's salvation was dependent on their ability to gain it and to hold on to it? 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:40.159 You and I can barely balance a checkbook. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:47.759 We can't even put the proper turn signal on, much less save ourselves from eternal damnation. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:09:05.360 Little, if anything, should encourage a Christian more than the knowledge that despite life's uncertainties and difficulties, despite all of our false living that we do, that Jesus is the one that ensures our salvation. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:08.559 We are confident in him and him alone. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.840 The Apostle Paul is issuing here a guarantee. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:19.200 He says, I am confident of this very thing, that your salvation is in Christ alone. 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:34.159 I want you to flip over one book to the left to Ephesians chapter 2, and we'll unpack in a little bit of why this is important that we understand that we're thankful that our salvation is on Jesus and not on us. 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:42.000 It's on Jesus to make sure he gives us the salvation and maintains it for us and not on us, because we are totally incapable. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:45.519 Ephesians chapter 2, if you flipped over there with me. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:51.200 This was written about a year prior to this letter to the church of Philippi. 00:09:51.840 --> 00:10:04.000 And the apostle Paul was laying out in Ephesians chapter 2 why salvation cannot rest upon us, why it needs to rest on Jesus and Christ alone. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:09.919 Look what he says in verses 1, 2, and 3 of Ephesians chapter 2. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:29.759 Speaking about us in our situation before we came to Christ, he says, You were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:44.000 Verse 3 says, Among them we too all formerly lived in the lust of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:53.440 Paul's telling us here that there's nothing you and I could do to garner our own salvation, much less hold on to it. 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:56.720 We were dead in our trespasses and sins. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.879 There wasn't a single person that was longing after God. 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:17.759 We use the expression, say, if God was looking down the corridor of time from eternity past to eternity future, and he was looking for what hands would be raised in that corridor of time that would that would want to beg for salvation, he would look down that corridor of time. 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:19.120 You know what he would see? 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:20.720 Nothing. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:30.320 The scripture says that not a single one of us, because we're dead in our trespasses and sins, not a single one of us would desire after God. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:32.960 We don't have it in us by our nature. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:39.279 In fact, what it says we desired after was the ways of this world. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.720 And it says we desired after the God of this world. 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:46.879 2 Corinthians 4, 4 says, Satan is the God of this world. 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:49.679 So you and I were dead in our trespasses and sins. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:52.080 We were following after the God of this world. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.159 We were following the ways of this world. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.919 And verse 3 says we were pretty happy to be there as well. 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:06.000 We can't be confident in our ability to save ourselves. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:09.759 We were dead in our trespasses and sins. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:18.320 And what a sad end of the story it would be if the scriptures ended there. 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:22.080 Thankfully, they do not. 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:24.320 Because look at verse 4. 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:29.919 It starts with two of the most powerful words in the English language applied in Scripture. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:37.919 Paul's speaking about our condition, dead in our trespasses and sins, following the God of this world, following the ways of this world. 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:39.440 He starts with verse 4. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:41.600 It says, But God. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.000 But God. 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:51.519 Being rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions. 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:54.799 That's the salvation right there. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:58.480 He brought us from spiritual death to spiritual life. 00:12:58.799 --> 00:12:59.840 He made us alive. 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:01.759 We had nothing to do with it. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:03.759 He did the whole thing. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:06.000 He made us alive together with Christ. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:12.000 And Paul adds in parents there, by grace you have been saved, and we have. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:12.000 Saul, who became the apostle Paul, was on his way to Damascus to slaughter the Christians. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:14.559 He had the letters to prove it in his hand. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.759 But God intervened. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:22.080 We had nothing to do with this salvation at all. 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:24.559 We couldn't, we were spiritually dead. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:28.480 You want to be confident in anybody, don't be confident in yourself. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:33.200 We're confident in Christ alone for our salvation. 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:38.240 Paul says, For I am confident of this very thing. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:42.240 Our salvation is in Christ alone. 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:56.000 Well, not only does Paul say in Philippians 1 6 that he is confident in Christ alone, but secondly, he says in the second part of the verse, I am confident that he who began a good work in you. 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:02.480 This is the part when Jesus recreated us, he created us anew. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:07.840 This is the born again that Jesus was speaking with Nicodemus in John chapter 3. 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:10.559 The teacher of Israel, he didn't understand this. 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:14.240 Jesus said, You must be born again to go from death to life. 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:15.360 You must be born again. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:17.840 There must be a change that occurs in your life. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:22.720 This is what the Apostle Paul explained very carefully in 2 Corinthians 5, 17. 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:26.399 He said, If any man be in Christ, he's a new creation. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:29.600 The old is past and the new has come. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:36.080 We're confident in Christ alone for our salvation, but we're confident also that He recreated us. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:38.399 We couldn't go to heaven the way we are. 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:40.879 We needed to be born again. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.360 We needed to be recreated by Him and Him alone. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:54.080 Look what it says back here, still in Ephesians chapter 2, hopefully, because those verses continue in Ephesians chapter 2. 00:15:54.879 --> 00:16:02.240 Verses familiar to all of us, and verses 8 and 9 of Ephesians 2 says, For it's by grace that you have been saved. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:04.320 Through faith. 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:12.799 It's not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:17.679 This is the big E on the I chart for us here. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:24.000 Because this tells us who actually recreated us by way of salvation. 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:26.399 We had nothing to do with this. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.360 We were spiritually dead. 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:33.360 On the part of God, salvation is by grace. 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:34.639 Look back at verse 8. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:36.799 For it's by grace you have been saved. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:40.639 So from God looking at us, he says, I give you the grace. 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:44.960 How do we digest? 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:46.960 How do we take in that grace? 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:48.960 Well, it's by faith. 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:53.679 Remember, that's what Paul told that jailer in Philippi. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:17:00.399 You just must believe, you must have the faith to believe in Jesus, and you will be saved. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:10.640 So if salvation is by grace alone, and and God is the only one that can give us that grace to offer us the salvation, then what we must do is receive that by faith. 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:13.680 But the problem is we don't have faith, we're spiritually dead. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:21.279 So actually, this verse, look it back in verse 8 again, for it's by grace you have been saved, through faith, it's not of yourself. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:22.880 Here's a key word, it. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:29.200 That word there, it, that means the grace of salvation and the faith to receive it. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:30.319 That's the it. 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:33.359 Both of those things are a gift of God. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:36.720 We bring nothing to this process whatsoever. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:49.039 The fact that you have certain degrees from certain universities, you have a certain amount of money in your bank account, or you actually separate plastic from glass for recycling has nothing to do with your salvation. 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:59.119 The grace of salvation coming from God and coming to us is totally on Him. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:00.880 We are dead. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:06.720 God provides the grace, and God provides the faith. 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:08.480 I've used this example before. 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:10.400 People have told me it's helpful. 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:15.759 You think not to demean God, but he's on the pitcher's mountain, he's pitching to us. 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:17.839 We're catching the ball. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:22.160 God's pitching, what he's throwing to us is the grace. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:25.359 And what do we have to receive that by faith? 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:31.039 We are there behind the plate receiving that, but you know the problem is we didn't bring a glove. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:44.880 God brings everything, he brings the pitcher's glove, the ball, and the catcher's mit, and he gives it all to us, and we just have to show up and believe in the grace that he gives us. 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:48.400 How many of you learned to drive by yourself? 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:52.079 You just went out and said, I think I'm gonna jump in the car and go for it. 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:55.119 I didn't either. 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:57.519 My dad taught me to drive. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:00.400 I didn't have a car, I didn't know how to drive. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:04.799 My dad provided the car, my dad provided the the instruction on how to drive. 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:08.880 I brought absolutely nothing to the process whatsoever. 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:15.680 Uh after after church today, probably some of you are going to go to a restaurant and get some lunch or some brunch. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:18.319 You're not gonna bring your own food or utensils. 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:24.240 Maybe it will, it's COVID, but normally you would not bring your own food or utensils. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:28.240 You go to the restaurant, the restaurant provides the food and the means to eat it as well. 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:30.400 Everything's provided for you. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:35.680 Some of you in the front row can see I I had some surgery this week. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:39.519 I had a large piece of skin, skin cancer removed. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:44.799 And when I showed up at the doctor's office, I didn't bring any tools with me, I didn't bring any skill. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:46.720 The doctor did everything. 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:54.960 I just had to come with the faith that that doctor knew what she was doing to be able to perform the surgery on me to keep me healthy. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:20:01.279 Salvation is by grace, God giving it to us, and the faith that we have to receive it. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:04.079 We are created by him and in him alone. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:07.440 We bring nothing to this process whatsoever. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:13.759 Paul goes on to say, so that no man will ever boast about it. 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:19.839 So that you would never actually take credit for anything that happened. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:27.119 The only thing we can take credit for is the sin that requires the salvation that God offers. 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:33.759 Paul says we are to be confident in Christ alone for our salvation. 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:37.440 That He's the one that began the good work in us. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:39.839 He created, recreated us. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:41.200 We must be born again. 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:44.880 It comes only from faith in the grace that God gives us. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:50.480 That's what the apostle Paul is explaining to us here, explaining to the church at Philippi as well. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:56.079 And finally, look what it says in the last part of verse 6 in Philippians 1. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:00.960 He will perfect this until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:05.119 Paul the Apostle says that it's all on God. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:09.759 He will perfect this until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:15.200 Paul wrote about this, expanded this much more greatly in Romans chapter 8 and verse 30. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:16.240 Here's what he said. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:21.440 Those whom he, God, those whom he predestined, he also called. 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:24.720 And those whom he called, he also justified. 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:29.119 And those whom he justified, he also glorified. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:37.440 He who began the good work in us will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:44.880 There's nothing that you and I can do to lose our salvation. 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:47.279 Not a thing. 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:53.920 He who began the good work in us will bring it to completion. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:59.599 And we can live an awful carnal life, and it's at that point where somebody will. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:04.240 Poke a finger in our chest and say, Are you sure you're walking with the Spirit? 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:06.960 Are you sure you're a believer in Jesus Christ? 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:14.559 Because the life, the carnal life that you're living, does not reflect what the sacrifice that was made on your behalf. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:17.920 But we understand that people do sin. 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:20.319 We still have a sinful nature. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:23.440 We've not yet been glorified. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:38.799 But the fact that he has saved us and he will bring us to completion means there's nothing that can happen to you or to me to lose our salvation. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:41.759 We should sleep well at night with that understanding. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:42.559 Amen? 00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:51.359 And he is completely thinking about us all the time and the completion of our salvation. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:59.279 You don't have to turn there, but you remember how Jesus interacted with the Pharisees in John chapter 10. 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:10.640 Jesus was walking through the temple complex, and the scripture tells us in John 10 that the Pharisees kind of surrounded and cornered him on a place called Solomon's porch at the temple. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:16.640 They were really asking Jesus about who really are you and what are you able to do? 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:25.599 Jesus very calmly responds to them, listen to what he says in verse 27 of John 10. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:29.039 Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice. 00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:32.960 I know them, and they follow me. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:40.720 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:49.119 He says, My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:56.000 This concept where God the Father has us in the palm of his hand. 00:23:56.799 --> 00:24:09.279 If you indeed belong to him, the salvation is by grace alone, received by faith, which we exercise, the grace and the faith, both a gift from God. 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:13.599 He did everything to make it easy for us to believe in him. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:21.759 He recreated us, and now he's preserving us until we're glorified. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:31.279 And the scripture that Jesus was explaining to these Pharisees was the God that holds you in the palm of his hand, he holds you right here. 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:39.359 It says, He is greater than all. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:44.640 No one can take you out of the palm of his hand. 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:47.839 By the way, I looked up the term no one in Greek. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:50.799 And you know what the term no one means in Greek? 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:52.000 No one. 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:58.720 I also looked up all, because it says he is greater than all. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:01.759 I thought, well, surely there's a loophole in there somewhere. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:04.079 So I looked up the word all in Greek. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:10.319 What Paul was writing, what John was writing here in this gospel about what Jesus actually said. 00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:12.319 My father is greater than all. 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:14.319 So I looked up all in the Greek. 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:16.160 And you know what the all means? 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:18.000 Thank you. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:24.640 I paid a lot of money for seminary, and you don't have to go. 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:33.119 No one can lose their salvation once you belong to Him. 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:42.880 You may go through periods of doubt, you may go through periods of struggle, but that's completely on us, not on God. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:49.839 From God's perspective, at the moment of our salvation, he's got us right in the palm of his hand. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:53.519 And nobody will be able to remove us from that. 00:25:53.759 --> 00:26:01.039 And when he says he is greater than all, that all, which in the Greek means all, it means us as well. 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:04.079 It means you can't even lose your own salvation. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:08.319 You can't wake up tomorrow and say, I think I'm done with this Christianity stuff. 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:10.000 I'm walking away. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:15.119 We'd have to ask you if you actually belong to Christ in the first place. 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:19.839 But the scripture says those that he has, he will keep. 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:25.839 Paul says in Philippians chapter 1, he will keep until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:33.359 He who began a good work in us will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:45.359 Nothing we can do, there's no power on earth, not power we have, no act we could possibly do that would cause God to have second thoughts and say, I'm done with you. 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:46.160 That's enough. 00:26:46.319 --> 00:26:49.440 You've fallen way too many times after your salvation. 00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:52.640 No, the scripture says he will preserve us to the very end. 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:54.400 We will be glorified. 00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:06.559 I can remember the very first time I I may have shared this illustration before, the very first time I ever landed on an aircraft carrier in an F-14. 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:29.279 The pilot and I were both students, and we went out to the ship, and we had done plenty of touch and goes back at the field to get ready over a number of weeks, and now we were ready for the big game, the varsity game, and you go out to the carrier and you're going to do your first landing on the carrier, your tail hooks down, you're breathing really heavy, you're going through that oxygen like it's going out of business. 00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:46.240 They had told the pilots ahead of time that we trained that as soon as your wheels touch down in the flight deck of the carrier, should you miss one of the four wires with your tail hook, you have to be at 100% power because then what you're just going to do is touch and go and come back around and try it again. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:51.839 It's embarrassing, but you at least you have the power to get airborne again and come back around. 00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:57.200 And so we came in the first time and we're we're reminding ourselves full power, full power. 00:27:57.440 --> 00:28:02.160 As soon as you touch down, full power, and we touched down, and the pilot went to full power. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:03.279 I'm sitting in the back seat. 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:06.880 Pilot went to full power, and he went even beyond that. 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:08.640 He put it in afterburner. 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:13.039 All five stages of afterburner, and we caught the wire, the number three wire. 00:28:13.119 --> 00:28:14.319 It was a perfect landing. 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:20.480 And there we are on the flight deck in an F-14, putting out 25,000 pounds of thrust out the back. 00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:22.319 We're both like this in the cockpit. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:24.079 Like this. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:27.200 Finally, the the air boss comes up on the radio. 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:30.720 Uh 205 tower, you can come back on the power. 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:32.240 We got you. 00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:41.680 As powerful as those engines were on that airplane, we weren't moving a millimeter. 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:47.759 That ship had it permanently in our grip. 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:59.680 Our salvation in Jesus Christ alone, apart from works, is in the grip of the Father's hand. 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:08.880 And not a thing we can do, not a thing anybody, any outside influence can take that away from us. 00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:20.400 And aren't we thankful that the preserving of our salvation is not based somehow on us having to hold on to God. 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:23.200 Don't lose your grip. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:28.720 But it's completely Him holding us right here in the palm of His hand. 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:31.599 He loves us that much. 00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:34.640 He designed this process. 00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:40.720 And He says, I'll see it to the end until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:45.119 And so what do we do with this in a practical way? 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:49.839 How do we make this really practical for ourselves? 00:29:51.119 --> 00:29:57.759 Well, I believe anytime we look at Scripture, we have to make application for the non-believer and the believer. 00:29:58.079 --> 00:30:01.759 Even though no non-believer says, What scripture applies to me? 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:03.119 Yes, it does. 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:08.480 Paul writes, the things of God are foolish to those that are perishing. 00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:15.440 But he also writes in Romans chapter 1 that therefore they, meaning the non-believers, are without excuse. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:17.599 So there is accountability. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:29.039 So I would say if you're here today and you're still wondering about putting your faith in Christ, and you're still kind of tangentially meeting with the body of Christ, and you're looking in, you're just saying, what's this like? 00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:32.319 And I've just explained to you what salvation is like. 00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:35.119 We want that for you. 00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:39.039 More than that, God wants that really for you as well. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:41.839 I'm confident in two things. 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:49.440 I would say to the non-believer, if you're here, I would say, I'm confident that salvation is in Christ alone. 00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:51.519 You can't do it yourself. 00:30:51.839 --> 00:30:59.279 You can't dust yourself off to make yourself look any pretty, get any smarter with more degrees, make any more money out in the in the workforce. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:00.880 That's not going to do it. 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:02.880 It's Christ alone. 00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:04.000 I'm confident in that. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:08.400 I'm also confident that God will not allow sin to go unchecked. 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:13.920 And so living your life and just say, I'll be good. 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:16.720 I'll take care of things at the end. 00:31:16.799 --> 00:31:19.440 We have no idea how long we have on this earth. 00:31:20.079 --> 00:31:28.559 And if there's never been a time that you put your faith and trust in Christ alone and receive the gift that he offers, it's the grace of salvation. 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:32.319 Let today be your day of salvation. 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:41.440 You be encouraged that God has desperately looked for you and has a plan for you and for your life. 00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:46.720 And Jesus paid it all indeed for you as well as for me. 00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:55.920 And then for the believer in Jesus Christ, you know what oxygen is for lungs, eternal security is really for us. 00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:57.279 This is how we live and breathe. 00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:59.359 This is what keeps us going. 00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:06.640 To know that Jesus indeed saved us, and we're not walking a tightrope throughout life, wondering did that put me over the edge? 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:08.400 Am I going to lose my salvation? 00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:09.039 No. 00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:16.000 That we should live boldly as a result of the fact that we have been saved and we know that we're saved as well. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:20.559 I remember one Desha and I were living in San Diego and we were living in a one-bedroom apartment. 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:25.680 We had a two-month-old little boy, and we were in really cramped quarters there. 00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:29.920 But we had enough money to actually start building a house. 00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:34.960 And I think probably four or five days of the week we would go over to see that house being built. 00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:38.160 We watched every stud go in, all the pipes go in, and all the wiring. 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:44.559 We watched the, we long stopped thinking about the place that we were living in and the difficulty and how crammed it was there. 00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:46.559 But we were looking at where we were going. 00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:50.079 That's living boldly. 00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:52.400 We know this is not our home. 00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:58.640 Our citizenship has already been transferred from this life to the next if you put your faith and trust in Christ. 00:32:58.799 --> 00:33:01.680 But we ought to live boldly as a result of that. 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:10.160 I remember the college football coach Lou Holtz used to, he discouraged his players from doing those big dances in the end zone. 00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:13.759 He said, Guys, make it look like you've been there before. 00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:24.079 We need to live life boldly as if we understand where we're going. 00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:29.839 And that we actually have a relationship with the God that guaranteed where we're going. 00:33:31.039 --> 00:33:37.839 And not only do we need to live boldly, but I believe we need to share Him boldly as well. 00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:43.279 Because we are surrounded by a world that is collapsing. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:54.799 We're seeing new things every day popping up in the news, a world that is desperately grabbing for something that will make them happy, that will alleviate the pain of life. 00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:02.000 We indeed hold the key to spiritual cancer in our hands. 00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:03.599 The word of God. 00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:06.880 And our personal testimony. 00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:12.719 That we can one say, I was blind, and now I see. 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:16.719 And Jesus made all the difference between the two. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:20.960 That's why the apostle Paul says, I am confident. 00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:23.199 He's reminding the church at Philippi. 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:31.280 Some discouragement, some false teaching has crept into the church, and he's saying to them, let this be a reminder for you. 00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:34.079 I am confident of this very thing. 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:41.519 That he, meaning God, who began a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:44.559 He hasn't forgotten you, he hasn't abandoned you. 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:46.880 You will be glorified. 00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:50.159 What a gift we have. 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:53.519 What a savior we know. 00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:56.320 What a God who loves us. 00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:59.199 Let's pray together. 00:35:00.960 --> 00:35:04.400 Father, we thank you for the truths of this scripture here. 00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:11.199 That this was your plan before the foundation of the earth. 00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:14.400 Call us to yourself. 00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:25.039 You would willingly go to that cross and pay the price that belonged on our accounts. 00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:29.519 You willingly laid down your life for each one of us. 00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:35.920 And then you secured that salvation for us for all of eternity. 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:38.159 You went and prepared a place for us. 00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:41.679 You said, There, where we will be, you'll be with us. 00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:48.559 We're thankful for the comforting words of eternal security. 00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:51.039 You hold us in the palm of your hand. 00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:54.239 You will never, ever, ever let us go. 00:35:55.840 --> 00:36:16.239 I do pray, Father, that of those that are here who don't know you, that you will give them no rest, no comfortable sleep at night, no good daydreams during the day, I pray that they will constantly be reminded of the doom that awaits them should they not yield their life to you. 00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:22.079 And Father, that we would be men and women who are boldly sharing the good news of the gospel. 00:36:22.320 --> 00:36:30.960 The truth for what we understand, the scriptures explained, that Christ died for our sins, for all of our sins once and for all. 00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:33.840 That we would be willing to boldly proclaim that. 00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:39.760 We were once blind, and now I see, and Jesus lays in the balance between those two. 00:36:41.679 --> 00:36:46.639 That would be our desire, Lord, that we would honor you in that way with our life. 00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:50.239 Would you accept that offering from us? 00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:52.320 We pray in Christ's name. 00:36:53.039 --> 00:36:53.679 Amen. 00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:57.840 And now for a parting word from Pastor Jesse Johnson. 00:36:58.079 --> 00:36:59.519 Thanks for joining us today. 00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:01.119 If you're in the Washington, D.C. 00:37:01.280 --> 00:37:04.719 area, I would love to meet you personally at Emmanuel Bible Church. 00:37:04.880 --> 00:37:10.000 Our service times and other church information is on our website at ibc.church. 00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:13.679 If you want information about the Master Seminary and their Washington, D.C. 00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:16.880 location, go to tms.edu. 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:27.920 I hope this resource has been an encouragement to you and it helps you seek the Lord daily, serve others around you, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness. 00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:29.679 May the Lord bless you.