Christ, Our Life

Sermon delivered on October 26th, 2014

By: Pastor Greg Hocson

Text: John 10:1-18

 

Introduction

Signs of the season are all around us today as you drive around, as you go to the shopping malls or theme parks or restaurants or school or work places. It is everywhere. Halloween is a major celebration this time of the year.

Listen to one article written in America On Line 2013 ...

From what once was a simple tradition of children trick-or-treating for a pumpkin full of confectionary delights wearing their favorite ghoulish costumes, Halloween has exploded into a multi-billion-dollar, global, annual celebration for all ages, surpassing every holiday except Christmas. The Halloween industry has grown 100% in the past ten years in the U.S. alone. According to the National Retail Federation, around 158 million Americans will be partaking in the frenzy this year, slightly down from last year's peak of 170 million, with a total spending on festivities to reach $6.9 billion. Even pets are in the act, as consumers will spend over $330 million on their costumes in 2013.

 

What is Halloween?

To kids - It's about candies, trick or treating and cute costumes

To the young people and grown ups - Scary costumes, wild parties, thrill of being scared

To others - escape from reality. "For adults, you can put on a Halloween costume and forget about work, the bad economy, and other pressures," - Kelly David, Spirit Halloween spokesperson in a South University article.

But it is obvious as you drive around and see the displays and decorations, it cannot be denied that in the face of Halloween at bottom is a celebration of death, darkness and the devil. It's the Day of the Dead. A discerning person will detect that there is something demonic that underlies Halloween.

Halloween is glorification of death, darkness and the devil. It is a celebration of fear - fear of death, darkness and evil.

 

Why is there fascination (attraction, obsession) with death and dead people?

People spend time and money to be scared, to be terrified, to be horrified. People pay people to scare them. People find themselves entertained by Zombies and other scary things.

Why would 158 millions Americans spend a grand total $6.9 billion in a given year to be scared and celebrate death and fear of death?

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 

People love what they are part of. That's what people are, who are outside of Christ. That's what we were. A part of the dead. People who do not have relationship with Jesus Christ are going on their daily lives and they are living in darkness.

Proverbs 21:16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

The person who strays from, who wanders away from common sense will end up and remain in the company of the dead.

 

But ultimately this fascination with death comes from ...

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Satan is the murderer and his message is destruction. Satan is the thief who comes to steal, to kill and to destroy. Satan is great life destroyer. 

Why does Satan hate life? Because he hates man. Why does he hate man? Because man is created in the image of God and Satan hates God. He cannot get at God so he tries to get at man.

Proverbs 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 36: But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

 

The sermon today is not about Halloween but it is about the One who came and destroyed death and delivered us from the fear of death.

John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

 

It is a mission of Divine love.

1. Christ came

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (have it to fullest).

Aren't you glad He came? We cannot come to where He is, so He came to us, to where we are.

 

He Came To Me

 

The gulf that separated me from Christ, my Lord

It was so vast, the crossing I could never ford (cross)

From where I was to His domain, it seemed so far

I cried "Dear Lord, I cannot come to where You are"

 

CHORUS

He came to me, He came to me

When I could not come to where He was, He came to me

That's why He died on Calvary

When I could not come to where He was, He came to me

 

2. Christ came to give

John 10:10 ... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

Satan's mission is to steal, to take away from men what they have, and deprive them of what they may have. But Christ came that men may have. He came to give, to benefit the mankind. He came not for His own sake, but for the sake of others. He became poor to make the world rich.

We are being like Christ when we are giving. we are being like the devil when we think of getting and taking.

 

3. Christ came to give life

What did He come to give?

John 10:10 ... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

Satan may be the great thief and life destroyer who decided long time ago that his reason for existence is to oppose God and to come to steal, to kill and to destroy. But our Lord Jesus Christ who is way, the truth and the life who is the resurrection and the life came to give life.

 

(1) He gives physical life

Obviously, He has already given you and me, physical life.

Acts 17:28a For in him we live, and move, and have our being ...

John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4: In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

We live because our Lord gave us life. We are not the product of time and chance as evolutionists claim. Evolution is scientifically impossible.

Doctor Wall — Professor of Biology in Harvard (Novel Prize)

There are only two possibilities as to how life arose (came about): one is spontaneous generation arising to evolution and the other is a supernatural creative act of God ... I will not accept that philosophically because I do not want to believe in God, therefore I choose to believe in that which I know is scientifically impossible.

Evolution is not science it is bias against God.

Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

 

(2) He gives spiritual life

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

I am the life — without me there is no living and growing

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Christian are not just nice people who are trying to do better, who have accepted some creed or some code. They are new creatures. They have been made alive through faith in Jesus Christ.

 

(3) He gives eternal life

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (have it to fullest)

Eternal life — it speaks of the quality of life and the quantity of life.

A little boy went to the pet store to buy a puppy and he saw this cute and playful puppy wagging his tail. And the little boy said, I want that puppy with the happy ending.

That's what I want, I want the life that has the happy ending.

 

4. Christ came to give life to its fullest

John 10:10 ... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

Life to its fullest. He wants us to have life and not just mere existence. He wants us not only to be just alive but fully alive!

 

5. The life the He came to give is within the reach of all

John 10:10 ... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

They - all who would come to Him for life.

All without exceptions, regardless of their gender, race, education, religion, etc.

Christ came to the world to give eternal life to all who would repent and believe.

John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

 

6. This Life is free but at a great cost

It's free not because it is cheap. It's free because it is priceless. It is given free because nobody could afford it. It could not be bought. It could not be earned nor worked for. Even if you work for it for eternity, you could not pay for it.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15: As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

 

The death of Christ is not ordinary death

Our Lord made it possible for us to have live and have it to the fullest by laying down His life for us. He died so that we might live.

It is the taking of our sins upon Him. The pouring of wrath upon Him. The wrath that He did not deserve but that we all deserve.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

Do you need life?

If you want life, you must get it from Christ. If you need more life, you must go to the same place. Do not look to Christ for the beginnings, and then somewhere else for the ending! Christ has come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.

Isn't that the point of all what Christ is saying in this chapter; I am the Door; I am the Shepherd; I have authority to lay my down my life, and as My dead body lie down on a tomb, I have the authority to take it up again. what is the point of all this? To get you to Christ. He is your life!

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3: For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4: When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

And these things are written you may believe. I pray that you will. Come to him as your Door! Your Shepherd! Your life!

2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Today we are offered life and blessing or death and cursing.

Deuteronomy 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 

19: I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 

It is a token of the great mercy of God that He is very earnest in His pleading with men to choose life. There is hope for all in the all-sufficient Saviour.

The choice was left to us but God appeals to us to choose life and good! So run to Him without delay. Therefore choose life!