We turn in the word of God to John chapter 10 to verse 22 and the theme this evening is entitled Election Blessings. Election Blessings. Thomas Watson once wrote, God did not choose us because we were worthy but by choosing us He makes us worthy. Thomas Goodwin said, despise not election, therein lies all your hope. Here in John 10, the Savior speaks frequently of his sheep, my sheep he says. Thus making a distinction between them and everyone else. they are separate and distinct from all others. And he tells us that he came into the world specifically for these sheep. That is an astonishing comment, shall we say, that the scripture tells us. That Jesus Christ, he left heaven to come into this world for his sheep, for a people who were given to him by his father in heaven. That's remarkable. In heaven, within the eternal councils of the Godhead, the father chose out of the mass of humanity a people and he placed it into the hands of Jesus Christ. And the Saviour tells us in regards to His sheep that He died for them and that He rose again for them, verses 15 through 18. Now evidently that message resonated, at least it made an impact upon the hearer. because sometime later according to verse 22 and 23 the Savior returns to the subject we don't know How long it is between verse 21 and 22 but it is sufficient that it is some time later at the Feast of the Dedication and John tells us it was winter and that Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. What a wonderful touch we have there. That nice little description. Here's the Lord from heaven and he's in Solomon's temple. It's winter time. There he walks in the porch. And since he is free and available for conversation, the Jews came round about him. They encircled him. They sought him out. And they came to question and examine. If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. And the Saviour remarkably He returns to the very point that he had made some time previously. And we know first of all, electing faith. Verses 25 and 26, Jesus answered him, I told you, and ye believed not. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me, but ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. I have told you before this particular point he says. And what did he tell them? I told you and you believe not, verse 25, you believe not because you're not of my sheep, verse 26. I told you, you believe not, you believe not because you're not of my sheep. Notice what he did not say and sometimes we need these negatives. in order that the force of the truth is driven home. He did not say, ye are not my sheep because ye believe not. He did not say, you're not my sheep because you don't believe, but the opposite, ye believe not because you're not my sheep. In other words, election is the ground of fear. Fear is not the ground of election. Why do you not believe? Because you're not my sheep. He didn't reverse it and make it the other way around. Although it would be more comfortable for us. It would not injure our pride if the Savior said, faith is the grind of election. Suddenly, we would like the Savior. Suddenly, we would say, isn't the Savior marvelous? Isn't he wonderful? And we just love him. No, he said it's the opposite. If ye were my sheep, ye would believe. The reason why you do not believe is because you're not my sheep. You will see, despite their question, tell us clearly. He is saying, I've already told you clearly. And the reason why you don't understand is because you don't believe. And the reason why you don't believe is because you're not my sheep. But there are those who want it the other way around. And they go to some interesting, we might say, extraordinary lengths to reverse it and who want faith to be the ground of election. Let us take a well-known example from Acts 13 verse 48. When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. Why did they believe? Gentiles, well Luke goes on to tell us, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believe. So the language is clear, the theology is clear, ordained to eternal life is the reason why they believe. But if you were to read the notes of John Wesley on this verse for example, He has the audacity to state this. Luke does not say, for Ardean. Luke is referring not to eternity, but to time. What Wesley is arguing is that, well, you see, they believed and then they were ordained to eternal life. But that is not what Luke says. If Luke had meant that, He had the vocabulary to state it. He didn't mean it. He put it this way. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. The reason they believed is because they were ordained to eternal life. It is clear from this verse that ordination to eternal life, to salvation, precedes believing. And just in case anyone may have any doubts about this, let us note Ephesians 1, 4. According as he hath chosen us and him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him. So in eternity he chose sinners certain ones for himself in order that they would be holy. He is saying they would never be holy unless God had chosen first. And He chose in eternity not in time, He chose in eternity. So the election precedes holiness. And if we turn to 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us. Here he tells us the same point but negatively. He tells us what God did not appoint us to. He did not appoint us to wrath, but he appointed us to obtain salvation. So these Thessalonians, Paul is saying to them, the reason why you have not been damned, which of course you deserve, but the reason why you have not been damned is because God in his good pleasure had decided in and of himself to make a difference. He chose to give you salvation. That's why there are believers in the city of Thessalonica of all places. And in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13 he returns to the same point, but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord. Why are there believers in Thessalonica that he can address as brethren? Because God hath from the beginning Chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. You see, every aspect of salvation, it all goes back to God. Chosen to salvation, added to that, sanctification by the Spirit, and added on top of that, belief of the truth. If God had not chosen there would be no believers to write to in Thessalonica. Paul couldn't convert him though he was an apostle. If all the apostles had gone to Thessalonica not one citizen would ever have been converted. The only reason that took one apostle to go was because God had chosen a people for himself. And what Paul has stated, Peter says the same. So there is an agreement amongst the apostolic testimony witness 1 Peter 1 verse 2. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Election precedes obedience. Lord Jesus Christ, speaking to these Jews, an answer to the question, tell us plainly, are you the Christ? I have told you. I have told you already. You don't believe? The reason why you don't believe is because you are not of my sheep. If you were one of mine, you would already have believed. The reason why you don't believe is because you are not amongst the sheep. Electing faith is a privilege. You are a believer this evening. You make glory in the fact that you came to We will all glory with you. We will rejoice that you came to fear. But why did you come to fear? Why you and not others? Think of the people you grew up with, played with, were educated with, worked with. Why have they not come to fear? Maybe they were more intelligent even than you and I. With greater opportunities and everything to have. Why have they not believed? Why have you believed? You must go to the source. God chose you to salvation. Electing faith. But then secondly, electing obedience. Verse 27. My sheep hear my voice. and they follow me." They hear and they follow. And the force of this word my, my sheep hear and follow, is explained by the phrase that John throws into the middle as Christ speaks, I know them. My sheep hear and they follow. And I know them. Far from election leading to license, which is the usual charge leveled against us, election we learn is in fact the basis of discipleship. It is the basis of hearing and following. He is saying there would be neither hearing nor following without election. So without election there is license. That's the argument. Not the other way around. Election is the basis of discipleship. What is discipleship? Hearing, following, obeying, doing. That's discipleship. So discipleship, following, obedience and good works are all the roots of election. In John chapter 8 verse 31, Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And in John 13 verse 35, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another. if ye have love one to another. And in John 15 verse 8, herein is my father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my disciples. All three texts are telling us the same thing. The evidence and proof of discipleship is to love one another to bear fruit, to do good works, to hear and follow. Those are the marks and characteristics of discipleship. They are the marks of the sheep. The same point is made of course in verse 27 of chapter 10. My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. So hearing, following, loving one another, bearing fruit, doing good works, they all flow from election. My sheep, those whom I have chosen, how do you know them? Look at them. It's as if the Savior is saying, there are no sheep like my sheep. See them in action. love one another, they keep my commandments, they bear fruit, they do good works, they hear me and they follow me. That's because of election. You understand why it is impossible for atheism, communism, hinduism, islam, mormonism and every other force in the world cannot stop Christians following Christ. They can put impediments in the way. They can imprison them. They can persecute them. They can threaten them with death. They can take away all their possessions. But the sheep remain obedient to their master. Why? Because of election. He has appointed them to this path. And these are then, shall we say, the natural products of election. So when Christians, as Paul tells us, are faced with a test. Who is Lord? That was the test. Whom do you confess as Lord? Well, do you imagine it? Here were these Christians who were in the Roman Empire. And the decree goes forth, we must persecute Christians, they are a threat to the security of the state. They are undermining our pluralism. and our equality agenda because they are obnoxious dogmatic people and they insist there's only one way of salvation so they're rounded up and they're told now you can either have the lions in the arena or you can have the meat and the wine from Caesar who is Lord and what do the Christians say? Jesus Christ is Lord. That's what Paul is arguing in Romans 10. And so they are thrown to the lions. That's where we get that phrase from. Those early centuries when the Christians were brought into the arenas and the lions let loose upon them and tore them apart and the crowds were there and they clapped and cheered as they saw them being torn limb from limb. to the Christians. They thought it was a great sport. Why did they do this? My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. That's why. They lacked obedience. They ran to their death. You think of the martyrs and they were tied to the stake. Think of John Bradford in prison as he writes to his dear mother just before he is put to death. And then he is dragged from his prison and he is brought to the stake. And what does he say? Well, you can cut off my head, but the moment you cut off my head, my saviour will put a crown upon it. Well, how do we account for this? electing obedience my sheep hear my voice and they follow me third electing life verse 20 and I give on to them eternal life and they shall never perish who possesses eternal life according to the Savior the sheep possess eternal life who gives these sheep Christ. I give unto them eternal life. How certain is this eternal life? He says I give. He doesn't say I might give, I hope to give. He gives. That's the positive. The negative is equally as strong. They shall never perish John could have just written, this part of the Saviour's speech, I give unto them eternal life. That would have been sufficient for us. No, he records it all, and they shall never perish. The reasoning of Christ cannot be any plainer. They have eternal life, they shall never perish. This is what's wholly impossible for any of the sheep to perish. They may lose their life. They may be impoverished. They may be hated. You think of how Christians are persecuted in Islamic countries. It's dreadful the things that Islam does to Christians. Too revolting even to begin to describe it this evening. But whatever happens to them, here's a guarantee. Not one of the Saviour's sheep shall ever perish. Not one lamb in Christ's block shall ever be annulled. That's what he's saying. Return for a moment to John 17 and verse 2. As thou has given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him. You'll notice the two parts of that verse. The first half of the verse speaks of the universal. Power over all flesh. What's he saying? All power has been given on to me. There's the universal reign of Christ. The second part of the verse gives us the specific application of the universal power that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. So you have the universal and the particular side by side. But you may rightly ask, well what is eternal life since that's what we are looking at? What is eternal life? We have it there in verse 3, and this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. How are we to have eternal life? We must know God. that they might know Thee, the only true God. And yet it is more profound than merely knowing God. They must have God. That's what he said. If you have God, you have eternal life. And how are we to have God? we must know him and come to him as he is in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ. It is not enough to say I believe in God. It will not cause you any difficulty to say I believe in God. You can sit side by side with a Muslim, with a Hindu, with a Mormon and they each could say, I believe in God. You must say, I believe in God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the point when you will get into trouble. That's the line of division. It is easy to say, in one sense, I believe in God. But that's not the specific Christian confession. I believe in God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. What is eternal life? It is to know God in Jesus Christ. That's the glory of Christ. The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. No man has seen God at any time. How then can we see Him? We see Him in Jesus Christ. And that's the witness of the Christian Church. Because it is the witness of the Word of God. I, Jesus Christ, give unto them eternal life. It's electing life. And fourth, electing security. He says, and notice the repetition, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. There's a repetition, but there's a slight difference between each of the two statements, which is very important. In verse 28 he says, my hand. In verse 29, my father's hand. The sheep are in the hands of Christ. They're also in the father's hand. In other words, they're doubly secure. I suppose for the benefit of the younger ones, We might illustrate it this way. You have something precious and you put it into someone's hand and another comes and puts her hand on top of it. They're doubly secure. They're in the Savior's hand and they're in the Father's hand. In other words, it's wholly impossible For anything to happen to them, they are eternally secure. Could you imagine it? How could any one of these people be in hell? It raises questions and doubts about the ability of the father and of the son and of the promise of the father and of the son. And it questions the integrity of Jesus Christ. As he lacked insecurity. They shall never perish. We have an interesting argument on this presented by the Savior in John 17 verses 11 and 12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them was lost, but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. Verse 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. And then the climax in verse 24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me, where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thy lovest me before the foundation of the world." If there is anything that proves a lacking security, it's the case of Judas Iscariot. Have you ever considered that? That's what the Savior is saying. Judas was part of the circle of disciples. He heard and saw all that the other disciples heard and saw. He walked and he talked with Jesus Christ. Think of that. He walked with the Lord from heaven. From village to village, he walked with him. He heard him preach. He saw his miracles. Indeed, he even labored. He served Jesus Christ. He was sent with the rest to go and preach the message of the kingdom. And yet he perished. What is the explanation? The Saviour tells us the reason Judas perished is because he didn't belong to Christ. If he had belonged to Christ he would never have perished because all who belong to him never perish. So Judas Iscariot is a warning to every single person. If you don't belong to Christ you will perish. It is absolutely certain A salvation is certain for those who do belong to Christ. I pray for them, he said, I pray not for the world. Judas was not included in the Savior's prayers. Because Judas belonged to the world, he did not belong to his people. He didn't belong to Christ. He wasn't part of that company whom the Father chose and gave to the Son to keep. And all who were given into the hands of the Son to keep, the Savior could say, I have kept them all. None of them has perished. But then there's Judas. Judas was not given to me to keep. So Judas perished. Judas belonged to the world. The rest of the disciples belonged to Christ. For the rest of the disciples, for them Christ prayed. For those only were given to him by the Father. Judas was excluded. And so Judas perished. Judas is a dreadful warning and example. To every single one of us here in this gathering, from the youngest to the oldest, if you don't belong to Christ, you will perish. It's an absolute certainty. But if you belong to Christ, he will keep you, and you will never perish. That too is an absolute certainty. Why did Judas perish? He didn't belong to Christ. There was no electing security for Judas. But for all his sheep, he says, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. There is no single person in this world that can separate me from my sheep. Neither height nor depth. Nothing. Neither principality nor power. There is nothing in the entire universe that can bring any doubt about a lacking security. Can interfere in any way with their security. There is nothing in this universe that can stop the Savior's people being in heaven to behold his glory. That's his prayer. And he says, I've kept it. And his joy. Why does he endure the cross? For the joy said before. What was that joy? Part of it was seeing the reward. All his people in glory. Electing security. Let's come to the application. We note first of all that for the sheep everything is done. Isaiah 43 verses 1 to 5, But now, thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. Look at the terminology. I made you. I formed you. I redeemed you. I called you. You're mine. He's done everything. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee. And through the rivers they shall not overflow thee. You think immediately of the Israelites. They passed through the waters. Who drowned? The Egyptians drowned. And Israel passed through on dry land. Then thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For, here's all the reason, I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour, I give Egypt for thy ransom. Ethiopia and Siba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee. Therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not, for I am with thee. I will bring thy sheep from the east, and gather thee from the west, and so on. For the sheep, all is done. Everything is performed. There is nothing for the sheep to do. He made them, He loved them, He redeemed them, He protects them, and finally He brings them into Canaan. Everything is done. If that is not enough for you, I don't know what is. Is it enough for you? Is it? Then secondly, God's interest in us was eternal. My sheep whom the Father gave to me. How seldom do we meditate on that eternal plan of salvation. We tend to go to individual aspects. We tend to view our salvation purely subjectively. We tend to think of I have come to Jesus and that is good. I know whom I have believed, that is excellent. And I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him. That is excellent, that is glorious. But we can't just start and end there, can we? No, look at the Saviour who is back to eternity. Does it here in John 10, my sheep Hear my voice, I know them and they follow me. This glorious reality. God's knowledge of interest in his people from eternity. How precious those words of the Old Testament prophet. Yea, have I loved thee with an everlasting love. An everlasting love, an eternal love. I have thoughts of you, says God, from all eternity before the world was even made. I thought of thee and I loved thee and I sent the Savior into the world for thee. He chose us before the world began. Forgiven in eternity past. He chose us on to salvation. I appointed thee to salvation not to wrath. The whole plan of salvation was for the Savior to come to die for the sheep and to rise for the sheep and to give unto them eternal life. I lay down my life for the sheep. I take it again. I say again, if that is not enough for you, I don't know what else there is. That eternal plan, surely that is enough for you. Is it not enough to know everything is done? Is it not enough to know that from eternity the Father had this plan? How glorious the plan is. How great. of solemn responsibility. You have heard the words of Christ this evening. As he speaks here in verses 22 to 29. Do you believe? Do you? Do you believe that the Father sent him into the world that he is the sufficient Savior of sinners. Do you believe Jesus Christ? Do you believe in him? Do you confess him? Do you know him? Is he your Lord and Savior? And further, if you believe, do you hear him and follow him? Is there obedience? If you love me, keep my command. but a solemn responsibility, first to believe, second to follow. Are you a believer? Are you an obedient believer? There's the responsibility. May God bless His word to our hearts.