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It would be good to pray for each other around these needs.
Key Question: How can a person who has received Jesus know with certainty that we will spend eternity with God?
Statement: You can know that you have a secure personal relationship with God?
John 10:7-30
7Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.’
19The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20Many of them said, ‘He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?’
21But others said, ‘These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’
Further conflict over Jesus’ claims
22Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24The Jews who were there gathered round him, saying, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’
25Jesus answered, ‘I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.’
Conclusion:
1 John 5:11-13
11And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
On the cross, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, laid down his life as a sacrifice for our sins. When we put our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we became one of his sheep and began to follow him. He wants us to know that we have eternal life and nothing will take that from us. Do you know you have received Jesus into your life? Do you know for certain that you have eternal life?
The most important thing will be how we apply what we learn, and so we want to help each other find ways to do that. Some questions to help us do that:
Download outline to print
firststepswithgod.com/eng/print/2
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