A Matter of Life and Death
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Exploring the sharp distinction between the nature and intent of Jesus and the enemy.
Text: John 10:10
Date: 01/21/2018, the Traditional service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 80
Description:
In the story of the man formerly blind and the allegory of the Good Shepherd, John has developed a sharp contrast between spiritual Light and darkness. Jesus is of course the Light, but the darkness has been represented by the Jews in general, the Pharisees in particular, and by robbers, thieves, strangers and predators. In our text for this message he focuses in on the evil force behind them all-- the devil himself. Jesus directly compares Himself and His work with that of the enemy and the distinction could not be sharper! We will analyze closely the words of this verse and in them find valuable lessons concerning the nature and intent of the evil one and how vastly different they are than the nature and intent of Jesus. Once again the two-choice paradigm looms before us with both temporal and eternal consequences-- it is a matter of life and death!
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, John 10:10.
A. Context
B. The sharpest comparison.
1. The lord of death and destruction.
a. Overview, John 8:44.
b. The work of the enemy.
i. The thief.
ii. A persistent attacker.
iii. The one who steals.
iv. The one who kills.
¥ A sacrifice for eating.
¥ A sacrifice to evil.
v. The one who destroys, John 10:28, Rev. 9:11.
2. The Lord of Life.
a. Overview.
b. The work of the Good Shepherd.
i. The emphatic "I came".
ii. Exploring "abundantly", John 7:37-38.
iii. The meaning of "life".
¥ The "life" that is Jesus, John 6:48, 8:12, 11:25, 14:6, 1:4, 4:14.
¥ The "life" of the Kingdom, Eze. 37:5.
¥ What to do with the surplus, John 4:14, 7:38.
III. Conclusion, Romans 5:17.
