Speaking Plainly
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Plain talk about the concurrent truths of God's sovereignty and human responsibility.
Text: John 10:24-27
Date: 04/29/2018, the Contemporary service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 89
Description:
When a group of Jews press Jesus to reveal whether He is the Christ or not, they demand that He "speak plainly". After discussing why it was not likely Jesus would directly answer their "yes-or-no" question, we will notice the divine response to persistent unbelief and explore the principle of human responsibility when truth is ignored. Jesus will in fact "speak plainly" to these Jews (and to all who reject Him), but not in the way they desired. In one of John's most direct predestinarian statements, Jesus in plain language divulges why believers believe and unbelievers do not. We will grapple with these difficult subjects from the perspectives of both salvation and discipleship by "speaking plainly" about the concurrent truths of God's sovereignty and our own responsibility.
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Options:
I. Introduction, Matt. 13:14-16.
II. Exposition of the text, John 10:24-27.
A. Context
B. The confrontation in the colonnades, vs. 24b-27.
1. The question of impatient unbelief, vs. 24b.
a. The problem with "plain language".
i. Jesus' perspective, John 9:35-37, 4:25-26.
ii. The Jews' perspective.
b. The problem of unbelief.
i. Remembering the reality of the situation, John 1:1-4, 14.
ii. Low expectations for "yes or no".
c. Expecting less by demanding more.
2. Jesus' response to consistent unbelief, vs. 25.
a. Responding to deaf ears, vs. 25a, John 8:58, Rom. 1:24.
b. Authenticating works, vs. 25b.
c. A conscious, culpable choice, John 8:43-44.
3. Jesus speaks plainly about election, vs. 26, John 6:44.
a. The sovereignty of God in election.
b. The human responsibility.
4. The ultimate reason for belief, vs. 27.
a. Another repetition, John 10:1-5,16.
b. Hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd, John 10:9.
c. Known by the Good Shepherd, John 10:14, Matt. 13:11,16.
d. Following the Shepherd.
III. Application
IV. Conclusion
