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TITLE: What’s the big deal about Jesus?

TEXT: John 10:9-16

PROPOSITION: Jesus is the only means of salvation for all men.

QUESTION: Why?

KEY WORD: Questions

SCRIPTURE READING: Same

INTRODUCTION:

  1. Sermon this morning was prompted by an article in Knoxville News-Sentinel
  2. Saturday, October 28. 2000 – Terry Mattingly, reports (See quotes at bottom)
  3. Three questions he raised:
  4.  
    1. Why can’t God work through many faiths?
    2. Don’t they believe in the sovereignty of God?
    3. What’s the big deal about Jesus?

 

Why can’t God work through many faiths?

 

  1. With God all things are possible.
    Issue is not what God could do – BUT what did God choose to do?
  2. God, in His wisdom, chose to save those of “one faith”
  3. Ephesians 4:5 “one faith”
  4. Jude 3 – “contend for the faith once (for all) delivered to the saints”
  5. John 10:9-16 – Jesus is door to one sheepfold, there is one shepherd
  6. Why the Bible? Why study? Why give?
  7. Why Paul on missionary journeys? Why Great Commission?
  8. Why have churches? Why is Dirk a “preacher”?
  9. Universal salvation – If God will save all men in all “faiths” why the Bible?

 

 

Don’t they believe in the sovereignty of God?

 

  1. Yes. God is sovereign – able to set his own rules.
  2. Here are the “rules” that God decided upon.
  3.  
    1. Go teach every creature – Mark 16:15
    2. Preach the gospel to every nation – Matthew 28:18
    3. Those who believe and are baptized shall be saved – Mark 16:16
    4. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved – Acts 16:31
    5. No one comes to God without faith – Hebrews 11:6
    6. No one comes to God except through Jesus – John 14:6
    7. Except you repent you will perish – Luke 13:3
    8. Confess faith in Jesus – Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10
    9. Baptism washes away sin – Acts 22:16
    10. Baptism is for the remission of sins – Acts 2:38

 

What is the big deal about Jesus?

  1. He is the only means of reaching the Father – John 14:6
  2. He is the only name for salvation – Acts 4:12
  3. He is the only door into the sheepfold – John 10:9

 

 

 

 

 


Reverend Dirk Ficca, minister of Presbyterian Church (USA)

At a Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference, Orange, California

 

“Why do so many Christians think they need to convert people in other religions to Christianity? Don’t they believe their God is powerful enough to work however He sees fit, even through other faiths? Don’t they believe in the sovereignty of God?”

 

“God’s ability to work in our life is not determined by being a Christian.”

 

“OK … if God is at work in our lives whether we’re Christian or not, what’s the big deal about Jesus?”

 

“What missionaries are saying is: Your religious identity is not acceptable and my job is to eliminate it from the face of the earth.”

 

“The Good News is not the good news so much about Jesus, but the good news of Jesus: The Good News that Jesus preached. What this view says is that Jesus reveals how God has been at work in all times in all places throughout history in all people to bring about salvation.”

NOTE: Gospel – Good News – Is it news Jesus preached or news about Jesus DBR?

 

“Thus, Christians no longer have to engage in “proselytizing” people to Christianity.”


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