" . . . to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called,” Jude 1:1.

Last week, we began our consideration of the three terms used to describe a true Christian, starting from the ‘inside’ and working ‘out’! 

The first of those was the fact that a Christian is one CALLED of God and that by the Holy Spirit applying the Word of God to our hearts. A Christian is someone, who like the ‘sheep’ in John 10:2-4 “hear his voice” and “follow him”. If you are a Christian today you are walking in obedience to the “voice” of Christ, the “Word of God”.

We come to the second term today. “Preserved in Jesus Christ.” 

1. A Christian is “IN” Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” 2 Corinthians 5:17. As Noah entered the ark and was saved; as David hid in the “Cave of Adullam” (1 Sam 22:1) from Saul and was safe, so the repentant sinner receives Christ and is welcomed into the safety of His arms, just like the children in Mark 10:16! “And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.”

2. Being in Christ, the believing sinner is “PRESERVED”. The Greek word used carries the meaning ‘to attend to carefully, take care of, to guard.’ That is the portion of the believer in Christ.

When thinking of an illustration from the Bible of the wonderful preservation, there was a number of incidents that sprang to mind. Noah and his family in the ark. Israel passing through the Red Sea,“which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned,” Hebrews 11:29. 

But the incident I felt drawn to is recorded for us in the gospels. “And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost,” Luke 15:3-6.

A. The Saviour came from Heaven to seek His lost sheep. He said that Himself. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost,” Luke 19:10. We are ‘lost’ because we have wandered away from God and His Word and followed sin! Christ is seeking out His lost ‘sheep’.

B. The Saviour will find His lost sheep. He will “go after that which is lost, until he find it.” No matter what the cost, the Good Shepherd will find and save His lost ones. The cost of redeeming His people was the sufferings of the cross — the ‘hatred’ of men; the ‘pain’ of crucifixion and the ‘wrath’ of God’s judgment upon our sins which the Saviour bore.

The wrath of a sin-hating God

With us can have nothing to do;

The Saviour's obedience and blood

Hide all our transgressions from view.

Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-1778)

C. Finding us in the wilderness, the Saviour then ‘lays us on His shoulders’. If today you have answered the call to of Christ and trusted Him for salvation, you are PRESENTLY being carried on the shoulders of Christ. It has been pointed out that in Isaiah 9:6, it says of Christ: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Please notice that “government”, ‘all rule and dominion’ in this world and throughout creation, is carried on the ‘shoulder of Christ. But the saved sinner rests upon the ‘SHOULDERS’ of Christ. I think we can say that God puts forth more power to safely carry His people to heaven than He does to govern the whole of creation!

D. The safe arrival of the saved sinners occasions REJOICING! “And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” All of the occupants of heaven are assembled to joyfully welcome the lost sinners home!

Tell me, girls and boys, is that how your life will end? Is there such a welcome awaiting you in glory? There will be ONLY if you have obeyed the call of Christ and surrendered to Him.