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Welcome to Common Ground One 
book. 

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We are so glad you've joined us 
for today's message. 

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Whether you tuning in from home 
or catching up on another goal, 

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we pray that this word 
encourages you, strengthens your

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faith and draws you closer to 
God. 

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If you'd like to learn more 
about our church, connect with 

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us or get involved, you will 
find all the details in the 

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description. 
Now let's dive into today's 

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message. 
John. 

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Chapter 10 And we'll begin 
reading from verse 11. 

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I am the Good Shepherd, the 
shep. 

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The Good Shepherd lays down his 
life for the sheep. 

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He who is a hired hand and not a
shepherd who does not own the 

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sheep, sees the wolf coming and 
leaves the sheep and flees, and 

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the wolf snatches them and 
scatters them. 

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He flees because he is a hired 
hand and cares nothing for the 

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sheep. 
I am the Good Shepherd, I know 

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my own, and my own know me, just
as the Father knows me. 

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I know the Father and I lay down
my life for the sheep, and I 

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have other sheep that are not of
this fault. 

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I must bring them also, and they
will listen to my voice. 

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So there is one flock and 1 
shepherd. 

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For this reason the Father loves
me, because I laid down my life 

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that I may take it up again. 
No one takes it from me, but I 

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lay it down of my own accord. 
I have authority to take it 

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down, and I have authority to 
take it up again. 

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This charge I have received from
the Father. 

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Oh God, you are excellent. 
You're great, You are sovereign,

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You are supreme. 
We echo the words of prophet 

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Isaiah. 
Oh God, that you cannot be 

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compared to no other. 
For indeed, oh Lord, there is 

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none like you. 
And Lord, even this morning as 

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we sit under Your word, we pray 
that You would please address 

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us, that You would please speak 
to us, and that, oh Lord, we may

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not harden our hearts. 
Rather, oh God, we would respond

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to Your word by faith and apply 
it in our daily walk with You. 

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And we ask this in your name, 
Amen. 

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The title of this message is I 
Am the Good Shepherd. 

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As we've been going through the 
book of John together, we have 

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seen that John employs a number 
of metaphors to describe who 

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Jesus is, to describe Jesus, of 
course, as a Messiah and as the 

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king of Israel. 
In John chapter 6, we saw Jesus 

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as the bread of life. 
In John 8, we saw Jesus as the 

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light, and in John chapter 10, 
we saw Jesus as the door or the 

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gate, depending on the 
translation you're reading. 

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And today we're going to see 
Jesus as a shepherd. 

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By way of introduction, I want 
to focus on three things, and 

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then we'll get into the two 
points that I have for this 

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particular sermon. 
Number one, the history #2 the 

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shepherd imagery from the Old 
Testament, and then the shepherd

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imagery from the New Testament. 
Let's consider the history for a

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moment. 
Being a shepherd is a difficult 

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job. 
In fact, to be a shepherd often 

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meant that one was uneducated in
those days, but yet it was a 

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difficult job nonetheless. 
The shepherd had a duty to look 

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after the sheep. 
He was responsible for the 

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survival but also the welfare of
the sheep. 

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The shepherd would stay, would 
wake up early and stay up late 

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to ensure that the sheep is safe
and the sheep is taken care of. 

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He was out in terms of all the 
elements of the day, whether it 

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was raining, whether it was 
snowing, whether it was cold, 

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whether it is what windy, The 
shepherd would always have to be

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going outside to look after the 
sheep. 

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The shepherd would lead the 
sheep. 

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The shepherd would feed the 
sheep, but more importantly, the

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shepherd would protect the sheep
from danger, from robbers, and 

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as well from thieves because his
job was to look after the sheep.

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Not only that, the job of the 
shepherd also meant that he was 

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to provide food, he was to 
provide water, and he was to 

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provide medicine to the sheep. 
But one thing I do like about 

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the shepherd is that often the 
shepherd would smell like the 

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sheep. 
When the sheep sheep was sick, 

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the shepherd would take care of 
the sheep. 

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Unlike the goats. 
Goats can take care of 

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themselves, but sheeps are 
helpless without the shepherd. 

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In fact, this analogy of the 
shepherd is so wonderful that a 

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shepherd for a sheep to survive,
it needs the shepherd because 

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the sheep is not meant to 
survive without the shepherd. 

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So the sheep needs the shepherd 
all the time. 

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In fact, that is why we get 
these words from David. 

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The Lord is my shepherd. 
And so shepherd in history not 

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only took care of the sheep, but
they loved the sheep and they 

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cared deeply for the sheep. 
It was a tough job and yet they 

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did it with so much joy. 
Let us look at the imagery of 

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the shepherd and the sheep in 
the Old Testament. 

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Jordan is right last week when 
he spoke about Ezekiel 34 and 

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because Ezekiel 34 is likely 
that it is the background of 

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John chapter 10. 
Because in Ezekiel 34 God is not

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happy with the evil and failed 
leaders of Israel. 

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They are now in Babylon exile 
and God has a number of 

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accusations against the leaders 
of Israel. 

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The accusations go as follows. 
The shepherd took care of 

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themselves to the detriment of 
the sheep. 

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In other words, they did not 
take care of the sheep, nor did 

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they feed the sheep. 
And God says, I have this 

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against you #2 They failed to 
nurse the sick sheep and bring 

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back the straying sheep. 
They cared about themselves and 

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they did not nurse the sheep 
that was hurt. 

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And God says #2 I have this 
against you #3 God says you did 

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not strengthen the weak, nor 
heal the sickle, bind up the the

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injured. 
I have this against you, the 

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shepherd of Israel. 
The failed shepherd of Israel 

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ruled, ruled harshly and 
brutally. 

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And God said, I have this 
against you. 

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God is not happy with the 
shepherds of Israel. 

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And so this is really the 
background of John chapter 10. 

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God to say and Jesus to say 
this, I am the Good Shepherd, 

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unlike the shepherd of Israel. 
The notion of of shepherd is 

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quite common in Israel. 
It's quite common in the ancient

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E For example, Abraham was a 
shepherd, David was a shepherd, 

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Isaac was a shepherd. 
In fact, Isaac was such a Good 

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Shepherd that other shepherds 
were not happy with him because 

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he was so successful and told 
him to move away. 

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Imagine to be so good at 
something and other people say 

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I'm so jealous of you and say we
don't want you here buddy, you 

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need to leave. 
Moses was a shepherd. 

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He was the one who was looking 
after his father's low sheep. 

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But the most important thing 
here is this, that the ultimate 

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shepherd of Israel is not Moses,
not Abraham, nor it is David. 

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The shepherd of of Israel is God
himself. 

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That's why David would say the 
Lord is my shepherd. 

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In Isaiah 40 verse 11 it says he
tends to his flock like a 

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shepherd. 
He gathers the lamb in his arms 

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and carries them, and close to 
his heart he gently leads those 

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that are young. 
The ultimate shepherd of Israel 

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is none of these people that 
I've mentioned to you, but 

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rather it is God Himself. 
That's the imagery of a shepherd

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in the Old Testament. 
But what about the imagery of a 

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shepherd in the New Testament? 
Quite interestingly, when the 

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Bible uses this word of shepherd
in the New Testament, often it 

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refers to leaders of the church.
Notice a couple of passages, 

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John 21 as well as first Peter. 
Jesus says to Peter, feed my 

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lambs or tend to my sheep. 
First, Peter 5 says Be shepherds

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of God's flock that is under 
your care. 

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X20. 
Be shepherd of the Church of 

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God. 
And so this imagery is used 

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again for those who are in 
leadership. 

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Be shepherds, look after God's 
people. 

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It does not stop there. 
In the New Testament, Jesus uses

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the same imagery to refer to 
himself. 

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Notice in Hebrews 13 verse 20, 
Jesus is called the Great 

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Shepherd. 
In first Peter 5 verse 4, he is 

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the chief shepherd. 
And so Jesus uses the same 

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imagery to refer to himself. 
So we see it in history, we see 

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the same imagery in the Old 
Testament. 

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We see the imagery in the New 
Testament reference to those who

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lead, but also we see the same 
imagery used by Jesus to 

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describe himself. 
And so in Ezekiel 34 and 

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considering Ezekiel 34 as well 
as John chapter 10. 

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So and we read that passage that
in Ezekiel 34 he says, I will 

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step up over them, one shepherd,
my servant David, and he shall 

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feed them, and he shall feed 
them and be their shepherd. 

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And so we know even from the Old
Testament that the one true 

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shepherd is coming. 
And God will announce that, yes,

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the leaders of Israel have 
failed, they have not done a 

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good job, but God promises his 
people that the one true 

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shepherd will one day come. 
And Jesus says to this audience 

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here with the Pharisees and 
says, in fact, that prophecy is 

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being fulfilled right in front 
of you. 

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For I am that Good Shepherd. 
I am the king of Israel. 

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I am the promised Messiah. 
I am the exalted shepherd. 

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I am the true shepherd. 
I am the ideal shepherd right in

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front of you. 
They were still waiting. 

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And Jesus says, don't wait any 
longer. 

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I am that shepherd. 
In fact, they are not happy 

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regarding this to such an extent
that if you read verse 33, the 

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Bible says they wanted to stone 
him. 

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Here's the reason they wanted to
stone him. 

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It says because he claimed to be
God. 

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So when Jesus says I am the 
shepherd, the Pharisees and the 

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leaders know exactly what he's 
talking about and they want to 

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stone him to say this is 
blasphemy. 

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How can you make yourself equal 
to God? 

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And the Bible says they wanted 
to stone him. 

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Not only that, they also wanted 
to arrest him. 

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This is the imagery. 
So two points #1 Jesus knows his

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sheep. 
It is clear from the text. 

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Jesus says I am the Good 
Shepherd. 

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I know my own and my own knows 
me. 

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He repeats this in verse 27. 
My sheep hear my voice, and I 

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know them. 
Again, Jesus reminding the 

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listeners, the Pharisees, in 
this case the the Jewish 

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leaders, that I am the Good 
Shepherd. 

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I am unlike the shepherds of 
Israel. 

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I am unlike the failed shepherds
of Israel. 

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Rather, I am the Good Shepherd. 
And guess what? 

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I'm the Good Shepherd. 
But also I know my own, and my 

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own knows me. 
Notice that I know my own, and 

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my own knows me, and they know 
me because they belong to me. 

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Jesus says not only I'm a Good 
Shepherd, but I know those who 

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belong to me and they also know 
me. 

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In other words, I have an 
intimate relationship. 

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I have a close relationship with
my sheep and guess what? 

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They also know me. 
Jesus says I don't have a long 

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distance relationship with the 
sheep, rather I have a close 

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relationship with the sheep. 
Why? 

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Because they belong to me. 
The word know in this context is

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the word loving. 
Not just what Jesus says. 

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He talks about his relationship 
with the Father. 

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I, the Father and I are one. 
He also says I know the Father 

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and the Father knows me and he 
uses that to say this is how I 

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know the sheep, the way I know 
the Father. 

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This is the way I know my sheep.
I have a relationship. 

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And guess what it says then I 
not only know them, but I call 

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my sheep by name. 
I know them, I have a 

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relationship with them, I know 
each of them. 

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And often you can be around 
people who like to name drop. 

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Maybe some of us have those kind
of friends with us. 

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If they're next to you, please 
don't say anything. 

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But sometimes we have friends 
who like to name drop to really 

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show that I know a particular 
important person. 

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Have you been around the people 
I know? 

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Nah, I know Mandela. 
I know whoever the person that 

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they like to name drop. 
And often when we name drop, we 

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want to show that we know an 
important person, but also we 

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are known by that important 
person wherever they may be. 

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But the privilege of being known
by God supersedes being known by

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President Ramaphosa wherever 
else. 

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And he says my sheep knows me. 
This is so wonderful. 

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My sheep know me and I know 
them. 

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This is unmatched that God knows
us. 

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Not only that, he says I know 
them by name, that each of us 

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here this morning are known by 
the shepherd, The one who drew 

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us to himself has a relationship
with us. 

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And he says I know you. 
And guess what, you can't run 

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away from me, but also you can 
hide from me because I know you 

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before you think something, I 
know it. 

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In fact, you belong to me. 
And because you belong to me, 

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I'll take care of you because 
why you are mine. 

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What a wonderful relationship we
have with the Savior Church. 

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00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,040
You must be reminded of this 
that sometimes we want to be 

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known in certain spaces, but 
there is a great blessing and 

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00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:32,320
being known by God himself. 
Jesus says I know you and I know

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00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:35,800
your name. 
How wonderful is that he he 

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00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,720
called Zacchaeus by his name. 
He said, listen, come down 

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Zacchaeus, because what? 
He knew his name. 

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God this morning knows your 
name. 

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00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,080
Whatever trouble we may find 
ourselves in this morning, the 

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kind of discouragement and 
hopelessness we may find 

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00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,080
ourselves this morning. 
Can I say to you, the Saviour 

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00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,480
knows your name? 
Why? 

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00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,280
For he has a relationship with 
you. 

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He is close to you. 
Because Jesus says, oh, these 

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ones, they belong to me. 
I know them. 

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00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:17,920
And that is the goal of the 
church. 

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00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:22,960
That is the goal of leaders of 
the church is that as leaders we

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get connected to one another, 
but also we get connected to 

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everyone else in the 
congregation until the shepherd 

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00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:38,440
smells like the sheep. 
The shepherd is not separating 

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00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,800
himself from the from the sheep.
The shepherd is not thinking I'm

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more important than the sheep. 
Do you remember when they came? 

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They came to Jesus wanting to 
arrest him. 

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In fact, they were asking who is
Jesus among you for? 

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They could not tell Jesus from 
his disciples. 

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00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:59,200
He looked like them. 
He had no bling to say, oh, 

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that's the leader. 
He looked like his people. 

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00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:09,160
That's why they have to ask who 
is Jesus among you today? 

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00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:15,520
It becomes very you can easily 
tell at times a leader from the 

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00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:20,160
the congregation, but Jesus 
saying connect with one another.

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00:17:21,319 --> 00:17:26,839
But can I also say that part of 
shepherding and leading, it also

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00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:31,400
means that the leaders of the 
church have a responsibility to 

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00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:37,440
lead you into all truth, to feed
you truth like a Good Shepherd, 

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00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,520
even when you do not want that 
truth. 

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Leaders have a responsibility to
give you that truth, not as 

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00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,800
shepherds, but as under 
shepherds. 

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When you go astray, we have a 
responsibility to bring you back

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and say, hey, this road will 
lead to destruction. 

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Church be reminded that biblical
love confronts sin. 

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That's love. 
And shepherd have a 

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00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:09,800
responsibility to say, hey, 
you're going to get hurt, come 

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00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,000
this way. 
Let us walk with you. 

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00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,320
Let us confront this. 
In fact, when we confront sin, 

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it's part of God's wonderful 
grace in sustaining his church. 

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00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:26,200
Why do I say that? 
Thank thank God for Nathan who 

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00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,520
went to David and say, hey, 
David, what you've done is 

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00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:31,800
wrong. 
In fact, God saw it. 

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00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:36,600
Thank God for Paul who rebuked 
Peter and say, Peter, this 

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00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:39,720
hypocrisy is not right. 
Buddy, turn away from this. 

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00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:45,200
That is the job of leading and 
loving and shepherding. 

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00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,440
But also that includes 
protecting the sheep from 

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00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:52,440
wolves. 
This is not to control you, but 

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00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:56,600
rather to love you. 
Shepherds have that 

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00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,800
responsibility. 
And sometimes it may feel as 

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00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:02,760
though people are invading 
people's lives, but that's not 

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00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:05,880
the case at times. 
It's because the Lord is calling

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00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,920
us out. 
And can I say I've been called 

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00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,080
out in my own life many times by
people that love me and 

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00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,040
appreciate me and have said to 
me, hey, this is not the way. 

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00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:19,320
And at times I think to myself, 
who do they think they are to 

290
00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:22,320
tell me? 
And then I go back and reflect. 

291
00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:27,720
I realized they were right. 
God is calling me to repent in 

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00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:31,640
this area of my life. 
That's the nature of 

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00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:36,160
shepherding, but also the nature
of shepherding does not stop in 

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00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:39,360
the in the context of the church
or does not stop when the 

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00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:41,600
shepherds and the under 
shepherds of the church leave 

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00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,080
the floor. 
But also there is a call of 

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00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:49,320
shepherding at home as well. 
I will never forget what my 

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00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,960
previous pastor said to me. 
He told me a story the other 

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00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:53,200
day. 
He says one of his sons came to 

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00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,880
him and say, hey, Dad, we don't 
see you like you, you're not 

301
00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:57,560
around. 
What? 

302
00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:58,880
What's going on? 
We don't see you. 

303
00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:00,960
We don't connect with you. 
You're not engaging with us. 

304
00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,000
He said the reason that was so 
surprising to him, he said, 

305
00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:05,680
guess what? 
I'm always at home. 

306
00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:10,400
But he realized something, that 
he was at home, but he was not 

307
00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:15,000
present. 
Parents can be at home and not 

308
00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:19,880
be present. 
Shepherding your family means 

309
00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,080
also that you are. 
Present in shepherding your own 

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00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,200
family, your own kids, your 
husband, your wife, shepherding 

311
00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:31,000
one another as a family through 
prayers, through reading of the 

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00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,080
Word, through sharing 
encouraging words. 

313
00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:42,120
You are shepherding one another.
It begins in the family. 

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00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,480
So they shepherding in the 
church context, but also they 

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00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:49,920
shepherding that happens in the 
home #2 Jesus says Then I lay 

316
00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:54,400
down my life for my sheep. 
Notice that is in verse 11, but 

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00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,720
also it's repeated in verse 17. 
For this reason, the Father 

318
00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:01,000
loves me because I lay down my 
life. 

319
00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,800
I take it up again. 
I lay it down only to take it up

320
00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:07,200
again. 
No one takes it from me. 

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00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,000
I love this. 
Jesus says there is a price to 

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00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,520
be paid and guess what, I am 
going to pay this price. 

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00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,600
He knows that in a few months 
time he will be at the Feast of 

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00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:18,880
the Tabernacles. 
He knows that next is going to 

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00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,080
be a Passover. 
After the Passover He knows that

326
00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:22,440
he will become the Passover 
lamb. 

327
00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,920
Jesus knows this. 
Why is he saying this? 

328
00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,040
Because none of the other 
leaders were willing to lay down

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00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:32,520
their lives for the sheep. 
And Jesus says I lay down my 

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00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:37,040
life for my sheep. 
Church. 

331
00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:42,400
Jesus dies freely. 
Jesus dies voluntarily. 

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00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:47,520
Jesus is not forced. 
He dies willingly for his sheep.

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00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,200
And he says, guess what? 
I will die, but I will also take

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00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:55,440
up my life again. 
Jesus's death is divine 

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00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:58,240
accomplishment. 
Jesus's death is divine 

336
00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:02,600
appointment orchestrated by the 
Father and the Son and the Holy 

337
00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:08,520
Spirit, that Jesus will come and
will come and die and will die. 

338
00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:11,800
And Jesus says I will die. 
But guess what? 

339
00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,000
This is not because of any man's
doing. 

340
00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:19,040
I'm simply laying down my life. 
And then he says, for who? 

341
00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:23,440
For who did Jesus then die for? 
For whom is he laying down his 

342
00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,120
life for? 
He says for the sheep. 

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00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:30,240
Jesus says, I die and lay my 
life down for the sheep. 

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00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,840
In other words, I die in the 
place of the sheep. 

345
00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:42,560
The worst of me is laid upon 
Jesus, and the best of Jesus is 

346
00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:49,200
laid upon me, my sin transferred
to Jesus, His righteousness 

347
00:22:49,360 --> 00:22:52,000
transferred to me. 
That is the greatest change. 

348
00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:57,520
That's what Jesus means here. 
I die for my sheep. 

349
00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:03,840
I will lay down my life for my 
sheep because the hired handy 

350
00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:05,960
tells us that the hired handy 
runs away. 

351
00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,760
The hired hand runs away because
he is not the owner of the 

352
00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,600
sheep. 
He's only doing this in order to

353
00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,040
get a check, but he's not the 
owner of the sheep. 

354
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,600
And Jesus says, but I own the 
sheep. 

355
00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:19,840
Therefore I lay my love down for
my sheep. 

356
00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,600
The shepherd the, the, the, the 
hired hand does not care for the

357
00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:27,360
sheep because they did not care 
for that woman that was caught 

358
00:23:27,360 --> 00:23:30,560
in adultery in chapter 8. 
Nor did they care for the 

359
00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:34,960
paralysed man in chapter 5, nor 
did they care for the man by the

360
00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:37,240
by the by the pool in in Chapter
9. 

361
00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:40,040
They did not care. 
And Jesus said, I am a different

362
00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,320
kind of shepherd. 
I care to such an extent that I 

363
00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,160
care in fact that I will die for
you. 

364
00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,840
The shepherd gave his life for 
the sheep. 

365
00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,520
The sheep will not have life 
apart from the shepherd dying. 

366
00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:02,480
The sheep receives life through 
the death of the shepherd. 

367
00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,840
Without the shepherd willingly 
dying, the sheep remains in 

368
00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:11,080
their sins. 
Without the shepherd dying, the 

369
00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:17,000
wrath of God falls upon the 
sheep, but the the shepherd dies

370
00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:22,040
and invites the sheep to come to
himself. 

371
00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:27,800
Romans 58 says God shows his 
love for us and that while we 

372
00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,480
were still sinners, Christ died 
for us. 

373
00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:35,120
Romans 324 Sinners are justified
by His grace as the gift through

374
00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:38,560
the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus, whom God put forward as 

375
00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:42,680
the propitiation by His blood to
be received by faith. 

376
00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,000
Jesus says I lay down my life 
for my sheep. 

377
00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:52,240
I die for my sheep. 
Again, let us be reminded about 

378
00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:59,000
the humility of the shepherd 
here, that Jesus is not calling 

379
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:02,400
us as leaders in your area of 
leadership wherever you are 

380
00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,520
leading. 
Jesus is calling us to a place 

381
00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:08,080
of humility, but he's also 
calling us to a place where it 

382
00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:13,160
is never about self glory, but 
it is always about the glory of 

383
00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:18,920
Christ. 
You must always be reminded that

384
00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:23,080
it is not about power, it is not
about prestige, nor it is about 

385
00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:28,080
profit, but rather it is about 
submission to Christ that we can

386
00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,800
also cry out like the psalmist, 
Not to us, O God, not to us, but

387
00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,480
to you. 
Be the glory alone. 

388
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:39,360
The church is meant to lift up 
his hands and his voice to say, 

389
00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:44,080
All glory be to the King, all 
glory be to Jesus, for He is the

390
00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:51,120
one that gathers the sheep and 
lay his life down for the sheep.

391
00:25:52,360 --> 00:25:57,520
Someone once asked Charles 
Spurgeon the secret of his 

392
00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:01,120
influential ministry, and 
Charles Spurgeon's response was 

393
00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:04,920
quite surprising. 
He says my people pray for me. 

394
00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,800
So they said, Spurgeon, why are 
you so successful in ministry? 

395
00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:14,840
Is this because my people pray 
for me is a reminder that even 

396
00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,520
leaders are not immune to 
temptation. 

397
00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:25,040
Can I repeat that leaders are 
not immune to temptation? 

398
00:26:26,360 --> 00:26:29,360
Temptation is no respecter of 
men. 

399
00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,720
Sin is not respecter of men. 
In fact, it cares nothing about 

400
00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:40,200
your title. 
Therefore, I think one of the 

401
00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:45,200
gifts that God gives us as a 
local church is the plurality of

402
00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:49,520
elders in the local church. 
I do not know how people leave 

403
00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:51,960
churches alone. 
I don't know how you do that. 

404
00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:56,560
And I never want to experience 
that in my life because you need

405
00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:01,160
other people to speak into your 
life, to hold you accountable, 

406
00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,920
but also to encourage you and 
lift you up. 

407
00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:08,600
Church, can I say this morning 
and and encourage you this 

408
00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:15,240
morning to please pray for the 
leaders of this church because 

409
00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:19,320
we should not be ignorant of the
devices of Satan. 

410
00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:24,320
Therefore, the church and its 
members ought to lift up the 

411
00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:29,000
leaders of the church and pray. 
But also the the brutality of 

412
00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,760
leaders gives greater 
accountability, but also it 

413
00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,920
protects the church from 
spiritual abuse and actually 

414
00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:39,640
preserve each truth and also 
preserve its doctrine. 

415
00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:44,600
A few months ago, I was sitting 
with a group of leaders and we 

416
00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,360
were discussing the issue of 
Palestine and Israel. 

417
00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,120
I want to tell you what was the 
end result of our conversation. 

418
00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:52,560
But it was, it was so good 
because we were meeting as 

419
00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:53,960
leaders. 
We did not know what each one of

420
00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:56,360
us thought about this topic. 
And we sat down and say, what do

421
00:27:56,360 --> 00:27:58,760
you think about this matter? 
How should we think about Israel

422
00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,320
and Palestine from a biblical 
point of view and how should we 

423
00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,120
respond? 
And we debated, we discussed, 

424
00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:08,480
and can I say perhaps we did not
agree on everything, but that 

425
00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,600
was good because when we, when 
each of us went home, we could 

426
00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,560
reflect on our own biblical 
stance on this issue. 

427
00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:20,120
That's what leadership gives to 
discuss even tough doctrinal 

428
00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:24,760
matters and to preserve the 
doctrine of the church and 

429
00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:27,040
church. 
We need this because as leaders 

430
00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:30,240
as well, maybe in your area of 
leadership, we are prone to 

431
00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:33,400
wonder, but sometimes we are 
prone to drift. 

432
00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,600
As I was preparing this sermon, 
I was reminded of my old 

433
00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:43,320
favorite hymn written in 1758. 
Verse 3 of that hymn says this 

434
00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,440
is the hymn is Come thou 
fountain. 

435
00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:46,480
I'm not sure if some of you know
him. 

436
00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,800
Come thou fountain. 
Verse 3 says prone to 1. 

437
00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:52,960
The Lord, I feel it, prone to 
live. 

438
00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:56,880
The God I love hears my heart. 
O Lord, take and seal it. 

439
00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:05,480
Seal it for thy cuts above, 
because we are prone to wonder 

440
00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,480
at times. 
But can I also say that they're 

441
00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:11,520
brown? 
To wonder does not mean the loss

442
00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:13,880
of salvation, that you're losing
your salvation. 

443
00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:17,160
No, because Jesus is clear. 
No one can snatch you out of my 

444
00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:18,680
hand. 
No one. 

445
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:20,400
So you're not losing your 
salvation. 

446
00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,440
But can I say that the sheep, 
the sheep does sometimes drift. 

447
00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:28,480
Sometimes a sheep can even drift
for a season. 

448
00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,080
But we trust the Lord will bring
the sheep back to the fold. 

449
00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:37,920
Perhaps a few questions for us 
to consider and for you to 

450
00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:43,240
consider. 
In what ways do we need to 

451
00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:46,640
sacrifice for all for us to do 
what's best for those that are 

452
00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:49,160
close to us? 
Do we need to sacrifice our 

453
00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,120
time? 
Do we need to sacrifice our 

454
00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:52,920
comfort? 
Do we need to sacrifice our 

455
00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,840
privacy? 
Do we need to sacrifice our 

456
00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:59,800
career and advancement for the 
sake of shepherding our own 

457
00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:03,760
family as Jesus willing to 
sacrifice it for the sheep? 

458
00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:10,800
The household is called to 
sacrifice for one another in 

459
00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,480
some careers. 
Sometimes we need to say no for 

460
00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:18,600
the benefit of the family. 
Notice what he says next. 

461
00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:23,720
He says I have other sheep that 
are not of this pan but I must 

462
00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:25,960
bring them also. 
They will listen to my voice and

463
00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:29,280
there will be 1 flock and 1 
shepherd church. 

464
00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:32,640
We must be reminded this morning
that Christ's ongoing work 

465
00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,120
throughout human history is 
still taking place even this 

466
00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:40,200
morning here at Weinberg where 
the Lord gathers many national 

467
00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:43,200
teas and, and, and cultures 
together to come and worship 

468
00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:45,160
Him. 
And when the world will say, 

469
00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:49,360
hey, separate, we say no because
the shepherd has gathered his 

470
00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:53,520
flock at Weinberg this morning. 
We're representing Revelation 

471
00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:57,240
chapter 5 from every tribe, from
every language, a people and 

472
00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,360
nation gathered under God's 
voice. 

473
00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,720
We must be reminded Jesus saying
to the Israel, in other words, 

474
00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:05,520
he's saying to the Jews. 
There are others that are 

475
00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:06,240
coming. 
Guess what? 

476
00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:09,800
They are not Jewish. 
They are Gentiles. 

477
00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:13,480
That this is not just about you 
Jews also the Gentiles are 

478
00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:16,960
coming in and they will come. 
That's what it reminds us of, 

479
00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:19,680
that Jesus is not a Middle 
Eastern. 

480
00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,880
Jesus is not a Western savior. 
He's not an African savior. 

481
00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:26,720
Jesus is the world Savior, A 
savior for all people and for 

482
00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:31,040
all men. 
And sometimes we don't even have

483
00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:32,600
to. 
We don't even care much about 

484
00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:34,840
his skin colour because skin 
colour does not save. 

485
00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,200
We want to know Jesus. 
He's saving work. 

486
00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,920
And he says not only that. 
They will gather under 1 

487
00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,400
shepherd, under one gospel, 
under 1 Saviour, and under 1 

488
00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:50,680
Lord. 
Just let's be reminded that 

489
00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:54,640
there is no Baptist flock, there
is no Enrique Gerg flock, there 

490
00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:58,560
is no Presbyterian flock, there 
is no common ground flock. 

491
00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:03,160
Jesus says they will become one 
flock under 1 shepherd. 

492
00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:09,760
And so we, we must be careful of
this, trying to separate 

493
00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,120
ourselves. 
No, no, we are this, we are 

494
00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:12,600
that. 
I know that there's often a 

495
00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:15,320
place for that, but it is a 
reminder that first and 

496
00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:18,760
foremost, we are believers. 
We are followers of Christ, we 

497
00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:22,160
are Christians. 
We are not First Baptist or 

498
00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:27,320
Presbyterian or common ground. 
We are not divided by those 

499
00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:29,160
things. 
Yes, there are spaces for those 

500
00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:30,960
things. 
When someone says to me I'm a 

501
00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,800
Baptist, I know what they mean, 
that one of the things they 

502
00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:35,840
believe in is probably 
congregationalism. 

503
00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:39,840
When someone says I'm Reformed, 
they probably say I hold to the 

504
00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:42,640
doctrines of grace. 
I'm a 5 point Calvinist. 

505
00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:44,920
I hold to the creeds and the 
Confessions. 

506
00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:47,880
That's what they mean. 
So we know there's space for 

507
00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,200
those things, but ultimately God
is gathering his flock. 

508
00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:53,720
It does not matter where they 
belong, whether they're in her 

509
00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:57,200
care or the Presbyterian or 
Baptist is 1 flock under the 

510
00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:00,440
banner of Jesus. 
Because one day in heaven, I 

511
00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,200
won't say no, I'm from common 
ground. 

512
00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:05,320
Common ground will mean 
absolutely nothing. 

513
00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:10,480
No, I belong to Christ who 
gathers his church. 

514
00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:16,800
It says, No one takes my life, 
but I lay down in my own accord,

515
00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:22,080
Jesus saying, here I have come 
unto this earth to do the will 

516
00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:24,640
of the Father. 
John please says, For God so 

517
00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:28,400
loved the world that he gave the
Father, gives the Son for the 

518
00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:32,440
benefit of the sheep. 
Jesus says, I have come to do 

519
00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:33,680
the will of the Father. 
Guess what? 

520
00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:38,240
I love the Father and the Father
loves me and I am one with the 

521
00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,920
Father. 
The death of Jesus constitutes 

522
00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,520
the flock. 
The shepherd dies so that the 

523
00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:52,040
sheep can leave. 
Revelation 7 verse 17 says for 

524
00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:56,520
the Lamb at the center of the 
throne will be their shepherd. 

525
00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:02,360
The shepherd becomes the Lamb 
for our sake. 

526
00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:06,400
The death of Jesus is not a 
small thing. 

527
00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:10,560
We must be reminded that this is
the perfect Son of God, the 

528
00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:14,159
second person of the Trinity, 
who put on flesh in order to die

529
00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:18,600
in our place for our sin, the 
one who was without spot or 

530
00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:22,960
blemish and yet to die for 
wicked sinners. 

531
00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:25,840
The death of Jesus is not a 
small thing. 

532
00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:30,880
He is the perfect Lamb that lays
down his life for his sheep. 

533
00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:34,480
A few words of application, then
we close number one. 

534
00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,280
I want to encourage you this 
morning to look to the Shepherd.

535
00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:43,199
Jesus alone in this analogy, in 
this imagery, shows that He 

536
00:34:43,199 --> 00:34:45,360
alone is the guardian of our 
souls. 

537
00:34:46,159 --> 00:34:49,679
He will guide our steps. 
We must rest in Him. 

538
00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:53,280
We must remain in Him. 
He will take care of us in 

539
00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:58,240
unimaginable ways. 
May I encourage the Saints this 

540
00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:00,880
morning here at Weinberg to 
follow Him. 

541
00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:10,120
All the days of your life follow
him #2 in this analogy, also in 

542
00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,520
this imagery, give us a sense of
a wondered sheep. 

543
00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:18,160
Often a sheep will wander 
because of grievous sin. 

544
00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:21,440
Sometimes that sin will be 
gradual. 

545
00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:24,480
But can I say this morning, if 
you're walking in disobedience 

546
00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:26,840
this morning, you're working in 
grievous sin, walking grievous 

547
00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:33,360
sin, Can I say to you, stop and 
turn around, Don't keep going no

548
00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,480
matter how many wrong path 
you've taken in your life. 

549
00:35:37,240 --> 00:35:40,360
The Shepherd wants to show you 
this morning how beautiful he 

550
00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:41,800
is. 
He's more beautiful than 

551
00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:43,400
anything else. 
You think it's beautiful? 

552
00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:46,320
Whatever may be holding you to 
say, stay here, stay here. 

553
00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:48,560
Can I say Jesus much more 
beautiful than that? 

554
00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:54,320
Come this morning, Jesus offers 
us what is better than this 

555
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:58,240
world. 
When you are lost, he will find 

556
00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:00,840
you. 
When you are weary, He will 

557
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:03,800
carry you. 
When you are cast down, He will 

558
00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:11,360
restore you. 
Therefore, the invitation, If 

559
00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:14,600
you do not know the shepherd 
this morning, I want to say to 

560
00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:18,240
you, he again, He has come to 
lay down his life for sinners. 

561
00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:22,400
The Bible reminds us that all 
men have fallen short of the 

562
00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,480
glory of God. 
None of us meet the standard of 

563
00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:32,280
God, and yet the Savior dies for
us not only to be able to meet 

564
00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:34,760
that standard in our own power, 
in our own strength and our own 

565
00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,360
ability to know, to meet that 
standard based on the 

566
00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:39,440
righteousness that He imputes to
us. 

567
00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:44,080
So that the Father does not look
at us on the basis of our sin, 

568
00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:47,080
but the Father looks at us on 
the basis of the righteousness 

569
00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:50,080
of Christ. 
And so this morning, if you 

570
00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:54,120
don't know Him, come to Him. 
Put your trust in Him. 

571
00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:56,920
Rely this morning upon His 
finished work. 

572
00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:01,640
He will care for you. 
He will give you eternal life. 

573
00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:05,640
The Scripture reminds us that if
you hear His voice this morning,

574
00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:10,600
do not harden your heart. 
Scripture says whoever shall 

575
00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:16,520
call upon him shall be saved. 
Our Lord in heaven, we are so 

576
00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:23,280
grateful to know about this Good
Shepherd, Shepherd who dies and 

577
00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:24,960
lays down his life for his 
sheep. 

578
00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:31,120
We love this imagery of God such
to be reminded that you died for

579
00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:33,720
us. 
You're the innocent one. 

580
00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:39,160
We are the guilty ones, and yet 
you laid down your life for us. 

581
00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:43,080
And not only that, oh God, you 
give us the privilege to come to

582
00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:46,680
you and you call us friends. 
Not only that, oh God, you give 

583
00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:50,480
us the privilege to serve you. 
And so, Lord, our hearts are 

584
00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:53,000
grateful this morning. 
Our hearts are thankful this 

585
00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:59,080
morning that we have the Good 
Shepherd who loves us, who feeds

586
00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:02,000
us, who leads us, and who takes 
care of us. 

587
00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:05,640
And we say, let your name be 
glorified. 

588
00:38:06,240 --> 00:38:12,960
Amen. 
Thank you for listening to 

589
00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,600
today's message. 
We hope you are encouraged and 

590
00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:17,720
challenged in your faith. 
If you're in the Southern 

591
00:38:17,720 --> 00:38:21,080
Suburbs, would love to welcome 
you in person at one of our 

592
00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:23,200
serves. 
Don't forget to subscribe, share

593
00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:26,400
this message with a friend, and 
stay connected with us on social

594
00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:28,560
media for more inspiration 
throughout the week. 

595
00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:31,960
Until next time, stay clear and 
keep shining your light.