WEBVTT

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 Right? Draw me nearer. But what does that look like? What does it look like when he's drawing us nearer?

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! What takes shape in your life? What shows up as evidence that you're nearer than you were the day before?

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 That you're nearer than you were the year before.

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 What evidence do you have?

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 Are you nearer today to your shepherd, to your savior than you were when you were saved?

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 How do you know? How does it take shape? What does that look like?

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 How does it evidence itself in your life that you are nearer today than you were before?

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 And is that really the objective? It is the objective, isn't it?

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 To be drawn nearer to him.

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 And this morning what I'd like to present to you is in drawing near to him, you look more like him.

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 The sheep begins to take on the resemblance of the shepherd.

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 The sheep begins to have the same qualities, the same character as the shepherd.

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 So that you see the flock and you know, oh, those are the shepherd's sheep.

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 They belong to the good shepherd.

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 And I would hope that as there is a resemblance of the good shepherd in you,

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 that there is an attractiveness that would say from the world to you,

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 take me to your leader.

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 Take me to the good shepherd.

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 And as we begin to resemble the things that we talked about a couple of weeks ago,

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 the things that are beautiful and marvelous and wonderful about your good shepherd,

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 as those things begin to take shape in you,

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 the world will say,

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 I want to know more about your good shepherd.

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 Take me to your leader.

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 Take me to your leader.

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 Now, remember back to when you were young.

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 Younger.

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 This is a game that I always loved to play.

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 Simon Says.

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 You like to play Simon Says?

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 I love that game.

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 Or follow the leader.

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 And what was the telltale sign of the individual who was effective or the winner of the game?

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 Well, they listened carefully to the instructions of Simon,

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 whoever that Simon was.

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 Or they emulated the pattern that they saw in that leader as they're following the leader,

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 as they're emulating his activities,

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 as they're walking in the way they walk,

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 and they're speaking the things they say,

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 and they're moving in the way that the leader moves.

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 Or they're following the instructions of the leader.

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 That was a fun game.

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 But do you realize that that is not just a game for that day?

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 It's the game.

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 Or I might say it should shape your life.

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 The life of following your leader.

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 And you have a good leader.

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 You have the best leader.

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 Now, unlike that game Simon Says,

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 And unlike the game follow the leader,

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 where the person who followed instructions best was the winner.

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 The focus and attention was directed to that individual.

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 Good job.

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 You can now be the leader.

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 Way to go.

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 Perfect for you.

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 So, the way that we emulate our leader,

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 in contrast to that,

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 doesn't draw attention to us,

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 but draws attention to him.

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 That's when you know you are following your leader the best.

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 When attention and focus and glory and praise goes to him,

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 and not to you.

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 Are you following your leader today?

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 Well, a couple of weeks ago,

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 we were looking at John chapter 10,

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 verses 1 to 18.

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 This morning, I'd like to look at John chapter 10,

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 verses 1 to 18.

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 A few weeks ago,

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 we were focusing and directing our attention to the Good Shepherd.

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 We were looking at the qualities that made him good.

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 But this morning, what I'd like to do,

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 is I'd like to draw attention,

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 not to the Good Shepherd,

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 but I'd like to think about and talk about his sheep.

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 What is true about the shepherd's sheep.

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 So, if you're there in John chapter 10,

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 let me just read the first few verses,

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 and we'll make our way through this passage together.

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 John chapter 10,

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 verses 1 to 18.

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 If you're visiting with us this morning,

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 there's a Bible in front of you,

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 there in the pew.

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 We're on page 896.

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 Let me read the first few verses here.

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 Here's what it says.

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 Truly, truly, I say to you,

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 he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door,

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 but climbs in by another way,

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 that man is a thief and a robber.

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 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

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 To him the gatekeeper opens.

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 The sheep hear his voice,

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 and he calls his sheep by name and leads them out.

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 When he has brought them out,

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 all his own,

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 he goes before them,

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 and the sheep follow him,

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 for they know his voice.

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 Do we have slides this morning, Joey?

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 Okay, I just want to make sure that we're tracking together.

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 Okay, good.

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 I think, if I remember correctly,

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 there are four qualities in our passage this morning

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 that direct our attention to the shepherd.

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 Things that will be true of you as a sheep,

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 if you are a true sheep,

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 part of the flock,

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 that help to point to the wonder

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 and the goodness of your good shepherd.

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 And here in the first couple of verses,

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 we see that the first quality is

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 they listen to their shepherd.

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 They listen to their shepherd.

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 Now, the number of passages that are up there

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 are to try to walk you through.

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 You don't have to worry about writing them down.

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 They're there just for your own benefit.

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 Of course, if you want to put them down,

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 you're welcome to.

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 But just to try to chart our progress through this book,

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 Jesus was not a wimp

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 when he came to helping the scribes

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 and the Pharisees and the religious leaders

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 to know,

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 I'm the guy.

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 I'm the Messiah.

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 I'm the man.

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 Follow me.

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 Time after time after time,

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 Jesus clearly and boldly

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 and definitively said,

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 I am he.

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 I'm the Messiah.

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 Let there be no question.

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 It's me.

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 And here we have some examples

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 going all the way back

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 to the first chapter

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 where John the Baptist says of him,

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 Behold the Lamb of God

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 who takes away the sin of the world.

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 And Jesus, walking onto the scene,

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 accepts the title,

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 accepts the praise of John

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 and gets baptized

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 in the presence of everyone.

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 He is the Lamb of God

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 who takes away the sin of the world.

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 In John chapter 2,

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 the account that we find

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 in the Gospel of John

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 and we don't find anywhere else,

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 Jesus goes into the temple

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 and Jesus is cleansing the temple

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 of the money changers,

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 overturning these tables.

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 And he says definitively

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 in John chapter 2, 16,

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 Do not make my father's house

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 a house of trade.

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 Here will you worship in the temple.

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 This is my father's house.

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 True identity was being defined,

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 declared in the presence

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 of all who heard.

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 To the woman at the well

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 in John chapter 4, verse 26,

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 and some of these will be up there,

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 others will not,

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 so don't be confused or alarmed.

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 The woman is asking Jesus the question.

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 He says,

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 We know the Messiah is coming.

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 And Jesus says,

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 I who speak to you am he.

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 I'm the one.

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 I'm the Messiah.

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 In John chapter 5, verse 17,

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 Jesus states,

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 My father is working until now

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 and I am working.

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 And with that,

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 the crowd decided

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 that they were going to

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 pick up stones

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 and kill him

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 because he was even calling God

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 his own father.

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 They got it.

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 They understood

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 what that statement meant.

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 In John 6, 35,

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 Jesus says,

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 I am the bread of life.

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 And later on in the passage,

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 he says,

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 I came down from heaven

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 not to do my will,

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 but to do the will of him

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 who sent me.

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 I am from above.

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 I am from heaven.

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 The father resides there.

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 He sent me down to do his work.

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 In John chapter 7,

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 If anyone thirsts,

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 let him come to me and drink.

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 I am the one.

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 I am the well

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 that has been promised

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 in the Old Testament.

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 Drink of me.

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 In John 8, 12,

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 I am the light of the world.

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 In John 8, 58,

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 Before Abraham was,

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 I am.

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 John 9, 5,

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 I am the light of the world.

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 And then four times

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 in the passage,

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 this passage in John chapter 10,

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 Jesus says,

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 Twice, I am the door.

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 And twice,

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 I am the shepherd.

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 Now by this point,

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 the religious leaders

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 should have gotten it.

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 Jesus is the man.

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 And they should have listened

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 to his voice.

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 Should have recognized

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 the works and the truth

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 and the statements

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 that were so clear

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 and definitive.

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 And they should have bowed

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 before him

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 and listened to his instruction.

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 They had the opportunity

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 to do that.

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 And yet they turned

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 on Jesus

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 and decided not to listen.

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 Jesus is one worth listening to.

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 He is the good shepherd

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 worth listening to.

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 We find an interesting reason

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 to listen to him.

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 We find it here

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 in verses 3 and 4.

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 It says,

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 To him the gatekeeper opens,

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 the sheep hear his voice,

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 and he calls his own sheep

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 by name.

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 Now that's an interesting

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 detail that John brings out.

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 He calls his sheep by name.

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 What is the significance

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 of calling his sheep by name?

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 And not the converse.

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 Not the sheep calling

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 the shepherd by name.

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 Interestingly,

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 throughout the Old Testament

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 and even in the New Testament,

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 there was significance

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 in naming.

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 We find in the very first

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 chapters of Genesis,

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 Adam named the animals.

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 We find throughout

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 the Old Testament,

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 God renames Abram

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 to Abraham.

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 He renames Sarai

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 to Sarah.

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 He renames Jacob

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 to Israel.

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 Of course,

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 the angel shows up

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 and says,

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 His name shall be Jesus,

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 for he will save his people

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 from their sins.

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 An angel shows up

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 and says,

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 Call him John.

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 Speaking of

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 John the Baptist,

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 Jesus

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 to Simon

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 says,

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 You're no longer

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 going to be called Simon,

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 you're going to be called Peter.

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 There is significance

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 in name.

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 The connotation of this

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 is a connotation

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 of ownership

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 and authority,

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 of really the birthing process

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 of legacy,

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 of identity

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 and procession

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 proceeding from

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 the individual

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 who has been named.

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 We do this

00:12:01.299 --> 00:12:02.219
 in our own day

00:12:02.219 --> 00:12:03.779
 in some sense

00:12:03.779 --> 00:12:05.659
 where moms and dads

00:12:05.659 --> 00:12:06.579
 who have

00:12:06.579 --> 00:12:08.419
 born children,

00:12:09.100 --> 00:12:10.459
 they call their children

00:12:10.459 --> 00:12:11.079
 by name.

00:12:11.959 --> 00:12:12.179
 Now,

00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:13.139
 sometimes they run

00:12:13.139 --> 00:12:13.720
 through the whole list

00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:14.299
 before they actually

00:12:14.299 --> 00:12:15.319
 get to the right one,

00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:17.639
 but they call their kids

00:12:17.639 --> 00:12:18.079
 by name

00:12:18.079 --> 00:12:18.879
 and their kids

00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:19.679
 do not say,

00:12:20.319 --> 00:12:20.720
 Hey, Andrew!

00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:21.740
 Or,

00:12:21.939 --> 00:12:22.399
 Hey, Sarah!

00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:23.539
 They don't call

00:12:23.539 --> 00:12:24.779
 parents by name,

00:12:25.199 --> 00:12:25.879
 they call them

00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:26.620
 by their title

00:12:26.620 --> 00:12:27.699
 mom or dad.

00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:30.459
 It's an issue

00:12:30.459 --> 00:12:31.000
 of authority,

00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:31.579
 it's an issue

00:12:31.579 --> 00:12:32.759
 of procession,

00:12:32.759 --> 00:12:33.740
 it's an issue

00:12:33.740 --> 00:12:34.580
 of submission

00:12:34.580 --> 00:12:35.620
 to the one

00:12:35.620 --> 00:12:37.159
 who is naming

00:12:37.159 --> 00:12:38.299
 and calling

00:12:38.299 --> 00:12:40.399
 and the natural

00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:41.200
 outworking of that

00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:42.379
 is they are called

00:12:42.379 --> 00:12:42.980
 by name

00:12:42.980 --> 00:12:44.200
 and they listen

00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:45.559
 and follow the voice

00:12:45.559 --> 00:12:46.059
 of the one

00:12:46.059 --> 00:12:47.000
 who has called them.

00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:49.759
 This morning,

00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:50.480
 are you listening

00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:52.159
 to the voice

00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.500
 of your good shepherd?

00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:56.639
 Is it the resounding

00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:58.460
 voice in your ear?

00:12:59.159 --> 00:13:00.759
 Is it the instructive

00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:02.279
 and wise voice

00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:02.919
 that you hear?

00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:04.740
 When making decisions

00:13:04.740 --> 00:13:05.860
 or seeking

00:13:05.860 --> 00:13:07.439
 to raise families,

00:13:07.959 --> 00:13:08.879
 is it the voice

00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:10.319
 that directs your path?

00:13:11.860 --> 00:13:13.339
 You will be defined,

00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:14.980
 you will be identified

00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:16.179
 by the one

00:13:16.179 --> 00:13:17.299
 to whom you listen.

00:13:17.899 --> 00:13:18.579
 Are you listening

00:13:18.579 --> 00:13:19.740
 to your Savior

00:13:19.740 --> 00:13:20.600
 this morning?

00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:22.720
 And when you listen

00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:24.139
 to your Savior,

00:13:24.819 --> 00:13:25.500
 there will be

00:13:25.500 --> 00:13:26.480
 an attractiveness

00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:27.240
 about your life

00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:28.079
 because there will be

00:13:28.079 --> 00:13:30.179
 a contrasting effect

00:13:30.179 --> 00:13:30.959
 of your life.

00:13:31.839 --> 00:13:33.000
 You will stand out

00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:34.439
 and the world

00:13:34.439 --> 00:13:34.899
 will wonder

00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:35.439
 why you're not

00:13:35.439 --> 00:13:36.439
 caught up in the flow.

00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:39.339
 And they may ask you

00:13:39.339 --> 00:13:40.679
 because of listening

00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:42.219
 to the settling voice

00:13:42.219 --> 00:13:43.279
 of your Savior.

00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:44.979
 It may cause them

00:13:44.979 --> 00:13:46.019
 or bring them

00:13:46.019 --> 00:13:46.959
 to the point of saying,

00:13:47.199 --> 00:13:49.219
 there's an attractiveness

00:13:49.219 --> 00:13:49.859
 about you.

00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:51.419
 There's a wisdom

00:13:51.419 --> 00:13:52.319
 in the instruction

00:13:52.319 --> 00:13:53.159
 that you are getting.

00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:54.379
 There's a discernment

00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:54.879
 about you.

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:55.720
 You are listening

00:13:55.720 --> 00:13:57.279
 to a voice of reason.

00:13:58.659 --> 00:13:59.539
 Take me

00:13:59.539 --> 00:14:00.720
 to your leader.

00:14:01.340 --> 00:14:01.840
 Take me

00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:03.019
 to your good shepherd.

00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:04.740
 And then

00:14:04.740 --> 00:14:05.439
 the effect

00:14:05.439 --> 00:14:06.539
 of the sheep

00:14:06.539 --> 00:14:07.379
 in emulating

00:14:07.379 --> 00:14:08.419
 and responding

00:14:08.419 --> 00:14:09.460
 to the voice

00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:10.120
 of their shepherd

00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:11.639
 is accomplishing

00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:12.200
 his purpose

00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:13.080
 in pointing

00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:13.659
 and directing

00:14:13.659 --> 00:14:14.580
 the attention

00:14:14.580 --> 00:14:16.379
 of individuals

00:14:16.379 --> 00:14:17.100
 of this world

00:14:17.100 --> 00:14:18.879
 to their good shepherd.

00:14:20.059 --> 00:14:21.159
 But there must be

00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:21.860
 more than just

00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:22.860
 listening to the voice

00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:23.759
 of the shepherd.

00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:24.899
 It needs to be

00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:25.659
 a voice

00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:26.899
 that is singular.

00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:28.319
 A voice

00:14:28.319 --> 00:14:29.220
 that is central.

00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:29.980
 A voice

00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:30.700
 that is supreme

00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:31.240
 and ultimate.

00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:32.399
 That leads us

00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:33.299
 to this next point.

00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:35.120
 Not only are they

00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:36.620
 listening to their shepherd,

00:14:36.740 --> 00:14:37.620
 they are loyal

00:14:37.620 --> 00:14:38.700
 to their shepherd.

00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:40.120
 We find that here

00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:41.159
 in verses 5 to 8.

00:14:41.179 --> 00:14:41.580
 Let me read

00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:42.620
 these verses for us.

00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:44.639
 It says,

00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:45.220
 A stranger

00:14:45.220 --> 00:14:46.340
 they will not follow,

00:14:47.299 --> 00:14:48.220
 but they will flee

00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:48.860
 from him,

00:14:49.299 --> 00:14:50.179
 for they do not know

00:14:50.179 --> 00:14:51.200
 the voice of strangers.

00:14:52.319 --> 00:14:53.279
 This figure of speech

00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:54.220
 Jesus used with them,

00:14:54.279 --> 00:14:55.019
 but they did not

00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:55.720
 understand what

00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:56.600
 he was saying to them.

00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:58.339
 So Jesus again

00:14:58.339 --> 00:14:58.919
 said to them,

00:14:59.000 --> 00:14:59.620
 Truly, truly,

00:15:00.299 --> 00:15:01.100
 I say to you,

00:15:01.179 --> 00:15:01.799
 I am the door

00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:02.419
 of the sheep.

00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:04.419
 All who came before me

00:15:04.419 --> 00:15:05.600
 are thieves and robbers,

00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:06.620
 but the sheep

00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:07.779
 did not listen to them.

00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:10.279
 Are you loyal

00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:11.779
 to the voice

00:15:11.779 --> 00:15:13.019
 of your shepherd?

00:15:14.079 --> 00:15:14.439
 Now,

00:15:14.860 --> 00:15:15.419
 there are a lot

00:15:15.419 --> 00:15:16.259
 of voices out there

00:15:16.259 --> 00:15:17.740
 competing for your attention.

00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:19.379
 There are a lot

00:15:19.379 --> 00:15:20.279
 of voices out there

00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:21.559
 who are vying

00:15:21.559 --> 00:15:22.500
 for your loyalty.

00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:24.860
 But we are called

00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:25.899
 to be loyal

00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:27.899
 to the voice

00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:28.539
 of our shepherd

00:15:28.539 --> 00:15:30.039
 and his voice alone.

00:15:32.779 --> 00:15:33.559
 Those voices

00:15:33.559 --> 00:15:34.199
 in the world,

00:15:34.439 --> 00:15:35.860
 they are seeking

00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:36.779
 to set the priorities

00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:37.379
 for your life.

00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:39.539
 They are trying

00:15:39.539 --> 00:15:40.199
 to tell you

00:15:40.199 --> 00:15:41.759
 the best way

00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:43.039
 to help raise

00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:43.620
 your children.

00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:45.480
 What the expectations

00:15:45.480 --> 00:15:46.339
 are for you

00:15:46.339 --> 00:15:47.019
 in family.

00:15:47.019 --> 00:15:48.759
 what it means

00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:49.659
 to be the right

00:15:49.659 --> 00:15:50.679
 kind of parent

00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:51.439
 or the right

00:15:51.439 --> 00:15:52.419
 kind of husband

00:15:52.419 --> 00:15:52.960
 or the right

00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:53.879
 kind of wife.

00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.419
 What are those

00:15:55.419 --> 00:15:56.519
 role distinctions

00:15:56.519 --> 00:15:57.419
 all about anyway

00:15:57.419 --> 00:15:58.799
 in this world?

00:16:00.199 --> 00:16:00.899
 They tell you

00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:01.480
 that expressing

00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:02.579
 your independence

00:16:02.579 --> 00:16:03.299
 is ultimate,

00:16:03.819 --> 00:16:04.720
 not submission

00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:05.539
 to the authority

00:16:05.539 --> 00:16:06.000
 whether it be

00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:06.840
 in the workplace

00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:08.279
 or whether it be

00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:09.279
 in the world

00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:09.899
 in terms of

00:16:09.899 --> 00:16:10.620
 the government.

00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:12.199
 The submission?

00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:13.199
 What are you talking about?

00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:13.899
 We're supposed

00:16:13.899 --> 00:16:14.620
 to be independent.

00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:14.899
 independent.

00:16:16.179 --> 00:16:16.899
 That's what this

00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:18.379
 country was founded

00:16:18.379 --> 00:16:19.179
 on after all.

00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:21.279
 They want to set

00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:21.879
 the standards

00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:22.720
 of work

00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:23.980
 and success

00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:25.039
 and parenting

00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:26.159
 and activities

00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:27.340
 that are ultimate

00:16:27.340 --> 00:16:27.980
 for you.

00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:29.379
 Set standards

00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:30.080
 for your home

00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:31.139
 and for education

00:16:31.139 --> 00:16:31.919
 and for marriage

00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:33.500
 and all those voices

00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:34.139
 in this world

00:16:34.139 --> 00:16:34.720
 are competing

00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:35.440
 for your attention.

00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:37.820
 Will you listen

00:16:37.820 --> 00:16:38.519
 to those voices?

00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:40.419
 Do you find yourself

00:16:40.419 --> 00:16:42.360
 being governed

00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:43.200
 by those voices,

00:16:43.340 --> 00:16:44.000
 making decisions

00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:44.980
 based upon

00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:45.720
 those voices

00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:46.799
 instead of hearing

00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:47.740
 the clear,

00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:49.100
 clarion call

00:16:49.100 --> 00:16:50.279
 of your shepherd

00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:51.740
 seeking to give you

00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:52.820
 direction for life?

00:16:54.379 --> 00:16:55.460
 Some of those voices

00:16:55.460 --> 00:16:56.399
 are easy to recognize

00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:57.299
 but others are not

00:16:57.299 --> 00:16:57.980
 because they actually

00:16:57.980 --> 00:16:59.200
 come from within

00:16:59.200 --> 00:16:59.860
 the church.

00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:01.419
 There are voices

00:17:01.419 --> 00:17:02.179
 in the church

00:17:02.179 --> 00:17:02.960
 competing for your

00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:03.779
 attention as well.

00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:05.119
 They would say,

00:17:05.339 --> 00:17:06.640
 lay claim on your blessing.

00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:08.180
 They would say,

00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:09.119
 you can have

00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:10.579
 your best life today.

00:17:11.859 --> 00:17:12.460
 They would say,

00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:13.420
 God has given you

00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:13.940
 a dream.

00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:15.440
 Find that dream

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:16.300
 and work it through.

00:17:17.580 --> 00:17:18.640
 They would downplay

00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:19.519
 the reliability

00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.240
 of the scripture.

00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:21.600
 They would tell you

00:17:21.600 --> 00:17:22.360
 that doctrine

00:17:22.360 --> 00:17:23.120
 and theology,

00:17:23.600 --> 00:17:25.000
 that's for the elite,

00:17:25.100 --> 00:17:26.160
 that's for the scholastic,

00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:27.779
 but doctrine divides.

00:17:28.019 --> 00:17:28.900
 Let's not do

00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:29.740
 with doctrine.

00:17:29.860 --> 00:17:30.740
 Let's be people

00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:31.240
 of love.

00:17:33.600 --> 00:17:34.640
 They would tell you

00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:36.519
 to exalt

00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:37.200
 their own

00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:38.120
 prophetic word.

00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:39.960
 They would tell you

00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:41.500
 that all you need

00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:41.840
 to have

00:17:41.840 --> 00:17:42.579
 is enough faith

00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:43.360
 and you'll never

00:17:43.360 --> 00:17:44.200
 be sick again.

00:17:45.539 --> 00:17:46.240
 Or they move

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.200
 in the opposite extreme

00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:48.400
 and they stress

00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:49.140
 the separation

00:17:49.140 --> 00:17:50.420
 that we have

00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:50.799
 with the world

00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:51.920
 to unhealthy levels.

00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:53.039
 They would tell you

00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:54.980
 to be people

00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:56.220
 who are focused

00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:57.000
 on holiness

00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:58.259
 and not mingled

00:17:58.259 --> 00:17:58.980
 with this world.

00:17:59.120 --> 00:17:59.759
 Don't be polluted

00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.460
 by this world

00:18:00.460 --> 00:18:01.059
 in any way.

00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:03.720
 They might convince you

00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:04.240
 to practice

00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:05.279
 those Old Testament

00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.400
 dietary laws.

00:18:07.500 --> 00:18:07.819
 They might

00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:08.779
 overemphasize

00:18:08.779 --> 00:18:09.700
 certain styles

00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:10.379
 of music.

00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:11.559
 They may seek

00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:12.480
 to spiritualize

00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:13.460
 their own convictions

00:18:13.460 --> 00:18:14.439
 and judge those

00:18:14.439 --> 00:18:15.679
 who do not follow

00:18:15.679 --> 00:18:16.799
 what they found

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.720
 to be so true

00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:18.259
 in the scripture.

00:18:19.379 --> 00:18:19.899
 And certainly

00:18:19.899 --> 00:18:20.919
 there are some

00:18:20.919 --> 00:18:22.460
 convictions

00:18:22.460 --> 00:18:23.159
 that God has laid

00:18:23.159 --> 00:18:23.799
 on our life

00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:24.460
 and we need

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:25.039
 to know

00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:25.519
 what those are

00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.679
 and follow those.

00:18:27.439 --> 00:18:28.240
 But understand

00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:29.079
 there's also liberty.

00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:30.519
 There's also

00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:31.519
 the opportunity

00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:32.079
 for us

00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:32.980
 to follow

00:18:32.980 --> 00:18:33.779
 the voice

00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.480
 of the Lord

00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.019
 for us

00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:36.059
 in the convictions

00:18:36.059 --> 00:18:36.720
 that He lays

00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:37.740
 on our own hearts.

00:18:37.819 --> 00:18:39.899
 But loyalty

00:18:39.899 --> 00:18:40.879
 to the shepherd

00:18:40.879 --> 00:18:42.299
 is imperative.

00:18:43.339 --> 00:18:44.579
 Notice the dangers

00:18:44.579 --> 00:18:45.099
 here

00:18:45.099 --> 00:18:46.379
 for not being

00:18:46.379 --> 00:18:47.259
 loyal to the shepherd.

00:18:47.379 --> 00:18:48.319
 We find that here

00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:49.679
 in verse 8.

00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:51.839
 All who came

00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:52.339
 before me

00:18:52.339 --> 00:18:53.099
 are thieves

00:18:53.099 --> 00:18:54.319
 and robbers

00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:55.359
 but the sheep

00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:56.299
 did not listen

00:18:56.299 --> 00:18:56.759
 to them.

00:18:57.779 --> 00:18:58.359
 Sheep

00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:00.019
 don't listen

00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:01.319
 to the thieves

00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:02.079
 and to the robbers.

00:19:02.179 --> 00:19:02.799
 They understand

00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:03.439
 the dangers

00:19:03.439 --> 00:19:04.859
 the implicit dangers

00:19:04.859 --> 00:19:05.399
 that are there.

00:19:06.339 --> 00:19:07.179
 These are those

00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:08.200
 who would seek

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:09.100
 to destroy,

00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:09.840
 who would seek

00:19:09.840 --> 00:19:10.380
 to kill,

00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:11.080
 who would seek

00:19:11.080 --> 00:19:11.720
 to maim

00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:12.320
 the flock.

00:19:12.660 --> 00:19:13.279
 Your shepherd

00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:14.200
 is the only one

00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:14.860
 who cares

00:19:14.860 --> 00:19:16.299
 about what is best

00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:16.759
 for you.

00:19:18.299 --> 00:19:18.779
 Understand

00:19:18.779 --> 00:19:19.860
 that He is

00:19:19.860 --> 00:19:21.039
 a good shepherd

00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:21.560
 that seeks

00:19:21.560 --> 00:19:23.759
 to bless

00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:24.680
 and protect

00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:25.660
 and to guard

00:19:25.660 --> 00:19:26.700
 and the things

00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:27.759
 that He puts

00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:28.640
 on your life

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.600
 as seeming

00:19:29.600 --> 00:19:30.240
 restrictions

00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:31.160
 are meant

00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:31.500
 to help

00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:32.120
 protect you

00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:33.440
 from the consequences

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.759
 of sin

00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:35.340
 in your life.

00:19:37.100 --> 00:19:37.700
 And although

00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:38.420
 these things

00:19:38.420 --> 00:19:39.060
 may seem

00:19:39.060 --> 00:19:40.540
 counter-cultural,

00:19:41.540 --> 00:19:42.019
 although they

00:19:42.019 --> 00:19:42.820
 may seem

00:19:42.820 --> 00:19:43.720
 out of the

00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:44.220
 mainstream

00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:45.660
 or archaic

00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:46.940
 or ancient,

00:19:47.820 --> 00:19:48.480
 obtuse,

00:19:48.900 --> 00:19:49.900
 perhaps sexist

00:19:49.900 --> 00:19:50.540
 or prejudice,

00:19:51.080 --> 00:19:51.720
 not up with

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:52.880
 the 21st century,

00:19:53.620 --> 00:19:55.259
 they are in fact

00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:55.779
 timeless.

00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:57.819
 They are in fact

00:19:57.819 --> 00:19:59.079
 best because

00:19:59.079 --> 00:19:59.920
 they came

00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:00.660
 from the One

00:20:00.660 --> 00:20:01.839
 who created you.

00:20:02.620 --> 00:20:03.279
 They come

00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:03.839
 from the One

00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:05.039
 who loves you most,

00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.539
 who loves you best,

00:20:06.860 --> 00:20:08.100
 who gave His life

00:20:08.100 --> 00:20:08.920
 so that you could

00:20:08.920 --> 00:20:10.259
 receive life.

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:12.360
 So when culture

00:20:12.360 --> 00:20:13.539
 turns up its nose

00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:15.720
 at purity

00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:16.720
 before marriage,

00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.579
 at roles

00:20:18.579 --> 00:20:19.700
 of husbands

00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:20.500
 and wives

00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:21.160
 and the dynamic

00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:21.559
 there,

00:20:22.140 --> 00:20:23.019
 at submission

00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:24.120
 to authority

00:20:24.120 --> 00:20:25.319
 or hard work

00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:25.940
 and integrity

00:20:25.940 --> 00:20:26.680
 and business

00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:28.539
 or unwavering

00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:29.400
 conviction

00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:30.720
 and an unwillingness

00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:31.380
 to compromise

00:20:31.380 --> 00:20:32.200
 like Daniel

00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:34.580
 or appropriate

00:20:34.580 --> 00:20:35.259
 discipline

00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:36.019
 within your home

00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:38.559
 or prioritizing

00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.120
 worship

00:20:39.120 --> 00:20:40.539
 and being part

00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:41.500
 of the body

00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:42.140
 of Christ

00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:42.940
 and worshiping

00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:43.340
 Christ

00:20:43.340 --> 00:20:44.460
 on a regular

00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:45.039
 basis,

00:20:46.340 --> 00:20:46.920
 setting that

00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:47.519
 at the forefront

00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:48.340
 of your family,

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:50.699
 they would like

00:20:50.699 --> 00:20:51.000
 to say

00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:51.339
 that those

00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:51.879
 who practice

00:20:51.879 --> 00:20:53.799
 such standards

00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:54.819
 are old-fashioned,

00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:56.419
 out of date,

00:20:57.699 --> 00:20:58.599
 out of touch

00:20:58.599 --> 00:21:00.279
 with the 21st century.

00:21:03.879 --> 00:21:05.039
 Just this week,

00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:07.220
 and I want to

00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:08.779
 approach this example

00:21:08.779 --> 00:21:10.119
 with some fear

00:21:10.119 --> 00:21:10.839
 and trepidation.

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:11.659
 Okay?

00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:13.279
 I want you

00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:13.839
 to understand

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:14.579
 that there is

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:15.579
 in my own heart

00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:17.259
 a grieving

00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:18.519
 over sin.

00:21:19.699 --> 00:21:21.019
 And just this past week,

00:21:21.939 --> 00:21:23.220
 some long-time

00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:24.299
 friends of ours

00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:25.819
 decided

00:21:25.819 --> 00:21:27.659
 after 22 years

00:21:27.659 --> 00:21:28.299
 of marriage

00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:28.819
 that they were

00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:29.379
 going to call it

00:21:29.379 --> 00:21:29.699
 quits.

00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:32.799
 Two people

00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:34.319
 that I would say

00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:35.159
 and they would say

00:21:35.159 --> 00:21:36.399
 love the Lord.

00:21:38.299 --> 00:21:38.659
 And yet,

00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.879
 an unwillingness

00:21:39.879 --> 00:21:41.019
 to resolve

00:21:41.019 --> 00:21:42.000
 conflict,

00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:43.240
 an unwillingness

00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:44.420
 to humble

00:21:44.420 --> 00:21:45.059
 themselves

00:21:45.059 --> 00:21:45.980
 and to

00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:47.079
 make it work.

00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:51.000
 And too often,

00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:52.759
 too often,

00:21:53.259 --> 00:21:53.859
 the church

00:21:53.859 --> 00:21:55.359
 looks just

00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:57.000
 like the world.

00:21:58.180 --> 00:21:58.480
 Now,

00:21:58.539 --> 00:21:59.420
 I can say this

00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:00.519
 because I don't know

00:22:00.519 --> 00:22:01.759
 your relationships,

00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:02.599
 I don't know

00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:03.500
 your history,

00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:06.000
 I don't know

00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:07.120
 the issues

00:22:07.120 --> 00:22:07.839
 in your life,

00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:08.740
 so I'm speaking

00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:09.440
 ignorantly,

00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:10.980
 so please hear me out,

00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:12.279
 but too often,

00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:14.440
 the sheep

00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:15.480
 look just

00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:16.579
 like the world.

00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:18.500
 There is nothing

00:22:18.500 --> 00:22:19.120
 attractive

00:22:19.120 --> 00:22:20.559
 about our lives,

00:22:20.620 --> 00:22:21.279
 there is nothing

00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:21.900
 compelling

00:22:21.900 --> 00:22:23.339
 that points

00:22:23.339 --> 00:22:24.000
 to Christ,

00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:25.099
 there is nothing

00:22:25.099 --> 00:22:25.740
 that says,

00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:26.440
 oh,

00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:27.420
 how much

00:22:27.420 --> 00:22:28.440
 they look

00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:29.420
 like Jesus

00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:31.319
 because they look

00:22:31.319 --> 00:22:32.279
 just like the world.

00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:35.000
 As it relates

00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:35.759
 to things like

00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.539
 living together

00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:37.700
 before marriage,

00:22:37.700 --> 00:22:37.740
 marriage,

00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:40.380
 one article

00:22:40.380 --> 00:22:41.039
 says this,

00:22:41.100 --> 00:22:41.680
 as a modern

00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.539
 dating expert

00:22:42.539 --> 00:22:43.640
 who empowers

00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:44.400
 women to take

00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:45.019
 control of their

00:22:45.019 --> 00:22:45.480
 lives,

00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:46.500
 I think it's

00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:47.299
 time we stop

00:22:47.299 --> 00:22:48.180
 clinging to

00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:48.980
 the old ideal

00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:49.460
 that you must

00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:50.180
 wait until you're

00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:50.640
 married to

00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.700
 move in together.

00:22:52.580 --> 00:22:53.580
 The reality is

00:22:53.580 --> 00:22:54.340
 that two-thirds

00:22:54.340 --> 00:22:55.160
 of married couples

00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:55.799
 live together

00:22:55.799 --> 00:22:56.460
 before tying

00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:56.819
 the knot,

00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:58.120
 so the question

00:22:58.120 --> 00:22:59.480
 that now needs

00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.059
 to be answered

00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:01.059
 is not if

00:23:01.059 --> 00:23:02.440
 you should move

00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:02.900
 in together,

00:23:03.080 --> 00:23:03.920
 but rather when

00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:04.799
 and how.

00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:06.000
 Now,

00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:06.840
 that's mainstream,

00:23:06.839 --> 00:23:08.139
 but that is not

00:23:08.139 --> 00:23:08.639
 what our good

00:23:08.639 --> 00:23:09.119
 shepherd would

00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:09.399
 say.

00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:13.379
 How about

00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:14.039
 sex before

00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:14.439
 marriage?

00:23:14.879 --> 00:23:15.299
 You would

00:23:15.299 --> 00:23:16.419
 think that

00:23:16.419 --> 00:23:16.759
 that would

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:17.299
 be something

00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:18.019
 that would

00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:18.740
 set us apart,

00:23:18.919 --> 00:23:19.039
 that would

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:20.720
 be contrastive.

00:23:21.939 --> 00:23:22.779
 In a study

00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:23.919
 of 38,000

00:23:23.919 --> 00:23:24.459
 Americans,

00:23:24.939 --> 00:23:26.919
 95% said

00:23:26.919 --> 00:23:27.859
 that they

00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:28.539
 were not

00:23:28.539 --> 00:23:29.199
 celibate

00:23:29.199 --> 00:23:29.819
 before marriage.

00:23:30.879 --> 00:23:31.319
 Now,

00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:31.679
 that's just

00:23:31.679 --> 00:23:32.059
 the world,

00:23:32.139 --> 00:23:32.379
 right?

00:23:33.439 --> 00:23:34.199
 Of those

00:23:34.199 --> 00:23:34.439
 who were

00:23:34.439 --> 00:23:34.819
 interviewed,

00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:35.839
 80%

00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:37.000
 of those

00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:38.019
 were also

00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:38.859
 professing

00:23:38.859 --> 00:23:40.139
 evangelicals.

00:23:41.639 --> 00:23:42.500
 Too often,

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:44.299
 those who

00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:44.699
 are called

00:23:44.699 --> 00:23:45.279
 to be sheep

00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:45.859
 and emulate

00:23:45.859 --> 00:23:46.500
 their Savior,

00:23:46.959 --> 00:23:48.439
 loyal to

00:23:48.439 --> 00:23:49.099
 their shepherd,

00:23:49.679 --> 00:23:50.079
 there is

00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.240
 nothing distinctive,

00:23:51.919 --> 00:23:52.679
 there is nothing

00:23:52.679 --> 00:23:53.599
 compelling about

00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:54.159
 their life

00:23:54.159 --> 00:23:54.919
 that says,

00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:55.299
 oh,

00:23:55.459 --> 00:23:56.379
 I want to be

00:23:56.379 --> 00:23:57.439
 like the shepherd.

00:23:58.639 --> 00:23:59.000
 Now,

00:23:59.639 --> 00:24:01.559
 there is

00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:02.359
 grace.

00:24:02.359 --> 00:24:02.459
 grace.

00:24:03.059 --> 00:24:03.939
 When we

00:24:03.939 --> 00:24:04.819
 blow it

00:24:04.819 --> 00:24:05.759
 and mess up

00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:06.459
 and sin,

00:24:06.639 --> 00:24:07.479
 there is grace

00:24:07.479 --> 00:24:07.919
 for you

00:24:07.919 --> 00:24:08.439
 and there is

00:24:08.439 --> 00:24:09.259
 grace for me.

00:24:09.859 --> 00:24:10.279
 Praise the

00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:10.559
 Lord.

00:24:12.479 --> 00:24:13.379
 If we confess

00:24:13.379 --> 00:24:14.019
 our sins,

00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:15.500
 He is faithful

00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.319
 and just

00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:16.719
 to forgive

00:24:16.719 --> 00:24:17.199
 our sins

00:24:17.199 --> 00:24:17.740
 and to

00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:18.299
 cleanse us

00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:19.139
 from even

00:24:19.139 --> 00:24:19.799
 those things.

00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:21.299
 He can

00:24:21.299 --> 00:24:21.759
 redeem

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:22.819
 the brokenness

00:24:22.819 --> 00:24:23.500
 of our life.

00:24:23.819 --> 00:24:24.119
 Hallelujah.

00:24:24.119 --> 00:24:24.299
 Hallelujah.

00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:26.299
 But,

00:24:26.419 --> 00:24:26.500
 oh,

00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:27.019
 may that not

00:24:27.019 --> 00:24:28.039
 be said

00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:28.559
 of us,

00:24:28.959 --> 00:24:29.479
 a willingness

00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:30.180
 to compromise,

00:24:30.940 --> 00:24:31.599
 a willingness

00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:32.259
 for us

00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:32.559
 to say,

00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:32.900
 oh,

00:24:33.140 --> 00:24:33.740
 the world

00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:35.259
 looks a certain

00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:35.620
 way,

00:24:35.860 --> 00:24:36.819
 it's accepted

00:24:36.819 --> 00:24:37.500
 in the mainstream,

00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:39.259
 it's okay for me.

00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:41.539
 May we listen

00:24:41.539 --> 00:24:42.299
 to the voice

00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:43.299
 of our shepherd

00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:44.519
 and may we be

00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:45.700
 loyal to His

00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:46.319
 voice because

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:47.019
 it will be,

00:24:47.220 --> 00:24:48.120
 especially in these

00:24:48.120 --> 00:24:48.559
 days,

00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:49.640
 it will be

00:24:49.640 --> 00:24:50.099
 distinctive.

00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:51.759
 It will stand

00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.120
 apart.

00:24:55.620 --> 00:24:56.480
 And when we

00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:56.720
 do,

00:24:57.559 --> 00:24:58.220
 there will be

00:24:58.220 --> 00:24:59.019
 an attractiveness

00:24:59.019 --> 00:24:59.579
 about your

00:24:59.579 --> 00:24:59.940
 life.

00:25:00.819 --> 00:25:01.639
 There will be

00:25:01.639 --> 00:25:03.400
 the distinctiveness

00:25:03.400 --> 00:25:03.920
 and the

00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:04.599
 settledness

00:25:04.599 --> 00:25:05.879
 and the

00:25:05.879 --> 00:25:06.480
 blessing

00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:07.579
 that comes

00:25:07.579 --> 00:25:08.240
 for those

00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:08.779
 who follow

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:09.420
 after God,

00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:11.019
 who are not

00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:11.660
 broken,

00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:12.279
 who are not

00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:13.319
 tripping up

00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:14.400
 and falling

00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:15.200
 into all the

00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:16.139
 wreckage and

00:25:16.139 --> 00:25:17.019
 disrepair of

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.559
 this world.

00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:18.819
 They're not

00:25:18.819 --> 00:25:19.539
 experiencing

00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:20.779
 the kickback

00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:21.359
 of all of

00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:22.119
 those things

00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:22.539
 that they have

00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:23.079
 done in this

00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:24.720
 life to sin

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:25.599
 and to

00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:26.500
 disregard

00:25:26.500 --> 00:25:27.680
 the standards

00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:28.119
 of God.

00:25:28.119 --> 00:25:28.819
 There will

00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:30.339
 be a

00:25:30.339 --> 00:25:30.779
 measure of

00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:31.339
 health and

00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:31.659
 there will

00:25:31.659 --> 00:25:31.919
 be a

00:25:31.919 --> 00:25:32.439
 measure of

00:25:32.439 --> 00:25:33.799
 wellness about

00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:34.639
 their life and

00:25:34.639 --> 00:25:35.839
 blessing and

00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:37.479
 peace and not

00:25:37.479 --> 00:25:38.599
 the brokenness and

00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:39.819
 hurt and the

00:25:39.819 --> 00:25:40.479
 baggage that

00:25:40.479 --> 00:25:41.379
 comes along with

00:25:41.379 --> 00:25:41.679
 sin.

00:25:42.679 --> 00:25:43.379
 And that will be

00:25:43.379 --> 00:25:45.739
 distinctive and

00:25:45.739 --> 00:25:46.079
 that will be

00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:47.819
 attractive so

00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:48.559
 that this world

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.439
 might say,

00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:50.859
 hey,

00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:52.979
 take me to

00:25:52.979 --> 00:25:53.419
 your leader.

00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:55.259
 I want to know

00:25:55.259 --> 00:25:56.039
 the good

00:25:56.039 --> 00:25:56.359
 shepherd.

00:25:57.180 --> 00:25:57.960
 Is there an

00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:58.720
 attractiveness in

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.200
 your life?

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:00.180
 The kind of

00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:00.859
 loyalty that

00:26:00.859 --> 00:26:01.759
 would lead

00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:03.200
 you to be

00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:04.940
 single-minded in

00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:05.500
 devotion to

00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:07.200
 him so that

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:07.740
 as the world

00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:08.359
 looks at your

00:26:08.359 --> 00:26:09.099
 life they say,

00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:10.180
 I want to know

00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:10.660
 your Savior.

00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:11.920
 Take me to

00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:12.299
 your leader.

00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:14.480
 We find later

00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:14.879
 on in this

00:26:14.879 --> 00:26:15.900
 passage, and

00:26:15.900 --> 00:26:16.160
 I'm going to

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:16.759
 read from

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:18.140
 verses 9 to

00:26:18.140 --> 00:26:19.059
 verse 15,

00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:20.160
 and we'll pick

00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:21.000
 up our next

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:22.240
 component here,

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:23.079
 our next mark

00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:24.119
 of the sheep.

00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:25.960
 It says in

00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:26.500
 verse 9,

00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:27.279
 I am the

00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:27.639
 door.

00:26:28.779 --> 00:26:29.279
 If anyone

00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:30.139
 enters by me,

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:30.659
 he will be

00:26:30.659 --> 00:26:31.579
 saved, and he

00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:32.299
 will go in and

00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:32.939
 out and find

00:26:32.939 --> 00:26:33.460
 pasture.

00:26:34.139 --> 00:26:35.319
 The thief comes

00:26:35.319 --> 00:26:36.879
 only to steal

00:26:36.879 --> 00:26:37.519
 and kill.

00:26:39.619 --> 00:26:40.419
 I lost my

00:26:40.419 --> 00:26:40.759
 place.

00:26:41.579 --> 00:26:42.220
 And destroy.

00:26:43.339 --> 00:26:44.819
 I came that

00:26:44.819 --> 00:26:45.279
 they may have

00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:46.699
 life and have

00:26:46.699 --> 00:26:47.339
 it abundantly.

00:26:48.419 --> 00:26:49.500
 I am the

00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:50.199
 good shepherd.

00:26:50.500 --> 00:26:51.199
 The good shepherd

00:26:51.199 --> 00:26:52.139
 lays down his

00:26:52.139 --> 00:26:53.059
 life for the

00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:53.440
 sheep.

00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:55.179
 He who is a

00:26:55.179 --> 00:26:56.619
 hired hand and

00:26:56.619 --> 00:26:57.299
 not a shepherd,

00:26:57.720 --> 00:26:58.399
 who does not

00:26:58.399 --> 00:26:59.179
 own the sheep,

00:26:59.379 --> 00:26:59.980
 sees the wolf

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.720
 coming and leaves

00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:01.539
 the sheep and

00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:02.059
 flees.

00:27:02.879 --> 00:27:03.359
 And the wolf

00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:05.179
 snatches them and

00:27:05.179 --> 00:27:05.940
 scatters them.

00:27:06.740 --> 00:27:07.579
 He flees because

00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:08.379
 he is the hired

00:27:08.379 --> 00:27:09.500
 hand, and he

00:27:09.500 --> 00:27:10.179
 cares nothing for

00:27:10.179 --> 00:27:10.500
 the sheep.

00:27:11.220 --> 00:27:11.960
 I am the good

00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:12.259
 shepherd.

00:27:13.099 --> 00:27:14.000
 I know my own,

00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:14.740
 and my own know

00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:16.519
 me, just as the

00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:18.079
 Father knows me,

00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:20.559
 and I know

00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:21.419
 the Father.

00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:21.539
 love.

00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:33.259
 I know my own, and

00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:34.900
 my own know me.

00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:36.779
 Now what I want

00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:37.820
 you to see and

00:27:37.820 --> 00:27:39.580
 pick up through our

00:27:39.580 --> 00:27:40.700
 times together is

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:41.880
 that these words are

00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:42.960
 used interchangeably

00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.360
 throughout the

00:27:43.360 --> 00:27:43.640
 scripture.

00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:45.500
 The words knowing

00:27:45.500 --> 00:27:47.100
 and loving can be

00:27:47.100 --> 00:27:48.400
 used interchangeably.

00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:49.320
 They're synonymous

00:27:49.320 --> 00:27:50.019
 terms.

00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:51.519
 Because the more

00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:52.600
 we know him, the

00:27:52.600 --> 00:27:53.400
 more we love him.

00:27:53.860 --> 00:27:54.500
 And the more we

00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:55.180
 love him, the more

00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:56.300
 we do the things

00:27:56.300 --> 00:27:57.420
 that please him.

00:28:00.060 --> 00:28:01.660
 John, in his

00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:03.180
 letter to the

00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:05.140
 Ephesians, says

00:28:05.140 --> 00:28:06.180
 this in 1 John

00:28:06.180 --> 00:28:07.360
 chapter 2, verses

00:28:07.360 --> 00:28:07.960
 3 to 5.

00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:08.220
 He says,

00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:09.220
 Now by this we

00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:10.200
 know that we know

00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:10.560
 him.

00:28:12.100 --> 00:28:13.680
 Knowing is

00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:15.180
 primary for John.

00:28:15.280 --> 00:28:15.980
 How do you know

00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:16.720
 you're part of the

00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:17.120
 flock?

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:18.299
 How do you know

00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:19.019
 that you know

00:28:19.019 --> 00:28:19.479
 the shepherd?

00:28:19.679 --> 00:28:20.419
 Well, here's the

00:28:20.419 --> 00:28:20.799
 answer.

00:28:21.219 --> 00:28:22.399
 If we keep his

00:28:22.399 --> 00:28:22.859
 commandments.

00:28:24.279 --> 00:28:25.579
 But, whoever

00:28:25.579 --> 00:28:26.759
 keeps his word,

00:28:27.079 --> 00:28:28.500
 truly the love of

00:28:28.500 --> 00:28:29.779
 God is perfected

00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:30.219
 in him.

00:28:30.959 --> 00:28:32.399
 By this we know

00:28:32.399 --> 00:28:33.419
 that we are in

00:28:33.419 --> 00:28:33.539
 him.

00:28:33.859 --> 00:28:34.859
 These words used

00:28:34.859 --> 00:28:35.939
 interchangeably in

00:28:35.939 --> 00:28:37.019
 this passage, those

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:38.179
 two verses, help us

00:28:38.179 --> 00:28:39.419
 to see that knowing

00:28:39.419 --> 00:28:40.839
 him and loving him

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:42.199
 are interchangeable.

00:28:43.419 --> 00:28:44.459
 There's two words

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:45.220
 that Jesus

00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:47.220
 emphasizes significantly

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:48.380
 through John

00:28:48.380 --> 00:28:50.240
 chapter 13, 14, 15,

00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:50.799
 and 16.

00:28:50.920 --> 00:28:51.680
 We'll get there

00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:53.039
 maybe next year or

00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:53.380
 two.

00:28:56.620 --> 00:28:57.500
 I'll tell you what,

00:28:57.600 --> 00:28:59.759
 I just want to let

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.400
 you know how

00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:02.500
 wonderful it is to

00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:03.500
 be in a church that

00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:04.440
 treasures the word of

00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:05.720
 God and is willing

00:29:05.720 --> 00:29:06.740
 to take it slow,

00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:08.120
 is willing to be

00:29:08.120 --> 00:29:09.100
 patient in the

00:29:09.100 --> 00:29:10.240
 process, willing to

00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:10.920
 dig in.

00:29:11.140 --> 00:29:12.180
 That is a beautiful,

00:29:12.360 --> 00:29:12.900
 that's a beautiful

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:13.220
 thing.

00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:14.000
 It's a great

00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:14.839
 quality of a church

00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:15.799
 that loves God too.

00:29:16.360 --> 00:29:17.100
 They love his word,

00:29:17.220 --> 00:29:18.059
 they want to know

00:29:18.059 --> 00:29:18.779
 him, and not just a

00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:20.079
 superficial way, they

00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:20.819
 want to know and

00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:22.259
 dig in to their

00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:22.579
 savior.

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.539
 And so, if we don't

00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:24.180
 get there for a

00:29:24.180 --> 00:29:24.900
 couple years, that's

00:29:24.900 --> 00:29:25.559
 great for me.

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:29.480
 But John cares

00:29:29.480 --> 00:29:31.539
 deeply about knowing

00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:32.779
 and loving the

00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:33.079
 savior.

00:29:34.600 --> 00:29:36.640
 In our study

00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:37.819
 together, John

00:29:37.819 --> 00:29:39.759
 chapter 20, 34,

00:29:39.860 --> 00:29:41.860
 and 35, he

00:29:41.859 --> 00:29:43.539
 stresses the

00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:45.839
 purpose for the

00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:46.399
 book, right?

00:29:46.939 --> 00:29:48.179
 He says, let me

00:29:48.179 --> 00:29:49.279
 read that for you, I

00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:50.319
 had it memorized and

00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:51.240
 then now it's gone.

00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:54.259
 These are written so

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.159
 that you may believe

00:29:55.159 --> 00:29:56.659
 that Jesus is the

00:29:56.659 --> 00:29:57.500
 Christ, the Son of

00:29:57.500 --> 00:29:58.259
 God, and that

00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:59.599
 believing you may

00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:00.399
 have life in his

00:30:00.399 --> 00:30:00.719
 name.

00:30:01.879 --> 00:30:02.599
 Believing and

00:30:02.599 --> 00:30:03.599
 knowing go together

00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:04.559
 too, do they not?

00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:06.439
 And it should not be

00:30:06.439 --> 00:30:08.000
 any surprise that

00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:09.099
 John places a heavy

00:30:09.099 --> 00:30:10.079
 emphasis on knowing.

00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:13.099
 In Matthew, the word

00:30:13.099 --> 00:30:14.559
 knowing is used 35

00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:15.079
 times.

00:30:15.719 --> 00:30:17.439
 In Mark, 26 times.

00:30:17.859 --> 00:30:19.619
 In Luke, 36 times.

00:30:19.939 --> 00:30:21.759
 In John, how many?

00:30:23.099 --> 00:30:24.579
 A hundred and eight

00:30:24.579 --> 00:30:25.939
 times the word

00:30:25.939 --> 00:30:26.279
 knowing.

00:30:26.639 --> 00:30:27.719
 You think John cares

00:30:27.719 --> 00:30:29.119
 about this believing

00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:31.240
 and introducing you to

00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:31.980
 the savior so that you

00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:32.899
 can know him and love

00:30:32.899 --> 00:30:33.099
 him?

00:30:33.699 --> 00:30:34.859
 You better believe it.

00:30:35.219 --> 00:30:36.099
 He cares greatly about

00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:36.339
 that.

00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:38.279
 And a couple of

00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:39.579
 weeks ago, we've been

00:30:39.579 --> 00:30:40.439
 kind of going through

00:30:40.439 --> 00:30:42.419
 this reading of John

00:30:42.419 --> 00:30:44.240
 together and I hope

00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:45.099
 that you did that and

00:30:45.099 --> 00:30:45.799
 I had a couple of

00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:46.579
 folks come up to me.

00:30:46.879 --> 00:30:47.799
 One person came up to

00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:48.679
 me and says, 98.

00:30:51.159 --> 00:30:51.599
 98.

00:30:51.959 --> 00:30:52.819
 Okay, give me some

00:30:52.819 --> 00:30:53.599
 context here.

00:30:54.179 --> 00:30:55.039
 He says, 98

00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:56.459
 believings throughout

00:30:56.459 --> 00:30:57.399
 the book of John.

00:30:58.119 --> 00:30:58.819
 And he was right.

00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:00.659
 If you read the ESV,

00:31:01.379 --> 00:31:02.519
 there's about 101 if

00:31:02.519 --> 00:31:03.399
 you read the New

00:31:03.399 --> 00:31:04.099
 King James and

00:31:04.099 --> 00:31:05.899
 there's 96 if you

00:31:05.899 --> 00:31:06.779
 read the NIV.

00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:07.359
 And I don't know

00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:08.119
 what the discrepancies

00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:10.539
 are, but there's a

00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:11.319
 lot of times where

00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:11.779
 it talks about

00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:12.179
 believing.

00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:13.519
 John cared about

00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:14.599
 believing and he

00:31:14.599 --> 00:31:15.679
 cares about knowing.

00:31:16.599 --> 00:31:17.959
 And Jesus cares

00:31:17.959 --> 00:31:19.159
 about you knowing

00:31:19.159 --> 00:31:19.419
 him.

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:22.619
 Do you know the

00:31:22.619 --> 00:31:22.919
 savior?

00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:24.699
 Because if you know

00:31:24.699 --> 00:31:26.659
 him, you will love

00:31:26.659 --> 00:31:26.859
 him.

00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:28.599
 There's no wonder

00:31:28.599 --> 00:31:29.679
 why the apostle Paul

00:31:29.679 --> 00:31:31.859
 in virtually all of

00:31:31.859 --> 00:31:33.019
 his prayers, the

00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:33.859
 emphasis of his

00:31:33.859 --> 00:31:35.500
 prayers was not

00:31:35.500 --> 00:31:35.940
 what you would

00:31:35.940 --> 00:31:36.319
 think.

00:31:36.700 --> 00:31:37.660
 Not necessarily on

00:31:37.660 --> 00:31:38.559
 holiness, not

00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:39.599
 necessarily on loving

00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:40.579
 God, but it was on

00:31:40.579 --> 00:31:41.940
 knowing, this component

00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:42.519
 of knowing.

00:31:43.639 --> 00:31:44.839
 For himself, he

00:31:44.839 --> 00:31:45.920
 prays, and we saw

00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:47.000
 this several weeks

00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:47.759
 ago in Philippians

00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:48.319
 chapter 3.

00:31:48.539 --> 00:31:49.720
 The highest thing

00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:50.500
 that I could do, the

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:51.539
 greatest purpose of

00:31:51.539 --> 00:31:52.339
 my life is knowing

00:31:52.339 --> 00:31:52.720
 him.

00:31:55.400 --> 00:31:56.619
 And these are some

00:31:56.619 --> 00:31:57.319
 of those passages

00:31:57.319 --> 00:31:59.519
 that talk about this

00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:02.299
 deep desire for the

00:32:02.299 --> 00:32:04.420
 apostle Paul, for the

00:32:04.420 --> 00:32:05.440
 churches to know

00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:06.019
 Christ.

00:32:07.299 --> 00:32:08.279
 For the church of

00:32:08.279 --> 00:32:09.339
 Philippi, for the

00:32:09.339 --> 00:32:10.839
 church of Ephesus, for

00:32:10.839 --> 00:32:11.900
 the church of Colossae.

00:32:13.139 --> 00:32:14.379
 And in Peter, he

00:32:14.379 --> 00:32:16.019
 prays this same thing

00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:17.759
 in 2 Peter chapter 1

00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:18.680
 verses 3 and 8.

00:32:19.079 --> 00:32:20.740
 That his divine power

00:32:20.740 --> 00:32:22.319
 that is granted to us

00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:23.720
 all things pertains to

00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:24.619
 life and godliness

00:32:24.619 --> 00:32:26.299
 through the knowledge of

00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.579
 him.

00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:28.519
 Interestingly, power

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:30.319
 comes through the

00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:31.119
 knowledge of Christ.

00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:33.699
 He talks about all

00:32:33.699 --> 00:32:34.579
 these qualities that

00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.919
 continue to grow

00:32:35.919 --> 00:32:36.480
 through the Christian

00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:37.319
 life.

00:32:37.659 --> 00:32:39.379
 They add to one

00:32:39.379 --> 00:32:39.720
 another.

00:32:40.699 --> 00:32:41.779
 And the end result

00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:43.079
 is if these qualities

00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:44.539
 are yours and are

00:32:44.539 --> 00:32:45.960
 increasing, they will

00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:46.819
 keep you from being

00:32:46.819 --> 00:32:47.980
 ineffective and

00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:49.299
 unfruitful in the

00:32:49.299 --> 00:32:51.960
 knowledge of him.

00:32:52.519 --> 00:32:53.379
 Isn't that

00:32:53.379 --> 00:32:53.839
 interesting?

00:32:54.759 --> 00:32:55.759
 How crucial.

00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:57.119
 How essential

00:32:57.119 --> 00:32:59.059
 knowledge of God is

00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:00.160
 for the Christian

00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:00.559
 life.

00:33:01.400 --> 00:33:02.339
 Do you know

00:33:02.339 --> 00:33:04.480
 your Savior?

00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:06.759
 And do you love

00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:07.819
 your shepherd?

00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:09.980
 The ultimate

00:33:09.980 --> 00:33:11.599
 example of that

00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:12.379
 knowledge is given

00:33:12.379 --> 00:33:13.440
 for us right here by

00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:14.180
 Jesus Christ.

00:33:14.440 --> 00:33:15.299
 What does that

00:33:15.299 --> 00:33:16.180
 knowledge look like?

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.420
 Well, we find it here

00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:18.240
 in verse 15.

00:33:18.940 --> 00:33:20.180
 Just as the Father

00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:21.539
 knows me and I

00:33:21.539 --> 00:33:22.759
 know the Father.

00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:24.920
 that is the

00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:25.519
 epitome of

00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:25.960
 knowledge.

00:33:26.740 --> 00:33:27.400
 That's the

00:33:27.400 --> 00:33:28.920
 epitome of

00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:29.660
 love.

00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:30.500
 That's the

00:33:30.500 --> 00:33:32.480
 epitome of

00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:33.140
 oneness.

00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:35.700
 It's the

00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:36.400
 knowledge that the

00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:37.339
 Father and the

00:33:37.339 --> 00:33:38.299
 Son have for one

00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:38.559
 another.

00:33:40.420 --> 00:33:40.960
 We'll take a

00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:41.920
 deeper look at this

00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:43.059
 next week and the

00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:43.619
 week following.

00:33:44.579 --> 00:33:45.519
 It comes front and

00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:47.119
 center to us as we

00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:47.539
 look at the

00:33:47.539 --> 00:33:48.519
 relationship between

00:33:48.519 --> 00:33:50.180
 the Godhead and how

00:33:50.180 --> 00:33:50.940
 that plays out.

00:33:52.660 --> 00:33:53.380
 But we know that

00:33:53.380 --> 00:33:54.259
 knowing the shepherd

00:33:54.259 --> 00:33:56.840
 means emulating the

00:33:56.840 --> 00:33:57.100
 shepherd.

00:33:58.920 --> 00:33:59.759
 Any of you who are

00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:00.799
 interested in sports,

00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:01.920
 you look at certain

00:34:01.920 --> 00:34:02.799
 sports figures.

00:34:03.080 --> 00:34:04.000
 You look at how

00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:05.799
 they do their golf

00:34:05.799 --> 00:34:07.140
 swing or how they

00:34:07.140 --> 00:34:08.340
 stand at the plate

00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:09.480
 or how they catch

00:34:09.480 --> 00:34:09.900
 a ball.

00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:11.840
 You care about the

00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:12.980
 shoes they wear if

00:34:12.980 --> 00:34:13.500
 you're a runner.

00:34:13.659 --> 00:34:14.820
 You care about their

00:34:14.820 --> 00:34:15.920
 lifting regiment.

00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:16.619
 You care about their

00:34:16.619 --> 00:34:16.960
 diet.

00:34:17.139 --> 00:34:18.119
 You want to emulate

00:34:18.119 --> 00:34:19.440
 their success and so

00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:20.440
 you look to the

00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:21.539
 facts so that you

00:34:21.539 --> 00:34:22.619
 can know them and

00:34:22.619 --> 00:34:23.380
 you can emulate

00:34:23.380 --> 00:34:24.059
 their life.

00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:27.179
 Knowing Christ,

00:34:28.460 --> 00:34:28.980
 knowing the good

00:34:28.980 --> 00:34:30.619
 shepherd will lead

00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:32.340
 to you emulating

00:34:32.340 --> 00:34:33.000
 his life.

00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:36.619
 So, all you have

00:34:36.619 --> 00:34:38.400
 to do is ask

00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:38.980
 yourself the

00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:39.820
 question, do I

00:34:39.820 --> 00:34:40.659
 look like Jesus

00:34:40.659 --> 00:34:42.380
 more today than I

00:34:42.380 --> 00:34:43.679
 did when I first

00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:44.220
 came to know him?

00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:45.900
 And if that is

00:34:45.900 --> 00:34:46.700
 true of you, then

00:34:46.700 --> 00:34:47.940
 you're growing in

00:34:47.940 --> 00:34:49.679
 this process of

00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:51.539
 knowing him and

00:34:51.539 --> 00:34:53.039
 loving him and

00:34:53.039 --> 00:34:54.079
 showing him to the

00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:54.260
 world.

00:34:58.639 --> 00:35:00.139
 And when we show

00:35:00.139 --> 00:35:02.159
 Christ through our

00:35:02.159 --> 00:35:04.159
 love, there is an

00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:05.659
 attractiveness that

00:35:05.659 --> 00:35:06.159
 shows up.

00:35:06.820 --> 00:35:07.900
 There is this

00:35:07.900 --> 00:35:11.019
 compelling aspect

00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:12.840
 of that beauty of

00:35:12.840 --> 00:35:14.000
 Christ coming through

00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:14.880
 our life.

00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:16.059
 love, that love,

00:35:16.200 --> 00:35:17.720
 that greatest love,

00:35:17.780 --> 00:35:18.920
 the ultimate love

00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:21.360
 for the highest joy

00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:23.400
 of him becomes

00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:24.200
 attractive to this

00:35:24.200 --> 00:35:26.260
 world so that they

00:35:26.260 --> 00:35:27.880
 will say, hey,

00:35:28.880 --> 00:35:30.340
 take me to your

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:30.539
 leader.

00:35:31.539 --> 00:35:32.440
 Introduce me to your

00:35:32.440 --> 00:35:32.940
 good shepherd.

00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:34.920
 I want to know him

00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:35.640
 too.

00:35:36.519 --> 00:35:38.099
 Will you help me

00:35:38.099 --> 00:35:38.980
 understand what it

00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:39.940
 means to know and

00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:41.140
 love your shepherd?

00:35:41.139 --> 00:35:42.359
 You see, it's not

00:35:42.359 --> 00:35:43.440
 about coming to

00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:44.379
 church and they

00:35:44.379 --> 00:35:45.440
 realize that.

00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:46.119
 It's not just about

00:35:46.119 --> 00:35:46.659
 the routine.

00:35:47.059 --> 00:35:47.819
 It's not just about

00:35:47.819 --> 00:35:50.799
 the externals in

00:35:50.799 --> 00:35:51.119
 life.

00:35:51.379 --> 00:35:52.059
 There's something

00:35:52.059 --> 00:35:53.099
 inside that is

00:35:53.099 --> 00:35:54.719
 helping you to be

00:35:54.719 --> 00:35:55.359
 more than you would

00:35:55.359 --> 00:35:56.799
 be on your own.

00:35:57.879 --> 00:35:58.500
 It's Christ.

00:35:58.619 --> 00:35:59.579
 It's a love for

00:35:59.579 --> 00:36:00.460
 Christ and knowledge

00:36:00.460 --> 00:36:01.759
 of Christ that moves

00:36:01.759 --> 00:36:02.679
 you to greater

00:36:02.679 --> 00:36:03.759
 things, greater

00:36:03.759 --> 00:36:04.159
 purposes.

00:36:06.420 --> 00:36:07.460
 But perhaps the

00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:08.379
 telltale sign of

00:36:08.379 --> 00:36:09.819
 that love is this

00:36:09.820 --> 00:36:10.620
 final component we

00:36:10.620 --> 00:36:12.700
 find here in

00:36:12.700 --> 00:36:13.340
 verse 16.

00:36:14.340 --> 00:36:16.140
 It says, and I

00:36:16.140 --> 00:36:16.820
 have other sheep

00:36:16.820 --> 00:36:18.180
 that are not of

00:36:18.180 --> 00:36:18.720
 this fold.

00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:20.500
 I must bring them

00:36:20.500 --> 00:36:21.500
 also and they will

00:36:21.500 --> 00:36:22.660
 listen to my voice

00:36:22.660 --> 00:36:24.039
 so there will be

00:36:24.039 --> 00:36:26.340
 one flock and

00:36:26.340 --> 00:36:27.900
 one shepherd.

00:36:28.920 --> 00:36:30.440
 This final aspect

00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:31.640
 is that they live

00:36:31.640 --> 00:36:33.200
 as one with the

00:36:33.200 --> 00:36:34.300
 shepherd and his

00:36:34.300 --> 00:36:34.519
 sheep.

00:36:37.620 --> 00:36:38.660
 It's one thing to

00:36:38.660 --> 00:36:39.360
 say, I love the

00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:39.620
 shepherd.

00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:42.380
 But the telltale

00:36:42.380 --> 00:36:43.460
 sign of that love

00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:44.080
 for your shepherd

00:36:44.080 --> 00:36:46.000
 is how you love

00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:49.200
 your other sheep

00:36:49.200 --> 00:36:49.720
 in your fold.

00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:51.760
 Is there a

00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:52.260
 oneness?

00:36:53.080 --> 00:36:55.539
 Is there a love

00:36:55.539 --> 00:36:56.820
 and a compassion

00:36:56.820 --> 00:36:57.940
 and a heart

00:36:57.940 --> 00:36:59.240
 and caring for

00:36:59.240 --> 00:36:59.600
 them?

00:36:59.920 --> 00:37:00.640
 Is there this

00:37:00.640 --> 00:37:01.960
 weeping with those

00:37:01.960 --> 00:37:02.539
 who weep and

00:37:02.539 --> 00:37:03.680
 rejoicing with those

00:37:03.680 --> 00:37:04.340
 who rejoice?

00:37:05.300 --> 00:37:06.900
 Carrying burdens

00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:08.760
 for them and being

00:37:08.760 --> 00:37:10.660
 compelled into

00:37:10.660 --> 00:37:12.740
 pursuing peace

00:37:12.740 --> 00:37:13.160
 when there is

00:37:13.160 --> 00:37:13.800
 conflict.

00:37:15.200 --> 00:37:15.660
 Submitting

00:37:15.660 --> 00:37:16.680
 yourself to them,

00:37:16.940 --> 00:37:17.820
 forgiving their

00:37:17.820 --> 00:37:18.880
 trespasses against

00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:20.020
 you and asking

00:37:20.020 --> 00:37:21.100
 for them to

00:37:21.100 --> 00:37:22.000
 forgive your

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:22.880
 sins against

00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:23.220
 them.

00:37:24.860 --> 00:37:26.620
 Paul talks

00:37:26.620 --> 00:37:27.300
 about this as a

00:37:27.300 --> 00:37:27.840
 mark of the

00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:28.480
 spirit in your

00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:28.880
 life.

00:37:28.880 --> 00:37:29.720
 In Ephesians

00:37:29.720 --> 00:37:30.340
 chapter 4,

00:37:30.420 --> 00:37:31.240
 1 to 3,

00:37:31.320 --> 00:37:31.520
 he says,

00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:32.659
 walk worthy of

00:37:32.659 --> 00:37:33.259
 the calling with

00:37:33.259 --> 00:37:33.679
 which you were

00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:34.119
 called.

00:37:34.119 --> 00:37:35.219
 With all loneliness

00:37:35.219 --> 00:37:35.960
 and gentleness,

00:37:36.199 --> 00:37:36.759
 with long

00:37:36.759 --> 00:37:37.280
 suffering,

00:37:37.599 --> 00:37:38.219
 bearing with one

00:37:38.219 --> 00:37:39.079
 another in love,

00:37:39.340 --> 00:37:40.280
 endeavoring to keep

00:37:40.280 --> 00:37:41.019
 the unity of the

00:37:41.019 --> 00:37:41.559
 spirit in the

00:37:41.559 --> 00:37:42.420
 bond of peace.

00:37:43.380 --> 00:37:44.420
 This is a

00:37:44.420 --> 00:37:45.900
 spirit work.

00:37:45.900 --> 00:37:48.420
 And those who

00:37:48.420 --> 00:37:49.139
 have the spirit

00:37:49.139 --> 00:37:51.460
 will pursue

00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:52.720
 oneness with

00:37:52.720 --> 00:37:54.200
 the shepherd

00:37:54.200 --> 00:37:55.559
 and oneness

00:37:55.559 --> 00:37:56.900
 with sheep.

00:37:58.079 --> 00:37:58.820
 Now I have in

00:37:58.820 --> 00:37:59.360
 my notes

00:37:59.360 --> 00:38:01.639
 a walk again

00:38:01.639 --> 00:38:02.639
 through the

00:38:02.639 --> 00:38:03.340
 gospel of John

00:38:03.340 --> 00:38:03.599
 that we don't

00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:04.139
 have time for.

00:38:05.440 --> 00:38:06.500
 But what I find

00:38:06.500 --> 00:38:07.079
 very interesting

00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:08.500
 is the reason

00:38:08.500 --> 00:38:09.579
 why we are to

00:38:09.579 --> 00:38:10.400
 love the sheep.

00:38:10.720 --> 00:38:11.300
 And it's not

00:38:11.300 --> 00:38:11.860
 what you would

00:38:11.860 --> 00:38:12.180
 think.

00:38:13.119 --> 00:38:13.840
 It's not just

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:14.480
 because we're all

00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.059
 in the same

00:38:15.059 --> 00:38:15.639
 group.

00:38:15.900 --> 00:38:16.500
 It's not just

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:17.460
 because we love

00:38:17.460 --> 00:38:17.880
 the shepherd.

00:38:18.220 --> 00:38:19.220
 What he points

00:38:19.220 --> 00:38:19.840
 to here,

00:38:20.180 --> 00:38:21.280
 Jesus says in

00:38:21.280 --> 00:38:22.160
 speaking about

00:38:22.160 --> 00:38:22.980
 the Gentiles

00:38:22.980 --> 00:38:23.720
 being brought

00:38:23.720 --> 00:38:24.480
 into the fold,

00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:27.059
 he says here,

00:38:28.019 --> 00:38:28.760
 verse 16,

00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:30.860
 I have other

00:38:30.860 --> 00:38:32.019
 sheep that are

00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:32.480
 not of this

00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:32.820
 fold.

00:38:33.660 --> 00:38:34.460
 Who is taking

00:38:34.460 --> 00:38:34.920
 the initiative?

00:38:35.420 --> 00:38:37.820
 I must bring

00:38:37.820 --> 00:38:38.740
 them in.

00:38:40.680 --> 00:38:41.579
 And I'd love

00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:42.039
 to take you

00:38:42.039 --> 00:38:42.940
 through the

00:38:42.940 --> 00:38:43.760
 gospel of John

00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:44.840
 and emphasize

00:38:44.840 --> 00:38:45.740
 the fact

00:38:45.739 --> 00:38:47.359
 that this

00:38:47.359 --> 00:38:48.379
 is a work

00:38:48.379 --> 00:38:49.019
 of God

00:38:49.019 --> 00:38:49.659
 for us.

00:38:50.639 --> 00:38:51.439
 He's the one

00:38:51.439 --> 00:38:52.039
 choosing the

00:38:52.039 --> 00:38:52.419
 team.

00:38:53.539 --> 00:38:54.239
 And if it's

00:38:54.239 --> 00:38:55.000
 his team,

00:38:55.179 --> 00:38:55.939
 we have no

00:38:55.939 --> 00:38:56.479
 business

00:38:56.479 --> 00:38:58.159
 messing it up.

00:38:58.839 --> 00:38:59.719
 We have no

00:38:59.719 --> 00:39:00.519
 business saying,

00:39:00.659 --> 00:39:01.219
 I don't like

00:39:01.219 --> 00:39:01.779
 the players

00:39:01.779 --> 00:39:02.479
 on the team.

00:39:04.479 --> 00:39:05.119
 Because it's

00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:05.639
 not your team.

00:39:06.799 --> 00:39:07.659
 It's his team.

00:39:07.659 --> 00:39:10.579
 And if you love

00:39:10.579 --> 00:39:11.059
 your Savior,

00:39:11.799 --> 00:39:12.339
 you're going to

00:39:12.339 --> 00:39:13.000
 love his team.

00:39:13.839 --> 00:39:14.239
 You're going to

00:39:14.239 --> 00:39:14.859
 love his sheep.

00:39:15.579 --> 00:39:16.619
 And you will do

00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:18.099
 whatever it takes

00:39:18.099 --> 00:39:19.159
 to emulate

00:39:19.159 --> 00:39:21.239
 his love for the

00:39:21.239 --> 00:39:22.779
 sheep in laying

00:39:22.779 --> 00:39:23.519
 down preferences,

00:39:24.079 --> 00:39:24.980
 in laying down

00:39:24.980 --> 00:39:25.480
 life,

00:39:25.839 --> 00:39:26.879
 in laying down

00:39:26.879 --> 00:39:28.039
 your possessions,

00:39:28.539 --> 00:39:29.420
 in laying down

00:39:29.420 --> 00:39:30.460
 whatever it is,

00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:32.000
 in emulating to

00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:32.920
 the full extent

00:39:32.920 --> 00:39:33.619
 that the shepherd

00:39:33.619 --> 00:39:34.719
 did in laying

00:39:34.719 --> 00:39:35.379
 down his life for

00:39:35.380 --> 00:39:35.680
 the sheep,

00:39:35.860 --> 00:39:36.360
 you will do

00:39:36.360 --> 00:39:36.900
 the same

00:39:36.900 --> 00:39:37.800
 because it's

00:39:37.800 --> 00:39:38.340
 his team.

00:39:40.720 --> 00:39:41.400
 It's his

00:39:41.400 --> 00:39:41.700
 flock.

00:39:44.760 --> 00:39:45.280
 So,

00:39:45.559 --> 00:39:45.960
 do you love

00:39:45.960 --> 00:39:46.380
 your shepherd?

00:39:48.059 --> 00:39:48.800
 Do you

00:39:48.800 --> 00:39:50.019
 love your

00:39:50.019 --> 00:39:50.660
 shepherd by

00:39:50.660 --> 00:39:51.539
 loving his

00:39:51.539 --> 00:39:51.860
 sheep?

00:39:53.920 --> 00:39:54.740
 Sheep are

00:39:54.740 --> 00:39:56.220
 distinctive.

00:39:57.519 --> 00:39:58.680
 They have a

00:39:58.680 --> 00:39:59.340
 unity that

00:39:59.340 --> 00:40:00.059
 stands out.

00:40:00.940 --> 00:40:01.760
 They have a

00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:02.240
 love for one

00:40:02.240 --> 00:40:02.780
 another that

00:40:02.780 --> 00:40:03.599
 stands out.

00:40:03.619 --> 00:40:04.019
 They have a

00:40:04.019 --> 00:40:05.059
 loyalty to their

00:40:05.059 --> 00:40:05.960
 shepherd that

00:40:05.960 --> 00:40:07.279
 is contrastive

00:40:07.279 --> 00:40:08.639
 and sets

00:40:08.639 --> 00:40:09.299
 itself apart

00:40:09.299 --> 00:40:09.579
 from the

00:40:09.579 --> 00:40:09.940
 world.

00:40:11.539 --> 00:40:12.019
 They are those

00:40:12.019 --> 00:40:13.019
 who listen to

00:40:13.019 --> 00:40:14.199
 the voice of

00:40:14.199 --> 00:40:14.579
 their shepherd.

00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:17.119
 We've heard it

00:40:17.119 --> 00:40:17.679
 said that the

00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:18.400
 goal of

00:40:18.400 --> 00:40:19.960
 preaching is

00:40:19.960 --> 00:40:20.440
 to bring the

00:40:20.440 --> 00:40:21.380
 audience to a

00:40:21.380 --> 00:40:22.380
 point of saying

00:40:22.380 --> 00:40:23.019
 yes or no to

00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:23.900
 Christ, right?

00:40:25.059 --> 00:40:25.719
 Do you realize

00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:26.719
 that your life

00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:27.880
 is a sermon?

00:40:29.219 --> 00:40:30.099
 Your life,

00:40:30.679 --> 00:40:31.299
 every day,

00:40:31.820 --> 00:40:32.299
 wherever you

00:40:32.299 --> 00:40:32.599
 are,

00:40:33.259 --> 00:40:34.299
 has a message.

00:40:35.059 --> 00:40:36.039
 Is that

00:40:36.039 --> 00:40:37.000
 message of

00:40:37.000 --> 00:40:37.559
 your life

00:40:37.559 --> 00:40:38.599
 helping people

00:40:38.599 --> 00:40:39.340
 say yes or

00:40:39.340 --> 00:40:39.840
 no to God?

00:40:40.840 --> 00:40:41.880
 Is that

00:40:41.880 --> 00:40:43.079
 message of

00:40:43.079 --> 00:40:43.699
 your life

00:40:43.699 --> 00:40:46.059
 drawing the

00:40:46.059 --> 00:40:47.179
 focus to

00:40:47.179 --> 00:40:47.840
 the beautiful

00:40:47.840 --> 00:40:48.900
 and glorious

00:40:48.900 --> 00:40:49.739
 and marvelous

00:40:49.739 --> 00:40:50.759
 shepherd that

00:40:50.759 --> 00:40:51.000
 you have,

00:40:51.119 --> 00:40:51.639
 the good

00:40:51.639 --> 00:40:52.559
 shepherd above

00:40:52.559 --> 00:40:53.259
 all other

00:40:53.259 --> 00:40:53.840
 shepherds?

00:40:55.219 --> 00:40:56.019
 So they

00:40:56.019 --> 00:40:56.659
 might say,

00:40:57.039 --> 00:40:58.699
 take me to

00:40:58.699 --> 00:40:59.099
 your leader.

00:40:59.820 --> 00:41:00.699
 Introduce me

00:41:00.699 --> 00:41:01.920
 to that great

00:41:01.920 --> 00:41:02.219
 shepherd.

00:41:02.219 --> 00:41:02.299
 shepherd.

00:41:03.500 --> 00:41:04.279
 Let's pray.

00:41:07.379 --> 00:41:08.079
 Oh Lord,

00:41:08.139 --> 00:41:08.519
 that is our

00:41:08.519 --> 00:41:09.099
 prayer this

00:41:09.099 --> 00:41:09.359
 morning.

00:41:10.699 --> 00:41:11.579
 It is that

00:41:11.579 --> 00:41:12.279
 our life would

00:41:12.279 --> 00:41:13.179
 be so distinctive

00:41:13.179 --> 00:41:14.980
 that it would

00:41:14.980 --> 00:41:16.199
 emulate and

00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:17.159
 mimic the life

00:41:17.159 --> 00:41:17.719
 of our good

00:41:17.719 --> 00:41:18.259
 shepherd in

00:41:18.259 --> 00:41:19.059
 such a way

00:41:19.059 --> 00:41:21.319
 that people

00:41:21.319 --> 00:41:21.899
 around us,

00:41:21.939 --> 00:41:22.299
 the world

00:41:22.299 --> 00:41:22.759
 around us,

00:41:22.819 --> 00:41:23.219
 would say,

00:41:23.359 --> 00:41:23.679
 oh,

00:41:23.959 --> 00:41:24.739
 introduce me

00:41:24.739 --> 00:41:25.199
 to your

00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:25.839
 good shepherd.

00:41:26.439 --> 00:41:26.879
 I want to

00:41:26.879 --> 00:41:27.339
 know him

00:41:27.339 --> 00:41:28.079
 more.

00:41:28.079 --> 00:41:30.099
 may that be

00:41:30.099 --> 00:41:30.759
 true of us,

00:41:30.880 --> 00:41:31.039
 Lord.

00:41:31.279 --> 00:41:32.699
 We know we

00:41:32.699 --> 00:41:33.039
 need your

00:41:33.039 --> 00:41:33.299
 help.

00:41:33.400 --> 00:41:34.519
 It is a

00:41:34.519 --> 00:41:35.340
 spirit work

00:41:35.340 --> 00:41:35.940
 that has to

00:41:35.940 --> 00:41:37.199
 happen for

00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:37.599
 us,

00:41:37.659 --> 00:41:38.259
 not something

00:41:38.259 --> 00:41:38.679
 that we can

00:41:38.679 --> 00:41:39.119
 do on our

00:41:39.119 --> 00:41:39.360
 own.

00:41:40.880 --> 00:41:41.579
 So do that

00:41:41.579 --> 00:41:42.139
 work for us,

00:41:42.259 --> 00:41:42.360
 Lord,

00:41:42.440 --> 00:41:44.460
 and help us

00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:45.819
 to care for

00:41:45.819 --> 00:41:46.420
 the things that

00:41:46.420 --> 00:41:46.920
 you care for.

00:41:47.500 --> 00:41:48.340
 Help us to

00:41:48.340 --> 00:41:49.039
 love this world

00:41:49.039 --> 00:41:49.659
 as you love

00:41:49.659 --> 00:41:50.059
 the world.

00:41:50.259 --> 00:41:50.759
 Help us to

00:41:50.759 --> 00:41:51.199
 love one

00:41:51.199 --> 00:41:52.920
 another as

00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:54.059
 you have

00:41:54.059 --> 00:41:54.920
 loved your

00:41:54.920 --> 00:41:55.259
 sheep.

00:41:56.059 --> 00:41:56.579
 We pray

00:41:56.579 --> 00:41:57.199
 these things in

00:41:57.199 --> 00:41:57.779
 Jesus' name.

00:41:58.079 --> 00:41:58.599
 Amen.