WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.520 So, Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man to see him, the Son of Man. 00:00:06.379 --> 00:00:15.580 This man who once was blind but now see, believes in and confess that Jesus is Lord in verse 38, and he worshiped Jesus. 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:28.560 This man's journey from physical blindness to seeing symbolized his transition from spiritual darkness to finding the light, the light of the world, Jesus. 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:39.500 The works of God in this man provide a powerful contrast that highlights a deep problem of people who are not aligned themselves with Jesus. 00:00:40.979 --> 00:00:47.759 Many people claim they can see but still live in spiritual darkness and do not see the depth of their problem. 00:00:48.519 --> 00:00:51.099 So, Jesus said plainly in verse 39, 00:00:51.099 --> 00:00:58.359 For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind. 00:00:59.440 --> 00:01:04.219 It is Jesus' ministry to bring illumination and judgment. 00:01:05.320 --> 00:01:07.180 Jesus is still doing his work today. 00:01:08.120 --> 00:01:14.579 On one hand, his work is to illuminate, is an illumination of reception. 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:18.700 For those willing to hold to him, they might see him. 00:01:18.700 --> 00:01:28.920 On the other hand, he lays out the judgment or rejection of those who claim they can see or know their way to God, but reject Jesus. 00:01:29.579 --> 00:01:34.500 People who claim they can see or know their way to God are often very religious. 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:44.400 They are quick to see and even expose their thoughts in others and have a very strong opinion of how others should behave, but see no thoughts in themselves. 00:01:45.340 --> 00:01:58.700 They are sheathed to point out how others are not aligned themselves with their law, but they are blinded by their religiousosity and very busy for freeing religious activities. 00:01:58.700 --> 00:02:07.640 Jesus addressed the parable about the sheep pen to the Pharisee, the religious elite in Jesus' time. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:16.500 Knowing that this parable addressed to a group of highly religious people, are you less interested because you think, 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:17.500 I'm not religious? 00:02:17.500 --> 00:02:26.340 Sometimes when I read the Bible and see that Jesus is saying things to the Pharisee, and I'm not a Pharisee, maybe I can skip that paragraph. 00:02:27.960 --> 00:02:38.719 Recently, the staff has been going through a book by Dr. Kim Keller called Santa Church, and there's a list to define a religious person. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:47.780 I find the list very helpful for my self-reflection and wonder how much you align with these indicators as a religious person. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.819 Do you think that I obey, therefore I am accepted? 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:58.780 Is the fear and insecurity what motivates you to do whatever you are doing? 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:02.199 Do you obey God to get things from him? 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:13.879 When circumstances in your life go wrong, are you angry at God or yourself because you believe that anyone good deserves a comfortable life? 00:03:15.079 --> 00:03:19.699 Do you find it essential to think of and present yourself as a good person? 00:03:20.519 --> 00:03:23.979 And do you get upset or devastated when you are criticized? 00:03:23.979 --> 00:03:32.539 When your good person's self-image is threatened, will you occupy yourself to destroy those threats at all costs? 00:03:33.699 --> 00:03:36.259 Do you pray mainly to control circumstances? 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:43.659 And does your prayer life consist primarily of petitions and only heats up when you are in need? 00:03:44.819 --> 00:03:52.859 Do you feel more confident when you live up to your standard, but are prone to be proud and sympathetic to people who fail? 00:03:53.979 --> 00:04:02.339 However, when you are not living up to your standards, do you feel humble and not confident, thinking of yourself as a failure? 00:04:05.139 --> 00:04:12.859 These questions are a helpful and confronting reminder for me because I can see that I am religious in many ways. 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:20.459 Religious persons tend to bolster their sense of worth by convincing themselves that they are better than other people, 00:04:20.620 --> 00:04:23.899 which leads them to exclude and condemn others. 00:04:23.980 --> 00:04:27.780 Their self-worth ties in with their performance. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:32.780 And Jesus often speaks against this kind of behavior in his teaching. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:40.680 Jesus adjusts this parable of the sheep pen to the Pharisee, but not exclusive to the Pharisee. 00:04:42.040 --> 00:04:45.819 A parable or figure of speech often has layers of meanings, 00:04:46.580 --> 00:04:51.120 and with the deepest meaning, not easy to understand unless it is explained. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:05:01.199 A straightforward reading of the parable in chapter 10, verse 1 to 5, tells us about the relationship between the shepherd and his sheep. 00:05:01.939 --> 00:05:10.399 The shepherd enters through the sheep pen through the gates legitimately and calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:20.620 The sheep listen to his voice, and when he brought them out, all of his own, he went ahead of them, and his sheep follows him because they know his voice. 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:26.319 This description is a language of intimacy between the shepherd and the sheep. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:35.439 The sheep is not easily found in modern-day sheep farming, where dogs and motorbikes drove the sheep in mass production. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:46.839 The true shepherd that Jesus speaks of here takes excellent care of their sheep by proximity, keeping them close inside day and night, 00:05:47.259 --> 00:05:54.779 going ahead of them to lead them during the day to their nourishment, and guide them by the gatekeeper overnight. 00:05:55.500 --> 00:05:59.180 The shepherd knows his sheep intimately. 00:05:59.180 --> 00:06:09.040 From what the Pharisees have done to the man born blind in chapter 9, they are obviously not the true and good shepherd that is in the parable. 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:16.639 Also, by their own nature, they are not going to identify themselves as a thief or robber either. 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:24.120 They do not understand how the parable is related to them, so Jesus went further in verse 7. 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:31.399 Therefore, Jesus says again, to highlight two aspects of the parable, the gate and the shepherd. 00:06:32.259 --> 00:06:36.740 Jesus breaks down what he is saying to highlight that fundamentally. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:41.120 It's not about them that he is talking about. 00:06:41.840 --> 00:06:47.000 The parable is directed at Jesus himself, the true and good shepherd of God's sheep. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:49.639 He told them in verse 7 to 10, 00:06:49.639 --> 00:07:07.959 Jesus is the only way to be saved and have the life that God intended for his creation. 00:07:08.479 --> 00:07:12.379 As he reiterates in chapter 14, verse 6, 00:07:12.379 --> 00:07:15.979 I am the way and the truth and the life. 00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:18.979 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:07:20.419 --> 00:07:23.599 Last week in chapter 8, verse 31, Jesus said, 00:07:23.899 --> 00:07:26.919 If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 00:07:27.500 --> 00:07:30.439 Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. 00:07:31.219 --> 00:07:32.639 Jesus is the truth. 00:07:33.539 --> 00:07:36.259 When you know Jesus, he brings you to the Father. 00:07:36.860 --> 00:07:40.240 Jesus restored our relationship with our Creator, our Father. 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:44.159 Jesus will set you free to worship God and enjoy life. 00:07:45.479 --> 00:07:49.259 The parable in chapter 10 is written for me and you. 00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:53.459 If you think that you can see your way to God by your obedience. 00:07:53.899 --> 00:07:58.919 When you seek to be right with God through your morality and religion, 00:07:59.419 --> 00:08:01.459 you are not seeking God for your salvation. 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:07.639 What you are doing is you are using God as a means to achieve your salvation. 00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:12.419 I passed the half a century mark a few years back, 00:08:12.919 --> 00:08:15.560 and I am going to be 55 in a couple of years. 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:21.379 I confess publicly to be a Christian over 40 years ago. 00:08:21.379 --> 00:08:23.480 John 10.10. 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:26.819 I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. 00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:31.980 It's one of the first of the Bible that I memorized and go to in the last 30 years or so. 00:08:31.980 --> 00:08:40.100 My dad and his brothers have been running a family business in Hong Kong since the early 70s. 00:08:40.500 --> 00:08:45.700 And they were about to branch out to the U.S. and European market in the early 80s. 00:08:46.379 --> 00:08:51.300 And one of my uncle and family will go to New York, and another family will go to L.A. 00:08:51.299 --> 00:08:56.459 So there was a big family gathering, and all the children were asked what they wanted to do when they grew up. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:09:03.079 Most of my cousins would say, I would help my dad to run business and be successful businessmen. 00:09:03.620 --> 00:09:09.139 A couple of my cousins also say, oh, I like to study, so I become excellent in academic achievement. 00:09:09.839 --> 00:09:14.039 And I told everyone in that meeting that I want to be an evangelist, a minister. 00:09:15.500 --> 00:09:15.879 Whoa. 00:09:16.779 --> 00:09:18.000 It sounds admirable. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:22.779 It seems like I would have the calling to serve God from when I was very, very young as a teen. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:28.580 But the reason I say that at that meeting was to embarrass my parents. 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:36.279 It was more like a payback because I was resentful that my dad put all his time and energy into the business. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:41.740 And speaking highly of my cousin and never take interest in me as a person. 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:47.799 I asked God many times in my life about the promise that he gave me in John 10.10. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:51.600 You say you have come that I may have life and have it to the full. 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:54.759 So why do I often feel so empty and unloved? 00:09:55.679 --> 00:10:00.340 Why do I have to work so hard for acceptance and recognition from my parents? 00:10:00.820 --> 00:10:06.480 The two people who are on earth should have unconditionally loved me, towards me, and know me best. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:15.600 It's only about five to ten years ago that I realized the life that Jesus promised was not one for me to earn. 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:19.279 My salvation is a gift of God. 00:10:20.039 --> 00:10:22.120 It happens because of his grace. 00:10:22.940 --> 00:10:24.360 It's nothing to do with me. 00:10:25.460 --> 00:10:29.879 I was robbed of God's joy because I was not listening to Jesus. 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:33.580 I was not going through Jesus to be saved. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:36.820 I was striving to save myself all these times. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:44.639 The abundant life that Jesus promised was for him to give because he is the greatest shepherd. 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:47.679 Only Jesus can get us to the Father. 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:53.079 Only through him that we will come in and go out and find pasture. 00:10:54.299 --> 00:11:00.139 And from a lesser to greater understanding, we get life through him because he is a gate. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:07.439 And he can give abundant life because he is the good shepherd that lays down his life for his sheep. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:15.240 Jesus mentioned five times that he lays down his life for his sheep between verse 11 to 18. 00:11:16.700 --> 00:11:18.120 I am the good shepherd. 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:20.880 The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:22.420 I am the good shepherd. 00:11:22.560 --> 00:11:27.900 I know my sheep and my sheep knows me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:30.240 And I lay down my life for the sheep. 00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:36.060 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again. 00:11:36.059 --> 00:11:39.979 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down from my own accord. 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:43.539 I have authority to lay it down and authority to get up again. 00:11:43.959 --> 00:11:46.079 This command I received from my Father. 00:11:47.779 --> 00:11:55.099 It is a distinguishing characteristic of the good shepherd that he is ruling to lay down his life for the sheep. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:02.239 Jesus repeated this characteristic many times to show that it is the central theme of his teaching. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:06.680 And I have missed this crucial point for such a long time. 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:10.840 We think our obedience is the key to God's acceptance. 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:16.360 Our obedience to Jesus' teaching is essential as we follow Jesus. 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:25.039 It is a fallacy and a fantasy if someone say they are a Christian, a follower of Christ, but do not hold to his teaching. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:31.879 But obedience is not our tool to save ourselves or earn favor with God. 00:12:33.959 --> 00:12:41.159 Jesus fulfilled all the commands of his Father so that Father's love for us is always secure. 00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:49.159 God's love for us is as secure as Father's love for Jesus because he laid down his life for the sheep. 00:12:49.939 --> 00:12:52.659 Knowing fully well what sheep are like. 00:12:52.659 --> 00:12:55.860 Sheeps are not adorable or likable. 00:12:56.779 --> 00:13:01.360 I encourage you in a holiday to go to a farm and do some visits and look at the sheep pen. 00:13:02.259 --> 00:13:08.519 And when you spend some time with sheep, you discover sheep are smelly and often wandering around. 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:14.019 They have no sense of danger and repeatedly put themselves in situations that they should not be in. 00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:17.360 I read this recently. 00:13:18.579 --> 00:13:21.299 It says no one could know us better than Jesus. 00:13:21.299 --> 00:13:30.479 He knows every time we have hated, everything we have contemplated, and the feel we have articulated. 00:13:31.199 --> 00:13:32.959 And he loves us anyway. 00:13:33.959 --> 00:13:41.259 No one has been with us longer than Jesus, who with the Father needed us together in the room of our mother. 00:13:41.259 --> 00:13:49.819 No one has been truer to us than Jesus, telling us what we did not want to hear, always true to the truth. 00:13:50.819 --> 00:14:04.039 No one has shown more commitment to our good than Jesus, who traveled further to redeem us, suffered more indignity, and drew more significant pain, make better promise, 00:14:04.039 --> 00:14:09.019 and in every way show himself, and in every way show himself worthy of all we have and are. 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:10.919 Oh, how he loves us. 00:14:13.059 --> 00:14:16.559 We owe no one more than what we owe Jesus. 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:22.819 We can have no suspicion about the motive or intention of Jesus. 00:14:24.179 --> 00:14:25.859 We cannot distrust him. 00:14:26.239 --> 00:14:27.519 We cannot resent him. 00:14:27.739 --> 00:14:35.679 The love we have for Jesus ought to be the nearest thing that is to crystal clear purity in this murky world. 00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:41.939 We live in a world of uncertainty, but we can be sure about Jesus. 00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:49.980 When the people questioned Jesus whether he was the Messiah back in verse 24, he answered, 00:14:50.940 --> 00:14:53.020 My sheep, listen to my voice. 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:55.000 I know them, and they follow me. 00:14:55.500 --> 00:14:58.900 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. 00:14:59.280 --> 00:15:01.200 No one will snatch them out of my hand. 00:15:01.640 --> 00:15:08.220 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:15.000 No one will snatch Jesus out of his hand because Jesus holds firmly to us. 00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:17.100 It's like holding on a pen. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:23.920 And because no one can snatch Jesus' follower out of the Father's hand, 00:15:25.040 --> 00:15:30.040 Jesus and Father keep us hand in hand into eternal life, 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:32.840 and no one can snatch us out of that. 00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:37.560 Jesus' body and blood brought our life, 00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:43.220 and his body and blood bear us up on the journey to the land where he is king. 00:15:44.300 --> 00:15:45.759 Jesus is our Messiah. 00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:47.440 Jesus is our shepherd. 00:15:48.139 --> 00:15:49.480 He is our friend. 00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:54.259 He is the only one who can save us because he is the Son of God. 00:15:54.259 --> 00:16:00.759 Jesus declared in verse 30 that I and the Father are one. 00:16:01.860 --> 00:16:06.000 And the people pick up stone to stone him because he is claiming to be God. 00:16:06.679 --> 00:16:08.460 But there is Jesus' true identity. 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:13.019 Jesus and the Father are one because Jesus is the Son of God. 00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:19.240 Jesus, the good shepherd, has come to bind up the broken, 00:16:20.019 --> 00:16:24.519 bring back the scatter, and return the lost sheep to the flock of God. 00:16:25.139 --> 00:16:29.519 To leverage his love on us while satisfying his divine justice, 00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:33.079 Jesus took our punishment upon himself 00:16:33.079 --> 00:16:37.559 so that we may eternally be part of his flock. 00:16:38.379 --> 00:16:41.840 Only the Son of God can achieve this substitution. 00:16:43.019 --> 00:16:46.159 Jesus, the promised Messiah, the Son of God, 00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:49.439 came to care for the sheep and lead them back to God. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:55.480 His great concern for the sheep was in his willingness to do what was best for them. 00:16:57.340 --> 00:17:00.259 And like the people merely hired for the job, 00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:03.879 the true shepherd would act in the best interest of the flock, 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:05.299 despite the risk. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:10.680 Because he owned the sheep, he leads them. 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:18.200 He would never abandon them and runs away because he cares about everything for the sheep. 00:17:19.660 --> 00:17:24.299 Like sheep, everyone of us has wandered away from our Creator. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:28.519 We think we know better and we can see our way to God, 00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:32.940 but we often rebel against his right to rule over us, 00:17:33.220 --> 00:17:35.820 even after we have started to follow him. 00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:42.480 Every human deserves the full punishment of God's law required for our waywardness, 00:17:42.679 --> 00:17:43.659 which is death. 00:17:44.159 --> 00:17:47.700 But God has decided to express his glory 00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:51.740 by rescuing those who neither deserve rescue 00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:56.159 nor can bring themselves to salvation, to safety. 00:17:56.160 --> 00:18:04.060 All that is required of anyone who he loves is that we turn to Jesus from sin, 00:18:04.620 --> 00:18:06.640 to listen to his voice and follow him. 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:12.779 Jesus' word in this teaching should be repeated again and again in our hearts and in our mind. 00:18:13.840 --> 00:18:15.480 The sheep listen to his voice. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:19.060 He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 00:18:19.420 --> 00:18:22.820 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, 00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:25.779 and his sheep follow him because they knew his voice. 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:28.579 Whoever enters through me will be saved. 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:31.679 They will come in and go out and find pasture. 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:35.220 I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.599 My sheep listen to my voice. 00:18:38.059 --> 00:18:39.679 I know them and they follow me. 00:18:40.099 --> 00:18:43.000 I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. 00:18:43.439 --> 00:18:45.899 No one will snatch them out of my hand. 00:18:46.399 --> 00:18:49.579 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, 00:18:49.579 --> 00:18:52.559 and no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 00:18:52.819 --> 00:18:59.859 The abundant life is the eternal life that Christ gives to all who hold to his teaching 00:18:59.859 --> 00:19:01.619 and put their trust in him. 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:06.799 Eternal life is a present possession of all believers 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:10.179 to be enjoyed and developed forever. 00:19:11.179 --> 00:19:14.679 Its main feature is not in the duration of time, 00:19:14.679 --> 00:19:19.960 but the blessedness and heavenliness of the character of the sheep. 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:24.779 How do we respond to God? 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:29.620 Will we submit to him like the man born blind 00:19:29.620 --> 00:19:35.200 or faintly try to stone him like the Jews in Jesus' time? 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:40.799 Will we believe what he says or try to arrest him for it? 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:47.180 The correct response to God's salvation spoken by Jesus is faith and trust, 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:51.599 praise and worship and thanks and celebration. 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:56.319 Perhaps you would like to respond to God in this way, 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:00.019 but your sin makes you think God will never receive you. 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:04.539 Or maybe it caused you to struggle with assurance about your salvation. 00:20:05.439 --> 00:20:11.099 We must look away from ourselves and look to God the Father and God the Son. 00:20:11.099 --> 00:20:16.379 The Father, Son, and the Spirit is one who saves. 00:20:17.179 --> 00:20:20.579 The Father is all-wise and all-powerful. 00:20:21.199 --> 00:20:24.719 The Son is all-convincing and all-satisfying. 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:28.240 The Father and Son have the power to save us. 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:32.359 The Spirit will work the fruits of the true salvation into our life 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:34.119 as we bear God's name. 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:40.500 God's name is at stake in our salvation and our eternal life. 00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:46.619 Christ as Son cares more about glorifying and honoring his Father's name than any of us. 00:20:47.319 --> 00:20:51.119 With Christ being our greatest shepherd, we are saved. 00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:56.359 Prophets 8, verse 35 to 36 says, 00:20:56.359 --> 00:21:01.419 For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord, 00:21:01.420 --> 00:21:04.460 but those who fail to find me harm themselves. 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:07.660 All who hate me love death. 00:21:08.800 --> 00:21:14.320 If you love life, look for and take hold of Jesus, 00:21:15.100 --> 00:21:17.720 and you may have life and have it abundantly.