WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.439 As we turn to God's word, let's pray. 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:08.439 Dear God, as we have your word open before us, we acknowledge that we are completely 00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:15.000 dependent on you, and we pray that you would be our shepherd, leading us into your world 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:17.440 and feeding and nourishing us from it. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:22.400 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:00:22.400 --> 00:00:26.600 This month in the run-up to Christmas, we are doing a very short series that we've called 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:30.040 Forgotten King. 00:00:30.040 --> 00:00:37.840 The title is brief, but it actually tells us two things that I think are absolutely true 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:41.400 of Scotland in 2018. 00:00:41.400 --> 00:00:46.760 The first thing that's true of Scotland in 2018 is that Jesus is forgotten. 00:00:46.760 --> 00:00:51.600 So in all the busyness of getting ready for Christmas, and all the fun of the lights in 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:56.120 the market, and all the excitement of toys and food and everything else, which is all 00:00:56.120 --> 00:01:01.840 great, but in all of that, Jesus is forgotten. 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:06.719 But it's also true that Jesus is still king. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:14.120 And the fact that Jesus is forgotten by so many has absolutely no bearing whatsoever 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:17.760 on the fact that Jesus is the king. 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:23.040 This reigns over every single square inch of the universe, and whether Scotland remembers 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:29.760 it or not, 2,000 years ago, the king of the universe was born in Bethlehem. 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:35.600 And the whole of history and the whole of the Bible is centered on the fact that Jesus 00:01:35.600 --> 00:01:37.160 has come. 00:01:37.160 --> 00:01:41.200 And that's why we want to think about that as we study these sermons together. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:49.079 We want to remember and learn and worship the forgotten king. 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:53.040 And there's various emphasis that the Bible gives us in regard to what this king is going 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:54.040 to do. 00:01:54.040 --> 00:02:00.879 And last week, Derek introduced us to the series with the title King of Peace, the fact that 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:07.159 in a world that is broken, in a world that is full of chaos and despair, Jesus brings 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:09.960 us peace. 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:16.280 Today we're going to turn to Matthew chapter 2 and the short passage which we read about 00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:23.439 the wise men coming and inquiring, where is the one who is to be king of the Jews? 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:25.480 Where is he to be born? 00:02:25.480 --> 00:02:32.240 And the answer that was given to him was that he was to be born in Bethlehem. 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:37.600 As we read, you or Bethlehem in the land of Judah are by no means least among the rulers 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:45.680 of Judah, for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:50.959 And we're going to think about the biblical theme of the shepherd king. 00:02:50.959 --> 00:02:56.599 Now I want you to start by just using your imagination and thinking of a typical nativity 00:02:56.599 --> 00:02:58.359 scene that you would see. 00:02:58.359 --> 00:03:00.560 We see them all the time. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:02.280 Maybe you've even got one in your house. 00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:03.560 We often have this image. 00:03:03.560 --> 00:03:10.560 You have a stable or a cave where everyone's gathered, you have Mary and Joseph, you have 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:14.960 the animals, you have the manger, you have the shepherds. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:17.039 We have this scene in our minds. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:21.560 Now often there may be two or three shepherds, but we don't actually know how many shepherds 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:22.560 there were. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:29.080 The Bible doesn't tell us, but the Bible does tell us that there's one shepherd in that 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:32.480 nativity scene who's of particular importance. 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:38.919 One of these shepherds is the chief, which of course raises the question, which one is 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:40.919 the chief shepherd? 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:47.839 And the answer is the one lying in the manger. 00:03:47.839 --> 00:03:53.799 Jesus is the shepherd king. 00:03:53.799 --> 00:03:59.519 He is the one who has come to rule his people. 00:03:59.519 --> 00:04:01.599 And he is our focus today. 00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:07.799 We're going to look at this great theme of the shepherd king running through scripture. 00:04:07.799 --> 00:04:11.439 Here's a list of six famous figures from the Old Testament. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:17.480 Abel, Abraham, Jacob, who was also known as Israel, Rachel, who was Israel's wife, Moses, 00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:18.480 David. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:19.399 They all have one thing in common. 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:22.159 What is it? 00:04:22.159 --> 00:04:24.959 They were shepherds. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:28.000 They were all shepherds. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.759 And it's a big theme running through the Old Testament. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:38.439 At various points, we are shown what the characteristics of a good shepherd are. 00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:42.240 I'm going to just give you four brief examples. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:48.120 You can look at many, many others, highlighting what makes a good shepherd in the Old Testament. 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:52.279 Isaiah 40 says, he will tend his flock like a shepherd. 00:04:52.279 --> 00:04:54.240 He will gather the lambs in his arms. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.439 He will carry them in his bosom and gently lead those who are with young. 00:04:58.439 --> 00:05:04.639 Amos chapter three speaks about it too, a shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:10.639 Two legs are a piece of a near social, the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued. 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:14.079 Micah chapter five, he shall stand and shepherd his flock. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.000 They shall dwell secure. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:20.000 And of course, perhaps the most famous shepherd version, the whole of the Old Testament, the 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:21.360 Lord is my shepherd. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:23.000 I shall not want. 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:25.480 He makes me lie down in green pastures. 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:28.560 He leads me beside still waters. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:31.879 These and other verses tell us what a good shepherd looks like. 00:05:31.879 --> 00:05:35.399 There's key things that a shepherd does. 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:38.120 And I've got a list just summarizing them for you here. 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:41.160 So a shepherd does these five things. 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:43.560 He leads and guides his flock. 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:49.600 A flock is completely dependent on their shepherd to show them where to go. 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:52.240 They don't know how to navigate the wilderness. 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:55.040 They don't know how to find water or pasture. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:56.480 He is their guide. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:57.480 They follow him. 00:05:57.480 --> 00:05:59.840 A shepherd needs to be wise. 00:05:59.840 --> 00:06:02.240 He's the leader of the flock. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:05.519 A shepherd also provides food and water. 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:11.360 And so if you think back to the ancient Near East, it wasn't like shepherding in Scotland 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:14.840 where rain comes maybe far too often. 00:06:14.840 --> 00:06:19.840 You had to go looking for water and food. 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:24.560 And it was the shepherd's responsibility to make sure that the flock had the nourishment 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:25.560 that they needed. 00:06:25.560 --> 00:06:29.399 So a shepherd really needs to be attentive to those needs. 00:06:29.399 --> 00:06:32.799 Number three, a shepherd carries the weak and the hurt. 00:06:32.799 --> 00:06:36.399 So a good shepherd would never abandon a hurt animal. 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:40.959 So you imagine you're traveling through the wilderness of Judah. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:42.359 You've got a long, long way to go. 00:06:42.359 --> 00:06:47.639 And you see at the back of the flock, there's a wee sheep that starts to limp. 00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:50.560 And it starts to lag behind. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:55.279 And it would be the easiest thing in the world to think, oh, I'll just leave it behind. 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:57.639 But a good shepherd would never do that. 00:06:57.639 --> 00:07:01.279 They would tend to their injuries, help them with their weakness. 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:04.839 And if necessary, pick them up and carry them themselves. 00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:08.519 A shepherd needs to be compassionate and tender. 00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:11.599 Number four, the shepherd gathers the lost or the wandering. 00:07:11.599 --> 00:07:14.839 Sheep are particularly prone to wandering off. 00:07:14.839 --> 00:07:16.639 And it's a shepherd's job to bring them back. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:19.680 Like a shepherd never says, oh, well, tough serves them right because they've wandered 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:20.680 off. 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:24.199 The shepherd is never casual about any of his animals. 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:28.560 If one wanders off, it means that his flock is now incomplete. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:32.120 And he goes and finds that one animal in order to bring it back. 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:37.560 A shepherd is watchful and ready to go after those who stray. 00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:42.199 And number five, a shepherd will protect their flock from danger. 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:45.079 Flocks in the Old Testament faced many predators. 00:07:45.079 --> 00:07:47.680 And the shepherd's job was to provide protection. 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:51.919 David speaks about that in 1 Samuel chapter 17 when he speaks to Saul. 00:07:51.919 --> 00:07:54.279 He said, I used to keep sheep from my father. 00:07:54.279 --> 00:08:02.240 And when a lion came or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and 00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:06.719 struck him and rescued the lamb from out of its mouth. 00:08:06.719 --> 00:08:13.479 That means that a shepherd in the Old Testament has to be incredibly courageous. 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:18.439 It's really easy to think that being a shepherd is kind of a tranquil job. 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:23.960 So you imagine this idyllic scene of a shepherd standing with his staff and watching the flock 00:08:23.960 --> 00:08:24.960 on the hillside. 00:08:24.960 --> 00:08:29.000 And it's also green and peaceful and nice. 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:33.320 In our imagination, it can look a bit soft. 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:38.360 But the real truth is not soft at all because in the Old Testament, a shepherd needs to 00:08:38.360 --> 00:08:43.240 be a lion killer. 00:08:43.240 --> 00:08:47.919 Could you pick a fight with a lion or a bear? 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:49.360 I definitely wouldn't. 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:52.840 But that's what a shepherd had to do in those days. 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:56.960 So to be a shepherd in the Old Testament, you need the wisdom and the stamina to navigate 00:08:56.960 --> 00:09:02.519 vast areas of wilderness to locate grazing and water all year round. 00:09:02.519 --> 00:09:09.120 You need the determination to go and find out wandering animals if they've strayed. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:13.919 You need to be strong enough and brave enough to kill a lion or a bear. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:19.440 But you need to be gentle enough to nourish and carry a lamb with a sore leg. 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:24.000 And with a good shepherd like that, the flock is safe and secure. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:29.120 It's free from hunger, free from fear, free from isolation. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:36.720 They have a wonderful, wonderful existence when they have a good shepherd. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:40.279 So that's the general principles of shepherding in the Old Testament. 00:09:40.279 --> 00:09:43.399 There's a couple of things which we have to look at in a wee bit more detail because if 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:47.000 you look at the Old Testament, you'll see that the role of the shepherd is linked to 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:50.720 two really important things. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:56.879 First of all, there is a key link between shepherding and ruling. 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:05.480 In biblical times, a ruler, a prince, a king, a leader was often regarded as a shepherd. 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:12.440 So for example, when God speaks to Moses about planning a successor, he says, you need to 00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:18.600 set somebody over the congregation so that the congregation of the Lord may not be as 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:22.480 sheep that have no shepherd. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:25.680 There's this key link between shepherding and ruling. 00:10:25.680 --> 00:10:27.399 And it's very easy to see why. 00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:32.080 A ruler needs to be wise because he has to lead and guide the people who are under him. 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:38.120 A ruler needs to provide for their needs to make sure they have sustenance and provision. 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:43.879 A ruler needs to help those who are vulnerable and a ruler needs to protect his people. 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:44.879 So it's very simple. 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:47.920 A good ruler is a good shepherd. 00:10:47.920 --> 00:10:58.280 And that's why the definitive model of leadership in the Old Testament is David. 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:07.839 He is the model king because he was the shepherd who became Israel's greatest king. 00:11:07.839 --> 00:11:12.399 David had failures in his life in other ways, which we don't have time to go into, but he's 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:16.360 still regarded as the model king. 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:18.360 He was the model shepherd. 00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:22.959 So shepherding is a key leadership skill in the Old Testament. 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:29.680 That's why God absolutely hates it. 00:11:29.680 --> 00:11:37.639 Absolutely hates it when rulers in the Old Testament failed to shepherd their flock. 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:44.120 So you can read prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Micah, Zephaniah and Zachariah, 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:52.440 and they will all absolutely nail the shepherds who are abusing their flocks. 00:11:52.440 --> 00:11:54.960 They constantly rebuke them. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:12:00.600 And the greatest example of that, I think, is the passage that Russell read for us. 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:06.560 The word of the Lord came to me, Son of Man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. 00:12:06.560 --> 00:12:11.480 Now that's not a prophecy against the guys who look after the sheep in Israel. 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:16.040 It's a prophecy against the rulers and against the leaders. 00:12:16.040 --> 00:12:20.360 Thus says the Lord, shepherds, you've been feeding yourselves. 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:25.279 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves, and you slaughter your things for yourself, but 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:27.000 you don't feed the sheep. 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:28.960 You're not looking after the people. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:32.840 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you've not healed, the injured you've not 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:38.200 bound up, the strayed you've not brought back, the lost you've not sought, with force and 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:42.159 harshness you have ruled them. 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:47.240 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. 00:12:47.240 --> 00:12:51.960 And leaders exploited the people under them when they abandoned those who were weak and 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:54.039 when they only looked after themselves. 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:59.799 It is utterly appalling in the sight of God. 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:09.399 God is so, so concerned for justice and fairness to all people across society. 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:19.159 Now I want to just pause for two minutes here because there's a lot of rulers in this room, 00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:20.159 I think. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:26.279 Now, I don't think there's any kings or queens or princes, but there are people here who 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:32.199 hold positions of leadership and responsibility over others in their daily lives. 00:13:32.199 --> 00:13:38.600 So there are supervisors here, there's teachers, there's business partners, team leaders, there's 00:13:38.600 --> 00:13:43.560 in the church, elders, deacons, there's parents, there's even big brothers and sisters. 00:13:43.560 --> 00:13:47.399 You all have a ruling role in different ways. 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:55.639 Many people in here are bosses, either in your work or in your family. 00:13:55.639 --> 00:14:00.200 You have a ruling role, I think, many of you. 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:08.160 And that of course means that this shepherding imagery applies to you too. 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:14.600 So what would a biblical shepherd boss look like in 2018? 00:14:14.600 --> 00:14:21.159 Those of you who are a boss in the week ahead, what would a biblical shepherd look like? 00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:27.319 Well, they would look exactly the same as what we saw in the Old Testament. 00:14:27.319 --> 00:14:31.120 They would lead and guide the people who are under them. 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:35.199 So you would guide your staff, showing them where you need to go, showing them how to 00:14:35.199 --> 00:14:36.199 get there. 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:40.400 It doesn't mean you give them an easy time because sometimes shepherdhood means facing 00:14:40.400 --> 00:14:44.040 challenges and overcoming mountains and valleys and hills. 00:14:44.040 --> 00:14:48.040 But you show people where you're going and you lead them. 00:14:48.040 --> 00:14:52.879 A good shepherd boss provides for their staff or for their students so that they have what 00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:55.720 they need in order to flourish. 00:14:55.720 --> 00:15:01.680 A good shepherd boss would be brave, ready to protect their staff if things go wrong, 00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:05.400 never exposing them to blame in order to protect themselves. 00:15:05.399 --> 00:15:11.959 A good shepherd boss would have the courage to warn their staff against danger. 00:15:11.959 --> 00:15:17.319 So if people who work under you are heading in a direction that is not good, you would 00:15:17.319 --> 00:15:21.000 have the bravery to say to them, you need to come back. 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:25.799 And you would also be ready to carry those who are hurting and struggling. 00:15:25.799 --> 00:15:32.120 A good boss would be gentle and supportive to those who are finding it hard. 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:38.000 It would work to restore these people to full participation in the flock. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:46.320 Wouldn't it be brilliant to have a boss like that? 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:51.919 And what I want you to recognize is that you can be that boss. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:57.680 All of you who are rulers, you can be that tomorrow. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:04.599 And it's a great reminder that in Edinburgh, which is full of bosses, the Christians should 00:16:04.599 --> 00:16:08.559 stand out as the ones who are the best to work for. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:22.679 And the pinnacle of good leadership, of good shepherds, should be found in the church. 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:27.599 If you look at the New Testament, the whole concept of leadership is grounded in this 00:16:27.599 --> 00:16:30.279 image of a shepherd. 00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:35.319 These are the characteristics that should shape everything that we do in the church 00:16:35.319 --> 00:16:37.359 as well. 00:16:37.359 --> 00:16:42.120 And there's an important lesson here from the shepherd image, because often we judge 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:47.159 the quality of leadership by the health of the leader. 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:50.719 So you tend to think to yourself, well, a business is doing really well if the owner 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:56.200 has got a huge house or a really cool car and they look like they're getting on really 00:16:56.200 --> 00:16:57.200 well. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:01.080 A team at work might be doing well if their supervisor is hitting their targets or gaining 00:17:01.080 --> 00:17:04.200 a good name for themselves in the company. 00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:12.759 And even a church, even a church can be judged in terms of its health when the minister is 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:18.920 drawing crowds or publishing books or speaking all over the world or getting himself quoted 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:20.640 here, there and everywhere. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:26.000 We can easily judge the health of a workplace or the health of a church by looking at the 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.880 condition of the leader. 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:34.280 But the shepherd image tells us that that is completely foolish. 00:17:34.280 --> 00:17:40.759 Because if you were to go next summer to the Carlaway Agricultural Show, so I used to be 00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:48.360 a minister in a wee village in Carlaway, way up in the western isles of Scotland. 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:54.599 Every year they have the Carlaway Agricultural Show where you will see shepherds being assessed 00:17:54.599 --> 00:17:59.119 in competitions to see who is the best. 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:02.679 And if you were to go there, which I highly recommend, forget the festival, Edinburgh 00:18:02.679 --> 00:18:04.839 Festival, forget it. 00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:08.599 Carlaway Show is where it's at. 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:14.679 If you go there and you look at where shepherds are being judged, you will see that no one 00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:22.000 takes the slightest bit of notice at what the shepherd is wearing or at what car he 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:25.519 drives or at what wealth they have gathered. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:32.440 In order to judge the shepherd, the judges are looking at one thing. 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:36.360 They're looking at the sheep. 00:18:36.360 --> 00:18:41.200 And so in the workplace and in the church, our success as leaders is not measured by 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:43.160 how healthy we are. 00:18:43.160 --> 00:18:48.240 It's measured by the health of our flock. 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:51.120 And that's a really important thing to remember. 00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:56.720 The Old Testament makes a key link between the shepherd and ruling. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:00.800 And tragically, as Ezekiel told us, Israel failed. 00:19:00.800 --> 00:19:05.240 Israel's leaders failed in that duty again and again. 00:19:05.240 --> 00:19:08.120 But there's another key link in the Old Testament that we have to recognise as well. 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:14.679 There's a link between shepherding and ruling, but there's also a link between shepherding 00:19:14.679 --> 00:19:17.239 and worship. 00:19:17.239 --> 00:19:23.639 If you go all the way back to Abel, we'll see that his role as a shepherd played a key 00:19:23.639 --> 00:19:27.199 part in the worship of God. 00:19:27.199 --> 00:19:33.239 Abel came to God and offered him a firstborn of his flock, which unlike Abel's brother 00:19:33.239 --> 00:19:37.439 Cain, was an acceptable sacrifice to God. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:44.400 You read on and you'll see that Noah and Abraham also offered animals from their flock as acts 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:46.000 of worship to God. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:51.759 And later in the Old Testament, you read the book of Leviticus and you'll see this huge 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:54.480 sacrificial system being established. 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:59.840 And at the heart of it is the offering of animals from the flock. 00:19:59.840 --> 00:20:06.320 In the Old Testament, a key means of worship, a key means through which God could be approached, 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:09.279 was through the offering of sacrifices. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:16.319 And the shepherds had a key role in rearing and providing the animals for that purpose. 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:21.679 The best of their flocks was to be offered to the Lord. 00:20:21.679 --> 00:20:28.259 And the reason these offerings were necessary was to show the Israelites that atonement 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:31.960 for sin was only possible through the shedding of blood. 00:20:31.960 --> 00:20:36.240 It's always important to remember that the consequence of sin is death. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:39.920 That's an inescapable fact. 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:52.039 So sin brings death, absolutely inescapable connection, no exceptions. 00:20:52.039 --> 00:21:00.000 The only way a sinner can be saved if that the guaranteed death which sin has caused 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:03.799 is transferred to another. 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:08.000 Death will always result from sin. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:13.480 But the sacrificial system pointed to the fact that forgiveness could be found through 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:15.759 the provision of a substitute. 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:18.119 That's why it's the blood that makes the atonement. 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:22.220 That's why without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. 00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:25.920 Without these sacrifices, it was impossible to approach God. 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:31.320 And for these offerings to take place, the shepherds had a key role. 00:21:31.320 --> 00:21:37.000 Right through the Old Testament, there's a key link between shepherding and worship. 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:42.720 So we've got these two things, two images, two aspects of life as the people of God in 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:46.920 the Old Testament which are related to the shepherd image. 00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:50.440 The shepherd is a model about how to rule well. 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:57.320 The shepherd is a means for providing the sacrifices by which relationship with God was possible. 00:21:57.320 --> 00:22:03.920 In other words, God's people need shepherds to rule them. 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:07.519 And they need shepherds to provide a sacrifice. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:14.840 And so we've got a wee picture here just to show you these two aspects. 00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:20.399 The history of the Old Testament was one of failure. 00:22:20.399 --> 00:22:25.679 In both these areas, the people failed. 00:22:25.679 --> 00:22:32.679 And in many ways, these two are almost linked because when the leadership of Israel failed 00:22:32.679 --> 00:22:37.199 in their shepherding, the sacrifices that were being offered through the provision 00:22:37.199 --> 00:22:40.399 of the shepherds became worthless. 00:22:40.399 --> 00:22:44.039 An important chapter in that regard is Isaiah chapter one. 00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:48.440 Here's God speaking to Israel and he's talking about their worship and he says, what to me 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:51.000 is the multitude of your sacrifices? 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:56.480 I've had enough of burnt offerings of rams. 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:00.440 So you've got all the sacrificial system and yet God has said, I've had enough of this. 00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:01.440 Why? 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:02.440 What's gone wrong? 00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:08.000 Well, verse 23 tells us, your princes, your rulers are rebels and companions of thieves. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:10.200 Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. 00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:17.039 They do not bring justice to the fatherless and the widows cause does not come to them. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:21.960 So in other words, God is saying your sacrifices are becoming worthless because your shepherding 00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:24.440 is corrupt. 00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:27.960 You're not looking after people in the way that you're supposed to do. 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:32.960 The Old Testament Israelites failed. 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:38.759 And so how does God respond? 00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:42.400 He says, I'll do it myself. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:46.319 And that's what we read in Ezekiel 34. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:53.440 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep. 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:54.879 I will make them lie down. 00:23:54.879 --> 00:23:56.160 I will seek the lost. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:57.960 I will bring that back to sit. 00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:59.920 I will do it. 00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:03.000 And at the heart of that is God's ruler. 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:09.960 I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them, he shall feed 00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:14.000 them and be their shepherd. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:20.519 I, the Lord will be their God and my servant David shall be Prince among them. 00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:26.279 For the people of God at the close of the Old Testament period, there is this massive, 00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:32.519 massive need for the shepherd king to come. 00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:39.240 And that's why in Matthew it is so exciting because he's arrived. 00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:47.119 Finally, we have the perfect shepherd king. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:51.240 And if you go through the rest of Matthew's gospel or any other gospel, you'll discover 00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:56.480 that Jesus perfectly models all the characteristics of a shepherd king. 00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:58.000 So we go back to our list. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:01.879 You'll see that Jesus leads and guides his people. 00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:07.160 He provides perfect leadership and guidance. 00:25:07.160 --> 00:25:08.960 That's why he went around teaching people. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:11.320 He went around showing them what they needed to do. 00:25:11.320 --> 00:25:13.200 He explained what was right and wrong. 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:15.920 He revealed the truth of God to us. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:23.440 He leads and guides his flock, which is why if you feel spiritually lost today, Jesus 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:29.120 is saying, follow me and I will lead and guide you. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:34.000 And if you do put your trust in Jesus, then your shepherd king will be your guide through 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:37.119 every step of life. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:41.079 You read about Jesus, you'll see that he provided for his people. 00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:43.079 He provides the nourishment that his people need. 00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:44.279 He did that physically. 00:25:44.279 --> 00:25:47.239 He fed 5,000 people. 00:25:47.239 --> 00:25:53.899 But that's simply pointing us to the spiritual nourishment that he provides for us. 00:25:53.899 --> 00:25:57.919 He provides us with the knowledge and understanding that we really need. 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:07.600 So if you are spiritually hungry or thirsty today, Jesus says, come to me. 00:26:07.600 --> 00:26:15.080 I'll provide for you and you'll never be thirsty again. 00:26:15.080 --> 00:26:19.400 Jesus also carried the weak and the broken. 00:26:19.400 --> 00:26:27.600 And so Jesus goes to the people who have been hurt in the world and he heals them. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:32.480 And you see him performing that with amazing compassion and care. 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:39.359 So if you have wounds from the past week, if you've got scars from mistakes that you've 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:49.679 made in your life, if you're limping along and struggling to keep going, what does the 00:26:49.679 --> 00:26:55.000 perfect shepherd king want to do with you? 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:58.799 Does he just want to leave you behind and carry on with all the others who are actually 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:02.279 stronger and better than you? 00:27:02.279 --> 00:27:06.039 No. 00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:15.519 He wants to pick you up and carry you and restore you and help you. 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:17.640 Jesus gathered the lost and the wandering. 00:27:17.640 --> 00:27:22.279 So Jesus' shepherd king traveled around looking for people who were lost and he brought them 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:23.279 back. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:28.960 So whether it was vulnerable women who had fallen into prostitution or corrupt tax collectors 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:35.039 who had all their priorities wrong, whether it was violent madmen who were mentally broken, 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:41.079 whether it was religious fanatics, confused fishermen or broken families, Jesus sought 00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:42.079 them out. 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:45.279 And that's what Jesus has done to every one of us who are Christians. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:47.879 He has sought us out and gathered us in. 00:27:47.880 --> 00:27:53.760 It's a reminder that the real truths of Christianity are always even better than we first think. 00:27:53.760 --> 00:27:58.760 It's a great example of this because it's easy to think that if you become a Christian, 00:27:58.760 --> 00:28:00.920 then something as amazing has happened. 00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:04.280 You think to yourself, I've found Jesus. 00:28:04.280 --> 00:28:05.600 And you think, it's amazing. 00:28:05.600 --> 00:28:09.080 My life has been transformed because I've found Jesus. 00:28:09.080 --> 00:28:12.800 I've found peace and hope through finding Jesus. 00:28:12.800 --> 00:28:17.200 And of course, that's true to an extent, but the real truth is even better. 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:20.640 You think to yourself, oh, it's so good that I've come and found Jesus. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:27.680 The real truth is that he came to find you. 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:34.680 And that's because he has loved you long, long, long before you ever even knew about 00:28:34.680 --> 00:28:38.240 him. 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:45.640 Your shepherd king has been looking for you since forever. 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:49.920 And Jesus protects the flock from danger. 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:57.120 So as shepherd king, Jesus is gentle enough to help the most fragile land. 00:28:57.120 --> 00:29:03.800 But he's also strong enough to kill the fiercest predator and make no mistake. 00:29:03.800 --> 00:29:07.240 God's flock faces a major predator. 00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:11.520 The devil and all the power of darkness want to destroy humanity. 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:18.720 Sin is an utterly vicious enemy, a violent predator, a colossal threat to our safety. 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:24.599 And we are like lambs ready for slaughter in the face of that. 00:29:24.599 --> 00:29:28.440 You think of all the power of sin. 00:29:28.440 --> 00:29:36.920 We are like lambs ready for slaughter, lambs before the wolves in the face of sin, which 00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:41.600 of course is why sin finds it very easy to wreck people's lives. 00:29:41.600 --> 00:29:44.800 We see it all around us. 00:29:44.800 --> 00:29:53.880 We face this massive threat, but the shepherd king wants to stand between you and any predator. 00:29:53.880 --> 00:29:59.480 And he is strong enough and he is brave enough and he is so protective of you that he will 00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:04.080 never, ever let you be snatched away. 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:08.679 And that's why if you put your trust in Jesus Christ, you have a shepherd king who is the 00:30:08.679 --> 00:30:16.079 bravest, strongest, wisest, mightiest, most heroic, most fearless, most resilient king 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:17.079 of all. 00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:25.599 And he is going to use all of those attributes to keep you safe and to make sure that you 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:29.199 are okay. 00:30:29.199 --> 00:30:33.519 Jesus has all the qualities of the perfect shepherd king. 00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:43.000 And of course, all of these shepherding qualities are exercised because the flock is vulnerable. 00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:50.519 God is sending the perfect shepherd king because we desperately need a perfect shepherd king. 00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:57.279 It's a great reminder that we don't come to Jesus because we're strong or sorted or 00:30:57.279 --> 00:30:59.000 together or doing well. 00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:04.160 We come to Jesus because we're vulnerable and we need him. 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:05.680 Jesus is the perfect king. 00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:07.559 He came to rule his people. 00:31:07.559 --> 00:31:18.519 All that the Old Testament was looking for in a ruler is found in Jesus. 00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:27.000 But what about the other great theme that we had in the Old Testament? 00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:31.599 The link between the shepherd and sacrificial worship. 00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:38.039 Well, the Old Testament was waiting for a perfect ruler, a perfect king. 00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:40.160 Jesus says, I'll do it. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:43.920 The Old Testament was also waiting for a perfect sacrifice. 00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:49.519 Jesus says, I'll do it. 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:57.160 And that's why he says, I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for the 00:31:57.160 --> 00:31:59.920 sheep. 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:05.519 Both of these find their fulfillment in Jesus. 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:09.759 He is the perfect shepherd king. 00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:15.000 And he is also the perfect lamb who was slain. 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:20.359 And all of this shepherd imagery in the Bible is pointing us to the fact that Jesus is everything, 00:32:20.359 --> 00:32:24.640 absolutely everything that we need. 00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:28.160 We need a perfect king to shepherd us and guide us. 00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:31.240 We need a perfect lamb to die for us. 00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:35.599 Jesus does it all. 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:39.759 And this is brought out for us in a couple of verses in the New Testament that I want 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:41.640 to show you. 00:32:41.640 --> 00:32:47.680 One from Hebrews, one from Revelation, Hebrews 13.20 says, Now may the God of peace who brought 00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:53.800 again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the 00:32:53.800 --> 00:32:55.920 eternal covenant. 00:32:55.920 --> 00:33:05.040 Jesus is the great shepherd and a key part of his role is to shed his own blood. 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:13.279 Because by dying, he brought us into his flock, by dying, he rescued us from danger, by dying, 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:15.159 he shows us where we need to go. 00:33:15.159 --> 00:33:19.039 By dying, he gives us absolutely everything that we need. 00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:26.440 By dying, he becomes the perfect shepherd, which is why Revelation speaks about a vision 00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:31.759 of the throne of heaven where it says the lamb in the midst of the throne will be their 00:33:31.759 --> 00:33:36.839 shepherd. 00:33:36.839 --> 00:33:42.000 The shepherd and the lamb are the same person. 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:48.240 Jesus does everything that we need and because of that, he will guide us to springs of living 00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:55.000 water and wipe away every tear from our eyes. 00:33:55.000 --> 00:34:08.719 Jesus is the lamb who was sacrificed and because of that death, he can shepherd you home forever. 00:34:08.719 --> 00:34:13.000 And all of that means that when we say that Jesus is the shepherd king, we don't mean 00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:19.679 that he is a nice, woolly leader. 00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:28.239 We mean that he is everything that you need and everything that this world has ever needed. 00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:33.639 We mean that he is wise enough to lead you through everything. 00:34:33.639 --> 00:34:39.519 He is gracious enough to provide for you more than you could ever begin to imagine. 00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:47.039 He is gentle enough to heal you, no matter how broken you are, no matter how fragile 00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:49.480 you are, he is gentle enough to heal you. 00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:56.480 He is strong enough to rescue you and deliver you, no matter how much of a grip sin has 00:34:56.480 --> 00:35:06.920 on you, Jesus is strong enough to snatch you back and he is brave enough, brave enough 00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:10.280 to die for you. 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:17.360 He is everything that we need. 00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:23.599 And this is where we all need to really think about the claims of the Christian gospel because 00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:32.519 this is where all of history and all of life and death and eternity find their answers. 00:35:32.519 --> 00:35:39.599 And I think we also need to just think about what we are really like. 00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:43.120 So here's my last question for you. 00:35:43.120 --> 00:35:46.920 What kind of animal are you? 00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:50.480 And if you ask the world that question, what kind of animal are you, you'd think, well, 00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:58.039 we'd probably choose something like a lion, strong and brave, or an eagle, free and fearless, 00:35:58.039 --> 00:36:02.880 or maybe like a racehorse, focused, capable, determined. 00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:12.280 That's the kind of animals that we get kind of tattooed onto us and stuff like that. 00:36:12.280 --> 00:36:19.800 But if I am really honest, I'm not that brave or strong. 00:36:19.800 --> 00:36:23.160 I'm not free and I'm not fearless. 00:36:23.160 --> 00:36:31.200 And I'm not that focused or capable either because I muck up in my life more than I succeed. 00:36:31.200 --> 00:36:36.000 And if I look at a sheep, I see an animal that often doesn't pay attention to where it's 00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:37.880 going. 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:41.000 It often does the same stupid things again and again. 00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:45.079 It often fails to learn lessons from past mistakes. 00:36:45.079 --> 00:36:50.519 And it's not strong enough to stand up to all the trouble and trial that life will bring. 00:36:50.519 --> 00:36:58.440 And if I can bring myself to lay aside my pride for a moment, I will recognize the truth. 00:36:58.440 --> 00:37:05.239 That I'm not an eagle or a lion or a racehorse. 00:37:05.239 --> 00:37:11.000 Really I'm like a sheep. 00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:17.919 And that's why I really, really, really need a shepherd. 00:37:17.919 --> 00:37:20.559 What about you? 00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:23.639 Let's pray. 00:37:23.639 --> 00:37:33.719 Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are the perfect shepherd. 00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:40.239 The perfect shepherd king who leads and guides us, who protects us, who nourishes us, who 00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:43.639 restores us. 00:37:43.639 --> 00:37:50.559 And you also laid down your own life as the perfect shepherd, the perfect sacrifice so 00:37:50.559 --> 00:37:56.839 that the shepherd became the lamb. 00:37:56.839 --> 00:37:59.639 And we just want to thank you so much. 00:37:59.639 --> 00:38:03.759 And we want to acknowledge that we need you more than anything. 00:38:03.759 --> 00:38:13.519 And we want to live today, tomorrow, this week, and every week of our lives as people 00:38:13.519 --> 00:38:18.039 who follow you, our perfect shepherd king. 00:38:18.039 --> 00:38:30.239 Amen.