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 Well, great to see you this morning. Grab your Bible and turn to John chapter 10. This is where we're going to be today.

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 And friends, we have the most marvellous passage of Scripture that we're looking at this morning.

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 If you're here today and the question in your mind, the one that we've been thinking about over the past few weeks,

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 who is Jesus? What's he all about? Who is he?

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 Then this passage this morning is going to get right to the heart of who he is.

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 Wonderful passage of Scripture. So why don't we pause as we come to John chapter 10.

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 And let's pray together.

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 Father God, it's our prayer now that as we turn to your word,

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 that your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, would walk off the pages of Scripture

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 and become so precious to each one of us.

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 Father, it's something that we know we can't conjure up ourselves.

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 We need your help. And thank you so much that you've given us your precious Holy Spirit to help us see.

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 And so, Father, we ask that he would come now and do his work in our lives of glorifying Jesus in our sight.

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 In his name we pray. Amen.

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 Well, here we are then at the third installment of this little series that we've been in over the past few weeks,

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 looking at these I Am sayings as we find them in John's Gospel.

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 And as you can imagine, in line with today's reading, I've been thinking a lot about shepherds this week.

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 Now, I don't know who you first think of when you hear that word shepherd.

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 But my mind immediately goes to a certain little lady who features in a nursery rhyme

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 that one of my little girls came home singing about recently that she'd learned at nursery.

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 So, did anyone else think of Bo Peep?

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 Viewers.

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 Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep and doesn't know where to find them.

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 Leave them alone and they'll come home wagging their tails behind them.

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 Now, she's singing this song. I've got two thoughts in my head.

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 Here's the first one.

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 I hope that your nursery teachers take better care of you than Bo Peep does of her sheep.

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 Can you imagine if I turned up at the end of the day and I asked her teacher, where is she?

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 And I got the response, well, we went to Inverleaf Park earlier

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 and somewhere between the trees in the duck pond, I lost her.

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 Last time I saw her, she was poking some wasp's nest and she was throwing rocks at the swans.

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 But listen, it's okay because if I learned anything in my time in nursery care,

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 it's that if you leave her alone, she will come home.

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 I would have her out of that nursery pronto.

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 There was my first thought.

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 Second thought, there's the voice of a bad shepherd.

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 John chapter 10, what we're going to hear today is the voice of the good shepherd.

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 As we hear his voice speak to us in the pages of scripture.

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 You'll see Jesus' claim at verse 11 of chapter 10.

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 I am the good shepherd.

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 It's a claim that's loaded with meaning and it's a claim that is packed with significance.

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 And as we journey through these verses this morning, today rather,

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 I just want us to see two things about John chapter 10.

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 Two things.

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 Here's the first one.

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 That there's bad shepherds in the background.

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 So we pick it up at verse 1 of chapter 10.

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 Jesus says,

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 Truly, truly, or very truly, I tell you.

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 He says it twice, which should prick our sensitivities.

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 What he's going to say next is very, very important.

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 Truly, truly, I say to you.

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 Now who's the you?

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 Who is Jesus speaking to?

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 If you glance back a few verses to verse 40 of chapter 9,

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 you see that Jesus is still in dialogue with the Pharisees.

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 So it's not a dialogue with no context to it.

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 Something's happened that's got Jesus talking.

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 And what's happened, if you look at verse 25 of chapter 9,

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 is that Jesus has just given sight to this blind man.

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 And it's not so much what's happened to this blind man that's angered the Pharisees,

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 it's what this now former blind man is saying,

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 what he's proclaiming, what he's telling everybody around about him.

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 Because Jesus hasn't just opened his eyes so that he can physically see.

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 Jesus has opened his eyes so that he can spiritually see.

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 The man's story is that this is no ordinary man who did this to me.

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 No ordinary man.

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 Look at it, verse 32.

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 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.

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 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.

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 Verse 38, we read that Jesus has transformed this man into a worshipper of the living God.

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 This man, he was blind.

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 Now he can see worshipping the living God.

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 It's a wonderful picture.

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 This is not a lovely example of what happens to each and every single human being when they come to realise who Jesus is.

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 We become his disciples.

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 We become his followers.

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 We become worshippers of the living God.

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 And so what do the Pharisees do?

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 What do the religious leaders of this day do?

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 Do they rejoice with him?

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 No.

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 No.

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 Verse 34.

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 They throw him out of the synagogue.

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 Get that.

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 Declaring him unfit to worship God.

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 And prohibiting him physically from doing so.

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 Now that is an absolute injustice.

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 Are we not slightly angry as we read that there?

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 That's what these men have done to this blind man.

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 It's an absolute travesty.

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 And this is the episode that is the immediate context of John chapter 10.

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 So in the reading earlier you might have noticed it.

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 When Jesus refers to thieves and robbers.

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 When he outs bad shepherds.

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 When he refers to hired hands who don't care for the sheep.

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 Jesus is not speaking allegorically.

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 This is not George Orwell and Animal Farm.

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 This is a direct rebuke directed at the Pharisees.

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 Because of how they are currently living and acting as the leaders of God's people.

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 Now these men are schooled in the scriptures.

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 These men know their Old Testaments as we have it in our Bibles today.

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 And they would know for a fact that this is not the first time.

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 That God has had some chilling words to say about bad shepherds of his people.

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 Prophet Ezekiel had delivered God's stinging message of rebuke to the shepherds of Hizdi.

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 Who were tasked with the privilege and responsibility of leading God's people.

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 Ezekiel 34.

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 Ezekiel outs those shepherds as being terrible shepherds.

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 What are they not doing?

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 They are not feeding the sheep.

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 It's kind of the definition of a bad shepherd isn't it?

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 You are not feeding the sheep.

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 They are not caring for the sheep.

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 They are not tracking down the sheep.

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 They are not leading the sheep to safe places where they can both rest and feed and find safety and pasture.

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 They are not doing those things.

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 And if that is what they are not doing.

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 Do you know what they are doing?

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 They are treating the sheep harshly.

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 They are looking after number one.

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 They are making sure that they are well fed and clothed.

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 And all the while they are doing that at the expense of these sheep.

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 And because of their utter neglect.

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 These sheep who are supposed to be shepherding God's flock.

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 God's people who are supposed to be giving themselves for these sheep.

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 God's precious people.

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 What's happening is that these sheep are scattered all over the place.

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 And they are wandering right into danger.

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 And right into the midst of wolves.

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 That's what's happening.

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 And what does God say?

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 34.

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 I am against you.

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 I am against you.

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 Now that is chilling.

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 And it should strike fear into anybody who would be in Christian leadership today who is in it for themselves.

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 In it for self-promotion.

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 In it for money making.

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 And because of those things they are denying the truth of God's word.

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 They are denying the reality of sin.

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 They are denying the reality of people's need for a saviour.

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 And they are denying people.

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 Prohibiting people from coming to worship this God rightly.

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 And I am against you says the Lord.

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 I am against you says the Lord.

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 But get this.

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 What happens next.

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 In Ezekiel 34.

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 Is that God promises.

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 Not only will he deal with these bad shepherds.

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 But God promises.

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 Gloriously and graciously.

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 Not to hire a better shepherd.

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 Not to kind of train up more shepherds.

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 And send them out.

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 God promises.

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 To be.

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 The good shepherd of his people.

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 The one that they so desperately need.

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 And God will be.

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 To his people.

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 In the greatest and the most fullest way.

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 Everything that David had spoken about in Psalm 23.

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 The Lord is my shepherd.

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 I lack nothing.

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 He makes me lie down in green pastures.

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 He leads me beside quiet waters.

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 He refreshes my soul.

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 He guides me along the right paths.

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 For his name's sake.

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 Even though I walk through the darkest valley.

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 I will fear no evil.

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 For you are with me.

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 Your rod and your staff.

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 They comfort me.

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 I don't know about you and your life.

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 But that's the kind of shepherd that I want to follow.

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 John chapter 10.

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 There's bad shepherds in the background.

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 But here's the second thing we need to see.

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 That the good shepherd is in the foreground.

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 Here is Jesus.

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 The one who declares.

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 I am.

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 As we thought about over the past few weeks.

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 He's taking the sacred name of God.

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 The one that God had used to reveal himself to Moses.

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 When Moses said.

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 Whom shall I say sent me?

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 To which God replies.

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 Tell them I am who I am.

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 Tell them that I am sent you.

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 The eternal one.

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 The ever present one.

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 The high and exalted one.

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 The holy one.

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 The majestic one.

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 This is this God.

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 And here he is in the person of Jesus Christ.

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 Here he is in the world.

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 Here he is in our flesh.

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 Do you see that he is not shouting.

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 I am the good shepherd from a distance.

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 He is right here.

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 And he is the good shepherd.

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 The one that God had promised his people.

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 And what is Jesus doing?

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 He is gathering a flock.

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 It's kind of what verses 1 to 6 of John chapter 10 are about.

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 He is gathering a flock.

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 This is what Jesus is doing.

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 Verses 11 to 18.

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 There are four words that Jesus uses that capture the essence of what it means for him to be the good shepherd.

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 We are just going to walk through these really quickly.

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 Are you ready for these?

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 Four things really quickly what it means.

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 Verse 9.

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 It means that the good shepherd saves.

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 He is the gate of the sheep.

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 It's an exclusive claim that Jesus is not one of many doors in life through which we can walk through and find safety.

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 Jesus is saying that he is the only one.

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 He is the only gate through whom people will find rescue and security.

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 It's an absolute claim.

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 An exclusive claim.

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 I am the gate.

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 And because, verse 14, he won't just have a go at defending the sheep.

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 He will lay down his life for the sheep.

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 He will take the teeth of the wolves.

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 He will bleed for his sheep so that they can live.

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 Isn't that a great shepherd?

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 Stunning imagery.

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 But it's not just imagery.

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 It's a stunning reality.

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 That's what's going on as Jesus journeys to the cross, as he goes to the cross, as he takes the death that his sheep deserved,

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 as he bears the punishment that straying sheep should have borne because of their sin against this holy God.

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 But, Isaiah would write, we all like sheep have gone astray.

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 Each one of us has turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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 Now listen, history is full of people who stand up for good causes.

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 Emily Pankhurst, Nelson Mandela.

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 History is full of people who stand for right causes.

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 History is even full of people who give their lives for noble causes.

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 Think recently of the Navy SEAL who died rescuing the boys in that cave in Thailand.

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 Dying for a noble cause.

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 Dying for people.

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 Giving your life for people.

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 What makes Jesus any different?

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 And to be honest, what good is a dead shepherd anyway?

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 We'll see what Jesus says at verse 18 about his life.

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 No one takes it from me.

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 But I lay it down of my own accord.

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

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 You see, anybody can say I lay down my life for a cause.

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 Anybody can say that.

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 But only Jesus can claim.

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 Speaking of his resurrection, I will take it up again.

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 God raised him from death to life to be, as the writer to the Hebrews says, the great shepherd of the sheep.

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 Our shepherd, the shepherd, is not dead.

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 He is alive forevermore.

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 And he is leading his sheep.

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 He is protecting his sheep.

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 He is feeding his sheep.

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 He is praying for his sheep at the right hand of the Father.

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 Get that one.

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 And he will never stop being a good shepherd who lives to intercede to lead his people until his work is done.

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 What a shepherd.

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 The good shepherd saves.

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 Secondly, the good shepherd gives.

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 Verse 10.

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 He's come so that his sheep may have abundant life.

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 Not, as we say in Scotland, a dour existence.

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 Not a miserable existence.

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 Rather, Jesus has come so that his sheep would know true joy as they live in fellowship with him, their good shepherd.

00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:52.740
 Their true shepherd.

00:14:53.560 --> 00:14:58.720
 To see Jesus is saying protection, plenty, and deep soul satisfaction.

00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:00.519
 That's what I've come to give my sheep.

00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:04.639
 Abundant life is not about having stuff.

00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:11.379
 Abundant life is not about life going smoothly and well and getting every dream that we have.

00:15:11.379 --> 00:15:19.419
 Abundant life is life knowing the God who made us and being in a right relationship with him.

00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:20.299
 This is life.

00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:28.539
 As John Piper puts it, Jesus' life was abandoned so that my life could be abundant.

00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:30.419
 What a shepherd.

00:15:32.019 --> 00:15:33.259
 Good shepherd gives.

00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:34.240
 Thirdly, verse 14.

00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:35.519
 The good shepherd knows.

00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:41.139
 See, in terms of his relationship with his sheep, Jesus doesn't just know of his sheep.

00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:43.419
 Jesus doesn't just know about his sheep.

00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:46.259
 Do you see that Jesus knows his sheep?

00:15:48.100 --> 00:15:54.720
 You've had that experience in your life when you get those calls at 6, 6.30 in the evening from cold callers.

00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:57.259
 Phone you up and they say,

00:15:57.659 --> 00:15:58.799
 Good evening, Mr. Shanks.

00:15:58.840 --> 00:15:59.600
 How are you today?

00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:03.519
 Let me tell you about an offer which I heard about recently.

00:16:03.620 --> 00:16:05.200
 I didn't think it would be perfect for you.

00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:06.139
 Do you know what my first thought is?

00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:06.779
 You don't know me.

00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:08.800
 You don't know me.

00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.240
 Friends, Jesus' words here,

00:16:12.779 --> 00:16:15.659
 They're not the claim of a cold caller.

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:19.080
 This is a wonderfully intimate word,

00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:24.460
 knowing that Jesus knows every detail of his sheep's lives.

00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:28.240
 He knows every struggle in their hearts.

00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.240
 He knows every fear in their minds.

00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:34.220
 He knows every need of their soul.

00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:37.180
 What a shepherd.

00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:40.539
 The good shepherd knows.

00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:43.259
 And fourthly, verse 16, the good shepherd brings.

00:16:45.340 --> 00:16:47.000
 Jesus calls his sheep,

00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:49.560
 and his sheep respond to him.

00:16:50.060 --> 00:16:51.100
 That's what he's doing.

00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:54.019
 And his bringing work is not finished

00:16:54.019 --> 00:16:56.960
 with that generation of God's people.

00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:01.259
 He has other sheep that he must bring in.

00:17:02.780 --> 00:17:05.559
 Other sheep who are not standing in front of him,

00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:08.400
 who in the years to come will respond to Jesus' voice

00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:10.640
 as it's proclaimed from the pages of Scripture,

00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:12.460
 and who in the years to come,

00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:14.319
 Jesus will call mine.

00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:17.579
 It's a wonderful thought.

00:17:17.659 --> 00:17:19.279
 He said, not if you're a Christian here this morning.

00:17:19.339 --> 00:17:20.639
 What a wonderful thought.

00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:24.960
 That I was in Jesus' mind when he spoke those words.

00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:28.639
 You were in Jesus' mind as he spoke those words.

00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:30.939
 That Jesus called me.

00:17:31.939 --> 00:17:33.819
 Jesus bought me with his blood.

00:17:34.139 --> 00:17:35.879
 Jesus called me to himself.

00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:39.419
 Jesus took responsibility for my failure of a life.

00:17:39.820 --> 00:17:41.539
 Jesus gave me his righteousness.

00:17:41.820 --> 00:17:43.180
 Jesus made me his own.

00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:44.279
 This is what he's done.

00:17:45.560 --> 00:17:49.220
 And Jesus pulled out all the stops to make me his sheep.

00:17:49.340 --> 00:17:50.220
 And do you know what that means?

00:17:51.120 --> 00:17:53.240
 That means this morning that this shepherd,

00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:54.480
 he's got me.

00:17:55.420 --> 00:17:57.420
 He has got me.

00:17:57.420 --> 00:18:00.380
 How does that make you feel?

00:18:03.019 --> 00:18:04.220
 As you think about it,

00:18:05.019 --> 00:18:06.920
 as you think about the direction of travel

00:18:06.920 --> 00:18:09.400
 that our society seems to be going on at the minute,

00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:14.620
 I know that some of you have it really hard at work,

00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:16.120
 standing for Jesus,

00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:17.840
 following him in your workplace.

00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:18.880
 It's really hard.

00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:23.500
 I know that some of you are making really costly decisions

00:18:23.500 --> 00:18:24.980
 in your life right now

00:18:24.980 --> 00:18:27.539
 because you say no to the world and yes to Jesus.

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:32.819
 And I know that some of you are worried about your health.

00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:36.140
 What is that going to mean for me in the future?

00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:38.500
 What happens beyond the grave?

00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:42.200
 Well, truth be told, friends,

00:18:42.339 --> 00:18:44.740
 the world that we live in is a dark and a scary place.

00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:47.279
 And one little encouragement would be

00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:48.579
 that it's always been like that.

00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:50.700
 Every follower of Jesus takes up the cross,

00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:52.259
 denies himself and follows him.

00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:54.480
 Doesn't sound like an easy road to me.

00:18:54.980 --> 00:18:58.240
 But the greatest encouragement I can give you this morning

00:18:58.240 --> 00:18:59.099
 to keep going

00:18:59.099 --> 00:19:02.980
 is that we have every reason this morning not to fear.

00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:06.980
 Because as dark as the valley gets,

00:19:07.099 --> 00:19:09.880
 as painful as the path may be,

00:19:10.299 --> 00:19:11.960
 as long as the road is,

00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:13.240
 even in death,

00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:16.279
 friends, get your head and your hearts

00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:19.940
 into the truth that this shepherd has you.

00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:22.320
 He has you.

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:25.940
 And he is going nowhere.

00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:29.279
 And you read on just a little bit in John chapter 10

00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:30.600
 and you'll find Jesus say

00:19:30.600 --> 00:19:34.400
 that not one of his sheep will be snatched from his hand.

00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:37.100
 If you are his this morning,

00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:38.580
 if your confidence is in him,

00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:41.820
 you can trust that your life is in the greatest hands possible.

00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:43.720
 Jesus, the good shepherd, friends,

00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:44.539
 he has us.

00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:46.720
 He has us.

00:19:47.259 --> 00:19:49.039
 As dark as this world gets,

00:19:49.159 --> 00:19:50.720
 Jesus has us.

00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:51.500
 What a shepherd.

00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:53.559
 What a shepherd.

00:19:55.619 --> 00:19:58.059
 And I found out this week that John 10, 16,

00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:00.259
 that Jesus is doing his calling work.

00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:01.859
 He's got more sheep to bring in.

00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:04.339
 Do you know what's written on the gravestone down in London

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:07.059
 of the famous Scottish explorer and missionary,

00:20:07.220 --> 00:20:07.899
 David Livingston?

00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:09.339
 That was pretty cool.

00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:11.039
 It's written on his gravestone.

00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:14.480
 And it's a truth, if you think about it.

00:20:15.459 --> 00:20:16.659
 It should drive mission.

00:20:18.059 --> 00:20:20.579
 That Jesus is still doing his calling

00:20:20.579 --> 00:20:23.039
 and bringing work today.

00:20:23.419 --> 00:20:24.799
 I don't know how that makes you feel,

00:20:24.899 --> 00:20:26.720
 but for me, it inspires me

00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:28.799
 towards perseverance and evangelism.

00:20:29.199 --> 00:20:31.599
 To keep on going, telling my friends,

00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:33.240
 to keep on telling those people

00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:35.939
 who come into my path about him.

00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:40.059
 Because Jesus, as his voice resounds

00:20:40.059 --> 00:20:41.360
 from the pages of scripture,

00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:43.200
 as people respond to his voice,

00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:46.720
 Jesus is calling people to himself.

00:20:47.340 --> 00:20:48.019
 What a shepherd.

00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:55.160
 He saves, he gives, he knows, and he brings.

00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:57.700
 But why?

00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:01.600
 What's driving all of this?

00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:05.080
 Well, Jesus gives us a glorious answer

00:21:05.080 --> 00:21:07.420
 in verse 15 and 17.

00:21:07.560 --> 00:21:08.340
 What is the reason?

00:21:09.620 --> 00:21:12.120
 Because of the loving relationship

00:21:12.120 --> 00:21:14.420
 that exists between the Father and the Son.

00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:19.200
 Jesus, the Son, is obedient to death,

00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:21.759
 and the Father loves him for it.

00:21:22.620 --> 00:21:24.900
 You see, salvation is the overflow.

00:21:25.840 --> 00:21:27.559
 How can we say that God is loving?

00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:29.500
 How can we say that God is gracious

00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:31.000
 because of who he is?

00:21:33.819 --> 00:21:36.279
 Salvation, the overflow of that loving relationship.

00:21:36.779 --> 00:21:37.640
 Father, Son, and Spirit

00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:39.440
 that's existed from all eternity.

00:21:39.940 --> 00:21:42.140
 And the Spirit, the third person of the Trinity,

00:21:42.660 --> 00:21:44.220
 brings us into that love

00:21:44.220 --> 00:21:46.640
 as he applies the work of the Son to our lives

00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:48.860
 and as he brings us to the Father.

00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:49.860
 What a shepherd.

00:21:51.340 --> 00:21:52.180
 What a shepherd.

00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:54.600
 Verse 20.

00:21:56.040 --> 00:21:58.200
 Some in this crowd think he's insane.

00:22:00.320 --> 00:22:01.960
 Others say, verse 21,

00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:05.860
 he couldn't open the eyes of the blind man

00:22:05.860 --> 00:22:10.340
 if he wasn't who he says he is.

00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:14.200
 So what do you make of the good shepherd this morning?

00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:16.819
 What do you make of him?

00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:20.819
 Realize we've been sprinting for a bit,

00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:22.259
 so let me just tell you a little joke

00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:23.259
 that I heard recently, okay,

00:22:23.380 --> 00:22:24.740
 that hopefully will tune us back in

00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:25.340
 to where we're going.

00:22:26.100 --> 00:22:27.640
 Heard this preacher tell a joke recently

00:22:27.640 --> 00:22:30.140
 about Tiger Woods,

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:32.279
 the world's former number one golfer,

00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:35.059
 and Stevie Wonder, the blind singer,

00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:36.700
 and about how they met

00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:38.900
 in the changing room of a golf club.

00:22:40.100 --> 00:22:42.100
 And Tiger Woods, he says to Stevie Wonder,

00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:43.600
 Stevie, I didn't know you played golf.

00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:45.819
 To which Stevie Wonder replies,

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:47.840
 yeah, I love playing golf.

00:22:48.120 --> 00:22:49.779
 Tiger says, Stevie, if you mind me asking,

00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:51.860
 how do you manage to play golf?

00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:55.059
 And Stevie Wonder says, listen, it's really easy.

00:22:55.140 --> 00:22:56.559
 What happens is I've got a caddy,

00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:59.120
 and I get the caddy to run up the fairway

00:22:59.120 --> 00:23:00.539
 to where he wants me to hit the ball,

00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:03.539
 and I just listen for his voice,

00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:06.460
 and I hit the ball in that direction.

00:23:06.539 --> 00:23:07.420
 I just follow his voice.

00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:08.160
 That's what I do.

00:23:09.660 --> 00:23:11.299
 Tiger Woods says, that seems fair enough.

00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:12.019
 Are you any good?

00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:14.319
 And Stevie says, well,

00:23:14.900 --> 00:23:17.539
 I'm a scratch golfer, I'd have you know,

00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:18.500
 which if you don't know golf,

00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:19.680
 scratch is pretty good, okay.

00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:24.759
 Do you think you could beat me,

00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:25.480
 says Tiger Woods.

00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:28.920
 Yes, I'd put money on it,

00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:29.619
 says Stevie Wonder.

00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:30.960
 I'm pretty good, Tiger, honestly.

00:23:31.319 --> 00:23:32.259
 I'd put money on it.

00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:35.680
 Tiger Woods says, well, Stevie,

00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:38.420
 sounds like I'm going to have to accept your challenge.

00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:42.060
 And Stevie Wonder says, that's great, Tiger.

00:23:42.580 --> 00:23:43.640
 You just named the knight.

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:49.340
 But friends, in all seriousness,

00:23:49.560 --> 00:23:51.060
 what we're being asked to do this morning

00:23:51.060 --> 00:23:54.320
 is to listen for a voice

00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:57.379
 and to follow a voice

00:23:57.379 --> 00:23:59.439
 and to know a voice.

00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:01.700
 This is what we're being asked to do this morning.

00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:03.480
 If you think about it,

00:24:03.500 --> 00:24:05.859
 that's all the sheep do in this passage.

00:24:05.960 --> 00:24:06.559
 It's all they do.

00:24:06.659 --> 00:24:07.240
 They listen

00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:09.079
 and they follow

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:10.599
 and they know.

00:24:11.419 --> 00:24:12.079
 It's all they do.

00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:12.879
 Listen,

00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:13.859
 follow,

00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:14.819
 know.

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:16.339
 In our dark world,

00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:18.659
 not just any voice,

00:24:18.899 --> 00:24:20.799
 because there are millions of voices

00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:22.819
 trying to tell us how to live our lives in the world.

00:24:22.819 --> 00:24:25.519
 But it's Jesus' voice

00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:26.720
 that we're listening to this morning.

00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:28.679
 Our good shepherd.

00:24:30.679 --> 00:24:31.579
 Think about it

00:24:31.579 --> 00:24:33.139
 in your own life.

00:24:33.659 --> 00:24:34.259
 Let me ask you,

00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:35.439
 do you know the voice

00:24:35.439 --> 00:24:36.839
 of the good shepherd?

00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:39.299
 Do you know his voice

00:24:39.299 --> 00:24:40.879
 in your life right now?

00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:42.879
 Maybe some of us,

00:24:42.939 --> 00:24:43.679
 we've never heard

00:24:43.679 --> 00:24:45.179
 nor responded to his voice.

00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:47.139
 Well, I take it

00:24:47.139 --> 00:24:49.000
 that as Jesus has walked off the pages

00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:50.639
 of John chapter 10 this morning,

00:24:50.639 --> 00:24:52.399
 as his voice has gone forth,

00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:53.240
 friends,

00:24:53.299 --> 00:24:53.939
 you need to stop

00:24:53.939 --> 00:24:54.700
 and do some thinking

00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:56.819
 about what he's saying about him.

00:24:58.339 --> 00:24:59.079
 And you need to stop

00:24:59.079 --> 00:24:59.679
 and do some thinking

00:24:59.679 --> 00:25:01.419
 about what he's saying about you.

00:25:03.439 --> 00:25:04.319
 But for many of us

00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:05.859
 that know Jesus our shepherd this morning,

00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:06.539
 I just wonder

00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:08.159
 if some of us need to be still

00:25:08.159 --> 00:25:11.279
 and remember who he is.

00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.079
 Let me ask you,

00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:16.099
 what role

00:25:16.099 --> 00:25:17.740
 does the Bible play

00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:18.439
 in your life?

00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:22.519
 Are you letting

00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:23.299
 the good shepherd

00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:24.519
 feed your soul

00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:26.420
 as he speaks

00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:27.440
 in his word to you?

00:25:29.900 --> 00:25:30.799
 What are you doing

00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:31.519
 to cultivate

00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:32.460
 that deep sense

00:25:32.460 --> 00:25:33.380
 of trust in

00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:34.400
 and love for

00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:35.220
 the good shepherd

00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:36.360
 as he leads you

00:25:36.360 --> 00:25:37.019
 through life

00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:37.960
 and all of its ups

00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:38.920
 and downs?

00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:41.200
 No wonder

00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:41.840
 if it's here today,

00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:42.880
 we need to recapture

00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:43.700
 the posture

00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:45.519
 of a sheep

00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:47.960
 who is utterly

00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:49.039
 dependent on

00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.039
 and ever looking

00:25:50.039 --> 00:25:52.340
 to the good shepherd,

00:25:52.900 --> 00:25:54.539
 Jesus Christ.

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.160
 You know,

00:25:56.180 --> 00:25:56.980
 we were away

00:25:56.980 --> 00:25:57.759
 as a team of elders

00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.279
 yesterday,

00:25:58.380 --> 00:25:58.840
 we were thinking

00:25:58.840 --> 00:25:59.640
 through this exact

00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:00.299
 same thing.

00:26:00.840 --> 00:26:01.059
 See,

00:26:01.100 --> 00:26:02.019
 before we are ever

00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:02.680
 shepherds,

00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:04.200
 we are sheep.

00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:06.160
 We have not graduated

00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:07.000
 from being sheep,

00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:08.240
 we will always be sheep.

00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:10.059
 We have to fix

00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:11.019
 our eyes

00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:13.240
 on the good shepherd

00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:14.119
 whose church

00:26:14.119 --> 00:26:14.920
 this is.

00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:16.559
 That's what we're

00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:16.900
 to do.

00:26:17.639 --> 00:26:17.879
 Friends,

00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:18.619
 I was asked all of us

00:26:18.619 --> 00:26:19.099
 this morning,

00:26:19.639 --> 00:26:19.879
 today,

00:26:19.940 --> 00:26:20.700
 I keep saying this morning,

00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:21.139
 you know what I mean,

00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:21.319
 right,

00:26:21.379 --> 00:26:21.599
 today,

00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:23.500
 let's fix our eyes

00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:24.240
 on the good shepherd.

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:26.000
 You hang around

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.839
 Brunsfield long enough,

00:26:26.900 --> 00:26:27.440
 you'll realise that

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.279
 there's only one sermon

00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:29.379
 that comes from this pulpit

00:26:29.379 --> 00:26:31.099
 and it's don't look to you,

00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:32.379
 don't look to the world,

00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:33.379
 don't look to me,

00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:34.359
 look to Jesus.

00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:36.539
 Look to Jesus.

00:26:38.220 --> 00:26:39.460
 One of my favourite hymns,

00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:40.460
 the Scottish minister

00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:41.400
 Horeas Bonner,

00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:42.940
 I heard the voice

00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:43.920
 of Jesus say,

00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:44.880
 come unto me

00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:45.460
 and rest.

00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:47.140
 Lay down,

00:26:47.600 --> 00:26:48.319
 thou weary one,

00:26:48.420 --> 00:26:49.799
 lay down thy head

00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:50.880
 upon my breast.

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:52.019
 I came to Jesus

00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:53.000
 as I was,

00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:54.539
 weary and worn

00:26:54.539 --> 00:26:55.079
 and sad.

00:26:55.160 --> 00:26:56.039
 I found in him

00:26:56.039 --> 00:26:57.240
 a resting place

00:26:57.240 --> 00:27:00.019
 and he has made me glad.

00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:01.220
 This is our good shepherd

00:27:01.220 --> 00:27:01.779
 this morning.

00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:04.620
 Confession time,

00:27:04.700 --> 00:27:05.600
 maybe I was a bit harsh

00:27:05.600 --> 00:27:06.079
 on both people

00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:06.559
 at the beginning.

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:08.240
 I don't know

00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:08.700
 if you knew this,

00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:09.240
 do you know there are

00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:09.740
 more verses

00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:10.660
 to that nursery rhyme?

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:12.099
 I googled it this week.

00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:13.740
 This is what

00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:15.880
 the third verse

00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:16.740
 goes like.

00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:17.539
 Little Bo Peep

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.539
 began to weep

00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:19.880
 and lay down

00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:21.059
 to rest for a while.

00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:23.220
 She fell fast asleep

00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:24.440
 while counting her sheep

00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:25.259
 then dreamt

00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:26.039
 they came home

00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:26.740
 with a smile.

00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:27.339
 Isn't that nice?

00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:28.640
 Do you know

00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:29.160
 what strikes me

00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:29.839
 as I think about it?

00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:30.380
 Bo Peep,

00:27:30.380 --> 00:27:31.299
 she loves her sheep.

00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:32.740
 I think so,

00:27:32.819 --> 00:27:33.519
 she loves her sheep.

00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:35.579
 But Bo Peep's problem

00:27:35.579 --> 00:27:36.660
 is that she lacks

00:27:36.660 --> 00:27:38.040
 the power to do

00:27:38.040 --> 00:27:39.160
 anything for her sheep.

00:27:40.360 --> 00:27:41.259
 It strikes me

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:42.240
 that the Pharisees,

00:27:42.360 --> 00:27:43.279
 the bad shepherds

00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:44.120
 who are in the background

00:27:44.120 --> 00:27:45.320
 of John chapter 10,

00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:46.120
 they're the opposite

00:27:46.120 --> 00:27:46.820
 of Bo Peep.

00:27:47.400 --> 00:27:48.320
 They have got all

00:27:48.320 --> 00:27:49.380
 the power in the world.

00:27:49.480 --> 00:27:50.140
 They have got all

00:27:50.140 --> 00:27:51.180
 the authority they need

00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:51.900
 to be able to help

00:27:51.900 --> 00:27:52.259
 the sheep.

00:27:53.360 --> 00:27:54.060
 But because they

00:27:54.060 --> 00:27:54.900
 don't love the sheep,

00:27:55.620 --> 00:27:56.600
 they don't act

00:27:56.600 --> 00:27:57.880
 to save them.

00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:00.240
 But what I love

00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:01.240
 about Jesus Christ

00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:03.500
 is that he makes

00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:04.079
 this claim

00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:06.240
 as one who has

00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:08.120
 both the power

00:28:08.120 --> 00:28:10.579
 to help and lead

00:28:10.579 --> 00:28:11.900
 and feed his sheep

00:28:11.900 --> 00:28:14.160
 and he has the love

00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.700
 for the sheep

00:28:14.700 --> 00:28:15.440
 that moves him

00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:16.400
 to act.

00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:18.480
 See, in John chapter 10

00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:19.559
 there's some bad shepherds

00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:20.160
 in the background

00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:21.500
 but what we need to see

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:23.339
 is that the good shepherd

00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:24.720
 is in the foreground.

00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:26.700
 The one who said,

00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:29.359
 I am the good shepherd.

00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:31.479
 I know my sheep

00:28:31.479 --> 00:28:33.259
 and my sheep know me

00:28:33.259 --> 00:28:35.240
 just as my father

00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:35.859
 knows me

00:28:35.859 --> 00:28:37.099
 and I know the father

00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:38.919
 and I lay down

00:28:38.919 --> 00:28:39.759
 my life

00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:41.619
 for the sheep.

00:28:42.439 --> 00:28:43.740
 What a shepherd, friends.

00:28:44.179 --> 00:28:45.379
 Look to him this morning.

00:28:45.919 --> 00:28:46.500
 Look to him.

00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:47.039
 Let me pray.

00:28:55.539 --> 00:28:56.339
 So, Father,

00:28:56.419 --> 00:28:57.339
 we would thank you

00:28:57.339 --> 00:28:58.339
 so much for today.

00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:02.319
 would you help us

00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:02.699
 this week

00:29:02.699 --> 00:29:03.819
 by your spirit

00:29:03.819 --> 00:29:04.979
 to know

00:29:04.979 --> 00:29:05.679
 Jesus

00:29:05.679 --> 00:29:07.099
 as our good shepherd

00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:09.819
 and I pray

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:10.579
 particularly for

00:29:10.579 --> 00:29:11.859
 those here today

00:29:11.859 --> 00:29:12.679
 who are walking

00:29:12.679 --> 00:29:14.559
 in some dark paths.

00:29:16.859 --> 00:29:17.379
 Father,

00:29:17.459 --> 00:29:18.000
 that they would be

00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:19.119
 so aware

00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:20.279
 of your rod

00:29:20.279 --> 00:29:21.259
 and your staff

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:22.219
 in their lives

00:29:22.219 --> 00:29:23.679
 as you lead them

00:29:23.679 --> 00:29:25.079
 and as you love them.

00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:27.500
 thank you so much

00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.439
 that we have the Bible

00:29:28.439 --> 00:29:29.339
 that tells us

00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:30.000
 about Jesus

00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:32.119
 the good shepherd.

00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:33.659
 Father,

00:29:33.740 --> 00:29:34.579
 may we be so aware

00:29:34.579 --> 00:29:35.159
 of his voice

00:29:35.159 --> 00:29:35.659
 in our lives

00:29:35.659 --> 00:29:36.159
 this week.

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:37.019
 Father,

00:29:37.059 --> 00:29:38.259
 we pray to you

00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:39.199
 knowing that you hear us

00:29:39.199 --> 00:29:40.199
 in Jesus' name.

00:29:40.539 --> 00:29:40.779
 Amen.

00:29:40.779 --> 00:29:43.160
 Father,

00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:45.240
 we pray to you

00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:46.539
 as he may be your

00:29:49.819 --> 00:29:50.240
 and then

00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:51.799
 we pray to you

00:29:51.799 --> 00:29:53.259
 when you're

00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:54.139
 by your sins

00:29:54.139 --> 00:30:08.899
 Yan