And Chris is going to read for us this morning.
Thanks, Rich.
Our reading is from John chapter 10, beginning at verse 1 and going to verse 18.
And that's on page 1076 of the Red Bible.
So it's John chapter 10, beginning at verse 1.
Very truly, I tell you, Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate,
but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he is brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them,
and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
But they will never follow a stranger.
In fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.
Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore, Jesus said again,
Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved.
They will come in and go out and find pasture.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep.
So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.
Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd.
I know my sheep and my sheep know me,
just as the father knows me and I know the father.
And I lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold.
I must bring them also.
They too will listen to my voice and there should be one flock and one shepherd.
The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.
I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
This command I received from my father.
Thanks very much, Chris, for reading and thanks, Sam, for leading.
And thank you too to the musicians.
I'm always amazed and wonder and say thank you, God, for musicians,
because I'm not a musician.
So it's great to have people play.
So thank you for that today.
Let's keep our Bibles open in John chapter 10
as we look at the subject of the one true shepherd.
Let's pray.
Father, our prayer is that we would hear your voice to us today through your word.
And that as we hear, we would follow you.
That we would trust you.
Help us now, we ask.
And it's in his name we pray.
Amen.
Look at verse 11.
Jesus says, I am the good shepherd.
And in case we miss it, again in verse 14, I am the good shepherd.
Why not, I am the good baker?
Or I am the good carpenter.
After all, that's what Jesus did.
He was a carpenter.
Well, throughout the story of the Bible, God is portrayed as a shepherd and his people as sheep.
Look how the prophet Isaiah speaks of God's care for his people.
You can see it there on screen.
He that is God tends his flock like a shepherd.
He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart.
He gently leads those that have young.
What a beautiful picture.
If you are part of God's flock today, how reassuring it is that he tenderly holds you and leads you.
The shepherd loves you.
In fact, God had called the leaders of his people to be shepherds.
Essentially, God was saying to them, shepherd the people just like I do.
But the problem was, instead of caring for the flock, they abandoned the flock.
Go with me, please, to Ezekiel chapter 34.
Ezekiel chapter 34.
First there, if you could give me the page number, I forgot to check it there.
Ezekiel 34.
8-6-5.
Ezekiel 34.
And in this chapter, through the prophet Ezekiel, God gives us a picture.
He shows us bad shepherds and promises a good shepherd.
Shows us bad shepherds and promises us a good shepherd.
First, look at the bad shepherds.
We'll pick it up in the middle of verse 2.
This is what the sovereign Lord says.
Woe to you, shepherds of Israel, the leaders, who only take care of yourselves.
Should not the shepherds take care of the flock?
You eat the curds, the food, you clothe yourselves with wool, and you slaughter the choice animals.
But you do not take care of the flock, that is, the people.
You have not strengthened the weak, or healed those who are ill, or bound up the injured.
You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost.
You have ruled them harshly and brutally.
These were leaders, kings, who were meant to be the spiritual leaders, called to provide and protect, to help and to heal.
But like all human leaders, they failed desperately.
So while not only rebuking the bad shepherds, second, God promised a good shepherd.
God promised to come and replace the bad shepherds with himself.
Look at verse 11.
For this is what the sovereign Lord says.
I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep.
I will rescue them from the places where they've been scattered on the day of clouds and darkness.
Down to verse 15.
I myself will tend my sheep and make them lie down, declares the sovereign Lord.
I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.
I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.
But the sleek and the strong, I will destroy.
I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Let's go back to John's Gospel.
A picture there of the failed shepherds who will one day be replaced by the promised shepherd.
Now look at John chapter 10 and how Jesus opens up this section.
Look who he's talking to.
Did you catch that in verse 1?
Very truly, I tell you Pharisees.
Anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.
Ring any bells?
You Pharisees.
The so-called spiritual leaders of the people.
You're just like those bad shepherds.
Remember how they treated the man who had been born blind?
Just go back a few verses to John chapter 9 verse 34.
He claimed he had been healed by Jesus and that he was God.
And look at their reply, verse 34.
You are steeped in sin at birth.
How dare you lecture us?
And they threw him out.
Jesus, on the other hand, verse 35.
He had heard they had thrown him out.
And he found him.
He went looking for him.
You see, Jesus is saying,
I am that promised shepherd.
I am the one who's come to search for the lost and to bring back the stray.
I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.
I will even lay down my life for you.
I am the good shepherd and you can trust me.
Now sadly, our country in many ways has a history of suffering from bad shepherds.
Spiritual shepherds and political shepherds.
The church has let the people down.
People have run to the church for life.
But instead have received lies.
And sometimes people have been hurt.
Our governments have made promises.
But they end up being broken promises.
Do you expect as the politicians,
as they canvas around our country and knock on the door,
do you think every single promise they give you is going to be completed?
Well, I think they'll try their very best.
But the reality is,
they fail.
But let's not point the finger too much at the church or the government,
because what we see at times there
is just a little reflection of our own life.
You see, rather than shepherds,
the Bible describes us as the sheep.
Sheep who have gone astray,
who've wandered away
and done our own thing.
We cannot even manage to shepherd ourselves.
Never mind anybody else.
You see, what this country needs,
what we all need,
is a shepherd
who will come and forgive us
for all the things we have done wrong.
A shepherd who will come alongside us
in our brokenness and in our hurt
and heal us
and restore us
and provide for us
and be there for us.
And Jesus is saying to us afresh this morning,
I am that good shepherd.
So let's explore together
and see how Jesus is good for us today.
First,
Jesus gathers all his sheep.
At the beginning of John chapter 10,
we have in verse 1 there,
the sheepfold.
A picture of,
if you like,
a stone circle
in which is all the sheep.
So the different shepherds
from the different places
in the night time
would come down to the sheepfold
and they would bring all their sheep in
and they would be all mixed in together.
And then in the morning,
the shepherd would come
for his sheep.
We'll pick it up in verse 2.
The one who enters by the gate
is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper,
the one who'd been protecting them
through the night,
opens the gate for him.
And the sheep listen to his voice.
He calls out his own sheep by name
and he leads them out.
So a big, big pen
full of sheep.
The shepherd comes along
and he calls them.
But who comes?
Only those,
verse 3,
he calls by name.
The ones that the shepherd knows.
The ones that already
belong to him.
They're the ones he calls out.
Now to help us understand
what's going on here,
cast your minds back
to the Exodus.
When God's people, Israel,
were in slavery in Egypt
under the brutal tyrant Pharaoh.
And what did God do?
He called his people out.
Look how that rescue is described
in the Psalm 78.
God brought his people out
like a flock.
He led them like sheep
in the wilderness.
He guided them safely
so that they were unafraid.
He settled the people of Israel
in their homes.
You see,
Jesus is saying,
I am that shepherd.
The one who's come
to rescue you.
The one who's come
to gather my sheep
and to call you
to myself.
I have come
to set you free
from a greater slavery.
Sin.
I've come to set you free
from a greater tyrant.
Death.
I've come to lead you
out of your darkness
and bring you
into a life
of light
and freedom.
Jesus gathers
his sheep,
his people,
as he calls us
by name,
calling us
into his family.
And this is what we are,
but an expression
this morning
of his family.
Sheep who've been
gathered in
to his church.
verse 4.
When he is brought
out all his own,
the shepherd
goes on ahead
of them
and the sheep
follow him
because they know
his voice.
Now maybe you're
wondering this morning
if I'm part
of God's flock.
Maybe you're not.
Well, there's good news
for you.
Jump ahead
to verse 16.
Jesus says,
I have other sheep
that are not
of this sheepfold.
I must bring
them in
also.
They too
will listen
to my voice
and there shall
be one flock
and one shepherd.
You see,
if we are not
part of God's
flock today,
if we are not
under his care,
you can be.
This is the
invitation.
God,
by his Holy
Spirit,
is calling
you by name.
He knows
you.
He knows
your past.
He knows
your future.
He knows
your past
failures
and your future
flaws.
He knows
your hurts
today.
He knows
your pains
and the struggle
that you are
going through
and he calls
you to himself.
Believe
me.
Follow
me.
I am the
good shepherd
and I
will gather
my sheep.
Second,
Jesus gathers
all his sheep
and he provides
for all his
sheep.
I got that
right.
There we are.
He provides
for all his
sheep.
Look at
verse 9.
Jesus says,
I am the
gate.
Whoever
enters
through me,
whoever
comes to
me,
believes in
me,
will be
saved.
They will
come in
and go
out,
back and
forth,
and find
pasture.
Again,
we're provided
with this
wonderful picture
of a shepherd
taking care of
his sheep,
bringing them
in and out
to the
pasture to
provide for
them what
they need.
And Jesus
picks up on
this image
to show us
that what
he provides
for the
sheep is
eternally
good.
Look at
verse 10.
The thief
comes only
to steal
and kill
and destroy
the bad
shepherds.
But I
have come
that they
may have
life and
have it
to the
full.
The bad
shepherds,
well,
bad
shepherds
are all
around us
and their
voice is
crying out
to us.
They say,
live your
own life.
Find your
own path.
Be who
you want
to be.
Believe in
yourself.
You know
what's best.
But that's
like a shepherd
leading a
sheep towards
the edge
of a cliff.
This kind
of teaching,
this kind
of philosophy
will only
destroy you.
life.
But the
life that
Jesus
offers
is abundant.
Did you
see it at
the end
of verse
10?
I have
come that
you may
have life
and have
it to
the full,
to its
overflowing.
A life
that satisfies
and fulfills.
Remember the
food and
drink that
Jesus has
promised to
provide for
his people?
Do you
remember the
woman at
the well?
And Jesus
says to
the woman,
if you knew
who has the
water of
life, you
would ask
for him.
And Jesus
says, the
water I
give will
become in
you a
spring of
water,
welling up
to eternal
life.
And the
crowd that
he fed
with the
bread,
physical
bread that
satisfies our
hunger,
Jesus said,
I am the
bread from
heaven,
which you
may eat
and not
die, but
live forever.
This is a
full and
abundant
life.
Now it
doesn't mean
to say that
we're going
to be free
of struggles
and suffering,
but it
does mean
that we
have a
shepherd who
will lead
us and be
with us.
Even in
the deepest
darkness,
Jesus will
provide
what you
need.
Even when
we feel
hopeless and
helpless,
Jesus the
shepherd will
sustain you.
He knows
your need
today and
he will
provide and
give you
grace for
every moment
and every
day.
He will
not let you
down.
Through
Jesus we
experience
life in
all its
fullness.
So he
gathers
his sheep,
he provides
for his
sheep,
and he
will secure
all his
sheep.
Look at
verse 11.
I am
the good
shepherd,
and the
good shepherd
lays down
his life
for the
sheep.
sheep,
the hired
hand.
Well,
he's not
the shepherd
because he
doesn't own
the sheep.
So when
he sees a
wolf coming,
whoa,
he abandons
the sheep,
he takes
off,
I'm out
of here.
And the
wolf attacks
and the
flocks
scatter.
It's a
frightening
scene,
isn't it?
Because sheep
are vulnerable
and fragile.
Sheep
don't have
sharp teeth
and long
claws to
fight off
their prey.
Something a
wolf has
with great
power.
They're
extremely
dangerous.
So when
the wolf
attacks,
verse 13,
the man
runs away
because he's
a hired
hand and
he cares
nothing for
the sheep.
Not
Jesus.
How
different
Jesus
is to
the offers
of protection
people give
us today.
He will
come.
He's
warning us,
yes,
that wolves
will come.
I think in
this context
it's false
teachers and
corrupt leaders
who will
come to
harm you
and seek
to lead
you astray.
But Jesus
says,
don't fear.
I'm not
like a
hired hand.
I will
lay down
my life
for you.
I will
do whatever
it takes
to protect
you and
keep you
forever.
In fact,
Jesus promises
to secure
our salvation
forever.
So once we
trust him,
we are his
forever.
Look over
at verse 27.
27.
My sheep
listen to
my voice.
I know
them and
they follow
me.
I give
them eternal
life and
they shall
never perish.
No one
will snatch
them out
of my
hand.
My
Father who
has given
them to
me is
greater
than all.
No one
can snatch
them out
of my
Father's
hand.
I and
the Father
are one.
Do you
see the
double
protection
there?
The picture
is like we
are in
the hands
of Jesus,
gripped
by his
firm hands
and around
the hands
of Jesus
are the
hands of
the Father.
So no
scheming,
no lying
wolf,
can take
us from
the protection
of the
Father and
the Son.
Not even
our sin
can take
us.
Not even
the struggle
we are
going through,
not even
Satan
himself.
We are
secure
forever.
The
shepherd has
gathered you
in and he
will provide
for you
and he
will keep
you.
He will
hold you
fast.
And then
fourth,
Jesus the
shepherd dies
for all
his sheep.
Back to
verse 14.
I am
the good
shepherd.
I know
my sheep
and my
sheep know
me.
Just as
the Father
knows me
and I
know the
Father
and I
lay down
my life
for the
sheep.
You see,
when the
wild animals
come,
a shepherd
will fight
them off
with his
stick or
his crook
or whatever
he has,
a few
stones.
He will
do all
that he
can to
protect
his
sheep.
However,
if that
shepherd's
life is
in danger,
he's going
to let
the wolf
or the
wild animal
take that
one sheep.
Understandably,
the shepherd
will protect
his own
life.
No
sheep is
worth the
value of
a shepherd.
Better
the sheep's
life than
losing your
own life,
eh?
except for
Jesus.
Jesus does
the unthinkable,
doesn't he?
The unimaginable.
When it
comes to
his people,
Jesus says,
I will
lay down
my life
for you.
I will
die for
you.
I am
the good
shepherd
and I
lay down
my life
for the
sheep.
In fact,
his giving
of his
life
is not
accidental,
but intentional
and sacrificial.
Again,
look at
verse 17.
He says,
the reason
my father
loves me
is that
I lay
down my
life
only to
take it
up again.
no one
takes it
from me,
but I
lay it
down of
my own
accord.
I have
authority to
lay down
my life
and I
have
authority to
take it
up again.
This
command I
received
from the
father.
You see,
that's what
makes Jesus
not just
a shepherd,
but a
good shepherd.
These are
not just
words or
illustrations.
It's what
Jesus has
come to
do.
He came
to die
for us.
That's
his whole
purpose.
Speaking of
Jesus'
death,
the prophet
Isaiah put
it like
this.
You know
these words.
We all
like sheep
have gone
astray.
Each of
us has
turned to
our own
way.
And the
Lord has
laid on
him the
iniquity
of us
all.
All our
flaws,
all our
failures,
and Jesus
the shepherd
says,
I'll come
and I'll
take the
hit.
Jesus
puts
himself
where we
deserve
to be
placed so
that we
wouldn't
face his
judgment.
He lays
down his
life for
us so
that we
might have
life in
him,
life in
abundance.
And of
course,
as verse
18 implies,
Jesus didn't
stay dead.
Yes,
he laid
down his
life only
for Jesus
to rise
again from
the dead.
he had
authority
to take
his life
up again.
And so
Jesus remains
the living
shepherd who
continues to
be good and
continues to
care for us
day by
day.
he.
So how
can you
and I
experience
this shepherd's
care personally
and intimately
as we
scatter
into our
communities
and into
our workplaces?
How can we
know the
love and
care of
this tender,
kind shepherd?
shepherd?
Well,
briefly,
two things.
First,
listen to
the shepherd's
voice.
We know
who the
sheep are
because they
listen.
They
listen.
Verse
three.
The gatekeeper
opens the
gate for the
shepherd and
the sheep
listen to
his voice.
he calls
out his
own sheep
by name
and he
leads them.
The sheep
listen
because they
are his
sheep.
Go for a
walk down
through the
Kerry Mountains
and you
will notice
there are
sheep marked
with all
kinds of
different
colours.
Red,
blue,
yellow,
purple.
Each colour
marks them
out to
which farmer
they belong
to.
Well,
the people
who belong
to God
are marked
out as
those who
listen to
his voice.
They listen
because they
are his
sheep.
Verse
four.
He brings
out his
own,
he goes
on ahead
of them
and his
sheep
follow him
because they
know his
voice.
And the
primary way
in which we
will hear the
shepherd's
voice as we
walk through
our day is
through God's
word.
So,
fellow sheep,
let's be
reading God's
word.
Let's get our
nourishment from
the bread of
life.
Let's drink of
the water of
life.
Let's be
studying the
word together
and encouraging
each other
with words
from God.
God.
And as we
do,
we will
grow deeper
and deeper
in our
relationship
with him.
Look at
it.
Verse
14.
I'm the
good shepherd.
I know
my sheep.
My sheep
know me.
Just as
the father
knows me
and I
know
the father.
Isn't
that incredible?
The relationship
the father
and son
have together,
that intimacy,
that union,
that precious
relationship
existing from
before all
time began,
the father
and the son's
relationship.
He says,
you can have
that too.
Listen to
my voice
and you
will grow
deeper and
deeper in
relationship
with me
and you
will find
abundant
life.
so let's
listen to
the shepherd's
voice.
And
second,
let's
run
from the
stranger's
voice.
Verse
5.
The
sheep
will never
follow a
stranger.
In
fact,
they will
run away
from him
because they
do not
recognize
a stranger's
voice.
Jesus
has made
it clear
there are
thieves and
robbers.
There are
wolves that
will come
in to try
and attack,
steal and
destroy and
lead God's
people away.
False
teachers,
and there's
plenty of
them,
spread their
lies.
Just
because they
carry a
big black
Bible and
walk up and
down the
stage,
just because
they have
thousands of
views on
YouTube,
doesn't mean
they are good
shepherds.
people
know
how do
you spot
a
stranger?
Even
more
importantly,
how do
you know
I'm not
a
stranger?
Well,
as we
read the
Bible and
as we
study the
word for
ourselves,
so we
deepen our
understanding
of God
and we're
able then
to discern
who are
the
strangers.
and to
run from
them for
our lives.
In fact,
you have a
responsibility
and I
want you to
take this
responsibility
serious.
You must
hold me
accountable
to the
word of
God.
If I
start drifting
off and
talking about
something else,
you should
say,
my role
is not
to make
followers
of
Johnny
Grant.
Please,
my goodness
me,
what a
mess you
will become.
No,
we run
to the
shepherd,
the good
shepherd.
Verse 27,
my sheep
listen to
my voice.
I know
them,
they follow
me,
I give
them
eternal
life,
they shall
never
perish,
no one
will snatch
them out
of my
hand.
Let's
pray
together.
Amen.
Our
Father God,
we confess
and admit
that like
sheep we
have wandered
away,
but we
thank you
that you
are the
good,
kind,
loving
shepherd
who has
gathered us
in,
called us
out of
darkness
into light,
providing
all that
we need
for every
moment and
every struggle
of life.
You are
sufficient.
Thank you
that in the
deepest
darkness
or the
greatest
storm,
you hold
us safe.
Our life
is secure
in your
hands.
our salvation
will never
be taken.
You have
us in
your grip
and you
have proved
it and
shown it
all through
your death
and resurrection
for us
so that we
might enter
into that
relationship,
Father and
Son.
Oh,
how good
you are.
Thank you.
help us to
listen to
your voice,
to follow
your ways.
In
Jesus'
name,
Amen.
Well,
we're going
to sing
together.
Here's a
good line.
When I
fear my
faith will
fail,
Christ
will hold
me fast.
That double
protection in
the hands of
Jesus and
the Father,
he will
hold me
fast.
Let's
stand together
if we're
able to,
and we'll
sing,
and as we
sing,
we encourage
one another
in the
faith that
we have.
Amen.
when I
fear my
faith will
fail,
Christ
will
hold me
fast.
When the
tenter
would
remain,
he will
hold me
fast.
I could
never keep
my own,
through
life's
will
back.
Oh,
my love
clears,
God,
word,
he will
be sixth,
know.
I
need
days,
then,
be
Huh?
He
will
pass.
Means
none.
He
will
fade,
деле,
needs
lots.
fastest,
omy,
includes
that
Now,
of
the
dirt,
to
be
young.
Wise and holy words, precious in His holy sight.
He is holy, blessed in the love of His holy sight.
I will let you fall.
Amen.
Let's pray together in just a moment.
The family blessing.
We'll read it in just a moment.
Let me pray first.
Father, thank you for the promise
that you, the good shepherd, will hold us fast.
Help us to step into this week confident,
knowing that you are with us
and will not leave us.
Now let's pray the blessing together.
May God, the great shepherd of the sheep,
equip you with everything good for doing his will.
And may he work in us what is pleasing to him
through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen.
Please do stay for tea and coffee.
Chance to catch up.