John 10 – Jesus Lays Down His Life for His Sheep

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The following transcript is a direct copy from the Youtube automatic transcript. It may not be 100% accurate but it is being provided until we can produce a better and more accurate transcript of the sermon.

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good morning how's everybody doing today great wonderful it is absolutely

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wonderfully great to be in the house of the Lord this morning got a few announcements before we get

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started today I just wanted to mind all the men that

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this Thursday April 6th at 6 00 PM we're getting together to do our post-exilic

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prophets Bible study and it's week one in our book you just

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finish that out and come this Thursday and we're going to talk about a little bit you'll notice that first six books

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of Ezra is in there for a little background information also the uh the next week on the Monday

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April the 10th at 12 30 there's going to be the senior luncheon that's going to

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be at the red front if you have any questions please talk to Becky now with

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the regards to the senior age limit Becky's let me go before so if you want

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to go hang out with some of our elders that'd be pretty good time you just go talk to Becky I'm sure she'd be okay if

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you want to go eat with them and then on April the 13th on that

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Thursday of next week the women are getting together to do chapter three in

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their book which are doing a study on Romans and any of you ladies like to be a part

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of that this is one opportunity it's at Joanne's house at Thursday 6 p.m

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and also I believe there will be another opportunity I think there's two each

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month either one at Becky's or one at Joann's and then at the end of the month

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I wanted to remind the men that Men's breakfast is coming up it's the last

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Saturday of the month we have a time of fellowship and cooking at 8 A.M

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and then we eat at nine o'clock in the morning and we're going to have a devotion it

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might be about 9 45 or 10 o'clock but we're going to have our missionary Brian Underwood Come and Talk giving a

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devotion and uh also uh on that Sunday

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we're going to have the spring carrion luncheon so There's an opportunity there

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to bring some food to share with everybody I would remind you that the church is providing Fried Chicken

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which hallelujah amen I love some fried chicken you know and so there's a sign

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up sheet back there so that we would make sure everybody doesn't bring mashed potatoes and gravy you know that'd be kind of so definitely put your name down

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for what you'd like to bring for that if you have any questions talk to Betsy and then the following Month in May one of

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the highlights that we have in this month's bulletin is the women of ladies by or Bible ladies banquet excuse me got

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a little tongue twisted the women of the Bible ladies banquet is uh Friday May

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the 12th at 6 PM you can invite your family ladies you can invite some guests

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to that so it's not just women only and there will be a guest speaker there so

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far I don't know who that is but you have to show up to find out and there'll be more details will follow

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soon I'd like to highlight too that there's about five April birthdays that

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we know of so uh if you see Megan she's over here if you wish her happy birthday on the

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seventh and then Devin's back air his birthday is coming up and Julia and

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Hosanna and nesba make sure we do that Wednesday for sure we see nesba and also

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I'd like to mention if you could keep Marilyn's son in your prayers this week

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he is in the hospital down in Florida totally not conscious yet and if you

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could just pray for him the doctors the nurses all involved down there that

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Maryland would really appreciate that and speaking of prayer let's go the Lord in prayer this morning

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and I'll say uh father God great and wonderful is your name O Lord you are

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the wonderful counselor Prince of Peace the Lord of Heaven's armies and we just humbly submit to you this morning Lord

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we just humbly asked that your will be done on Earth Lord as it is in heaven

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Lord you are sovereign and Rule and Reign and we just ask that you would use

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us to do your will we thank you for your word that we can hear you speak anytime

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we read the Bible and we just ask that you guide and

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direct us with your word throughout our day and throughout this week Lord please forgive us of our sins and Lord help us

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to patch up any relationships that we need to patch up oh Lord also I would humbly ask that you would

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give the doctors and the nurses the wisdom to know what to do in the hospital in Florida where Michael's at

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and please comfort all of Maryland's family during this most difficult time

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and uh also Lord I just ask that you be with all the men and women serving in the

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armed forces especially missed driver as she's in boot camp

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getting training and I also asked for prayers for my brother-in-law who's about ready to go

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from Iraq to Syria and also for my other brother-in-law in Ukraine and all those

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men and women Lord that keep us safe just guide and protect them Lord and we

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thank you that we have the freedom to come worship Your Great Name here this morning and may we sing from the heart

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and gratitude towards what you have done for us Lord in Jesus name amen

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stand with us as we sing our first song so this is newer for Sunday mornings but we've done

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this at least twice on Sunday nights as long as you can sway back and forth in

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time you can sing it shout to the door

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you'll have to sing extra loud because I'm getting over a cold so I'm watching you Mike make sure you think extra lap

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is coming

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to savior to all Lord of Heaven

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rise

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shut up

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savior to all the Lord

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we've been through a fire and we've been through there we've been refined by the

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power of His King we fall in deeper in

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love with you remember the truth on our land

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see

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you soon

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rise up Wings

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filled his grace

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by his grace

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Jesus Savior to all Lord of Heaven

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O Lord of Heaven and ever

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thank you

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there was between us

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his brother now and they'll change around us by your

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grace

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he called me into the light you call my name amen my heart came alive

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your love is stronger

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your love is stronger Your Love Again

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feel the darkness shaking all together

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came alive

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us out is

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your

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eyes

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you may be seated for the scripture reading

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morning everyone today we'll be in the Psalms and we'll

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be in Psalm chapter 14. be reading out of the ESV today

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and the title in my Bible for this chapter is the fool says there is no God

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and when I was reading over this I wanted to provide more clarity because

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I've seen commentaries on this chapter that I've talked and focused a lot on atheism but I think that's that's not

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enough that's being said here it's actually talking about unbelief in general it's talking about people who

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are outside of knowing Christ savingly and so it's worth mentioning that as we

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begin but we'll be reading verses one through seven and again chapter 14

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we'll begin in verse 1. the fool says in his heart there is no God

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they are corrupt they do abominable Deeds there's none who does good

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the Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand who seek after God

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they have all turned aside together they have become corrupt there is none who does good not even one

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they have no knowledge all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread

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and do not call upon the Lord there they are in great Terror for God

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is with the generation of the righteous who would shame the plans of the poor but the Lord is his Refuge oh that

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salvation for Israel will come out of Zion when the Lord restores The Fortunes of his people let Jacob Rejoice let Israel

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be glad I just wanted to add more commentary to this just briefly from

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Romans chapter 3 especially in verse 23 Romans 3 23 it

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talks about how all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and when Paul is writing this he goes on

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to describe the remedy to that that Christ became a propitiation for our sins which means to make an appeasement

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or to satisfy a debt and so when we look into the New Testament we see this

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continued theme that everyone has fallen short of the glory of God outside of Christ and so that's the need for the

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gospel and so anyone outside of that is foolish in the sense that they have moral

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corruption in fact if you were to study the Hebrew word for full in the Old

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Testament you would notice that it's not talking about intellectual ineptitude it's not describing someone who's

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intellectually foolish but it's rather describing humankind that has fallen into sin it's saying there's moral

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Rebellion there's moral decay and so as we see this I'm reminded that there's a

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great need for Christ in that outside of him we don't really hear the voice that we

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need to be following we don't know the great Shepherd we follow many Masters but there's only two there's only one

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master really that rules you it's either you're a slave to sin or you're a slave to righteousness and so

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with that said let's pray

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dear heavenly father I pray that from this reading today that people will

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be able to see the true depiction of what it means to be foolish and though

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that might seem harsh I pray that the people here today that if there is anyone who doesn't understand or know

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the gospel that they'll be able to see the need to not continue to live in a way of

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wickedness although some things might seem like they're small all offenses before God

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are counted in the same way outside of Christ and that's why we need to know him

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I pray that we'll be able to see Romans 3 and look towards what it says in verse

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23 that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and allow that as well to show us the great need for a

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savior today I'd like to pray as well for our worship as we continue

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and I'd like to pray for pastor Rodney today that he'll be able to deliver a

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christ-centered sermon that honors your word and please bless this scripture reading

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and allow people to be Discerning of it For Your Glory I pray all these things in Your Name Lord amen

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please continue

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you'll stand as we sing because he lives

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goodbye

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all fear is gone

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as we do all

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our newborn baby years

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please

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because he lived

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because I know he holds the future

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his life

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across the river

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S no more

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I see the dance

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because I know he holds the future

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just because

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you may be seated

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may you please bow your heads thank you Lord for bringing us all here today

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I just ask in your name that you please forgive us of our sins so that we may focus on your word and not of our own

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sins Jesus I ask in in your name that you please help those that were affected by

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the storm a couple of days ago all of the sickness that we've been

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succumbing to ask that you please heal our bodies if it's your will

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and we play we pray all of this in your name amen

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thank you

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foreign

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which we're living with its worry and it's whoa people

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looking for a refuge seemed to have no place to

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go if they'd only turn to Jesus he will

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answer your plea for peace

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that's Everlasting and free

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your life well I see a trouble

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he's that the world can't take away

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these that you feel when your world's a

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troubles peace that's Everlasting

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and free

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is your life a sea of trouble are you

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burdened with its cares there's a load you try to carry more than you could

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ever bear if you'd only turn to Jesus he

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will answer your plea for peace that's

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Everlasting and free

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they promised me peace that's ever one of her

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last day peace let the world can't take away

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is that you feel when your worlds are

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traveling peace that's Everlasting oh peace that

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Everlasting yes I said Peace that's Everlasting

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and free

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how are you this morning wasn't that a wonderful worship wasn't that wonderful to praise God and to hear

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about that peace that's Everlasting and free it's an amazing thing

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I hope you were worshiping this morning uh man I wanted to dance up here while we were singing but I know this is an

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old school you know we're not really a Baptist Church but where we come from a Baptist background and you start dancing

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they start throwing you out so I couldn't couldn't break it down up here anyway

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laughs if you would open your Bibles with me to John 10. very excited to uh to be up

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here this morning excited to do what I think is our third sermon here in the book in the chapter of John 10. and

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today we're going to start in verse 11 and move on from there since we spent two weeks on the first 10 verses

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let me let me ask you just a couple of questions as we get into this and and I

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do I do want to challenge you now so I don't forget but to pay close attention to the sermon this morning

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because at some point in this sermon we're going to talk about the atonement of Jesus

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and I I need you to pay close attention when we when we do that so take notes or

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just just sit on the edge of your chair whatever it is and pay close attention because it's important

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but let me ask you thinking about the Good Shepherd thinking about what he said I lay down

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my life for the sheep and we'll talk more about that in a moment why did Jesus have to die

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have you ever have you ever really considered why he had to die

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I didn't ask you if he did die that's historical fact why did he have to die

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hopefully we're going to answer that during this sermon and then a second question along those

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lines what was accomplished by his death what was it that he was accomplishing by

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dying that's equally as important

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but I want you to think about that consider that start to get the wheels and the gears spinning in your head

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so that as we get into this sermon hopefully you can answer those questions and have definitive answers right here

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John chapter 10. verses 11 to 21.

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let's pray together and I look forward to hearing your comments afterward about

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this Heavenly Father you are a wonderful God

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you are an amazing God and father it is clear that you have sent your son Jesus to pay for sin

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you have done this because you are a loving God and you love us and father Jesus is the Good Shepherd

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he's already declared so here in John 10 and he will continue to declare

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he is the Good Shepherd and we must hear his voice and follow him so father we pray today that not only

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your people who already are following would keep following but father that you would bring those

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who you are going to save and who are part of the sheep of God that you would bring them into the fold as well

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those unbelieving who are sitting on the outside who have not yet responded to the voice of Christ to the call of God

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transform their hearts father please cause them to have faith and allow them

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to believe and to trust and to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd father we pray through this passage

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today that it would become clear why Jesus came why Jesus died

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and father I pray that you would do this work in the hearts of people through your Holy Spirit and it wouldn't be me

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who has to do that heavy lifting but only use me as a voice only use me

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as a messenger to Proclaim what you've already proclaimed in your word

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and God I can't change anyone's heart anyway change them

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convict them of sin convict them of righteousness and cause each of us father to be holy people

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before you a holy God father we love you and praise you

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because you first loved us and we give you all the glory and we lift up our church and our church family

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both locally and in the world to you father we praise you for it

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praise you for what it means and we ask that you would Empower us

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embolden us encourage us to share the gospel with the world

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while there is still time because we know judgment is coming

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and father we don't want anyone that we know or that we have relationships with to enter into your judgment or your

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Wrath and so God we pray that you would help us to share while we have time

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we praise you for our church we pray for Unity in the faith and we pray God that you would receive

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all the glory for this morning's worship and the sermon that was about to be preached and father you would be right

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at the center of all of it in Jesus's holy name we pray amen

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okay John chapter 10 let's get started by reading from verse 11 down through

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verse 21. I am the Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd

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gives his life for the Sheep but a hireling he who is the shepherd He Who

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is not the shepherd one who does not own the Sheep sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and fleas and the Wolf

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catches the sheep and scatters them the hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the

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Sheep I am the Good Shepherd and I know my sheep and am known by my own

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as the father knows me even so I know the father and I lay down my life for

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the sheep and other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I will

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bring and they will hear my voice and there will be one flock in one Shepherd

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therefore my father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it again

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no one takes it from me but I lay it down of myself I have power to lay it

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down and I have power to take it again this command I have received from the father from my father

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therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of this these

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sayings and many of them said he has a demon and he is mad why do you listen to

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him others said these are not the words of one who has a demon can a demon Open

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the Eyes of the blind and we've dealt a lot with with those

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things before there at the end but let's go right back up to the top and he declares opens up verse 11 with I

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am the Good Shepherd and I think about this in other pastors and other Bible

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commentary writers they all talk about how many I am statements are in the Book

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of John and they they all seem to put lists together that there are seven right there are seven primary ones that are

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tracked there are others as I've pointed out as we've gone through because Jesus said before Abraham was I am and things

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like that they're in there too but they're not in this list because they're tracking specific things about Jesus

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and these I am statements if you'll remember these IAM statements are are

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echoing back to Moses at a burning bush and in that burning bush The Voice spoke

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out of the Burning Bush saying Moses asks you know what should I tell him your name is and what did he say I

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am that I am tell them the I am have has sent you and again of course it was in

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Hebrew but and here in Greek the words in Greek are ego I me and they they are

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in here and they have meaning and so the seven of these that are in the new New Testament in the Book of John that

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people track these things about the Messiah about Christ about God himself which is what Jesus is actually saying

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are these let me read them to you you can list them out if you haven't done this already or if you don't know what

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these are in John 6 35 he says I am the bread of life and we've talked about that Jesus is the

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bread from heaven born even in the town of Bethlehem which means the home of

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bread bait per house and for bread the home of

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bread also in John 8 12 he is I am the light of the world

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these two you'll recall we've talked about and we've talked much about this from all the way back to the beginning

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about Jesus being the light of the world in in John chapter 1 it said the light

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comes into the darkness and the Darkness did not comprehend it or grasp on to it

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and we've talked about Jesus in this account last week we spoke about or the

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last two weeks John 10 9 just look a couple verses up I am the door I am the

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door to the Sheepfold no one comes in unless they come through the door you

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and I will read another one from John 14 6 here in a moment where he says I am the way the truth and the life there is

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one way to God there is only one way to get to God and the finishing part of John 14 6 is no man comes to the father

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except through me or by me and so Jesus is the door Jesus is the way truth and

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the life in John 14 6. and here in John 10 verse verses 11

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through 14 he declares I am the Good Shepherd and so Jesus is the Good Shepherd and

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we've spent two weeks really talking about the Good Shepherd and what he does he he lays down his life for the Sheep

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but he also cares for the Sheep we read Psalm 23 he leads them into

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Green Pastures he restores their soul he protects them he has a rod and a staff and he Comforts them and he protects

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them with these things if wolves come in he fights them off we read about King David who was a young Shepherd and King

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David said when a lion or a bear would come and take a sheep and drag him off I would go after the bear and I would slay

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the bear and if the bear tried to attack me I'd grab its beard or the lion and grab its beard and I would slay the

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animal that's the life of a Shepherd not a weakling not someone who can't protect

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or isn't strong who isn't manly Noah Shepherd is quite strong quite rugged

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you might call him a man's man but he is the Good Shepherd in a

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spiritual sense for his sheep also he says in John 11 25 I am the

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resurrection and the life again we heard of him as the life in John 14 6. but in 11 he says I'm the

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resurrection and the life and this is true we read this early on in John as well

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Jesus gives life and Jesus is the only one who can give physical life he's the

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only one who can give spiritual life and he is the only one who can resurrect a life that has died

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both physically and spiritually he's the only one who can res erect a

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life I am the resurrection and the life John 11 25. I've already said John 14 6

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and then finally the seventh that they track is in John 15 I am the Vine

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verses one through five and if you you know I am the vine this is John 15 5 I am the vine ye are the

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branches he who abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me you can do nothing

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apart from the vine you and I are nothing but as part of the vine grafted

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into the vine as part of the vine of Faith by the way which is the household of Abraham that stretches all the way

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back to the Old Testament to the time when Abraham expressed faith in God

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we are part of this Great Vine of faith and even though we're not Jewish or from

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the Seed of Abraham in the physical we are members of as Gentiles grafted in to

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that vine of faith and Jesus is that vine of Faith whether Old Testament or

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new testament without Christ dying there would be no dot there would be no Vine

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of faith uh Jesus is the Good Shepherd now

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we think about this metaphor some more this this this way that Jesus describes

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himself there is only one Shepherd who can lead us to God and I think we've done a fair job at

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least through the Book of John of describing and defining who he is

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he is the Lord Jesus he is the Eternal Son of God

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who was not only with God but was God John 1 1. do you remember the word was

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in the beginning with God and the Word was God and all through here you'll notice that the Jews every time Jesus

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would make any statement or do any action that made him seem to be God what would they do they would pick up stones

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to Stone him over and over again and they continue to do that by the way for

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the rest of the Book of John until guess what do you remember the end of the story

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what's going to happen with Jesus how is it going to end for his human life

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cross there's one hanging back here if you want to look at it they won't be able to Stone him but he

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will hang on a cross and we'll we'll talk more about that in a moment Jesus is the only one who qualifies as

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good do you notice that he says I'm the Good Shepherd now do you go around saying no that's a

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good person over there or or I'm a good person

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I'm really good I I live my life morally right

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you know you you might not be a good person but I am or they are

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well let's read from Matthew 19 verses 16 to 17 for a moment because I think

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the Bible has given us Clarity on this word good let's listen to it says Now

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Behold one came and said good teacher what good things shall I do that I may

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have eternal life so he said to him why do you call me good

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no one is good but one that is God but if you want to enter into life keep the

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Commandments and I won't go any further with it you could go read the passage again it's

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Matthew 19 if you want to go read it but we all know what happens but Jesus says

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right here a man comes up to him and calls him good that's a man calling another man good

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and so Jesus's first question is important and catch it why do you call me good

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that should not be common amongst men not knowing what the Bible has taught us about Sin about depravity about falling

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away and missing the mark of God men should not be calling men good

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now in that particular instance as we all know and some of you are waiting with baited breath to hear

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God is good and since Jesus Is God he is good so

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this is the one and only time or the one and only person to whom that could be

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said and be appropriate but if I come to you and say oh you're

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such a good person that is as far away from true and

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accurate as it can be as you well know just think of your life are you truly good

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of course you're not not in and of ourselves not through the power of the Holy Spirit I get it a life can be

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transformed and a life can be lived for God but even then are you truly good

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not like God God doesn't sin God doesn't do evil Jesus is the only one who qualifies and

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you'll notice here the Bible defines this for us we don't have to question are there some good people are there

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some evil people no there are none good there are none righteous no not one

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didn't been to a great job of helping us to see that a little while ago from Psalm 14

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we should be very careful believing and following anyone except God and this is right at the

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heart of the point and I think the reason why Jesus calls himself not just the shepherd but the Good Shepherd

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he is the only one who is good you can follow any other leader any other man

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any demon you can follow anyone else and they are not good

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and it goes right into the narrative that he gives here about the thieves and

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the wolves we've talked about them already he tells us about them again or even a hireling

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who is hired to do a job maybe to temporarily watch out for the Sheep well

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guess who the hireling wants to protect we'll talk about that in a second

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understanding that Mere Men cannot be good is necessary to fully understand

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our deep need for God

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you know I've said it before and I guess I'll just keep saying it I need to say it it humbles me and hopefully it helps

47:29

you understand I'm not your Shepherd now I am a Shepherd in the sense that

47:35

you know the pastor the word pastor means Shepherd but I'm an Under Shepherd

47:41

Christ is The Shepherd of the Sheep I do work for him on his behalf

47:47

you're his sheep you aren't mine you notice I never come to you and say hey you have to follow my rules

47:55

Mike here's your list this is Rodney's list for you keep my Commandments

48:03

I never do that do I encourage you to do what God has said of course

48:08

do I instruct you in the word of God and say listen to every word that proceeds from the mouth of God because that's

48:14

what God has commanded us to do of course but do I ever come over and say you must do that I said so

48:22

no and no man should ever do that no man should ever do that and if they do you

48:29

should never listen to them now am I saying that everything somebody instructs you in should be avoided no

48:36

because you heard what I said there if I told you to do what God commanded you already to do you best do it

48:43

because it is an on Rodney's Authority that it's to be done it's on the authority of the almighty himself

48:49

when you lie it isn't Rodney who you hurt I mean I might be offended if you

48:55

lie to me and I might be upset we might have to work through something but you didn't break Rodney's command

49:01

you broke gods Jesus is the Good Shepherd Jesus is the only one who is good he is

49:08

the only one who is completely truthful he's the only one who is completely

49:13

honorable he is the only one who has your best interest at heart

49:20

as much as I would like to say I do and I try to I strive to I'm a selfish human like you

49:29

sometimes I even do things for my own best interest

49:36

you don't like that do you I don't like that but it's true and when you look at

49:42

yourself toward me or toward the rest of the body you do the same see Jesus is the only one who's good

49:48

he's the only one who does what we need done because we need it done and he does it for our benefit and our purpose

49:57

I lay down my life for the Sheep that's what he said look the Good Shepherd it goes right

50:03

into the next piece gives his life for the Sheep and and you need to understand that

50:10

Greek word because it has a meaning that is not exactly

50:15

like the thing we're reading there it has the meaning and Carries

50:21

the meaning but it has more meaning let me explain

50:27

so this this laying aside which is is really what the word means this giving

50:32

of his life or laying aside of his life it's as if you place something for a

50:37

definitive purpose example right be best with an example

50:44

you take a thousand dollars or ten thousand dollars and you lay it aside to

50:50

buy a house has a definitive purpose you aren't laying it over here

50:56

arbitrarily just to keep that ten thousand from the other ten thousands

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you lay it over here to buy a house it has a definitive purpose

51:07

see when Christ laid down his life it had a definitive purpose

51:12

he lays down his life for the Sheep you catching that

51:18

you're seeing that now you can answer at least one of the questions that we asked earlier

51:27

he is laying this aside his life for a purpose and that definitive

51:33

purpose is defined by Jesus and it is for the Sheep now we know from the beginning of this passage that not all

51:40

of the sheep and the Sheepfold are Jesus's sheep I know we didn't reread it today but if

51:46

you want to pop back up to verse one with me look up there it will do it just so everybody's on the same page most

51:52

assuredly I say to you he who does not enter the Sheepfold by the door but

51:57

climbs up some other way the same as a thief and a robber and we went through great pains to Define who are the people

52:05

in the Sheepfold he is referring to and what we came to from the Bible by

52:11

the way not from Rodney's great vast knowledge from the Bible this was Israel

52:16

the nation of Israel he is speaking to the house of Israel

52:21

and the interesting thing about that Sheepfold is there are a lot more sheep in there than our jesuses because he

52:28

walks in the doorkeeper lets him in the shepherd comes and he calls his sheep his sheep come out of the other sheep

52:34

and he leads them out there are other sheep in there who do not belong to God they do not belong to

52:42

Jesus he came to lay down his life for a

52:48

definitive purpose for the Sheep and only for the Sheep

52:55

that's a hard pill to swallow there are churches all over the place that would throw me out of the pulpit

53:01

for saying that

53:06

here we teach that we teach it clearly and plainly that

53:11

Christ came to die for his own Jesus said all that the father have

53:16

given me I will lose none will he lose any

53:23

he didn't come to die for everyone he came to die for the Sheep his sheep

53:29

not everyone in Israel hears the voice of Jesus this is critical that you get this

53:35

this will help you understand doctrines in the scripture that you may otherwise be ignoring

53:42

passages in the scripture which are maybe challenging but important

53:47

you will hear people say over and over in John 3 16.

53:52

whosoever will come and they say it like this that means

53:58

whoever wants to can that's what they mean

54:05

but what that really means and what that really says isn't that what it's really saying to you is that

54:12

whoever does is that's a very different way to read it

54:18

but that's the right way to read John 3 16. it isn't that everyone can

54:24

it's that those who are due and this is an important thing if you if

54:31

you don't believe me yet and you don't understand that Jesus came and laid down his life for his sheep exactly what he

54:38

says here flip over with me to Ephesians chapter 1. we need to look it's just a few pages

54:45

over and I'm going to flip with you so you have time to turn I didn't put the whole passage in my

54:51

notes even though I do that a lot I'll turn with you

54:56

Ephesians 1. when your fingers are dry it's hard to turn these pages

55:03

Ephesians 1 I'm going to start reading in verse three I want you again to pay very close attention to what these words

55:10

say very close

55:15

blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual

55:22

blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ just as he chose us

55:29

excuse me in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and Without Blame

55:37

before him in love and I'll pause did that say God chose us before the

55:43

foundation of the world or did I misread it all one of you says yes oh good

55:51

you guys are a vibrant crowd this morning how about some hearty amens

55:58

I don't call for amens very often but that sounded like a place where we should all in unison say that's what it

56:05

said pastor verse 5. having predestined us another word that

56:11

some hate I don't know why I used to

56:16

I used to fight against that word oh man did I fight against that word I won't go into it now ask me later

56:25

having predestined us to adoption as Sons by Jesus Christ to himself

56:30

according to the good pleasure of his will adoption I use the word in the vine

56:36

earlier grafted into the Vine you're adopted into the family see these

56:42

metaphors are the same they're they're different but they're the same they have the same meaning

56:48

to the praise of the glory of his grace by which he made us accepted in the Beloved

56:53

in him we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins according

56:59

to the riches of his grace which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and Prudence having made known to us the

57:07

mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself that in the dispensation another

57:16

word that some hate of the fullness of the times he might

57:21

gather together in one all things in Christ both both which are in heaven and

57:27

which are on earth in him in him also we have obtained an

57:32

inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all

57:38

things according to the counsel of his will is God sovereign

57:43

sure says so that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his

57:49

glory in him you also trusted after you heard the word of Truth The Gospel of

57:55

your salvation in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise who is the guarantee

58:02

of our inheritance until the Redemption of the purchase possession to the praise

58:08

of his glory now do you notice you are purchased you are sealed if you

58:16

have trusted Christ and he has changed your heart and placed his holy spirit in you you are once saved and always saved

58:27

these are a lot of things in that Passage the people rebel against

58:32

I I don't know why my heart was once also in that place even as a believer

58:39

but in my case and maybe it's helpful for you I don't know I found I was ignoring plain scripture

58:46

plain words in the Bible and was just refusing to see it from that angle

58:52

from God's perspective you and I were sealed before the foundation of the world we were prepared and predestined

59:00

to be adopted by Christ before God ever started to create anything because

59:06

you'll remember the first thing he creates in Genesis 1 1 is God created the heavens and the Earth

59:13

there's nothing else outer space our universe as you can imagine it with nothing in it and then

59:20

he creates the Earth and then everything else comes so before

59:25

he did any of that you and I were in his mind believers predestined to be adopted by his son

59:34

we didn't exist Humanity didn't exist there wasn't anything but water on the

59:40

surface of the Earth according to that passage anyway I don't want to get distracted from this but you need to

59:47

understand that Christ died for a definitive purpose and if you are his sheep he died for you he came to die

59:54

specifically specifically for you

1:00:02

I hope that doesn't hurt I hope that makes you comforted I hope it gives you great joy that Christ did not die on the

1:00:09

cross you've heard it saying I think right here in this church right while he was on the cross I was on his mind I

1:00:17

think I think Miss Becky is saying that song there is so much truth to that

1:00:25

he is laying aside or setting aside for a definitive purpose his life for the

1:00:31

Sheep in theological terms I hate to do this but we must

1:00:39

this is the kind of thing that gets pastors thrown out of churches in theological terms this is called

1:00:46

limited atonement like I said I hate to do it

1:00:51

but it's true however it requires that we understand we have some understanding about what

1:00:59

that means because you could you could hear that in more than one way so I want you to understand what that

1:01:05

means it does not mean that the power of the atonement or Jesus's sacrifice is

1:01:11

limited in any way it doesn't mean anything like that the power of His sacrifice is full and

1:01:20

it is complete it is not limited the only thing limited about it is the

1:01:27

scope or the effectiveness if you want to say it that way which even that

1:01:33

um because he did exactly what he came to do and his atonement accomplished exactly what God sent him to accomplish

1:01:42

when I say it's limited in its scope it only applies

1:01:48

to the believer to those who will trust Christ

1:01:53

it does not apply to anyone else understanding this should be quite

1:01:59

freeing in your mind because now you'll understand when God sends someone to Hell on Judgment Day

1:02:07

this is why the atonement only applied to those who believed

1:02:12

it does not apply to anyone who doesn't believe even though it could if they had

1:02:19

believed it won't because they didn't is that clear

1:02:24

does that make make that clear

1:02:30

listen to me on this point too because it's this may be eye-opening this was eye-opening a bit for me

1:02:37

the English word used that I am saying called atonement

1:02:42

it originally in the English language meant and you'll love this at one mint

1:02:51

two things being reconciled together now they're at one mint think about the

1:02:56

spelling of the word at one mint that's what it meant originally that's

1:03:02

how they came up with the word that's what it meant and that was its implication that two things having

1:03:08

opposing thing have reconciled and and you could kind of get the picture of of the atonement doing that

1:03:15

right you and I or sorry you and I in opposition to God

1:03:22

opposed to God and now we've been reconciled by the atonement so you can get the picture

1:03:27

however the way this word is used today the today term atonement in our language

1:03:35

is almost always applied only to theological conversation

1:03:41

it is purely talking about Jesus's blood atonement for sin

1:03:49

do you do you know that if you try to think about the word atonement it isn't really used otherwise anymore

1:03:58

it could be it has a broader semantic domain but it it isn't

1:04:05

it it is really applied in theological terms today and here's a little bit of a word study

1:04:12

for you and again this is the part that truly fascinated me for those who

1:04:18

um for those of you who like word studies you might find this fascinating but listen the word translated a tone or atonement

1:04:25

is used 102 times in the ESV version of the Bible

1:04:31

but it's only in the Old Testament it's never used in the New Testament

1:04:37

does that shock you at all are you a little confused as to why the

1:04:43

word atonement would be used over 100 times in the Old Testament but never in

1:04:48

the new and by the way let me help you on this even though it's used a different number of times the the English word in the Old

1:04:56

Testament in the new King James or the King James it's also never used

1:05:01

it isn't used in the New Testament why the interesting thing too to add to this

1:05:08

is the the Hebrew word being translated as atonement in the Old Testament is the

1:05:15

word kefar and I know it means nothing to us but that word that word has the meaning

1:05:22

of covering and so you could think about some of the passages from the law where they're

1:05:28

talking about taking a sacrifice and that sacrifice covering sin

1:05:34

and that that applies and and helps us understand part of what Jesus did in his

1:05:41

atonement but do you notice it's insufficient isn't it because Jesus just isn't just covering

1:05:49

sin so that's going to start I hope to get the wheels spinning this mystery gets even even deeper

1:05:56

because while we find that that word kefar in the lxx or the Septuagint if

1:06:03

you if you know what that version of the Bible it's the Greek version of the Old Testament translated in like 285 BC a

1:06:10

long long time ago the Hebrew word kefar is translated over

1:06:16

100 times as Exile Oscar my in the Greek

1:06:24

Old Testament and the interesting thing about that is that word means to appease or reconcile

1:06:34

so you can even see the old word kefar meaning to cover in

1:06:40

the Old Testament even as the Bible continued to be passed down and even translated into other

1:06:46

languages it carried more weight than the original word cover or kafar because

1:06:53

the Greek translators who translated the Greek version of the Old Testament they

1:06:59

translated it to appease or reconcile isn't that fascinating

1:07:06

and some of you may be missing this up to this point I understand you might say Pastor who cares what's the big deal

1:07:14

well it's a big deal because none of these words are carried over none of them

1:07:19

are carried over to the new testament which is written in Greek

1:07:25

this means that the New Testament writers under the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit remember that it's

1:07:31

God breathed they did not want to use words that were limited and I'm going to use fancy words

1:07:38

here they're semantic domain to meaning covering or just appeasing

1:07:46

I hope a picture is forming in your head and you're starting to see because they didn't want to describe Christ's work in

1:07:54

atonement with such limited terms because it doesn't say enough about what

1:08:01

actually happened in the atonement Christ's work in paying for sin for his

1:08:09

people is full and it is complete

1:08:15

it is tremendously more than covering or reconciliation

1:08:21

while those are there it is more let me list for you New Testament ways

1:08:27

of saying this it covers our sin it reconciles our relationship it is a ransom paid it is a

1:08:35

Redemption completed it provides complete payment or propitiation for our sin it removes our sin it purifies us it

1:08:43

justifies us and to sum it up it saves us

1:08:50

Christ's work is complete and full and it does all of this work for you

1:08:56

does all of this work for me it is not but a covering it is not but a

1:09:02

Reconciliation it is an entire full complete package of redemption and

1:09:08

salvation Jesus has accomplished the precious and

1:09:14

Powerful atonement by shedding his blood on the cross and dying as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

1:09:25

hope that made it clear do you see the greatness of Christ's

1:09:31

atonement I I couldn't help when I Was preparing this and I'm going to do it again from crying

1:09:38

thinking about the atonement thinking about what God is actually done

1:09:44

for you and I I can't help but be broken up inside and

1:09:49

realize I'm not worthy of this why would the Son of God lead of Heaven

1:09:56

to come down to pay for my sin to reconcile me to the holy God

1:10:05

to redeem me from the Lost

1:10:11

do that inside of yourself please recognize the tears should flow the

1:10:18

heart should be broken but it should also be in great joy

1:10:23

Christ has done for you and I what we could never ever ever do for ourselves

1:10:32

he has made complete full atonement

1:10:40

the hard part about preaching like that it's why I most the time just stay up here very very you know monotone

1:10:49

is it's hard to move on in a sermon after that I want to call it game's over call it for rain

1:10:57

but there's more to talk about the hireling if you go on in the passage

1:11:04

cares about himself he doesn't care about the Sheep he'll protect himself if Trouble Comes

1:11:10

not the Sheep verse 12 tells you this verse 13 tells you this and then Jesus

1:11:17

re-emphasizes again I am the Good Shepherd I know my sheep and am known by

1:11:23

my own look at what else he says right after that it's really important as the father

1:11:30

knows me in verse 15 even so I know the father and I lay down my life for the

1:11:36

Sheep he Compares him knowing us and US knowing him to him knowing the father

1:11:41

and the father knowing him can you imagine

1:11:47

what does that mean that means Jesus is describing an intimacy between he and the father

1:11:53

and he and us in him I'm not a grammarian

1:12:00

is that the right word this is important

1:12:05

we have an intimate relationship with our savior and he has an intimate relationship with us

1:12:13

and then he goes on and one of the most confusing things for some people is this next verse

1:12:19

it shouldn't be in context it makes perfect sense and other sheep I have which are not of

1:12:25

this fold them also I must bring and they will hear my voice and there will be one flock and one Shepherd

1:12:34

do you know how many ways people interpret that verse how many cult groups and false religions

1:12:41

use that verse to say they are the Sheep of another fold they are the Sheep of another that Jesus

1:12:48

is bringing to or instead of some of them say

1:12:53

remember the Sheepfold in View and the passage and I we already read it it's Israel

1:12:58

what Jesus is saying and it lines up with every other verse in the New Testament or the Old Testament is

1:13:05

Israel will have some of Jesus's sheep the Gentile Nations will have some of

1:13:10

Jesus as sheep and he is going to bring them together and unify them into one fold today we call it the church

1:13:19

the body of Christ the Church of God is one fold one or sorry one flock

1:13:28

under the Good Shepherd whether Jew or Gentile doesn't matter listen to Galatians 3 27-29 for as many of you as

1:13:37

were baptized into Christ have put on Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither slave nor free there is

1:13:44

neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus and if you are Christ then you are Abraham's seed and

1:13:50

heirs according to the promise you see how I wrapped that all up in one little bow

1:13:56

but I didn't do it it's the word of God Galatians goes all the way back to Abraham and pulls the household of faith

1:14:03

through all of time all the way back up to modern day in Jesus time but

1:14:08

extending to us one flock Jew Gentile male female all one in

1:14:16

Christ all of Christ's sheep one flock one Shepherd

1:14:24

and then he says therefore my father loves me because I lay down my life

1:14:31

I lay down my life that I may take it again no one takes it from me but I lay it

1:14:37

down of myself I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this command I

1:14:43

have received from my father no one takes Jesus's life from him

1:14:51

we talked a little bit this morning about trusting in God and trusting in in God's

1:14:57

protection of Our Lives or whether we should be fearful when we walk around or move about or do things in our life of

1:15:03

dying and the truth is if we are in the hand

1:15:08

of a sovereign God we can't die one moment before God is finished with the work he has sent us

1:15:14

here to do he has called us to do he has saved us to do he has atoned for us to

1:15:19

do not one moment that ought to change your perspective on

1:15:25

your life do you need to fear the tornado well I don't recommend running out in the

1:15:30

middle of the thing but at the same time should you sit in your bed and quiver

1:15:36

while the storm is Raging I mean go take shelter if you want I'm

1:15:41

not saying tempt God but at the same time do you really have to worry that you will die

1:15:46

only in the sense that one day all of us will die but you don't have to fear when

1:15:52

it's going to come God will bring it at the proper time that he has planned to do it

1:15:57

but look at Jesus because this is impressive and you may not even realize this

1:16:03

no one could take Jesus's life from him

1:16:08

this is the Eternal Son of God he is eternal his life cannot be given up

1:16:17

who could wrestle it away from God could Satan wrestle it away from God

1:16:23

could Roman soldiers wrestle it away from God could a Jewish crowd say and crucify him

1:16:29

could they wrestle him away from him you and I are sin all of it could it wrestle it away from him

1:16:36

no chance no one took Jesus's life and these words say exactly what they mean they do not

1:16:43

mean what you think they mean unless you read them and hear what it says

1:16:49

he lays down his life he gives it up and he intends to take it

1:16:54

again and he did he said this command I have received from the father Jesus was not

1:17:01

killed exactly the way you think he might have been with nails

1:17:06

I want you to think about this he did die on a cross to be sure

1:17:11

but that cross did not kill him his death was not for men it was not

1:17:16

from beating it was not from Nails it was not from organ failure

1:17:21

his death was from one thing and one thing only love

1:17:27

love is why Jesus gave up his life and died

1:17:32

for his sheep the love of God killed Jesus he laid his

1:17:41

life down let me read it to you John 19 we aren't there yet verse 30. so when

1:17:46

Jesus had received the sour wine he said it is finished and bowing his head he

1:17:52

gave up his spirit

1:17:58

Eternal son of God's spirit that can't be killed obviously he's God

1:18:03

came out of the physical body and he died not because the nails killed him

1:18:09

not because blood loss killed him not because of beating or Jews or Romans or

1:18:14

you killed him there is a sense to all of that

1:18:19

but the truth is Jesus gave his life up

1:18:25

and his Spirit left his body when it was finished what was finished

1:18:31

what was finished what we've been talking about it the whole morning the atonement was finished

1:18:40

it was complete that word propitiation Ben used it earlier you heard it here in

1:18:45

the sermon you can read it in many places first John will use that word again

1:18:51

propitiation the complete or full payment for sin

1:18:56

when it was completely done he gave up his spirit

1:19:01

and he laid down his life for the Sheep

1:19:07

now we're done however Jesus is the Good Shepherd and his sheep

1:19:14

hear his voice and they follow him and so I ask do you hear the voice of Jesus

1:19:21

do you hear and listen to and follow the voice of God

1:19:26

in Jesus if not please if God is wrestling with your

1:19:33

heart repent of your sin and believe trust him and follow him hear his voice become one

1:19:40

of his sheep become one in that flock or one in that vine

1:19:46

it's the only way to be saved it's the only way to have eternal life Jesus died

1:19:51

for you and now I want to ask you to do something this morning that I almost

1:19:56

never do in fact I'm not sure I've ever done it in the three plus years I've been here preaching

1:20:03

but I want us to pray I want us to pray differently than we have before

1:20:10

I'm going to ask you to do this and again you can do it or not remember I'm not God but I

1:20:16

I do I would ask that some of you if you're willing come up here and pray

1:20:22

together if you can't come up here you don't want to turn around and kneel in your seat

1:20:28

and pray that way now if you absolutely can't do that for physical reasons I understand I this isn't about mocking

1:20:34

you I just want us to Humble ourselves not only in heart but also physically before the almighty God and I want us to

1:20:41

pray for a few moments there are some reasons I want us to pray

1:20:46

God for in his sovereignty

1:20:52

is allowing Satan to really go on a blitzkrieg against the

1:20:58

Church of God right now here and at other churches I'm not even just talking about in this building

1:21:05

and I don't know how many of you have realized it or can feel it or know the truth of what I'm saying there

1:21:11

but it's an all-out storm against God's people right now

1:21:16

every level of society but mainly in the church and toward the Church

1:21:24

and we need to pray as God's people we need to lay aside whatever you're

1:21:29

thinking about whatever kind of lunch you're about to have humble your heart

1:21:36

and let's pray together no fancy stuff no music playing this is not an emotion you know I don't do altar

1:21:43

calls this isn't about emotionalism it's about pleading with God

1:21:49

to hold the tide or at least allow us to stand and stand firm

1:21:56

I I am personally tired of yielding to Satan some of his flock some of God's flock

1:22:05

and whether though if there really is flock they won't be gone forever but you know what I mean I'm tired of watching

1:22:12

people be overrun by the enemy and I hope you are too

1:22:17

let's just pray for a few minutes and then we'll take the Lord's Supper so if you're willing come up pray up

1:22:22

here if you're not please pray in your seat turn around kneel if you're not if you can't or unwilling to do that then

1:22:30

it's okay just sit where you are and pray

1:25:42

um

1:26:24

thank you for doing that I think with with any uh

1:26:32

with any church I mean with God's people it is important sometimes to show yourself to be vulnerable

1:26:39

we we don't have everything in control and I don't even Proclaim to understand

1:26:45

everything going on in the world I do trust God I do trust him

1:26:51

but it's hard sometimes when you watch people hurting you watch people falling

1:26:57

away from the faith you watch people turning their backs on their church or on God and

1:27:03

it's hard and there is so much of that happening right now

1:27:08

I hope you already know that I I'm I'm paying that many of you may be experiencing some of those heartaches

1:27:15

and pains yourselves but God will win in the end

1:27:20

and all of his people will be saved there won't be one in the flock who is left

1:27:26

that should comfort us and that should help Christ died for us and we ought to praise him too

1:27:32

let's not just cry but I think we should cry sometimes but let's praise him too and let let's

1:27:39

take the Lord's supper together this is such a beautiful thing to do at the end especially of praying like that

1:27:45

hopefully you feel a closeness to God a closeness to one another and really realize we are in this together

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