[0:00] Let's turn back to God's word for a short time. John chapter 10. John chapter 10. We can read from verse 11 onwards.
[0:13] John chapter 10, verse 11. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
[0:24] So on, down to verse 18. John 10, verse 11. Down to verse 18. Taking verse 11 for our text. But really looking at the whole chapter as we spend our time together this day.
[0:41] We find ourselves here in the middle of Christ's discussion with the disciples. And we find here, we jump kind of halfway into the discussion. And we find in this chapter, in the first few verses even, Jesus twice describing himself in two different ways.
[0:56] But both descriptions are connected by the I am saying. I am the gate or I am the door of the sheep. And I am the good shepherd. I know for a fact you've covered before as a congregation.
[1:10] So I won't rehash too much, I promise. But we have to stop for a second before we look at what it is to have Christ as our good shepherd. We must stop for a second at the start. And see that as Jesus today, as we look at the beauty and the wonder of what it is to have him as our good shepherd.
[1:27] We have to see exactly how he describes himself. I am the good shepherd. We've heard this before, I'm sure. But just to recap. This is not merely a description.
[1:39] It is our description. Of course, he is the good shepherd. But there's more to it than that. The exact wording tells us so much more than a mere description. The exact words Jesus uses, I am, that is meant to bring us right back to the start, as it were.
[1:54] Right back close to the start, right back to Exodus, right back to Moses at the burning bush. Where God appears to Moses and God declares or proclaims his name to Moses.
[2:07] As Moses asks, who do I say sent me? How do I describe who you are to the people? God says to Moses, I am that I am.
[2:17] That title God uses to describe himself, which tells us that in and of himself, he is fully self-sufficient. That God needs nothing and needs nobody.
[2:29] That he is what he is. He is who he is. He is God. He is in his own way. There's no one else like him. There's nothing else like him.
[2:39] He is God. That he, in and of himself, there is life. That in and of himself, there is no one else with any power.
[2:53] No one else with any, deserving of any glory, deserving of anything else. That he stands alone as God. So Jesus begins to describe himself.
[3:03] He says, I am the good shepherd in verse 11. So as we read that verse, we carry on down these verses. In our minds, we have the reality that Jesus is clear.
[3:17] He's reminding them, once again, that he is God. There's no one else like him. There is no other good shepherd. That he alone is the good shepherd.
[3:28] Not just a good shepherd. Not just a good example. Not just a good man. That he is God. It is God speaking to the disciples. It's God speaking to us this day through his word.
[3:38] I am the good shepherd. As we spend time in verses 11 down to verse 18, we can look at it roughly under three very broad headings.
[3:51] First of all, looking at verses 11 down to verse 13, where we see the good shepherd is one who sacrifices for the sheep. Sacrifices for the sheep.
[4:04] Then verse 14 down to the first half of verse 15, the good shepherd knows his sheep. The second half of verse 15, roughly down to verse 16, the good shepherd gathers his sheep.
[4:21] So the good shepherd sacrifices, he knows, and he gathers. First of all, looking with me, verses 11 down to verse 13.
[4:34] We begin our time together with this wonderful reminder, this simple reminder. He is, in verse 11, he is the good shepherd. That is the declaration that underpins all that we have this day.
[4:48] The Christians here, that is who we love this morning, isn't it? That's who we worship this morning. He is our good shepherd. In the previous verses we saw, he's described the thief, verse 10, verse 9 and verse 10.
[5:01] He describes the one who comes and who only comes to kill and destroy. Steal, kill, destroy. The thief may come and may look like a shepherd.
[5:11] The thief may come and may act like a shepherd. The thief comes only to kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus describes in that verse, of course, the evil one.
[5:22] Describing really Satan and his work as he seeks to destroy the lives of believers. As he seeks to kill the sheep if he can. To destroy the lives and the witnesses of the sheep.
[5:33] That's the job, as it were. That's his duty. That's his desire of Satan. And in contrast to the thief, we then see Jesus describing himself in verse 11. And I am the good shepherd.
[5:49] Now, I've already risked myself being cast out of the congregation, being cast out of your village in the children's talk. But I'll say it again. And the truth is, I wasn't joking for children.
[5:59] My knowledge of sheep is very much limited, as is my interest. But I know that's not the case for many here. I know some here are very much connected. I've seen some faces very well connected to crofting and to that whole world.
[6:15] And I also know that if I was to ask those here who are crofters, ask to, if I put you in a spot just now, I know some names, but I won't, I promise. If I was to ask you, what's the top quality?
[6:27] What's the first quality you think of when I ask you what's the main thing a shepherd, a crofter, we'll say, should be towards a sheep? What's the top quality? What's the top way he should act towards his sheep?
[6:40] There's a variety of answers, I'm sure. If I was to ask you, the very, very first thing comes to your mind, I doubt that many of us would give the answer that we have here in verse 11.
[6:55] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. What is the foremost quality of the good shepherd?
[7:09] He lays down his life for the sheep. He is willing to die for the sheep. Of course, any good shepherd, any good crofter goes indeed to great lengths to look after a sheep.
[7:22] That much is true. We know that. As I was preparing the sermon, I was after a walk in the village and chances are I was walking, there's a loch and I was walking past it.
[7:34] And I saw a sheep in an island stuck in the middle of a loch and it happens. It's a tidal island really. Anyway, so sheep are stuck in the island but it was stuck and it was looking distressed. And I saw two people on the shore and one of the people was the crofter who owned the sheep.
[7:51] And this man is an older man. And there he was in his waders, wading out up to there, if not higher, out to the island to go and grab his sheep which was stranded on the island.
[8:02] Crofters, shepherds go to great extents to look after their beloved sheep. But here we see the reality of our Savior. He's willing to die for his sheep.
[8:18] See, that's not what the verse says. Look with me again to verse 11. It's not saying he's willing to do it. Verse 11, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
[8:32] For him to be willing to do it is good. Willing is one thing but willing doesn't quite do it, does it? For the good shepherd, he does it. He lays down his life for his sheep.
[8:46] This was the eternal plan of our eternal Savior. In the courts of eternity, the Father, Son and Spirit, it was part of the perfect plan of our perfect God to come and to save the beloved people.
[8:59] Our Savior came to earth. He was living every single day, knowing that he was walking closer and closer to his end.
[9:11] Every hour he was on earth, he knew what he was heading towards. He knew he was heading towards an end where he would, on his shoulders, bear the weight.
[9:22] He knew what he was heading towards the end where he was heading towards the end of the punishment of sin.
[9:33] We can't enter into that. We praise God as his people. We never will have to enter into that. Our shepherd, he was born into a world to be hated and abused by his own people.
[9:47] By people he himself had made. Into a world he himself had made. He did that because he loved the sheep. Because he loved his people. Our good shepherd knew.
[10:02] He knew that he came to earth with the express reason to lay down his life for his sheep. Our minds might well go to the beautiful, wonderful words of Romans.
[10:17] Romans 5 verses 6 down to verse 8. For whilst we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.
[10:29] For one will scarcely die for a righteous person. For perhaps a good person, one would even dare to die. But God shows his love for us. Whilst we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
[10:46] The good shepherd didn't come to save the holy. The good shepherd didn't come to save good church folk. He didn't come to save those who look the part and dress the part. He came to save those of us who know that without him we are lost.
[11:00] He came to save those of us who know for certain that in of ourselves we have no goodness and no righteousness. He came to save the lost, wandering, injured sheep. The reality is that's every one of us here today.
[11:14] He came to save us. He came to save his people. To those of us who need saving. He came to save people who he knew we have no interest in him.
[11:29] He saw us wandering, as it were, outside of the fold. Wandering in the moors in the years gone by. Having no care for him. Having no love for him. Wandering around with hatred in our heart towards him for many of us.
[11:44] He saw us in that state. He knew us in that state. In that state he came to save his people. He saw us rebel against him.
[11:55] He saw us fighting against him. And yet he came to save us for his own. Christian, we should be rejuvenated.
[12:07] We should be renewed this very morning in our spirit. As verse 11 reminds us that the love our Savior has for us. That we this very moment love and worship a good shepherd.
[12:21] Who saw you. And who saw me. All my sin. All my wandering. And yet he came down. Yet he came to give his life for his people.
[12:32] That should cause us to fall to our knees. And if it doesn't, we've perhaps lost somewhat sight of our first love. We should never grow tired of hearing. Of the wonder.
[12:42] Of what our Savior has done for us. That the good shepherd has come. To give his life for the sheep. In verse 12 to end of verse 13.
[12:53] We see the good shepherd being contrasted with the hired hands. With those who don't know the sheep. Those who don't care for the sheep. Those who pretend to look after the sheep.
[13:05] Those who do the job. But have no real love for the sheep. Those who the second danger comes are useless. Those who cannot actually save the sheep.
[13:19] And the reality is. And we know this to be true. For as long as we put our trust and our hope. As long as we put our lives and our souls. And our eternity in the hands of those who cannot save us.
[13:31] The reality is. They can do nothing for us in the end. Those of us. Who as of yet do not know Jesus. The question. Has to be. Where is your hope today?
[13:44] Are you still trusting in the hired hands? Are you still trusting in those around you. Who promise you so much. But again who offer you nothing. And those we love. Family and friends of course.
[13:54] Who give us such support. And such help. And such structure. And we're thankful to God for that. But they cannot save us. Your godly heritage cannot save you. Your grandparents.
[14:05] Who have gone before you perhaps cannot save you. Your saved children perhaps. Cannot save you. Many faces here. I don't know. I don't know your situations. But if you're not relying this day.
[14:17] This morning. On the good shepherd to save you. Then you are relying on the hired hands. You're relying on those who cannot help you. When the wolf. When the danger comes. And you're left scattered.
[14:28] If this morning. You as of yet. Do not know Jesus. Then you are not safe. You are not secure. When danger comes. You are in grave trouble. Come and know the good shepherd.
[14:42] Even this morning. Come and know the good shepherd. Who cares for his people. Who has given his life. For his sheep. The good shepherd.
[14:54] And he alone. Who owns his sheep. And who shows his love to his sheep. With a selfless love. Willing to come and to die.
[15:04] For them. And who loves his sheep. To the grave and beyond. The good shepherd. Sacrifices himself.
[15:15] For his sheep. Then secondly. Verse 14. Down to the. First half. Roughly. Of verse 15. We see the good shepherd. Knows his sheep.
[15:29] The good shepherd. Who sacrifices his life. For his sheep. Unlike the hired hands. Unlike the. The false shepherds. He knows his sheep. He cares for them.
[15:40] He knows them intimately. It's always amazing. Perhaps. It's just my. Again. My lack of knowledge. Of sheep. But it always amazes me. How well a crofter. Actually knows the sheep.
[15:51] For most of us. Can guess. At least. At the markings. Perhaps. And the colours. Of who they belong to. Even that's a bit of a push sometimes. But the crofter. Who knows his sheep. And who loves his sheep. Who cares for his sheep.
[16:02] He knows his sheep. On a level. Which those. Who don't know them. Just don't know them. I gave examples. Of crofters. Who know the exact temperament.
[16:13] Of a certain sheep. In a whole flock. I think. How on earth. Do they know that one sheep. Even a few weeks ago. I was walking in a village. And I was talking to. A man who owns sheep. And he was pointing at a sheep.
[16:23] Wait. See. She'll jump just now. Okay. Sure enough. Second later. She jumps the fence. It's always her. He says. Always her. To me. Her looks like all the rest of the sheep.
[16:34] But he knew her temperament. He knew what she was like. As a sheep. If that's true for us. Humanly. Then as we're told here in these verses. The good shepherd. Knows his sheep.
[16:45] How much more true is that. For our true shepherd. The one who knows his people. And who knows his people. Perfectly. The shepherd of our souls.
[16:56] He knows his flock. Just as we saw him. In the previous verses. Willing and sacrificing himself for his sheep. The knowing of his sheep.
[17:08] It's also not vague. He doesn't just know us generally. No. He knows us specifically. He knows us clearly. Verse 14.
[17:19] I know my own. If a crofter knows the sheep on the moor. How much greater.
[17:30] How much more beautiful. And more incredible. Is the knowledge of our saviour for his people. The one who made you. Who came to give his life for you. Who has kept with you all these years.
[17:40] He knows you. And dear Christian. You know this. But if we're honest. How quickly we forget. How quickly we lose sight. But we have a saviour. Who is not distant. Who is not far away.
[17:51] Who is not vague. A saviour. Who is close to every one. Of his precious people. We know this. But we're so quick to forget it. When life turns perhaps difficult.
[18:02] When things turn dark. When things turn confusing. We soon quickly forget. But we have a saviour. Who knows us. Our feelings don't match his truth sometimes.
[18:15] And that is the case often for us. But the truth is. We have a saviour. Who knows his people. And we see in Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1.
[18:25] And chapter 2. A saviour who's known his people. From before time itself. If you have time this afternoon. Please go home and read. Ephesians 1. Ephesians 2.
[18:36] And look in these chapters. And note in these chapters. The knowledge your saviour has for you. And the love he has for you. As his people. He has known you. And set his love on you.
[18:47] Before time itself. Before creation itself. You were there. As his precious person. In his mind. And in the plan. You were there. Before time itself.
[18:59] God has set his love on you. Before time itself. God has set in motion a plan. That one day the saviour would come. And would save you as his own. You are known.
[19:10] You are known. And you are loved. Dear Christian. This is not just a pep talk for us. To get us through a hard week. This is not a motivational speaker. This is the gospel truth. We have to lay hold on these promises.
[19:22] Lay hold on verse 14. Lay hold on the promise. Your saviour knows you. Because that's true. Because verse 14 is true.
[19:34] Lay hold on the promise. That he has not forgotten you. Perhaps in your wonderings. I don't know. I don't know. Just now. Where you stand. In your walk. Before your saviour. I don't. Perhaps you are wandering away.
[19:48] Perhaps you are feeling distant. Perhaps you are feeling forgotten. For one reason or another. He has not left you. You are a good. And perfect shepherd. He knows you.
[20:00] Perhaps in your old age. You are thinking. Surely. He has no time for me anymore. Surely. I am beyond use now for him. Well that's rubbish. And you know it is.
[20:11] He knows you. And he carries on. Walking alongside you. He saw you. Long before. You saw him. To go back to the illustration. We are talking about. You are out in the moors.
[20:23] Wandering. And doing your own thing. Like sheep do. Confused and lost. And falling into bogs. And making a mess of your life. You are there. Wandering in darkness. Confused and lost. And the good shepherd. He saw you out there.
[20:34] He knew you out there. And he knew. That his plan. Was to go. Take you from that wandering. Take you from that lostness. And to take you into his perfect. Croft.
[20:44] His perfect fold. His perfect field. He came to seek. And to find you. Because that's true.
[20:55] You have a sure hope. But he will not. Abandon you. Dear Christian. And the shepherd of our souls. Like we said. He's not distant. He's not aloof. He's not uncaring.
[21:06] He's not unapproachable. He sees you now. He knows you now. He is close to his own. He leads us.
[21:18] He calls us by name. And to leave us. No doubt. As to the extent. Of how well the saviour. Knows his precious sheep.
[21:28] We see. At the start of verse 15. We have this very interesting illustration. Just being used. In passing by Jesus. The first half of verse 15. Just as a father knows me.
[21:40] And I know the father. Second half of verse 14. I know my own. And my own know me. Just as a father knows me. And I know the father.
[21:50] This is of course where. The man made verses. Perhaps distract us slightly. From what's being said. This is. One. One and a half sentences in Greek. This is one thought.
[22:01] As it were. We could say. I know my own. And my own know me. Just as a father knows me. And I know the father. How well.
[22:12] Does Jesus know his people. How intricate is his knowledge. Of you. Dear brother and dear sister. How much and how well. Does he know all about your life.
[22:22] And your future. And your eternity. He knows you. As much as a father and son. Know each other. Are we dare to ask. How much is that. Well we can't.
[22:33] We can't do words to it. It's eternal. That knowledge. It's eternal. It's beyond our understanding. It's beyond. Certainly my words anyway. As a father and son. Know each other.
[22:43] As our eternal Godhead. Knows each other. As father, son and spirit. Are in community with each other. And communion and union with each other. As much as that extent is. That extent is eternal.
[22:55] That's the extent to which the son. Knows you. To which the shepherd. Knows his sheep. He knows you as much. As he knows the father.
[23:06] He knows all about you. This is without. Not in our scope this morning. And I see time is going already. But. Very briefly. Since we're on John.
[23:16] The son knows you. And the father knows you. As he knows the son. And very briefly. The question to ask is.
[23:27] How much does. The father. Love you. Dear Christian. This morning. If you're known. As much as the son is known. How much are you loved.
[23:37] As a Christian. As those. Who know Jesus. Who love Jesus. How much. Does the father love you. Can we even begin. Do we even dare. To quantify that. It feels so wrong for us.
[23:47] Doesn't it. To even begin. To do that. Well. We do actually have the answer. To. That. Question. John 17.
[23:58] Just a few pages along. John 17. Verse 26. There's two examples. But verse 26. summarizes for us. At the end of his high priestly prayer.
[24:09] Jesus prays. I made known to them your name. I will continue to make it known to them. That the love. With which you have loved me. May be in them. And I. In.
[24:20] Them. Dear. Friend. Dear brother. Dear sister. Those of us who know and who love Jesus.
[24:31] You are known. As a father. Knows a son. But also. Dear Christian. You are loved. As a father. Loves a son. Because. When the father sees you.
[24:43] He sees you as clothed in the perfection of Jesus. He sees you. And he looks and sees a good shepherd. The one who has covered you. Who has covered our sins. He sees us.
[24:54] And he sees the good shepherd before him. The one who has gone before us. The one who has covered us. Who has made us perfect. By his perfection. Who covers us in his.
[25:07] Perfection. By his perfection. We're in depths here beyond us. The good shepherd. Knows his. Sheep. He knows his sheep.
[25:18] He knows you. Dear brother. Dear sister. Dear sister. A level. Can't even begin to enter into. This is not just dry theology for us. This is essential for us to grasp. When doubts arise.
[25:30] We find ourselves lacking assurance. As we all do. Perhaps more often than we care to admit. We cling on to these promises. And cling on to these verses. For we are known.
[25:41] And loved. And cared for. By our good shepherd. Good shepherd. Good shepherd. Sacrifices himself for his sheep. The good shepherd. Knows his sheep.
[25:52] And then finally. Verse 16. Down to verse 17. The good shepherd. Gathers. His. Sheep. Of course. Jesus here is talking to a Jewish audience.
[26:03] And here in verse 16. And verse 17. When he talks about. Having sheep. Other sheep. Outside of his fold. He's talking about. Non-Jews. Gentiles.
[26:14] Which of course. Is us. As far as I know. In this building today. We are all. Of non-Jewish background. And we find ourselves here. Gathered. In this small church.
[26:25] In this small village. Thousands of miles away. And thousands of years later. We find ourselves here. Worshipping. Our good shepherd. We are the living evidence.
[26:37] Right now. Of verse 16. And verse 17. Being through. He indeed. Is gathering his people. Across the world. Verse 16.
[26:50] I have other sheep. But not of his fold. I must. Bring them also. And they will listen. To my voice. So there will be one. Flock. One.
[27:01] Shepherd. Here we have. A wonderful reminder. That our good shepherd. Still has sheep. As a wret in the moors.
[27:12] To collect in. And how do we know. That's the case. We know that's the case. Because we're still here today. We still have life. We still meet together. As his people. We still have life.
[27:23] Every day. The end. Has not yet come. Which means. He still has his people. To gather together. He is still gathering in. His sheep. Into the herds. Into the flock. Into the pen.
[27:37] The good shepherd. Still has space. As it were. In the byre. I can say that. Because that's what. The beautiful image. We have here. My head just now.
[27:47] And I won't sing it. But my head just now. Because. That wonderful hymn. The gospel ship. Room. Room for many more. Room for millions more. The good shepherd.
[27:57] Is still gathering in. His people. He's still taking in. His sheep. He's still out in the moors. As it were. Calling out. For his sheep. To come. And follow. Him. Home.
[28:09] And again. The language here. Is definite. As we've seen before. But here again. In this verse. I have other sheep. I must bring them also. And they will.
[28:20] Listen. To my voice. We worship. A sovereign. Shepherd. Who is fully God. All the full power of God. And he will lose. Not one of his own people.
[28:32] Not one will be forgotten. Or left in the moor. Not one will be miscounted. He will gather. All his people in. And that's a promise we have. From our sovereign shepherd. Here in these verses.
[28:43] The language is definite. As Jesus calls out. In these verses. As he calls out to them. As he brings them in. As they listen.
[28:54] To his voice. In verse 16. We know his voice. Is not kied away by the wind. As ours are. When we shout to sheep. In the fields. And out in the moors. His call is not caught in the wind.
[29:06] His call goes out. And is heard. By his sheep. Jesus does not have a vague hope. As a shepherd. A sheep will hear him. No. He knows. His sheep will hear him.
[29:16] The shepherd calls. And the sheep. Hear that call. You've come to this building for years. You've heard this.
[29:27] Countless times. You've all heard the gospel. Countless times. Again. Perhaps those online. You've heard services again. And again. And again. And again.
[29:39] As we're before the gospel. This day. As we're hearing again. About the good shepherd. He is calling out to you. My voice. I'm just on from Graver.
[29:49] My words. My thoughts. Take or leave them. But the word of God. You cannot afford. To ignore. You cannot afford. To take or to leave.
[29:59] The words we have in front of us. This day. The good shepherd. As he calls out to you. He is calling out to you. To come. To him. During lockdown.
[30:11] I was. Listening to some services. Over time of course. And. Services from here. And. It was your own minister. In a service. I'm sure you'll remember. If you're present.
[30:23] Issued that plea. Throw it. Yahi. Throw it. Is that not the call. The shepherds. Throw it. When the crofter calls that. He is doing it.
[30:33] For the good of the sheep. He's taking them in. For their safety. Taking them in. Perhaps to feed them. And the good shepherd. The shepherd of your souls. As he calls you today. As he calls you. Right now. To throw it. That call.
[30:44] It's a call of love. But also. A call for your safety. If you ignore. The call of a good shepherd. If you spend another day. Another week. Ignoring the call. You do so. At your own peril. You do so.
[30:56] In the face. Of immediate danger. Every week of course. The email goes out. And you have to fill in. The form.
[31:06] To come. To the service. Online. And if this building's full. There's no seats left. The form's gone out. You chose not to fill it in.
[31:18] You come. Knock on the doors. And the doors are locked. There's no space. The chance is gone. You've had the chance. Dear friends. This is your chance. Do not waste it. Let none of your excuses. Hold you back.
[31:30] Don't excuse you're clinging to today. Listen to the good shepherd. As he calls out to you. And tells you to come. And to join the flock. All the work's been done for you. You aren't too old.
[31:44] Too young. Perhaps you say. I don't know enough scripture. I don't have this thing memorized. I don't have my cagazin memorized. I haven't been in church long enough. Whatever excuses you have. They are pure excuses.
[31:55] They have no place in reality. And you know that deep down. Listen to the call. Of the good shepherd. For right now. He calls out to you. And he calls you to come.
[32:07] Come and know what it is. To be loved by the one. Who has made you. And who knows you. Truth is. The Christians here. We will all.
[32:18] Together. Those who as of yet do not believe. We all face. Pretty much the same trials. And worries. And problems in life. We all face the same situations. Same worries. The one difference is.
[32:29] We face these situations. We go through life. Knowing that we are kept. By the good shepherd. Come and know that. For yourself. Come and know what it is. To have a saviour.
[32:40] Who is also. At this very moment. At the right hand of the father. A saviour. Who is close to his people. Who loves his people. Who is with his people. But also. Who is sovereign. Who is in full control.
[32:52] Who at this very moment. Is gathering his people together. And who will one day return. To take us home. To be of himself. Yes he is shepherd. But also he is king. Yes he is caring.
[33:03] And close. And gentle. To his people. But he is also conquering king. He will come and destroy his enemies one day. On that day. We will see him as our shepherd. Gathering us home to himself.
[33:15] And those outside of him. Will see him as king. Coming to conquer his enemies. There is no sitting on the fence. Dear friends this day. You have heard it again. And again. And again.
[33:25] I know you have. From your ministry here. Every week. The gospel is out. Do not ignore it. One more week. Please. We get so comfortable. Don't we? So comfortable. Perhaps in our routines. So comfortable.
[33:36] May I say. Even in our patterns. In our suits. With me up here. And you down there. We forget how real this is. We aren't just doing this. To take off a box on a Sunday. We are doing this. Because it is the living.
[33:47] Gospel. Truth. From our shepherd. And from our savior. Stop ignoring him. Come. Come and live. Come and live.
[33:58] In the cross. In the field of the good shepherd. Come and enjoy life. Come and live the life. You were made to live. Come.
[34:11] End of verse 16. Come and join this one flock. As we all follow after. Our one shepherd. The good shepherd. Sacrifices for his sheep.
[34:21] The work's been done for you. The good shepherd. Knows his sheep. He loves his sheep. He knows all about you. There's nothing. You take to him. He doesn't know already. The good shepherd.
[34:33] Gathers his sheep. He will gather his people together. He will be with us. For all time. Let's bear our heads now. A word of prayer. Let's pray. Lord God.
[34:45] We do come again before you. And we thank you for your word. That in it we have such wonderful promises. And such wonderful truths. I do ask that. As we're reminded again.
[34:56] This day of the wonder. That we have a shepherd. Who is a perfect shepherd. A shepherd who is the true and only good shepherd. We ask as we're reminded of these wonderful truths.
[35:07] Lord. You would not just let them rest in our minds. Help us Lord. To have these things sink into our hearts. We ask for your people here today. Help us to be renewed.
[35:18] And to be revived. As we're reminded again. Of the love of our shepherd for his people. We ask for any here. Who as of yet. Do not know you. And who do not yet know the shepherd. That this be the day.
[35:30] This would be the day. Where through your word. That you speak to them. That you show them. That the good shepherd has come. To lay down his life. For his people. So that all who come to him. And cry for salvation.
[35:40] Would be saved. We ask Lord. You would forgive anything that is said. That is not in accordance to your word. To give you praise. That it is not in the jar of clay Lord.
[35:51] Who stands here Lord. It's in you. And in your living word. We see. And we have all the power. Help us even as we come to sing. Our final item of praise. To do so of hearts and minds set on you.
[36:02] And hearts and minds full of praise. Ask all these things. In and through and for. Christ's precious name's sake. Amen. We can conclude by singing to God's praise.
[36:13] From a Scottish psalter. And Psalm 40. Scottish psalter and Psalm 40. Verses 1. Down to verse 4. Of course this psalm is a psalm.
[36:24] Which every Christian here. We can sing this psalm. With such joy. Knowing that this is our story. That as we cried out to him.
[36:35] From our fearful pit. As we cried out to him. From that place of being stuck. And of darkness. That he did indeed hear our voice. And that's our prayer for everyone here today. That you would know your saviour in this way.
[36:48] That you cry out to him. That he indeed would save you. And bring you life. I waited for the Lord my God. And patiently did bear. A length to me he did incline my voice. And cried to hear. He took me from a fearful pit.
[36:59] And from a miry clay. On a rock he set my feet. Establishing. Let's sing together. Psalm 40 verses 1 to 4. To God's praise. I waited for the Lord my God.
[37:23] And patiently did bear. And patiently did bear. And patiently did bear. Outland to me he did incline.
[37:43] My voice that cried to hear. He took me from a fearful pit.
[38:03] And from a fearful pit. And from a mighty clay. near the Lord my God.
[38:14] practices. And always thirdly recalls. To God's уже word. He himself singed. And always thirdly recalls. He chose myself to save you. And his death and night. He chose the home in faith.
[38:24] And loving life. Arlified to me. It��lamat to me. Using the old man that you came to leave. He chose the scheme. And then I did not set my feet. Columbia God's mind. For a fairly strong tune. And all I faith in faith. novel yourself to come.
[38:35] In the air. The earth and new soul find. follow me my I I I I I I I I I love CHOIR SINGS
[39:36] CHOIR SINGS God, go before us, we ask you, rest of this day.
[40:09] Help us to have our hearts and our minds set on you. And for this day you've given us, for this short time, for these short few hours, help us to lay aside the concerns and worries of the world and to spend this day of rest, resting truly in the promises we have read even today, that promise of hope, that promise of safety, that promise of shepherding from the shepherd of our souls, the one who cares for his people.
[40:35] Help us to, at this day, draw close to that shepherd, to know that he is with us, that he loves his sheep dearly, and he has loved us even to the end. Help these things to be true for us and to be precious to us.
[40:48] Ask all these things in and through and for Christ's person's sake. Amen.