Let's begin our second service
by standing and singing 361, Sweet Hour of Prayer, 361. I know we sing this one often,
but it's one of our favorites, I think. Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour
of prayer, that calls me from a world of care, and bids me
at my Father's throne make all my wants and wishes known. In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief, And oft escaped a tempter's snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer. Sweet hour of prayer,
sweet hour of prayer, thy wing shall my petition bear, to him
whose Truth and faithfulness engage the waiting soul to bless. And since he bids me seek his
face, believe his word and trust his grace. Cast on Him my every
care, And wait for the sweet hour of prayer. Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour
of prayer, may I thy consolation share. Till from Mount Pisgah's
lofty height, I view my home and take my flight. This robe of flesh shall drop
and rise to seize the everlasting prize and shout while passing
through the air, farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer. Thank you. Good morning. I'm going to read Hosea 14. Hosea 14. O Israel,
return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by that
iniquity. Take with you your words and
turn to the Lord, say unto him, take away all iniquity and receive
us graciously. So will we render the calves
of our lips. Assure shall not save us. We will not ride upon
horses, neither will we say any more to the work of our hands.
You are our gods, for in thee the father less findeth mercy.
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for
mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto
Israel. He shall grow as the lily and
cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread and
his beauty shall be as the olive tree and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow
shall return. They shall revive as the corn
and grow as the vine. The center of shall be is the
wine of Lebanon if rim shall say what have I to do anymore
with idols? I have heard him and observed
him and I'm like a green fir tree for me is thy fruit found
Who is wise and he shall understand these things? Prudent and he
shall know them For the ways of the Lord are right and the
just shall walk in them, but the transgressors shall fall
therein Let's pray Father, we come to you this morning,
thankful for this chapter of scripture, Father, and we ask
that the Lord, our God, please return and please You know, we've
all fallen as the chapter in the verse says, we've all fallen
by our iniquity and father, we ask that you come and take those
away and we're thankful that you did come and take those away.
And father, we're just thankful that you've given us a place
to come to worship and father, we We ask that you be with those
that couldn't be here with us and those that aren't with us
at this time, Father, that you may bring them back to us. And
Lord, we ask that you watch over our pastor as he brings the message. And we are thankful for the pastor
that you've sent to us, a faithful man to preach the gospel week
in and week out. And Father, again, we just are
so thankful for everything that you've done for us undeservingly.
And we just ask that you watch over and care for us in Christ's
name. As you remain sitting, let's
sing from 460, Leaning on the Everlasting
Arms, 460. ? What a fellowship, what a joy
divine ? ? Leaning on the everlasting arms ? ? What a blessedness,
what a peace divine ? ? Leaning on the everlasting arms ? ? Leaning,
leaning ? ? Safe and secure from all alarms ? ? Leaning, leaning
? Leaning, leaning on the everlasting arm. Oh, how sweet to walk in
this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms. Oh, how bright the path grows
from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning,
safe and secure from all alarms. Leaning, leaning, leaning on
the everlasting arms What have I to dread? What have I to fear? Leaning on the everlasting arms. I have blessed peace with my
Lord so near. Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning. Safe and secure from all alarms. Leaning, leaning. Leaning on the everlasting arms. Thank you. Good morning. Take your Bibles and turn to
John chapter 10. John 10 and we'll be looking
at verses 10 through 18. I've titled this message Christ the
Good Shepherd. Christ the Good Shepherd. Now
in verse 11, our Lord tells us that he is that good, that faithful
shepherd who was sent to redeem his people. Let's look at verse
11. I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. When you think of
Christ the good shepherd, think of him in this context, that
he's My Redeemer, He's the Redeemer of His people. Think of what
He's done for you, His people, in redeeming you, making you
His own people. And what we're talking about
is that He purchased His people. He purchased their lives so that
His people are His own. And you might say, well, isn't
he God? Didn't he create us? Aren't we
already his people? Yes, in that sense of God being
our creator, we are his creation. That's true. But in Adam, we
sinned grievously. We rebelled against God and we
condemned ourselves and brought ourselves into ruin. Ruin, because
we're sinners. We are sin. We are sinners, and
so Christ came, well, he had to punish sin. God must, who
is holy, must punish sin. We've broken the law of God,
and sin must be punished. The soul that sinneth, it shall
die. And so Christ came to purchase
his bride. He came to purchase his people
with his own blood to redeem us from the punishment of the
law of God. And so we are made the people
of God, not because we saved ourselves, but because Christ
saved us and purchased us. and we are His people now. He's
the Good Shepherd who took total care of us, who provided everything
for our redemption. Hebrews 10 verse 14 tells us
that by one offering, Christ made an offering, one offering,
where He shed His own blood. He offered up Himself unto the
Father to make an atonement for our sin by that one offering
he hath perfected forever, them that are sanctified. Not them that sanctified themselves
by the law. Not them that set themselves
up for this salvation by something they did in meriting God's favor
or catching his notice, catching his eye. No, no, no. He knew
us when he chose us in eternity. And by that one offering he hath
perfected forever them that are sanctified by him, by the Spirit,
unto this work, unto this salvation, unto this purchase, and being
brought under his blood. Hebrews 9 verse 24 For Christ
is not entered into the holy places made with hands. He didn't
enter into the carnal things which we've made with our hands. Those things were but a pattern
of things to come. They're pictures and types and
shadows of our God and His holiness and His perfection. And He didn't
come into that place with the blood of animals. No, he came
with his own precious blood. And these things are the figures
of the truth. He came into heaven itself, having
sacrificed himself now to appear in the presence of God for us.
And what does he do there in the presence of God for his people?
He intercedes for them. He says, Father, forgive them.
I've made a satisfaction, I've satisfied that which was against
them. I've shed my blood, I've given
myself to make peace and fellowship between God and men. Christ the
mediator, the God-man mediator between God and men. And so he
did this and he purchased his people for his own and having
made them his own, he gives us life eternal. He gives us everlasting
life in him. Now you compare this work of
what Christ did, this great sacrifice of himself. bearing all this
for his people, laying down his life, all the pain and the suffering,
bearing the wrath of God, which was his people's due, what they
earned, he bore it for them in their place. You think of that
sacrifice of what he did and compare that to our enemies,
those who would pick us apart and tear us apart, the false
teachers and the false prophets and the liars. Look at what they
did and what they do. They come and destroy men's lives. They come and teach the people
a false way and they shore them up. They firm them up in their
damnation. They seal up their damnation.
They make it sure and complete. in their false ways, in their
lying ways, because their way is not the way of Christ. It's
not salvation in the Son of God through His blood, through His
sacrifice and what He did. It's through their works, and
their own making, and their strength, and their wisdom, all of man's
foolishness and carnality. Read John 10 verse 8 first. And
then we'll look at verse 10. All that ever came before me
are thieves and robbers. They steal privately, and they
steal publicly. Thieves and robbers. Some do
it subtly, some do it in your face. They're all thieves and
robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. Verse 10. The thief
cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. So that Christ is saying there's
only one reason for the thief to come. It's to destroy men's
lives. It's to destroy the work of God
insofar as He is allowed to do it. Insofar as He can take it,
He wants to wreck and destroy that which God Himself does. But our Lord says, I'm the true
shepherd. He says that he is the true shepherd. He says at the end of verse 10,
I am come, as opposed to what they do, I'm come that my sheep
might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. So that our Savior not only obtained
for us eternal redemption, obtained for us eternal life, but all
the blessings, all the knowledge of him, are of Him. He's obtained that abundance
of life so that we know Him even now. We know who our Savior is
and we're brought to a knowledge of Him. He gives us His Spirit
and we are called by the Word of His Gospel. We are drawn by
the Spirit and led by the Spirit and the Spirit sprinkles us with
the blood of Christ giving us life, making us partakers of
that new birth, that heavenly birth by the seed of Christ,
so that we are regenerated, born again, given life from the dead,
which we had when we were dead in trespasses and sins and had
no part in the things of God, had no part in his kingdom, but
now in Christ are brought into the kingdom, given life, given
life in the new man, whereby we believe God and trust Him
and look to His Son, our Savior, and have fellowship and life
and peace with our God and joy in the Holy Ghost, a fellowship
with one another, and hear the voice of Christ in the preaching
of Christ and him crucified, that this work is for me. He's
my savior. I'm the sinner. I'm undeserving
of these things, yet God loved me and chose me and has called
me out of darkness by his glorious gospel and given me a savior
so that I know him now. And I know that Christ is all.
so that I cease looking to my works, how good I'm doing this
week, how bad I'm doing that week. That's all nonsense. We're saved by Christ. He draws
us out of the heap of dung of men's works and men's righteousness
and man's hope and what he does or doesn't do and puts all our
hope and puts our eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ so that we
look to him, that we should be saved. All of you scattered out
to the ends of the earth are drawn near by the precious blood
of Christ. The prophets testify to this
very thing of Christ. The prophets testify that He
is the Good Shepherd. Isaiah 40, verse 11. Go to Isaiah
40, verse 11. He shall feed his flock like
a shepherd. There's a flock. There's a flock
of God. They're his people. And Christ
shall feed them as a shepherd feeds the flock. He leads them
to the pastures that he'll lead them to. He leads them to the
waters that he'll lead them to. give them to drink of this river
and give them to drink of the well, but it's all of his word. It's all precious and flows from
the throne of our God. And he shall feed his flock like
a shepherd. He shall gather the lambs with
his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those
that are with young." Aren't you thankful that your God and
Savior leads you gently? He's so patient with us. We're
so hard of hearing. We're so thick in our ears, full
of fat and the carnality of this world. And He's so patient with
us. He's so kind and so gentle, forgiving. and labors with us in peace and
does that which is good and right so that we hear Him and we receive
His Word in His time as it pleases Him and know that He's our God
and Savior and how desperate we are for Him. Turn to Isaiah
49. Go to Isaiah 49 and look at verse
10. He gives us the promise of His
Word saying that His people shall not hunger nor thirst, neither
shall the heat nor sun smite them. In other words, he's not
going to leave you to the wolves. He's not going to leave you to
the false teaching. He's not going to leave you to
the husks, the empty husks of religion and leave you under
the heavy burdensome yoke of legality under the law trying
to make a righteousness for yourselves. where you hunger and thirst.
He's going to bless you with Christ so that you hear Christ
and are fed and satisfied with Him so that you don't need another
Savior. You're not still looking for
salvation. You found Him who is the hope
of the needy sinner, the hope of the child of God, Jesus Christ
the righteous. And so you're not gonna hunger
or thirst. Neither shall the heat nor sun smite you. Neither
shall the persecutions nor the afflictions destroy that work
which God has formed in you by his spirit. He's keeping you.
He's keeping you. You're not gonna be destroyed
by the fire. You're not gonna be overwhelmed by the waves of
the river, the roaring river. You'll come through them. As
God is with you, Christ is with you, leading you all the way
as your good and faithful shepherd. For he that hath mercy on them
shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide
them. And so our Savior is the good
shepherd. As David said in Psalm 23, one,
the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. And so Christ
keeps you and Christ is your shepherd. And you're not going
to want for salvation. You shall not want for righteousness.
You shall not want for deliverance because Christ provides everything
as the good shepherd of his people. And he doesn't flee. When trouble
comes, Christ doesn't abandon you. He doesn't flee from you.
He's there with you, carrying you, keeping you, providing for
you, teaching you, instructing you, and growing you, and giving
you all things that you need as he purposes for your good
and use in his kingdom. And you see how that's different
from the false teachers. He's very different from the
false way and the way of carnality and the way of the flesh. As
we saw back in John 10, verse four, when he put forth his own
sheep, he goeth before them. We never have to wonder, will
Christ be there for me? We already see that Christ is there for
us. He went before us. one day we'll die this flesh
will be laid aside and put in the grave in the dust of the
earth but Christ has already gone before us laying down his
own life and he's already overcome the grave he's already conquered
the grave he's conquered sin he's conquered death it can't
hold us he's already overcome it all and we in him overcome
it all as well by him by His Spirit, by His power and glory. So back in John 10, verse 12
and 13, He says, but he that is an hireling, he that's only
interested in the pay, he that's only in it for himself, He and
not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, he seeth the wolf
coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth. And the wolf catcheth
them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because
he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. And the wolf
is seen in the trial. The wolf is seen in the trouble.
The wolf is in the affliction and in the heat of the trial
and the affliction. And the hireling flees, right? That one who cares not for you,
who doesn't love you and doesn't care what happens to you and
is only interested in themselves and their glory and what they
get. And so they flee. They go where it's easy. for
them because they don't care. In other words, he leaves you,
the sheep, to the wolf to be scattered, to be caught and scattered
by the wolf. But I'm thankful. I'm so thankful
that though the sheep may be scattered, they're not destroyed. Though there are times when the
sheep are scattered, they're not destroyed. The Lord keeps
them. The Lord gives his people life.
They shall never perish. Look over at verses 28 and 29
of John 10. John 10, 28. Our Lord tells us
right there. He says, I give unto them eternal
life and they shall never perish. They shall never perish, neither
shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave
them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them
out of my father's hand." So there are times when the sheep
are scattered and need to be gathered and are gathered by
the Lord, but the wolf comes. The wolf comes to bring trouble
against the sheep. Turn over to Acts 20. Acts 20, and we're gonna pick
up in verse 27, but in that passage, this is where Paul, he's on his
way to Jerusalem for Pentecost, where he'll be taken and put
into bonds, and imprisoned, and then eventually led off to Rome.
But he tells them, he says at the end of verse 18, he said,
I've been with you in all seasons. all kinds of seasons, all manner
of trouble. And in verse 19, I went through
the temptations with you where the Jews lay in wait. to destroy
that work as the wolf to destroy that work which God had done
in you to contradict and blaspheme against the truth of God in the
Lord Jesus Christ which I've declared to you Paul says I've
stuck I've been with you through through that all verse 27 now
he says I've not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God
which is Christ and you the hope of glory Christ, Jesus Christ
and him crucified. Take he therefore unto yourselves
and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made
you overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased
with his own blood. That means something to me. That means something to me as
a pastor. I think about that a lot, remembering
that you, the people of God, are precious in God's sight.
You're so precious that he shed his own blood for you. He shed
his blood for you. And Paul and the apostles, they
were the least. They were taken and used of the
Lord for the benefit of the church. And I'm just a pastor, so I'm
not as used as him, but lower than you, lower than you, you
are the most precious to the Lord. And that speaks to me as
a pastor, remembering that Christ's blood purchased you. And you're
everything to the Lord. And I thank the Lord for you. For I know this, Paul says, that
after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not
sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall
men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them. Therefore watch, be in prayer
and watch, remember this, that by the space of three years I
cease not to warn everyone, night and day with tears. And now brethren,
I commend you to God and to the word of his grace." And that's
our comfort, right? Our comfort, this is our preserving
the word of his grace whereby he keeps you. He keeps you by
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. You're precious to him. You're precious to him. And so
what is our response when the wolf comes to scatter the sheep?
It's to preach the gospel. Keep preaching the word. Keep
preaching the word of his grace because that's how he feeds you.
That's how he nourishes you and keeps you and delivers you through
the trial and the hardships. The word of his grace which is
able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all
them which are sanctified. Which are set apart by the Lord
unto this grace. Unto this work. Okay, turn over
now to Ezekiel 34. Go to Ezekiel 34 and we'll look
at verses 11 and 12. Here we see that we continue
to preach Christ who is the good shepherd of his people. He's
the good shepherd, Christ crucified. Ezekiel 34, 11. For thus saith the Lord God,
Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep and seek them
out. As a shepherd seeketh out his
flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered,
so will I seek out my sheep and will deliver them out of all
places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And so our Lord, Christ the Good
Shepherd is able and does seek out his sheep who were scattered
in the cloudy and the dark day and he gathers them together
unto himself by the word of his grace. He'll seek out his sheep
and will deliver them out of all places where they have been
scattered in the cloudy and dark day because he loves his sheep
and he doesn't leave them in darkness. He doesn't leave them
to be destroyed by the wolf. He doesn't leave them to be destroyed
by the thief and taken away. He gathers his people. He gathers
that which is scattered unto himself. And we see this back
in our text. Go back to John 10, verse 14. Our Lord again reaffirms this
word to us saying, I am the good shepherd. and know my sheep,
and am known of mine." So he knows his sheep because he gave
them life. And we know him because he gave
us life, an abundance of life. So that he assures us and teaches
us and leads us to know that he is all. The greatest knowledge and understanding
that we have in the things of God is to know that Christ is
all. And as He grows you, what's the
one thing that you come to know? Christ is all. He's all. I have nothing, nothing to boast
in but the Lord Jesus Christ. He's all. He's the good shepherd. And so our Lord makes us to know
that all my coming to Holy God is by His grace. All that I know
of Him and have of Him is by the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't
have any wisdom of my own. I don't have any righteousness
of my own. There's no strength that I have of my own. The heart
that I have was given to me of the Lord. When he took out that
hard heart that heard nothing and believed nothing and believed
only lies and he gave his people a new heart whereby we trust
the Lord and believe him and follow after him. Verse 15 now. which is related to verse 14.
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father, and I lay
down my life for the sheep. And we see that in this, as the
Good Shepherd, what's emphasized to us? His redemption, his purchase
of the sheep. I lay down my life for the sheep,
he says, meaning he goes to the cross for a sheep to purchase
them, to obtain their salvation, to obtain their forgiveness,
to obtain their redemption in the Lord. He says, I laid down
my life because Christ is the good shepherd of his people.
And it's in reference to him being our redemption so that
our Savior having saved us from the punishment of our sins, says,
I am the good shepherd, verse 11, the good shepherd giveth
his life for the sheep. And so that's what we see there.
He's the good shepherd in redemption. Now the scriptures also call
him the great shepherd. The Great Shepherd and the Great
Shepherd is in reference to his resurrection whereby he works
all these things in the hearts of his people. Turn over to Hebrews
chapter 13. Hebrews 13 and let's look at
verse 20 and 21. Paul says, now the God of peace
that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd
of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
Now that's actually, we'll pick that up in verse 21, but we see
there that our Lord was raised from the dead so that he is the
great shepherd who works this peace in our hearts, who takes
of what he's accomplished for us and gives them unto us. by
the glory and power of his resurrection, so that in Christ we are delivered
from death and given life by his resurrection and are justified
by God through the blood of Jesus Christ. Now it says, and through
the blood of the everlasting covenant, that's how he makes
you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you
that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever, amen. So Christ is the
great shepherd of his sheep. He's the good shepherd in redemption.
He's the great shepherd in his resurrection. Then we also see
that he's the chief shepherd in his return to the earth to
claim that which he's redeemed. Turn over to 1 Peter 5.4. This
is in regards to his second coming, his return. Peter says, and when the chief
shepherd shall appear, the chief shepherd, ye shall receive a
crown of glory that fadeth not away. So he's the chief shepherd. So with reference to his redeeming
of his people, he's the good shepherd. With reference to his
resurrection, he's the great shepherd. And with reference
to his return, he's the chief shepherd. And they all have to
do with Christ's mediatorial work for you, his people. He's
all things to you, His people. In all of His work as the mediator
between God and men, Christ, we see that we're saved by the
Good Shepherd. We have been saved by the Good
Shepherd, we are being saved by the Great Shepherd, and we
shall be saved by the Chief Shepherd. We see Him in in all things,
his work of redemption, his resurrection power, and glory, and his return
to the earth to claim his people, to take that which he's purchased.
And so the point is that our Lord, brethren, he's able to
save. It's not a problem for him to save you. It's a hard
work. It's a difficult work, which cost him his life. It cost him his blood. He sacrificed
himself. It's not because it was a simple
thing. It was very difficult, and it
was very difficult and impossible for us to do, but he did it,
and he shall not fail. Have every confidence in him.
Trust in him more than you trust yourself. Trust him more than
you have any trust in anything, because Christ does not fail.
He cannot fail, and he will not fail. All others are deceivers
and liars, thieves and robbers and cannot save you. But Christ
has accomplished your salvation and He does not fail. Ever. Ever. Believe Him. Trust Him. He says
in Hebrews 7.25, wherefore, he is able also to save them to
the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth
to make intercession for them. And so Christ is there pleading
his wounds and his blood for your sakes. And you shall never
be lost. And the Father loves you, for
you are his by the blood of Christ. So as our mediator, now he seeks
out those that are scattered and lost. In fact, we see back
in our text in John 10, verse 16, John 10, verse 16, we see
a great example of how he's able to find and receive all that
are his. They won't be lost. John 10,
16. Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also
I must bring. and they shall hear my voice
and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." So the Gentiles,
that had to be difficult. You think about how impossible
it was for the Gentiles to hear. They were never a part of Israel.
They had no part in the things that Israel had. They didn't
have the word of God. They didn't have the oracles
and the laws and the rituals and the ordinances of circumcision
and the sacrificing of the animals according to the law of God and
the patterns of things that was given to them. The interactions
that they had with the prophets was about their destruction.
was mostly about them being destroyed and wiped out lest they should
hurt and touch the people of God that were Israel. And so
the Gentiles were a scattered people. They were a scattered
people. They were people that sat in
darkness. The Gentiles were people that had no light and had nothing
to recommend them unto God. And yet Christ's blood is sufficient
even for them, for the Gentiles, to call them out of that darkness
and bring them to a knowledge of their life and salvation in
the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world, the light
of his people scattered throughout the world. And so our Lord, who
is the good shepherd, he sent out his word by the gospel preached
by a few men and by a few men and women who supported that
work and aided that work and did all they could to spread
that work and send that word out that the Gentiles would hear,
that light will be brought unto those that sat in darkness, had
no power, but it came with power by the glory of the spirit and
called them out of darkness. Paul testifies to this in 1 Corinthians
2. 1 Corinthians 2, we'll pick up
in verse 3. But he had said, I preached nothing
unto you. I didn't know anything among
you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. I preached Christ
to you and him crucified. And I was with you, he said,
in weakness, verse 3, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of
man's wisdom. But in demonstration of the Spirit
and of power. Why? So that your faith should
not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. So that it's clear and evident
to you as people that the reason why you believe Him is by the
power and glory of your Good Shepherd, who wrought this salvation
in your hearts, who gave this life to you, who made you to
hear his voice, who made you to believe him and trust him,
and made you willing in the day of his power that you believe
him and walk by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and aren't
trusting in the dead works of man and vain religion. those
things that cannot save. He's delivered you out of those
things and brought you under the blood and sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. Now he says in verse
17, John 10, 17, therefore doth my father love me, why? Because I lay down my life for
the sheep. He lays down his life for the
sheep that he might take it again. In other words, that he would
die bearing the sin of his people to put it away. and rising again
for our justification so that he's all and in all and we're
complete in him. And don't have to look anywhere
else, have no need for anything else because Christ is sufficient
for all things for his people. And the father loves him because
he came and did this work. He died in the place of his people.
He bore our punishment. We that believe and trust him
and know him and call upon him this day. Christ is our sin atoning
sacrifice. Christ is our life. Christ is
the good shepherd. The good shepherd. Verse 18,
he says further, no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down
of myself. I have power to lay it down and
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my Father." So that we are assured that what Christ did
is being crucified. It wasn't a mistake. He isn't
a martyr. He wasn't taken against his will.
He wasn't cut off in a way that wasn't of God's will and purpose
for his people. It was all according to the will,
to the hand, and the purpose of God for our salvation, for
our life. He says there, just look at a
couple verses in Acts. We'll start in Acts 2, and then
we'll bring it to an end. Acts 2, verse 23 and 24. Christ being delivered by the
determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken him by
wicked hands, have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised
up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible
that he should be holding of it." All right, now let's turn
to Acts chapter 4, verse 26 through 28. kings of the earth stood up and
the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against
his Christ for of a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou
hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles
and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever
thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And so everything
Christ did was according to the will and purpose of God for your
good, brethren, for your good, you that are purchased with the
blood of Jesus Christ, that you should know him, and have fellowship
with him and are made partakers of the inheritance of the saints
in light with Jesus Christ, who did this as your good shepherd. So praise him in glory in him,
brethren. He's good. He's very good to
his people. Praise the Lord. Amen. Let's close in prayer and then
we'll have one final hymn and be dismissed. Our gracious Lord,
we thank you. We thank you for your goodness,
Lord, that you are the good shepherd. That you didn't leave us in darkness. You didn't leave us to be overwhelmed
and overtaken by lies and falsehoods and to be scattered and ruined. But Lord, you are wise and have
a good purpose in all things. And Lord, we see your glory and
your power in saving your people. We see how that you gave your
life and shed your precious blood for our life and that we would
have life in you and know you. Thank you, Lord, for your mercy,
your grace, your sacrifice, your all, Lord. And Lord, as you've
gathered your scattered people here and you've brought us under
under this roof together as one people in this part of the country.
Lord, we pray that you would continue to gather in your scattered
people. We see how that you are able,
Lord. You saved the Gentiles. You brought
salvation to all them that sat in darkness, even us who were
in darkness and in death and in the trappings of false religion
and the lies of men. You called us out of that. and
filled us with your spirit and gave us assurance and hope and
confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ. And you continue to teach
us and satisfy our hunger and thirst with Christ and deliver
us through the trials and the afflictions, the heat of the
sun and Lord, you keep us lest we perish. Lord, thank you for
your mercy. Thank you for this people. Thank
you for this flock. Lord, bless your people, pour
out your spirit upon us. Call them out of darkness, those
that were scattered in the dark and cloudy day. Call your people
together as one, that we may fellowship and rejoice in you,
and that you would establish this work here in your power
and glory, that all praise and honor and glory would be to your
name. It's in Christ's name we pray and give thanks, amen. All
right, brother. Let's all stand and sing a closing
hymn, 296, All the Way My Savior Leads Me, 296. All the way my Saviour leads
me, what have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy,
who through life has been my guide? Heavenly peace, divinest
comfort, here by faith in Him to dwell. For I know what e'er
befall me, Jesus doeth all things well. For I know what e'er befall
me, Jesus doeth all things well. All the way my Savior leads me,
cheers each winding path I tread, gives me grace for every trial,
feeds me with the living bread. Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul a thirst may be, Gushing from the rock before
me, Lo, a spring of joy I see. Gushing from the rock before
me, Lo, a spring of joy I see. All the way my Savior leads me,
O the fullness of His love. Perfect rest to me is promised
in my Father's house above. When my spirit, clothed mortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day, This my song through endless
ages Jesus led me all the way. This my song through endless
ages, Jesus led me all the way. Thank you.