Well good morning and with delight
again I get to turn to the book of Ezra chapter 8 and I hope
you'll join me there as we go through this gospel according
to the book of Ezra. Ezra was a prophet of the Lord.
He was one that was going to be traveling here soon towards
Babylon. He is one that would be in the
second group of folks that left Babylon and went to Jerusalem
and we've looked at the time between The first group left
and arrived, and this group left and is preparing to arrive. We
wondered why, and the question is quite easily answered as we
find that it wasn't their time of love. It wasn't their time
to go. The Lord has a time when he will
call all his people out of every kindred, nation, people, and
tongue. And when the time arrives, the gospel will be brought. They
will be declared to be free in Christ Jesus, and they will be
drawn to the Lord well here in the eighth chapter of the book
of Ezra we We noticed also in verses 2 through 14 that there
is a list of folks men in particular that were heads of households
and their names have some significance and as we read and many times
I found myself passing over names and not paying much attention
to what they have to say and yet through this section I've
taken it upon myself to look up at least a brief definition
of the name and make a couple comments. Last week we looked
at about three of the folks that were in this list and this week
I'd like to take a look at three more of these folks and maybe
as we travel through the book of Ezra particularly this eighth
chapter We'll pick up the rest of them and see the significance
of their names. To these folks that are mentioned
here, they're only legacy to us. The definition of their names
their parents were given the grace of God and their parents
were given the grace In such a manner that they would name
their children something that was significant and particularly
with regard to a relationship with God to a relationship with
Jehovah and so as we look today at verse 2 it tells us here that
the Sons of Phinehas Gershon the sons of Ithamar and we looked
at those last week, but here is Daniel of the sons of David
and Hattush. Well, Daniel is an interesting
name. We find it used in a number of
places throughout the scripture, and his name means God is my
judge. God, we find in scripture, judged
his son in our place. He will not judge his elect. He will not judge his children. He will not judge his sheep outside
of Christ. We stand complete in the Lord
Jesus and what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross, what
he did for us as the Father poured out his wrath upon him. He has
given to us, imputed to us that blessing. And in the book of
Romans chapter 8 and verse 33, would you turn there with me
for just a moment as I read that? It's such a sweet passage of
scripture for the church to contemplate, meditate, and just appreciate
and enjoy through all the days of their life. Religion has so
much to say about what happens to us after we've been born again,
after we've been saved. In fact, many religions have
it almost punitive after you've been saved that you're going
to have to answer for certain sins. If we have to answer for
one, we are all lost. So we realize that the Lord Jesus,
as his word is fulfilled in our minds and in our hearts, the
Lord Jesus has taken all our sins upon him, and he bore them
away as far as the east is from the west, and he buried them
in the deepest sea. They are all paid for. The appreciation
that the church has for that is that the Lord Jesus came forth
from the tomb and is now sitting down at the right hand of the
Father. So that's a strong confidence that is given to the church.
But here in the book of Romans 8.33, it says, Who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
So if God justifies who's going to lay anything to the charge,
men may raise up and say, I know what that person did. Others
may say, this is what he's done. But we can always go back to
the cross. If the Lord Jesus Christ has
saved us by his grace, we have a clear slate before him. And
we can hear, even though there is no dessert in it, there's
no reason that we should be able to say this, but by grace and
mercy, we can hear the Lord God Almighty say, welcome thou good
and faithful servant, because we're dependent upon the faithfulness
of the Lord Jesus Christ. The next name in that list is
David. David means beloved. and we hear
the words of the father speak to the son this is my beloved
son in whom i am well pleased and then we find in first thessalonians
chapter one first thessalonians chapter one verse four passage
of scripture says this about the church Knowing brethren beloved
we have the same word is used here with regard to the church
as we have the father speaking about the son and David's name
means beloved and to have this knowledge given to us in regeneration
We are beloved of the father. We are beloved of God and the
Apostle Paul writes to the Saints at Thessalonica knowing brethren
beloved your election of God and God's love is demonstrated
in His election, and there was nothing in those elected that
would cause God to elect them. In fact, if we read in the Scriptures
and are faithful to the Scriptures, we'll find exactly the opposite.
There is nothing in us that would attract God's attention, that
He would choose us. We had no good thoughts towards
Him. We had no good prayers towards Him. We had In fact, our mind
is enmity against him. So we are just delighted that
we could be called the beloved of God beloved of the Father
beloved of the Son and beloved of the Holy Spirit and then the
third name in that verse 2 of Malachi Ezra chapter 8 is hatosh
and his name means assembled and We read in the scriptures
that truly the assembled ones the assembled of the Lord are
assembled of God those that are assembled by God those assembled
from the very beginning as We read about able offering a more
acceptable offering not out of his own intelligence But by faith
that was supplied to him to do that the truly assembled are
purchased with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in the book
of Acts chapter 20. This is brought out as the Apostle
Paul is speaking to the elders at Ephesus. Acts chapter 20 and
there in verse 28 we find these words. Take heed therefore unto
yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath
made you overseers the flock and They're an assembled group
of sheep the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers to feed the Church of God Flock and the church are
talking about the same group of people and it says about the
church these assembled ones these assembled out of all Places out
of all nations out of all tongues these that belong to the Lord
Jesus from eternity past whose names are written in the Lamb's
Book of Life these he hath purchased with his own blood the blood
of the Lord Jesus has purchased us out of the mark of sin the
slave market of sin and has brought us unto a Relationship with the
Lord Jesus Christ is holy and blessed relationship based upon
only the blood and righteousness of Christ That's where we get
our righteousness. So Hattus is assembled and we
also find in the book of Matthew chapter 18 Two or three are gathered
together in my name there. Will I be in the midst of them?
So these three left us some Knowledge about themselves in the fact
that their legacy brought to us is Daniel God is my judge
David beloved and Hattush assembled we are the judged in Christ Jesus
we're beloved of the Father and And we're assembled at the feet
of the Lord Jesus. It is His blood that has purchased
us. Well, we'll continue on in other
messages and looking at the remaining names that are found here and
their definition. But for today, we're going to look again at
Ezra chapter 8 and verse 15. Ezra chapter 8 and verse 15. So if you join me back there
in the book of Ezra where we started, Ezra chapter 8 and verse
15. And we're gonna spend a little
time on this passage this morning. Ezra chapter eight and verse
15. And Ezra was led by the Holy Spirit. Remember what the Bible
says, holy men of God speak as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Ezra was moved by the Holy Spirit to write this book. And it is
placed in our canon because it is the word of God. God gave
it, he breathed it out. It is given by inspiration. God
breathed these words. He did not allow these men to
have some thoughts and then develop those thoughts because human
beings would go astray. But he gave them the words to
write down. He gave them what he wanted us
to have. We have that wonderful translation
of it today and here in the book of Ezra chapter 8 and verse 15.
I gathered them together What a blessed thought it is to have
this Ezra as a shepherd gather the folks together And he brought
them to a specific place before they headed out across the desert
They're going to spend about four months in travel from Babylon
over to Jerusalem So they're going to gather themselves together.
They're going to learn each other. They're going to be around each
other they're going to be traveling together and it is incumbent
upon each of them to take care of each other and It goes on
to tell us here that He brought them, gathered them together
to the river that runneth at Ahava, and there abode we in
tents three days. Now notice with me this last
part of this verse, because there's something very interesting in
the knowledge that the Lord gave to Ezra. It says, and I viewed
the people. What a wonderful blessing it
is to have Ezra as the type and Christ as the anti-type, viewing
his people, looking at them with great delight. We're going to
Jerusalem. And as the Lord Jesus, we're
gonna bring these folks to glory. Viewing the people I viewed the
people and the priests and found There none of the sons of Levi
found none of the the Sons of Levi now, this is an interesting
thought that is brought to us did not Did you notice that that
with me that Ezra being one that cared for these folks is? about
to leave Ahava, which is on the Euphrates River, to travel to
Jerusalem, noticed a discrepancy. He found there were none of the
sons of Levi. Some folks were missing. Ezra viewed the people and the
priest. He viewed them. Let my cry come
near before thee, O Lord, give me understanding according to
thy word. Now that's Psalm 119 and verse
116, and the same word is used in there that we find Ezra viewed
the people, and over here in the book of the Psalms 119, the
word give me understanding. Now, by the grace of God, from
the blessing of heaven, Ezra is given the information, the
understanding of the situation. Some folks, some of the folks,
there were some of the folks were not present and he could
not travel without them. I don't understand all that is
brought out in this verse of Scripture in Ezra chapter 8 and
verse 15, but there are some things I can understand, and
that is that Ezra discovered that not everyone was present. What will we do? It tells us
there in verse 16, Then sent I for Eliezer. The rest of those
folks that are listed in verse 16 and verse 17 and I sent them
with commandment I sent them with commandment unto Ido the
chief at the place of Caspithea Caspi Caspia And then in verse
18 it tells us and by the good hand of our God upon us they
brought us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahali the son
of Levi the son of Israel and Shurah Baya with his sons and
with his brethren 18 and God had given understanding to Ezra
to know that there were some folks that were intended to go
back that are not here present and he sends back With fetching
grace to get those folks that were still there that should
be in this party God's hand was with them and in verse 19 it
tells us there are 20 more of Are going to be brought with
them and in verse 20 there are 220 that are called Nethem's
all of them were expressed by name Ezra was given the information
Ezra was given the understanding Ezra was blessed by God of heaven
that if they left today and and headed towards Jerusalem. There
would be a great host of folks traveling, but there are some
that are not here. And Ezra is given the grace to
call on people who could go back, and by fetching grace, bring
these folks with him. Verse 20, it says, also of the
Nethyims, whom David and the princes had appointed for service
of the Levites, 220, Now to the 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 that were traveling in this group
of people back to Jerusalem from Babylon, this may have felt like
a very small proportion, but let us remember the number was
not complete. There were names on the list
that were not there present, and so it is today. We find that
the Lord Jesus lets this world go on as it is going and so uncertain
and He has demonstrated to his people time and time again. There
is no certainty in the things of this world and But there is
certainty in the fact that the Lord God Almighty will collect
all his people out of all places before he comes back. He will
not leave Babylon, here the earth, with his folks and go to Jerusalem,
the glories of the presence of the Father. He will not travel
unless he has all of them. He will have all his people. He would be a failure. He would
not be the Lord God Almighty if he did not have all his people. This reminds me of a passage
in the words of the Lord over in the book of Luke chapter 15.
Would you travel there with me? to the book of Luke as we find
the anti-type. We have the Lord Jesus speaking
about almost the same thing. Luke chapter 15 and there in
verse 1, let's start in verse 1 and we'll read down through
verse 7. Luke chapter 15 verse 1, then drew near unto him all
the publicans and sinners for to hear him. Now notice that
group of folks that are drawn to him. Notice this group of
folks that are coming to him. They are publicans and they are
sinners. And notice who has a problem with it. And the Pharisees and
scribes murmured saying, this man receiveth sinners and eateth
with them. It is so contrary to their teaching,
to their doctrine, to have any of these folks in their presence.
And he spoke this parable unto them saying, What man of you,
having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave
the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost,
until he find it? And when he hath found it, he
layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth
together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with
me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. Can you imagine
the rejoicing in Ezra's heart when these folks were brought
to the place of assembly and we're also preparing to travel
with them. The number is now complete. We
don't have any holes in the choir. We don't have any empty seats
where they are all full just like God promised. And Ezra had
this understanding. It was brought to his attention.
As he looked around, as he checked the number of names, as he checked
the numbers, as he checked the names, there were some who were
missing. And we're thankful to Almighty
God that He will allow none to be missing. And so, here we have,
Rejoice! I say unto you that likewise
joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than
over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. So the
Lord Jesus tells us, shares with us, and shares with these Pharisees.
I will go into the mountains to find the one that is missing. I know how many should be in
this group, 100. I have 99. That's 99%. My goodness, if we
get 99% on a test, we think we're pretty good. If we have 99% of
our work done in a day, that's pretty good. But when it comes
to the Lord God Almighty, 99% is not enough. There must be
100%. And that is to have all his lambs, all his sheep, gathered
together and ready to travel Backing up to the book of Matthew
chapter 18 Matthew chapter 18 Let's back up there in our Bibles
to Matthew chapter 18 and there in verse 11 Matthew chapter 18
and verse 11 for the Son of Man has come to save that which was
lost and How think ye, if a man have a hundred sheep, and one
of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine,
and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone
astray? He goes wherever it is necessary. It is inconvenient to go into
the mountains. But he goes to the mountains,
wherever the lost sheep is, he will go. He will send an ambassador. He will send a messenger. He
will send someone with the ability to have preaching grace so that
he can bring fetching grace. In verse 12, it says, have a
hundred. He goeth into the mountain, and
seeketh that which is gone astray. And if so be that he find it,
verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep than of the
ninety-nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of
your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones
should perish. Thank God, not one, even though
the number is almost complete. I can't help but think, that
the number is almost complete, but it may take a thousand years
for the last one to be brought in. We don't know those things.
They're hidden from us. We're just called on to continue
to preach the gospel, and if we're preaching the gospel somewhere,
there must be sheep in that place. We're feeding the sheep, feeding
the lambs, feeding the sheep, just like we're called on to
do, and we're praying that the Father would call out the last
one. Blessed Lord is speaking of his
great love for the lost sheep are bound up in the words of
His thoughts in Romans chapter 5 but God commendeth his love
toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us
Oh, the blessed thought the Lord gives us in that passage of scripture.
Without any good deeds, without any good hope, without any knowledge
of God, without anything, dead in trespasses and sin, graveyard
dead, no hope, no God, and no Message of grace. We're just
lost but God commended his love commendeth his love toward us
and there are several verses in the Old Testament that declared
the message that that there are those that Prevent the coming
of the Lord Jesus the second time and Now he will not be prevented
because a temple isn't built. He'll not be prevented because
there hasn't been enough done in the Middle East. But the only
thing that prevents him from coming back to this earth is
there are some still in Babylon. As Ezra noticed, they couldn't
travel. He assembled all that were there,
and when they got together, there were some missing. He noticed
he was given understanding. It was brought to his attention
by the Holy Spirit. There were some folks that were
not there. Turn with me, if you would, to
the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 50. Jeremiah
chapter 50, we have the words of the Lord brought out through
his prophet, through his minister through the preacher of the gospel
here, this great prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 50 and verse
4. Jeremiah chapter 50 and verse
4. In those days, And in that time,
saith the Lord, the children of Israel shall come. They and
the children of Judah together, going and weeping, they shall
go and seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion
with their faces thitherward, saying, Come. and let us join
ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. My people hath been lost sheep. Their shepherds have caused them
to go astray. They have turned them away. On
the mountains they have gone. From mountain to hill they have
forgotten their resting place." Oh, the fall is serious, isn't
it? We have no knowledge of the resting
place. We can't put it together. Religious
people talk about heaven but by and large their thoughts of
heaven are so slack so far from the truth the Heaven that God's
people are going to enjoy is the presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Songs have been written about
who we'll meet and who we'll have fellowship with, mother,
father, husband or wife, but that will pale compared to being
in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse seven, all that
found them have devoured them, and their adversary said, we
offered not, because they have sinned against the Lord, the
habitation of justice, even the Lord and the hope of their fathers. Verse six, my people have been
lost sheep. Their shepherds have caused them
to go astray. They have turned them away on
the mountains they have gone, from mountain to hill. Have they
forgotten their resting place? And yet we find previous to this,
there's going to be a time when every one of these will be given
the grace of God through the preaching of the gospel to look
towards Zion, to look towards the Lord Jesus Christ. Again,
in the Old Testament, in the book of Ezra chapter 34, Ezra
chapter, excuse me, Ezekiel, Ezekiel chapter 34, Ezekiel 34. Ezekiel chapter 34 in verse 6 My sheep wandered through all
the mountains and upon every high hill yea my flock was scattered
upon all the face of the earth and none did search for or seek
after them. Therefore, ye shepherds, hear
the word of the Lord. As I live, saith the Lord God,
surely because my flock became a prey and my flock became meat
to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd,
neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds
fed themselves and fed not the flock. Therefore, O ye shepherds,
hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold,
I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their
hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock. Neither
shall the shepherds feed themselves any more, for I will devour my
flock from their mouth. Deliver their my flock from their
mouth that they may not be meat for them how the flock has been
misused by religious people how it's a means to an ends to religious
preachers how they're just a dollar sign or a number on a card or
a number in a Bulletin or a number in a letter to the people that
are over the religion. They're just nothing they have
no meaning to the folks and except physical meanings. For thus saith
the Lord God, verse 11, Behold, I, even I, will both search my
sheep and seek them out. Here's the great shepherd, here's
the good shepherd, here's the chief shepherd. As a shepherd
seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep,
are scattered so will I speak out seek out my sheep and will
deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered
in the cloudy and dark day wherever they've been taken I Know my
own I know them by name I know the number of the totality of
them and I will go find all of them and I will bring them out
of the people and gather them from the countries and will bring
them to their own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel
by the rivers in all the inhabited places The country I will feed
them in a good pasture and upon the high mountains of Israel
shall their foal be There shall they lie a good fold and in a
fat pasture shall they be fed upon the mountains of Israel
I will feed my flock and I will cause them to lie down saith
the Lord God and I have a people. I am going to find all the people.
I will place them in a simple place. It will be green pasture
there. I will feed them upon the grace
of God. I will feed them the mercy of
God. I'll feed them the love of God.
I'll feed them that God is light. I will show them. The good things
every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. I will verse 16 I will
seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven
away I will bind up that which was broken will strengthen that
which is sick. I will destroy the fat And the
strong I will feed them with judgment and as for you Oh my
flock saith the Lord God behold I judge between cattle and cattle
and between rams and the he goats and Seeth seemeth it a small
thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture But you must
tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture to have
drunk of the deep waters But ye must foul the residue with
your feet and as for my flock They eat that which has been
trodden with your feet and they drink that which is foul with
your feet Therefore thus saith the Lord God Unto them behold
I even I will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean
cattle. And because thou have thrust
with side and with shoulder and pushed all the disease with your
horns till they have scattered them abroad, therefore will I
save my flock, and they shall no more be prey, and I'll judge
between cattle and cattle. I'll judge between sheep and
goats. I have sheep, there are goats. I will put the sheep on the right
hand, I'll put the goats on the left hand, and judgment shall
be made. Verse 24, and I, the Lord, will
be their God, and my servant David, a prince among them. I,
the Lord, have spoken it, and I will make with them a covenant
of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the
land, and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep
in the woods, and I'll make them in the places round about them.
My hill a blessing. I'll cause the shower to be to
come down in this season and there'll be she shall be showers
of blessings All it continues to go on on and on as he shares
with us what he will do. Oh, they have been mistreated
They've been maltreated. They've been forced to eat food. That isn't food. They've been
forced to eat straw They've been forced to eat the dirt. They've
been forced to eat all kinds of rubbish The the priest that
they had just forced them to eat the the the worst of the
worst there was no food value in it from the days of Caned
out to this very day that the food that is dispensed to the
lost sheep by religion is just It turned your stomach and yet
the Lord says I'll bring you out of that and I will judge
between sheep and goats and I will manifest myself to the sheep
and they shall know me and I'll place them in a good pasture
and green pasture and I'll bring them out of the places that they've
been I have fetching grace and I will exercise that fetching
grace and we just delight in glory and our Savior the Lord
Jesus because of all that he has done on our behalf and Dropping
down here just a little more in this great chapter chapter
34 of the book of Ezekiel In verse 29 and I'll raise up from
them a plant of renown They shall be no more consumed with hunger
in the land neither bear of the shame of the heathen anymore
Thus shall they know that I am Lord their God and with them
and that they even the house of Israel are my people saith
the Lord God and ye my flock the flock My of my pasture are
men and I am your God saith the Lord God What a blessing he speaking
of a flock. He says they're men I'll bring
them out of every nation and people in tongue and There's
a whole lot of them that are assembled in heaven and earth,
a whole lot of them in the church, that great church, that church
of God, that church of the Lord. There are great numbers, and
yet there are a few missing. There are few. The Lord takes
count of them every day. There are a few missing yet.
We'll find them. We know where they are. We'll
find them. We'll send the gospel to them, and it will draw them
in. We'll cause them to know the greatness of Almighty God,
and that they will soon know what food is. They'll soon know
what food at the table of the king is, and they will not have
to Feed upon the chaff they'll not have to feed upon the dirt.
They'll not have to feed upon molded food They'll not have
that to deal with anymore. They'll have the rich sweet food
of the gospel That's what the Lord will give them and ye ye
my flock the flock of the pastor are men And I'm your God saith
the Lord God. Oh, what a blessing again in
John John chapter 10 would you turn over there with me John
chapter 10 as we find? The Lord is speaking to his flock,
to his people, and he tells us that he's the shepherd, he's
the good shepherd. Now he's under shepherds, and
he calls on them to be faithful shepherds, but we know that even
the best of shepherds. There are times, don't look at
me, look at God. Don't trust me, trust God. We
don't want to get there, we don't want to create a priesthood of
Pastors we we don't people look into us. We want them looking
to the Lord. He he must increase we must decrease
We're not worthy to take his Sandals off but Oh Lord, may
you be praised and honored we direct the flock to you here
in John chapter 10 John chapter 10 and verse 14 We have the Lord's
words, I am the good shepherd and know my sheep. He knows them
by name. He knows the complete number
of them and I'm known of mine once he regenerates us, calls
us out of darkness to his marvelous light. There's a knowledge that's
given to us that he is the Lord. He is all our righteousness.
We trust him with all of our being for all of our salvation. We depend on nothing that we
do, but everything that he has done. As the Father knoweth me,
even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.
They're here. I know exactly who I'm dying
for on the cross. Oh, to think for a minute, just
for a second, that there are people in hell that Jesus Christ
was going to or did die for. My goodness, what a travesty. What a travesty. It makes the
very work of grace sickening. He's so unsuccessful. that he
can't even save the people that he died for. But we find that's
not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible He's a God
that can go, he's gonna lay down his life for the sheep, and he
will save every one of his sheep. He knows the ones that are yet
to be brought in. He knows the ones that are yet
lost, lost sheep. He knows where they are, and
he will make sure that they come to hear the gospel, or that he'll
send someone who knows something, the gospel, and they will get
acquainted. Another sheep I have, which are
not of this fold, It tells us here them also I must bring it
and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold in
one Shepherd I don't mean multiple folds in heaven or not me even
multiple folds up on the earth. We're all one and there were
some that were in Israel that were sheep and he called him
out his disciples and Yet there are Gentiles and so they're going
to be one there will be the either June or Gentile bond or free
male or female They're all equal in the Lord Therefore doth my
father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take
it again." After the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ, he met with one who denied him three times. Now, if we get
to looking at the scriptures, we find every one of those disciples
denied him. Peter is identified for particularly
denying Him three times. He's a representative of the
whole group. He's a representative of the
church. Left to ourselves, we will deny
the Lord Jesus, but we have the promise that God in Christ Jesus
will not deny us if we have that mark that He's given us. that
mark that we're His, He will not deny us. All that the Father
giveth me shall come unto me, and him that cometh unto me I
will in no wise cast out. What a blessed thought. Well,
in John chapter 21, after the resurrection, we have the Lord
Jesus appearing. John chapter 21 and verse 14.
This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples
after he had risen from the dead. John chapter 21, verse 14. Now verse 15, so when they had
dined, Jesus saith to Simon, Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me more than these? He saith unto him, yea, Lord,
thou knowest that I love thee. He says unto him, feed my lambs. He says unto him again, succotime,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He says unto him, yea, Lord,
thou knowest that I love thee. He says unto him, feed my sheep. Now, what is a faithful gospel
preacher? That's exactly following these
words, feed my lambs, feed my sheep. People accuse God's great
preachers. You're not speaking to the lost.
We know from the Scriptures that the same message that comforts
and blesses the sheep is the message that God uses to bring
the lost sheep in. There's no special message of
human motivation, or human psychology, or human anything that brings
the lost in. It is the message of the gospel.
It is the message that comforts the saints. Oh, show me something
about my Savior today. And when the Lord does, we are
comforted, we are blessed. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.
And then, God uses that message bring Salvation to his lost sheep. That's the message that goes
out into the hills and finds them and Then he saith unto him the
third time Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me and Peter was
grieved because He said unto him the third time lovest thou
me and he saith unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou
knowest that I love thee Jesus saith unto him feed my sheep
and Feed my lambs, feed my sheep, feed my sheep. What a blessed
thought. What a blessed thought. Ezra
was the type. The Lord, the fulfillment. The
one truly caring for all the sheep. John chapter 17. Let's back up to John chapter
17 for just a moment here. John chapter 17 and verse 12. John chapter 17 and verse 12,
we read these words, while I was with thee in the world, I kept
them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me, I
have kept and have none of them is lost. Can you imagine the
joy that went through Ezra's heart when he looked up and saw
those successful fetchers come with those folks that were left
behind? God had given him the understanding
that there were some that were still in Babylon that were intended
by the grace of God to go to Jerusalem. And every day when
God's preachers preach, every Sunday, every Wednesday night,
every time they visit with someone and declare the gospel, they
are declaring the fact that there are some that are not in the
fold. If all were in the fold, this
would wrap up like a tent. It would be folded like a piece
of cloth and we would be in the presence of the Lord. We would
no longer be carrying around this body of flesh We'd have
a body like unto his body. So every time we preach the gospel,
we're like Ezra. There's some more left. There
are some yet here in Babylon that need to hear. They need
to be brought in. God must do this before he can
fold it up. He will lose none. He does go
on to say, I've kept them, none of them was lost but the son
of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled. Judas was
not just predicted, but purposed to do what he did to betray the
Lord Jesus. Without the grace of God, there
is no protection. We find that Peter denied the
Lord Jesus, denied him three times, and yet there was a difference. in how God reacted to him and
how God's grace reacted to him. He went out and wept bitterly
about what he had done. Judas went out. There was no
grace in him. He hung himself and threw the
money at the money changers. What difference there is. And
in John chapter 18 and verse 9, John chapter 18 and verse
9, we have these wonderful words recorded, that the saying might
be fulfilled which he spake of them which thou gavest me have
I lost none. Well, dear friends, Ezra is such a beautiful type. God gave him the understanding
that there were some left in Babylon. And He sent fetchers
with fetching grace to go to them and bring them in. And we
have the exact number that were brought. Now we're ready to go
to Jerusalem. Now we're ready to travel. The Lord is this day bringing
in His people out of all the places of the world. The gospel
goes to a place because there are sheep there, lost sheep.
If they're lost sheep and they're found, there'll be an assembly
there, a symbol around the feet of Jesus, worshiping the King
and in the glories of the gospel. Well, we close this service today
asking the Lord's blessing upon you and that if God peradventure,
God peradventure would bless your heart with the message of
Ezra. the ready scribe who had understanding,
that not all the lost sheep were gathered, but when they were,
the time is right for them to go. We will look again next time
over there in the book of Ezra. We'll look there at the words
of Ezra as he prepares to travel. He has this to say, Ezra chapter
eight and there in verse 20, Verse 21, Then I proclaimed a
fast there at the river of Ahava, where they were gathered, where
they were assembled, that we might afflict ourselves before
our God, and seek of Him a right way for us, and for our little
ones, and for our substance. We're going to look at that in
proclaim the fast. Every culture has some type of
fast whereby people who have done something grievously wrong
are going to try to trade fasting for getting out of trouble. Well,
that's not what this word means, so we'll look into that. God
bless you, and until next time.