John chapter 6. I want by the grace and power of God the Holy Spirit to preach to you this morning on Christ our Shepherd. And I take from my text the words of our Lord himself here beginning at verse 11. In these verses our Lord Jesus describes his characteristics and his work as our Shepherd.

John chapter 10 and verse 11. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, 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. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep."

In 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 25, the Apostle Peter describes our experience of God's grace from Christ our He says in verse 25, ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

What a blessed, delightful, instructive subject we have before us. May God the Holy Spirit now take the things of Christ our shepherd and show them to us by his grace.

The subject this morning is not in the least bit complex, mysterious, or profound, and yet it is the most profound of all subjects. What I have to say will be utterly simple, easy to follow, and yet beyond our comprehension. I want to show you just one thing this morning. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the shepherd of Yeshiva. That means that he is the one who is totally responsible for the safety, welfare, and salvation of his sheep. That means he is the one to whom the Lord God looks for the saving of his sheep. That means that his sheep are in safe hands, absolutely secure, for he who is our shepherd is himself God Almighty.

Now, throughout the Old Testament scriptures, it was prophesied that the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of Man should come into the world in the characteristic of a shepherd, that he would come to do the work of redemption and grace as a shepherd who has come to seek, to buy, to gather his sheep unto himself.

Listen to the Scriptures. In Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 11, the prophet Isaiah says, he shall feed his flock like a shepherd. He shall gather his lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with yon. And then the prophet says, They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them. For he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

The Lord himself speaks in Ezekiel's prophecy. in chapter 34 and says, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep and seek them out. Therefore will I save my flock. They shall no more be a prey, and I will judge between cattle and cattle, and I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David, even my servant the Lord Jesus Christ, David's great son. He shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And David, Christ my servant, shall be king over them, and they shall have one shepherd. They also shall walk in my judgments and observe my statutes to do them.

When the psalmist David meditated on these things, the idea of Christ being our shepherd, the idea of the Lord Jesus Christ coming to purchase us, to guide us, to gather us to himself, and to protect us, and at last bring us into glory, his heart simply bubbled over with joy and delight. And he said, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not walk. Can you get hold of this now? If the Lord Jesus Christ is my shepherd, I shall not want. What Judy just sang is more than just a song and more than just a cliche picked up from the testimony of Abraham. What she just sang is the absolute truth. The Lord will provide. He who is our shepherd, his name is Jehovah Jireh. Because he is our shepherd, we have no want. But all things are yours for a year, Christ, and Christ is God.

In the New Testament, there are three distinct adjectives used to set forth the character and the glory of Christ as our Shepherd. I want you to look at these three adjectives with me, and then we will come back and I will develop the message around these three words by which our Savior is described as our Shepherd.

First, look at John chapter 10 and verse 11. In his great work of redemption, our Savior calls himself the Good Shepherd. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Now look in Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews the 13th chapter and in verse 20. The apostle writing to the Hebrews declares that our Lord Jesus in his resurrection glory is the Great Shepherd. 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. And look at one more text. In 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 4. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 4. In reference to his glorious return, Peter declares him to be the chief shepherd. and when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the good shepherd with reference to the redemption and salvation of our souls. He is the great shepherd with reference to his resurrection glory as our representative and his rule of all things as the Father's right hand. And our Lord Jesus is described as the chief shepherd with reference to his second coming, his glorious second advent, his return to this world. These three adjectives are always distinct. They are always separate. They're never interchanged or intermingled, but our Lord is described in redemption as the good shepherd, in resurrection as the great shepherd, and in his return as the chief shepherd.

Now let's look at these three things and see what the Holy Spirit teaches us by them. First, our Lord Jesus Christ, in John chapter 10, verse 11, and in verse 14, calls himself the Good Shepherd. I am the Good Shepherd, he says. And the Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Verse 14, he repeats himself. I am the Good Shepherd. Three times he says it. and I know my sheep, and am known of mine." He is describing, of course, his great work of redemption, the salvation of our souls by his own hand. And in doing so, he calls himself the Good Shepherd.

Now turn with me, if you will, to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. The Apostle Peter, by divine inspiration, takes up this subject of our Lord being the Good Shepherd, and he gives us five descriptions of Christ as the Good Shepherd in verses 21 through 25. All right, let's look at them one at a time. Christ as the Good Shepherd is first described as the Suffering Shepherd in verse 21. He could not redeem us without suffering and death. He who is God our Savior could never be our Savior. He could never redeem us, did he not suffer the law of God to the full satisfaction of justice by bearing the wrath of God to the full, full satisfaction of God's wrath, but for our sins. Look in 1 Peter 2 and verse 21. For even hereunto were you called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps.

Now here is our calling, for even here unto were you called, all true believers are called irresistibly and effectually called by God the Holy Spirit to life and faith in Christ. If Bobby Estes today is a believer, it's because God called There are those who are described in the scriptures as the called ones. Whom He did predestinate, then He also called unto you who are the called of God. The preaching of the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. You see, you are calling, brethren, you who are effectually, irresistibly called to God, called to life and faith in Jesus Christ, called by the power of God the Holy Spirit.

To you who are called, then, or you are called to salvation, called to eternal life, called to faith in Christ. And all who are called by the grace of God are called to a life that involves, of necessity, suffering in this world. It is absolutely impossible to live with Christ, to walk with Christ, to believe the gospel of Christ, to follow Christ without suffering. It's impossible. Those who are called of God are not called to a life of merriment and joy and happiness so that everything now suddenly becomes rosy and delightful. Oh, no. No, no. It is delightful Far, far more delightful than tongue can describe. But I'm telling you, that man, that woman, who is called of God, is called of God to enter into a warfare with the flesh, with the world, and with the devil. And it's a warfare that will bring suffering while you live here. It's not possible to follow Christ otherwise.

Listen to what our Lord tells us by the Apostle Paul. For unto you it is given. Philippians chapter 1, verse 49. unto you it is given, not only to believe on Christ, but also to suffer for his sake." What does that mean? That means wherever faith is given, suffering is given by the same hand for the same reason. Because of God's mercy, love, and grace toward you, he has given you faith and has given you the life by which you will honor him, suffering, living by faith in this world."

Well, why? Why doesn't God just alleviate all the pain and suffering? God would honor himself and cause us to honor him by giving us circumstances and experiences in this world that demand faith in Jesus. Faith in Jesus. So that we live Struggling constantly with our sin. And every believer does. Every believer does. If you don't struggle with sin, you don't know God. That's all there is to it.

The believer is a man of flesh and of spirit. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these two are contrary one to the other, so that you cannot do the things you would. And the believer constantly suffers with the terrible load of sin, crying, O wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? So that we must constantly, constantly look to Christ alone as our Savior.

Merle, God makes us know our sin and the bitterness of it day by day to teach us constantly to trust his son. So that we will never, never, never look to ourselves in confidence. Look to ourselves for hope. Look to ourselves as though we had made ourselves righteous.

God gives us a life in this world that of necessity requires suffering. Because as we seek to give testimony to the gospel of His grace, those for whose souls we labor, those to whom we minister, those about whom we are most careful, become themselves many times enemies to us as we seek to minister to them. And so we become the object of their scorn, the object of their ridicule, the object of their abuse. And the believer must suffer while he confesses Christ in this world.

And the Lord God would have us continually look to him, believing him, trusting him. He'll honor his word. He'll save his people. If he's pleased to use us to accomplish that, let us rejoice, regardless of what comes our way in the meantime.

You see, in this world, we are called to suffer many things for Christ's sake, even as he suffered many things for ourselves. As he took up his cross and suffered for us, so we must willingly take up our cross daily and follow him. It is written, if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. It is not possible to follow Christ and not suffer for him.

Yet, if any man suffer as a Christian, Peter writes, let him not be ashamed. Paul wrote to Timothy while he was in prison. He said, Timothy, don't be ashamed of me. Don't be ashamed of me, nor of my bonds, though men would speak against me and say, Paul deserves what he's getting. Look what he got. Paul wasn't ashamed. And he said, now don't you be ashamed of me. If a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. but let him glorify God on this day.

When Peter was released from prison, he and John, they gave thanks to God that he counted them worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. God give me that kind of grace. God give me that kind of grace.

Now, children of God, let us never remember that those things we suffer as Christians, as believers, We suffer from Christ. They come from Him. Whatever comes your way comes from Him. Those things we suffer as believers, we suffer with Christ, as members of His body, and He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. And those things we suffer as believers, we suffer for Christ, for the glory of Christ, for the honor of Christ.

And Lindsay, when you think you can't take anymore, for Christ's sake, you can. When you think I can't go on, for Christ's sake, you can. For the gospel's sake, for the honor of his name, for his kingdom's sake, for Christ's sake. This is a great honor indeed. So let us glorify God in all that we may be called to suffer in this world as his children.

I've watched a lot of my friends, some of you and others, suffer things that nobody else is aware of. Sickness, bereavement, domestic troubles, trials, horrible solace, grief. And I've watched some, as they suffer, speak hardly against God and his prophets. And I watched others, as they suffer, bow to God's will and glorify him in his providence, in his wisdom.

So whatever we are called to suffer, let us, for Christ's sake, glorify God Glorify God, and let it whatever God sends your way. He sends your way so that you can glorify him in your presence every day. God help us to do so.

Here's our rule of life. Christ also has suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his face. I'm stressing this because it needs to be stressed. Rebels must be ruled by law. The reason we have laws on the books is to take care of folks who were rebels. That's the purpose. If we didn't have any crooks in town, we wouldn't need a police department. Does that make good sense? If there were no crooks and no inclination for anyone to become crooks, if there were no robbers, no thieves, No kids out vandalizing, no murderers, no pushers, no dopeheads, no kids, apostate kids, none of those things. There's none of that around. There's none of that around. Wouldn't be the need for a police department. Wouldn't be the need. But thank God we got the police department.

Rebels have got to be governed by law. The only thing that keeps rebels in check is the fear of punishment. That's the only thing that keeps them in check. are governed and ruled by rewards. Folks go out and hire mercenaries to do dirty jobs for them that they either can't or won't perform, and the only way they can get the mercenaries to do their dirty work is by promising them a reward that in the mercenaries' mind makes it appear to be worthwhile to do the work.

But believers are not ruled by law, and believers are not ruled by rewards. We do not live by the rule of religious custom and tradition, the rule of our own consciences, or even the rule of the Mosaic law. We follow Christ. Now please understand what that means. That does not mean that we violate the law of God. Oh, a thousand times no. We have right here the Word of God, and our rule of life is not ten commandments taken from the Word, but the whole Word of God given in its entirety. Our rule of life is Jesus Christ the Lord, His example. Our rule of life is Christ our Lord. By His Spirit, we are given grace to walk with wisdom in the way that He has set before us.

But the primary thing to be seen in this verse, 1 Peter 2 verse 21, the primary thing is the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ, our good shepherd, is the suffering shepherd. Peter says, because Christ also suffered for us. Now, as I said, apart from the sufferings of Christ for us, Apart from him having fully suffered the wrath of God, to the full satisfaction of divine justice, there could be no salvation for anyone. Be sure you understand this. The necessity for Christ's death, the necessity for his death, was the justice of God. Jesus Christ had to die if he would save us. If he would redeem us, he did not have to save us, he did not have to redeem us, he did not have to justify us, but if he would, he must die to redeem, save, and justify us, because God's just. God declares himself to be just, and the justifier of him that believes.

Had Christ not died, we could never have been made alive. For barely, barely, he says, except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Had Christ not suffered the curse of the law for us, we could never have been delivered from the curse. But Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Had the Son of God not poured out His life's blood unto death upon the cursed tree, we could never have obtained eternal redemption. But it was with His own blood that He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. In a word, had the Good Shepherd not suffered for us, He could never have saved us.

Christ also had suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. Do you see that? He suffered for sins, the just one, for the unjust, in order that he might bring us, the unjust, unto God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by his Spirit. But since the Son of God has suffered the wrath of God in our stead, to the full satisfaction of divine justice, then all for whom he suffered and died must be saved. Otherwise, his suffering and his death are vain, and the blood of Christ is made of none effect.

All right, look at verse 22, 1 Peter 2, verse 22. The good shepherd is here described as the sinless shepherd who did no sin. Neither was guile found in his mouth. He knew no sin. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin. Had he not been the sinless shepherd, he could never have been the good shepherd. His suffering would have been of no value had he not been the sinless righteous one. Though he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, he knew no sin. Though he lived among sinful men, guile was never found in his mouth. Our Savior had no original sin, no personal sin, no actual sin, no acquaintance with sin. He did no sin.

And yet this immaculately holy, sinless Lord was made to be sin for us. Wonder of wonders. I can't begin to fathom the meaning of the words. But he was made to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. He took our place in time. under the wrath of God, and was made to be seen for us, that we might take his place for eternity in the blessedness of God, being made the very righteousness of God in him.

Next, Peter tells us in verse 23, that the good shepherd is the submissive shepherd, who when he was reviled, reviled not a day, When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

" As I've told you many times, there is, of course, no subordination within the Godhead. The three persons of the Holy Trinity are all together, eternally, infinitely, immutably one, equal in all things. But in order to redeem and save his sheep, the Son of God agreed to become one of us. He willingly, voluntarily assumed all responsibility for his seed. And in his office capacity as our mediator, the Lord Jesus submitted himself to the will of God as our shepherd.

That's what's revealed in John chapter 10. Turn back there for a moment. John chapter 10 and verse 16. Now notice the language our Savior used. Other sheep I have. He does not say other sheep I shall have. He's talking, James Lee, just like money you got in your pocket. Other sheep I have. Not what you're hoping to get next week after you get paid. He says other sheep I have. They're already mine. I had them from eternity. They were given to me from eternity. Other sheep I have. Which are not of this folk. Who on earth is he talking about? He was talking about us. He's talking about us. We hadn't been born yet. We were not of that Jewish fold. We were not of that early fold of the church. But he says, them also I must bring. They shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.

Therefore, just my father loves me. Not as though the father didn't love him beforehand. But now here's the cause of the father's love for him as our shepherd. Because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down in myself. I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it again. This commandment have I received in my Father. What on earth does that mean? Our Lord Jesus submitted himself to the will of God in the covenant of grace before the world began and became Jehovah's servant. You remember in the Old Testament scriptures the illustration given in the Law of Moses concerning the bond slave, he would say to his master, I love my master, I love my wife, I love my children, I'll be your slave forever. And the master would say, all right, let's get the elders of the city together. We'll go down here at the gates of the city and we'll take an oar and I'm going to bore your ear, I'm going to open your ear. And that'll be testimony to the whole world. You're my voluntary slave forever. Nobody forced you to this. You're my slave because you wanted me. That's right. That's a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He says in Isaiah chapter 40, the Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting for the Lord God will help me. Therefore, shall I not be confounded? Therefore, have I set my face like a flint. And I know that I shall not be ashamed.

Our Lord Jesus said to the Father, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not. A body hast thou prepared me. And, Lord, I come in the volume of the book, the volume of the book. It is written in me. I delight to do thy will, O my God. So that before the world was, the Lord Jesus Christ voluntarily submitted himself to the will of God. When he came into this world, the apostle tells us in Hebrews chapter 10, that as he was coming into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, a body hast thou prepared me, and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, coming into the world, as he breaks his mother's womb and draws the breath of life of the man, coming into this world, he says, Lo, I come to do thy will. Oh my God.

And all the while he was on this earth, he willingly submitted himself as a man to his father's will. You know what his first words were? The first recorded words spoken by the master. Wished you not that I must be about my father's business. First words he spoke that are recorded for us in Scripture. His last words, as he was anticipating his death, he said, Father, not my will, thy will be done. His very last words upon the cross, he cried, IT IS FINISHED! Father, into thy hands I commit my sin. And thus he submitted all the days of his life, in every aspect of his life, from eternity as I shall return, coming into the world, living in this world, going out of the world, he submitted himself to the Father's will.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was a willing victim, a voluntary substitute, an unconstrained, unforced sacrifice and surety who made atonement for our sins. Now look at verse 24 of 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter 2.24. The good shepherd tells us, our Peter tells us that the good shepherd is the substitutionary shepherd. he is the suffering shepherd, the sinless shepherd, the submissive shepherd, and he is the substitutionary shepherd, who his own self bear our sins in his body on the tree, that we, we whose sins he bear, we for whom he suffered in his body on the tree, that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness by whose stripes you may be healed." That's not what it says, is it? By whose stripes you were healed. When? When he bore our sins in his body on the tree.

Our Lord said, remember in John 10, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. I know my sheep, I lay down my life for the sheep. Now be sure you understand what I'm saying. Substitution is the very heart of the gospel. It is not, it is indeed, that person who does not understand substitution has not even begun to understand anything of Christianity. Substitution is the declaration that Jesus Christ, our Savior, lived in our place, died in our place, satisfied the justice of God in our place, arose in our place, is seated in heaven in our place, and we're in him in everything he did.

Yes, I do most assuredly believe the great doctrine, that glorious doctrine of limited atonement. You simply cannot believe in substitutionary atonement without believing in limited atonement. You say, well, how's that? How's that? Tonight, the Lord willing, I'm going to be well on my way down to Cherokee. Brother Lindsey Campbell's going to be standing there, and he'll be substituting for me. He'll be standing in my place.

Now, anybody with good sense who hasn't been perverted with religion understands that when one substitutes that, the other fellow can't be. You understand that? If the substitute's present, the other fellow can't be. No need for the substitute, if the other fellow's there. And I'm telling you that Jesus Christ, as our substitute, took our place before God, and gave us his place before God, permanently.

The Son of God did not die for nothing. Christ did not shed his blood in vain. The scope, the object, the purpose, the goal, the benefits of Christ's atonement are limited specifically to and designed specifically for his elect. They shall be enjoyed by his elect. His precious blood made a definite satisfaction and complete atonement for the sins of his people. Christ died for those who are actually saved by his blood. The good shepherd did not lay down his life for the goats. That's just not Bible language. That's utter nonsense.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, laid down his life for the seed. Now, that's not Baptist language, that's not Protestant language, that's not Calvinist language, that's Bible language. The Good Shepherd laid down his life for the seed.

Why am I so insistent, tenacious, dogmatic in asserting this matter of particular and effectual redemption? Well, I'm glad you asked. There can be no compromise here. There can be no compromise here, because this is the place where the very glory of God and the souls of men are extinct in our day. I hear a lot of fellows talk about men, and they say, well, you know, he preaches a little grace, he believes all the doctrines, except he's not clear on limited atonement. Oh? You know what that means, don't you? It means he's not clear on what Christ did at Calvary. He's not clear on whether or not the Son of God actually accomplished redemption. He's not clear on whether or not the Son of God actually put away sin. He's not clear on whether or not the Son of God actually brought in everlasting righteousness. Oh, God. That's utter nonsense.

This is not some side issue of the Gospel. Rather, it's the very heart of the Gospel. The very heart of the Gospel. Those who preach the universal atonement, those who preach that Christ died for folks in heaven and died for folks in hell, but his death really didn't make any difference between folks who go to heaven and folks who go to hell. They preach a false gospel, for they declare that the will of man is the determining factor in salvation, whereas the Word of God declares it to be the will of God. They preach a false Christ, for they make the Son of God to be a failure in that which is declared to be His most glorious great work, His work of redemption. They preach a false God, for they declare that the love of God is mutable, the justice of God is perverted, the purpose of God may be frustrated, and the Word of God is untrustworthy, for they declare that the sin dead, though it has been paid, may yet be charged to you again.

Do you understand the implications? Do you understand the implications of such horrid doctrine? We understand, since God is just, since God is just, payment God cannot twice demand. First, at my bleeding shirt, his hand, and then again at mine.

Those who preach universal atonement preach a false spirit too, for they declare that the spirit of God convinces men of a lie. when he convinces them of sin removed, of righteousness established, and of justice finished, whereas the Son of God asserts that these things are indeed done.

Now, we cannot, we must not tolerate such blasphemous perversions. I'm encouraged by folks to hold my tongue. Don't be Don't state things so dogmatically, don't stir up difficulty, don't be so divisive. I want you to understand, I want you to understand, I have never had anything to do with any religious organization or any preacher who claims to believe that Jesus Christ is a failure, and I never will. Never will. Not under any circumstances, not for any reason, I can blame all such heresy as heresy, and I don't back up for it for any reason. It's time somebody spoke the truth to this generation.

These men would rob Christ of his glory as our own good shepherd and our Savior. All right, look once more at Peter's description of the good shepherd. He is the suffering shepherd. the sinless shepherd, the submissive shepherd, the substitutionary shepherd. And then in verse 25, Peter tells us that the good shepherd is the successful shepherd. For we were as sheep going astray. We're good at that. We were as sheep going astray, but are now returned. Underscore those three words. Are now returned. under the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

You see, it is our nature to stray. We are depraved, sinful, straying creatures. We went astray in our father Adam. We went astray from our mother's womb, speaking lies. Folks, questioning whether or not children are born with a depraved nature, my soul, just watch one for a few minutes. Just watch them. They come forth from their mother's womb, speaking lies. They be squalled and kicked and carried on like they're going to die. Not a tear in their eyes. Not a tear. All they want is some attention. That's all they want. They're squalled and kicked and carried on like they're going to die. Nothing wrong with them, except they're not getting what they want.

They go astray from the womb, speaking lies, so that it is the nature of man to be alive. It is the nature of man to be alive. And we went astray all the days of our lives by deliberate choice. My deliberate choice. I spent my life as a young man, every day. Every day. Multiplied countless times every day. Deliberately shoving my fist in God's face and saying, leave me alone. Thank God he didn't leave me alone. And yet, that's our nation. You see, lost sheep can never find their way home. Dogs can, the dumbest of them. Cats can, the ugliest of them. Horses can, the most ignorant and helpless of them. Even goats and hogs can find their way home, but not sheep. Sheep have, they simply have no ability to come home. They don't have the ability The one thing you can count on is sheep will stray. They never come. They are the dumbest, most helpless, most pitiful animals on the earth.

Now notice our text. I will ask you to underscore those words. You are returned. Our text does not say you have returned. As if to suggest or imply, well, Brother Coleman, he was He was praying for all those years and then suddenly he decided to do better. He decided to get religion. He decided to go to church. He decided that he'd quit his bad ways. He decided to let Jesus save him. Oh no, oh no, that's not the language of the text. Here's the language of the text. Those things would never happen. Dumb as we are, sheep know better than that.

The text says, You are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls. We are returned because the good shepherd has taught us how and returned us unto himself. And in the beginning, in the initial act of returning, we were not only totally passive, Lindsay, we were against it. We were But he grabbed us by the neck of the neck, laid us on his shoulders, and returned us to him. He returned our hearts, he returned our wills, he returned our souls. We went astray, he sought us out. We were lost, he found us. We were slipping into hell, he laid us on his shoulders. We would not and could not return to him, so he returned us to himself. He is the good shepherd. who is the successful shepherd. He shall save his people from their sins.

All right, now turn to Hebrews 13 and verse 20 for just a moment. Here the Holy Spirit shows us that with reference to his resurrection glory, our Lord Jesus Christ is the great shepherd. He's the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. He's the great who has risen from the dead, has entered into heaven and taken his seat at the right hand of the majesty on high. Hebrews 13, 20, are you there? 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, makes you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight.

name the Holy Spirit here gives us for the God of glory. He's called the God of peace. I can't spend any time talking about it this morning, but you jot it down. Sometimes as we meditate on it, he's the author of peace. He devised the plan of peace. He found the way of peace and he gave his son to be the prince of peace. Our Lord God is called the God of peace because he made peace by the blood atonement of his dear son. He reconciled us to himself and reconciled himself to us. And he's the giver of peace. The God of peace gives peace. He speaks peace to the heart. He gives peace in life. He causes us to live together

And then the resurrected, ascended, exalted Christ is called the great shepherd of the sheep. He was the good shepherd of dishumiliation, but he worked out and accomplished for us eternal redemption. And there is a sense in which he may yet be called the good shepherd because he is yet saving his people from their sins. But the good shepherd is no longer in humiliation. We are no longer dealing with one who is humbled upon the earth. Here is the shepherd who sits upon the throne of the universe. He is the great shepherd of the sheep. Great in his person, for he's the God-man. Great in his position, for he's seated at the right hand of the majesty on high. Great in his power, for he has total sovereignty in the hands of omnipotence. Great in his possessions, for all fullness is his. and great in his provisions. For he gives all grace, all glory, and all things to his people.

Now notice this. Our Lord Jesus obtained his greatness as our shepherd in his resurrection glory through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Do you know what the covenant is? The everlasting covenant is that covenant made between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit before the world began, in which God arranged and secured and guaranteed our salvation through Christ promising to meet all the stipulations of the covenant. You can read about it in Jeremiah 31, Hebrews chapter 8, Hebrews chapter 12. You can read about it in Ezekiel chapter 36. This covenant is spoken of many, many places in the scriptures. It is a covenant ordered in all things and sure, which David says is all my salvation and all my desire.

You know what the blood of the covenant is? The blood of the covenant is the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. But Mark, as I read this 20th and 21st verse for years, I kept asking myself, what's the significance? What's the connection? Why is the resurrection of Christ connected with the blood of the everlasting covenant. He brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Lazarus didn't come forth from the tomb through the blood of the covenant. Those others who were raised from the dead by the power of God did not rise from the dead by the blood of the covenant. But here is a man who is our mediator who is said to come forth from the dead and be seated in heaven's glory through the blood of the everlasting covenant.

Here's the answer. The whole purpose of God. The whole purpose of God. The whole everlasting covenant of grace. was contingent upon one thing. One thing. The Father said, I will be their God and they shall be my people. The Son said, I'll redeem them. The Spirit said, I'll call them. I will bring them to glory. The Son said, I'll present them at last, holy, unblameable, unapprovable in your sight, saying, Lo, I and the children which thou hast given me. And the Father said, all right, I'll take them on one condition. blood atonement. Blood atonement. Their sins must be put away. Justice must be satisfied. And here's the condition. The blood of Christ must by this one final ultimate climactic act satisfy the demands of God and bring into effect the covenant of His grace.

Turn to Hebrews chapter 9 for a moment. Hebrews 9. You can go back and pick up in the first verse and read it later, but for right now, skip down to verse 15.

For this cause, Christ is the mediator of the new testament. The word is covenant. The new covenant. It's the very same word translated covenant in Hebrews chapter 8. That by means of death, by means of his death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

For where a testament is, get it now, where a testament is, where a covenant is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator of the covenant. for a testament, a covenant is a force after men are dead, otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. Now that's speaking concerning testaments with men.

I have a last will and testament, real simple. I hadn't got anything, so I signed all of my nothing over to my daughter, real simple. Something happens to me before It doesn't have to be Shelby. She takes whatever money we have in the bank. Whatever insurance is collected goes to Shelby. If we both die, it goes to Shelby. It's as simple as it can be.

But nobody can get hold of any of it until I'm dead. If I had 50 million dollars, nobody could get hold of a cent without my permission until I'm dead. Because the testament, it doesn't matter who's named in my will, the testament is a force only after I'm dead. I lose my mind, which might not take long, but it's only enforced legally after I am legally declared dead, no longer responsible for it.

Jesus Christ made a testament, a covenant, before the world began with the Father. The Father said, I will give them eternal life. I will put away all their sins. I will make them perfectly righteous. I will receive them unto myself. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. But you've got to die. You've got to die. And the son said, I'll do it. And when he laid down his life, he cried, and it's finished. The testator was put in force. And now, here is a testator who lives again to speak to it that his will's accomplished. He's seated upon the right hand of the majesty on high.

When our Lord Jesus cried from the cross, it is finished, and died, He had fulfilled all the terms and conditions of the covenant. He rendered to God his Father complete satisfaction for the sins of his people. And the efficacy of his atonement demanded both his resurrection from the dead and ours. He came forth from the dead because he had put away sin. You see that there? He had put away the sin which he bore in his body on the tree. And now, when justice is satisfied, the sins are cancelled, and he bears no sin. So he comes up out of the tomb. That's not all. They were our sins. Justice is satisfied. He comes up out of the tomb. So did we. Not only did it demand that he be released from all the consequences of our sin, He demanded that we be released from all the consequences of our sins. This was the Father's promise to the Son, our surety, the covenant of grace, before the world began. And it is actually accomplished. Our sins were imputed to Christ. He satisfied the justice of God for our sins. Now, death has no more dominion over him. And blessed be his name. has no more dominion over us. Oh death, where is this? Oh grave, where is thy victory?

The Apostle Peter says in chapter 4 verse 1, For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. Hath ceased I'm saying so we no longer are obligated to answer to God for our sins. We've already suffered in the flesh in Christ our Savior. It is through the great shepherd of the sheep that God perfects his work of grace in his sheep. Paul's prayer is that the God of peace may make 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.

Let me move on to the last thing. Turn to 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 4. Christ is the Good Shepherd with reference to our redemption. He is the Great Shepherd with reference to his resurrection glory, and he is the Chief Shepherd with reference to his Peter declares that the Lord Jesus Christ here is the chief shepherd, and when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Now, I am, as your pastor, a little shepherd, an under-shepherd. Christ is the chief shepherd. In the kingdom of God, there's only one chief, and he's not in Rome. He's in glory. That chief is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. All pastors, teachers, elders, evangelists, missionaries, even apostles and prophets are servants of the shepherd. We are not lords of the flock, but servants of the flock. God's servants are examples to the flock. not pirates over the flock. Let me say it again, we are under shepherds. Under shepherds. Christ alone is the chief shepherd.

Now being an under shepherd to Christ, it is totally of no concern to me where he allows me to serve him, or who the sheep are for whom I care. That's totally no significance. I'm his shepherd. Just another shepherd. And whatever he gives me to do in his kingdom for his sheep, I'll be grateful to him.

It is as the chief shepherd that our Lord Jesus shall complete his work of grace and our ultimate and final glorification. Soon the chief shepherd will appear. Do you really believe Christ is coming again? If I didn't, I'd shut up, close this book up, and I'd never attempt to preach again. Absolutely. He's coming again, just as He went into glory. And just as men saw Him go up into heaven, every eye shall see Him. Every eye shall see Him. They also, which pierced Him, means a way over God's kingdom. When Christ comes, He will raise up our bodies from the dead. And the chief shepherd will give to all his sheep a crown of glory that fadeth not away. I don't know what all that means, but I'm sure it includes this. We shall at last be perfectly conformed to Christ, even to the likeness of his glory as the God-man, our mediator. And then the purpose of God will be fulfilled.

Now try to remember these three pictures of our shepherds. meditate upon them, draw the comfort from them they're intended to give, and glorify Christ in your heart as the Good Shepherd who redeemed us, the Great Shepherd who rules heaven for us, the Chief Shepherd who's coming again to take us up unto himself in glory.

It is the Christ, the Shepherd, who is our Savior. Salvation is all together His. He agreed to it in the covenant, he accomplished it on the cross, he applies it from the throne, and he shall have the praise of it forever and ever.

Now I call you, each one of you, right now, to believe the shepherds. Commit your way to the shepherds in all things. And if, by God's grace, right where you sit, now, you can trust yourself to the hands of the shepherd, it's because God, from eternity, gave you into his hands. And because God has now, by his Spirit, given you to the shepherd. And so, now, his people are living in the name

We once went astray. We were, as sheep, going astray. But are now returned, by omnipotent grace, to the shepherd and bishop of our souls.