 Our text this morning is John chapter 10 Versus 1 through 10 The title of our sermon the good shepherd's love for his sheep We're in part two as we were working through this text and working through John chapter 10. It is a glorious text just an astounding passage of scripture and here in John chapter 1 through 10 John chapter 10 versus 1 through 10 We're just getting into the the initial part of this text of scripture and all the theology and all the the truth that God is Communicating here. It really is just an astounding astounding section of scripture. It's all astounding. It's all good Here's just a beautiful text that God's own picture God's own depiction of what it looks like To be under the sovereign love and care of the good shepherd Such profound theology such profound truths here the sovereignty of God the responsibility of man the depravity of man the Effectual call of God the irresistible grace Just so much theology packed in here. So it's our joy to be able to continue studying this this morning Jesus Christ the good shepherd is The good shepherd who gives his life in love for the sheep This is a picture of the good shepherd's love For his sheep and that love of the good shepherd for his sheep. We began last week seeing in four ways displayed in verses one and two He shepherds his people with a protective love that love is a protective love in Verses three through four. He shepherds his people with a directive love or an authoritative love In verses five through eight he shepherds them with an Exclusive love an exclusive love and in verses nine through ten he shepherds his people with an exhaustive love So as we got into verses one and two last week, we looked at he shepherds his people with a protective love where the Bible reads in verse one Most assuredly I say to you He who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way The same is a thief and a robber But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep now this protective love initially displayed here in verse one with a stern warning most assuredly amen amen listen carefully to me This is emphatic. He who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way The same as a thief and a robber The reason this begins with a protective love is because sheep are perpetually in danger They're perpetually in danger notice first from verse one That in the shepherds protective love he gives the warning and then we see that the flock of God is enclosed in the sheepfold And again the sheepfold intended to keep the sheep in and danger out It was often a high wall for protection often as much as 10 or 12 feet high and A paid doorkeeper that sat at a single gate a single entrance There was only one legitimate way in or out of the sheepfold. It was through a single Door that a picture of this protecting love for the sheep. We saw that the Lord begins with a contrast He begins by contrasting The thieves and robbers that climb up some other way in verse one With the good shepherd that enters in by the door in verse two Now all of this on the heels of how the the religious thieves and robbers of the day had just treated the man born blind in John chapter 9 those thieves and robbers treated him miserably So the thieves and robbers Primarily representative of the false religious leaders of the Lord's day the scribes the Pharisees the religious elite Those that we've seen so far in opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ Those are the thieves and robbers by contrast the good shepherd the one who enters in at the door and In verse 11. He is the one who gives his life for the sheep He is the only one who enters in by the door and gives his life for the sheep He's not coming in unlawfully. He's not coming in over the wall He's not sneaking in some other way like a thief or a robber He enters in at the lawful door and so last week we saw the good shepherd's love for his sheep in His protection. It is a protective love Today beginning in verse three. I want you to see that he shepherds his people here with a directive love or an Authoritative love and let's unpack this beginning in verse three to him Verse three reads the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice And he calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out And when he brings out his own sheep He goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice Now in verse three The doorkeeper opens to the one who has the authority I want you to see that to direct the sheep the doorkeeper opens to the one who has Authority to lead and to direct the sheep We know from verse five if you look at verse five that the sheep will not follow a stranger And we know that the doorkeeper will not open to thieves and robbers. They're having to sneak in some other way the doorkeeper opens Only to him Who calls the sheep leads the sheep brings out the sheep and goes before the sheep the sheep follow him And he is the one whom the sheep know they know his voice and notice the emphasis here in verse three Listen to him The doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls His own sheep by name and leads them out and when he brings out his own sheep He goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice If you read through verses three and four that way the emphasis you can see is all on the sheep No, it's not it's not on the sheep. It's on him, right? All the emphasis here is on what he who's that? The good shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ the emphasis is on what he does now listen He calls them. He leads them. He brings them out. He goes before them in verse 11 He dies for them Now look at the text. What do the sheep do? In verse three they hear All right as a fruit of that hearing in verse four they follow and In verse five they flee from strangers Gotta put this in perspective the he the him the his in verses three and four all Refer to the shepherd of the sheep in verse two. This is the Lord Jesus Christ who says in verse 11 I am the good shepherd and the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep as We come to verse three now the doorkeeper only Opens to him the good shepherd who has the authority To direct and to lead his sheep This is an authoritative love a directive love now think about this for a moment and think about the goodness of the good Shepherd, why would you want to be led by anyone else? Is there anyone else that you can imagine being directed by are you going to be directed by your own flesh? You want to direct yourself? It's like a you know abandoning a baby to live for themselves as that baby sees fit It's like a completely foolish thing to do right. It's gonna the baby's gonna die Why would you want to be led by anyone else? Why would you submit yourself to the authority of self? Sovereign self right? Why would you submit to the authority of anyone else in that way? The Lord Jesus Christ is a loving good shepherd and he has the authority To lead his sheep submit to him when you submit to the Lord Jesus Christ all works out for your good Incidentally here as we look at this text Who then is the doorkeeper? Who's the doorkeeper? You know in one sense. This is not an allegory It's not an allegory where you look at each piece of the account each piece of the story And you look for deeper connections or deeper meanings behind every character or meaning behind every detail If you look at verse 6 here, Jesus simply calls it an illustration a paroimia a paroimia He's using a simple and well-known comparison the sheep and the shepherd And he's using this picture to call out the difference between himself and the false shepherds However as we think about our context here, the Lord is giving us the backstory. We understand who the good shepherd is Right, we understand thieves and robbers referring to the false religious leaders of the day false shepherds of the day We understand the sheep don't we to be God's elect and we're gonna see that more clearly as we work through this passage There's a meaning associated here with the sheep fold We're gonna talk about that more as well Jesus in verse 7 identifies himself with the very door of the sheep and here in verse 3 we're introduced to this bit of an enigma here the doorkeeper the doorkeeper and I was Meditating on this for a while the last couple of weeks thinking about the doorkeeper. You have to ask the question What exactly does a doorkeeper do? What does a doorkeeper do a doorkeeper? guards against unauthorized entry Right, and he allows Authorized entry a doorkeeper is a guard of sorts not allowing those unauthorized to enter But then allowing those authorized to enter now you could say and many have That the only one that could do that for the Lord Jesus Christ Here is the good shepherd would be God himself and we wouldn't disagree with that We wouldn't dispute that that's certainly true, but I think in thinking about the doorkeeper. We can be more specific think for a moment About the redemptive plan of God What must be involved for sinful man to have access and right standing with a holy God What must be involved one? One must perfectly fulfill the just and righteous demands of God's holy law Therefore the law of God Stands as a doorkeeper if you will to access to God In order for sinful man to have access and right standing with a holy God one must fully satisfy and Propitiate the just wrath of God against sin Therefore the righteous judgment of God stands as doorkeeper One must be perfect to enter as our heavenly father is perfect the Lord says and Therefore the holiness of God stands as doorkeeper one must fulfill and purchase The eternal decrees the eternal covenants the eternal promises of God That God in himself might be both just and the justifier Therefore the immutability of his counsel confirmed by an oath stands as doorkeeper One must be fully man in all ways as we are yet without sin He must be fully God harmless Undefiled separate from sinners the son of God perfected forever therefore now think about it the Pediatry requirements of a new and better covenant stand as doorkeeper You see if you if you look at the doorkeeper in this way There is only one There is only one who was able to enter the most holy place past the doorkeeper of God's demands and decrees Not by the shedding of blood and shedding of blood of goats and calves But with his own blood shed once for all having obtained eternal Retention the Lord Jesus Christ entered Jesus Christ alone entered now. Why is that important? Because we ourselves you and I can only enter past the doorkeeper if we are in Him only through union with the Lord Jesus Christ John chapter 1 verse 4 in him was life and the life was the light of men Romans chapter 15 verse 12 in him the Gentiles shall hope 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 20 for all the promises of God in him are a yes and in him Amen to the glory of God through us in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 for he made him who knew no sin to be sinned for us That we might become the righteousness of God in him. Amen Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 listen to this He chose us God chose us in him He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Having predestined us to adoption his sons by Jesus Christ to himself According to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace by which he made us accepted in the beloved in Him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace In him also we have obtained an inheritance Being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory In him Paul says you also trusted after you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation In whom also having believed you were sealed with a Holy Spirit of promise Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchase possession to the praise of his glory? There's only one. There's only one to whom the doorkeeper opens There is only one. There's only one who is worthy to receive entry Do you see in Revelation chapter 5? As John wept there's only one Only one who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth John says was able to open the scroll only one the Lord Jesus Christ alone is Worthy there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved No other religious leader is worthy. You are not worthy. I'm not worthy If we are to be with him then we must be in him. Do you see? Al Moller said this if all we need is a teacher of enlightenment Then Buddha will do if all we need is a collection of gods for every occasion and need and hope Then Hinduism will do if all we need is a tribal deity that any tribal deity will do if all we need is a Lawgiver then Moses will do if all we need is a set of rules in a way of devotion Then Muhammad or Joseph Smith will do if all we need is inspiration and insight Into the sovereign self for crying out loud Oprah will do But if we need a savior then only the Lord Jesus Christ will do Only one blood that can make us white as snow no other fount I know nothing can for Siniton certainly nothing good that I have done nothing but the blood of Jesus So what happens to those who are not in him They're not in the only one to whom the doorkeeper opens You see how all of those demands and decrees of God's holiness and God's character and God's covenants and God's promises Stand as keys that only the Lord Jesus Christ can open He's the only one that can fulfill all of the promises of God He's the only one in perfect accord with the righteousness and holiness of God. It is only In him that we can have any fellowship with God But listen in him you can come boldly to the throne room of grace If you're not in him Then you do not enter Those that are not in him they perish in hell Those that are not in him are separated from him for all eternity to die Under the curse of God the condemnation of God the judgment of God the torment of God the wrath of God the eternal punishment of God Why is that it's because they refuse to come to Christ alone Christ alone is sufficient. Would you add works to that? Would you add any supposed righteousness that you think you have can you add anything to that? Nothing to that Christ alone is sufficient Turn to him from your sin. They refuse Those that do not enter in refuse to count all things lost to gain Christ To gain Christ and to be found in him Will you trust him? He's the one that opens the door. He is the door. He is the one to whom the doorkeeper Opens to the glorious Blessings and riches of God Will you trust him today and turn from your sin? Do that now do it now your delay in light of that glory is grievous sin Turn to Christ As the doorkeeper opens to him As the doorkeeper opens John says in chapter 10 verse 3 He says the sheep Hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name And he leads them out and when he brings out his own sheep He goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice If you remember the great commission the Lord Jesus Christ before he ascended to heaven said that all authority has been given to him alone in Heaven and on earth He is the only one worthy in whom all the demands and decrees of God are fulfilled. He calls his own sheep here He leads them out. He goes before them and they Follow him. Do you see I? Want you to see that the good shepherds love for his sheep as a directive love. It is an authoritative Love and I want you to see this from our text in two ways first His directive or authoritative love is seen in his calling and leading of the sheep His directive or authoritative love is seen in the calling and leading of the good shepherd in verse 3 secondly His directive or authoritative love is seen in the following and in the knowing of the sheep on One side you see it in the leading the calling in the leading of the good shepherd on the other side You see it in the following and in the knowing of the sheep First his directive love is seen in the calling and in the leading of the shepherd Verse 3 the second half there he calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out And when he brings out his own sheep he goes before them Now if you picture the scene Having stayed all night in the village sheepfold under the guard of the doorkeeper The sheep first thing in the morning would hear the call of the good shepherd the shepherd would come The doorkeeper would allow the shepherd in and he would call out to the sheep of his flock To gather them to him and to take them out to pasture Now ancient Near East shepherds you look at this. There's a lot of material on it They were known to have particular calls or particular whistles for the sheep They would have been distinctive to the sheep the sheep would have recognized those distinctive calls and come to the shepherd So hearing the shepherd's voice they would recognize his particular call to them and those specific sheep Those that were his would separate themselves from the rest of the flock in the sheepfold and they would come to him The shepherd when he had all of his own sheep together He would lead them off to pasture now This is just such a beautiful picture of God's calling and God's care for his people Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake We can make several observations then here about the nature of his calling and leading from our text first Regarding those sheep, which he calls and leads regarding those sheep which he calls and leads notice first that they are his own Sheep they're his own sheep. He owns them If you're in Christ through repentant faith Turning from sin and trusting him Then you are a blood-bought Purchased possession of the good shepherd Your specific redemption Purchased by his particular atonement at the cross Now think about this being his own and Having purchased you with his own blood He has the right and the authority to both call you and lead you first Corinthians chapter 6 verse 20 Paul says for you were bought at a price and that comes with an implication. He says You were bought at a price therefore Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are gods His is an authoritative love Now with this authoritative love the good shepherd will without fail Lead you to eternal rest drop down to chapter 10 and look at verses 28 and 29 chapter 10 Look at verse 28 The good shepherd says that I give them eternal life and they shall never perish Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. Now. Why is that? Is that because the sheep are so faithful and following? No, right. That's the power of the good shepherd. That's the love of the good shepherd That's the constraining and compelling and irresistible and effectual Advocations grace of the good shepherd that they never are snatched out of his hand. They never perish verse 29 my father who has given them to me is Greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand I and my father are one As we consider this if he's in the sheepfold and he's calling sheep his sheep to himself Then this also presupposes that there are other sheep in the fold that are not his own This is an important point to understand He goes to the fold and Out of the fold he calls his own. Okay. Now here specifically in John chapter 10 verses 1 through 6 The Lord is referring to Israel. He's referring to Judaism Jesus said in Matthew chapter 15 verse 24 I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Now he's first sent to that fold if you will to Judaism to Israel now That doesn't mean here that God rejects the Gentiles if you drop down to chapter 10 verse 16 We're gonna get here. Look at what he says in verse 16. He says other sheep I have which are not of this fold and them also I must bring and they will hear my voice and there will be one flock and one shepherd We're gonna get there and talk about that Israel was intended to mediate salvation to the Gentiles We're gonna work through that as we get to verse 16 I think through this for a moment out of this fold Reference here in verses 1 through 6 the fold of Israel the fold of Judaism out of that fold He calls those who are his own Now all those according to verse 29 are all those that the father has given to him Now you might say for for a moment Wait a minute. I thought that the Jewish people were all children of God. I thought that Israel were all children of God No John chapter 1 verse 11 you remember our text, don't you? John says he came to his own. Who's that? The children of Israel the Jews he came to his own and his own did not receive him his own did not receive him Now the Jews profess to be people of God They profess to be the children of God But listen to what Paul says in Romans chapter 9 verse 6 Paul says not all who are Descended from Israel belong to Israel What do you mean by that Paul? Chapter 11 verse 5 at the present time There is a remnant a part or a portion of them that are chosen by grace Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. There is a remnant There's a part or a portion of them chosen or elected by grace chapter 11 verse 7 Paul says Israel the nation of Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained it Putting it another way Paul says in Romans chapter 2 verse 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly Nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh But he is a Jew who is one Inwardly Paul says and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not from men But from God and this is really important to understand God is making a division among those who profess to be his We'll see this more clearly as we work through John chapter 10 God makes a division Among of those who profess to be his God's people Those people those sheep that he purchased at the cross those that are truly his are not those who merely profess to be his or merely Identify with his people God's people those he purchased those he bought with his own blood at the cross Those that are truly his are not those who merely profess to be his or merely Identify themselves with his people Either through ethnicity like the Jews do here They would profess to be children of Abraham. So we're God's people children of God certainly going to heaven and Today we see it most prominently in those who make a profession of faith Jesus says in Matthew 7 not everyone who says to me Lord Lord Shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but who is it who enters who is it who enters? Those who do the will of my father in heaven As we look at John or Romans chapter 2 Those who are truly his those who are truly in him are those marked by a circumcised heart He's not a Jew who is one outwardly nor a circumcision that which is outward in the flesh But he is a Jew who is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter a Humble and contrite heart a Heart that is broken and mourning over sin A heart that's been changed by God a transformed heart and those who bear the fruit of truly hearing Those who bear the fruit of truly hearing I want you to see those They are those who follow and obey The Good Shepherd So listen whether it's out of the sheepfold of 1st century Judaism whether it's out of the fold of Ethnicity Descendancy in Abraham or my dad was a pastor or I grew up in church or whatever it is Whether it's out of the fold of 1st century Judaism Judaism where it's out of the 21st century fold of easy-believe ism Catholicism dead lifeless Orthodoxy word of faith Mormonism the damning plague of so-called nominal Christianity today Whatever fold you're in If he calls you Then he causes you to be born again, and he changes you Circumcision is not outward. It is inward and of the heart your life will never be the same Next regarding the sheep. I want you to see this Regarding those sheep which he calls and leads notice that he calls them out by name He calls them out by name if you're here today, and you're a Christian. Why are you a Christian? Think about why you're a Christian you point back to a work that you did a decision that you made an aisle that you walked a prayer That you prayed a sacrament that you took a baptism that you went to You're a Christian if you're a Christian you're a Christian because the Lord of glory The great shepherd of the sheepfold he foreknew you and he predestined you and then he effectually Called you here by name now that by name means that he called you individually It wasn't calling this mass of humanity. He called you and he called you by name He called you personally he called you Individually and it was a special call an intimate call. Do you see you're not just a number to God? You're not just a number to God. He calls his sheet by name fluffy Cotton you know Frank all right. He calls you by name now You think about that for a moment the calling of his own by name presupposes that the sheep were his Before he called them. Do you see this where all this theology comes together if you're gonna be precise in your theology Precise with the word of God faithful to the text of Scripture then all this has to fit together and it does beautifully because it's God's word The calling of his own presupposes that these sheep were his before he called them Romans chapter 8 verse 28 says this We know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are the called According to his purpose for those whom he foreknew He also predestined these to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren Moreover now listen whom he predestined These he also called those whom he called These he also justified and whom he justified These he also glorified this call this calling of God is often referred to as the Effectual call or an efficacious call because it works it accomplishes the purpose for which God intends it It accomplishes what it intends to accomplish and notice the chain in Romans 828 and following it's unbroken Those whom he predestined he called them Those that he called those are the ones that he justified and those that he justifies they are glorified So you could put it all together and say those whom he predestined he glorifies and everything in the middle It's an unbroken chain. It is an Irresistible grace his plans his decrees are Unthwarted they cannot fail if you are in Christ then you were called from death to life You were called from sin. You were called by name from rebellion against God into Sonship with him by the very Savior that God sent into the world to secure your calling to secure your redemption Then having been called having been called you are Justified having been justified you will be glorified if you notice from Romans chapter 8 He speaks of that glorification as in the past It's so certain so set In the eternal decrees of God it is as if it's already taken place. You will be glorified Now, how do you know? How do you know that you've been called? We're talking about these sheep that he calls any leads he calls them out by name How do you know that you've been called? Now according to verse 29 if you drop down to chapter 10 verse 29 These that he calls are a particular flock of sheep And there are particular flock of sheep that God the father gives to him verse 29 says my father Who has given them to me is greater than all? One of the marks or Evidences that this flock these sheep belong to him a Particular mark of elect sheep That they have been effectually called by God is the fact that his own sheep hear his voice verse 3 They hear his voice. They know his voice in verse 4 They know his voice and They follow him That's important to note Just like Matthew the tax collector, right? He got up from his tax table and he followed Christ He called Philip He called Nathaniel He called Simon Peter Simon Peter left his nets left his fishing and followed Christ You You may have lived long in your rebellion You may have been stiff-necked. You may have rejected Christ at a return even now here today. You may be sitting here rejecting the preaching of God's word Rejecting God's grace to you that you're here Rejecting the Lord of glory who gives his life for the sheep. You may be stiff-necked hard-hearted rebellious Loving your sin intending fully to go back to it But when the grace of God in his love toward you appears You turn and follow him. It is an Efficacious effectual grace the sheep that are his those that hear his voice. They know his voice. They follow him And you were stiff-necked no longer amen if you're in if you're in Christ, praise God You can't take credit for that yourself, right? There's no sense in which we can own our own Righteousness now that we say we profess the Lord. It's all in him. It's God's work God turns you from sin to himself turns you from rebellion to righteousness It's a beautiful him by Isaac Watts While all our hearts and all our songs Join to admire the feast right the wedding supper of the lamb Each of us cry with thankful tongues Lord. Why was I a guest? Never asked that question It's common to Christians Lord why why would you have saved me? Look at how retched how undeserving Why was I made notice the passive voice there? Why was I made the hymn says to hear thy voice? That's good biblical theology Why was I made to hear thy voice and enter while there's room? When thousands make a wretched choice and rather starve than come To as that same love that spread the feast it sweetly drew us in Else we had still refused to taste and perished in our sin It's all of the good shepherd and the good shepherds love for his sheep He owns them and he calls them out by name But notice in verse 4 That he also brings them out and goes before them he brings them out and he goes before them Verse 4 and when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice Interesting that although he calls us by name And it's an effectual call right? It's in it. It's a Wonder-working grace. It's a powerful call It accomplishes that which it's intended to accomplish and although that's true although he calls us by name It's an intimate a personal an individual call He has to get us out with some force the word there for brings them out is the word ekbalo It means he throws us out He throws us out. He expels us with some force He has to throw you out of the fold of your sin. How many of you have felt that way coming to the Lord? It's not easy repenting, right? Not easy repenting not easy turning from sin. It's a battle He has to throw you out of the fold of your sin has to throw you out of the world Throw you out of the fold of the world the flesh and the devil It's difficult to turn from this world and to turn from your own flesh The Bible says you have to agonize To get through the narrow gate, which is difficult. It's a difficult way which leads to life now Again, we talk about that. We have to put that in context, right of so many that teach today that it's easy All you have to do is say this prayer All you have to do is this that or the other thing anytime you hear any call to the gospel prefaced by all you have to do You need to verse 5 flee from that stranger Once you're through it's not going to be easy either It's no flowery beds of ease once you're through the gate once you're out of the fold But notice though Notice though that although he has to throw us out of the fold of our sin verse 4 says he goes before us He goes before us. He doesn't drive you by a whip or at the point of a sword He goes before us lovingly graciously, but authoritatively, right lovingly Graciously and authoritatively. He is the Lord Jesus Christ the good shepherd, but he is Lord Jesus Christ And it's for our good. It's because he loves us that he is authoritative You know Western shepherds you have these these shepherds in the ancient Near East That would go behind the sheep right or that would go in front of the sheep leading them out Western shepherds drive the sheep often Western shepherds drive from behind the sheep and they use dogs or clubs And they drive the sheep Here you see a biblical picture of how the good shepherd Lovingly leads the sheep I think this is a biblical portrayal of how the Lord leads us the loving Direction of God now that loving direction of God compels the sheep to hear and to follow the sheep with a new heart They have new spiritual ears through which they can hear the Lord and they follow in Adoration of the shepherd the love of Christ compels us right compels us That we should no longer live for ourselves, but for him who died Right the good shepherd compels the sheep leads the sheep graciously lovingly and authoritatively leads out the sheep Isaiah chapter 40 verse 11 says He will feed his flock like a shepherd He will gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and Gently lead those who are with young That's one way to think about how the good shepherd leads he brings them out and he goes before Them he doesn't drive them from behind with a whip or a sword or a dog He leads them he brings them out he goes before them, but think about this way think about it in another way Another way in which the good shepherd goes before his sheep turn with me to Hebrews chapter 2 Hebrews chapter 2 We serve an awesome Lord amen Just a glorious and a gloriously good chief shepherd Hebrews chapter 2 and drop down to verse 14 This is another way in which the good shepherd goes before his sheep Hebrews chapter 2 in verse 14 in as much then as The children have partaken that word means is coin in the it means fellowship. They've they share They have communion together in flesh and blood We're flesh and blood. We have communion together. We partake together in that reality, right? In as much as the children have partaken of flesh and blood He himself Christ likewise Shared in the same that word there for shared not the same word it means that he Added to himself Something that was originally not a part of his nature So in this sense, he added to himself our humanity. He came this is his incarnation. He came added to his divine nature humanity He shared with us in that do you see? He himself likewise shared in the same That for the purpose that through death He might one destroy him who had the power of death that is the devil praise God and To so that he might release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage Listen verse 16 for indeed He does not give aid to angels But he does give aid to the seed of Abraham Therefore in all things he went before us You see in all things he had to be made like his brethren So that he could go before us that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people For in that he himself has suffered being tempted. He's gone before us in that He is able to aid those who are tempted You see that's glorious truth. I think about that for a moment. He goes before us He goes before us that he might become a substitute for us to reconcile men to God to destroy him Who had the power of death that is the devil, but he also goes before us so that he can help us when we're tempted He not only saves us, but he sympathizes with us. Do you see? He goes before us so that he could be a merciful and a faithful high priest on our behalf look over at Hebrews chapter 4 Hebrews chapter 4 and Look there at verse 14 Now here the Bible says Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens Jesus the son of God Let us hold fast our confession this goodness of the good shepherd considering what he's done Let us hold fast verse 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses But was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin. He went before us. Do you see? Let us therefore in light of all of this let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain Mercy and find grace to help in time of need wherever you go Right, whatever sin that you're battling whatever your circumstance Whatever situation you find yourself in he has gone before you He has experienced temptation Listen the Lord Jesus Christ has experienced temptation to a far greater degree than you will ever face it. Do you think about that? You succumb to temptation far before ever experiencing the full fury of it Lord Jesus Christ never succumbed to temptation that he was sinless without sin He faced the full measure of every temptation that came upon him because he withstood it to the end He can sympathize with our weakness He has felt what we felt He knows hunger. He knows thirst. He knows weariness. He knows grief He knows grief He knows times of trouble. He knows pain. He knows love. He knows joy He knows Indignation He knows anger. He knows heartache He had to exercise faith He had to exercise faith. He had to walk by the Spirit He prayed he trusted God In all of that in all the ways in which his humanity he went before us the Lord Jesus Christ overcame He was victorious in every trial utterly and completely victorious in every battle faithful in every circumstance So when you find yourself battling sin There's grace here for help In your time of need turn to Christ Put your faith in Christ When you're in fearful circumstances You're facing anxiety or depression or discouragement Turn to Christ come boldly Into his throne room to find grace The one who is fully God is the one who is fully man And he fully understands and he can fully provide Help in time of need He leads us. He leads us having gone before us. Do you see? We serve a great Savior It's a great picture isn't it of the the master-disciple relationship. He calls us by name, you know He leads us. He brings us out going before us It's a beautiful picture of the master-disciple relationship You know the Lord commands the Lord is authoritative there are commands in Scripture, but if you think about his gracious and merciful Office as the great and merciful and faithful high priest in the way that he leads How is the Christian to respond to that? It's not what must I do, right? It's what can I do? When I'm tempted to wander when you're tempted to wander off into paths and sin Rebellion against God laziness and apathy You can say no Because I am loved in this way because of all that he has done because of what he does even now I will not Wander I am cared for by the great and good shepherd of the sheep And I will follow him He goes before us So we've we've looked at the directive or the authoritative love of the good shepherd for a sheep and is leading them and is calling them It is bringing them out and is going before them But next I want you to see his directive love in both the following and the knowing of the sheep Look at verse 4 Now having heard his voice in verse 3 The sheep follow him verse 4 for they know his voice now again The calling and leading and the good shepherd is efficacious There's grace at work in it and it produces an effect It produces an effect one of the effects is one they know His voice verse 4 they know is for his voice true sheep true sheep have a discerning ear by the grace of God They hear his voice Their ears go up They recognize the voice of the good shepherd and they follow him they trust the good shepherd. There's no need To be fearful of being lost. There's no lack of spiritual food. There's no want of security There's unshakable unwavering safety in the shepherd. They are never to be abandoned What he wants you to have he gives you what he wants to withhold from you he withholds What's not good for you? All things made to work together for your good They know his voice they trust him and so they follow him now the sheep can wander right? praise God That this good shepherd Pulls back his wandering sheep. There are those that wander from the fold because they were never part of the fold to begin with But the good shepherd they trust they know his voice and they follow him now That's the result of their good hearing The result of their good hearing is that they follow him here specifically to follow means to obey Adhere to him cling to him cling to his teachings cling to his word and that's the mark of a true sheet Think about the new covenant The Bible says God says that in his covenant He'll make a new covenant that he will give us a new heart. He'll take out that heart of stone Give us a heart of flesh. He will end well us with his spirit and what? He'll cause us. That's right. He'll cause us To walk according to his judgments So ask yourself this morning Are you following the good shepherd? Do you want to You want to then follow him Follow him. He is the good shepherd, but the good shepherd doesn't leave you Where you are he throws you out of the fold of your sin. You see He leads you and he expects you to follow you were expected to follow him. Oh This is just significant theology. You have God sovereignty. He leads he brings out He's the one who calls you have man's responsibility that is equally and fully true. You must hear him and respond You must follow him obey him There's four knowledge here. There's predestination. There's election. There's the effectual call of God There's irresistible grace things just full of theology The directive the authoritative love of the good shepherd for his sheep is seen in the Knowing of his voice and in the following of the sheep This just points us to another profound truth in verses five through eight So we consider the good shepherd's love for his sheep He shepherds his people with a protective love He shepherds them with the directive or an authoritative love But next he shepherds his people with an exclusive love an exclusive love look at verse five back in John chapter 10 verse five Here John says Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him For they do not know the voice of strangers In verse five where he says no means by no means that's who may it means absolutely not not It's a it's a strong negation in the Greek With the same certainty That they follow the shepherd They certainly will not follow a stranger right stranger here is someone belonging To another someone who doesn't belong in the environment in which they find themselves. They are a stranger to the fold now True sheep genuine sheep may from time to time be Temporarily corralled by someone who is deceptive. You've seen that happen that may have happened to you Even though they may be temporary Temporarily corralled They're never going to be truly fed. They're not going to be nourished. Their growth is going to be stunted and they're going to be restless They're going to be needy. They're going to be unsettled Increasingly they're going to say that voice that I'm hearing It's not a voice that I'm comfortable with It's not the voice of the good shepherd It's not familiar to me and when the truth comes along they recognize his voice the spirit witnesses with their spirit They say amen and they flee never to go back to that stranger That's the way that it works. They won't stay long in error Although occasionally being temporarily corralled by a deceptive liar Many of you are here today Many of you are here because God saw to it that you heard truth that you heard his voice amen You can point back to your experience to the Lord leading you out going before you bringing you out throwing you out of the fold You heard truth a truth is exclusively from him Exclusively from him and we are to follow no one else But him his love is an exclusive love. Yeah, but what about those those Muslims? So they worship Allah. That's the same We're talking to the same God. No If you embrace Allah in Islam you go to hell when you die The true sheep hear his voice and they follow him. It is an exclusive love. What about You know Mormonism they talk about Jesus Christ they use sort of the Bible No True sheep hear his voice. They follow no one else. They don't follow Joseph Smith They follow no one else. They don't follow Ellen G. White. They don't follow Joel Osteen They don't follow Joyce Myers. They don't follow Creflo dollar. They don't follow Strangers they follow the shepherd the good shepherd of the sheep We are to follow no one else But him there is one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus who gave his life for the sheep a ransom for all to be testified in due time For those who are not his sheep for those who are not his sheep they'll fall for anything They will fall for anything and you see that throughout profess Christianity today Those who are not of his sheep will fall for anything and it is sometimes Staggering what they'll fall for You listen to some one of these liars one of these false teachers Make a statement and you're like man, there's just there's there's no way right No way that anybody's gonna fall for that And then there's the stadium full of people there in the next week. It's amazing It's interesting those who are not his sheep. They'll fall for anything And the one of voice that they will not hear Is his voice The voice of the good shepherd that the case in point is in verse six. Look at verse six Jesus used this illustration But what? They didn't understand the things he was spoke. He was talking about They didn't hear his voice. He used this illustration this pyromia this uh picture But those that were not his sheep couldn't understand they couldn't hear his voice They didn't know what he was talking about. It's a case in point good example here in verse six We know from our immediate context here that there are two truths that characterize this lack of understanding This lack of hearing one they cannot understand They cannot understand and two they will not understand both are true They cannot understand and they will not understand They cannot understand first Corinthians chapter two verse 14 The natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of god for they are foolishness to him Nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned As for the willing As for those who are willing God says And you will seek me And find me when you search for me with all your heart. Are you willing? Do you want to hear his voice? Do you want to find you are a fool if you don't? Do you want to hear his voice? Do you want to follow the good shepherd? Do you want to go to heaven when you died? Do you want to be with him in eternity praising and worshiping him? Then follow him search for him You will seek me god says and you will find me when you search for me with your whole heart If you want heaven if you want christ Then search with all your heart god says you will find him Well, I prayed that one time for two minutes and i got nothing Keep praying Cry out to god and keep crying out to god keep staying faithful keep coming Don't let the flesh keep you back don't let the world don't let the devil stand between you and god Between you and eternity between you and the eternal well-being of your soul Don't let anything get in your way follow the good shepherd cling to him hear him Seek out his voice You have it right here Search for him and you'll find him god says pray cry out to him His is an exclusive love you find peace nowhere else. You'll find joy nowhere. They're temporary right temporary Passing moments of peace passing pleasures passing joys. That's all that sin is It is temporary and fleeting But there is no eternal joy. There is no eternal peace the way the transgressor is hard and it only gets harder Follow the lord Look at what a good shepherd he is Look at all that he's done for the sheep. He's given his life for them He has done everything you have All things that pertain to godliness in him All things that pertain to life in this world and life in the next Follow the good shepherd How gracious How merciful how compassionate and you in your sin and in your rebellion against him Will you continue to just thumb your nose at his grace at his compassion at his kindness? What are you doing? Will you continue to just live in apathy and indifference? What are you doing? Will you continue to neglect his word neglect him? He is the good shepherd that shepherds your soul Follow him hear his voice Don't you have pity on your own soul? I have pity on you this morning If you're here today and you're a part of that fold if you're one of his sheep, don't you have pity on them? Christ had pity on them Matthew chapter 9 verse 36 When he saw the multitudes The lord was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered Like sheep having no shepherd Got to preach him to lost people You know that the rest of that Isaac Watts him How sweet and awful is the place awful meaning full of all not terrible Isaac Watts writes pity the nations. Oh our god Constrain the earth to come Send thy victorious word abroad and bring the strangers home We long to see thy churches full That all the chosen race may with one voice and heart and soul sing thy redeeming grace Will you follow him this morning? Christian if you're struggling if you're Wondering if you're Imperiled in the battle Cry out to the good shepherd Who gives grace in time of need? And stand fast in him I love Hebrews chapter 13 beginning in verse 20 Now may the god of peace who brought up our lord Jesus christ from the dead that great shepherd of the sheep Through the blood of the everlasting covenant Make you complete in every good work to do his will Working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through jesus christ to whom be glory Forever and ever and all god's people said Amen Let's pray Father in heaven Lord we Turn anew turn afresh Look upon the the face of our good shepherd Through your word For the understanding that your spirit graciously gives to us And we praise you and we worship you and we thank you god I pray lord that In your goodness and compassion toward the sheep that you would make us complete Make us complete in every good work Causes by your spirit to do your will And work in us what is well pleasing in your sight For your honor for your praise for your glory Do that in our good shepherd in jesus christ maybe you be found in him Not having any spot or blemish or wrinkle or any such thing For those here not saved god I pray You would throw them out in the fold of this world their flesh and the devil And you lord would release them Who have through fear of death all their lifetime and subject to bondage And that for your good name for your glory you would save them to worship and to praise you with the saints for all eternity Or it's it's it's difficult And you know that it is because you went before us and so we pray to you lord jesus christ come quickly Thank you lord in jesus name Amen