WEBVTT 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:04.639 Today we look at another prophecy or prophecies 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:09.339 from the Old Testament. Focusing on the prophecies 00:00:09.339 --> 00:00:15.939 of Jesus as a shepherd. Jesus as shepherd. We're 00:00:15.939 --> 00:00:17.839 going to look first of all to Isaiah chapter 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:21.719 40 verses 9 through 11. And then John chapter 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:26.660 10 verses 1 through 18 for our text. And there 00:00:26.660 --> 00:00:29.160 will be a number of other scriptures as well. 00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:33.359 So first of all, let's look at Isaiah chapter 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:40.420 40, verses 9 through 11. O Zion, you who bring 00:00:40.420 --> 00:00:43.799 good tidings, get up into the high mountain, 00:00:43.899 --> 00:00:47.979 O Jerusalem. You who bring good tidings, lift 00:00:47.979 --> 00:00:51.719 up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Be not 00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:55.500 afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, behold your 00:00:55.500 --> 00:01:00.210 God. Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong 00:01:00.210 --> 00:01:04.109 hand and his arms shall rule for him. Behold, 00:01:04.150 --> 00:01:07.469 his reward is with him and his work before him. 00:01:07.670 --> 00:01:11.930 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will 00:01:11.930 --> 00:01:16.329 gather the lambs with his arm and carry them 00:01:16.329 --> 00:01:21.829 in his bosom and gently lead those who are with 00:01:21.829 --> 00:01:26.239 young. Let's turn now to the book of John. Chapter 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:34.540 10. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does 00:01:34.540 --> 00:01:37.780 not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs 00:01:37.780 --> 00:01:41.400 up some other way, the same is a thief and a 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:44.879 robber. But he who enters by the door is the 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:48.219 shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper 00:01:48.219 --> 00:01:51.799 opens, and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:55.090 his own sheep by name and leads them out. And 00:01:55.090 --> 00:01:57.430 when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before 00:01:57.430 --> 00:02:00.109 them, and the sheep follow him, for they know 00:02:00.109 --> 00:02:03.430 his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a 00:02:03.430 --> 00:02:06.230 stranger, but will flee from him, for they do 00:02:06.230 --> 00:02:09.750 not know the voice of strangers. Jesus used this 00:02:09.750 --> 00:02:12.590 illustration, but they did not understand the 00:02:12.590 --> 00:02:15.610 things which he spoke to them. Then Jesus said 00:02:15.610 --> 00:02:19.009 to them again, Most assuredly I say to you, I 00:02:19.009 --> 00:02:24.479 am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:26.900 me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did 00:02:26.900 --> 00:02:30.219 not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters 00:02:30.219 --> 00:02:33.060 by me, he will be saved and will go in and out 00:02:33.060 --> 00:02:36.259 and find pasture. The thief does not come except 00:02:36.259 --> 00:02:40.520 to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come 00:02:40.520 --> 00:02:43.699 that they might have life and that they might 00:02:43.699 --> 00:02:48.020 have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. 00:02:48.460 --> 00:02:51.719 The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 00:02:52.110 --> 00:02:55.509 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one 00:02:55.509 --> 00:02:58.150 who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming 00:02:58.150 --> 00:03:01.110 and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf 00:03:01.110 --> 00:03:04.509 catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling 00:03:04.509 --> 00:03:07.530 flees because he is a hireling and does not care 00:03:07.530 --> 00:03:11.590 about the sheep. I am the good shepherd and I 00:03:11.590 --> 00:03:15.370 know my sheep and am known by my own. As the 00:03:15.370 --> 00:03:19.469 father knows me, even so I know the father and 00:03:19.469 --> 00:03:23.520 I lay down my life. For the sheep and other sheep 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:27.300 I have, which are not of this fold, them also 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:30.819 I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and 00:03:30.819 --> 00:03:34.560 there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:37.780 my Father loves me, because I lay down my life, 00:03:37.780 --> 00:03:40.719 that I may take it again. No one takes it from 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:45.759 me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:49.039 to lay it down, and have power to take it again. 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:52.819 This command I have received from my father. 00:03:53.699 --> 00:03:59.360 Let's pray. Father, we ask today that you would 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:02.759 illuminate these passages of scripture to us, 00:04:02.759 --> 00:04:05.780 Lord. We pray that you would open our eyes that 00:04:05.780 --> 00:04:09.979 we might see this great theme of how you are 00:04:09.979 --> 00:04:14.199 our shepherd in the Bible. As we look at these 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:17.589 verses. and other passages as well. Please open 00:04:17.589 --> 00:04:20.870 them up to us, Lord. Illuminate us, Lord. Grant 00:04:20.870 --> 00:04:24.290 us light. Help us, Lord, to love you as our shepherd 00:04:24.290 --> 00:04:28.730 and to walk in your ways. Please grant the unction 00:04:28.730 --> 00:04:32.269 of your Holy Spirit as we preach your word today. 00:04:32.509 --> 00:04:39.810 We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. One of the significant 00:04:39.810 --> 00:04:49.269 metaphors in the Bible Now, despite the hatred 00:04:49.269 --> 00:04:52.689 of Idaho cattlemen for sheep, many of them, or 00:04:52.689 --> 00:04:55.889 what they call them as meadow maggots, sometimes 00:04:55.889 --> 00:04:59.170 they're derisively called, there really are a 00:04:59.170 --> 00:05:03.149 lot of similarities between people and sheep. 00:05:04.350 --> 00:05:06.910 Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in Psalm 00:05:06.910 --> 00:05:09.850 23, which we have just read in our responsive 00:05:09.850 --> 00:05:15.699 reading. The Lord is my shepherd. Therefore, 00:05:15.899 --> 00:05:19.779 I shall not want. I shall be led to green pastures 00:05:19.779 --> 00:05:24.399 and still waters. And I am sustained by the great 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:29.939 shepherd who provides, protects, shelters, and 00:05:29.939 --> 00:05:35.920 comforts me. Jesus also uses this metaphor extensively. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.420 In the book of John chapter 10, which we just 00:05:40.420 --> 00:05:45.420 read, as he said in verse 14, I am the good shepherd 00:05:45.420 --> 00:05:51.540 and I know my sheep and am known by my own. But 00:05:51.540 --> 00:05:55.459 today my main subject is not to expound on all 00:05:55.459 --> 00:05:58.800 the ways that people are like sheep, but rather 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:03.329 that Jesus is the good shepherd. The one who 00:06:03.329 --> 00:06:07.110 loves, who cares for, who tends and protects 00:06:07.110 --> 00:06:12.149 and saves and even has given his life for the 00:06:12.149 --> 00:06:14.870 sheep. Now, I also know that there's some people 00:06:14.870 --> 00:06:17.149 in here who have sheep. So please don't take 00:06:17.149 --> 00:06:21.069 offense by how Idaho cattlemen view them. We're 00:06:21.069 --> 00:06:23.389 grateful for wool and all of the other good things 00:06:23.389 --> 00:06:27.189 as well. But yet David says in Psalm 119 verse 00:06:27.189 --> 00:06:31.310 176, he says, I have gone astray like a lost 00:06:31.310 --> 00:06:35.089 sheep. Seek your servant, for I do not forget 00:06:35.089 --> 00:06:38.970 your commandments. Isaiah testifies that all 00:06:38.970 --> 00:06:44.089 we like sheep have gone astray. Because of our 00:06:44.089 --> 00:06:46.949 many sheep -like tendencies, and that by our 00:06:46.949 --> 00:06:51.449 very nature we go astray, apart from the paths 00:06:51.449 --> 00:06:55.889 of righteousness, we need a shepherd. We need 00:06:55.889 --> 00:07:01.240 a shepherd. Ezekiel declares the words of God, 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:05.019 saying, For thus says the Lord God, Indeed, I 00:07:05.019 --> 00:07:10.199 myself will search for my sheep and seek them 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:13.620 out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the 00:07:13.620 --> 00:07:16.680 day he is among his scattered sheep, so will 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:20.459 I seek out my sheep and deliver them from all 00:07:20.459 --> 00:07:23.300 the places where they were scattered on a cloudy 00:07:23.300 --> 00:07:25.879 and a dark day. And I will bring them out from 00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:28.100 the peoples and gather them from the countries 00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:31.199 and will bring them to their own land. I will 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:33.279 feed them on the mountains of Israel and the 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:35.800 valleys and in all the inhabited places of the 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:40.660 country. I will feed them in good pasture. fold 00:07:40.660 --> 00:07:43.199 shall be in the high mountains of Israel there 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:46.939 they shall lie in a good fold and feed in rich 00:07:46.939 --> 00:07:50.259 pasture on the mountains of Israel I will feed 00:07:50.259 --> 00:07:53.160 my flock and will make them lie down says the 00:07:53.160 --> 00:07:56.420 Lord God I will seek what was lost and bring 00:07:56.420 --> 00:07:59.399 back what was driven away bind up the broken 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:02.879 and strengthen what was sick I will establish 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:07.620 one shepherd over them and he shall feed them 00:08:07.620 --> 00:08:12.129 my servant David He shall feed them and be their 00:08:12.129 --> 00:08:15.910 shepherd. This is from Ezekiel chapter 34 verses 00:08:15.910 --> 00:08:20.209 11 through 16 and verse 23. So one of the ways 00:08:20.209 --> 00:08:23.470 that God shepherds his people is through his 00:08:23.470 --> 00:08:26.629 appointed under shepherds. That is men that God 00:08:26.629 --> 00:08:29.310 gifts with the ability to lead and care for his 00:08:29.310 --> 00:08:33.570 people. Now one can immediately ask how can fallen 00:08:33.570 --> 00:08:39.019 men who needs to be shepherded. Shepherd others. 00:08:39.500 --> 00:08:43.659 And yet it is so. God calls faithful men to know 00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:47.440 him and to lead his people well, caring for them, 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:50.679 loving them, protecting them from savage wolves 00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:53.840 that seek to tear and to destroy. And one of 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:55.960 the problems has been that not all appointed 00:08:55.960 --> 00:08:59.419 men have done so. Some do not know how. Some 00:08:59.419 --> 00:09:01.759 have not been equipped or fitted for their office. 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:06.220 Others, Jesus calls hirelings, like we read in 00:09:06.220 --> 00:09:09.240 John 10 and verse 12. A hireling, he who is not 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:11.600 the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.220 sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and 00:09:14.220 --> 00:09:17.320 flees. And the wolf catches the sheep and scatters 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:21.000 them. God deals with this several times in the 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:23.919 Old Testament, and it actually is what sets the 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:27.879 stage for the cry and the prophecy that there 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:32.179 needs to be a shepherd, a good shepherd. Again, 00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:35.700 we go to Ezekiel 34, just before the great and 00:09:35.700 --> 00:09:38.860 precious promises that I read. Hear these words. 00:09:39.059 --> 00:09:42.120 And the word of God came to me, saying, Son of 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:46.649 man, prophesy against. the shepherds of Israel. 00:09:47.269 --> 00:09:50.129 Prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord 00:09:50.129 --> 00:09:53.070 God to the shepherds, Woe to the shepherds of 00:09:53.070 --> 00:09:56.149 Israel who feed themselves. Should not the shepherds 00:09:56.149 --> 00:09:59.769 feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourself 00:09:59.769 --> 00:10:02.850 with the wool. You slaughter the fatlings, but 00:10:02.850 --> 00:10:06.690 you do not feed the flock. The weak you have 00:10:06.690 --> 00:10:09.450 not strengthened, nor have you healed those who 00:10:09.450 --> 00:10:11.909 were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought 00:10:11.909 --> 00:10:14.450 back what was driven away, nor sought what was 00:10:14.450 --> 00:10:17.950 lost. But with force and cruelty you have ruled 00:10:17.950 --> 00:10:21.860 them. So they were scattered. Because there was 00:10:21.860 --> 00:10:24.960 no shepherd and they became food for all the 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:27.559 beasts of the field where they were scattered. 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:31.080 My sheep wandered through all the mountains and 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:34.240 on every high hill. Yes, my flock was scattered 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:37.320 over the whole face of the earth and no one was 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:41.519 seeking or searching for them. He then goes on 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:45.139 and he says, therefore, you shepherds hear the 00:10:45.139 --> 00:10:48.899 word of the Lord. As I live, says the Lord God, 00:10:49.179 --> 00:10:53.639 surely because my flock became a prey and my 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:56.299 flock became food for every beast of the field, 00:10:56.360 --> 00:11:00.059 because there was no shepherd, nor did my shepherd 00:11:00.059 --> 00:11:03.379 search for my flock. Therefore, O shepherds, 00:11:03.379 --> 00:11:05.779 hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord 00:11:05.779 --> 00:11:09.320 God, behold, I am against the shepherds and will 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:12.590 require my flock at their hand. I will cause 00:11:12.590 --> 00:11:15.570 them to cease feeding the sheep and the shepherds 00:11:15.570 --> 00:11:18.429 shall feed themselves no more. For I will deliver 00:11:18.429 --> 00:11:21.549 my flock from their mouths that they may no longer 00:11:21.549 --> 00:11:25.970 be food for them. Now I give all of this in the 00:11:25.970 --> 00:11:32.210 introduction to show how great of a need we have 00:11:32.210 --> 00:11:37.169 as the people of God for good shepherds and for 00:11:37.169 --> 00:11:43.779 the chief shepherd. The chief shepherd. Jeremiah 00:11:43.779 --> 00:11:45.980 also speaks of this, and I'm not going to read 00:11:45.980 --> 00:11:49.700 it, but it's in Jeremiah chapter 23. He prophesies 00:11:49.700 --> 00:11:53.159 a great woe to the shepherds who destroy and 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:56.480 scatter the sheep. Now, we have just looked at 00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:00.419 the prophecies about Jesus being a prophet and 00:12:00.419 --> 00:12:03.980 then a priest. and then also a king. And as king, 00:12:04.220 --> 00:12:07.399 he rules over all, which means that all whom 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:10.919 Jesus calls are under his authority. And even 00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:14.360 more so, those who are appointed to any position 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:17.360 of leadership must also be under his authority, 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:21.720 thus called under shepherds. Jesus was prophesied 00:12:21.720 --> 00:12:27.279 to set things in order. To set them in order. 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:31.240 So to be that chief shepherd and pastor. That 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:34.080 one who will be established. And he will feed 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:36.879 his flock. And then his followers are called 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:41.480 to imitate him. And to love like he loved. Even 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:45.940 as Jesus himself said in John 13 verse 34. A 00:12:45.940 --> 00:12:49.159 new commandment I give unto you. That you love 00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:54.450 one another as I have loved you. that you also 00:12:54.450 --> 00:12:58.309 love one another. Now we are going to look at 00:12:58.309 --> 00:13:01.330 a few of the Old Testament passages that prophesy 00:13:01.330 --> 00:13:04.929 this about Jesus and then see how he fulfilled 00:13:04.929 --> 00:13:08.450 them. Our first one is what I've already read 00:13:08.450 --> 00:13:11.409 from Isaiah chapter 40, verse 9 to 11, so I'm 00:13:11.409 --> 00:13:15.929 not going to read it again. But in this passage 00:13:15.929 --> 00:13:20.789 of Isaiah 9, Isaiah chapter 40. The coming one 00:13:20.789 --> 00:13:24.950 is recognized, first of all, as God. The one 00:13:24.950 --> 00:13:31.929 to come is God. He says, behold your God. And 00:13:31.929 --> 00:13:34.250 this just shows again, it's one of the passages 00:13:34.250 --> 00:13:37.269 of scripture in which we understand that Jesus, 00:13:37.409 --> 00:13:41.429 the coming Messiah, the coming shepherd is God. 00:13:43.980 --> 00:13:47.879 And then this one who comes is set to rule. But 00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:51.720 his reign over his people is not like that of 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:55.440 a conqueror over vanquished subjects, but it's 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:59.379 rather like that of a shepherd, of a pastor. 00:14:00.250 --> 00:14:03.649 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, providing 00:14:03.649 --> 00:14:06.690 them with good and nourishing food that will 00:14:06.690 --> 00:14:10.230 sustain and keep them, making them healthy and 00:14:10.230 --> 00:14:14.169 strong. Let's unpack the word feed a little bit. 00:14:14.570 --> 00:14:18.629 As Barnes says, the word translated to feed denotes 00:14:18.629 --> 00:14:21.830 more than our word feed at present. It refers 00:14:21.830 --> 00:14:24.669 to all the care of a shepherd over his flock. 00:14:24.850 --> 00:14:28.129 It means, the word feed means to tend, to guard, 00:14:28.389 --> 00:14:31.710 to govern, to provide pasture, to defend from 00:14:31.710 --> 00:14:35.350 danger as a shepherd does his flock. It is often 00:14:35.350 --> 00:14:38.110 applied in the scriptures to God represented 00:14:38.110 --> 00:14:41.730 as the tender shepherd and especially to the 00:14:41.730 --> 00:14:47.149 Redeemer, Jesus Christ. This coming shepherd 00:14:47.149 --> 00:14:52.330 will be very careful, Isaiah says, with the little 00:14:52.330 --> 00:14:56.889 ones, the lambs, even gathering them with his 00:14:56.889 --> 00:15:01.289 arm and carrying them in his bosom. This means 00:15:01.289 --> 00:15:04.350 also taking great care of the pregnant ewes. 00:15:04.350 --> 00:15:07.570 And this is all a most beautiful and descriptive... 00:15:07.899 --> 00:15:11.500 passage and picture showing the tender care of 00:15:11.500 --> 00:15:15.259 the shepherd who is to come and how he loves 00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:19.679 his people even the little ones and the pregnant 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:23.679 ones and them all he cares for them just like 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:26.919 The shepherds in the Middle East who moved their 00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:29.600 large flocks from place to place, and they had 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:31.879 to move them often because the amount of sheep 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:34.620 would quickly decimate the pasturage that was 00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:37.000 there. So often they had to move them sometimes 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:41.000 even twice a day, where they would graze, lay 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:44.120 down, and then have rest, and then move on to 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:46.950 another place. then graze again. And of course, 00:15:46.950 --> 00:15:49.389 that can be very stressful for little lambs as 00:15:49.389 --> 00:15:51.509 they're just getting on their feet. And it can 00:15:51.509 --> 00:15:54.710 also be stressful for those who are pregnant. 00:15:54.889 --> 00:15:57.789 And so this whole imagery that is given to us 00:15:57.789 --> 00:16:01.169 is that Jesus cares for the little ones, for 00:16:01.169 --> 00:16:03.970 the young ones, for the weak ones, for those 00:16:03.970 --> 00:16:07.210 who are trouble making it. He cares for each 00:16:07.210 --> 00:16:16.070 one. Jesus loves and cares for the lambs. Make 00:16:16.070 --> 00:16:19.230 sure that they're not pushed too hard, loving 00:16:19.230 --> 00:16:23.450 the weakest and the most feeble of his people. 00:16:24.230 --> 00:16:27.470 The next prophecy we want to look at is in Ezekiel 00:16:27.470 --> 00:16:32.490 chapter 34, three verses, verses 22 to 24. Ezekiel 00:16:32.490 --> 00:16:35.889 34 is describing the abuse of the false shepherds. 00:16:35.889 --> 00:16:39.750 And then he goes on to say in verse 22, therefore, 00:16:39.830 --> 00:16:43.580 I will save my flock. and they shall no longer 00:16:43.580 --> 00:16:46.779 be a prey, and I will judge between sheep and 00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:50.000 sheep. I will establish one shepherd over them, 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:55.340 and he shall feed them, my servant David. He 00:16:55.340 --> 00:16:57.940 shall feed them and be their shepherd, and I 00:16:57.940 --> 00:17:01.159 the Lord will be their God, and my servant David 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:04.700 a prince among them. I the Lord have spoken. 00:17:05.460 --> 00:17:08.619 So now Ezekiel is writing this prophecy. He's 00:17:08.619 --> 00:17:12.349 referring to the fact that This one is coming, 00:17:12.529 --> 00:17:15.069 he's going to establish this, and it's going 00:17:15.069 --> 00:17:18.490 to be his servant David. So remember now that 00:17:18.490 --> 00:17:21.210 Ezekiel is prophesying around, roughly around 00:17:21.210 --> 00:17:26.569 400 years after the reign of David. So of whom 00:17:26.569 --> 00:17:31.109 is he speaking? We must understand that Ezekiel's 00:17:31.109 --> 00:17:34.670 references to my servant David are referring 00:17:34.670 --> 00:17:38.769 to none other than The Messiah. He is the one 00:17:38.769 --> 00:17:41.690 to come. He would be of the line of David. That 00:17:41.690 --> 00:17:45.170 is the greater David. Remember the angel Gabriel's 00:17:45.170 --> 00:17:48.529 declaration to Mary? He will be great, will be 00:17:48.529 --> 00:17:51.009 called the son of the highest, and the Lord God 00:17:51.009 --> 00:17:53.589 will give him what? The throne of his father 00:17:53.589 --> 00:17:57.410 David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob 00:17:57.410 --> 00:17:59.930 forever, and of his kingdom there will be no 00:17:59.930 --> 00:18:02.930 end. So it's very clear that we understand this 00:18:02.930 --> 00:18:07.430 is a prophecy of Christ. as a shepherd, and he 00:18:07.430 --> 00:18:12.849 shall feed them. Now, all the realities that 00:18:12.849 --> 00:18:15.769 I just spoke of from the passage in Isaiah are 00:18:15.769 --> 00:18:18.630 also fitting here, but this one, this passage, 00:18:18.710 --> 00:18:23.430 also ties him being a shepherd to his reign. 00:18:23.589 --> 00:18:27.869 That is, his reign as a king or a prince. And 00:18:27.869 --> 00:18:32.700 even so, Christ shall reign in this way. Now 00:18:32.700 --> 00:18:35.720 we also know from Psalm 2 and many others that 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:40.059 Christ also rules with a rod of iron. He will 00:18:40.059 --> 00:18:44.380 smash like those who rebel against him, like 00:18:44.380 --> 00:18:47.980 they shall be dashed to pieces like a potter's 00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:51.259 vessel, you know, like clay pots, so they can 00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:55.000 be smashed. So as we look at this, and Christ 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:58.460 as king and shepherd, we must differentiate between 00:18:58.460 --> 00:19:01.890 the rod of iron that God... that Jesus wields, 00:19:01.890 --> 00:19:06.009 and the shepherd's staff that he holds. Both 00:19:06.009 --> 00:19:10.170 are true, but he does not use his rod of iron 00:19:10.170 --> 00:19:13.769 against his beloved sheep. He uses his staff 00:19:13.769 --> 00:19:17.670 and leads them as a shepherd. To those who rebel, 00:19:17.930 --> 00:19:22.289 he uses his rod to crush, to smash, and to destroy. 00:19:22.940 --> 00:19:26.319 The shepherd, however, goes after the wolf, the 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:29.059 bear, or the lion who comes to destroy his flock. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:32.559 And in that, he uses a rod. He chases them away. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.740 He seeks to kill them, to destroy them. The wolf, 00:19:35.859 --> 00:19:39.059 the bear, the lion, the predator. But to those 00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:43.799 who are his people, he loves them. He draws them 00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:48.779 near. He protects them. And this is our Lord 00:19:48.779 --> 00:19:52.279 Jesus Christ. He is the righteous king, the anointed 00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:58.039 prince, the son and the Lord of David. The third 00:19:58.039 --> 00:20:02.039 prophecy is from the book of Micah, chapter five, 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:05.160 verses two through five, the beginning part. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:09.319 This is one more. The scripture prophesies of 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:13.240 the location of his birth. He begins, but you, 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:16.759 Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:20.160 the thousands of Judah, yet out of you, shall 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:24.700 come forth to me the one to be a ruler in Israel, 00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:28.220 whose going forth are from of old, from everlasting. 00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:31.380 Therefore he shall give them up until the time 00:20:31.380 --> 00:20:34.519 that she who is in labor has given birth. Then 00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:36.700 the remnant of his brethren shall return to the 00:20:36.700 --> 00:20:40.319 children of Israel. and he shall stand and feed 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:43.819 his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the 00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:47.259 majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And 00:20:47.259 --> 00:20:50.019 they shall abide, for now he shall be great to 00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:54.400 the ends of the earth, and this one shall. Now 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:57.519 the word shepherd is not in here, but the actions 00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:00.640 of a shepherd are. And so this is also speaking 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:04.500 of Jesus, how he will stand and feed his flock 00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:07.599 in the strength of the Lord. Now, but this passage 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:11.420 also shows the global reach of the shepherd to 00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:14.480 come. He would be a ruler who would be born in 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:18.019 Bethlehem, but his shepherding reign would be 00:21:18.019 --> 00:21:22.940 to the ends of the earth. All the way over the 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:27.019 globe. Not just to a small country in the heart 00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:29.880 of the Middle East. But rather that his blessings 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:34.880 would flow. As Isaiah puts it in joy to the world. 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:41.259 As far as the curse is found. This also shows 00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:44.200 how shepherds need to be strong. And have much 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:47.549 endurance. We see this here in how that he would 00:21:47.549 --> 00:21:49.750 be a shepherd who will stand and feed his flock 00:21:49.750 --> 00:21:52.750 in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of 00:21:52.750 --> 00:21:56.390 the name of the Lord his God. His strength will 00:21:56.390 --> 00:22:00.779 be enough. Why is this? Because he does this, 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:04.000 he leads and he feeds in the strength and the 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:09.640 majesty of the Lord. He is able to do this. Remember 00:22:09.640 --> 00:22:12.859 how Hebrews describes Jesus in chapter 7 and 00:22:12.859 --> 00:22:17.680 verse 24 saying, Therefore he is able to save 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:27.279 to the uttermost those who come to God. So dear 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:29.759 brother and sister, do not think that there is 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:33.200 anything too hard for him or that you are beyond 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:35.819 the scope and the reach of his mercy and his 00:22:35.819 --> 00:22:40.140 grace. He is able, he has the ability to lead 00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:43.140 and to shepherd you. I tell you, he is able to 00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:46.279 succor. He is able to sustain you through the 00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:50.680 greatest trials. Do not shortchange him because, 00:22:51.470 --> 00:22:54.549 He comes in the strength of the Lord and in the 00:22:54.549 --> 00:22:57.529 majesty of his name. I tell you, you can trust 00:22:57.529 --> 00:23:02.069 him. You can cast your care upon him for he cares 00:23:02.069 --> 00:23:07.829 for you. He is the great shepherd of the sheep. 00:23:09.829 --> 00:23:12.829 Let's move now to point number two and consider 00:23:12.829 --> 00:23:16.369 the New Testament fulfillments of these prophecies. 00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:19.500 Obviously, one of the greatest ones is the one 00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:22.099 that I already read in John chapter 10, verses 00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:25.579 1 through 18. So let's speak a little more about 00:23:25.579 --> 00:23:29.359 this passage. The fulfillment begins with Jesus 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:34.059 himself. He proclaims in this passage that he 00:23:34.059 --> 00:23:38.720 is the good shepherd. But he is also the door 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:43.119 of the sheepfold. And he is the shepherd who 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:48.150 enters in. Three times in this passage, he makes 00:23:48.150 --> 00:23:52.650 this assertion. I am the good shepherd. And thus, 00:23:52.750 --> 00:23:55.910 he fulfills all of the passages that we have 00:23:55.910 --> 00:23:58.750 just read. Now, let me explain this a little 00:23:58.750 --> 00:24:01.829 more. A sheepfold is an enclosure where the sheep 00:24:01.829 --> 00:24:04.930 were collected by night to defend them from robbers 00:24:04.930 --> 00:24:08.750 and predators. And Jesus is the door to that 00:24:08.750 --> 00:24:11.799 sheepfold. He says this several times. And how 00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:15.220 is this? Well, in John 14, which is a little 00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:19.960 later, Jesus says these astounding words. I am 00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:25.039 the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:30.299 to the Father except through me. And this is 00:24:30.299 --> 00:24:33.400 the same. He's enlarging on this fact that he's 00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:37.079 the door to the sheepfold. Now, the flock in 00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:40.279 the sheepfold is the church of God. That is his 00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:43.700 people. Initially, this was mostly the Jews. 00:24:43.980 --> 00:24:47.559 But in Christ, that flock has become throughout 00:24:47.559 --> 00:24:52.299 the whole world, Jew and Gentile. Jesus refers 00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:55.779 to this in chapter 10, verse 16. And other sheep 00:24:55.779 --> 00:24:58.920 I have, he says, which are not of this fold, 00:24:59.099 --> 00:25:01.980 them also I must bring, and they will hear my 00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:05.700 voice, and there will be one flock. and one shepherd, 00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:09.539 Jew and Gentile together, in the fold, in the 00:25:09.539 --> 00:25:12.960 sheepfold of Jesus Christ, in the church of Christ, 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:17.599 and they will all be saved. Together they will 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:24.160 be united. There are not many ways to God. All 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:27.740 must come through Jesus Christ. He says again, 00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:32.079 verse 9, I am the door. If anyone enters by me, 00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:35.279 he will be saved. and will go in and out and 00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:41.240 find pasture. How then is Jesus the good shepherd? 00:25:41.660 --> 00:25:45.940 Jesus answers this by saying, verse 11, I am 00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:48.440 the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his 00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:52.420 life for the sheep. Jesus is that good shepherd 00:25:52.420 --> 00:25:55.079 because he was willing to give his life in the 00:25:55.079 --> 00:25:58.480 defense and the protection of his flock. which 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:01.079 consists indeed of guarding against predators 00:26:01.079 --> 00:26:04.500 and hirelings, but even more, he gave his life 00:26:04.500 --> 00:26:07.319 so that his people might be saved from the wrath 00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:11.799 of God against sin. He protected his people by 00:26:11.799 --> 00:26:15.200 giving his own life as an atonement for sin, 00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:19.799 thus saving and sanctifying them. Truly, he is 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:22.759 the good shepherd. He protects from the predators, 00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:26.180 but in the same way, he gave his life for an 00:26:26.180 --> 00:26:30.940 atonement. Jesus, as the good shepherd who guards 00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:34.599 his sheep, speaks then of two men, two types 00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:38.700 of men, who create problems. One is the thief 00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:41.859 and the robber. That is those who come to steal, 00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:46.599 to kill, and to destroy. This is the enemy who 00:26:46.599 --> 00:26:49.920 comes from without as a frontal assault upon 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:53.289 God's people. We think, for example, of some 00:26:53.289 --> 00:26:56.849 of the notable ones in history, of Nero roaring 00:26:56.849 --> 00:26:59.769 against the people of God, burning them, killing 00:26:59.769 --> 00:27:03.109 them. We think of Chairman Mao in China destroying 00:27:03.109 --> 00:27:06.309 them by the millions. We think of Stalin and 00:27:06.309 --> 00:27:09.369 Lenin and all that they perpetrated in the Soviet 00:27:09.369 --> 00:27:13.710 Empire against the people of God. We think of 00:27:13.710 --> 00:27:16.490 even right now as it's happening to our dear 00:27:16.490 --> 00:27:19.650 beloved brothers and sisters in Nigeria where 00:27:19.650 --> 00:27:22.380 the Muslim hordes keep coming against them and 00:27:22.380 --> 00:27:25.400 persecuting them, stealing children, kidnapping 00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:27.859 them, where they're gone from their parents forever, 00:27:28.119 --> 00:27:30.420 where they're burning down church houses and 00:27:30.420 --> 00:27:32.900 they're doing everything they can to destroy. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:36.680 This is the thief, it's the robber, and we call 00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:39.640 it out as such. It is wrong, and they must be 00:27:39.640 --> 00:27:42.319 called to repentance and to the justice of God. 00:27:43.059 --> 00:27:46.539 Thieves and robbers, they are a frontal assault 00:27:46.539 --> 00:27:52.130 against God's people. We think of this as a lion 00:27:52.130 --> 00:27:56.190 coming to devour or a wolf that rips and tears 00:27:56.190 --> 00:28:00.549 and to destroy. Now sheep might readily identify 00:28:00.549 --> 00:28:03.950 these and flee from them, although the scripture 00:28:03.950 --> 00:28:08.430 does also speak of wolves who come by stealth 00:28:08.430 --> 00:28:12.589 and deception by being in sheep's clothing, but 00:28:12.589 --> 00:28:17.690 inwardly they're ravening wolves. Jesus speaks 00:28:17.690 --> 00:28:21.809 of that in Matthew 7, verse 15. The other type 00:28:21.809 --> 00:28:25.009 of people that Jesus talks about is the hireling. 00:28:25.450 --> 00:28:29.329 That is, one who appears to be like the children 00:28:29.329 --> 00:28:32.910 of God and identifies with them, but he does 00:28:32.910 --> 00:28:36.829 so under false or wrong motivations. This is 00:28:36.829 --> 00:28:39.930 one who might do it for the money or for the 00:28:39.930 --> 00:28:42.430 prestige or maybe for the love of authority, 00:28:42.809 --> 00:28:45.849 but he is not vested. He does not own the sheep, 00:28:45.950 --> 00:28:48.529 nor does he have a shepherd's heart and motivation. 00:28:48.829 --> 00:28:52.269 And what happens when danger comes? He flees. 00:28:53.009 --> 00:28:56.480 He abandons the sheep. At the time of danger, 00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:59.779 he does not risk his life or reputation in the 00:28:59.779 --> 00:29:05.259 care for the flock of God. This is why the Apostle 00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:10.859 Peter so earnestly and strongly exhorts. the 00:29:10.859 --> 00:29:14.720 elders to whom he is writing in chapter 5 and 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:18.440 verse 1 of 1 Peter, he says, the elders who are 00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:22.240 among you, I exhort, I who am a fellow elder 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:24.980 and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and 00:29:24.980 --> 00:29:27.440 also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed, 00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:30.740 shepherd the flock of God which is among you. 00:29:31.210 --> 00:29:35.730 serving as overseers not by compulsion but willingly 00:29:35.730 --> 00:29:40.230 and not for dishonest gain but eagerly not as 00:29:40.230 --> 00:29:44.069 being lords over those entrusted to you but being 00:29:44.069 --> 00:29:47.890 examples to the flock and when the chief shepherd 00:29:47.890 --> 00:29:50.549 appears, you will receive the crown of glory 00:29:50.549 --> 00:29:53.829 that does not fade away. Peter's call to all 00:29:53.829 --> 00:29:57.529 elders everywhere at all times is to love the 00:29:57.529 --> 00:30:00.650 people of God. It is to feed them, to care for 00:30:00.650 --> 00:30:04.690 them, to not drive people away, and not to do 00:30:04.690 --> 00:30:07.630 it by compulsion, but willingly, not to do it 00:30:07.630 --> 00:30:10.789 for dishonest gain, but eagerly, and to not act 00:30:10.789 --> 00:30:14.369 as a lord. That is to be a lord over those who 00:30:14.369 --> 00:30:18.279 are entrusted to their king. but lead by example, 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:25.420 lead by example. This is his exhortation. We 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:30.019 follow Jesus as that shepherd. And we also see 00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:33.880 that in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 20, Jesus 00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:36.579 here is called the great shepherd. It's a wonderful 00:30:36.579 --> 00:30:40.539 benediction. He says, now may the God of peace 00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:42.779 who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, 00:30:42.900 --> 00:30:46.150 that great shepherd of the sheep, Through the 00:30:46.150 --> 00:30:49.529 blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete 00:30:49.529 --> 00:30:53.049 in every good work to do his will, working in 00:30:53.049 --> 00:30:55.549 you what is well -pleasing in his sight through 00:30:55.549 --> 00:30:59.250 Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. 00:30:59.529 --> 00:31:03.799 Amen. It is this chief shepherd, Jesus, who brings 00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:06.720 to maturity and brings us to the finish line. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:09.799 He will make you perfect. He will make you complete. 00:31:09.900 --> 00:31:12.500 And he will equip you so that you may do his 00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:15.259 will and those things which are pleasing to him. 00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:18.599 It should be your goal to grow in Christ, to 00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:21.859 be mature, and to think about how you may please 00:31:21.859 --> 00:31:25.319 him. And as we submit to this great shepherd, 00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:28.720 to the one who cares for us, we then will be 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:30.980 able to go through the trials of life knowing 00:31:30.980 --> 00:31:33.920 that he cares for us. We can trust him with our 00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:36.900 lives, with our temptations, with the trials 00:31:36.900 --> 00:31:39.880 that come our way, knowing that the testing of 00:31:39.880 --> 00:31:44.259 our faith produces patience. He is the good and 00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:48.660 chief shepherd, the great one. Then there's 1 00:31:48.660 --> 00:31:52.799 Peter 2 verse 25. Here Jesus is shown to be the 00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:57.690 shepherd and the overseer. Of your souls. I'm 00:31:57.690 --> 00:32:00.089 not going to comment much on this. I'll just 00:32:00.089 --> 00:32:28.549 read it. bore our own sins in his body on the 00:32:28.549 --> 00:32:33.069 tree, that we, having died to sin, might live 00:32:33.069 --> 00:32:36.309 for righteousness, by whose stripes you were 00:32:36.309 --> 00:32:39.450 healed. For you were like sheep going astray, 00:32:39.569 --> 00:32:42.970 but have now returned to the shepherd and the 00:32:42.970 --> 00:32:49.490 overseer of your souls. Jesus shepherds your 00:32:49.490 --> 00:32:54.460 souls and keeps you. And then Revelation 7 and 00:32:54.460 --> 00:32:59.799 verse 17 speaks again of the lamb, those whose 00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:02.619 robes were made white in the blood of the lamb. 00:33:02.819 --> 00:33:05.819 And what happens there? The lamb who is in the 00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:09.759 midst of the throne, he says, will shepherd them 00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:13.660 and lead them to living fountains of waters and 00:33:13.660 --> 00:33:16.880 God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. 00:33:17.619 --> 00:33:21.930 How fitting then is it? That Jesus, the chief 00:33:21.930 --> 00:33:26.710 shepherd, would first be announced to shepherds 00:33:26.710 --> 00:33:31.829 on the hillside. They would be the first to run 00:33:31.829 --> 00:33:36.890 to him and to come and bow down and to worship 00:33:36.890 --> 00:33:42.789 him in a manger as a newborn. Well, how do we 00:33:42.789 --> 00:33:45.269 apply this, brothers and sisters? What do we 00:33:45.269 --> 00:33:52.559 take away from all of this? let's consider a 00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:56.039 few things. The first one is a great theme of 00:33:56.039 --> 00:33:58.819 this time of this season is comfort and joy. 00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:03.920 Comfort and joy. Comfort and joy. And all of 00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:06.559 this about Jesus as our shepherd is a great comfort 00:34:06.559 --> 00:34:10.219 in times of distress and difficulty and danger. 00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:14.039 We have great comfort because we know he cares 00:34:14.039 --> 00:34:17.599 for us. Even in the hardships of life as we understand 00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:20.599 that in God's providence he is shepherding us 00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:24.139 and caring for us in these difficult circumstances. 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:27.079 And this should give us great comfort. Maybe 00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:30.039 we need comfort because of a great loss. And 00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:32.400 we can look to him and he will shepherd us through 00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:36.300 this great loss. Whatever it is, whatever difficulty 00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:40.650 or trial or temptation. Jesus will comfort us 00:34:40.650 --> 00:34:45.650 through his word and spirit. So we have great 00:34:45.650 --> 00:34:48.730 comfort, but we also have great joy because of 00:34:48.730 --> 00:34:51.469 Christ as our shepherd, because of all that he 00:34:51.469 --> 00:34:55.409 has done, because he did come. He did make atonement 00:34:55.409 --> 00:34:58.789 for our sins. He did come to live a godly life. 00:35:00.250 --> 00:35:03.889 He is now seated at the right hand of the Father. 00:35:04.070 --> 00:35:07.510 What is he doing? Well, he's ruling, he's reigning, 00:35:07.570 --> 00:35:11.010 but he's also making intercession for us. He's 00:35:11.010 --> 00:35:16.130 making intercession for us. Now to those who 00:35:16.130 --> 00:35:19.690 have had bad experiences, perhaps with your father, 00:35:19.829 --> 00:35:23.610 or maybe with abusive so -called shepherds, or 00:35:23.610 --> 00:35:26.989 perhaps you have been ravaged by wolves, I invite 00:35:26.989 --> 00:35:31.519 you. Come to the chief shepherd. Cast your care, 00:35:31.539 --> 00:35:35.320 your hurts, your difficulties, all of the things, 00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:38.860 the baggage that comes with the hurts. Come to 00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:43.619 him. Cast your care on him and learn of him. 00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:47.980 He says, he invites you. He calls to you. Matthew 00:35:47.980 --> 00:35:53.420 chapter 11, verse 28. Come to me, all you who 00:35:53.420 --> 00:35:58.539 labor and are heavy laden. And I will give you 00:35:58.539 --> 00:36:04.679 rest. Take my yoke upon you. And learn of me. 00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:10.239 For I am gentle. And lowly in heart. And you 00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:16.460 will find rest. For your souls. For my yoke is 00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:23.260 easy. And my burden is light. This is Jesus invitation. 00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:29.900 Number three, how do we apply this? We also must 00:36:29.900 --> 00:36:33.039 learn the attributes of a shepherd and imitate 00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:39.059 Christ. We practice them in whatever sphere and 00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:43.639 calling that we are given as parents or as civil 00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:47.000 magistrates or as pastors and overseers or elders. 00:36:49.420 --> 00:36:55.059 As parents, you are a father or a mother. You 00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:58.260 have been given children. God has given you those 00:36:58.260 --> 00:37:03.059 children. And as parents, you are called to shepherd 00:37:03.059 --> 00:37:07.599 your children. Learn of Jesus and see how he 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:11.019 shepherds. And then apply that to the shepherding 00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:14.920 of your children. Welcome the little ones. Do 00:37:14.920 --> 00:37:18.860 not tie heavy burdens on them. Your burden, remember 00:37:18.860 --> 00:37:22.960 Jesus, how my burden is light, my yoke is easy, 00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:26.159 and so, but yet we guide our children, we love 00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:28.079 them, we pick them up when they're weak and they're 00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:30.820 tired. We care for them, we love them, we provide 00:37:30.820 --> 00:37:33.639 for them, we protect them. We do all that we 00:37:33.639 --> 00:37:36.179 can to ensure their growth and their stability, 00:37:36.579 --> 00:37:41.119 knowing that they belong to Christ. We shepherd 00:37:41.119 --> 00:37:45.940 them. Study and learn how to shepherd them well. 00:37:46.489 --> 00:37:48.909 to bring them up in the training and the admonition 00:37:48.909 --> 00:37:54.090 of the Lord, not by either being lazy or by being 00:37:54.090 --> 00:37:58.150 a harsh taskmaster. Teach them God's word, for 00:37:58.150 --> 00:38:03.489 these are the lambs. This is to parents. Civil 00:38:03.489 --> 00:38:07.090 magistrates also are to be foster fathers to 00:38:07.090 --> 00:38:10.650 Christ's church, seeking their good and welfare. 00:38:11.610 --> 00:38:14.710 They should not persecute or hinder the church, 00:38:14.909 --> 00:38:17.750 but rather protect them. They should promote 00:38:17.750 --> 00:38:21.449 good and know what evil is. We read that in Romans 00:38:21.449 --> 00:38:24.789 13 this morning. They're to punish the evil and 00:38:24.789 --> 00:38:27.170 they're to protect the good. And in order for 00:38:27.170 --> 00:38:29.250 that to happen, they need to understand their 00:38:29.250 --> 00:38:31.449 calling before God and understand the standards 00:38:31.449 --> 00:38:35.269 of truth and the standards of God for their role. 00:38:36.489 --> 00:38:39.530 They should punish evil appropriately. And in 00:38:39.530 --> 00:38:44.860 this way, They are also a type of shepherd. I 00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:47.539 love how the Westminster Confession in the American 00:38:47.539 --> 00:38:52.769 Revision writes of this in chapter 23. Civil 00:38:52.769 --> 00:38:55.369 magistrates may not assume to themselves the 00:38:55.369 --> 00:38:58.570 administration of the word and sacraments or 00:38:58.570 --> 00:39:00.630 the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven 00:39:00.630 --> 00:39:03.510 or in the least interfere in matters of faith. 00:39:03.650 --> 00:39:08.349 Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil 00:39:08.349 --> 00:39:11.650 magistrates to protect the church of our common 00:39:11.650 --> 00:39:15.090 Lord without giving the preference to any denomination 00:39:15.090 --> 00:39:18.150 of Christians above the rest. In such a manner, 00:39:18.619 --> 00:39:21.539 that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall 00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:24.860 enjoy the full, the free, and the unquestioned 00:39:24.860 --> 00:39:28.159 liberty of discharging every part of their sacred 00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:31.699 functions without violence or danger. And as 00:39:31.699 --> 00:39:34.199 Jesus Christ has appointed a regular government 00:39:34.199 --> 00:39:37.940 to discipline in his church, no law of any commonwealth 00:39:37.940 --> 00:39:41.239 should interfere with or hinder the due exercise 00:39:41.239 --> 00:39:44.719 thereof among the voluntary members of any denomination 00:39:44.719 --> 00:39:47.380 of Christians according to their own profession. 00:39:47.929 --> 00:39:52.369 It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect 00:39:52.369 --> 00:39:55.690 the person and good name of all their people 00:39:55.690 --> 00:40:00.050 in such an effectual manner so that no person 00:40:00.050 --> 00:40:03.170 should be suffered upon pretense of religion 00:40:03.170 --> 00:40:07.969 or of infidelity to offer any indignity, violence, 00:40:08.369 --> 00:40:13.530 abuse, or injury to any person whatsoever and 00:40:13.530 --> 00:40:16.869 to take order. that all religious assemblies 00:40:16.869 --> 00:40:22.230 be held without molestation or disturbance. This 00:40:22.230 --> 00:40:26.369 is the role of the civil magistrate as a shepherd 00:40:26.369 --> 00:40:32.769 to care for those who are in them so that there 00:40:32.769 --> 00:40:37.949 would be great freedom. And then we also look 00:40:37.949 --> 00:40:42.800 for pastor shepherds in the congregation. Now, 00:40:42.820 --> 00:40:46.119 this certainly applies to the office of elder 00:40:46.119 --> 00:40:50.699 or overseer or pastor. And it applies to us. 00:40:50.960 --> 00:40:55.679 As we lead in the congregation, we are to lead 00:40:55.679 --> 00:40:59.880 well. We are to be faithful. This is why Peter's... 00:41:00.170 --> 00:41:03.730 those words that I read out of 1 Peter 5 are 00:41:03.730 --> 00:41:07.789 so urgent to us and they should burn in our hearts 00:41:07.789 --> 00:41:11.869 that we do not act as a lord or throw our weight 00:41:11.869 --> 00:41:14.730 around or act as a tyrant, but rather that we 00:41:14.730 --> 00:41:18.150 lead by example and live faithful lives, but 00:41:18.150 --> 00:41:21.929 nonetheless that we lead. But it does not only 00:41:21.929 --> 00:41:25.250 refer to the office of pastor, but I just encourage 00:41:25.250 --> 00:41:30.079 everyone as they seek to bless others, that they 00:41:30.079 --> 00:41:33.460 bless them, they lead in the ways of God, they 00:41:33.460 --> 00:41:36.400 impart the knowledge that you have to others, 00:41:36.559 --> 00:41:40.090 and they prepare for life. Who might you be able 00:41:40.090 --> 00:41:43.929 to bless or to minister to? Who might you as 00:41:43.929 --> 00:41:46.989 a person of God be able to share with others? 00:41:47.329 --> 00:41:49.789 Perhaps your mother and your children are already 00:41:49.789 --> 00:41:52.409 gone and so you're able to share with the younger 00:41:52.409 --> 00:41:59.090 women tips of how you were able to bless others 00:41:59.090 --> 00:42:01.389 or to bring your children up or mistakes that 00:42:01.389 --> 00:42:04.650 you've made and you're able to share that. Perhaps 00:42:04.650 --> 00:42:06.869 we have a wonderful marriage and we can share 00:42:06.869 --> 00:42:08.489 with others who are going through it. difficult 00:42:08.489 --> 00:42:12.070 time about how to work through times of great 00:42:12.070 --> 00:42:14.309 difficulty you might have great examples that 00:42:14.309 --> 00:42:17.449 you can share we should take on a shepherding 00:42:17.449 --> 00:42:21.210 mindset where we love each other and we look 00:42:21.210 --> 00:42:25.429 out for each other and we care for one another 00:42:25.429 --> 00:42:29.590 it applies not only to those who are overseers 00:42:29.590 --> 00:42:33.190 but really to all be strong and faithful members 00:42:33.190 --> 00:42:36.849 of christ church bear with the weak and strengthen 00:42:36.849 --> 00:42:41.289 them And men, lead your families as a good shepherd. 00:42:41.489 --> 00:42:45.449 Give them the word of God. Teach them. Even as 00:42:45.449 --> 00:42:50.150 Ephesians 6 commands you, do not drive your children 00:42:50.150 --> 00:42:53.469 away with, I forget exactly how it puts it, but 00:42:53.469 --> 00:42:57.150 with anger. You don't want to create in them 00:42:57.150 --> 00:43:00.190 anger, but rather you nourish them, you build 00:43:00.190 --> 00:43:05.869 them up in the faith. To us all then, I say, 00:43:06.849 --> 00:43:10.409 Submit to Christ as the chief shepherd. Submit 00:43:10.409 --> 00:43:13.849 to him. Be willing to be led by him and trust 00:43:13.849 --> 00:43:18.829 your life to him above all else. In the name 00:43:18.829 --> 00:43:21.710 of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:43:21.989 --> 00:43:23.630 Amen. Let's pray.