1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,080 Thank you, Becky, and we appreciate your ministry today. 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:14,200 Dave and Renee, wherever you are, there you are. 3 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,520 I was reading this past week an article in the Good News Broadcaster. 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:19,800 I don't know if any of you get the magazine. 5 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,040 It's worth the subscription price. 6 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:26,600 It's published by Back to the Bible Broadcast. 7 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:34,240 Then there was an article written by Warren Wiersby on the life and ministry of Samuel 8 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:40,400 Chadwick, a faithful preacher of the gospel in England in the last century. 9 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:47,480 There was an anecdote, among others, regarding Chadwick being at the back of his church one 10 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:53,280 Sunday morning and shaking hands with the people as they went out the door. 11 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:59,240 One man in the congregation stepped up and handed him a check for the church and said, 12 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:01,040 I was blessed this morning. 13 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:06,920 Chadwick reached out and took the check and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said in a 14 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:11,800 loud voice, Lord, bless him again tonight. 15 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:13,880 That's my attitude as we come to the service tonight. 16 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,040 I want the Lord to bless us this evening. 17 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:20,920 Would you join me in prayer that God will speak to our hearts? 18 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:27,480 Father, we love so much the manna of your Word. 19 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:36,920 It's refreshing, it's nourishing, and yet it needs to be continually fresh and new. 20 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:43,480 As we come tonight, I pray that the manna of the Word would feed our spiritual needs, 21 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,800 teach us from the Word tonight, and apply it to our lives. 22 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:52,600 In Jesus' name, amen. 23 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:57,920 We're going to look this evening at this theme of the flock of God. 24 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:07,400 One of the great names given to believers is found in Acts 20 verse 28. 25 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:17,080 The Apostle Paul met on this occasion with the elders of the church in Ephesus. 26 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:24,960 Among other things that he wanted to communicate to them, he says in verse 28 of Acts 20, 27 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:38,480 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made 28 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:44,840 you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:51,920 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock, 30 00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:57,840 but from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the 31 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,440 disciples after them. 32 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,600 Therefore, be on the alert. 33 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:12,200 The Apostle speaks here of that group of believers, the church of God in Ephesus, as being the 34 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:17,000 flock. 35 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:24,440 It is difficult for most of us to identify very much with a pastoral kind of life that 36 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:29,920 shepherds once enjoyed in many places in the world. 37 00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:38,040 We are right now passing through a technological revolution which is transforming in one generation 38 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,920 the world in which we live. 39 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:47,680 Many years ago we went through an industrial revolution that also transformed the world 40 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:54,200 of that day into what we have been living in. 41 00:03:54,200 --> 00:04:02,000 The world was in an agricultural kind of lifestyle. 42 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:07,680 Then it passed to the industrial lifestyle and now the technological lifestyle. 43 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:13,040 I heard someone say this last week that we went through the industrial revolution in 44 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,520 five generations. 45 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:21,160 We're going through the technological revolution in one generation and it is yet to be determined 46 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:30,120 whether or not our civilization is able to adjust to that rapid of a change. 47 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:37,380 Nonetheless, we are far removed from an agricultural kind of lifestyle, most of us, and yet the 48 00:04:37,380 --> 00:04:43,320 Bible was written with a background of that kind of a culture. 49 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:48,520 The Bible, though, is not in the least irrelevant to our day, but when we do interpret it, we 50 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:55,600 need to look at it in its historical and cultural setting. 51 00:04:55,600 --> 00:05:06,480 This title, The Flock of God, is a very wonderful title that brings us to the life of a shepherd. 52 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:14,160 I have appreciated reading the book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Philip Keller, which 53 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,160 undoubtedly some of you have read as well. 54 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:24,080 Keller was a shepherd in Africa and brings his experience as a shepherd to this theme 55 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:29,840 that believers are like sheep. 56 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:34,920 It's a favorite theme with many Christians. 57 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:44,920 It was so with Warner Salmon, who has painted the beautiful picture of the shepherd and 58 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:50,040 his lambs, which many of us have admired. 59 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:58,780 We believers in Jesus Christ are a flock of sheep belonging to God. 60 00:05:58,780 --> 00:06:01,800 There are three facts about this that I want us to think about. 61 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,200 You'll find those in the outline of your worship folder that will help guide your thinking 62 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,960 with me. 63 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:09,680 What has our shepherd done for us? 64 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:14,280 Well, first, he has purchased his sheep. 65 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:24,360 Some of my earliest memories go back to sales barns in our farm community. 66 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:34,040 I remember well as a little boy going to the sale barn where animals were sold and bought. 67 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:43,120 Seeing the crowds of farmers, seeing the large trucks unloading and then loading again, the 68 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:53,600 pens filled with animals, and the odors, oh the odors, and the sounds of the bleeding 69 00:06:53,600 --> 00:07:03,120 of sheep, the lowing of cattle, the snorting of the pigs, and the melodious voice of the 70 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,680 auctioneer. 71 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:12,920 He was responsible for obtaining the highest possible price for the animals on behalf of 72 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:16,080 the owner. 73 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:21,280 Those who would be trying to buy would be there watching the animals come through the 74 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:29,800 pen with a nod or the gesture of a hand, perhaps even a shout, they would signal a bid on the 75 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:30,800 animals. 76 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:39,200 And then the auctioneer would say, going once, going twice, sold. 77 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:47,360 And then the animals would be herded off to their future, which was usually pretty short. 78 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:53,880 I make an application of that to myself as a Christian because I was once like an animal 79 00:07:53,880 --> 00:08:04,380 on the auction block, part of the mass of humanity moving relentlessly, streaming, shoving 80 00:08:04,380 --> 00:08:10,280 toward eternity with no hope, no joy, no meaning to life. 81 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,920 And then Jesus Christ saved me. 82 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:21,160 He made a selection of me, though I knew nothing of it, nor was there any merit in me that 83 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,760 caused Him to choose. 84 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:34,480 Nonetheless, He paid the price that I might be purchased from sin, and He bought me, just 85 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:40,600 as He bought you if you were one of His sheep. 86 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:47,520 This word, purchase, in Acts 20-28 is a word that simply means to acquire or to secure 87 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:50,320 or to gain. 88 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:52,920 Literally it means to make a round. 89 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:57,780 It's a combination of two words, a verb and then a preposition. 90 00:08:57,780 --> 00:09:07,280 To make a round is the idea of a fence that's put around or perhaps a lariat, a rope that 91 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:15,640 is used to lasso a cow that is being brought in for a particular purpose. 92 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:22,960 The rope is put around the neck of that cow and brought in. 93 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:31,840 So our Lord acquired us, secured us for Himself, and the price of that purchase is said here 94 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,360 to be His own blood. 95 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:40,480 But of course the theme is found again and again and again in the New Testament. 96 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:48,400 That we have been purchased with the precious blood of Christ as of the Lamb Himself, without 97 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,400 blemish and without spot. 98 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:53,320 Jesus said, I am the Good Shepherd. 99 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:58,320 The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 100 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:05,680 Isaiah of old pictured human beings as sheep that have gone astray, each one going his 101 00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:07,280 own way. 102 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:12,160 A graphic depiction of what sheep are like. 103 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:16,480 For sheep are easily scattered and once they are scattered they are difficult to bring 104 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:20,280 back together. 105 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:24,940 And yet Peter says that we have been saved and have returned to the Shepherd and the 106 00:10:24,940 --> 00:10:29,760 guardian of our souls, 1 Peter 2.25. 107 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:38,160 Our Shepherd has brought us to Himself with the purchase price of His own precious blood. 108 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:43,320 The second fact that I want us to consider and what our Shepherd has done for us is that 109 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:48,480 now that we belong to Him, He provides for His sheep. 110 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:56,840 And to see this theme I would like you to turn with me to Psalm 23. 111 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:00,640 This is of course the Shepherd's Psalm written by a shepherd, David. 112 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:07,760 A man who because he was faithful as a shepherd over sheep was made a shepherd over a nation 113 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:13,760 of sheep, Israel. 114 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:16,080 Our Shepherd provides for sheep. 115 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:21,400 One has said that sheep need more care than any other livestock. 116 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,800 I don't know if that's true, but I would tend to think it's so from my limited work 117 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,920 with them on the farm as I grew up. 118 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,360 You have to provide for sheep. 119 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:36,160 And here David expresses in verses 1 through 3 what his Shepherd, the Lord, provides for 120 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:37,160 him. 121 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,440 He says, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 122 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,400 That is, I do not lack anything. 123 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,880 He makes me lie down in green pastures. 124 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,000 He leads me beside quiet waters. 125 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,320 He restores my soul. 126 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:57,240 He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 127 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:02,680 We're going to limit our thinking of God's provision for us and His care to four things 128 00:12:02,680 --> 00:12:05,320 that we find in these verses. 129 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:09,400 First He leads us and provides for us green pastures. 130 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:17,600 It is a curious thing that sheep raising is often done in arid countries. 131 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:25,920 One of the reasons for that perhaps is that the climate in those countries curtails parasites 132 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,320 that feed on sheep. 133 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:33,680 Sheep seem to do well in those dry, arid places. 134 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:43,120 But sheep need to have green pastures that is vital to a healthy flock. 135 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:50,800 And while in the rainy seasons of those countries the green pastures can be easily found, more 136 00:12:50,800 --> 00:13:00,640 or less, for most of the months of the year those pastures are normally brown. 137 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:05,840 For green pastures must be planned by the shepherd. 138 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:13,720 He is responsible for clearing the brush and the weeds and trees away from those areas 139 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,440 that he once as pastureland. 140 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:26,280 And then he must prepare the soil and plants, grass seed. 141 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:31,560 Perhaps even in some countries he must irrigate today, though that was not done, of course, 142 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:34,960 in the days of David. 143 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:39,320 But those green pastures must be carefully prepared and planned for. 144 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,440 Now why is that important for sheep to have green grass? 145 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:45,200 Can they not eat the brown grass? 146 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,540 Well, yes, they can. 147 00:13:47,540 --> 00:13:54,080 They can, but it takes them all day in their foraging to be satisfied. 148 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:59,440 And that does not help a shepherd who wants his sheep to gain. 149 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:08,760 He needs to provide green pastures where his sheep can find green grass right at hand and 150 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:14,320 then lie down and ruminate. 151 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,760 Did you know that sheep were like cows? 152 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:18,800 They are ruminates. 153 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:20,480 That is, they have two stomachs. 154 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,240 They chew their cud. 155 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:29,800 They must go out and fill up that first stomach and then lie down and bring up the whole matter 156 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:37,920 again and go over it and chew that cud and swallow it into the second stomach. 157 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:42,520 And as they lie there contented in the green pastures, they gain. 158 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,200 And that is what the shepherd wants. 159 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:49,680 And so instead of having them walk all day long where they lose whatever they might gain 160 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:56,080 from their eating, he wants them to be contented and to feed on green pastures. 161 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,800 God is that way with us. 162 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:03,800 God desires to nourish us, as it were, with green pastures. 163 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:11,440 He wants us to eat from his Word, where we find our spiritual food. 164 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:18,600 He wants us to rest and to meditate upon his Word. 165 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,740 Do you know how to meditate? 166 00:15:21,740 --> 00:15:25,280 Do you meditate? 167 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,920 If you would like to learn more about meditation, call the church office this week. 168 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:35,280 We have some duplicated materials that we can send to you, make available, so that you 169 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,080 can learn more about meditation. 170 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:44,120 That's such an important part of our diet, that what food we take in, then we properly 171 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,320 digest. 172 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,360 That's what meditation is. 173 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:49,360 It is digestion. 174 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:54,560 It is putting into our life what we know of God's Word. 175 00:15:54,560 --> 00:16:01,040 And as we do that, then we will grow, we will gain, we will mature spiritually. 176 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:07,240 And then a shepherd has to provide for his sheep quiet waters. 177 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,800 I guess I was rather surprised to learn that there are some kinds of sheep that can go 178 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:18,000 for months without a lot of water if the weather is cool and there is dew on the grass early 179 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,320 in the morning. 180 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:27,800 There are some fat tail sheep, for example, that something like camels store moisture, 181 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:32,800 store fluid rather, in the back part, in the tail. 182 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,840 And their tail is quite large and it's flat and fat. 183 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:42,140 And they draw up on that fluid if they are away from water. 184 00:16:42,140 --> 00:16:46,640 And if they can get enough dew in the early morning hours, they can go for months without 185 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:51,400 a real drink of water, as we would think of it. 186 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:55,920 But normally a shepherd looked for a place where he might give his sheep the water they 187 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,640 need. 188 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:05,300 Sometimes they would go to a deep well. 189 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:12,460 In some places there are wells that are down in caverns and the sheep are herded down into 190 00:17:12,460 --> 00:17:18,480 the cool darkness there to drink out of the quiet pools. 191 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:24,040 At other times the shepherds must find pools and streams that run down the hillsides. 192 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:30,480 And if they cannot find a quiet pool, they should create one, for normally sheep do not 193 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:35,020 like to drink from rushing water. 194 00:17:35,020 --> 00:17:41,840 Often a shepherd would take rocks, if need be, and create a levee so that he might have 195 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:48,160 a pool where the water would be quieted and his sheep might drink. 196 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:56,320 I would compare these quiet waters devotionally to our quiet times with God, where we draw 197 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:05,000 upon the quiet waters that He makes available to us, where we can appropriate by faith the 198 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:12,880 very life of Jesus, so that even though our outward man is dying, as Paul says to the 199 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:20,440 Corinthians, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 200 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:29,240 If you tonight are thirsty in your soul, or perhaps harried in your spirit, maybe your 201 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:38,240 need is to go to a quiet pool of water alone with God and there to drink and to draw from 202 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:43,200 Him that refreshment that you need in your spirit. 203 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:51,760 He provides that for us sheep, but how silly we often are to rush on and on and on and 204 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:56,060 not take time to be with our Lord. 205 00:18:56,060 --> 00:19:02,560 Maybe that's been a habit you've fallen into this summer because of the pressure of 206 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:06,360 the summer schedule and extra activities you've been involved in. 207 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:08,600 You've gotten away from that quiet time with God. 208 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,280 My friend, you need that quiet time. 209 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:12,920 I need that quiet time. 210 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:20,400 Will you reestablish that as a priority, a high priority in your life? 211 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:24,520 A shepherd also restores the soul of his sheep. 212 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,520 Sheep are nervous animals. 213 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,720 They are easily spooked. 214 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:31,520 They run from the slightest alarm. 215 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,120 I've seen them many times. 216 00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:39,960 In their stampede, they can even endanger their own young. 217 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,600 Sheep have to be calmed. 218 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:43,920 So do people. 219 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:46,000 So do Christians. 220 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:53,760 For there are times that we get upset and nervous from the anxieties of life. 221 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:54,760 It is interesting. 222 00:19:54,760 --> 00:20:00,160 I think the first time that Jesus really speaks to his disciples and calls them his flock, 223 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:06,400 his sheep, he says to them, fear not. 224 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:10,040 He says, quiet down, men. 225 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,280 Don't be afraid. 226 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:13,780 Why would you say that to sheep? 227 00:20:13,780 --> 00:20:17,720 Because they are by nature afraid. 228 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:20,040 Don't we often get caught up in the worries of life? 229 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:29,480 We get upset and nervous, and we are in stress over this or that when our need is the peace 230 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:34,680 of God that he can freely give to us and wants to. 231 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:40,920 If we will come to him, bring our petitions with thanksgiving, let a request we made known, 232 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:48,040 his peace, will fill our hearts and minds, will guard us so that we will know restoration 233 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:49,040 of soul. 234 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:53,480 Maybe that is what you need tonight as a sheep. 235 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,120 Maybe something hasn't gone your way. 236 00:20:57,120 --> 00:21:02,880 Did you ever think that might be a blessing in disguise? 237 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:07,080 Perhaps you are upset over some situation in your life. 238 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,840 Will you have a big question mark hanging over your head at this point? 239 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,560 Maybe your future is uncertain. 240 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,720 Will you let the shepherd restore your soul tonight? 241 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:21,480 Will it put it back together to settle you down? 242 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,080 Then the shepherd guides his sheep in the paths of righteousness. 243 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:31,080 The shepherd gives his sheep not only green pastures, quiet waters, soul restoration, 244 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:33,080 but righteous guidance. 245 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,520 A shepherd does provide direction for the flock. 246 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,520 That is his job after all. 247 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:45,300 In part, he is to be out there in front leading the sheep, giving them confidence. 248 00:21:45,300 --> 00:21:46,840 This is the way. 249 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:48,640 Walk in it. 250 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,040 Sheep will seldom be driven. 251 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:52,040 They must be led. 252 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:54,960 Oh, that some pastors could learn that. 253 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:58,480 I need to learn that occasionally again. 254 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:00,820 God's people will not be driven. 255 00:22:00,820 --> 00:22:02,960 They will be led. 256 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:04,920 That is the way the Lord cares for us. 257 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:07,060 He leads us. 258 00:22:07,060 --> 00:22:13,760 He directs our ways so that they are righteous in his eyes and will bring honor to his name. 259 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:21,120 That is what it means for his namesake, so that the way that we live pleases him. 260 00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:23,840 He provides for his sheep. 261 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:25,240 Are you letting him provide for you? 262 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:32,880 Are you letting him direct you? 263 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:40,360 I want to come now to the third truth regarding what our shepherd has done for us. 264 00:22:40,360 --> 00:22:43,960 It is this, that he protects his sheep. 265 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:48,680 I see this as the main theme of the last part of Psalm 23, where he says, 266 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:53,920 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil. 267 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:54,920 For thou art with me. 268 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,360 Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. 269 00:22:58,360 --> 00:23:02,720 Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. 270 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:04,760 Thou hast anointed my head with oil. 271 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:06,920 My cup overflows. 272 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:12,200 Holy goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell 273 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:16,320 in the house of the Lord forever. 274 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,360 The shepherd protects his sheep. 275 00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:25,320 As I have said, sheep are timid and frightened easily. 276 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:33,040 Their greatest need is to be calmed so that they will lie down and be a contented flock. 277 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:36,240 What is it, anyway, that causes alarm? 278 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,880 What is it that disturbs sheep? 279 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,240 Keller has some interesting ideas, which I fall back upon here. 280 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:47,120 I had a couple, or one rather, myself. 281 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:48,320 What alarms sheep? 282 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:50,320 Number one, predators. 283 00:23:50,320 --> 00:24:02,960 Whether they be wolves, or more commonly in the Midwest, coyotes, or bears, or cougars, 284 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:09,300 sheep are alarmed by predators, and when they smell one, or they hear one, or sense one, 285 00:24:09,300 --> 00:24:16,080 they are on their feet immediately and they are moving, not always in one direction either, 286 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:21,200 not always knowing where they are headed, but they are moving. 287 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:26,300 And then sheep are alarmed by hunger. 288 00:24:26,300 --> 00:24:28,380 When sheep are hungry, they are restless. 289 00:24:28,380 --> 00:24:29,880 They are on their feet walking. 290 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:36,280 I have seen them walking the fence in pens before when they haven't gotten their silage 291 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,560 or their corn or whatever on time. 292 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:44,160 They begin to walk the fence to look to see what they might be able to eat. 293 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,040 Sheep are alarmed when they have hunger pains. 294 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:53,720 And then sheep are alarmed by isolation, thirdly. 295 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:55,600 They are easily separated from others. 296 00:24:55,600 --> 00:25:00,360 In fact, that's one of the tactics used by some predators, to isolate a sheep, get them 297 00:25:00,360 --> 00:25:04,040 off by himself, and then to kill him. 298 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,720 Particularly is that true with little lambs? 299 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:12,740 Some use delight in having their lambs out in the pasture. 300 00:25:12,740 --> 00:25:19,720 And so a farmer or shepherd must go out into the pasture and find that grassy spot or that 301 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:24,880 low place where the ewe has decided to give birth. 302 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:31,160 If not, if he doesn't do that, surely overnight a predator will find that lamb and the lamb 303 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,120 will be dead. 304 00:25:33,120 --> 00:25:35,520 Sheep fear isolation. 305 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:42,140 When one is by itself, it is alarmed until it gets back with a flock. 306 00:25:42,140 --> 00:25:45,800 And the ironic thing is that sheep have no sense of knowing how to get back with the 307 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:46,800 flock. 308 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:52,120 You practically have to pull them by the wool to get them back. 309 00:25:52,120 --> 00:25:56,640 A fourth alarm for sheep is competition. 310 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:07,000 Just like chickens have pecking orders, a flock of sheep has a budding order. 311 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:11,760 Usually on a flock of sheep there is a dominant one. 312 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:20,880 Often it's a female, a ewe, for those of you trying to figure that out. 313 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:27,040 There seems to be a need for the status of top sheep in a flock. 314 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:32,440 And when there is that kind of competition going on, there are sheep dancing all over 315 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,160 the place. 316 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:42,880 I have seen rams budding it out, trying to decide which one was going to be grandpa. 317 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:51,400 And as they hit heads, you could hear it for hundreds of yards. 318 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,360 Ezekiel interestingly draws on this very picture. 319 00:26:54,360 --> 00:26:59,680 Just turn over there as a matter of curiosity to Ezekiel chapter 34 as he talks about the 320 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:04,400 false shepherds in his day. 321 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:08,120 He looked forward to the true shepherd, the son of David, Jesus Christ, who would come 322 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:11,320 and shepherd the flock of Israel. 323 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:15,640 And he uses the metaphor here of shepherds and the sheep rather. 324 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:24,560 And he says in verse 20, the Lord says, behold, I, even I, Ezekiel 34.20, will judge between 325 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:32,600 the fat sheep and the lean sheep, because you push with a side and with a shoulder and 326 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:38,400 thrust it all the week with your horns until you have scattered them abroad. 327 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:46,800 So you get the budding and the pushing and the horns going out in order for top sheep 328 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:52,160 to be identified. 329 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,440 Friction in the flock alarms the sheep. 330 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,720 And finally, pests alarm the sheep. 331 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:05,060 I'm not thinking here of small children, although they too can alarm sheep, but I'm thinking 332 00:28:05,060 --> 00:28:13,280 more of the insect variety of flies and ticks and that sort of nasty creature. 333 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:18,400 Those insects cause irritations, especially in the hot summertime and the very kind of 334 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:20,920 weather we've been having. 335 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:28,360 They get into the eyes and the nostrils of the sheep and cause infection, not to mention 336 00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:33,100 frustration and irritation to the animals. 337 00:28:33,100 --> 00:28:38,200 So those are the five things that cause sheep to be alarmed and from which they need protection 338 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,400 so that they will lie down and be contented. 339 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:47,520 Do you know that there are parallels here for the church? 340 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,120 The church has predators. 341 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:56,920 There are those who would love to enter in and to destroy the flock of God. 342 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:03,560 Paul, in speaking to those Ephesian elders, said, Men, be on guard because there are going 343 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:10,400 to be some who will enter in like wolves seeking to devour the flock. 344 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:19,320 And some of you also will rise up with perverse—the word means twisted—teachings, seeking to 345 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:21,320 draw away disciples after yourselves. 346 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:27,200 That was a sad thing to have to say to those elders. 347 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:28,920 God's flock has predators. 348 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,560 What about hunger? 349 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:32,560 Yes. 350 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:38,640 It is sad that there are some churches that are spiritually starving. 351 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:43,860 One of the things that I have prayed that God would allow us to do here is to consistently 352 00:29:43,860 --> 00:29:48,000 feed the flock of God. 353 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:53,400 And by the way, the only food that satisfies is the word of God. 354 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:54,760 What about isolation? 355 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:56,840 It happens. 356 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:02,080 There are some Christians, for one reason or another, that get off by themselves. 357 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:12,960 They get miffed at this or backslide over that and begin going to bedside Baptists. 358 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:20,720 And the result is that isolation creates spiritual damage in their lives. 359 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:22,920 What about competition? 360 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:25,080 Oh, boy. 361 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:31,160 Churches still today have those who like diatrophies seek to have the preeminent place. 362 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:33,840 They want to be top Christians in the church. 363 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:36,600 What about pests? 364 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,320 Yes. 365 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,280 There are pests in the church. 366 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:50,880 Full irritations that can creep in, that frustrate the people of God, and can sometimes cause 367 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,400 disease in churches. 368 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:55,380 There are pests, too. 369 00:30:55,380 --> 00:30:58,520 How does God protect his sheep from these? 370 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:01,760 Well, of course, he does that supernaturally. 371 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:12,520 But folks, God does that primarily by appointing over his sheep shepherds or elders. 372 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:20,840 Turn back to 1 Peter chapter 5 for a moment. 373 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:25,680 Peter says in verse 1, therefore I exhort the elders among you. 374 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:27,640 He doesn't mean the older believers. 375 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:32,040 He's talking here about those who function in the office of the elder. 376 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:37,680 And notice it's in the plural, as it always is in the New Testament. 377 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:44,960 I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, 378 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:49,320 may partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed. 379 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:56,360 Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, 380 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:58,640 according to the will of God. 381 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:05,880 Not for sordid gain but with eagerness, nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your 382 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:11,520 charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 383 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:19,920 God's method of protecting his sheep is through those that he raises up to be under shepherds, 384 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:24,520 that is, shepherds under Jesus Christ. 385 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,760 What are shepherds to do about predators? 386 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:29,400 Paul made that clear in Acts 20. 387 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:32,520 We are to guard the sheep. 388 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:38,560 One of the responsibilities that the spiritual leaders of our church has is to guard this 389 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:50,960 church from spiritual error, from false teaching, and from any entrance of people who would 390 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:54,840 bring that to our church. 391 00:32:54,840 --> 00:33:02,880 There are so many things that can sidetrack the people of God that we need alert, vigilant 392 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,440 shepherds who will guard the sheep. 393 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:07,440 What about hunger? 394 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:12,120 It is the responsibility of the spiritual leaders of the church to feed the flock of 395 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:13,120 God. 396 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:14,520 Now true, we are to feed ourselves. 397 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:18,880 Let's never think that the only feed that we ought to get is on Sunday. 398 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:23,160 If that is all the food we get, we are going to be pretty hungry by Wednesday or Thursday, 399 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:24,160 aren't we? 400 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:29,080 We are to feed ourselves, but there is a special sense in which elders are to feed the sheep 401 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:31,000 of God. 402 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:39,600 When Jesus restored Peter after his denial of the Lord, three times he said to him, feed 403 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:40,600 my sheep. 404 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:42,560 Actually, two times he said feed. 405 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:43,560 One time he said shepherd. 406 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:52,200 It puts the same thought, ten my sheep, Peter, feed them. 407 00:33:52,200 --> 00:34:00,040 I am glad, if I may share my heart for a moment, that the elders of our church have set that 408 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,280 as a priority for my ministry. 409 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:10,120 As the pastor-teacher of this church, that is my number one priority, to study the word 410 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:17,480 of God and then to teach it to you in such a way that you are spiritually nourished. 411 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:22,580 I have a lot to learn in that regard, and I ask your prayers for that, because I want 412 00:34:22,580 --> 00:34:33,040 to be the very best feeder, tender shepherd of God's people that I can possibly be. 413 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:39,600 I want to be more skilled at that by far than I am now, but I am glad that our men and that 414 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:46,280 our church, you as a church, understand that to be the primary task that I have. 415 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:50,940 That is why we have other men on the staff who perform other functions in the ministry 416 00:34:50,940 --> 00:34:54,440 so that the ministry is carried on. 417 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:59,200 I do visit in the hospital occasionally, but by and large, for example, Pastor McDonald 418 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:00,240 does that. 419 00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:03,200 When he is there, I have been there. 420 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:07,540 The church has ministered to that person. 421 00:35:07,540 --> 00:35:12,960 When something needs to be done in the small churches, Dave Sulak takes care of that as 422 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:17,440 one of our pastors, one of our elders. 423 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,240 When he has done that, our church has ministered there. 424 00:35:20,240 --> 00:35:24,140 I have been there as the pastor-teacher. 425 00:35:24,140 --> 00:35:30,600 I am glad that I have the priority of spending hours a week—and what a privilege that is—to 426 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:38,400 spend hours a week studying in the Word of God, preparing my heart and the Word so that 427 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:43,520 you can have it on the Lord's day. 428 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:48,640 I have said as a priority in my life the feeding of God's sheep. 429 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:50,720 What about isolation? 430 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:58,040 In Hebrews 13, the writer says, obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep 431 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:06,000 watch over your souls as those who will give an account. 432 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:11,920 There had better not be any elder who does not see the last part of that. 433 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:20,060 For elders will give a special account to God for their eldership, their oversight. 434 00:36:20,060 --> 00:36:25,160 The thing that I want to point out here is that elders, leaders, are responsible for 435 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:30,600 keeping watch over the souls of God's people, God's sheep. 436 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:34,800 That word keep watch means to go without sleep, literally. 437 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,360 It's not the word guard here. 438 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:42,080 It's the idea of going without sleep. 439 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:48,480 We who are spiritual leaders in the church are responsible to see that if a sheep gets 440 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:54,200 isolated, if we go after that sheep and bring him back, just like the shepherd does in that 441 00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:57,920 parable of the 99. 442 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:01,400 Now all of us have a responsibility as well, don't we? 443 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:08,100 For if we see a brother who's straying, who's gone into sin, we are to, after examining 444 00:37:08,100 --> 00:37:12,280 our own hearts, go to that brother and seek to restore him and bring him back. 445 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:16,960 But in a very special way, that responsibility rests upon the elders of the church to see 446 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:19,240 that it takes place. 447 00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:21,440 What about competition? 448 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:27,000 Peter makes it clear that elders are never to lord it over God's people. 449 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:34,040 I was talking today with Steve and we were sharing about the attitudes of pastors and 450 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:40,760 I told him about one pastor whose idea of directing his staff boiled down to this. 451 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:48,520 He has a great pastor school to which literally thousands and thousands of pastors across 452 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:50,680 the country have come. 453 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:55,240 He was teaching them one day how they should control their church and their staff. 454 00:37:55,240 --> 00:37:57,480 He says, I'll show you what I mean. 455 00:37:57,480 --> 00:38:01,600 He pointed down to his music director and he said, you move over there. 456 00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:05,080 The man got up and moved over there. 457 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,880 He said, now you move over there. 458 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:10,080 He got up and moved over there. 459 00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:13,240 He said, now you move over there. 460 00:38:13,240 --> 00:38:15,600 So the man got up a third time and moved over there. 461 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:20,920 And he said, man, that's what I mean by controlling your staff. 462 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:24,760 Well, there's a great theological word for that. 463 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:28,880 It's hogwash. 464 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:35,080 That is not God's plan for pastors in controlling their staff, directing their staff, or in 465 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:38,080 leading the church. 466 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:44,360 Elders are not to lord it over the church, but the key word would be an example. 467 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:50,480 How are elders to keep competition from happening in the church by exemplifying humility and 468 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:54,600 eager service before God's people? 469 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:57,680 The pastor is not the boss of the church. 470 00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:02,040 The pastor happens to be the chief servant in the church. 471 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:08,720 And by his spirit, along with the spirit of all the elders, and in our case, I would embrace 472 00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:14,320 also the pastor teachers, our spiritual leaders in this church, we are to set a tone of humility 473 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:16,920 before God's people. 474 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:22,080 That will be contagious and which God's people will exemplify so that there's not this 475 00:39:22,080 --> 00:39:25,720 budding order that develops in the flock. 476 00:39:25,720 --> 00:39:27,080 What about pests? 477 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:32,440 Did you notice David said, he anoints my head with oil? 478 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:38,340 The thought of that could well be that one of the ways that a shepherd takes care of 479 00:39:38,340 --> 00:39:46,040 insects that get into the eyes and the nostrils of sheep is to anoint their heads with medicinal 480 00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:48,040 oil. 481 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:54,160 And that keeps away these insects that cause irritation and infection. 482 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:59,860 And I believe that as we anoint the flock of God with the balm of his word and the ministry 483 00:39:59,860 --> 00:40:03,480 of the Holy Spirit, that will take place. 484 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:10,560 The irritations that sometimes cause problems in the flock will cease as the Spirit of God 485 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:15,760 consistently, week by week, day by day, does his work in our hearts. 486 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:20,840 I want to close. 487 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:25,260 Let me just point out two dangers other than these that sheep face. 488 00:40:25,260 --> 00:40:27,260 One is casting. 489 00:40:27,260 --> 00:40:31,200 That was a new word for me as I read Keller's book, but I understood when he explained what 490 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:33,920 it meant because I've seen it. 491 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:43,760 A cast C-A-S-T, sheep, is one which rolls onto its back and is unable to regain its 492 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:46,000 upright position. 493 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:52,200 When that happens, gases build up in the rumen, that is that first stomach. 494 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:59,160 And the result is that eventual death takes place because of the position itself or because 495 00:40:59,160 --> 00:41:03,400 a predator comes along and kills the animal. 496 00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:07,640 Sometimes sheep look for a hollowed out place in which to lie down. 497 00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:13,440 And as they lie down in that place, their center of gravity slowly shifts. 498 00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:15,880 They don't even realize it. 499 00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:21,040 And as their weight shifts more and more, they suddenly pass the point where they can 500 00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:24,040 get their feet back on the ground. 501 00:41:24,040 --> 00:41:27,640 And at that moment, they're done. 502 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:32,240 Unless the shepherd comes to straighten them up. 503 00:41:32,240 --> 00:41:38,080 Sometimes it happens because the wool gets too heavy and it gets matted with mud or manure 504 00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:39,580 or thistles. 505 00:41:39,580 --> 00:41:44,840 And the result of all of that is that heavy weight causes that gravity to shift. 506 00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:49,000 Sometimes it's because the sheep are just too fat. 507 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:53,240 But for one reason or another, the sheep gets on its back, it's fours up in the air, and 508 00:41:53,240 --> 00:41:58,640 it's finished unless it's ministered to by the shepherd. 509 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:02,000 I wonder tonight if you might be a cast sheep. 510 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:04,760 You've lost your balance. 511 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:07,160 How easily that can happen. 512 00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:12,840 We get chasing rabbits or we get sidetracked in this direction and the result is our spiritual 513 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:14,720 life gets out of kilter. 514 00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:19,800 We begin to compromise our position and before we know it, we've lost our balance. 515 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:25,400 If you find yourself in that position tonight, you need help. 516 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:27,320 You need to get back upright. 517 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:32,560 You need to go to a brother or sister in Christ, to myself, one of the pastors, one of the 518 00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:38,480 elders, your pastor teacher and say, hey, I need to talk to you. 519 00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:42,360 And then another problem the sheep face is bloating. 520 00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:44,460 This is due to diet. 521 00:42:44,460 --> 00:42:50,080 And where I grew up, it was the result of eating wet alfalfa. 522 00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:55,560 When sheep got out of their pen and got into the alfalfa when the dew was still on it, 523 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:58,700 they would often bloat. 524 00:42:58,700 --> 00:43:05,920 And the result of that bloating was a tremendous distress that led to death. 525 00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:06,920 Led to death. 526 00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:09,040 What have you been feeding on lately? 527 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:13,160 What have you been taking into your mind, into your heart? 528 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:20,600 Do you find yourself in spiritual distress because of what you've been feeding on? 529 00:43:20,600 --> 00:43:23,920 My friend, you need to be helped. 530 00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:24,920 Will you go to someone? 531 00:43:24,920 --> 00:43:28,240 Will you come tonight so we can pray with you? 532 00:43:28,240 --> 00:43:31,360 What is a sheep to do anyway? 533 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:33,360 One thing. 534 00:43:33,360 --> 00:43:35,320 Just one. 535 00:43:35,320 --> 00:43:37,120 Follow the shepherd. 536 00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:38,120 That's it. 537 00:43:38,120 --> 00:43:40,720 That's all a sheep has to do. 538 00:43:40,720 --> 00:43:43,760 Just keep his eyes on the shepherd and follow him. 539 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:46,000 Are you following the shepherd tonight? 540 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:53,600 Father, I pray that we sheep might recognize where we are in the flock tonight. 541 00:43:53,600 --> 00:44:03,800 And if there is some danger that we are in, I pray that we will understand that danger 542 00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:05,520 and will seek help. 543 00:44:05,520 --> 00:44:10,920 Father, there may be some of your people who have been feeding on the wrong things. 544 00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:19,560 Their minds tonight, their hearts are filled with distress and they are spiritually sick. 545 00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:25,520 Maybe others have gotten off balance in some area of life or a compromise has set in. 546 00:44:25,520 --> 00:44:28,360 Some sin is dominating. 547 00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:30,360 They've gotten cast. 548 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:38,240 Father, I pray that wherever we are tonight in our relationship to you as sheep, that 549 00:44:38,240 --> 00:44:43,760 you as our shepherd would kindly and graciously deal with us to get us back with the flock 550 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:48,640 on our feet, moving along, following you obediently. 551 00:44:48,640 --> 00:45:04,280 In Jesus' name, amen.