? (Theme Song) ? ? Jesus is worthy oh yes, ? 00:00:03.70\00:00:11.96 ? he's worthy worthy of all... ? ? all the praise... ? 00:00:11.96\00:00:21.10 Pastor Byrd: If you have it, let me hear you say Amen. 00:00:21.10\00:00:23.96 Luke 15:1, the Word of God says: "Then drew near 00:00:23.96\00:00:29.86 unto him all the publicans and sinners for 00:00:29.86\00:00:34.26 to hear him. 00:00:34.26\00:00:36.16 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, 00:00:36.16\00:00:38.93 saying, This man receiveth sinners, 00:00:38.93\00:00:42.20 and eateth with them. 00:00:42.20\00:00:45.30 And he spake this parable unto them, 00:00:45.30\00:00:47.50 saying, What man of you, 00:00:47.50\00:00:51.43 having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, 00:00:51.43\00:00:55.90 doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, 00:00:55.90\00:00:59.56 and go after that which is lost, 00:00:59.56\00:01:02.50 until he find it? 00:01:02.50\00:01:04.30 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, 00:01:04.30\00:01:07.76 rejoicing. 00:01:07.76\00:01:08.76 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his 00:01:08.76\00:01:14.33 friends and neighbors, saying until them, 00:01:14.33\00:01:17.60 Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep 00:01:17.60\00:01:23.10 which was lost. 00:01:23.10\00:01:25.13 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in 00:01:25.13\00:01:31.06 heaven over one sinner that repenteth, 00:01:31.06\00:01:35.33 more than over ninety and nine just persons, 00:01:35.33\00:01:43.00 which need no repentance." 00:01:43.00\00:01:46.83 Ninety-nine just won't do. 00:01:46.83\00:01:50.86 Father God, bless us now. 00:01:50.86\00:01:54.13 We've sung, we've testified, 00:01:54.13\00:01:58.16 and we've prayed. 00:01:58.16\00:02:00.23 But now, God, 00:02:00.23\00:02:02.23 we need a word from you. 00:02:02.23\00:02:03.23 If we don't hear from you, Lord, 00:02:03.23\00:02:08.33 what will we do? 00:02:08.33\00:02:10.96 So disappoint us not. 00:02:10.96\00:02:13.30 Fill us with your Spirit. 00:02:13.30\00:02:16.36 Anoint us with your grace. 00:02:16.36\00:02:19.26 And when the appeal is made today, 00:02:19.26\00:02:22.50 may men, women, 00:02:22.50\00:02:24.50 boys and girls come running, saying, 00:02:24.50\00:02:26.50 what must I do to be saved? 00:02:26.50\00:02:29.06 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. 00:02:29.06\00:02:33.00 It's in his name we pray. 00:02:33.00\00:02:35.86 Let everyone say Amen. 00:02:35.86\00:02:37.70 And Amen. 00:02:37.70\00:02:39.66 Ninety-nine just won't do. 00:02:39.66\00:02:46.56 In the text Jesus has just finished speaking a powerful 00:02:46.56\00:02:52.73 lesson on what true discipleship is. 00:02:52.73\00:02:57.10 Just because you're a member of God's church doesn't 00:02:57.10\00:03:03.56 necessarily mean you're a true disciple of Christ. 00:03:03.56\00:03:08.00 Because a whole lot of folk have their names on 00:03:08.00\00:03:12.56 the church roll, but they don't really know 00:03:12.56\00:03:15.13 what it means to follow Jesus Christ. 00:03:15.13\00:03:18.20 Do I have a witness in this place? 00:03:18.20\00:03:20.20 Jesus stresses this teaching in Luke, 00:03:20.20\00:03:22.96 Chapter 14, by saying, 00:03:22.96\00:03:25.36 if you're a disciple you're salt. 00:03:25.36\00:03:28.93 and as salt you have a purpose in the world. 00:03:28.93\00:03:34.96 As Christians we're not here to follow the world, 00:03:34.96\00:03:37.66 but we're supposed to be change agents in the world 00:03:37.66\00:03:41.86 because we're in this world, but not of this world. 00:03:41.86\00:03:47.46 And if you can't get excited about that, 00:03:47.46\00:03:50.20 it just might be you aren't real salt. 00:03:50.20\00:03:53.53 Because they do have a thing called salt substitute. 00:03:53.53\00:03:59.83 Looks like salt, tastes like salt, 00:03:59.83\00:04:04.20 but it's not salt. 00:04:04.20\00:04:05.60 Do I have a witness in this place? 00:04:05.60\00:04:08.00 There are a lot of folks that look like disciples, 00:04:08.00\00:04:11.93 walk like disciples, pray like disciples, 00:04:11.93\00:04:16.26 and then they can even praise like disciples, 00:04:16.26\00:04:19.96 but they aren't disciples because the true test of a 00:04:19.96\00:04:24.36 disciple is, if you're salty then folk 00:04:24.36\00:04:27.23 around you ought to get thirsty. 00:04:27.23\00:04:29.73 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 00:04:29.73\00:04:31.66 Jesus says, you are the salt of the earth. 00:04:31.66\00:04:37.33 He then begins Chapter 15 of Luke with what many refer 00:04:37.33\00:04:41.53 to as God's lost-and-found department. 00:04:41.53\00:04:45.76 In this chapter Jesus says that his primary mission is to 00:04:45.76\00:04:50.53 seek and save the lost. 00:04:50.53\00:04:53.00 That's the mindset of Jesus. 00:04:53.00\00:04:55.26 Let this mind be in you, which was also 00:04:55.26\00:04:58.36 in Christ Jesus. 00:04:58.36\00:04:59.93 Seek and save the lost. 00:04:59.93\00:05:02.96 In this chapter we have searching, 00:05:02.96\00:05:06.13 we have saving and then we have shouting. 00:05:06.13\00:05:09.76 For after the lost is found there is rejoicing. 00:05:09.76\00:05:15.66 In this chapter Jesus says four illustrations in three 00:05:15.66\00:05:20.06 parables to deal with God's desire to save the lost. 00:05:20.06\00:05:25.66 Verse 3-7 identify the first parable and record the 00:05:25.66\00:05:30.66 illustration of the lost sheep. 00:05:30.66\00:05:33.93 Verses 8-10 identify the second parable and record the 00:05:33.93\00:05:38.53 illustration of the lost coin. 00:05:38.53\00:05:41.33 Verses 11-32 identify the third parable and record both 00:05:41.33\00:05:46.70 the illustration of the lost son and the illustration of 00:05:46.70\00:05:50.56 the lost brother. 00:05:50.56\00:05:52.53 But in verses 1 and 2, the Bible teaches that 00:05:52.53\00:05:57.76 publicans and sinners came to hear Jesus preach. 00:05:57.76\00:06:03.26 Now, publicans were tax collectors. 00:06:03.26\00:06:06.16 Everybody say tax collectors. 00:06:06.16\00:06:07.93 Who worked for the Roman government and who were 00:06:07.93\00:06:12.26 despised by the Jews because they worked directly or 00:06:12.26\00:06:16.60 indirectly for the hated Romans and put unfair 00:06:16.60\00:06:20.53 and unnecessary tax burdens on the people 00:06:20.53\00:06:23.36 to fill their own pockets. 00:06:23.36\00:06:26.76 They were viewed as traitors. 00:06:26.76\00:06:28.86 Sinners, on the other hand, 00:06:28.86\00:06:30.80 were Jews who had fallen away from the life God had 00:06:30.80\00:06:35.40 commanded. 00:06:35.40\00:06:36.40 They were living in unrepentant sin. 00:06:36.40\00:06:38.56 They had been expelled from the synagogue by the scribes 00:06:38.56\00:06:42.76 and the Pharisees, and doomed to hell. 00:06:42.76\00:06:46.40 You know, we call it disfellowship 00:06:46.40\00:06:48.90 and excommunicated by the church. 00:06:48.90\00:06:52.13 Picture that if you will. 00:06:52.13\00:06:54.16 Sinners telling other sinners that they are no longer 00:06:54.16\00:06:57.73 welcome in God's church. 00:06:57.73\00:06:59.40 That they are no longer able to receive forgiveness 00:06:59.40\00:07:03.60 from sin. 00:07:03.60\00:07:04.60 Prostitutes would have been a part of this group. 00:07:04.60\00:07:07.76 Drunkards would have been a part of this group. 00:07:07.76\00:07:11.46 Thieves would have been a part of this group. 00:07:11.46\00:07:15.20 But sinners also included anybody who violated their 00:07:15.20\00:07:18.90 understanding of the commandments. 00:07:18.90\00:07:21.00 For, after all, 00:07:21.00\00:07:23.00 they called Jesus a sinner when he healed somebody on the 00:07:23.00\00:07:26.73 Sabbath day. 00:07:26.73\00:07:27.73 And it was these two groups, tax collectors and poor 00:07:27.73\00:07:32.56 sinners, that nobody else cared about 00:07:32.56\00:07:36.26 but Jesus. 00:07:36.26\00:07:37.43 These people came to hear Jesus teach and preach, 00:07:37.43\00:07:42.13 and the religious authorities murmured and complained 00:07:42.13\00:07:46.16 and began to criticize Jesus for receiving sinners. 00:07:46.16\00:07:51.33 The people, the very people that church 00:07:51.33\00:07:57.80 folk should have been reaching out to were the very people 00:07:57.80\00:08:01.93 that church folk were trying to keep out. 00:08:01.93\00:08:05.53 I can't get any help in this place. 00:08:05.53\00:08:09.70 And that's just like church folk, 00:08:09.70\00:08:12.40 we keep people out who need Jesus the most. 00:08:12.40\00:08:15.90 But the Pharisees don't get too close to these people. 00:08:15.90\00:08:20.66 People who don't look like them, 00:08:20.66\00:08:24.10 people who don't dress like them, 00:08:24.10\00:08:27.03 people who don't talk like them, 00:08:27.03\00:08:29.93 people who don't smell like them. 00:08:29.93\00:08:32.83 But Jesus eats with them, accepts them, 00:08:32.83\00:08:35.76 laughs with them, has fellowship with them, 00:08:35.76\00:08:39.13 and God forbid even prays with them. 00:08:39.13\00:08:43.03 Jesus spending time with these sinners makes 00:08:43.03\00:08:46.90 the Pharisees mad. 00:08:46.90\00:08:47.90 They don't like it that Jesus gives attention to those who 00:08:47.90\00:08:52.73 give no attention to their way of life. 00:08:52.73\00:08:56.63 They want Jesus to be focused on them, 00:08:56.63\00:09:00.60 not sinners. 00:09:00.60\00:09:01.60 They want Jesus to reward them for all their ways, 00:09:01.60\00:09:06.73 not sinners. 00:09:06.73\00:09:08.03 They have been faithful all of their lives. 00:09:08.03\00:09:10.76 They went to church every Sabbath. 00:09:10.76\00:09:13.30 They returned tithe every Sabbath. 00:09:13.30\00:09:15.76 They gave offering every Sabbath. 00:09:15.76\00:09:18.16 They worked hard at the church every week. 00:09:18.16\00:09:20.63 They weren't the bad guys, they were the good guys. 00:09:20.63\00:09:23.63 They were the ones who had grown up in the church. 00:09:23.63\00:09:27.36 They were the ones who didn't smoke, 00:09:27.36\00:09:29.60 drink, or have premarital relations 00:09:29.60\00:09:32.63 in ways they shouldn't have. 00:09:32.63\00:09:34.66 But now, Jesus is ignoring them 00:09:34.66\00:09:37.83 and hanging out with the last, the least, 00:09:37.83\00:09:41.93 the lost, the unlucky and the left out. 00:09:41.93\00:09:47.13 How dare Jesus show more interest in these people than 00:09:47.13\00:09:53.80 he shows in me? 00:09:53.80\00:09:55.66 How dare Jesus show more interest and spend more time 00:09:55.66\00:10:00.33 with these people than he does with me? 00:10:00.33\00:10:04.90 To eat with tax collectors and sinners is to put oneself 00:10:04.90\00:10:08.76 down to their level. 00:10:08.76\00:10:09.90 To eat with tax collectors and sinners was to contaminate 00:10:09.90\00:10:13.43 oneself and make oneself unfit for temple worship. 00:10:13.43\00:10:18.13 But let us, today, 00:10:18.13\00:10:20.16 not be too hard on the Pharisees because there's 00:10:20.16\00:10:24.20 a lot of Pharisee in us. 00:10:24.20\00:10:27.26 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 00:10:27.26\00:10:29.86 What would we say if we saw Jesus at dinner with a drug 00:10:29.86\00:10:36.23 dealer, a car thief, 00:10:36.23\00:10:38.23 a prostitute with AIDS, or a homeless man eating egg 00:10:38.23\00:10:43.16 parmesan in Olive Garden? 00:10:43.16\00:10:45.20 But then Jesus can do whatever he wants as long as it doesn't 00:10:45.20\00:10:50.73 conflict with our clean, comfortable, 00:10:50.73\00:10:54.36 conservative, cool, 00:10:54.36\00:10:56.73 clannish culture. 00:10:56.73\00:10:58.16 It's okay for Jesus to spend time with people like that as 00:10:58.16\00:11:01.76 long as we're not around, as long as they stay on their 00:11:01.76\00:11:05.90 side of town without wandering on our side of town. 00:11:05.90\00:11:10.00 But Jesus, the good news is, 00:11:10.00\00:11:12.56 just doesn't care for good people. 00:11:12.56\00:11:15.73 Jesus cares for all people and Jesus is willing 00:11:15.73\00:11:17.73 to put energy and effort into reaching out to those 00:11:17.73\00:11:22.46 who many good people would want nothing to do with. 00:11:22.46\00:11:27.73 Jesus has a habit of using folk other people don't like. 00:11:27.73\00:11:33.03 Jesus does that so you can't take credit for who they've 00:11:33.03\00:11:38.40 now become in Jesus Christ. 00:11:38.40\00:11:40.83 The Pharisees and the scribes are grumbling and saying to 00:11:40.83\00:11:45.70 one another, this man welcomes sinners 00:11:45.70\00:11:49.13 and eats with them. 00:11:49.13\00:11:50.60 Because you see, the Pharisees had strict 00:11:50.60\00:11:54.00 regulations about how they would keep away from sinners. 00:11:54.00\00:11:58.16 They were not to entrust money to them or have business 00:11:58.16\00:12:01.10 dealings with them. 00:12:01.10\00:12:02.63 They were not to trust them with a secret. 00:12:02.63\00:12:05.63 They were not to give their daughter away in marriage to 00:12:05.63\00:12:08.80 any of their sons. 00:12:08.80\00:12:10.36 They were not to invite them as guests or be their guests. 00:12:10.36\00:12:13.53 But Jesus eats with them, openly fellowships with them, 00:12:13.53\00:12:19.66 and Jesus receives them. 00:12:19.66\00:12:23.43 Notice in the text that the Pharisees do not openly 00:12:23.43\00:12:32.80 confront Jesus. 00:12:32.80\00:12:34.70 They talk behind his back. 00:12:34.70\00:12:39.66 Interestingly, that they would do this 00:12:39.66\00:12:42.46 because in other scenarios, like Jesus healing on the 00:12:42.46\00:12:45.46 Sabbath day, if they felt Jesus was 00:12:45.46\00:12:48.16 directly disobeying one of their traditions, 00:12:48.16\00:12:50.63 they would try to openly call him out on it. 00:12:50.63\00:12:54.73 But when he was just doing things they didn't like, 00:12:54.73\00:12:58.13 rather than speak directly to him they grumbled among 00:12:58.13\00:13:04.50 themselves behind his back. 00:13:04.50\00:13:07.73 Let me tell you something, people like that are 00:13:07.73\00:13:10.70 dangerous. 00:13:10.70\00:13:11.70 Say what you want to say, but one of the toughest things 00:13:11.70\00:13:15.96 in life is to deal with folk that smile in your face, 00:13:15.96\00:13:20.80 but are constantly stabbing you in your back. 00:13:20.80\00:13:24.03 Do I have a witness in this place? 00:13:24.03\00:13:27.86 It's not always the folk on the outside that you have to 00:13:27.86\00:13:32.06 worry about, but it's the phony, 00:13:32.06\00:13:34.46 pretentious folk on the inside that you have 00:13:34.46\00:13:38.93 to be careful with. 00:13:38.93\00:13:39.93 You all don't hear what I'm saying. 00:13:39.93\00:13:42.73 I've never heard a drunk person talk about 00:13:42.73\00:13:45.83 another drunk person. 00:13:45.83\00:13:46.83 Their attitude is, I'm drunk, 00:13:46.83\00:13:55.86 you're drunk, so we just all drunk. 00:13:55.86\00:13:59.53 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 00:13:59.53\00:14:01.60 Verse 1 of the Bible says, then drew near unto him all 00:14:01.60\00:14:08.26 the publicans and sinners, all the publicans and whom, 00:14:08.26\00:14:10.70 everybody? 00:14:10.70\00:14:11.70 Sinners to him. 00:14:11.70\00:14:13.30 Now, the verb in this text, 00:14:13.30\00:14:16.56 drew near, is imperfect in nature. 00:14:16.56\00:14:21.06 Meaning it is repeated acts. 00:14:21.06\00:14:24.26 In other words, the tax collectors 00:14:24.26\00:14:27.63 and the sinners were continuously coming 00:14:27.63\00:14:30.56 to Jesus. 00:14:30.56\00:14:31.73 So regardless of how much the Pharisees and scribes 00:14:31.73\00:14:36.50 tried to stop it, the people kept coming to 00:14:36.50\00:14:39.60 Jesus. 00:14:39.60\00:14:40.60 Let that be a lesson for somebody today. 00:14:40.60\00:14:43.70 Folk can stop a lot of things but folk can't stop 00:14:43.70\00:14:49.36 the move of God. 00:14:49.36\00:14:50.36 Folk can't stop the move of the Holy Ghost. 00:14:50.36\00:14:54.23 They can't stop the move of Jesus. 00:14:54.23\00:14:57.90 God will do what he wants, when he wants, 00:14:57.90\00:15:01.70 where he wants, how he wants and he doesn't 00:15:01.70\00:15:05.10 have to ask you or me for permission to do 00:15:05.10\00:15:08.66 what he wants. 00:15:08.66\00:15:11.86 The Bible says that all the publicans and sinners 00:15:11.86\00:15:14.53 came to hear Jesus while the Pharisees 00:15:14.53\00:15:20.00 and scribes murmured against Jesus for receiving and eating 00:15:20.00\00:15:25.30 with sinners. 00:15:25.30\00:15:26.50 While Jesus didn't approve of their actions, 00:15:26.50\00:15:30.56 the Bible teaches that Jesus did receive them socially 00:15:30.56\00:15:34.20 and ate with them for the purpose of bringing 00:15:34.20\00:15:37.56 them to repentance and salvation. 00:15:37.56\00:15:41.46 Ellen White clearly says in "My Life Today, 00:15:41.46\00:15:44.16 she says that Jesus was social to save. Yes, 00:15:44.16\00:15:52.86 she says, Jesus rebuked intemperance, 00:15:52.86\00:15:58.03 self-indulgence and folly, yet she says he was social in 00:15:58.03\00:16:03.10 his nature. 00:16:03.10\00:16:04.40 He accepted invitations to dine with the learned 00:16:04.40\00:16:09.00 and the noble as well as the poor and afflicted. 00:16:09.00\00:16:12.56 She says, social power sanctified 00:16:12.56\00:16:16.86 by the Spirit of Christ must be improved in bringing 00:16:16.86\00:16:19.83 souls to Jesus Christ. 00:16:19.83\00:16:20.83 But our problem is, too often we're so isolated 00:16:20.83\00:16:26.13 and insulated, we don't want to minister to 00:16:26.13\00:16:30.80 anybody but ourselves. 00:16:30.80\00:16:32.56 We sing what we want, we teach what we want, 00:16:32.56\00:16:38.23 we preach what we want and we don't care about the people 00:16:38.23\00:16:41.66 down the street from our churches. 00:16:41.66\00:16:43.83 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 00:16:43.83\00:16:45.80 We're incestual and the fruit of incest 00:16:45.80\00:16:53.50 is always something retarded. 00:16:53.50\00:17:01.53 And we have retarded ministries and churches 00:17:01.53\00:17:04.96 because we care more about ministering to ourselves than 00:17:04.96\00:17:09.86 ministering to the one on the street corner. 00:17:09.86\00:17:12.16 I wish I had a witness in this place. 00:17:12.16\00:17:14.73 But Ellen White says, Christ's method alone will 00:17:14.73\00:17:19.56 give true success to reaching people. 00:17:19.56\00:17:21.46 The Savior mingled with them as one who desired their good. 00:17:21.46\00:17:26.43 He showed sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, 00:17:26.43\00:17:30.83 won their confidence and then he bade them, 00:17:30.83\00:17:36.13 "Follow me." Jesus was social to save. 00:17:36.13\00:17:39.50 But the scribes and the Pharisees thought they were 00:17:39.50\00:17:44.40 too righteous to associate with sinners, 00:17:44.40\00:17:47.80 too "boojey" to hang with the broke. 00:17:47.80\00:17:50.80 But let me tell you something, don't you ever think that you 00:17:50.80\00:17:53.53 are better than somebody else. 00:17:53.53\00:17:56.23 Don't you ever think that you are more righteous than 00:17:56.23\00:17:59.50 somebody else. 00:17:59.50\00:18:00.56 Apart from Christ, you and I are just as lost as 00:18:00.56\00:18:04.66 those tax collectors and sinners of Israel, 00:18:04.66\00:18:08.96 just as lost as that man drinking Jack Daniels, 00:18:08.96\00:18:14.46 just as lost as that drug dealer on that corner. 00:18:14.46\00:18:20.56 Just as lost as that liar, that fornicator, 00:18:20.56\00:18:25.46 that adulterer, that gossiper, 00:18:25.46\00:18:27.90 that stealer, that cheater, 00:18:27.90\00:18:30.36 that deceiver, that mess-maker, 00:18:30.36\00:18:32.80 all have sinned, come short of the glory of 00:18:32.80\00:18:38.30 God. 00:18:38.30\00:18:39.30 If it weren't for the blood of Jesus, 00:18:39.30\00:18:44.20 I would be lost. 00:18:44.20\00:18:46.26 The ground is level at the cross. 00:18:46.26\00:18:50.93 So before I go any further, I rebuke every foul, 00:18:50.93\00:18:56.66 pretentious, pompous, 00:18:56.66\00:18:58.66 conceited, Satanic superior spirit in 00:18:58.66\00:19:01.00 this place. 00:19:01.00\00:19:02.23 The devil is alive. 00:19:02.23\00:19:05.30 In this first parable, Jesus uses the metaphor of one 00:19:05.30\00:19:09.60 sheep being lost from the fold of 100. 00:19:09.60\00:19:13.43 He says, 99. 00:19:13.43\00:19:15.43 Everybody say 99. 00:19:15.43\00:19:16.43 Just won't do. 00:19:16.43\00:19:17.60 Why did he use this metaphor to illustrate the importance 00:19:17.60\00:19:22.33 of saving the lost? 00:19:22.33\00:19:24.20 Number one, he uses this metaphor of the 00:19:24.20\00:19:27.96 lost sheep because sheep aren't the smartest animals in 00:19:27.96\00:19:32.13 the world. 00:19:32.13\00:19:33.13 As a result they are constantly getting into 00:19:33.13\00:19:36.83 terrible situations. 00:19:36.83\00:19:38.10 Let me tell you something. 00:19:38.10\00:19:39.26 Sometimes we are not the smartest people in the world 00:19:39.26\00:19:45.50 and we find ourselves getting into some terrible situations. 00:19:45.50\00:19:51.00 We make bad decisions, make bad choices, 00:19:51.00\00:19:55.36 say bad things and while we deserve death, 00:19:55.36\00:20:01.26 while we deserve gloom, while we deserve destruction, 00:20:01.26\00:20:03.70 I'm so grateful that God blocks it, 00:20:03.70\00:20:07.20 and God won't let us fall. 00:20:07.20\00:20:09.00 Hallelujah, somebody. 00:20:09.00\00:20:11.03 The angels of the Lord encampeth round about them 00:20:11.03\00:20:15.03 that fear him. 00:20:15.03\00:20:16.56 Number two, sheep are defenseless. 00:20:16.56\00:20:23.16 Lions have teeth, bears have claws, 00:20:23.16\00:20:28.66 snakes have fangs, cheetahs have speed, 00:20:28.66\00:20:33.56 rams have horns, porcupines have quills, 00:20:33.56\00:20:39.13 dogs have a bark and skunks have a scent. 00:20:39.13\00:20:47.63 But not sheep. 00:20:47.63\00:20:49.83 They have absolutely no means of protecting themselves from 00:20:49.83\00:20:55.06 danger. 00:20:55.06\00:20:55.93 If a sheep is attacked, the sheep is helpless. 00:20:55.93\00:21:01.10 We're the same way. 00:21:01.10\00:21:03.40 There is no way we can protect ourselves against the attack 00:21:03.40\00:21:07.73 of Satan. 00:21:07.73\00:21:08.73 We need someone else to protect us, 00:21:08.73\00:21:12.13 someone else to defend us, someone else to guard us, 00:21:12.13\00:21:17.46 someone else to shield us, someone else to shelter us, 00:21:17.46\00:21:22.80 someone else to safeguard us and that someone is Jesus. 00:21:22.80\00:21:28.13 Jesus be a fence all around me every day. 00:21:28.13\00:21:32.86 Put on the layers of the whole armor of God that he may be 00:21:32.86\00:21:40.33 able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 00:21:40.33\00:21:45.13 The Lord is my rock. 00:21:45.13\00:21:47.80 In him we hide. 00:21:47.80\00:21:49.93 A shelter in the time of storm. 00:21:49.93\00:21:53.10 Number three, sheep need direction. 00:21:53.10\00:21:55.10 If a sheep wanders from the rest of the flock it will have 00:21:55.10\00:22:03.63 a hard time, if not impossible time, 00:22:03.63\00:22:06.93 finding its way back. 00:22:06.93\00:22:08.96 Sheep have no sense of direction. 00:22:08.96\00:22:13.40 Sheep are not like horses or dogs who can find their way 00:22:13.40\00:22:22.03 back home. 00:22:22.03\00:22:23.70 Sheep could never find their way home on their own. 00:22:23.70\00:22:27.96 So it is with those who wander from the Lord. 00:22:27.96\00:22:33.13 There is simply no sense of spiritual direction in their 00:22:33.13\00:22:38.36 life. 00:22:38.36\00:22:39.36 They cannot find their way to the Lord by themselves, 00:22:39.36\00:22:44.10 but they need a shepherd. 00:22:44.10\00:22:46.70 But then, number four. 00:22:46.70\00:22:48.80 Sheep are not responsible for getting themselves home. 00:22:48.80\00:22:53.30 The sheep is powerless to find its way back to the flock. 00:22:53.30\00:22:58.13 If the shepherd waited for the sheep to return to its own, 00:22:58.13\00:23:03.03 then it would die in the wilderness. 00:23:03.03\00:23:06.43 So instead of waiting, the shepherd goes after the 00:23:06.43\00:23:09.46 sheep, because getting the sheep back 00:23:09.46\00:23:11.86 home is the responsibility of the shepherd. 00:23:11.86\00:23:14.86 The lost sheep was not able to find its way back home. 00:23:14.86\00:23:19.50 Everything depended on the searching of the shepherd. 00:23:19.50\00:23:22.73 The shepherd feels bad about losing the sheep and will 00:23:22.73\00:23:26.73 search until he finds it. 00:23:26.73\00:23:28.73 It is his responsibility. 00:23:28.73\00:23:30.30 No trouble, no sacrifice, 00:23:30.30\00:23:32.30 no suffering is too great to find the lost sheep and bring 00:23:32.30\00:23:36.70 it back. 00:23:36.70\00:23:37.70 Ninety-nine won't do. 00:23:37.70\00:23:39.40 You've got to get 100. 00:23:39.40\00:23:43.20 Somebody's going to get this in a minute.- The same is true 00:23:43.20\00:23:49.63 with salvation. 00:23:49.63\00:23:50.70 Lost sheep do not find Jesus. 00:23:50.70\00:23:54.03 They are not able. 00:23:54.03\00:23:56.30 Everything depends on Jesus who is seeking the sheep. 00:23:56.30\00:24:00.76 Lost people do not make the first move to Jesus. 00:24:00.76\00:24:03.86 It's the Good Shepherd that makes the first move towards 00:24:03.86\00:24:07.03 lost sheep. 00:24:07.03\00:24:08.03 He comes looking for us. 00:24:08.03\00:24:10.23 He finds us. 00:24:10.23\00:24:11.70 That's why Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice 00:24:11.70\00:24:16.76 and they follow me. 00:24:16.76\00:24:18.30 And what I love about the Lord is that the Lord will search 00:24:18.30\00:24:23.70 for us, wherever we are, 00:24:23.70\00:24:27.50 until he finds us. 00:24:27.50\00:24:29.36 The Lord doesn't give up, thank you, 00:24:29.36\00:24:32.16 Jesus, after a few minutes, 00:24:32.16\00:24:34.16 after a few months or even after a few years 00:24:34.16\00:24:37.96 of searching. 00:24:37.96\00:24:38.96 But Jesus stays on the job until the lost sheep is found. 00:24:38.96\00:24:43.00 That's why he's not the God of a second chance. 00:24:43.00\00:24:47.00 I hear folk say all the time, he's the God of a second 00:24:47.00\00:24:49.36 chance. 00:24:49.36\00:24:50.36 No, no, 00:24:50.36\00:24:52.36 no. 00:24:52.36\00:24:53.36 He's not just the God of a second chance, 00:24:53.36\00:24:55.36 but he's the God of a chance after chance after chance, 00:24:55.36\00:24:59.13 after chance, after chance. 00:24:59.13\00:25:02.23 And I don't know about you, but I'm so glad today that 00:25:02.23\00:25:05.76 Jesus didn't give up on me. 00:25:05.76\00:25:08.33 I'm glad that Jesus keeps coming for me. 00:25:08.33\00:25:11.60 I'm glad that he keeps looking, 00:25:11.60\00:25:13.83 he keeps calling, he keeps knocking, 00:25:13.83\00:25:16.26 he keeps waiting for me. 00:25:16.26\00:25:17.53 Is there anybody in this place who's happy that you serve a God 00:25:17.53\00:25:23.10 that keeps coming back for you? 00:25:23.10\00:25:26.56 PB: Thank you very much for tuning in and watching Breath 00:25:26.56\00:25:30.56 of Life today. 00:25:30.56\00:25:31.80 We do hope that you were blessed by our ministry 00:25:31.80\00:25:34.96 and that we gave a healing word 00:25:34.96\00:25:36.86 in a hurting world. 00:25:36.86\00:25:39.20 In order for Breath of Life to continue ministering, 00:25:39.20\00:25:41.56 we need you. 00:25:41.56\00:25:42.76 We need your prayers. 00:25:42.76\00:25:44.36 We need your support. 00:25:44.36\00:25:45.46 We want you to know that any and all donations, 00:25:45.46\00:25:48.06 small 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Box 340, Newbury Park, CA 91319. 00:26:10.10\00:26:18.26 Feel free to log onto our web 00:26:18.26\00:26:24.26 site at www.breathoflife.tv. 00:26:26.56\00:26:30.26 "The Desire of Ages, the life story of the 00:26:30.26\00:26:33.16 greatest spiritual leader the world has ever known, 00:26:33.16\00:26:36.26 Jesus Christ. 00:26:36.26\00:26:37.76 "Desire of Ages" goes in depth into events surrounding 00:26:37.76\00:26:41.10 the life of Jesus, giving you more meaning 00:26:41.10\00:26:43.16 and a clearer picture of his impact on the world 00:26:43.16\00:26:45.73 and on those who choose to follow him even to 00:26:45.73\00:26:49.06 this day. 00:26:49.06\00:26:50.06 In these uncertain times "Desire of Ages" gives 00:26:50.06\00:26:53.03 direction for all who seek it. 00:26:53.03\00:26:54.73 The book answers hard questions confronting us all. 00:26:54.73\00:26:58.20 It examines basic spiritual truths, 00:26:58.20\00:27:00.90 gives hope and encouragement for tomorrow and brings you 00:27:00.90\00:27:03.13 face to face with the savior. 00:27:03.13\00:27:05.40 get to know him like never before. 00:27:05.40\00:27:07.53 "Desire of Ages" has been acclaimed by many to be the 00:27:07.53\00:27:10.06 most significant and deeply spiritual story of the life of 00:27:10.06\00:27:13.70 christ ever written It is rich with wisdom and compassion 00:27:13.70\00:27:18.10 written by the most translated woman writer in the entire 00:27:18.10\00:27:20.63 history of literature Ellen White. 00:27:20.63\00:27:24.80 Just call our toll-free number, 00:27:24.80\00:27:27.50 877-BOL-OFFER. 00:27:27.50\00:27:28.50 That's 877-265-6333 and ask for your copy of "Desire of 00:27:28.50\00:27:37.90 Ages." This book is yours for a gift of $5 or more. 00:27:37.90\00:27:42.56 Or you may write to Breath of Life, 00:27:42.56\00:27:45.13 Box 340, Newbury Park, 00:27:45.13\00:27:47.93 California 91319. 00:27:47.93\00:27:49.56 "The Desire of Ages"... 00:27:49.56\00:27:52.90 it's the greatest story ever told in a whole new light. 00:27:52.90\00:27:56.36 PB: Regardless of how much the Pharisees and scribes 00:27:56.36\00:28:01.63 tried to stop it, the people kept 00:28:01.63\00:28:07.83 coming to Jesus. 00:28:07.83\00:28:08.83 there is no way we can protect ourselves from the attacks 00:28:08.83\00:28:12.66 of satan. 00:28:12.66\00:28:14.00 We need someone else to protect us. 00:28:14.00\00:28:19.10 I am so glad that Jesus didn't give up on me. 00:28:19.10\00:28:23.66 I'm glad that Jesus keeps coming back for me. 00:28:23.66\00:28:28.23