From the campus
of Andrews University
00:00:06.23\00:00:08.90
this is New Perceptions
with Dr. Dwight K. Nelson.
00:00:08.93\00:00:13.71
Amen.
00:00:19.58\00:00:21.14
Merry Christmas.
00:00:21.17\00:00:23.07
Yes we can say that here
00:00:23.10\00:00:24.50
we are celebrating the
birth the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:00:24.53\00:00:28.60
In Luke we have
this wonderful account
00:00:28.63\00:00:30.68
and it reads like this.
00:00:30.71\00:00:32.47
Now there were
in the same country
00:00:32.50\00:00:34.19
shepherds living
out in the fields,
00:00:34.22\00:00:36.70
keeping watch over
their flock by night.
00:00:36.73\00:00:39.70
And behold, an angel of
the Lord stood before them,
00:00:39.73\00:00:43.10
and the glory of
Lord shone around them,
00:00:43.13\00:00:45.98
and they were greatly afraid.
00:00:46.01\00:00:47.51
Then the angel said
to all of the people,
00:00:47.54\00:00:50.43
do not be afraid, for behold,
00:00:50.46\00:00:53.34
I bring you good
tidings of great joy
00:00:53.37\00:00:56.35
which will be to all people.
00:00:56.38\00:00:58.71
For there is
born to you this day
00:00:58.74\00:00:59.96
in the city of David a Savior,
00:00:59.99\00:01:02.83
who is Christ the Lord.?
00:01:02.86\00:01:04.21
And suddenly there was an angel
00:01:04.24\00:01:07.43
a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God and saying,
00:01:07.46\00:01:12.02
Glory to God in the highest,
00:01:12.05\00:01:14.01
and on earth peace
goodwill toward men!''
00:01:14.04\00:01:17.70
Glory to God in the highest.
00:01:17.73\00:01:20.17
We will now seeing angels
00:01:20.20\00:01:21.85
we have heard on
high hymn number 142.
00:01:21.88\00:01:25.16
Angels we have heard on high
00:02:16.73\00:02:20.96
Singing sweetly
through the night
00:02:20.99\00:02:25.38
And the mountains in reply
00:02:25.41\00:02:29.62
Echoing their brave delight
00:02:29.65\00:02:30.68
Gloria
00:02:33.65\00:02:41.65
in excelsis Deo
00:02:42.78\00:02:47.12
Gloria
00:02:47.15\00:02:55.12
in excelsis Deo
00:02:55.15\00:03:03.12
Shepherds why this jubilee?
00:03:04.34\00:03:08.79
Why these songs of happy cheer?
00:03:08.82\00:03:13.05
What great
brightness did you see?
00:03:13.08\00:03:17.52
What glad tidings did you hear?
00:03:17.55\00:03:22.13
Gloria
00:03:22.16\00:03:30.13
in excelsis Deo
00:03:30.16\00:03:35.26
Gloria
00:03:35.29\00:03:43.26
in excelsis Deo
00:03:43.29\00:03:51.26
Come to Bethlehem and see
00:03:52.86\00:03:57.04
Him whose birth the angels sing
00:03:57.07\00:04:01.51
Come, adore on bended knee
00:04:01.54\00:04:05.91
Christ the
Lord, the newborn King
00:04:05.94\00:04:10.35
Gloria
00:04:10.38\00:04:18.35
in excelsis Deo
00:04:19.35\00:04:23.55
Gloria
00:04:23.58\00:04:31.55
in excelsis Deo
00:04:32.55\00:04:39.92
See Him in a manger laid
00:04:40.94\00:04:45.42
Whom the angels praise above
00:04:45.45\00:04:49.79
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
00:04:49.82\00:04:54.25
While we raise
our hearts in love
00:04:54.28\00:04:58.54
Gloria
00:04:58.57\00:05:06.54
in excelsis Deo
00:05:06.57\00:05:11.63
Gloria
00:05:11.66\00:05:19.63
in excelsis Deo
00:05:19.66\00:05:27.63
Hark, the herald angels sing
00:05:48.69\00:05:52.88
"Glory to the newborn king!"
00:05:52.91\00:05:57.57
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
00:05:57.60\00:06:02.29
God and sinners reconciled!
00:06:02.32\00:06:06.80
Joyful, all ye nations rise
00:06:06.83\00:06:11.41
Join the triumph of the skies
00:06:11.44\00:06:15.89
With the angelic host proclaim
00:06:15.92\00:06:20.42
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
00:06:20.45\00:06:24.96
Hark! the herald angels sing
00:06:24.99\00:06:29.29
"Glory to the newborn king!"
00:06:29.32\00:06:35.56
Hail! The
heaven-born Prince of Peace!
00:06:35.59\00:06:39.90
Hail! The Sun of Righteousness!
00:06:39.93\00:06:44.58
Life and light to all he brings
00:06:44.61\00:06:49.07
Risen with healing in his wings
00:06:49.10\00:06:53.59
Mild He lays His glory by
00:06:53.62\00:06:58.16
Born that man no more may die
00:06:58.19\00:07:02.62
Born to raise the sons of earth
00:07:02.65\00:07:07.10
Born to give them second birth
00:07:07.13\00:07:11.55
Hark! The herald angels sing
00:07:11.58\00:07:16.26
"Glory to the newborn king!"
00:07:16.29\00:07:24.26
In my blog today, the
blog gets posted on Thursday
00:09:39.56\00:09:42.40
and it shows up in
the worship bulletin,
00:09:42.43\00:09:44.24
but in my blog today I
noted that Cyber Monday.
00:09:44.27\00:09:47.45
You know, what
this last Monday was?
00:09:47.48\00:09:49.25
This was Cyber Monday.
00:09:49.28\00:09:50.47
Online sales in
the United States,
00:09:50.50\00:09:53.15
did you hear the
number? $1.25 billion
00:09:53.18\00:09:56.70
we American spent just
online buying Christmas gifts.
00:09:56.73\00:10:01.37
So Hosea, when you
talked about Pastor Hosea,
00:10:01.40\00:10:03.92
when you talked
about this hyper,
00:10:03.95\00:10:06.74
what you called
hyper, hyper shopping
00:10:06.77\00:10:08.86
or something like that
that is just absolutely true.
00:10:08.89\00:10:11.75
That's a 33%
rise over last year's
00:10:11.78\00:10:15.93
Cyber Monday, unbelievable.
00:10:15.96\00:10:19.55
But it's a high-tech
world in which we live
00:10:19.58\00:10:22.11
and these young
pastors on our pastoral staff
00:10:22.14\00:10:24.02
they really working me over.
00:10:24.05\00:10:25.15
They said, Dwight, you
just have to get with the times.
00:10:25.18\00:10:27.58
And particularly pastor Rodlie
00:10:27.61\00:10:29.34
who is our pastor for
This Generation Evangelism,
00:10:29.37\00:10:32.34
he says Dwight, get into twitter
00:10:32.37\00:10:34.83
you've just got
to get into twitter.
00:10:34.86\00:10:38.91
I have a Facebook account,
00:10:38.94\00:10:40.00
but I never go to it so
it's no good to have it.
00:10:40.03\00:10:44.72
So anyway over
Thanksgiving very quietly
00:10:44.75\00:10:47.14
nobody looking
began to work on twitter.
00:10:47.17\00:10:49.72
How do you do the tweets
and these kinds of the thing.
00:10:49.75\00:10:52.55
You know, you are
limited to 140 characters.
00:10:52.58\00:10:56.22
If it's not there forget it.
00:10:56.25\00:10:58.64
Some of you thinking you wish
sermons were limited to same.
00:10:58.67\00:11:01.93
It'll never happen trust
me, it will never happen.
00:11:01.96\00:11:05.34
But anyway I went on
over the Thanksgiving
00:11:05.37\00:11:09.33
and I do believe it's
another opportunity to connect.
00:11:09.36\00:11:12.53
Hence, I'm gonna put an address
on the screen for you right now.
00:11:12.56\00:11:16.86
You know, that with twitter
you have to put the @ first.
00:11:16.89\00:11:19.99
Can we put it up?
00:11:20.02\00:11:22.45
You have to put
the @ symbol first
00:11:22.48\00:11:24.50
and then it's
just Dwight K. Nelson.
00:11:24.53\00:11:26.15
We tried to get Dwight
Nelson but somebody else has it.
00:11:26.18\00:11:29.80
So if you ever meet him say, hi.
00:11:29.83\00:11:32.88
But this is Dwight K. Nelson.
00:11:32.91\00:11:34.39
And look, it's a holiday
00:11:34.42\00:11:36.12
you're gonna
have your final exams
00:11:36.15\00:11:39.34
and then you're
gonna be leaving.
00:11:39.37\00:11:40.40
If you'd like to keep
in touch with the campus
00:11:40.43\00:11:41.91
I'm going be
trying to tweet everyday.
00:11:41.94\00:11:44.06
What are you gonna
tweet Dwight, come on,
00:11:44.09\00:11:45.80
a little bit of a
theological reflection
00:11:45.83\00:11:48.07
maybe some
devotional inspiration.
00:11:48.10\00:11:50.18
Maybe website I
just read something, man,
00:11:50.21\00:11:52.14
you got to check
this website out.
00:11:52.17\00:11:53.87
Last night they're
saying the World Premier,
00:11:53.90\00:11:57.94
that's what they
called it of a piece
00:11:57.97\00:12:01.19
composed the
poem by E.E. Cummings
00:12:01.22\00:12:03.36
and Nicholas Zork,
or Nic Nicholas Zork
00:12:03.39\00:12:05.24
and Aaron Roche both in New York
00:12:05.27\00:12:07.26
now composed it was
just, it was just powerful,
00:12:07.29\00:12:11.08
but I tweeted, I got
home last night said,
00:12:11.11\00:12:12.59
I got a tweet this little line
00:12:12.62\00:12:13.85
from spiraling
ecstatically this proud
00:12:13.88\00:12:17.24
know whereof earth's
most prodigious night blossoms
00:12:17.27\00:12:21.04
a newborn baby.
00:12:21.07\00:12:23.05
You know, E.
Cummings so just hear it
00:12:23.08\00:12:24.57
and you can't figure it out
00:12:24.60\00:12:25.63
but the tweet has that line.
00:12:25.66\00:12:28.92
So I'd be honored
if you followed along
00:12:28.95\00:12:32.45
now and then these tweets.
00:12:32.48\00:12:34.85
Tell your friends
about that side as well.
00:12:34.88\00:12:39.51
So we are the high-tech world
we live in, in fact right after
00:12:39.54\00:12:41.68
we pray we're going to
pull our cell phones out
00:12:41.71\00:12:43.58
and I want to hear from you.
00:12:43.61\00:12:45.10
But first let's pray.
00:12:45.13\00:12:48.43
Oh, God, this music today
00:12:48.46\00:12:51.32
has swept us to
Your throne room.
00:12:51.35\00:12:55.14
You celebrate
Christmas up there at this time,
00:12:55.17\00:13:01.58
of course the truth is
00:13:01.61\00:13:03.49
that the gifts that
made Christmas possible
00:13:03.52\00:13:06.37
is the greatest news
this universe has ever heard
00:13:06.40\00:13:08.65
and it is
celebrated 24/7 where You are.
00:13:08.68\00:13:12.67
We don't want to
forget down here either,
00:13:12.70\00:13:15.07
so in these few
moments that we have together
00:13:15.10\00:13:17.17
energize today's Bible teaching
back to the Fourth Gospel
00:13:17.20\00:13:20.60
one last time this semester.
00:13:20.63\00:13:22.38
Let it be clear we
pray in Jesus name, amen.
00:13:22.41\00:13:26.84
Let met put the
title of today's teaching
00:13:26.87\00:13:28.15
on the screen for you right now.
00:13:28.18\00:13:30.74
This is the last
word our last Sabbath
00:13:30.77\00:13:33.49
in this semester with it.
00:13:33.52\00:13:34.62
Title of today's teaching
00:13:34.65\00:13:35.68
of Sheep and Shepherds
and the Midnight Star."
00:13:35.71\00:13:39.41
There is a website by the way
00:13:39.44\00:13:40.47
those of who you are
joining us live streaming
00:13:40.50\00:13:42.07
we're glad you have joined us.
00:13:42.10\00:13:46.33
That website is there
for others who are watching
00:13:46.36\00:13:49.19
if you'd like to
get the study guide.
00:13:49.22\00:13:50.81
We're not going
get to the study guide
00:13:50.84\00:13:51.93
to right at the end
00:13:51.96\00:13:52.99
it just boom, boom,
boom and then its over.
00:13:53.02\00:13:54.34
And so they are gonna
come through right now.
00:13:54.37\00:13:56.04
If you need a study
guide just hold your hand up
00:13:56.07\00:13:57.98
our fine ushers
are coming your way,
00:13:58.01\00:14:02.51
but that title sounds
like a Christmas story to me
00:14:02.54\00:14:04.63
which of course it is it
00:14:04.66\00:14:07.09
because there is no
Christmas Story in John.
00:14:07.12\00:14:09.50
John tells the
Christmas story not at all.
00:14:09.53\00:14:12.33
Not the Fourth Gospel.
00:14:12.36\00:14:14.40
The closest John
comes to the Christmas story
00:14:14.43\00:14:16.41
is John in his prologue.
00:14:16.44\00:14:17.75
John Chapter 1,
remember verse 14
00:14:17.78\00:14:19.97
"And the Word became flesh,
00:14:20.00\00:14:22.93
and dwelt among us,
and we beheld his glory,
00:14:22.96\00:14:25.67
the glory as of
the only begotten
00:14:25.70\00:14:27.22
of the Father, full
of grace and truth."
00:14:27.25\00:14:29.76
That's it,
that's all of Christmas
00:14:29.79\00:14:31.90
there is in John.
00:14:31.93\00:14:33.84
Now you got to admit
that is a huge and powerful it
00:14:33.87\00:14:38.49
but that's a
narrative, that's the story.
00:14:38.52\00:14:42.22
So how can we come
00:14:42.25\00:14:43.29
with this last
Sabbath of this semester?
00:14:43.32\00:14:45.82
Moving into Christmas
break and not have anything
00:14:45.85\00:14:47.82
with the Christmas story in it.
00:14:47.85\00:14:49.15
As it turns out
just by sequential moving
00:14:49.18\00:14:52.44
through this grand
gospel the Fourth Gospel,
00:14:52.47\00:14:55.21
we come today to John Chapter 10
00:14:55.24\00:14:57.15
where Jesus will
declare, I am the good shepherd.
00:14:57.18\00:15:02.20
And what Christmas
it is not shepherds
00:15:02.23\00:15:03.80
and sheep and the Midnight Star.
00:15:03.83\00:15:06.61
So we get-- you can get there
00:15:06.64\00:15:08.05
from where we get
this little interface
00:15:08.08\00:15:10.19
but it still
presents the dilemma.
00:15:10.22\00:15:12.94
Because how can we who are
so utterly urban and urbane.
00:15:12.97\00:15:17.26
How can we possibly
wrap our minds around
00:15:17.29\00:15:19.43
so agrarian a metaphor?
00:15:19.46\00:15:21.38
Agrarian, you know, it
means barnyard, farmyard.
00:15:21.41\00:15:23.67
Who lives around and
barnyard animals anymore,
00:15:23.70\00:15:27.46
unless you're in act
major he at Andrews University?
00:15:27.49\00:15:32.78
But you know what, it's passable
00:15:32.81\00:15:34.89
that we have showed
ourselves little bit short.
00:15:34.92\00:15:36.93
We know perhaps
more than we realize
00:15:36.96\00:15:39.44
about the metaphor
of shepherd and sheep's,
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.85
sheep rather.
00:15:42.88\00:15:43.98
Enough, all right.
00:15:47.57\00:15:50.59
I was trying to come up
00:15:50.62\00:15:51.95
with something
but there's nothing.
00:15:51.98\00:15:53.92
When you're wrong, you're wrong.
00:15:53.95\00:15:56.35
Okay, so here's the
deal, get your cell phone out.
00:15:56.38\00:15:58.47
If you hearing the whatever
00:15:58.50\00:16:00.48
they were clicking
away in first church,
00:16:00.51\00:16:01.78
if you hearing
wind symphony music
00:16:01.81\00:16:03.44
grab a cell phone as well.
00:16:03.47\00:16:04.56
Some of you are
ought to be on it
00:16:04.59\00:16:05.62
so you already
having on your lap there.
00:16:05.65\00:16:08.66
I'm gonna put a
question on the screen
00:16:08.69\00:16:10.92
because we know that Jesus
00:16:10.95\00:16:12.18
is about to say
to us in John 10,
00:16:12.21\00:16:14.13
I am the good shepherd.
00:16:14.16\00:16:15.20
So I'm gonna put a
question on the screen
00:16:15.23\00:16:17.25
at the bottom of the screen
there will be a text number.
00:16:17.28\00:16:19.74
Please text this number
and they'll start coming in.
00:16:19.77\00:16:22.43
Here's the questions,
00:16:22.46\00:16:23.52
let's put the question
on the screen please, guys.
00:16:23.55\00:16:25.52
Thank you, so what do you know?
00:16:25.55\00:16:27.11
What do you know about shepherds
that would make this metaphor,
00:16:27.14\00:16:29.93
I am the good
shepherd, good news.
00:16:29.96\00:16:32.25
Okay, here's a question.
00:16:32.28\00:16:33.57
What is so good news
about being shepherd?
00:16:33.60\00:16:36.94
Jesus wouldn't
take a bad news metaphor
00:16:36.97\00:16:38.65
its obviously good news
00:16:38.68\00:16:40.23
so what makes being
a shepherd good news?
00:16:40.26\00:16:43.18
Would you write
now begin to text me
00:16:43.21\00:16:45.30
you see the
number on your screen?
00:16:45.33\00:16:46.55
Those of who you
are live streaming
00:16:46.58\00:16:47.62
you're seeing the
number on your screen as well,
00:16:47.65\00:16:49.48
anywhere in the world
that you're watching this
00:16:49.51\00:16:51.82
you can send a
text and we will get it.
00:16:51.85\00:16:54.38
All right, so
take a few moments,
00:16:54.41\00:16:56.35
this is not a hard--
00:16:56.38\00:16:57.47
this is not
rocket science question.
00:16:57.50\00:17:00.70
What do we know about being
shepherd in this urban society?
00:17:00.73\00:17:04.05
We all city slickers you and I.
00:17:04.08\00:17:05.86
Let's just see what's up here.
00:17:05.89\00:17:08.30
All right.
00:17:10.00\00:17:11.13
Oh, boy here we go, 77
here, he's always caring for us.
00:17:17.72\00:17:22.92
It means you would take care me,
00:17:22.95\00:17:24.24
that's what shepherd do,
00:17:24.27\00:17:25.43
a shepherd protects
and provide for a sheep
00:17:25.46\00:17:27.59
they protect and
care for the flock.
00:17:27.62\00:17:29.98
Shepherd's help creatures that
wouldn't survive without them.
00:17:30.01\00:17:33.42
Even if we were the only sinner.
00:17:33.45\00:17:35.14
Okay, so you are
thinking about Jesus now
00:17:35.17\00:17:36.25
He would still go out
of his way to protect us.
00:17:36.28\00:17:37.94
David was a
shepherd and he killed a bear
00:17:37.97\00:17:39.55
and lion for his sheep.
00:17:39.58\00:17:41.52
Shepherd's leader
and protect, that's good.
00:17:41.55\00:17:43.30
Shepherd is a
leader and protector.
00:17:43.33\00:17:44.97
All right keep
refreshing, oh down to 80.
00:17:45.00\00:17:50.31
The shepherd goes right
when everyone goes left.
00:17:50.34\00:17:52.79
Oh, I like that goes
right when everyone goes left.
00:17:52.82\00:17:55.59
Shepherds are inherently gentle.
00:17:55.62\00:17:57.51
He protects his flock
just as God protects us.
00:17:57.54\00:17:59.94
Shepherds will do
anything to protect their flock,
00:17:59.97\00:18:02.35
Jesus is the ultimate.
00:18:02.38\00:18:04.46
Well, that's good.
00:18:04.49\00:18:09.20
They see what the sheep can't.
00:18:09.23\00:18:11.72
Good I knew is
that from behind me?
00:18:11.75\00:18:15.33
Very good.
00:18:15.36\00:18:16.39
Takes care of the
sheep protects him.
00:18:16.42\00:18:17.65
Good shepherd
places the safety comfort
00:18:17.68\00:18:19.14
and she is just primary.
00:18:19.17\00:18:20.69
Shepherd loves his
sheep like none other.
00:18:20.72\00:18:23.72
We still going?
00:18:23.75\00:18:24.78
We are up to 214.
00:18:24.81\00:18:27.17
He stays with them, a
shepherd always watches,
00:18:27.20\00:18:29.32
a shepherd goes in
front he was supply my needs.
00:18:29.35\00:18:32.33
It's good I got to
keep refreshing this.
00:18:32.36\00:18:35.61
It means he cares for
everyone even the ones
00:18:35.64\00:18:38.10
that text the pastor bad words.
00:18:38.13\00:18:40.52
Here you go.
00:18:40.55\00:18:44.62
Did I set that up or what?
00:18:44.65\00:18:47.55
Thank you, yeah.
00:18:47.58\00:18:48.62
I'm not mad at the guy did that,
00:18:48.65\00:18:51.01
but it's a very good point.
00:18:51.04\00:18:54.94
That was pretty
fast by the way, okay.
00:18:54.97\00:19:02.07
They lead by the voice,
shepherd lead by their voice.
00:19:02.10\00:19:08.48
All right, just do a few more.
00:19:08.51\00:19:10.24
They keep searching until they
find what they're looking for.
00:19:10.27\00:19:13.33
Good for you.
00:19:13.36\00:19:14.39
Shepherds seek the lost sheep,
00:19:14.42\00:19:15.89
he's not afraid to get dirt
on his hands, they are loving,
00:19:15.92\00:19:18.22
the shepherd will take
care of his flock he loves it.
00:19:18.25\00:19:21.36
They lead their sheep
in the right direction.
00:19:21.39\00:19:23.34
We are the sheep
and He is the shepherd.
00:19:23.37\00:19:26.29
Lets hit the pause
button right there.
00:19:26.32\00:19:29.27
Let's find out
come on open your Bible
00:19:29.30\00:19:31.27
to the primary
chapter John Chapter 10.
00:19:31.30\00:19:33.50
Primary document
today is this Fourth Gospel
00:19:33.53\00:19:36.32
that has been our
theme book all this semester,
00:19:36.35\00:19:42.22
John Chapter 10.
00:19:42.25\00:19:44.32
Has does it matched up?
00:19:44.35\00:19:45.38
What Jesus says,
00:19:45.41\00:19:46.86
how is it matched up
with what we just texted?
00:19:50.10\00:19:54.63
John 10 we'll
pick it up in verse 1.
00:19:54.66\00:19:58.09
"Most assuredly," Jesus says,
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:19:58.12\00:20:03.82
he does not enter the
she followed by the door,
00:20:03.85\00:20:06.31
but climbs up some other way,
00:20:06.34\00:20:07.48
the same is a
thief and a robber."
00:20:07.51\00:20:08.96
And hit pause button right here,
00:20:08.99\00:20:10.06
because remember chapter 10
00:20:10.09\00:20:12.04
is immediately on
the heels a chapter 9.
00:20:12.07\00:20:14.49
And what happened in chapter 9
00:20:14.52\00:20:15.55
when we were together
just before Thanksgiving.
00:20:15.58\00:20:17.53
What happens in
chapter 9 you remember is that,
00:20:17.56\00:20:22.10
on a Sabbath day
with a little bit a spit
00:20:22.13\00:20:24.79
and mud Jesus heals a man
00:20:24.82\00:20:26.60
who has been
born blind from birth.
00:20:26.63\00:20:27.89
You remember that
story? He heals him.
00:20:27.92\00:20:30.27
And the man goes
off seeing the praises
00:20:30.30\00:20:32.92
of whoever healed him.
00:20:32.95\00:20:33.98
He doesn't know who healed him.
00:20:34.01\00:20:35.06
The Pharisees,
the religious prelates
00:20:35.09\00:20:36.82
of Jerusalem the
spiritual hierarchy
00:20:36.85\00:20:38.80
find the man and
they are in waged
00:20:38.83\00:20:41.01
because they
know who healed him.
00:20:41.04\00:20:43.53
So they hold a man in front
of Supreme Court also on Sabbath
00:20:43.56\00:20:47.44
and they begin to grill him.
00:20:47.47\00:20:48.73
And what really infuriates
them is that the man eloquently,
00:20:48.76\00:20:52.32
he is just a blind
man, he is just a commoner
00:20:52.35\00:20:54.51
but always
spirit comes in, amen,
00:20:54.54\00:20:55.92
he logically, eloquently
defends the Lord Jesus
00:20:55.95\00:20:59.56
whom He is never meet.
00:20:59.59\00:21:02.32
And that only, that
only sends them over the top
00:21:02.35\00:21:05.26
and you remember
they excommunicate him,
00:21:05.29\00:21:07.44
toss him out of the synagogue,
00:21:07.47\00:21:09.19
out of this
temple, Jesus finds him.
00:21:09.22\00:21:11.94
That's precisely what
has happened immediately
00:21:11.97\00:21:15.61
before Jesus speaks these words.
00:21:15.64\00:21:19.00
So something's gone on
with the spiritual leadership
00:21:19.03\00:21:22.10
and now Jesus is
gonna dramatically contrast
00:21:22.13\00:21:24.67
two paradigms of
spiritual leadership,
00:21:24.70\00:21:26.75
his own and theirs.
00:21:26.78\00:21:28.17
A cobalt of Pharisees standing
right there Jesus is speaking
00:21:28.20\00:21:31.95
so that they can hear.
00:21:31.98\00:21:33.15
Now right chapter 10:1.
00:21:33.18\00:21:35.72
Most assuredly, I say to you.''
00:21:35.75\00:21:37.12
By the way remember
John is the only author
00:21:37.15\00:21:39.73
who uses this literary device.
00:21:39.76\00:21:41.20
What's just happened
is he's used amen twice.
00:21:41.23\00:21:43.99
Amen, amen, verily, verily
00:21:44.02\00:21:46.20
in the King James,
truly, truly in NIV.
00:21:46.23\00:21:48.33
Most assuredly in
the New King James
00:21:48.36\00:21:50.39
amen, amen I say to you.
00:21:50.42\00:21:52.32
The moment you get a
double amen with John.
00:21:52.35\00:21:55.68
It's like a huge red flag
00:21:55.71\00:21:57.47
remember this and John said,
00:21:57.50\00:21:58.84
hey Dwight, slow down, slow
down this is heavy, this is big.
00:21:58.87\00:22:05.01
Listen carefully.
00:22:05.04\00:22:06.86
Amen, amen, Jesus
speaking, I say to you,
00:22:06.89\00:22:11.41
he who does not enter
the sheepfold by the door
00:22:11.44\00:22:13.20
but climbs up by some other way,
00:22:13.23\00:22:14.58
the same is a
thief and a robber.''
00:22:14.61\00:22:16.59
You know, who is talking about?
00:22:16.62\00:22:17.74
They are standing around him
00:22:17.77\00:22:18.80
while he's
offering this metaphor.
00:22:18.83\00:22:20.70
But verse 2, ''He
who enters by the door
00:22:20.73\00:22:23.36
is the shepherd of the sheep.
00:22:23.39\00:22:25.87
To him the doorkeeper opens,
and the sheep hear his voice,
00:22:25.90\00:22:29.71
and he calls his
own sheep by name
00:22:29.74\00:22:31.68
and he leads them out.''
00:22:31.71\00:22:32.93
Verse 4, "And when he
brings out his own sheep,
00:22:32.96\00:22:35.08
he goes before them;
00:22:35.11\00:22:36.20
and the sheep follow
him, for they know his voice.?
00:22:36.23\00:22:38.66
Now verse 5, ''Yet
they will by no means''
00:22:38.69\00:22:41.19
double negative in the Greek.
00:22:41.22\00:22:42.68
They will no not
ever "follow a stranger,
00:22:42.71\00:22:47.02
but will flee from him,
00:22:47.05\00:22:48.59
for they do not know
the voice of strangers.''
00:22:48.62\00:22:51.08
Jesus is absolutely right.
00:22:51.11\00:22:52.30
Palestinian
shepherds are exactly that way.
00:22:52.33\00:22:55.50
Very affectionate
towards their sheep.
00:22:55.53\00:22:57.41
I think all shepherds
on earth are affectionate.
00:22:57.44\00:22:59.52
I had great Constantine come
up to me after first church.
00:22:59.55\00:23:03.02
He say's, let me tell
you about Romanian shepherds.
00:23:03.05\00:23:04.87
I think shepherds
everywhere that way.
00:23:04.90\00:23:07.38
They name their sheep.
00:23:07.41\00:23:10.83
Usually its
based on some physical,
00:23:10.86\00:23:12.73
some physical characteristics
they will be floppy ears
00:23:12.76\00:23:15.67
or little stubs, tail,
you know, sheep tails, short.
00:23:15.70\00:23:20.74
But it's an affection
and it's an endearing term
00:23:20.77\00:23:22.72
and the
shepherd knows that name.
00:23:22.75\00:23:26.29
And you call that name
when he wants that sheep.
00:23:26.32\00:23:29.10
And the sheep know
the voice of the shepherd.
00:23:29.13\00:23:32.88
Amazingly the Christmas story
begins with shepherds and sheep.
00:23:32.91\00:23:37.45
I want to go back to that,
00:23:37.48\00:23:38.66
thank you for reading
that a moment ago Hosea.
00:23:38.69\00:23:40.86
Let's go back to the
gospel of Luke for a moment.
00:23:40.89\00:23:43.70
"Now they were
in the same country
00:23:43.73\00:23:45.13
shepherds" notice its plural.
00:23:45.16\00:23:46.99
There were "shepherds
living out in the fields."
00:23:47.02\00:23:50.55
You know, I had a gentleman
ask me just this last week
00:23:50.58\00:23:52.66
we are having Bible studies
00:23:52.69\00:23:53.89
is getting ready
to be baptized here.
00:23:53.92\00:23:56.71
He said hey, Dwight,
so when is Christmas?
00:23:56.74\00:23:59.52
And of course there is no
way to know when Christmas is?
00:23:59.55\00:24:01.18
We know it is not December 25.
00:24:01.21\00:24:04.15
It's a day pulled off
of a pagan ritual calendar.
00:24:04.18\00:24:07.28
We also know
it's not December 25,
00:24:07.31\00:24:09.08
because you wouldn't
be out in the fields.
00:24:09.11\00:24:11.59
Not late in December,
00:24:11.62\00:24:13.61
this has to be
earlier in the fall.
00:24:13.64\00:24:15.90
It might be October,
maybe first of November.
00:24:15.93\00:24:18.65
They're still
able to be outdoors.
00:24:18.68\00:24:23.30
Now there were shepherds
00:24:23.33\00:24:24.36
"Now there were
in the same country
00:24:24.39\00:24:25.42
shepherds living
out in the fields,
00:24:25.45\00:24:26.74
keeping watch over their flock."
00:24:26.77\00:24:28.59
Now notice plural
shepherds singular flock,
00:24:28.62\00:24:33.88
what's going on here?
00:24:33.91\00:24:35.21
They all have their
own flocks, everybody does
00:24:35.24\00:24:38.47
but tonight it's a dark
night, it's a tad chilly
00:24:38.50\00:24:41.85
let's pull all
our flocks together
00:24:41.88\00:24:43.58
so we have a singular flock.
00:24:43.61\00:24:45.25
We'll have to
untangle them come the morning
00:24:45.28\00:24:47.32
and so the shepherds are
there with a single flock.
00:24:47.35\00:24:50.77
Each has his own flock.
00:24:50.80\00:24:54.16
Now they're were
in the same country
00:24:54.19\00:24:55.22
shepherds living
out in the fields
00:24:55.25\00:24:56.40
keeping watch over their
flock by night and what happens
00:24:56.43\00:24:58.64
and behold an angel of
the Lord stood before then
00:24:58.67\00:25:01.76
and the glory the Lord
shone around about them
00:25:01.79\00:25:04.61
and they were greatly afraid.
00:25:04.64\00:25:08.73
Of courses is the classic this
is a classic Christmas moment
00:25:08.76\00:25:12.75
they out of breath go pounding.
00:25:12.78\00:25:16.14
They leave their
flocks uncharacteristically,
00:25:16.17\00:25:19.04
pounding in to little Bethlehem.
00:25:19.07\00:25:24.89
They keel before the newborn
in that box of calf feed.
00:25:24.92\00:25:29.13
They sense as the angle said,
00:25:29.16\00:25:31.32
you'll be in the
presence of the son of David,
00:25:31.35\00:25:33.99
that means the Messiah.
00:25:34.02\00:25:35.75
They bow down and worship Him.
00:25:35.78\00:25:39.59
Nobody sleeps a wink that
night you can be sure that.
00:25:39.62\00:25:42.71
By the time they get
back the first blush is
00:25:42.74\00:25:45.02
and crimson on the
eastern sunrise horizon
00:25:45.05\00:25:48.42
are spreading across
the hills of Bethlehem.
00:25:48.45\00:25:51.40
It's time to go
back to the pastures,
00:25:51.43\00:25:53.06
what did the shepherds do?
00:25:53.09\00:25:54.78
Kenneth Bailey a
New Testament scholar
00:25:54.81\00:25:56.86
was in
Palestine and he observed,
00:25:56.89\00:25:58.55
a Palestinian and
shepherd with 200 sheep.
00:25:58.58\00:26:01.00
All right, 200 sheep
and he was trying to obtain
00:26:01.03\00:26:03.83
how did the sheep know
how to follow this guy.
00:26:03.86\00:26:06.26
He listen to the shepherd
who had a unique 10 second call,
00:26:06.29\00:26:09.60
whatever it was it were just
10 seconds words or whatever.
00:26:09.63\00:26:13.09
Then their will be
roughly a 40 second break
00:26:13.12\00:26:15.23
and then they
tissue that call again
00:26:15.26\00:26:16.83
and all 200
sheep simply focused in
00:26:16.86\00:26:19.98
hounding like
radar on the shepherds
00:26:20.01\00:26:23.23
calling in his voice
and they followed him.
00:26:23.26\00:26:27.11
So when they rise early,
00:26:27.14\00:26:29.00
you know, we like to say
that was Christmas morning
00:26:29.03\00:26:31.20
and they have to
untangle their sheep,
00:26:31.23\00:26:33.14
it's no big deal at all.
00:26:33.17\00:26:35.45
The shepherd
just gives his call.
00:26:35.48\00:26:37.88
And the sheep
don't following others,
00:26:37.91\00:26:38.99
they don't want to
follow-- they won't say well,
00:26:39.02\00:26:40.19
maybe there's
better food with that guy.
00:26:40.22\00:26:41.67
No, they know
exactly to whom they belong
00:26:41.70\00:26:44.73
and the follow.
00:26:44.76\00:26:46.94
So Jesus is
telling this metaphor
00:26:46.97\00:26:48.93
explaining to it
and notice verse 6,
00:26:48.96\00:26:51.65
"Jesus uses illustration,
00:26:51.68\00:26:52.99
but they did not
understand the things
00:26:53.02\00:26:55.12
which He spoke to them."
00:26:55.15\00:26:56.23
Oh common Pharisees, come on.
00:26:56.26\00:26:58.17
Worshipers crowding
the courts of the temple
00:26:58.20\00:27:00.40
you don't
understand about shepherd
00:27:00.43\00:27:01.87
and sheep, of course you do.
00:27:01.90\00:27:03.39
But that's John's
way of telling us,
00:27:03.42\00:27:04.79
Jesus is not about
sheep and shepherds.
00:27:04.82\00:27:07.36
There's
something much deeper here
00:27:07.39\00:27:09.31
that Jesus is trying to teach.
00:27:09.34\00:27:10.73
And oh boy, when he
plunges into this metaphor
00:27:10.76\00:27:12.89
here we go verse 11,
00:27:12.92\00:27:14.50
I am "I am the good shepherd."
00:27:14.53\00:27:19.93
Thank you sir, for
that beautiful testimony.
00:27:19.96\00:27:22.30
That's exactly right.
In the Greek its ego eimi.
00:27:22.33\00:27:24.60
It's
intentionally to be read I am.
00:27:24.63\00:27:27.91
I am the bread of
life. I am the water of life.
00:27:27.94\00:27:32.58
I am the light of the world.
00:27:32.61\00:27:34.85
I am the wine,
00:27:34.88\00:27:37.14
I am the way the
truth and the life.
00:27:37.17\00:27:39.46
I am the good shepherd.
00:27:39.49\00:27:43.48
Moses says, but when they ask me
00:27:43.51\00:27:46.61
who has sent me to
Egypt, what shall I tell them?
00:27:46.64\00:27:49.41
I'm has sent you.
00:27:49.44\00:27:52.59
Wow, verse 11, "I
am the good shepherd.
00:27:56.16\00:27:58.04
The good shepherd gives
His life for the sheep."
00:27:58.07\00:28:03.45
Hit the pause
button right there.
00:28:03.48\00:28:05.42
I need to tell you
that whoever stands here
00:28:05.45\00:28:07.14
in the Pioneer pulpit he, she
00:28:07.17\00:28:09.42
anybody who comes to
this church and preaches
00:28:09.45\00:28:11.77
there are two glorious realities
about standing right here.
00:28:11.80\00:28:14.63
Reality number one,
00:28:14.66\00:28:16.22
you probably don't
look at very often,
00:28:16.25\00:28:18.84
but the wind
symphony will affirm
00:28:18.87\00:28:20.90
this the pulpit is
stationed right at the foot
00:28:20.93\00:28:24.27
of a across, isn't that right?
00:28:24.30\00:28:25.94
You're sitting
on a cross right now
00:28:25.97\00:28:27.12
which is where
you're supposed to be.
00:28:27.15\00:28:28.47
But the pulpit is
right here at the foot,
00:28:28.50\00:28:31.12
that's making a symbolic
statement in and of itself.
00:28:31.15\00:28:35.03
When our designers
say, hey listen, Dwight,
00:28:35.06\00:28:36.62
how about if I put in some
really scarred up dark wood here
00:28:36.65\00:28:39.05
so that it stands
out from the rest?
00:28:39.08\00:28:40.68
I said, do it.
00:28:40.71\00:28:41.77
This platform ended
up on a trade magazine
00:28:41.80\00:28:44.71
across the nation.
00:28:44.74\00:28:46.00
So he did a great job.
00:28:46.03\00:28:48.30
So every time a preacher
comes here and steps here,
00:28:48.33\00:28:50.51
it is a humble honor,
trust me to stand right here.
00:28:50.54\00:28:53.90
You're standing at
the foot of the cross.
00:28:53.93\00:28:55.84
But there's another glorious
reality that you never see.
00:28:55.87\00:28:59.38
You never see this
when you come to Pioneer,
00:28:59.41\00:29:01.31
but I see it
every single Sabbath.
00:29:01.34\00:29:03.40
And that is when I stand here
00:29:03.43\00:29:05.91
I look at one of
the most beautiful
00:29:05.94\00:29:07.86
stained glass windows
anywhere in the nation.
00:29:07.89\00:29:12.49
Now to say you're
getting a crick in your neck.
00:29:12.52\00:29:16.70
We're gonna put it
on the screen for you.
00:29:16.73\00:29:18.15
Let's put it on the big screen
00:29:18.18\00:29:19.21
and just pull
that camera off slowly.
00:29:19.24\00:29:21.67
That's the center, that's
20 feet tall translucent glass
00:29:21.70\00:29:25.83
letting in the color's of light.
00:29:25.86\00:29:29.79
And it's a portrayal as you
can see of the good shepherd.
00:29:29.82\00:29:33.86
You seem standing there the
good shepherd with the staff
00:29:33.89\00:29:36.40
with the rod is His
hand and you see the sheep.
00:29:36.43\00:29:38.86
I don't know if that's you,
I don't know if that's a ram,
00:29:38.89\00:29:40.78
but that she is
just pushing a ride up
00:29:40.81\00:29:42.96
smack dab against the a staff
00:29:42.99\00:29:45.52
and you see that the
shepherd with one free arm
00:29:45.55\00:29:48.20
and the crook of that arm is
caring a little lamie, isn't He?
00:29:48.23\00:29:52.77
He has that lamie, a
peaceful contented look
00:29:52.80\00:29:55.56
on that little lamb's face.
00:29:55.59\00:29:58.20
So which one are you?
00:29:58.23\00:29:59.49
I know we're not the shepherd,
00:29:59.52\00:30:01.04
but which one of
those two is you?
00:30:01.07\00:30:05.15
Are you the
sheep or you the lamb?
00:30:05.18\00:30:08.03
Truth of the matter is
we're often both aren't we?
00:30:08.06\00:30:11.65
There are times
when my life is just --
00:30:11.68\00:30:13.96
is just crumbling in my heart
00:30:13.99\00:30:17.58
and I feel like
a tiny little lamb
00:30:17.61\00:30:20.38
if only there were a shepherd
00:30:20.41\00:30:22.42
to pick me up and
hold me close now.
00:30:22.45\00:30:26.76
The lambs, the lambs were sheep.
00:30:26.79\00:30:30.33
Well, Jesus
tender Shepherd hear me
00:30:30.36\00:30:33.92
blessed I little lamb
tonight through the darkness
00:30:33.95\00:30:36.99
be down near me watch my
sleep till morning light.
00:30:37.02\00:30:41.05
She was a mother of two,
00:30:41.08\00:30:42.54
25-years-old in
December caught a chill,
00:30:42.57\00:30:48.71
the chill turned to a
fever and on January 5,
00:30:48.74\00:30:51.50
1840 Mary Lundie died.
00:30:51.53\00:30:55.54
The next year after this
25-year-old young mother's death
00:30:55.57\00:30:58.92
her own mother
published her memoirs
00:30:58.95\00:31:01.92
and included in them
00:31:01.95\00:31:03.21
one on the 23 hymns
young Mary had written.
00:31:03.24\00:31:07.37
This one a children's prayer
00:31:07.40\00:31:09.73
she composed for her
own too little toddlers.
00:31:09.76\00:31:12.36
I put the words on
the screen for you.
00:31:12.39\00:31:14.21
It's only two stanzas long.
00:31:14.24\00:31:15.88
It's in our hymnal.
00:31:15.91\00:31:17.04
We put it on the screen.
00:31:17.07\00:31:18.10
Jesus tender Sheppard, hear me
00:31:18.13\00:31:20.62
Bless Thy little lamb tonight
00:31:20.65\00:31:23.11
Through the
darkness be thou near me
00:31:23.14\00:31:25.68
Watch my sleep
till morning light
00:31:25.71\00:31:28.39
All this day Thy hand has led me
00:31:28.42\00:31:30.51
And I thank Thee for Thy care
00:31:30.54\00:31:32.91
Thou has clothed me
00:31:32.94\00:31:34.89
Warmed and fed me
00:31:34.92\00:31:36.74
Listen to my evening prayer
00:31:36.77\00:31:40.70
But posthumously this short
00:31:40.73\00:31:43.92
and touching hymn
eventually went viral,
00:31:43.95\00:31:48.10
if you can go viral
in 1841 it went viral.
00:31:48.13\00:31:53.69
And children all over the nation
00:31:53.72\00:31:55.81
begin to sing these words
as they drifted off to sleep.
00:31:55.84\00:31:59.77
Jesus tender Sheppard, hear me
00:31:59.80\00:32:02.35
Bless Thy little lamb tonight
00:32:02.38\00:32:06.97
They will come to think of it.
00:32:07.00\00:32:08.52
As always been a very
simple very similar prayer
00:32:12.19\00:32:19.73
for going to bed
hasn't that been?
00:32:19.76\00:32:23.17
Only this prayer
not so much for the--
00:32:23.20\00:32:24.92
not so much for
the end of the day
00:32:24.95\00:32:27.58
this prayer really is
for the end at the life.
00:32:27.61\00:32:31.80
Yea, though I
walk through the valley
00:32:31.83\00:32:36.40
of the shadow of
death, thou art with me.
00:32:36.43\00:32:42.20
That's the beloved,
universally beloved Psalm 23.
00:32:42.23\00:32:46.95
I love it in the King James
00:32:46.98\00:32:48.70
and you had to learn
it in the King James.
00:32:48.73\00:32:50.73
And so what I want to do
00:32:50.76\00:32:51.94
is let's just at
the end of the semester
00:32:51.97\00:32:53.91
just going to let some other
stress just seep out of us.
00:32:53.94\00:32:57.56
I want to read this
great prayer, Psalm 23.
00:32:57.59\00:32:59.97
Put it on the screen
and it'll be in the--
00:33:00.00\00:33:01.48
in the language
of you grandparents.
00:33:01.51\00:33:05.79
And I want us to
read it out loud together.
00:33:05.82\00:33:07.73
All right, so we're gonna
read this out loud together.
00:33:07.76\00:33:09.54
Let's go.
00:33:09.57\00:33:11.30
"The Lord is my
shepherd, I shall not want.
00:33:11.33\00:33:16.06
He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures.
00:33:16.09\00:33:20.43
He leadeth me
beside the still waters.
00:33:20.46\00:33:24.57
He restoreth my soul.
00:33:24.60\00:33:27.24
He leadeth me in the paths
00:33:27.27\00:33:29.56
of righteousness
for his name's sake.
00:33:29.59\00:33:33.31
Yea, though I
walk through the valley
00:33:33.34\00:33:36.30
of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil.
00:33:36.33\00:33:40.37
For thou art with me, thy rod
00:33:40.40\00:33:43.22
and thy staffed they comfort me.
00:33:43.25\00:33:46.04
Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence in mine enemies.
00:33:46.07\00:33:51.40
Thou anointest my head
with oil, my cup runneth over.
00:33:51.43\00:33:57.02
Surely goodness and mercy
00:33:57.05\00:33:59.67
shall follow me all
the days of my life.
00:33:59.70\00:34:03.17
And I will dwell in the
house of the Lord for ever."
00:34:03.20\00:34:08.60
Amen.
00:34:08.63\00:34:10.36
You know what, after a
long and grueling semester
00:34:10.39\00:34:14.51
there is something comforting
00:34:14.54\00:34:16.38
in the reciting of
those words, isn't there?
00:34:16.41\00:34:19.05
Look, I just sitting and writing
the manuscript on Thursday
00:34:19.08\00:34:23.00
and I put the words up
and just read them through it.
00:34:23.03\00:34:26.12
And I tell you it just
brought tears to my eyes.
00:34:26.15\00:34:29.69
Is not only been a
long grueling semester,
00:34:29.72\00:34:32.04
this has been a
long and grueling year.
00:34:32.07\00:34:35.00
We're about the
end of year together.
00:34:35.03\00:34:37.84
Well, the Lord
in spite of the year
00:34:37.87\00:34:41.43
that we have had
the Lord is my Shepherd.
00:34:41.46\00:34:47.14
So what's a good
news about the shepherd
00:34:47.17\00:34:51.29
got a hundreds of
your responses here.
00:34:51.32\00:34:53.90
Let's find out, let me just see
00:34:53.93\00:34:55.94
if I can recall some of those.
00:34:55.97\00:34:58.05
Let's put them down.
Take your study guide now.
00:34:58.08\00:35:00.72
This final inning of the
sermon will be the study guide.
00:35:00.75\00:35:05.53
Pull it out.
00:35:05.56\00:35:08.26
Why this metaphor
00:35:08.29\00:35:09.49
I am The Good Shepherd?
00:35:09.52\00:35:10.55
What's so good news?
Would you write it now please?
00:35:10.58\00:35:12.26
Let's put it down as number one.
Put it on the screen please.
00:35:12.29\00:35:14.88
I am the Good
Shepherd is good news
00:35:14.91\00:35:16.17
because it means there
is someone who leads me.
00:35:16.20\00:35:21.04
Over and over your text
00:35:21.07\00:35:22.10
and I was keeping a lot of text
is to find something different.
00:35:22.13\00:35:24.55
Over and over your
text said is Shepherd leads?
00:35:24.58\00:35:28.47
Oh, I love that,
00:35:28.50\00:35:29.65
because the Shepherd
doesn't drive a sheep.
00:35:29.68\00:35:31.14
Yo, yo, yo, come guys, go, go.
00:35:31.17\00:35:33.09
Shepherd doesn't drive
the sheep, does he? No.
00:35:33.12\00:35:34.57
And shepherd gets in front
of the sheep, isn't that right?
00:35:34.60\00:35:37.13
Shepherd leads his sheep.
00:35:37.16\00:35:39.91
I'll tell you when I was a
kid, grown up in a in summers
00:35:39.94\00:35:43.47
by little mountain lake
in Japan called Lake Nojiri.
00:35:43.50\00:35:45.89
I tell you what, I was never,
as a boy I was never afraid
00:35:45.92\00:35:50.36
of the dark as long as my dad
00:35:50.39\00:35:52.29
was in front of me
and he had a flashlight.
00:35:52.32\00:35:54.46
Anywhere Dad went
okay, not the worry, no fear.
00:35:54.49\00:35:59.54
I love how
"Desire of Ages" puts it.
00:35:59.57\00:36:01.34
And by way, this
chapter from "Desire of Ages"
00:36:01.37\00:36:03.94
I slipped into your study,
just a few of the classic.
00:36:03.97\00:36:06.99
This is a collection of some
00:36:07.02\00:36:08.08
of the great
classics in that book.
00:36:08.11\00:36:09.82
You got to read a whole chapter.
00:36:09.85\00:36:11.37
But they're all in the
study guide for you to keep.
00:36:11.40\00:36:13.15
And I love this one right here
00:36:13.18\00:36:14.48
how "Desire of
Ages" expresses it.
00:36:14.51\00:36:15.91
Put it on the screen, please.
00:36:15.94\00:36:17.15
"As the shepherd
goes before his sheep."
00:36:17.18\00:36:20.82
Leads the way.
00:36:20.85\00:36:22.37
"Himself first encountering
the perils of the way."
00:36:22.40\00:36:25.15
That's what it
means, when Jesus leads me
00:36:25.18\00:36:26.93
He runs into trouble first.
00:36:26.96\00:36:28.79
I don't get the trouble first,
He gets the trouble first.
00:36:28.82\00:36:32.36
"For himself first accounting
the perils of the way,
00:36:32.39\00:36:34.36
so does Jesus with his
people the way to heaven."
00:36:34.39\00:36:37.17
Now listen, this is pointing.
00:36:37.20\00:36:39.22
"The way to
heaven is consecrated
00:36:39.25\00:36:41.71
by the Savior's footprints.
00:36:41.74\00:36:44.25
The path may be
steep and rugged."
00:36:44.28\00:36:46.07
Some of you right now
are on a very rugged pathway.
00:36:46.10\00:36:50.23
God and you alone know
what it is you're going through.
00:36:50.26\00:36:53.38
It seems like your
life is unraveling,
00:36:53.41\00:36:55.05
it seems like you have met
an insurmountable obstacle,
00:36:55.08\00:36:58.67
you are not sure you
can survive another day.
00:36:58.70\00:37:01.67
I need you to see this
because the good shepherd
00:37:01.70\00:37:04.71
goes in front of the sheep,
00:37:04.74\00:37:06.31
which means whatever
it is you're going through
00:37:06.34\00:37:08.50
Jesus has already determined.
00:37:08.53\00:37:10.31
He went through it first,
00:37:10.34\00:37:11.83
He's already determined
you can pass through this,
00:37:11.86\00:37:14.73
you can get there from here.
00:37:14.76\00:37:17.70
He's close enough to
touch, close enough to touch,
00:37:17.73\00:37:20.99
He is right in front of you.
00:37:21.02\00:37:23.18
"Now the way to
heaven is consecrated
00:37:23.21\00:37:24.64
by the Savior's footprints.
00:37:24.67\00:37:25.70
The path may be
steep and rugged,
00:37:25.73\00:37:27.09
but Jesus has traveled that way,
00:37:27.12\00:37:29.01
His feet have pressed
down upon a cruel thorns,"
00:37:29.04\00:37:31.56
what's cutting
your heart right now.
00:37:31.59\00:37:34.16
Those rejection,
marital rejection,
00:37:34.19\00:37:39.77
pink slip at the job rejection,
00:37:39.80\00:37:43.11
we're cutting back sorry
about the economy you lose.
00:37:43.14\00:37:48.95
The thorns have
already been pushed down.
00:37:48.98\00:37:53.50
My feet bloodied by
His choice to lead you.
00:37:53.53\00:37:58.60
"His feet have
pressed down the cruel thorns,
00:37:58.63\00:38:00.81
to make the
pathway easier for us.
00:38:00.84\00:38:02.73
Every burden that we are called
a bare He Himself has borne."
00:38:02.76\00:38:07.21
Whatever it is you're going
through here's the good news,
00:38:07.24\00:38:09.59
whatever it is
He's going through it
00:38:09.62\00:38:11.35
right in front
you, right in front you.
00:38:11.38\00:38:14.35
It's okay.
00:38:14.38\00:38:15.41
Touch Him.
00:38:15.44\00:38:16.92
He is right in front of you.
00:38:16.95\00:38:18.55
As that old hymn go,
00:38:18.58\00:38:19.61
He leadeth me,
O blessed thought!
00:38:19.64\00:38:21.69
O, something--something
heavenly comfort fraught.
00:38:22.79\00:38:25.62
Yeah, you can trust Him.
00:38:25.65\00:38:27.94
Here's the point,
you can trust Him.
00:38:27.97\00:38:30.43
If He's right there going
in front of you can trust Him.
00:38:30.46\00:38:32.52
All right number two,
00:38:32.55\00:38:33.58
what's the good news
about I'm the good shepherd,
00:38:33.61\00:38:35.14
I'm the good shepherd good news.
00:38:35.17\00:38:36.66
There is someone
who will lead me.
00:38:36.69\00:38:38.17
What's the next one,
there is someone who pastors me.
00:38:38.20\00:38:40.96
Write the word in pastors
because you see in the Greek
00:38:40.99\00:38:44.97
the word for Shepherd
and the word for Pastor
00:38:45.00\00:38:47.09
are identical so a
correct translation
00:38:47.12\00:38:49.81
of what Jesus has just
said is "I am the good pastor."
00:38:49.84\00:38:53.39
That's what He said.
I am the good pastor.
00:38:53.42\00:38:56.53
Which is why you speak
the language in heaven,
00:38:56.56\00:38:58.92
pastor Hosea,
and he speak Spanish.
00:38:58.95\00:39:02.08
Amen.
00:39:02.11\00:39:03.21
Thank you.
00:39:03.24\00:39:05.39
And you come to Psalm 23.
00:39:05.42\00:39:07.53
Here's how psalm
23 read in the Spanish
00:39:07.56\00:39:10.66
"Jehova es mi Pastor."
00:39:10.69\00:39:15.48
"The Lord Jehova,
the Lord is my Pastor."
00:39:15.51\00:39:21.94
Read that word in Spanish.
00:39:21.97\00:39:24.26
So that's the good
news because you see pastor
00:39:24.29\00:39:26.10
is to somehow
identify a nurturer.
00:39:26.13\00:39:30.87
And so pastors do those
who had to get the pastoring
00:39:30.90\00:39:32.92
had to get a nurturing.
00:39:32.95\00:39:33.98
You wouldn't go into a trust me,
you'd stay away from this job.
00:39:34.01\00:39:36.24
It's just you would
say I do some notes.
00:39:36.27\00:39:40.08
Well, what does the nurturer do?
00:39:40.11\00:39:41.71
Look at the Psalm 23 we
just read in a moment ago.
00:39:41.74\00:39:43.77
So what is it do,
00:39:43.80\00:39:44.83
the Lord is my Shepherd
I shall not want He, what?
00:39:44.86\00:39:47.39
He leadeth me
00:39:47.42\00:39:50.43
by still waters, green pastures,
00:39:50.46\00:39:53.52
He anoints my head with
oil, He is right in there.
00:39:53.55\00:39:56.71
Nurturer, one of the
great pastoral depictions
00:39:56.74\00:40:03.14
I've got in Old
Testament and I love this.
00:40:03.17\00:40:04.82
It's Isaiah Chapter 40 as
to Michael quoted from this
00:40:04.85\00:40:07.67
in his prayer moment
ago but not this line.
00:40:07.70\00:40:09.34
Isaiah 40 can we put
that on the screen, bless you.
00:40:09.37\00:40:11.68
"He" speaking of God
"He will feed His flock"
00:40:11.71\00:40:16.07
because a shepherd "He will
feed His flock like a shepherd,
00:40:16.10\00:40:18.50
He will gather the
lambs with His arm."
00:40:18.53\00:40:20.72
That's what that stained
glass window is depicting.
00:40:20.75\00:40:22.54
"And He will
carry them is His bosom,
00:40:22.57\00:40:23.99
and gently lead
those who are with young."
00:40:24.02\00:40:29.61
The point is,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:40:29.64\00:40:30.99
we can trust Him.
00:40:31.02\00:40:32.06
Come on, somebody
who is gonna carry you
00:40:32.09\00:40:34.51
why can't you
trust Him? You can.
00:40:34.54\00:40:37.41
All right, what else is
good news would you say,
00:40:37.44\00:40:39.38
somebody put this down.
00:40:39.41\00:40:40.44
Please put it on the screen.
00:40:40.47\00:40:41.50
The good news about I
am The Good Shepherd is
00:40:41.53\00:40:43.01
that "There is
someone who knows me."
00:40:43.04\00:40:45.44
Jot that down.
Somebody who knows me.
00:40:45.47\00:40:47.81
"Desire of Ages' again
"Jesus knows us individually,
00:40:47.84\00:40:50.50
and is touch with the
feeling of our infirmities.
00:40:50.53\00:40:53.59
He knows as all by name."
00:40:53.62\00:40:57.00
Anybody ever comes
in and he says hey,
00:40:57.03\00:40:59.10
you know Robert, don't you?
00:40:59.13\00:41:01.47
Well, Robert, Robert,
but that name is familiar
00:41:01.50\00:41:03.20
I just can't put
the face with it.
00:41:03.23\00:41:05.68
He knows us by name.
00:41:05.71\00:41:08.94
"He knows the very house,"
00:41:08.97\00:41:10.07
keep reading, "He knows the
very house in which we live,
00:41:10.10\00:41:11.87
He knows the
name of each occupant.
00:41:11.90\00:41:13.54
He has at times given
directions to His servants
00:41:13.57\00:41:15.59
to go to a certain
street in a certain city,
00:41:15.62\00:41:17.69
to such a house, and
to find one of his sheep."
00:41:17.72\00:41:19.77
I want you go to
the fourth floor,
00:41:19.80\00:41:22.18
third floor of Myers.
00:41:22.21\00:41:24.73
I want you go
down to a long hallway,
00:41:24.76\00:41:26.87
you go by laundry no worry about
00:41:26.90\00:41:28.25
how it smells in
there just keep going
00:41:28.28\00:41:30.97
forth door down I
want you to go there.
00:41:31.00\00:41:34.84
I know who's in the
room, I know the sheep.
00:41:34.87\00:41:37.37
And I'm sending it you.
00:41:37.40\00:41:38.47
Every soul oh,
this underline this,
00:41:42.89\00:41:45.05
"Every soul, is as
fully known to Jesus
00:41:45.08\00:41:46.99
as if He were the only
one for whom the Savior died."
00:41:47.02\00:41:53.39
There were nobody
else on this planet
00:41:53.42\00:41:55.17
and you would the
only one he died for.
00:41:55.20\00:41:57.41
That's how well
I know you, Dwight.
00:41:57.44\00:41:59.30
That's how well
I know you, James.
00:41:59.33\00:42:04.60
""Every soul, is as
fully known to Jesus
00:42:04.63\00:42:06.12
as if he were the only
one for whom the Savior died.
00:42:06.15\00:42:07.85
The distress of every
one touches His heart.
00:42:07.88\00:42:09.86
The cry for aid
reaches His ear." Last line.
00:42:09.89\00:42:12.81
"He cares for each one
as if there were not another
00:42:12.84\00:42:17.13
on the face of the earth."
00:42:17.16\00:42:18.73
I have eyes for no one else
00:42:18.76\00:42:20.07
as if you would be only
occupant of this planet,
00:42:20.10\00:42:23.50
you are only in
heaven and I'm watching you.
00:42:23.53\00:42:26.93
No wonder we can
trust Him with eyes.
00:42:26.96\00:42:29.43
So if you are the
only one boy, girl,
00:42:29.46\00:42:31.33
you're the only one
I've known trust me.
00:42:31.36\00:42:35.18
Well, now here's
number four of five of these.
00:42:35.21\00:42:38.64
Here's number four.
00:42:38.67\00:42:39.70
There is
someone who protects me.
00:42:39.73\00:42:41.52
That's what's
good news is so you
00:42:41.55\00:42:42.78
and I came up over and
over again in your text messages
00:42:42.81\00:42:45.20
just a moment ago.
00:42:45.23\00:42:46.26
I want to share with you
00:42:46.29\00:42:47.89
what for me is one of the
most perceptive statements
00:42:47.92\00:42:50.29
about fear that
I have ever read.
00:42:50.32\00:42:53.30
I have a book in my library
by John Harris title the book
00:42:53.33\00:42:55.81
"Stress Power and
Ministry" this is profound.
00:42:55.84\00:42:59.65
Put the words on
the screen for you.
00:42:59.68\00:43:00.98
They are also in
your study guide.
00:43:01.01\00:43:02.61
Harris writing
00:43:02.64\00:43:03.73
"Fear is the great
destructive force in us.
00:43:03.76\00:43:08.42
Fear shuts down spontaneity."
00:43:08.45\00:43:11.01
I'm not gonna do that,
I'm not gonna go there,
00:43:11.04\00:43:13.34
this will have
to happened with me.
00:43:13.37\00:43:14.40
I'm not gonna do it.
00:43:14.43\00:43:15.46
"Fear shuts down spontaneity,
00:43:15.49\00:43:17.10
and most importantly
turns us away from others
00:43:17.13\00:43:21.09
and in upon ourselves."
00:43:21.12\00:43:22.55
If I hang around, if I step
into that situation, if I--no.
00:43:22.58\00:43:26.26
"Fear turns us away from
others and in upon ourselves.
00:43:26.29\00:43:29.64
Fear drowns out our
capacities for life.
00:43:29.67\00:43:33.68
Fear makes us
afraid of life itself,
00:43:33.71\00:43:36.43
afraid to the intensity
living brings with it."
00:43:36.46\00:43:40.00
And here's what struck me.
00:43:40.03\00:43:41.06
"If fear persists
in us long enough."
00:43:41.09\00:43:43.73
So that we just
nurture their fear,
00:43:43.76\00:43:45.62
we just curdle that
fear and never relinquish it.
00:43:45.65\00:43:48.47
"If fear persists
in us long enough,
00:43:48.50\00:43:50.64
we often come to a
terrible moment of recognition,
00:43:50.67\00:43:53.04
perhaps in middle life or later,
00:43:53.07\00:43:55.61
that life has passed us by,
00:43:55.64\00:43:57.46
that we have never really
lived the life given to us."
00:43:57.49\00:44:03.70
Isn't that something?
00:44:03.73\00:44:04.96
I nurture my fears.
00:44:06.58\00:44:08.79
Afraid of death, afraid of life,
00:44:10.72\00:44:15.53
afraid of
failure, afraid of success.
00:44:15.56\00:44:18.74
It's crazy the fears we had.
00:44:18.77\00:44:21.26
What would happen the
next that fear comes to you,
00:44:21.29\00:44:23.35
the next time
that fear comes to me?
00:44:23.38\00:44:24.86
What would happen if we
just in that moment imagine
00:44:24.89\00:44:27.44
that the Good
Shepherd is right there,
00:44:27.47\00:44:29.62
that the fear has to
come to the Good Shepherd?
00:44:29.65\00:44:33.36
And how did that line go,
00:44:33.39\00:44:34.42
Yea though I walk
through the valley
00:44:34.45\00:44:35.70
and the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil for what?
00:44:35.73\00:44:39.29
For thou He with me.
00:44:39.32\00:44:41.15
What if I just imagine
in the face in their fear
00:44:41.18\00:44:43.29
that has stuck my life?
00:44:43.32\00:44:45.55
A crazy fear.
00:44:45.58\00:44:46.93
What if I imagine
00:44:46.96\00:44:48.56
that the Good Shepherd
was standing right there
00:44:48.59\00:44:52.09
and that He would
face the fear first?
00:44:52.12\00:44:58.68
This last week Tuesday
night I was with the man,
00:44:58.71\00:45:02.38
my age, was dying.
00:45:02.41\00:45:06.54
Went up in to room, their home
00:45:06.57\00:45:10.12
where he was took his hand
00:45:10.15\00:45:13.25
and asked him what's happening?
00:45:13.28\00:45:15.30
What's going through his mind,
00:45:15.33\00:45:16.46
what's going
through his heart right now?
00:45:16.49\00:45:17.84
He knew he just got
the word the day before.
00:45:17.87\00:45:22.84
So I hold that hand,
I listen to this man,
00:45:22.87\00:45:27.74
find the words articulate,
00:45:27.77\00:45:30.16
find the words
to confess his faith
00:45:30.19\00:45:34.74
that God was able
to carry him through
00:45:34.77\00:45:38.55
what was just ahead.
00:45:38.58\00:45:40.87
He died Thursday night,
but Tuesday night he knew
00:45:40.90\00:45:46.99
Yea thou I walk
through the valley
00:45:47.02\00:45:51.21
of the shadow of death.
00:45:51.24\00:45:53.50
I will fear no evil.
00:45:53.53\00:45:58.08
For thou art with me here.
00:45:58.11\00:46:02.11
Amen.
00:46:02.14\00:46:03.84
It's good news, no wonder,
00:46:03.87\00:46:06.31
no wonder I can trust Him.
00:46:06.34\00:46:08.69
He protects me.
00:46:08.72\00:46:10.14
No evil, whatever comes to me
00:46:10.17\00:46:12.72
He says Dwight, I let it
we win out of this you watch,
00:46:12.75\00:46:17.39
we win in the end.
00:46:17.42\00:46:21.39
Finally--what's a
good news about this
00:46:21.42\00:46:23.48
I'm a Good Shepherd metaphor.
00:46:23.51\00:46:24.83
Some of you had it
on your text messages.
00:46:24.86\00:46:26.31
Well, there is
someone who loves me
00:46:26.34\00:46:28.47
a shepherd loves His sheep.
00:46:28.50\00:46:30.36
A Shepherd just
plain loves His sheep.
00:46:30.39\00:46:34.11
Ah, look at this verse 14.
00:46:34.14\00:46:36.31
So significant the
metaphor Jesus repeats
00:46:36.34\00:46:37.81
in the verse 14
00:46:37.84\00:46:38.87
"I am the Good
Shepherd, and I know my sheep,
00:46:38.90\00:46:42.59
and am known by My own."
00:46:42.62\00:46:44.10
Verse 15 "And as
a Father knows Me,
00:46:44.13\00:46:46.33
even so I know the Father,
00:46:46.36\00:46:47.53
and I lay down my
life for the sheep."
00:46:47.56\00:46:51.02
You know, Craig
keener in his commentary
00:46:51.05\00:46:54.34
on the gospel of
John He really is spot on.
00:46:54.37\00:46:56.70
Now let me put that one
line from the Keener here.
00:46:56.73\00:46:59.59
"But that this shepherd
shows his love for the sheep
00:46:59.62\00:47:02.32
in the ultimate sacrifice,
by deliberately dying for them,
00:47:02.35\00:47:06.13
bursts the
bounds of the Shepherd
00:47:06.16\00:47:07.77
and sheep image."
00:47:07.80\00:47:08.83
The moment Jesus says
00:47:08.86\00:47:10.22
I'm laying down
my life for my sheep.
00:47:10.25\00:47:11.89
Suddenly we're not dealing
humans and animals anymore,
00:47:11.92\00:47:14.02
we've got now out
of the barnyard now.
00:47:14.05\00:47:15.66
We are dealing
with savior and lost.
00:47:15.69\00:47:18.31
The moment He says I
will lay down my life.
00:47:18.34\00:47:21.41
And wonder of wonders
get this wonder wonders
00:47:21.44\00:47:23.72
when Jesus says He's
going to lay down his life,
00:47:23.75\00:47:25.59
it will be at His
timing and by His invitation.
00:47:25.62\00:47:30.45
Look at this verse 17.
00:47:30.48\00:47:31.68
"Therefore My Father loves Me,
00:47:31.71\00:47:33.08
because I lay down My
life that I may take it again."
00:47:33.11\00:47:36.69
Over and over in
John up to chapter 10
00:47:36.72\00:47:39.03
He's been hinting
it, He's been hinting,
00:47:39.06\00:47:41.34
He has never come out
this starkly and dramatically
00:47:41.37\00:47:44.54
and declare I am now gonna die.
00:47:44.57\00:47:48.34
"Therefore My Father loves Me,
00:47:48.37\00:47:49.74
because I lay down My
life that I may take it again.
00:47:49.77\00:47:52.30
No one," verse 18,
00:47:52.33\00:47:53.49
"takes it from Me, but
I lay it down on Myself.
00:47:53.52\00:47:55.95
I have authority I
have power to lay it down,
00:47:55.98\00:47:58.12
I have authority I have
power to take it up again."
00:47:58.15\00:48:01.17
I will die on My terms
and in My time and he did.
00:48:01.20\00:48:07.26
I mean, how to explain it.
00:48:07.29\00:48:09.17
For a sheep like me, please.
00:48:09.20\00:48:12.70
With all my madden war foibles.
00:48:12.73\00:48:18.05
Please, please.
00:48:18.08\00:48:20.76
"Desire of Ages." One
last "Desire of Ages" line.
00:48:20.79\00:48:23.59
Put it on the screen.
00:48:23.62\00:48:24.65
"The soul that has
given herself to Christ
00:48:24.68\00:48:28.21
is more precious in His
sight then the whole world.
00:48:28.24\00:48:31.94
The Savior would have
passed through the agony
00:48:31.97\00:48:33.71
of Calvary that one,
00:48:33.74\00:48:35.70
Uno, one, that one
might be saved in His kingdom.
00:48:35.73\00:48:40.42
He will never abandon
one for whom He has died.
00:48:40.45\00:48:43.36
Unless His followers
choose to leave him."
00:48:43.39\00:48:46.22
That's the only choice you had.
00:48:46.25\00:48:47.30
I'm out of here,
shepherd, I don't need you.
00:48:47.33\00:48:49.60
I'm going to
pick my own shepherd.
00:48:49.63\00:48:50.68
In fact let me shepherd
my own life would you please?
00:48:50.71\00:48:53.79
And by the way even
when we wander away guess
00:48:53.82\00:48:55.81
what the shepherd does
as you put in your text.
00:48:55.84\00:48:57.79
He goes right after you.
00:48:57.82\00:49:00.15
Until he gets the
final Noah you added my life,
00:49:00.18\00:49:02.25
bug off, I don't
need you anymore.
00:49:02.28\00:49:05.27
"Unless His
followers choose to leave Him,
00:49:08.38\00:49:10.23
He will hold them
fast. Jesus loves us.
00:49:10.26\00:49:13.29
Jesus loves us as children.
00:49:13.32\00:49:14.96
Reader, He loves you.
00:49:14.99\00:49:18.25
"Heaven itself can bestow
00:49:18.28\00:49:19.80
nothing
greater, nothing better."
00:49:19.83\00:49:23.55
He leads me, He pastors me,
00:49:23.58\00:49:27.39
He knows me, He protects me,
00:49:27.42\00:49:30.82
He loves me that's the shepherd.
00:49:30.85\00:49:34.07
Good news in his metaphor.
00:49:34.10\00:49:35.61
Are you kidding,
but what's the point?
00:49:35.64\00:49:38.72
The young mother
frazzled spent from heaven,
00:49:42.40\00:49:46.90
hang on to her two
kids that are arm load
00:49:46.93\00:49:49.13
full of Christmas shopping bags
00:49:49.16\00:49:51.29
she steps onto
this crowded elevator.
00:49:51.32\00:49:53.12
You can picture the
moment the holiday mania
00:49:53.15\00:49:55.33
is taking its stalls so season
00:49:55.36\00:49:57.09
in this elevator
she just pushed in,
00:49:57.12\00:49:59.41
the door closes in front her.
00:49:59.44\00:50:01.19
Talking to nobody in particular
00:50:01.22\00:50:03.49
she blurts out whoever started
this whole Christmas thing
00:50:03.52\00:50:09.07
out to be found
strung up and shot.
00:50:09.10\00:50:12.90
From the back in the elevator
00:50:15.45\00:50:18.13
there came a voice
00:50:18.16\00:50:19.73
"Don't worry lady,
we've already crucified in."
00:50:19.76\00:50:23.58
They said you could
have heard a pin drop
00:50:25.69\00:50:29.02
the rest all the way down.
00:50:29.05\00:50:32.52
I am the Good Shepherd.
00:50:32.55\00:50:35.19
and the Good Shepherd lays
down his life for His sheep.
00:50:35.22\00:50:40.50
So how then should we live,
00:50:40.53\00:50:44.09
If you going to
tweet John 10 in two words.
00:50:44.12\00:50:49.05
The shortest
sentence in "Desire of Ages"
00:50:49.08\00:50:51.34
is two words long
and it's in this chapter
00:50:51.37\00:50:54.31
and I'll put it on
the screen for you.
00:50:54.34\00:50:55.67
Two words "Therefore trust."
00:50:55.70\00:51:00.31
That's it guys,
therefore trust Him.
00:51:00.34\00:51:04.85
Trust Him with your life,
trust Him with your future,
00:51:04.88\00:51:08.53
trust Him with the New Year,
00:51:08.56\00:51:09.63
trust Him with all that
you are and all that you have.
00:51:09.66\00:51:14.22
Therefore I love that
00:51:14.25\00:51:15.69
just two word
sentence "Therefore trust."
00:51:15.72\00:51:22.12
You'll never till
your dying day find anyone
00:51:22.15\00:51:28.30
who loves you more
deeply and who is traveling
00:51:28.33\00:51:31.86
more closely besides you.
00:51:31.89\00:51:34.66
Therefore trust.
00:51:34.69\00:51:38.06
I want to sing that
it's not a Christmas.
00:51:39.91\00:51:42.01
It's a trust course.
00:51:43.91\00:51:46.35
I hope you know
'cause they don't know it
00:51:46.38\00:51:48.58
would change the song up
00:51:48.61\00:51:50.65
and there no words are
going to go on the screen,
00:51:50.68\00:51:53.32
but there's a chorus to an
old hymn that goes like this,
00:51:53.35\00:51:55.50
Only trust Him, only trust Him,
00:51:55.53\00:51:58.20
only trust Him
now, do you know that,
00:51:58.23\00:52:00.42
He will save
you, He will save you,
00:52:00.45\00:52:02.83
He will save you now.
00:52:02.86\00:52:04.13
I want you to stand on you feet
00:52:04.16\00:52:05.19
and let's just say
about this therefore trust
00:52:05.22\00:52:08.46
with the shepherd
this good this close
00:52:08.49\00:52:11.76
what's the
point therefore trust.
00:52:11.79\00:52:15.42
Let's just sing the
chorus, Only trust Him.
00:52:15.45\00:52:18.09
Only trust Him, only trust Him
00:52:28.89\00:52:35.50
Only Trust Him now
00:52:35.53\00:52:41.27
He will save
you, He will save you
00:52:41.30\00:52:47.90
He will save you now
00:52:47.93\00:52:54.43
Only trust Him, only trust Him
00:52:54.46\00:53:01.67
Only Trust Him now
00:53:01.70\00:53:07.90
He will save
you, He will save you
00:53:07.93\00:53:15.33
He will save you now
00:53:15.36\00:53:21.76
Now just stand,
just be our angel
00:53:21.79\00:53:25.68
choir right now
ladies, to sing that please.
00:53:25.71\00:53:29.23
Only trust Him, Only trust Him
00:53:29.26\00:53:36.62
Only Trust Him now
00:53:36.65\00:53:43.23
He will save
you, He will save you
00:53:43.26\00:53:51.23
He will save you now
00:53:51.26\00:53:59.21
Only trust Him, only trust Him
00:54:00.85\00:54:07.73
Only Trust Him now
00:54:07.76\00:54:14.81
He will save
you, He will save you
00:54:14.84\00:54:22.33
He will save you now
00:54:22.36\00:54:29.87
Only trust Him, only trust Him
00:54:29.90\00:54:37.69
Only Trust Him now
00:54:37.72\00:54:45.16
He will save
you, He will save you
00:54:45.19\00:54:53.16
He will save you now
00:54:53.19\00:55:01.16
And so divine Good Shepherd,
00:55:02.81\00:55:06.32
like that stained glass
windows you gazed down upon us.
00:55:06.35\00:55:10.13
We're in Your presence.
00:55:10.16\00:55:12.20
What do we do with news is
good two words therefore trust.
00:55:12.23\00:55:19.32
Oh God, teach us to trust.
00:55:19.35\00:55:23.30
Oh the holiday
teach us to trust.
00:55:23.33\00:55:26.09
The first
blushes of the New Year
00:55:26.12\00:55:28.31
teach us to
trust only trust you,
00:55:28.34\00:55:33.03
no matter what comes then
00:55:33.06\00:55:36.37
we should be at peace.
00:55:36.40\00:55:38.51
And now into the God a peace
00:55:41.75\00:55:43.12
who brought up from
the day at our Lord Jesus
00:55:43.15\00:55:47.58
a great Shepherd of the sheep
00:55:47.61\00:55:49.03
through the blood of
the everlasting covenant.
00:55:49.06\00:55:52.50
May he make you complete
00:55:52.53\00:55:53.58
in every good
work to do His will,
00:55:53.61\00:55:56.51
working in you what as
well pleasing in His sight
00:55:56.54\00:56:00.00
through Jesus
Christ to whom be glory
00:56:00.03\00:56:02.59
forever and ever.
00:56:02.62\00:56:05.99
Amen.
00:56:06.02\00:56:07.22
Thank you for giving me
00:56:16.44\00:56:17.47
one more moment
before you hurry away.
00:56:17.50\00:56:19.75
This has been
an incredible year.
00:56:19.78\00:56:22.02
Can you believe that
journey we've been on together
00:56:22.05\00:56:23.89
and were poised on the cusp
00:56:23.92\00:56:25.99
of an unprecedented
chapter in human history.
00:56:26.02\00:56:28.87
I'm so excited
about where we're headed.
00:56:28.90\00:56:31.10
Now look, you of course know
00:56:31.13\00:56:33.47
the telecast cost you
nothing, the podcast no cost,
00:56:33.50\00:56:37.46
the website no cost,
study guides no cost,
00:56:37.49\00:56:40.87
the books, the
literature, all of that no cost,
00:56:40.90\00:56:43.70
but in this season
00:56:43.73\00:56:44.87
where we're
celebrating God opening up
00:56:44.90\00:56:46.37
that treasure chest of heaven
00:56:46.40\00:56:48.10
and pour it out in a
gift to the Christ child.
00:56:48.13\00:56:50.91
I'm emboldened to ask you.
00:56:50.94\00:56:53.15
If God has been
especially good to you
00:56:53.18\00:56:55.11
this year that's passed
and you have a little bit extra
00:56:55.14\00:56:57.46
of that goodness that
He's passed on your way,
00:56:57.49\00:57:00.04
would you be
willing to invest it
00:57:00.07\00:57:01.74
in helping us reach
out further into cyberspace
00:57:01.77\00:57:04.24
and further around this globe
00:57:04.27\00:57:06.74
to share the good news
of a soon coming Savior.
00:57:06.77\00:57:08.83
It's easy to give.
00:57:08.86\00:57:09.89
You can go to our website
00:57:09.92\00:57:10.95
you see a little banner
there, Christmas banner.
00:57:10.98\00:57:13.08
Click on, instruction are
simple, has no direct mail,
00:57:13.11\00:57:15.96
and no operators going
call you and harsh you.
00:57:15.99\00:57:18.50
It's just a one-time donation.
00:57:18.53\00:57:20.34
If you'd like to
talk to our operating
00:57:20.37\00:57:21.75
we've got an easy
free number to call
00:57:21.78\00:57:23.99
877-HIS-WILL, 877_HIS_WILL
00:57:24.02\00:57:28.02
and the operator
will take your donation
00:57:28.05\00:57:29.84
right over the phone.
00:57:29.87\00:57:31.14
The point is where
we're headed who knows,
00:57:31.17\00:57:34.56
but God through the
gift of His blessings
00:57:34.59\00:57:37.41
can prepare us and equip us now
00:57:37.44\00:57:39.36
for this
uncharted journey ahead.
00:57:39.39\00:57:41.82
I'm glad you're
going all the way.
00:57:41.85\00:57:43.96
I believe Jesus is coming soon.
00:57:43.99\00:57:45.57
Now more than ever we
invest in His kingdom.
00:57:45.60\00:57:48.50
Thank you for all you
have done and what you will do.
00:57:48.53\00:57:51.77
And may God abundantly
pour upon you and me His spirit
00:57:51.80\00:57:55.95
as we journey into
the next Chapter with Him.
00:57:55.98\00:57:59.60
God bless you.
00:57:59.63\00:58:01.10