Participants: Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP120311
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00:06 From the campus of Andrews University
00:08 this is New Perceptions with Dr. Dwight K. Nelson. 00:19 Amen. 00:21 Merry Christmas. 00:23 Yes we can say that here 00:24 we are celebrating the birth the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:28 In Luke we have this wonderful account 00:30 and it reads like this. 00:32 Now there were in the same country 00:34 shepherds living out in the fields, 00:36 keeping watch over their flock by night. 00:39 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, 00:43 and the glory of Lord shone around them, 00:46 and they were greatly afraid. 00:47 Then the angel said to all of the people, 00:50 do not be afraid, for behold, 00:53 I bring you good tidings of great joy 00:56 which will be to all people. 00:58 For there is born to you this day 00:59 in the city of David a Savior, 01:02 who is Christ the Lord.? 01:04 And suddenly there was an angel 01:07 a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 01:12 Glory to God in the highest, 01:14 and on earth peace goodwill toward men!'' 01:17 Glory to God in the highest. 01:20 We will now seeing angels 01:21 we have heard on high hymn number 142. 02:16 Angels we have heard on high 02:20 Singing sweetly through the night 02:25 And the mountains in reply 02:29 Echoing their brave delight 02:33 Gloria 02:42 in excelsis Deo 02:47 Gloria 02:55 in excelsis Deo 03:04 Shepherds why this jubilee? 03:08 Why these songs of happy cheer? 03:13 What great brightness did you see? 03:17 What glad tidings did you hear? 03:22 Gloria 03:30 in excelsis Deo 03:35 Gloria 03:43 in excelsis Deo 03:52 Come to Bethlehem and see 03:57 Him whose birth the angels sing 04:01 Come, adore on bended knee 04:05 Christ the Lord, the newborn King 04:10 Gloria 04:19 in excelsis Deo 04:23 Gloria 04:32 in excelsis Deo 04:40 See Him in a manger laid 04:45 Whom the angels praise above 04:49 Mary, Joseph, lend your aid 04:54 While we raise our hearts in love 04:58 Gloria 05:06 in excelsis Deo 05:11 Gloria 05:19 in excelsis Deo 05:48 Hark, the herald angels sing 05:52 "Glory to the newborn king!" 05:57 Peace on earth, and mercy mild 06:02 God and sinners reconciled! 06:06 Joyful, all ye nations rise 06:11 Join the triumph of the skies 06:15 With the angelic host proclaim 06:20 "Christ is born in Bethlehem!" 06:24 Hark! the herald angels sing 06:29 "Glory to the newborn king!" 06:35 Hail! The heaven-born Prince of Peace! 06:39 Hail! The Sun of Righteousness! 06:44 Life and light to all he brings 06:49 Risen with healing in his wings 06:53 Mild He lays His glory by 06:58 Born that man no more may die 07:02 Born to raise the sons of earth 07:07 Born to give them second birth 07:11 Hark! The herald angels sing 07:16 "Glory to the newborn king!" 09:39 In my blog today, the blog gets posted on Thursday 09:42 and it shows up in the worship bulletin, 09:44 but in my blog today I noted that Cyber Monday. 09:47 You know, what this last Monday was? 09:49 This was Cyber Monday. 09:50 Online sales in the United States, 09:53 did you hear the number? $1.25 billion 09:56 we American spent just online buying Christmas gifts. 10:01 So Hosea, when you talked about Pastor Hosea, 10:03 when you talked about this hyper, 10:06 what you called hyper, hyper shopping 10:08 or something like that that is just absolutely true. 10:11 That's a 33% rise over last year's 10:15 Cyber Monday, unbelievable. 10:19 But it's a high-tech world in which we live 10:22 and these young pastors on our pastoral staff 10:24 they really working me over. 10:25 They said, Dwight, you just have to get with the times. 10:27 And particularly pastor Rodlie 10:29 who is our pastor for This Generation Evangelism, 10:32 he says Dwight, get into twitter 10:34 you've just got to get into twitter. 10:38 I have a Facebook account, 10:40 but I never go to it so it's no good to have it. 10:44 So anyway over Thanksgiving very quietly 10:47 nobody looking began to work on twitter. 10:49 How do you do the tweets and these kinds of the thing. 10:52 You know, you are limited to 140 characters. 10:56 If it's not there forget it. 10:58 Some of you thinking you wish sermons were limited to same. 11:01 It'll never happen trust me, it will never happen. 11:05 But anyway I went on over the Thanksgiving 11:09 and I do believe it's another opportunity to connect. 11:12 Hence, I'm gonna put an address on the screen for you right now. 11:16 You know, that with twitter you have to put the @ first. 11:20 Can we put it up? 11:22 You have to put the @ symbol first 11:24 and then it's just Dwight K. Nelson. 11:26 We tried to get Dwight Nelson but somebody else has it. 11:29 So if you ever meet him say, hi. 11:32 But this is Dwight K. Nelson. 11:34 And look, it's a holiday 11:36 you're gonna have your final exams 11:39 and then you're gonna be leaving. 11:40 If you'd like to keep in touch with the campus 11:41 I'm going be trying to tweet everyday. 11:44 What are you gonna tweet Dwight, come on, 11:45 a little bit of a theological reflection 11:48 maybe some devotional inspiration. 11:50 Maybe website I just read something, man, 11:52 you got to check this website out. 11:53 Last night they're saying the World Premier, 11:57 that's what they called it of a piece 12:01 composed the poem by E.E. Cummings 12:03 and Nicholas Zork, or Nic Nicholas Zork 12:05 and Aaron Roche both in New York 12:07 now composed it was just, it was just powerful, 12:11 but I tweeted, I got home last night said, 12:12 I got a tweet this little line 12:13 from spiraling ecstatically this proud 12:17 know whereof earth's most prodigious night blossoms 12:21 a newborn baby. 12:23 You know, E. Cummings so just hear it 12:24 and you can't figure it out 12:25 but the tweet has that line. 12:28 So I'd be honored if you followed along 12:32 now and then these tweets. 12:34 Tell your friends about that side as well. 12:39 So we are the high-tech world we live in, in fact right after 12:41 we pray we're going to pull our cell phones out 12:43 and I want to hear from you. 12:45 But first let's pray. 12:48 Oh, God, this music today 12:51 has swept us to Your throne room. 12:55 You celebrate Christmas up there at this time, 13:01 of course the truth is 13:03 that the gifts that made Christmas possible 13:06 is the greatest news this universe has ever heard 13:08 and it is celebrated 24/7 where You are. 13:12 We don't want to forget down here either, 13:15 so in these few moments that we have together 13:17 energize today's Bible teaching back to the Fourth Gospel 13:20 one last time this semester. 13:22 Let it be clear we pray in Jesus name, amen. 13:26 Let met put the title of today's teaching 13:28 on the screen for you right now. 13:30 This is the last word our last Sabbath 13:33 in this semester with it. 13:34 Title of today's teaching 13:35 of Sheep and Shepherds and the Midnight Star." 13:39 There is a website by the way 13:40 those of who you are joining us live streaming 13:42 we're glad you have joined us. 13:46 That website is there for others who are watching 13:49 if you'd like to get the study guide. 13:50 We're not going get to the study guide 13:51 to right at the end 13:53 it just boom, boom, boom and then its over. 13:54 And so they are gonna come through right now. 13:56 If you need a study guide just hold your hand up 13:58 our fine ushers are coming your way, 14:02 but that title sounds like a Christmas story to me 14:04 which of course it is it 14:07 because there is no Christmas Story in John. 14:09 John tells the Christmas story not at all. 14:12 Not the Fourth Gospel. 14:14 The closest John comes to the Christmas story 14:16 is John in his prologue. 14:17 John Chapter 1, remember verse 14 14:20 "And the Word became flesh, 14:22 and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, 14:25 the glory as of the only begotten 14:27 of the Father, full of grace and truth." 14:29 That's it, that's all of Christmas 14:31 there is in John. 14:33 Now you got to admit that is a huge and powerful it 14:38 but that's a narrative, that's the story. 14:42 So how can we come 14:43 with this last Sabbath of this semester? 14:45 Moving into Christmas break and not have anything 14:47 with the Christmas story in it. 14:49 As it turns out just by sequential moving 14:52 through this grand gospel the Fourth Gospel, 14:55 we come today to John Chapter 10 14:57 where Jesus will declare, I am the good shepherd. 15:02 And what Christmas it is not shepherds 15:03 and sheep and the Midnight Star. 15:06 So we get-- you can get there 15:08 from where we get this little interface 15:10 but it still presents the dilemma. 15:12 Because how can we who are so utterly urban and urbane. 15:17 How can we possibly wrap our minds around 15:19 so agrarian a metaphor? 15:21 Agrarian, you know, it means barnyard, farmyard. 15:23 Who lives around and barnyard animals anymore, 15:27 unless you're in act major he at Andrews University? 15:32 But you know what, it's passable 15:34 that we have showed ourselves little bit short. 15:36 We know perhaps more than we realize 15:39 about the metaphor of shepherd and sheep's, 15:42 sheep rather. 15:47 Enough, all right. 15:50 I was trying to come up 15:51 with something but there's nothing. 15:53 When you're wrong, you're wrong. 15:56 Okay, so here's the deal, get your cell phone out. 15:58 If you hearing the whatever 16:00 they were clicking away in first church, 16:01 if you hearing wind symphony music 16:03 grab a cell phone as well. 16:04 Some of you are ought to be on it 16:05 so you already having on your lap there. 16:08 I'm gonna put a question on the screen 16:10 because we know that Jesus 16:12 is about to say to us in John 10, 16:14 I am the good shepherd. 16:15 So I'm gonna put a question on the screen 16:17 at the bottom of the screen there will be a text number. 16:19 Please text this number and they'll start coming in. 16:22 Here's the questions, 16:23 let's put the question on the screen please, guys. 16:25 Thank you, so what do you know? 16:27 What do you know about shepherds that would make this metaphor, 16:29 I am the good shepherd, good news. 16:32 Okay, here's a question. 16:33 What is so good news about being shepherd? 16:36 Jesus wouldn't take a bad news metaphor 16:38 its obviously good news 16:40 so what makes being a shepherd good news? 16:43 Would you write now begin to text me 16:45 you see the number on your screen? 16:46 Those of who you are live streaming 16:47 you're seeing the number on your screen as well, 16:49 anywhere in the world that you're watching this 16:51 you can send a text and we will get it. 16:54 All right, so take a few moments, 16:56 this is not a hard-- 16:57 this is not rocket science question. 17:00 What do we know about being shepherd in this urban society? 17:04 We all city slickers you and I. 17:05 Let's just see what's up here. 17:10 All right. 17:17 Oh, boy here we go, 77 here, he's always caring for us. 17:22 It means you would take care me, 17:24 that's what shepherd do, 17:25 a shepherd protects and provide for a sheep 17:27 they protect and care for the flock. 17:30 Shepherd's help creatures that wouldn't survive without them. 17:33 Even if we were the only sinner. 17:35 Okay, so you are thinking about Jesus now 17:36 He would still go out of his way to protect us. 17:37 David was a shepherd and he killed a bear 17:39 and lion for his sheep. 17:41 Shepherd's leader and protect, that's good. 17:43 Shepherd is a leader and protector. 17:45 All right keep refreshing, oh down to 80. 17:50 The shepherd goes right when everyone goes left. 17:52 Oh, I like that goes right when everyone goes left. 17:55 Shepherds are inherently gentle. 17:57 He protects his flock just as God protects us. 17:59 Shepherds will do anything to protect their flock, 18:02 Jesus is the ultimate. 18:04 Well, that's good. 18:09 They see what the sheep can't. 18:11 Good I knew is that from behind me? 18:15 Very good. 18:16 Takes care of the sheep protects him. 18:17 Good shepherd places the safety comfort 18:19 and she is just primary. 18:20 Shepherd loves his sheep like none other. 18:23 We still going? 18:24 We are up to 214. 18:27 He stays with them, a shepherd always watches, 18:29 a shepherd goes in front he was supply my needs. 18:32 It's good I got to keep refreshing this. 18:35 It means he cares for everyone even the ones 18:38 that text the pastor bad words. 18:40 Here you go. 18:44 Did I set that up or what? 18:47 Thank you, yeah. 18:48 I'm not mad at the guy did that, 18:51 but it's a very good point. 18:54 That was pretty fast by the way, okay. 19:02 They lead by the voice, shepherd lead by their voice. 19:08 All right, just do a few more. 19:10 They keep searching until they find what they're looking for. 19:13 Good for you. 19:14 Shepherds seek the lost sheep, 19:15 he's not afraid to get dirt on his hands, they are loving, 19:18 the shepherd will take care of his flock he loves it. 19:21 They lead their sheep in the right direction. 19:23 We are the sheep and He is the shepherd. 19:26 Lets hit the pause button right there. 19:29 Let's find out come on open your Bible 19:31 to the primary chapter John Chapter 10. 19:33 Primary document today is this Fourth Gospel 19:36 that has been our theme book all this semester, 19:42 John Chapter 10. 19:44 Has does it matched up? 19:45 What Jesus says, 19:50 how is it matched up with what we just texted? 19:54 John 10 we'll pick it up in verse 1. 19:58 "Most assuredly," Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, 20:03 he does not enter the she followed by the door, 20:06 but climbs up some other way, 20:07 the same is a thief and a robber." 20:08 And hit pause button right here, 20:10 because remember chapter 10 20:12 is immediately on the heels a chapter 9. 20:14 And what happened in chapter 9 20:15 when we were together just before Thanksgiving. 20:17 What happens in chapter 9 you remember is that, 20:22 on a Sabbath day with a little bit a spit 20:24 and mud Jesus heals a man 20:26 who has been born blind from birth. 20:27 You remember that story? He heals him. 20:30 And the man goes off seeing the praises 20:32 of whoever healed him. 20:34 He doesn't know who healed him. 20:35 The Pharisees, the religious prelates 20:36 of Jerusalem the spiritual hierarchy 20:38 find the man and they are in waged 20:41 because they know who healed him. 20:43 So they hold a man in front of Supreme Court also on Sabbath 20:47 and they begin to grill him. 20:48 And what really infuriates them is that the man eloquently, 20:52 he is just a blind man, he is just a commoner 20:54 but always spirit comes in, amen, 20:55 he logically, eloquently defends the Lord Jesus 20:59 whom He is never meet. 21:02 And that only, that only sends them over the top 21:05 and you remember they excommunicate him, 21:07 toss him out of the synagogue, 21:09 out of this temple, Jesus finds him. 21:11 That's precisely what has happened immediately 21:15 before Jesus speaks these words. 21:19 So something's gone on with the spiritual leadership 21:22 and now Jesus is gonna dramatically contrast 21:24 two paradigms of spiritual leadership, 21:26 his own and theirs. 21:28 A cobalt of Pharisees standing right there Jesus is speaking 21:31 so that they can hear. 21:33 Now right chapter 10:1. 21:35 Most assuredly, I say to you.'' 21:37 By the way remember John is the only author 21:39 who uses this literary device. 21:41 What's just happened is he's used amen twice. 21:44 Amen, amen, verily, verily 21:46 in the King James, truly, truly in NIV. 21:48 Most assuredly in the New King James 21:50 amen, amen I say to you. 21:52 The moment you get a double amen with John. 21:55 It's like a huge red flag 21:57 remember this and John said, 21:58 hey Dwight, slow down, slow down this is heavy, this is big. 22:05 Listen carefully. 22:06 Amen, amen, Jesus speaking, I say to you, 22:11 he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door 22:13 but climbs up by some other way, 22:14 the same is a thief and a robber.'' 22:16 You know, who is talking about? 22:17 They are standing around him 22:18 while he's offering this metaphor. 22:20 But verse 2, ''He who enters by the door 22:23 is the shepherd of the sheep. 22:25 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, 22:29 and he calls his own sheep by name 22:31 and he leads them out.'' 22:32 Verse 4, "And when he brings out his own sheep, 22:35 he goes before them; 22:36 and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.? 22:38 Now verse 5, ''Yet they will by no means'' 22:41 double negative in the Greek. 22:42 They will no not ever "follow a stranger, 22:47 but will flee from him, 22:48 for they do not know the voice of strangers.'' 22:51 Jesus is absolutely right. 22:52 Palestinian shepherds are exactly that way. 22:55 Very affectionate towards their sheep. 22:57 I think all shepherds on earth are affectionate. 22:59 I had great Constantine come up to me after first church. 23:03 He say's, let me tell you about Romanian shepherds. 23:04 I think shepherds everywhere that way. 23:07 They name their sheep. 23:10 Usually its based on some physical, 23:12 some physical characteristics they will be floppy ears 23:15 or little stubs, tail, you know, sheep tails, short. 23:20 But it's an affection and it's an endearing term 23:22 and the shepherd knows that name. 23:26 And you call that name when he wants that sheep. 23:29 And the sheep know the voice of the shepherd. 23:32 Amazingly the Christmas story begins with shepherds and sheep. 23:37 I want to go back to that, 23:38 thank you for reading that a moment ago Hosea. 23:40 Let's go back to the gospel of Luke for a moment. 23:43 "Now they were in the same country 23:45 shepherds" notice its plural. 23:47 There were "shepherds living out in the fields." 23:50 You know, I had a gentleman ask me just this last week 23:52 we are having Bible studies 23:53 is getting ready to be baptized here. 23:56 He said hey, Dwight, so when is Christmas? 23:59 And of course there is no way to know when Christmas is? 24:01 We know it is not December 25. 24:04 It's a day pulled off of a pagan ritual calendar. 24:07 We also know it's not December 25, 24:09 because you wouldn't be out in the fields. 24:11 Not late in December, 24:13 this has to be earlier in the fall. 24:15 It might be October, maybe first of November. 24:18 They're still able to be outdoors. 24:23 Now there were shepherds 24:24 "Now there were in the same country 24:25 shepherds living out in the fields, 24:26 keeping watch over their flock." 24:28 Now notice plural shepherds singular flock, 24:33 what's going on here? 24:35 They all have their own flocks, everybody does 24:38 but tonight it's a dark night, it's a tad chilly 24:41 let's pull all our flocks together 24:43 so we have a singular flock. 24:45 We'll have to untangle them come the morning 24:47 and so the shepherds are there with a single flock. 24:50 Each has his own flock. 24:54 Now they're were in the same country 24:55 shepherds living out in the fields 24:56 keeping watch over their flock by night and what happens 24:58 and behold an angel of the Lord stood before then 25:01 and the glory the Lord shone around about them 25:04 and they were greatly afraid. 25:08 Of courses is the classic this is a classic Christmas moment 25:12 they out of breath go pounding. 25:16 They leave their flocks uncharacteristically, 25:19 pounding in to little Bethlehem. 25:24 They keel before the newborn in that box of calf feed. 25:29 They sense as the angle said, 25:31 you'll be in the presence of the son of David, 25:34 that means the Messiah. 25:35 They bow down and worship Him. 25:39 Nobody sleeps a wink that night you can be sure that. 25:42 By the time they get back the first blush is 25:45 and crimson on the eastern sunrise horizon 25:48 are spreading across the hills of Bethlehem. 25:51 It's time to go back to the pastures, 25:53 what did the shepherds do? 25:54 Kenneth Bailey a New Testament scholar 25:56 was in Palestine and he observed, 25:58 a Palestinian and shepherd with 200 sheep. 26:01 All right, 200 sheep and he was trying to obtain 26:03 how did the sheep know how to follow this guy. 26:06 He listen to the shepherd who had a unique 10 second call, 26:09 whatever it was it were just 10 seconds words or whatever. 26:13 Then their will be roughly a 40 second break 26:15 and then they tissue that call again 26:16 and all 200 sheep simply focused in 26:20 hounding like radar on the shepherds 26:23 calling in his voice and they followed him. 26:27 So when they rise early, 26:29 you know, we like to say that was Christmas morning 26:31 and they have to untangle their sheep, 26:33 it's no big deal at all. 26:35 The shepherd just gives his call. 26:37 And the sheep don't following others, 26:39 they don't want to follow-- they won't say well, 26:40 maybe there's better food with that guy. 26:41 No, they know exactly to whom they belong 26:44 and the follow. 26:46 So Jesus is telling this metaphor 26:48 explaining to it and notice verse 6, 26:51 "Jesus uses illustration, 26:53 but they did not understand the things 26:55 which He spoke to them." 26:56 Oh common Pharisees, come on. 26:58 Worshipers crowding the courts of the temple 27:00 you don't understand about shepherd 27:01 and sheep, of course you do. 27:03 But that's John's way of telling us, 27:04 Jesus is not about sheep and shepherds. 27:07 There's something much deeper here 27:09 that Jesus is trying to teach. 27:10 And oh boy, when he plunges into this metaphor 27:12 here we go verse 11, 27:14 I am "I am the good shepherd." 27:19 Thank you sir, for that beautiful testimony. 27:22 That's exactly right. In the Greek its ego eimi. 27:24 It's intentionally to be read I am. 27:27 I am the bread of life. I am the water of life. 27:32 I am the light of the world. 27:34 I am the wine, 27:37 I am the way the truth and the life. 27:39 I am the good shepherd. 27:43 Moses says, but when they ask me 27:46 who has sent me to Egypt, what shall I tell them? 27:49 I'm has sent you. 27:56 Wow, verse 11, "I am the good shepherd. 27:58 The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." 28:03 Hit the pause button right there. 28:05 I need to tell you that whoever stands here 28:07 in the Pioneer pulpit he, she 28:09 anybody who comes to this church and preaches 28:11 there are two glorious realities about standing right here. 28:14 Reality number one, 28:16 you probably don't look at very often, 28:18 but the wind symphony will affirm 28:20 this the pulpit is stationed right at the foot 28:24 of a across, isn't that right? 28:25 You're sitting on a cross right now 28:27 which is where you're supposed to be. 28:28 But the pulpit is right here at the foot, 28:31 that's making a symbolic statement in and of itself. 28:35 When our designers say, hey listen, Dwight, 28:36 how about if I put in some really scarred up dark wood here 28:39 so that it stands out from the rest? 28:40 I said, do it. 28:41 This platform ended up on a trade magazine 28:44 across the nation. 28:46 So he did a great job. 28:48 So every time a preacher comes here and steps here, 28:50 it is a humble honor, trust me to stand right here. 28:53 You're standing at the foot of the cross. 28:55 But there's another glorious reality that you never see. 28:59 You never see this when you come to Pioneer, 29:01 but I see it every single Sabbath. 29:03 And that is when I stand here 29:05 I look at one of the most beautiful 29:07 stained glass windows anywhere in the nation. 29:12 Now to say you're getting a crick in your neck. 29:16 We're gonna put it on the screen for you. 29:18 Let's put it on the big screen 29:19 and just pull that camera off slowly. 29:21 That's the center, that's 20 feet tall translucent glass 29:25 letting in the color's of light. 29:29 And it's a portrayal as you can see of the good shepherd. 29:33 You seem standing there the good shepherd with the staff 29:36 with the rod is His hand and you see the sheep. 29:38 I don't know if that's you, I don't know if that's a ram, 29:40 but that she is just pushing a ride up 29:42 smack dab against the a staff 29:45 and you see that the shepherd with one free arm 29:48 and the crook of that arm is caring a little lamie, isn't He? 29:52 He has that lamie, a peaceful contented look 29:55 on that little lamb's face. 29:58 So which one are you? 29:59 I know we're not the shepherd, 30:01 but which one of those two is you? 30:05 Are you the sheep or you the lamb? 30:08 Truth of the matter is we're often both aren't we? 30:11 There are times when my life is just -- 30:13 is just crumbling in my heart 30:17 and I feel like a tiny little lamb 30:20 if only there were a shepherd 30:22 to pick me up and hold me close now. 30:26 The lambs, the lambs were sheep. 30:30 Well, Jesus tender Shepherd hear me 30:33 blessed I little lamb tonight through the darkness 30:37 be down near me watch my sleep till morning light. 30:41 She was a mother of two, 30:42 25-years-old in December caught a chill, 30:48 the chill turned to a fever and on January 5, 30:51 1840 Mary Lundie died. 30:55 The next year after this 25-year-old young mother's death 30:58 her own mother published her memoirs 31:01 and included in them 31:03 one on the 23 hymns young Mary had written. 31:07 This one a children's prayer 31:09 she composed for her own too little toddlers. 31:12 I put the words on the screen for you. 31:14 It's only two stanzas long. 31:15 It's in our hymnal. 31:17 We put it on the screen. 31:18 Jesus tender Sheppard, hear me 31:20 Bless Thy little lamb tonight 31:23 Through the darkness be thou near me 31:25 Watch my sleep till morning light 31:28 All this day Thy hand has led me 31:30 And I thank Thee for Thy care 31:32 Thou has clothed me 31:34 Warmed and fed me 31:36 Listen to my evening prayer 31:40 But posthumously this short 31:43 and touching hymn eventually went viral, 31:48 if you can go viral in 1841 it went viral. 31:53 And children all over the nation 31:55 begin to sing these words as they drifted off to sleep. 31:59 Jesus tender Sheppard, hear me 32:02 Bless Thy little lamb tonight 32:07 They will come to think of it. 32:12 As always been a very simple very similar prayer 32:19 for going to bed hasn't that been? 32:23 Only this prayer not so much for the-- 32:24 not so much for the end of the day 32:27 this prayer really is for the end at the life. 32:31 Yea, though I walk through the valley 32:36 of the shadow of death, thou art with me. 32:42 That's the beloved, universally beloved Psalm 23. 32:46 I love it in the King James 32:48 and you had to learn it in the King James. 32:50 And so what I want to do 32:51 is let's just at the end of the semester 32:53 just going to let some other stress just seep out of us. 32:57 I want to read this great prayer, Psalm 23. 33:00 Put it on the screen and it'll be in the-- 33:01 in the language of you grandparents. 33:05 And I want us to read it out loud together. 33:07 All right, so we're gonna read this out loud together. 33:09 Let's go. 33:11 "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 33:16 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. 33:20 He leadeth me beside the still waters. 33:24 He restoreth my soul. 33:27 He leadeth me in the paths 33:29 of righteousness for his name's sake. 33:33 Yea, though I walk through the valley 33:36 of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. 33:40 For thou art with me, thy rod 33:43 and thy staffed they comfort me. 33:46 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence in mine enemies. 33:51 Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. 33:57 Surely goodness and mercy 33:59 shall follow me all the days of my life. 34:03 And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." 34:08 Amen. 34:10 You know what, after a long and grueling semester 34:14 there is something comforting 34:16 in the reciting of those words, isn't there? 34:19 Look, I just sitting and writing the manuscript on Thursday 34:23 and I put the words up and just read them through it. 34:26 And I tell you it just brought tears to my eyes. 34:29 Is not only been a long grueling semester, 34:32 this has been a long and grueling year. 34:35 We're about the end of year together. 34:37 Well, the Lord in spite of the year 34:41 that we have had the Lord is my Shepherd. 34:47 So what's a good news about the shepherd 34:51 got a hundreds of your responses here. 34:53 Let's find out, let me just see 34:55 if I can recall some of those. 34:58 Let's put them down. Take your study guide now. 35:00 This final inning of the sermon will be the study guide. 35:05 Pull it out. 35:08 Why this metaphor 35:09 I am The Good Shepherd? 35:10 What's so good news? Would you write it now please? 35:12 Let's put it down as number one. Put it on the screen please. 35:14 I am the Good Shepherd is good news 35:16 because it means there is someone who leads me. 35:21 Over and over your text 35:22 and I was keeping a lot of text is to find something different. 35:24 Over and over your text said is Shepherd leads? 35:28 Oh, I love that, 35:29 because the Shepherd doesn't drive a sheep. 35:31 Yo, yo, yo, come guys, go, go. 35:33 Shepherd doesn't drive the sheep, does he? No. 35:34 And shepherd gets in front of the sheep, isn't that right? 35:37 Shepherd leads his sheep. 35:39 I'll tell you when I was a kid, grown up in a in summers 35:43 by little mountain lake in Japan called Lake Nojiri. 35:45 I tell you what, I was never, as a boy I was never afraid 35:50 of the dark as long as my dad 35:52 was in front of me and he had a flashlight. 35:54 Anywhere Dad went okay, not the worry, no fear. 35:59 I love how "Desire of Ages" puts it. 36:01 And by way, this chapter from "Desire of Ages" 36:03 I slipped into your study, just a few of the classic. 36:07 This is a collection of some 36:08 of the great classics in that book. 36:09 You got to read a whole chapter. 36:11 But they're all in the study guide for you to keep. 36:13 And I love this one right here 36:14 how "Desire of Ages" expresses it. 36:15 Put it on the screen, please. 36:17 "As the shepherd goes before his sheep." 36:20 Leads the way. 36:22 "Himself first encountering the perils of the way." 36:25 That's what it means, when Jesus leads me 36:26 He runs into trouble first. 36:28 I don't get the trouble first, He gets the trouble first. 36:32 "For himself first accounting the perils of the way, 36:34 so does Jesus with his people the way to heaven." 36:37 Now listen, this is pointing. 36:39 "The way to heaven is consecrated 36:41 by the Savior's footprints. 36:44 The path may be steep and rugged." 36:46 Some of you right now are on a very rugged pathway. 36:50 God and you alone know what it is you're going through. 36:53 It seems like your life is unraveling, 36:55 it seems like you have met an insurmountable obstacle, 36:58 you are not sure you can survive another day. 37:01 I need you to see this because the good shepherd 37:04 goes in front of the sheep, 37:06 which means whatever it is you're going through 37:08 Jesus has already determined. 37:10 He went through it first, 37:11 He's already determined you can pass through this, 37:14 you can get there from here. 37:17 He's close enough to touch, close enough to touch, 37:21 He is right in front of you. 37:23 "Now the way to heaven is consecrated 37:24 by the Savior's footprints. 37:25 The path may be steep and rugged, 37:27 but Jesus has traveled that way, 37:29 His feet have pressed down upon a cruel thorns," 37:31 what's cutting your heart right now. 37:34 Those rejection, marital rejection, 37:39 pink slip at the job rejection, 37:43 we're cutting back sorry about the economy you lose. 37:48 The thorns have already been pushed down. 37:53 My feet bloodied by His choice to lead you. 37:58 "His feet have pressed down the cruel thorns, 38:00 to make the pathway easier for us. 38:02 Every burden that we are called a bare He Himself has borne." 38:07 Whatever it is you're going through here's the good news, 38:09 whatever it is He's going through it 38:11 right in front you, right in front you. 38:14 It's okay. 38:15 Touch Him. 38:16 He is right in front of you. 38:18 As that old hymn go, 38:19 He leadeth me, O blessed thought! 38:22 O, something--something heavenly comfort fraught. 38:25 Yeah, you can trust Him. 38:27 Here's the point, you can trust Him. 38:30 If He's right there going in front of you can trust Him. 38:32 All right number two, 38:33 what's the good news about I'm the good shepherd, 38:35 I'm the good shepherd good news. 38:36 There is someone who will lead me. 38:38 What's the next one, there is someone who pastors me. 38:40 Write the word in pastors because you see in the Greek 38:45 the word for Shepherd and the word for Pastor 38:47 are identical so a correct translation 38:49 of what Jesus has just said is "I am the good pastor." 38:53 That's what He said. I am the good pastor. 38:56 Which is why you speak the language in heaven, 38:58 pastor Hosea, and he speak Spanish. 39:02 Amen. 39:03 Thank you. 39:05 And you come to Psalm 23. 39:07 Here's how psalm 23 read in the Spanish 39:10 "Jehova es mi Pastor." 39:15 "The Lord Jehova, the Lord is my Pastor." 39:21 Read that word in Spanish. 39:24 So that's the good news because you see pastor 39:26 is to somehow identify a nurturer. 39:30 And so pastors do those who had to get the pastoring 39:32 had to get a nurturing. 39:34 You wouldn't go into a trust me, you'd stay away from this job. 39:36 It's just you would say I do some notes. 39:40 Well, what does the nurturer do? 39:41 Look at the Psalm 23 we just read in a moment ago. 39:43 So what is it do, 39:44 the Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want He, what? 39:47 He leadeth me 39:50 by still waters, green pastures, 39:53 He anoints my head with oil, He is right in there. 39:56 Nurturer, one of the great pastoral depictions 40:03 I've got in Old Testament and I love this. 40:04 It's Isaiah Chapter 40 as to Michael quoted from this 40:07 in his prayer moment ago but not this line. 40:09 Isaiah 40 can we put that on the screen, bless you. 40:11 "He" speaking of God "He will feed His flock" 40:16 because a shepherd "He will feed His flock like a shepherd, 40:18 He will gather the lambs with His arm." 40:20 That's what that stained glass window is depicting. 40:22 "And He will carry them is His bosom, 40:24 and gently lead those who are with young." 40:29 The point is, ladies and gentlemen, 40:31 we can trust Him. 40:32 Come on, somebody who is gonna carry you 40:34 why can't you trust Him? You can. 40:37 All right, what else is good news would you say, 40:39 somebody put this down. 40:40 Please put it on the screen. 40:41 The good news about I am The Good Shepherd is 40:43 that "There is someone who knows me." 40:45 Jot that down. Somebody who knows me. 40:47 "Desire of Ages' again "Jesus knows us individually, 40:50 and is touch with the feeling of our infirmities. 40:53 He knows as all by name." 40:57 Anybody ever comes in and he says hey, 40:59 you know Robert, don't you? 41:01 Well, Robert, Robert, but that name is familiar 41:03 I just can't put the face with it. 41:05 He knows us by name. 41:08 "He knows the very house," 41:10 keep reading, "He knows the very house in which we live, 41:11 He knows the name of each occupant. 41:13 He has at times given directions to His servants 41:15 to go to a certain street in a certain city, 41:17 to such a house, and to find one of his sheep." 41:19 I want you go to the fourth floor, 41:22 third floor of Myers. 41:24 I want you go down to a long hallway, 41:26 you go by laundry no worry about 41:28 how it smells in there just keep going 41:31 forth door down I want you to go there. 41:34 I know who's in the room, I know the sheep. 41:37 And I'm sending it you. 41:42 Every soul oh, this underline this, 41:45 "Every soul, is as fully known to Jesus 41:47 as if He were the only one for whom the Savior died." 41:53 There were nobody else on this planet 41:55 and you would the only one he died for. 41:57 That's how well I know you, Dwight. 41:59 That's how well I know you, James. 42:04 ""Every soul, is as fully known to Jesus 42:06 as if he were the only one for whom the Savior died. 42:07 The distress of every one touches His heart. 42:09 The cry for aid reaches His ear." Last line. 42:12 "He cares for each one as if there were not another 42:17 on the face of the earth." 42:18 I have eyes for no one else 42:20 as if you would be only occupant of this planet, 42:23 you are only in heaven and I'm watching you. 42:26 No wonder we can trust Him with eyes. 42:29 So if you are the only one boy, girl, 42:31 you're the only one I've known trust me. 42:35 Well, now here's number four of five of these. 42:38 Here's number four. 42:39 There is someone who protects me. 42:41 That's what's good news is so you 42:42 and I came up over and over again in your text messages 42:45 just a moment ago. 42:46 I want to share with you 42:47 what for me is one of the most perceptive statements 42:50 about fear that I have ever read. 42:53 I have a book in my library by John Harris title the book 42:55 "Stress Power and Ministry" this is profound. 42:59 Put the words on the screen for you. 43:01 They are also in your study guide. 43:02 Harris writing 43:03 "Fear is the great destructive force in us. 43:08 Fear shuts down spontaneity." 43:11 I'm not gonna do that, I'm not gonna go there, 43:13 this will have to happened with me. 43:14 I'm not gonna do it. 43:15 "Fear shuts down spontaneity, 43:17 and most importantly turns us away from others 43:21 and in upon ourselves." 43:22 If I hang around, if I step into that situation, if I--no. 43:26 "Fear turns us away from others and in upon ourselves. 43:29 Fear drowns out our capacities for life. 43:33 Fear makes us afraid of life itself, 43:36 afraid to the intensity living brings with it." 43:40 And here's what struck me. 43:41 "If fear persists in us long enough." 43:43 So that we just nurture their fear, 43:45 we just curdle that fear and never relinquish it. 43:48 "If fear persists in us long enough, 43:50 we often come to a terrible moment of recognition, 43:53 perhaps in middle life or later, 43:55 that life has passed us by, 43:57 that we have never really lived the life given to us." 44:03 Isn't that something? 44:06 I nurture my fears. 44:10 Afraid of death, afraid of life, 44:15 afraid of failure, afraid of success. 44:18 It's crazy the fears we had. 44:21 What would happen the next that fear comes to you, 44:23 the next time that fear comes to me? 44:24 What would happen if we just in that moment imagine 44:27 that the Good Shepherd is right there, 44:29 that the fear has to come to the Good Shepherd? 44:33 And how did that line go, 44:34 Yea though I walk through the valley 44:35 and the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for what? 44:39 For thou He with me. 44:41 What if I just imagine in the face in their fear 44:43 that has stuck my life? 44:45 A crazy fear. 44:46 What if I imagine 44:48 that the Good Shepherd was standing right there 44:52 and that He would face the fear first? 44:58 This last week Tuesday night I was with the man, 45:02 my age, was dying. 45:06 Went up in to room, their home 45:10 where he was took his hand 45:13 and asked him what's happening? 45:15 What's going through his mind, 45:16 what's going through his heart right now? 45:17 He knew he just got the word the day before. 45:22 So I hold that hand, I listen to this man, 45:27 find the words articulate, 45:30 find the words to confess his faith 45:34 that God was able to carry him through 45:38 what was just ahead. 45:40 He died Thursday night, but Tuesday night he knew 45:47 Yea thou I walk through the valley 45:51 of the shadow of death. 45:53 I will fear no evil. 45:58 For thou art with me here. 46:02 Amen. 46:03 It's good news, no wonder, 46:06 no wonder I can trust Him. 46:08 He protects me. 46:10 No evil, whatever comes to me 46:12 He says Dwight, I let it we win out of this you watch, 46:17 we win in the end. 46:21 Finally--what's a good news about this 46:23 I'm a Good Shepherd metaphor. 46:24 Some of you had it on your text messages. 46:26 Well, there is someone who loves me 46:28 a shepherd loves His sheep. 46:30 A Shepherd just plain loves His sheep. 46:34 Ah, look at this verse 14. 46:36 So significant the metaphor Jesus repeats 46:37 in the verse 14 46:38 "I am the Good Shepherd, and I know my sheep, 46:42 and am known by My own." 46:44 Verse 15 "And as a Father knows Me, 46:46 even so I know the Father, 46:47 and I lay down my life for the sheep." 46:51 You know, Craig keener in his commentary 46:54 on the gospel of John He really is spot on. 46:56 Now let me put that one line from the Keener here. 46:59 "But that this shepherd shows his love for the sheep 47:02 in the ultimate sacrifice, by deliberately dying for them, 47:06 bursts the bounds of the Shepherd 47:07 and sheep image." 47:08 The moment Jesus says 47:10 I'm laying down my life for my sheep. 47:11 Suddenly we're not dealing humans and animals anymore, 47:14 we've got now out of the barnyard now. 47:15 We are dealing with savior and lost. 47:18 The moment He says I will lay down my life. 47:21 And wonder of wonders get this wonder wonders 47:23 when Jesus says He's going to lay down his life, 47:25 it will be at His timing and by His invitation. 47:30 Look at this verse 17. 47:31 "Therefore My Father loves Me, 47:33 because I lay down My life that I may take it again." 47:36 Over and over in John up to chapter 10 47:39 He's been hinting it, He's been hinting, 47:41 He has never come out this starkly and dramatically 47:44 and declare I am now gonna die. 47:48 "Therefore My Father loves Me, 47:49 because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 47:52 No one," verse 18, 47:53 "takes it from Me, but I lay it down on Myself. 47:55 I have authority I have power to lay it down, 47:58 I have authority I have power to take it up again." 48:01 I will die on My terms and in My time and he did. 48:07 I mean, how to explain it. 48:09 For a sheep like me, please. 48:12 With all my madden war foibles. 48:18 Please, please. 48:20 "Desire of Ages." One last "Desire of Ages" line. 48:23 Put it on the screen. 48:24 "The soul that has given herself to Christ 48:28 is more precious in His sight then the whole world. 48:31 The Savior would have passed through the agony 48:33 of Calvary that one, 48:35 Uno, one, that one might be saved in His kingdom. 48:40 He will never abandon one for whom He has died. 48:43 Unless His followers choose to leave him." 48:46 That's the only choice you had. 48:47 I'm out of here, shepherd, I don't need you. 48:49 I'm going to pick my own shepherd. 48:50 In fact let me shepherd my own life would you please? 48:53 And by the way even when we wander away guess 48:55 what the shepherd does as you put in your text. 48:57 He goes right after you. 49:00 Until he gets the final Noah you added my life, 49:02 bug off, I don't need you anymore. 49:08 "Unless His followers choose to leave Him, 49:10 He will hold them fast. Jesus loves us. 49:13 Jesus loves us as children. 49:14 Reader, He loves you. 49:18 "Heaven itself can bestow 49:19 nothing greater, nothing better." 49:23 He leads me, He pastors me, 49:27 He knows me, He protects me, 49:30 He loves me that's the shepherd. 49:34 Good news in his metaphor. 49:35 Are you kidding, but what's the point? 49:42 The young mother frazzled spent from heaven, 49:46 hang on to her two kids that are arm load 49:49 full of Christmas shopping bags 49:51 she steps onto this crowded elevator. 49:53 You can picture the moment the holiday mania 49:55 is taking its stalls so season 49:57 in this elevator she just pushed in, 49:59 the door closes in front her. 50:01 Talking to nobody in particular 50:03 she blurts out whoever started this whole Christmas thing 50:09 out to be found strung up and shot. 50:15 From the back in the elevator 50:18 there came a voice 50:19 "Don't worry lady, we've already crucified in." 50:25 They said you could have heard a pin drop 50:29 the rest all the way down. 50:32 I am the Good Shepherd. 50:35 and the Good Shepherd lays down his life for His sheep. 50:40 So how then should we live, 50:44 If you going to tweet John 10 in two words. 50:49 The shortest sentence in "Desire of Ages" 50:51 is two words long and it's in this chapter 50:54 and I'll put it on the screen for you. 50:55 Two words "Therefore trust." 51:00 That's it guys, therefore trust Him. 51:04 Trust Him with your life, trust Him with your future, 51:08 trust Him with the New Year, 51:09 trust Him with all that you are and all that you have. 51:14 Therefore I love that 51:15 just two word sentence "Therefore trust." 51:22 You'll never till your dying day find anyone 51:28 who loves you more deeply and who is traveling 51:31 more closely besides you. 51:34 Therefore trust. 51:39 I want to sing that it's not a Christmas. 51:43 It's a trust course. 51:46 I hope you know 'cause they don't know it 51:48 would change the song up 51:50 and there no words are going to go on the screen, 51:53 but there's a chorus to an old hymn that goes like this, 51:55 Only trust Him, only trust Him, 51:58 only trust Him now, do you know that, 52:00 He will save you, He will save you, 52:02 He will save you now. 52:04 I want you to stand on you feet 52:05 and let's just say about this therefore trust 52:08 with the shepherd this good this close 52:11 what's the point therefore trust. 52:15 Let's just sing the chorus, Only trust Him. 52:28 Only trust Him, only trust Him 52:35 Only Trust Him now 52:41 He will save you, He will save you 52:47 He will save you now 52:54 Only trust Him, only trust Him 53:01 Only Trust Him now 53:07 He will save you, He will save you 53:15 He will save you now 53:21 Now just stand, just be our angel 53:25 choir right now ladies, to sing that please. 53:29 Only trust Him, Only trust Him 53:36 Only Trust Him now 53:43 He will save you, He will save you 53:51 He will save you now 54:00 Only trust Him, only trust Him 54:07 Only Trust Him now 54:14 He will save you, He will save you 54:22 He will save you now 54:29 Only trust Him, only trust Him 54:37 Only Trust Him now 54:45 He will save you, He will save you 54:53 He will save you now 55:02 And so divine Good Shepherd, 55:06 like that stained glass windows you gazed down upon us. 55:10 We're in Your presence. 55:12 What do we do with news is good two words therefore trust. 55:19 Oh God, teach us to trust. 55:23 Oh the holiday teach us to trust. 55:26 The first blushes of the New Year 55:28 teach us to trust only trust you, 55:33 no matter what comes then 55:36 we should be at peace. 55:41 And now into the God a peace 55:43 who brought up from the day at our Lord Jesus 55:47 a great Shepherd of the sheep 55:49 through the blood of the everlasting covenant. 55:52 May he make you complete 55:53 in every good work to do His will, 55:56 working in you what as well pleasing in His sight 56:00 through Jesus Christ to whom be glory 56:02 forever and ever. 56:06 Amen. 56:16 Thank you for giving me 56:17 one more moment before you hurry away. 56:19 This has been an incredible year. 56:22 Can you believe that journey we've been on together 56:23 and were poised on the cusp 56:26 of an unprecedented chapter in human history. 56:28 I'm so excited about where we're headed. 56:31 Now look, you of course know 56:33 the telecast cost you nothing, the podcast no cost, 56:37 the website no cost, study guides no cost, 56:40 the books, the literature, all of that no cost, 56:43 but in this season 56:44 where we're celebrating God opening up 56:46 that treasure chest of heaven 56:48 and pour it out in a gift to the Christ child. 56:50 I'm emboldened to ask you. 56:53 If God has been especially good to you 56:55 this year that's passed and you have a little bit extra 56:57 of that goodness that He's passed on your way, 57:00 would you be willing to invest it 57:01 in helping us reach out further into cyberspace 57:04 and further around this globe 57:06 to share the good news of a soon coming Savior. 57:08 It's easy to give. 57:09 You can go to our website 57:10 you see a little banner there, Christmas banner. 57:13 Click on, instruction are simple, has no direct mail, 57:15 and no operators going call you and harsh you. 57:18 It's just a one-time donation. 57:20 If you'd like to talk to our operating 57:21 we've got an easy free number to call 57:24 877-HIS-WILL, 877_HIS_WILL 57:28 and the operator will take your donation 57:29 right over the phone. 57:31 The point is where we're headed who knows, 57:34 but God through the gift of His blessings 57:37 can prepare us and equip us now 57:39 for this uncharted journey ahead. 57:41 I'm glad you're going all the way. 57:43 I believe Jesus is coming soon. 57:45 Now more than ever we invest in His kingdom. 57:48 Thank you for all you have done and what you will do. 57:51 And may God abundantly pour upon you and me His spirit 57:55 as we journey into the next Chapter with Him. 57:59 God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17