All right, John chapter 10 verse number 10. The Bible says, the thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, that they might have it more abundantly. I'm the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth. And the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." Would you help us pray? Father, Lord, we love you because you first loved us. And we're so thankful to be in church today. Thankful Lord God we're able to meet together with these dear people, be able to sing songs about you and to you and for you. Gone to be able to hear the Sunday school lessons and to be able to teach Sunday school, be able to open our Bibles this morning. and read the Word of God. Father, I pray you'd bless the reading of your Word, but now I pray that you would set me aside for just a little while. I pray, God, that I would be a vessel that you could use in this moment of time to be able to preach your Word. Help me to say everything I need to say, but please guard me from saying anything that would get in the way of the message. I pray, God, you would anoint the preaching of your word and God I understand that I have maybe one message but Lord there are multiple people in here and you know what each and everyone needs and I'm thankful and you know your sheep and you know them individually. I pray God you'd meet the need and Lord if there's one of the sound of our voice that does not know you in the free pardon of sin, they're not part of the fold. God they're not part of the sheep of God. They're not part of the flock of God. Yeah, I pray today will be the last day that they're not saved. I pray today that they trust you as their good shepherd. I pray you'd change their life for time and eternity. Say, help the Christians that are in the room to live for you in this coming week. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. And amen, you may be seated. Thank you for standing for the word of God. I thought about this. If we were to attribute the title of good on somebody. If we were to say someone is good, we would have to say that person is good in whatever they are undertaking to the degree in which that person devotes himself to it. For instance, a good musician is only a good musician because he has put his time, his talent, and his attention into his art of playing and into the instrument he's playing. Listen, you can have a gift of playing the piano, but you're not going to play it like Brother Tim plays it unless you invest some time and some talents and some concern about what you're doing. You ain't just going to play like that, right? A good musician is because they've devoted themselves to that instrument, to that art. A good athlete, a good athlete is only a good athlete, a top athlete because he has invested his strength, his interest, his energy into his Now, there may be some natural ability, but there must be an investment of time into the sport. I believe that Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time when it comes to basketball. And you LeBron fans can argue all you want to, but I remember I didn't like basketball, but I'd watch when the Chicago Bulls played and watched Michael Jordan play. But you know that man had maybe some natural ability. but he had to give himself of his time and his interest and his effort and his energy to become a better player, to be a good athlete. And so I think about that as, so somebody is good because of the devotion they give to whatever it is. They're good, the way they become good is because of the length at which they will go in investing themselves or giving themselves unhesitantly to their chosen vocation. So I come to our text today. And in verse number 11 and in verse number 14, Christ declares himself as the Good Shepherd. And I think about the giving, I think about the generosity in which Christ gives, not just gave, but gives himself to us without hesitation. I think that we would have to agree that he is the good shepherd. I mean, the very nature and character of God exemplified in Jesus Christ convinces me, and I believe it would convince you beyond doubt, that he pours himself, literally pours himself out for us. We can talk about past tense, he gave himself on Calvary, but I'm thankful that he didn't just give himself one time, but he is giving and giving and giving himself to and for us. And many of the many images that John paints in the wonderful gospel we're studying right now, the wonderful pictures that he paints, the most descriptive, I think, may be this of the good shepherd. For like a shepherd, we see Jesus is concerned with the welfare and the care of his sheep. And we see that in John, all throughout the gospel of John. as he's delivering his sermon. Remember what John chapter 9 was all about was that healing of the blind man and the fuss and the fight that the religious crowd gave because he healed that blind man. John chapter 9 would be just a few verses if it would have been just Jesus healing a blind man and that'd be all it was. But the reason John chapter 9 spans so many verses, 41 verses, is because they didn't, they weren't okay with Jesus healing that blind man. And the discourse that begins. And as we've looked before, we see this blind man, part of the sheep, part of the fold of Israel anyway. Now, because he's believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, they kicked him out. Left, I mean, kicked him out of the city. God and Christ comes with chapter number 10, and He's making the illustration that He cares for that blind man just like He does for the one who can see just fine. Again, we come in these verses in verse number 9 and chapter number 10. I mean, not 9, but verse number 7. I've said this already before in the past, but I want to say it again. Verse number 7, it says, Then said Jesus unto them again. And we see the care that Jesus has to repeat Himself. to go back to those who have rejected Him, to go back to those who have put Him off, to those who have said, I don't think that you're who you say you are, even those who have claimed that He is a devil, they have rejected Him openly, and some maybe hasn't totally rejected Him, some are just saying, ah, just not sure about Him yet, or maybe some saying, and maybe at a different time in my life I'll come and believe on him. And yet he comes again and we see him as a shepherd caring and concerned about the welfare of these sheep. Here, he is clearly declaring himself. We're going to see it later on in the text. He is clearly declaring who he is. He is plainly stating what his purpose is and what his plan is. And here in these verses, we see the heart of Jesus on display. These verses teach us that Jesus possesses the right qualities that qualify him as the good shepherd. And so this morning with God being my helper, I want to take just a few minutes and I want to look at this picture of these scriptures and I want to see and see for ourself why Jesus deserves the title of the good shepherd. By way of introduction, I want to say, number one, in verses one through three, we see nobody came like he came. Nobody came the way Jesus came. We've spent the whole month of December talking about how Emmanuel, God with us, came and came in presence, came and gave us his presence, and how he came and dwelt among us, and how he lived among us. Listen, nobody's ever came like he came. No, he was the right person. He was born in the right place, arriving at the right time, summoned from the right country, and attended by the right sign. Nobody ever came like Jesus came. See, He possesses all the credentials necessary to prove He is the Good Shepherd. He came from a virgin womb. He was born in the city of Bethlehem just like they said he would be. He came to a lowly family, a poor family life that was prophesied that he would. He lived, he left and went into Egypt there a short while after he was born and then came back and was raised in Nazareth. And Galatians says in due time, at the right time, in the fullness of time, he came at the right time. Nobody came like he came. Verses 1 through 3 of chapter 10. But then, number 2, as far as introduction goes, nobody calls like he calls. Verse number 4 and 5. Verse number 4 said it like this. And when he put forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Nobody calls like Jesus calls. See, there are many voices in the world we live in that compete for our attention. They are trying to distract us. They are trying to discourage us. They are trying to get us off the course of God's will for our life. But there is no voice like the voice of the Good Shepherd. There is no voice that rings out like the voice of Jesus. There's a special note to the voice of the Lord. And when He calls, everything changes. You remember when He called you? I remember when he called my name. I'd heard the gospel my whole life, but I remember the day I heard the gospel. Amen. I heard that Jesus dies for sinners my whole life, but I remember when I heard that Jesus died for sinners the first time. Amen. You get what I'm saying. Some of you do, some of you don't. But I remember when it got real to me, when the shepherd's voice rung out, and it was louder than any voice I had ever heard. It was more clear than any voice that I had ever heard. Nobody calls like the shepherd calls. They know his voice. The lost sinner's dead in his trespass and sin until he's called by the voice of God. Ephesians 2 and 3. And you have be quickened who are dead in trespass and sin. He quickens you up. He rows you up by calling you out. John 6 and 44, no man come to me except the Father which has sent me draw him. The calling of the voice, I mean the calling of the shepherd is like no other calling that there's ever been. See, it's the shepherd's voice that can, it's only the shepherd's voice that can awaken one from the dead. See, it's the shepherd's voice that is the only voice that can give us hope. It's the shepherd's voice is the only voice that sounds right to a desperate soul. I'd heard a lot of voices the day I got saved. I'd heard a lot of voices about religion, about salvation. I heard my mama's voice that night when she was talking to me about salvation. I'm telling you, it was different when I heard the voice of God. I don't mean a big thundering and lightning. I don't mean some spooky mystical something. I just mean when He called me to Himself is when He made me realize that I was lost in my sin, that I could not save myself, and I stopped trusting in anything that I could do to save me, and I placed my faith in Him. He called me to that. Nobody came like he came. Nobody calls like he calls. But then I see in verses 6 through 10, nobody cares like he cares. The songwriter said, nobody ever cared for me like Jesus. Verse number 6, he says that he is the door. This is the parable. Verse number 7, he said, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. We see this, that nobody, nothing could enter into the fold and nothing could get out of the fold without going through the shepherd himself. May I just remind you that there's nothing that comes into your life or out of your life that God has not, it does not filter through the hand of God. Everything that enters into your life and everything that exits out of your life has to be filtered under the mighty hand of God, has to be filtered through the providence of God. Our good shepherd, listen, he cares for us. He does everything in his power to give the sheep life, but he don't stop at life. He wants to give them life more abundantly. Lord willing, tonight we'll talk more about what that means, abundant life, but the good shepherd cares about the sheep. He's committed to the sheep. He's committed to providing a new and better life for the sheep. He said they'll go in and out and find pasture. He said they'll go in and out and find pasture. He didn't say they'll go in and out and find desert. He didn't say they'll go out in and out and find the wilderness. He said they'll find pasture, meaning they'll find the green grasses to graze upon. Oh, listen to me. There is no greater life than a life lived with a good shepherd. And nobody's ever cared for you like Jesus cares for you. That qualifies Him to be a good shepherd, be the good shepherd. In verses 11 through 16, we truly see the extent for which Jesus cares for the sheep. How that he gives of himself and he rightly deserves to be called the good shepherd. Verse number 11, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Number one, we see his care in his sacrifice. His sacrifice. Jesus begins in verse number 11, verse 12, and verse 13 to contrast a good shepherd with a hireling. Now before we get too hard on the hireling, they had an important role in the ministry of the shepherd. We always get a little hard on that, but in reality, those shepherds needed some hirelings every now and then. The shepherds sometimes had to deal with emergencies or deal with things in their life that would come up, and they would need to hire someone in to just watch the sheep for a little while. Just to watch them just for a little while. And watch this, but he contrasts this hireling with the good shepherd, and he says this, the hireling's only there for a paycheck. The hireling's just there because he's getting paid to do it. The hireling has no investment in these sheep. They're not his. The hireling has no real concern for these sheep, maybe outside the concern of just taking care of somebody else's stuff. The hireling has no commitment to these sheep. And the Bible says here, Jesus says, and if a wolf shows up, the hireling is gone. A wolf shows up and the hireling, because he has no investment and he has no commitment to this sheep, he loves the shepherd and everything, he likes his friendship, and he likes the money he pays, but he likes himself better than he likes the sheep. And when that wolf comes, he's gone. He ain't staying around to talk to the wolf. He ain't staying around to find out if it's a good wolf or a bad wolf. He's not going to find out if he's a wolf that he can change into a good pet dog. No. The hireling says, I'm out of here, buddy. I don't care what happens to these sheep. I am gone. I am not staying around with these wolves. And so he gives this. When the trouble comes, the hireling's going to run away. He's going to leave the sheep, and the sheep are going to be devoured by wolves. But the shepherd, The shepherd's got investment in those sheep. The shepherd has some commitment to those sheep. The shepherd cares, he's concerned about those sheep. He's vested an interest in their welfare. He wants them to do good. He doesn't just want to have a pet sheep to say he has a pet sheep. He wants them to succeed in life, if you will. He wants them to be a good flock of sheep. And so he's willing to pay any price that there would be to protect those sheep. even if it means giving his own life. Because that's what he's doing anyway. He's giving his life to those sheep. He is living among them. He is watching every move they make. He is checking them for any defects and anything that might harm them. He is anointing their heads with oil when they need to be, that balm needs to be put on their heads from danger, from a scab or from bugs and things like that. He is grooming them when they need to be groomed. He is feeding them. He is making sure they have plenty to eat when they're feeding. Listen, he has invested his life in these sheep. He has to lay down His life. He has to give His life up. He's doing it. He'll do it. Well, I believe Jesus proves out to be the good shepherd if we're talking about the sacrifice of a shepherd. Why? Well, Jesus saw the danger that we were in. He saw the danger of our lives being wrecked by sin, our lives being wrecked by the world and by the devil, and He did everything in His power to save us. The Bible says we are like wayward sheep, and our sin that is in us separated us from fellowship and relationship with God. And the sin of man has brought upon not only broken fellowship, but it brings upon the wrath of God. And that's a dangerous thing to be living under the wrath of God, under the condemnation of God. And the good shepherd saw where we were, and he saw how we were. and he saw who we were and he put his life on the line to come down where we were. He left the portals of glory and came down to live among us and dwell among us and give himself to us and for us. See, he didn't just watch us and say, well, let the wolves have him. No, he did something about it. He did something to change everything. See, God said the wages of sin is death. So Jesus came down from heaven, was born in human flesh, and after his sinless life died on the cross, taking the place of every sinner who had put his faith and trust in him. I think about a shepherd who stands between the wolf and his sheep. And he stands there, and that wolf didn't come to take a shepherd out. That wolf wasn't sniffing out a shepherd. The wolf don't want human meat. You all hear me? That wolf wants sheep. But when that shepherd steps in front of that wolf, that wolf's target was on the sheep. The wolf's aim is on the sheep, but when the shepherd steps in the way, alright, I'll take you out too to get to the sheep. And the shepherd puts his life on the line between that wolf and that sheep. And we see the shepherd take the place of the sheep. And we see that takes place with Jesus Christ. The wrath of God was pointed toward our sin. See, the wrath of God didn't want your flesh and blood. It's pointed at wrath. I mean, His wrath is pointed at sin. And we've got sin in us. And so the wrath of God is coming toward that sin. It's coming toward that sin. Ain't nothing we can do to stop it. The wrath of God is coming toward the sin. But all of a sudden, the good shepherd came from glory and he stepped in between the wrath of God and the one who was going to get the wrath of God. And he became our sin for us. He took our place. He sacrificed his life for us. We've done that for every sinner. I say he's worthy to be called the Good Shepherd this morning. Hey, listen, you think about the death that he took. It wasn't just that he swooned over and died. It wasn't just he died of natural causes. No, there is no more horrible death known to mankind than that of crucifixion. He was beaten, he was mocked, he was spit upon, slapped, had his beard plucked from his face, whipped with a cat of nine tails, was forced to wear a crown of thorns, Listen, He endured all of this because He loves us and because He cares for us. See, when Jesus on that cross, He became sin and was judged in our place. And by that sacrifice, by that sacrifice alone, He deserves the title of Good Shepherd. I think about Him giving Himself even now. Not only his sacrifice, or his care is seen in his sacrifice, but his care is seen in his sheep. Look in verse number 14. I am, there it is again, I am the good shepherd and know my sheep, watch this, and am known of mine. Jesus speaks of the bond that exists between the shepherd and his sheep. They know him and he knows them. And they know him and they're not following anybody else. The shepherd knows, I was reading a book on shepherds and I love some of the stuff that William Phillip Keller wrote on Psalm 23 and on the good shepherd and on the Lamb of God. He was a shepherd out in the east. And eastern shepherding is a lot different than western shepherding. Sometimes we're not careful, we'll look at how they shepherd down the road here and think that's the way that they do it. That is not the way they do it. And he was a shepherd out there in Africa. And he looks a lot at how the good shepherd, he took a look at all these shepherd texts and he applies it to what he saw as a shepherd out in Africa. And he talked about how some of those sheep become his, the shepherd's pet sheep. Meaning that they follow that shepherd no matter where he goes, they are with him. I mean, he doesn't even have to call them. They are just right there. They're his pets. They are his picks. And you know what? Sometimes those pets being so close to him would cause other sheep just to follow. And those other sheep sometimes weren't necessarily following the shepherd, they were following the pet sheep. And even sometimes as they would get scattered abroad, as they would get scattered out, he would just take those pet sheep and walk them around to that scattered crowd and that crowd would end up following him. And I thought about how Jesus done that same thing where he brought some, like he took the disciples, when he saw those people, he said they were like sheep without a shepherd scattered. And he took those disciples and says, go, go to where they're at. And those sheep that were following him brought some more sheep in. That's how we ought to be. But when we think about the sheep of this fold, he knows the sheep. He knows them apart. I don't know much about sheep at all. I've read books about them, but I had never been in a field really with sheep a whole lot. I don't know if I've ever been in a field with sheep. I've been in a field with goats before. If I looked at some sheep now, sometimes he's got some sheep down here, and Mr. Wilson down here's got some sheep sometimes in a little pasture. And if I look at them sheep, I can't, I don't know nothing different about them. I mean, you can call them sheep one, two, three, and then when they come back, I may call them three, two, one. I don't know who's who. but a shepherd knows his sheep. See, an untrained eye doesn't just think they all look alike, they all look the same. But a good shepherd can tell them apart. See, a good shepherd can see, and here's how he tells them apart a lot of times, by their defects and by their peculiar traits. I read about a man who was tending a large flock and he had a Christian friend come by to just hang out with him that day. And the Christian friend was surprised how familiar this man was with all those animals. And the shepherd looked, and he said, you see that sheep over there? He said, look at his toes, how his feet kind of just go in a little bit. All of a sudden, he looked at another one. He said, you see the one behind it? Look at how his eyes squint a little bit. The next one had a piece of wool, a patch of wool off its back. And then there was another one that had a distinguishing black mark on it. And the other one had a small place, a piece torn out of his ear. And that shepherd knew every little defect. And he could tell them apart by those defects. He could tell them apart by the peculiar traits that they had. That Christian thought about Jesus. He thought about the Good Shepherd. He thought about the Chief Shepherd who knows, watch this, he knows our individual weaknesses. Listen, that shepherd was pointing out those defects, but he wasn't pointing out to show the badness of who they are. He was pointing out to show that he knows who they are. He knows where I watch it. He knows your weaknesses. He knows your defects. He knows the problems that you have. But yet, he is still intimate with his sheep. He still knows his sheep. And he watches over them with a sympathetic love and an understanding of it. Listen, your shepherd knows how frail you are. He knows you're a sheep. You ain't got to come tell him all that. He knows. And you ain't got to live in defeat. Oh, I'm just a sheep. Ain't nothing I can do. You're right. But your shepherd loves you, and your shepherd cares for you, and your shepherd wants to use your life for his honor and glory. See, the shepherd takes care of his sheep for the sheep's sake, but also for his own sake. He wants to be known as a good shepherd. He wants to be known that he takes care of her. And I said, listen, he knows you. He knows everything that he doesn't know about you. Matthew tells us he knows the hairs on her head. He has numbered them, not counted them, numbered them. Now some of you, that's easier than others. That doesn't mean he knows you've got however many hairs you've got on your head, or some of you, the hair, one singular, that you have on your head. It's that he's got it numbered. I mean, he's got them hairs, if they fall out, ladies, all that hair that clogs up the drain in the shower. He knows which one that was, ones that was. He said, that's hair number 942. That's hair number 1,463. That's hair number 5,000. He got them numbered. Listen, he knows you. He's care. And listen, he knows everything about you, and he still loves you. He knows your weaknesses, boy. He knows your strength. He knows your joys. He knows your burdens. He knows every mountain. He knows every valley. He knows every victory. He knows every battle. He knows everything about you. Watch this. He stands ready to help you in your time of need. He's a good shepherd. He will look after you. He has looked after you. I tell you what, I have no sad stories to tell. As we begin a new year, as we begin a fresh year this year, may I say as I look back on last year and I look back on the previous years to that, God has been good and God still is good. He is the good shepherd because of his sacrifice. He is the good shepherd because of the way he cares for his sheep. But then lastly, and I see in verse number 16, he is a good shepherd because of his salvation. Verse number 16. Verse number 15 says this. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep, and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold. Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and theirs shall be one fold and one shepherd. I like verse 15. We're gonna talk a little bit more about this, Lord willing, tonight, but I lay down my life for the sheep. I've already said a little bit about it already. He'd give up everything. Listen, to be a good musician, you've got to give up some other stuff. To be a good athlete, you've got to give up some other stuff. Listen, nobody can be good at everything they do. Y'all ever heard of Jack of all trades, master of none? I remember once I preached years ago on priorities and having our priorities lined up and I'd read that illustration about the great orchestra composer said, stop trying to play every instrument in the orchestra, pick one and master it. And so as you look, as you look at, he says he's laid down his life for the sheep, he has given himself for us, he has given himself to us, but then verse 16, other sheep I have. Jesus makes it plain again in context where he's at that they're going to be other sheep that's going to come along after him. And those sheep can be assured of being saved just like the sheep he's talking to right there. Those sheep can be assured of being saved just like the sheep he talks to as we read in the pages of the Bible. See first John 1.1 came to the nation of Israel. John 1.11 came to his own. They received him not. And when they rejected him, he turned to the Gentiles. Therefore, anyone who needs salvation can rest assured that Jesus will provide that salvation when they place their faith in him. John 1.11, he came to his own, but his own received him not. John 1, 12, but as many as received him. To them gave he power to become the sons of God. To them that believe on his name. Hey, listen, you can be saved just like those could be saved. You can be saved just like we have been saved. There's a promise here that he's got other sheep. Hey, why has he not come back yet? Because there's some more sheep that need to get in the fold. There's some more people that still We still need to be saved and we've got a message to tell the world Jesus is still saving folk. So, I think tonight, this morning, there's some qualities in here, just in this few verses. And we'd say, we'd agree, you are the good shepherd. He made the statement twice. It's just part of his great I am statements he makes in John. I am the good shepherd. I say amen to it. Nobody's ever nobody ever came like he came. Nobody ever called like he calls and nobody ever cares like he cares his sacrifice. He has given himself to us. His sheep look how good he's taking care of. Listen now. I'm not that's not health wealth and prosperity. You may be broke. You may be sick. You may get your head chopped off, but living for Jesus is better than having all the money in the world, having all the health in the world, having all the prestige of the world. One man said, an old Welch preacher said it like this, you can go to heaven without health, without wealth, without education, without friends, but you'll never go to heaven. without Jesus. He's a good shepherd. Listen, there's no question Jesus is the good shepherd. But here's the question this morning. Do you know the shepherd? I've made a case that he is good because of his investment of time and talent and strength, energy, interest. But do you know him? And how you answer that question this morning determines where you expect to spend eternity. You are a soul and your soul is eternal. Your soul is going to live either in heaven or in hell. They are both real places, very real places. And your soul is going to live forever in one of those two places. And the only difference between the two is Jesus. The only difference between the two is the Good Shepherd. Do you know Him? Do you know the Shepherd? Your answer to that question is going to make all the difference in the world and the world to come. Do you know Him? Listen, if you know the shepherd this morning, you can rejoice that he is ever with you and he will ever watch over you. But if you don't know him this morning, I invite you to come to the shepherd. To come to the good shepherd who gave his life on the cross for you. Come to Jesus. He'll save your soul. He'll place you in the flock of God. Verse 16 says, and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. He'll save you from the wrath of God. He'll give you a new life and a new birth if you'll come to Him. Do you know the shepherd? Do you know the shepherd? And then, let me ask this for our lost folks. Folks, did you know you're lost? Today is the day of salvation. But let me ask this for the Christian. Do you trust the shepherd? You trust him for your soul's salvation, but do you trust him to take care of every need that you have? Sheep really don't have no choice. Sheep can't fend for themselves. But how often do we try? Do you know the shepherd? Do you trust the shepherd this morning? If you don't know him this morning, I'd get to know him. If you don't trust him, I'd place my trust in him. Let's all stand, heads bowed, eyes closed. He's playing. Where He leads me, I will follow. The voice of the Lord spoke to you this morning. What do I mean by that? Do you see yourself a sinner? Do you see yourself in need of a Savior? Do you see yourself hopeless in your own self? Then place your faith in Him. Trust Him fully. Are you a Christian? Are you trusting the shepherd with your life? Trusting him to take care of your needs? Trusting him to supply, to provide, to protect? He's playing where he leads me, I will follow. Where he leads me, I will follow. Where He leads me, I will follow. How about you this morning? How about you?