Hope Today 028 - Jesus says He is the Good Shepherd. Why is that Important?

A weekly program of word and music featuring an eclectic mix of Christian music and teaching by Pastor Tom Cullen and Brian Evans.  Mac Wigfield starts the program with southern gospel classics.

Produced at Straight Path Studio in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada.

Christian Artists featured are:

Tribute Quartet

Poet Voices

Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet

Keith Green

Eliza King

Paul Turner

David Ahlen

Chelsea Moon & The Franz Brothers

Greg Hjelle

Voices Won

Jadon Lavik

Thank you for listening to HOPE TODAY. This is a program developed at Light & Life Programming, a registered charity. We are listener supported. If you would like to help with this ministry, donations can be made through our website at www.lightnlife.ca.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:10

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice. Thank you so much for joining us for Hope Today, a program designed to inspire you to joy and faith. It is good to be with you. Pastor Tom Cullen is answering the question, why is it important that Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd? Listen carefully for the wonderful answers during these next moments. But first of all, Mac, would you lead us to blessings and harmony and music to get us started?

SPEAKER_07 0:52

Good Sunday morning. Let me give to you my welcome to this edition of Hope Today. I thought I'd let you listen to a bit of music to put you in the mood for what I think is a beautiful song, the tribute quartet coming to sing for us. I've been with Jesus.

SPEAKER_06 1:08

You may ask me why I'm singing.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

I've been on a visit so inspiring. There's within my heart a feeling. I can hear the spirit stealing. And I know from sin I am retiring.

SPEAKER_06 1:29

I've been with Jesus and I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I can feel him I can feel in my soul. In my soul with love, he's lovely son. With bloody potty bond.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

I've been with Jesus and I'm whole. Soon I'm going to make a journey one from which I won't return. I will live forever in his glory. But until that bright tomorrow in this world of sin and sorrow, everywhere I go, I'll tell a story.

SPEAKER_06 2:15

I've been with Jesus and I'm so happy. I can feel in my soul. In my soul. With love, Esau, with love easy, with bloody buttons, bloody button. I've been with Jesus and I'm whole.

unknown 2:37

I've been with Jesus and I'm so happy. I can feel him in my soul.

SPEAKER_06 2:48

With love, he's on me. With bloody bug me. I've been with Jesus and I'm whole. With love, he's on me. With bloody bomb. I've been with Jesus and I'm whole.

SPEAKER_07 3:12

And I hope that's the way you will feel at the end of our time together this morning. Pastor Tom Cullen will be guiding our thoughts as we think today about shepherds and sheep. Here's a song from Poet Voices talking about a wonderful shepherd.

SPEAKER_06 4:09

I walked in the valley where night has no end. I failed when I travel alone, but I hold the hand of a club and friend and easily easily sweet small is living all easily. Still a place where many have gone.

SPEAKER_07 6:58

You know what? I'm the lamb that the shepherd left the flock for. The old time gospel hour quartet.

SPEAKER_06 7:06

So many times I'd strayed away from Jesus As the lamb that leaves the flock with a machine. And the time soon came when I've gone too far and stumbled. And the more I tried, the more I losed my way I've done that left. So we went to spell me. And I'll never be a bow baby bow. Thinking only of myself and my own game. But the shepherd came and found me on the cliffs of save from that moment life has never been the same. Now I'm back where I belong, and I'm so happy I can hear the shepherd's voice all the time, and I'll follow in the path where he may lead me for the shepherd Jesus. He is a friend of mine. I'm the Lamb that the shepherd left the flood flow.

SPEAKER_05 9:50

I was of in the cold.

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Why is it important to know that Jesus is the good shepherd? It's a biblical image we've read many times, especially if we love Psalm 23, where we read, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Well, Jesus comes along and says, You know that shepherd of the Old Testament? That's me. Stay with us this morning and we'll explore the whole idea some more as Keith Green sings that beautiful psalm, The Lord is my shepherd.

SPEAKER_06 10:40

I shall not want.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

And I have to ask, what difference does that make? Well, it makes a difference in our dependence upon him. If Jesus is the shepherd, that means we are sheep. And if we are sheep, it means we are dependent. We love the image of the Lord being our shepherd, and we have this warm picture of Jesus being our good shepherd, and in our mind's eye we can see the shepherd tenderly taking the lamb in his arms, cradling it. And all of that is true. There is care, there is compassion, there is intimacy. But my friends, when we say that the Lord is my shepherd, we're saying just as much about ourselves as we are about him. We're saying that we are his sheep, and we're in need of a shepherding care, and that we must live in complete dependence upon him. And when we live in full trust in him, we know we shall not lack anything. Here is Eliza King.

SPEAKER_06 18:39

And he was turned. And we can spend in the cave.

SPEAKER_01 19:09

Jesus said that He is the good shepherd. This means that we are sheep. And if we're sheep, then we're dependent upon him. And I will never forget about the third year we owned our country property. We looked out of our dining room window, and there was a stray sheep standing there. I didn't know what to do with a freedom. No direction. No deserted. Everything in my garden. I didn't care. Without a shepherd to care for the sheep. Without a shepherd. He is the center of your life. The lover of your soul. Jesus, we're just not breathing. Jesus, you're a shepherd. You are depending on for life now and forever. I don't depend on anyone. I make my own way for this life. I'm self-made. Don't you see? If you are a sheep, you can take care of yourself. You know nothing of the future. You know nothing of life eternal. There is only one shepherd you can depend on. And that is Jesus Christ, who is the good shepherd. Offer this prayer of commitment with Paul Turner and Brian Dorkson in Shepherd of Heaven.

SPEAKER_06 21:02

Here I am again, crying out. Speak my name. That I might live today with voices all around calling out. Speak my name. Let me now be the voice of another. Teach my heart to be the voice of my father.

SPEAKER_00 23:59

If there ever was a prolific poet and hymn writer, Fanny Crosby would definitely be near the top of the list. Blinded as a child after a very wrong medical procedure, she quickly learned that feeling sorry for herself would not get her anywhere significant in life. With her vision impaired, she also realized that she would need to develop other senses to accommodate and reach her objectives. With the encouragement of her grandmother, she memorized whole books of the Bible and gained a spiritual depth other people only dream of. Often her writings were as a result of experience that she would have. And so it was that during a difficult time financially, she needed five dollars and did not know where she would get it. Instinctively, she began to pray about this matter. Within a few minutes, a stranger appeared at her door with just the right amount. I have no way of accounting for this, she wrote, except to believe that God answered my prayer. She continues. Another one of her many testimonies in song was born to bless all the generations yet to come. Here is all the way my savior leads me, as performed by David Allen.

SPEAKER_03 25:36

Can I tell she whose life has been my guide? Henry peace divine has come for faith in life. For I know would help be followed. Jesus to have fish. Perfect race to me is promised in my face as a life who in my spirit of motto wings his face to us today. Bless my soul through and less sages.

SPEAKER_01 28:17

In John chapter ten, verse eleven, Jesus says that he is the good shepherd. But not only that, he says that he lays down his life for the sheep. And we say, What difference does it make? And the answer comes back all the difference in the world. Jesus is saying that he lays down his life for the sheep. That means instead of the truth that we learn in Isaiah 53, verse 6 is that we all like sheep have gone astray. We turned our back on God and said, No, to his rule. But the truth is that Jesus Christ has laid the price for us with his own life. He has laid down his life for us. If you don't know this to be true in your life, that your eyes would be opened to the fact that we are great sinners. Philip Keller, in his book entitled A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, tells of how on the ranch next to his there was a tenant sheep man who was the most indifferent manager he had ever met. Keller writes, he ought never to have been allowed to keep sheep. His flock were always thin, weak, and riddled with disease or parasites. Again and again they would come and stand at the fence, staring blankly through the woven wire at the green lush pastures which my flock enjoyed. Had they been able to speak, I am sure they would have said, Oh, to be set free from this awful owner. But thanks be to God, this is not the kind of shepherd that we have. We have a shepherd in Jesus who gave his life for us. And for that reason, we can trust and obey him completely. Here is Chelsea Moon and the France brothers.

SPEAKER_06 30:13

When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way, and while we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey, trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey, but we never can prove the delights of his love until on the altar we say so sweet for the favor he shows, for the joy he bestows, are for them who will trust and obey so sweet Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey it. And what he says we will do, where he sends we will go, never fear only trust and obey, trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust in old Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 33:23

Jesus said that he is the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. And we think, so what? What difference does it make? Well, it makes all the difference in the world to our obedience to him. Think of it. We very often obey authority figures like our parents for one of two reasons. We may obey them because we're afraid to face their discipline, or we obey them because we want something from them. And we do the same thing in our relationship with God, don't we? How many people obey God because they don't want to be struck by lightning or spend an eternity in hell? And there are others who obey God because they want something from him. But listen, now you can obey our Lord for a different reason. Not because you want something from him. He already laid down his life for you. Not because you're afraid of him, he died in your place, taking the punishment for your sin for you. Now you can obey him because you realize that you are the apple of his eye, his beloved, his bride, his joy, and he wants the best for you. You obey him because you are enraptured with him, and you want to bring him joy. Just as he brings you joy. That's a whole different level of obedience. It has nothing to do with fear or wanting to get something that flows from a heart that is touched by the sacrificial death of Christ, the unending love of God, and knowing God, that he is your shepherd that will never leave you or forsake you. You are obeying out of fear or out of a desire for selfish gain. But if you have it in your heart and mind that he died for you and loves you, then service and obedience to him becomes a joy. And it's that kind of obedience that lasts. If you obey God out of fear or wanting to get something out of him, it won't last. Your faith will be temporary. But if you have it deep in your mind and heart that Jesus Christ is your shepherd who gave his life for you, well, that kind of obedience goes the distance. But we do know that a shepherd leads, and so our Lord calls us to follow him and allow him to lead us through life. Let's give our whole lives to him as voices one sing, I have decided to follow Jesus.

SPEAKER_04 39:08

I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus.

SPEAKER_06 39:28

I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back, the world be hindly, the cross before me, the world be hind me, the cross before me, the world be hind me, the cross before me, no turning back, no turning back, though none go with me, still I will follow, though none go with me, still I will follow, though none go with me, still I will fall no turning back, no turning back to no turning back, no turning bad.

SPEAKER_01 42:02

Well, there is this last truth to consider, and that is the assurance of his love. Just before Jesus says that he is the good shepherd, he says that he knows his sheep by name. That means that he knows the sheep intimately, personally, fully. Because if Jesus knows us that well, why would he ever die for us? Do you see the assurance of that? He still gave himself for you and instead of you. What makes you think there is something that can make him turn away from you now? He knew the rottenness of your soul before he died for you. Do you think you will do something now that will make him change his mind about you? Are you kidding? You were that great before, and he still laid down his life for you. Do you see the assurance of this? Do you see how you are secure in his hand? We read in Romans 8 if God is for you, who can be against you? Who will bring any charge against you? Who will separate you from the love of Christ? Shall all the troubles of this world, or hardship, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword, separate you from Christ? No. Why? Because you have a good shepherd who knows you intimately and will never forsake you. My friends, there are some of you who suffer under the mistaken idea that someone can snatch you out of God's hand. But listen, that is false thinking. And I pray that you would know the peace that comes from the assurance that you belong to God, because the good shepherd has laid down his life for you, and the price for your sin has been paid, and nothing more is demanded from you, and nothing can separate you from him. It's called a blessed assurance. Here is Jaden Levick.

SPEAKER_06 43:50

A blessed assurance Jesus is mine. Oh, what a fool. Taste the glory divine air of salvation the purchase of God born of his spirit washed in his blood this is my story this is my song praising my savor all the day long this is my story this is my song praising my savor all the day long perfect submission perfect deline numbers to my side angels descending ring from above echoes of mercy whispers of love this is my story this is my song praising my say all the day long this is my story this is my song praising my say all the day long Hope Today is produced at Straight Past Studios It is such a pleasure to bring this program to you please send any comments or questions to listener at hope Today-lp.ca It is so reassuring to know that the Lord all-powerful is our caring and good shepherd.

SPEAKER_00 46:33

In no other is our hope secure. Thank you for coming along with us over this last hour. Please tune in next time for another program to encourage your spirit. Until then, please remember that with the Lord as your shepherd, you shall not be in want.

SPEAKER_06 47:03

All the day long this is my story, this is my song Prison I say all the day long. This is my story.