WEBVTT 00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:11.839 So we've been going through the book of John, and at this point we're in John chapter 10, and this is just a continuing conversation with Jesus and the Pharisees. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:24.800 And the Pharisees are the religious bunch, they're the hierarchy, they're the authorities, they're the ones who think they have their full acts together, and they're the keepers of the law, they're the keepers of the standard. 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:44.719 And so at this point in time and in the Jewish history, what they're putting out in front of the people is live up to the standard, live up to the law, follow the law, follow the ceremonial law, do all the right things, follow all of the right procedures, follow all the right sacrifices, and then you will be made right. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:46.640 And Jesus is having the conversation. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:50.079 He's saying, actually, I'm the fulfillment of the law, I'm the fulfillment of the standard. 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:54.000 I am the standard, I'm the righteousness, and I'm the fulfillment of the ceremonial law. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.640 All these little sacrifices you're doing, I'm going to be the final sacrifice. 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:03.200 And this is a message of radical, radical grace in the face of burdening law. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:05.519 And the Pharisees just aren't accepting it. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:07.840 Jesus is coming at it from all different angles. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:12.560 And at this point in John chapter 10, he starts talking about sheep and shepherding. 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:18.799 And to us, this is so kind of, most of us, we didn't grow up on farms, this is kind of out of the box. 00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:20.400 For them, this would be just quite normal. 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:23.680 I mean, a huge part of their economy was agricultural and farming. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:27.200 So this is this is in their realm of thinking. 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:28.480 So we're going to jump in. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:29.680 I'm going to read a chunk. 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:31.120 I'm going to teach a little bit. 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:36.879 I'll read another chunk and teach a little bit, and we'll work our way through maybe 18 or so verses this morning. 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:39.599 So jumping in and verse 1, it's in your bulletin. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:40.959 Maybe write your scriptures. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:44.799 If you're on your phone, I'll assume you're looking at the scripture and not Instagram. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:47.200 It'd be healthy for me to at least think that. 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:49.040 John chapter 10, verse 1. 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:56.319 Very truly I tell you, Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pin by the gate, but climbs in by some other way is a thief and a robber. 00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:59.120 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.400 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:04.560 He calls his own sheep by name. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:10.159 And actually actually, there it's each sheep, he knows each sheep's name. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:13.280 He calls them by name and leads them out. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:16.879 And when he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them. 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:18.719 So he's not driving them from behind. 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:22.319 He's ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:24.240 But they will never follow a stranger. 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:27.840 In fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:32.879 And Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees they did not understand what he was telling them. 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:38.159 I I read a book a few years ago, somebody handed me a book, and it was a shepherd's look at Psalm 23. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:44.159 There's this book, a shepherd wrote it, and he had been a shepherd and then uh and studied shepherding in ancient times. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:52.080 They knew about shepherding today, and then he looked at Psalm 23, which is a psalm about shepherding, uh, you know, that God leads us into greener pastures. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:53.759 Uh, and he wrote about sheep. 00:02:53.840 --> 00:03:00.960 And so we're gonna have a little sheep 101 here to get kind of a little bit of context since most of us were not raised on the farm uh hanging out with sheep. 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:05.039 Uh here's the deal with sheep, and you're not gonna like it because we're the sheep in the story. 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:06.479 Sheep aren't the smartest. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:08.400 I mean, they're not the sharpest tool in the shed. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.280 I mean, that they are a they're dumb animals. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:15.439 I mean, and they have this mob instinct, mass mind. 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:19.919 Um, so they just sort of do whatever the group is doing. 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:20.400 Right? 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:21.759 I mean, this is nothing like us. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:26.400 We would never do anything like that, you know, in terms of what we like or dress like or anything like that. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:28.159 We would never be mob instinct. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:35.360 Um if if they're not fenced in or shepherded, they just wander off. 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:36.719 I mean, they just leave. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:43.919 And even if even if safety is in sight, they won't, they they don't even go to the safety. 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:47.439 And then even if the shepherd goes and gets them, they'll fight the shepherd. 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:51.599 I mean, they're just a wandering, helpless animal. 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:53.599 Helpless creature. 00:03:53.840 --> 00:04:05.680 They're stubborn, they're timid, they're fearful, and maybe you're here and you go, Man, I got a I have a graduate degree, you know, I I built a business, I'm like, I I run stuff. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:07.680 My life is in order. 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:09.520 I, you know, I'm I'm a smart person. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:11.199 I watch the history channel, right? 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:13.360 You know, I mean, I have my life together. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:17.439 I'm a smart guy, I'm a smart lady, but here I know something about you. 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:21.920 I know something about you, and I know something about you because I know something about me. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:26.399 And here's what I know is I know you get lost a lot. 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:29.839 So let me flesh it out. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:33.600 So a couple years ago, uh, I was flying home. 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:38.720 Uh I had been to a conference in in New York, and I was flying home, I think a conference, it was hot, yeah. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:41.120 Okay, so I remember it being summertime, so maybe it wasn't that comfortable. 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:42.720 I was flying home, that's the point of the story. 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:55.439 I'm flying home, and uh I got the carry-on, got the backpack, didn't check my bag, and it is I you know, I didn't prepare for the flight, so I didn't have my snacks, you know, and um the pricing, you're going, what for what? 00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:07.120 Ten dollars for that, and then they, you know, I pass on that, and they give you the little thing of peanuts and maybe for that's quantity for like a three-year-old, but I'm a 34-year-old. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:08.399 All right, so I eat the peanut. 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:09.600 I'm so I'm starving. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:17.519 By the end of the flight, I land, I'm starving, lunch has passed, I'm hungry, and I'm going in my mind, and I'm going, I let's let's get home. 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:22.240 Um, just kind of get through the airport, get in my car, get home before rush hour starts. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:32.160 And so I'm just kind of working it, I'm walking fast through the airport, and I cruise through train, cruise through, and you get the last car of the train so that you're the first off to the escalator. 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:40.560 I don't know if you figure that one out, and so you're first off, and so you're up and you're out, and I go through the south terminal baggage claim, and I go down the escalator by the lottery booth. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:48.160 Don't know if you that's where I go down, and then walked out through the parking deck to the long-term parking on the back side of the parking deck, and it's hot. 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:49.920 Sun's out, it's burning up. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:51.439 I walk to my row. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.120 I I remembered it in my mind. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:54.240 I didn't write it down. 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:55.199 This was bright. 00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:00.160 I didn't write it down because I can remember a letter and two numbers, you know, over the course of like three days. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:04.720 I can do that, and I get there, my truck's not there. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:07.120 And so I'm standing there. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:10.480 I'm like, I know, I just I know this this I know this is it. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:11.759 No, no way to confirm it. 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:12.560 Didn't write it down. 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:13.680 That would have been bright. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:17.519 Um, and I'm like, somebody stole my truck. 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:21.360 I no no nobody stole my truck. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:22.720 I mean, that's it's insane. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:24.240 Nobody would want to steal my truck. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:30.240 So uh it's hot, and I'm going, man, rush hour, I'm hungry. 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:32.319 So I'm just I just start walking rows. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:34.639 I mean, what else do you do? 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:35.680 I mean, who do you go to? 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:38.480 I mean I I who do you even if you go tell somebody what do they do? 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:41.759 They don't know where you parked, and so I'm just walking or just down rows. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.800 Have you seen that parking lot behind the parking deck? 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:59.040 It it it just goes, it just keeps going, and I'm just I'm just walking rows and it's hot and I'm sweating and I'm hungry, and rush hours and start, and and just feel helpless, just wandering, and and I'm 40 minutes in. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:00.720 I think I call I call Christy at one point. 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:02.560 I'm I I'm about to cry. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.199 I'm so frustrated. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:08.240 And I call Christy, you know, she can't do anything. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:12.720 I just want to vent to somebody and just keep wandering. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:19.920 And then so somewhere into like 45 minutes or so of just sweating in a parking lot in summer. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:23.279 Um, I flew, I flew air train. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:27.120 Um South Thermal's Delta. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:30.160 I'm in I'm on the wrong side. 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:33.279 And so I walk back, and it's such relief, actually. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:48.399 And I walk back, I walk back to the deck, I go up the escalator, I go to the baggage claim through the where everybody's hugging each other off the escalator, through the other baggage claim, down through the deck, to the to the letter and the number in my truck is exactly exactly there, just waiting for me. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:50.319 So I I get in and leave. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:08:04.959 Here's the point: it's the feeling, it's the feeling when you're in the south terminal and you're walking row by row, just just wandering, just completely helpless. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:06.560 And there's there's no one to go to. 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:08.560 There's no one who can help you. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:14.800 And we we just keep thinking on the next row, it's gonna get better on the next row. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:33.679 Like that, that's when the sense of wandering will be relieved, that's when the sense of lostness will be relieved, and and we just keep going row to row to row to row, and and we believe lies, and we follow crazy thoughts, and we think of a certain person is gonna all of a sudden you know fulfill this sense and relieve this sense of wandering. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:38.240 The point is, is I know, I know you. 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:40.559 Because I know me. 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:42.000 I know you. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:46.000 I know you feel lost at times. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:47.840 And here's why. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.320 The baby knows why. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:52.000 You're a sheep. 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:55.919 You and I, we're sheep. 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:04.000 And maybe the idea of Jesus as shepherd is kind of absurd to you because you're a manager and you own your life and you got it together. 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:12.960 One of the blessings of where I used to work, I used to work with the wealthiest zip code in the state. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:31.840 So I met some really smart, very successful, savvy people, and you know, right after I got done wiping the drool off of the hood of his Ferrari and off my chin, um quickly learn. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:35.360 They're sheep too. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:47.440 Like upper class, middle class, lower class, lower, lower, lower, middle, middle, upper, uh, aerobics class, I don't know, Lamas class. 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:54.720 I mean, whatever class you fit into or you are at, it is full of sheep. 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:58.799 You and I reek of sheepness. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:00.799 I don't think it's a word, by the way. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:01.840 Don't don't look it up. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:02.960 Pretty sure it's not a word. 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:03.600 I like it. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:05.039 I think it fits us. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:14.080 And some of us have been looking for uh somebody to kind of cure our sheepness and some other person. 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:28.799 Like, oh, if if if only I get him or her, you're looking at your spouse, and you keep going, man, something's wrong with them because they're not fulfilling me, and really the problem's you because you're looking at them, wanting them not to be a sheep. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:34.799 And the problem is we're all sheep, and you're looking for another sheep to be your shepherd, but really they're the she's a sheep also. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:48.480 Like that's why it doesn't work to like try to think, oh, if I get the approval of my boss, or the approval of my parents, or the approval of a group of people, like a really you know, great group of people, if I was accepted by them, then I'll be relieved, and it doesn't work. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:51.840 You get there, you're just on like another row in the south terminal. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:54.879 It doesn't work because they're sheep also. 00:10:56.159 --> 00:11:02.559 And so Jesus is telling this allegory to the group of Pharisees, and they're not picking up on any of it. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:05.440 The idea that they're a sheep and Jesus a shepherd, and he's the gate. 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:08.240 They're not picking up on any of it, and so he begins to explain it. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:09.039 Here's what we'll see. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:10.960 We'll see three points in this allegory. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:14.960 Number one, we'll see the shepherd is gathering his sheep. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:16.879 Number one, the shepherd is gathering his sheep. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:19.759 Number two, the shepherd is giving to his sheep. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:24.240 And number three, the shepherd actually died for his sheep. 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:27.360 All this symbolism's in the midst of it, so we're gonna look at this. 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:29.440 So, verse 7, Jesus starts to explain it. 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:34.879 Therefore, Jesus said again, very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:35.840 I'm the gate. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:40.639 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:41.679 I am the gate. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:44.720 I'm the way in. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:52.960 If you're looking for righteousness, you want righteous standing before God into the kingdom, eternal security, security of your heart and soul, I'm the gate. 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:55.120 I am the way into that. 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:58.159 Whoever enters through me will be saved. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:03.360 They will come in, they will go out, and they will find pasture. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:07.519 The thief comes only to steal and to kill and destroy. 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:11.840 I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:14.000 I am the good shepherd. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:17.120 The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:21.039 Maybe you're going, okay, in like three or four verses there, there's two metaphors. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:22.240 I don't like two metaphors. 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:25.200 Jesus isn't even staying consistent here. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:26.559 Here's my view on that. 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:30.879 Give me all the metaphors you have, because I I need you. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:33.120 I you know, I take in all the metaphors. 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:38.320 As I'm a wandering sheep, and so if you need to talk to me about it by being in a gate, I take the gate and the sheep. 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:44.159 And we think back through the book of John, what we've done so far, he's been talking about he's a deep well for our thirst. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:45.600 Tell me about that. 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:48.320 Tell me about the water, tell me about you being the living water. 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:49.759 I want bread of life. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:51.279 Tell me about the bread of life. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:52.080 Because I need that. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.919 I'm eating other stuff, it's not filling me up. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:56.080 I need the bread of life. 00:12:56.159 --> 00:13:01.039 And then so what we see in these verses, we see a gate and we see a shepherd. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:05.679 And so by the gate in verses 7 and verse 9, Jesus is talking about that. 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:11.200 We enter into relationship with God, into right standing by him alone. 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:13.200 I mean, he's calling out to us. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:17.919 He's saying, Hey, Bobby, Bobby, hey, wandering over here. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:19.519 This way. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.360 What you're doing is not gonna work out. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:26.559 You're wandering, south terminal, row triple Z, you're wandering, it's not gonna work. 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:31.360 Come, you know, Susie, fearful little over find pasture. 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:35.200 I'm the pasture, I will lead you to safe pasture. 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:39.600 So just a couple theological terms this morning, if we can do this. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:42.399 Um the first is substitutionary atonement. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:43.279 Big word. 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:44.080 I remember that one. 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:47.120 If you throw that out, people do think you're very smart. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:48.960 Here's substitution atonement. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:56.879 Jesus is our substitutionary atonement, meaning on the cross, he substituted himself for us. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:04.240 The death we should have died because of our rebellion against God and our sin, not just our behaviors, but everything we are. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:06.080 He substituted himself. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:13.440 He took the wrath of God and was absorbed into Jesus so that we can have life with God. 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:16.399 We can be right with God. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:17.519 He took it. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:24.320 We are atoned for all of our failure, all of our screw up, I mean, stuff we look back on, we're like, why did I do that? 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:25.200 Or why did I say it? 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:26.480 I can't believe I keep doing this. 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:30.720 I mean, we are atoned for because he substituted himself for us. 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:32.000 We don't have to pay a sacrifice. 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:32.639 We don't. 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.159 He paid it. 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:35.759 This isn't just theology. 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:37.360 I mean, this is rescue. 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:39.840 This is absolute rescue. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:42.879 It's another big term, the imputation of righteousness. 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:47.519 Our sins are put on him, and he gives us our righteousness. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:56.240 I love this image because this is this is the image of a frightened, fearful, timid little workaholic sheep out there, and I'm gonna work my righteousness, I'm gonna prove myself. 00:14:56.320 --> 00:15:02.480 And it's Jesus saying, No, no, no, let me be your substitute, let me be your righteousness, then come in here into this gate. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:05.840 I I will I will set you at peace. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:08.399 You will find pasture. 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:10.639 So we have a gate. 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:14.639 Uh we've already talked about being sheep, and then verse 10 we get thieves. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:22.879 So thieves in this passage things, people, that the enemy, anything trying to take life from you? 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:28.639 Maybe calling you to live in a wound or calling you to live in shame or calling you to live in a lie. 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:31.279 I mean, all of that live in pursuit of applause. 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:35.840 You'll never be satisfied, pursuit of a religious or moral perfection. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:36.879 All of these are thieves. 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:38.639 They're gonna steal life from you. 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:41.279 They're gonna steal years from you. 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:44.559 Jesus is saying, that's a thief. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:45.759 Not a good shepherd. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:47.519 Bad, that's bad, that's a horrible shepherd. 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:50.000 Actually, not shepherd, thief. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:54.320 So verses 10 and 11, we get the good shepherd mentioned. 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:57.200 And so we see the good shepherd's gathering. 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.360 Come to me, I'll give you pasture. 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:02.240 And he's giving, I mean, I'll give you life. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:06.480 So I've been to Salzburg, Austria, two times. 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:18.320 The first time I was 20 years old, and uh myself and Chrissy's older brother Kevin and a friend John, uh, I was 20 years old, and we were in college, and we were gonna go backpack in Europe for three weeks. 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:23.440 And so we end up at Salzburg at some point, and and we are like bare bones budget, you know. 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:25.679 I mean, just trying to save as much money as possible. 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:29.440 We're sleeping on trains, we're sleeping in weird, strange uh places. 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:45.440 And so we're in Salzburg, and there's a there's a castle up on a hill, and Salzburg's in the Austrian Alps, it's beautiful, a river runs down through the middle of the city, and there's a castle up above Salzburg, Hohan Salzburg, a very original name, which means high Salzburg. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:48.480 What a very creative meeting when they named the castle, apparently. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:57.919 And so we walk up the hill to go to the castle, and poor little college students, and and you could walk through part of it without paying the fee and getting the guide. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:12.079 And so we walk up there and we're walking by stuff, and you know, we're just kind of like clueless, happy, go-lucky college kids, and we're hanging out, and we're looking at the view, and it's pretty, and we hang out 20 minutes, we walk around, and huge sections of the castle we can't go into. 00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:15.279 We can't get to, and other stuff, we're we're just walking by stuff. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:21.119 Just looking out, having a good time, talking to each other, and 20 minutes later we walk back down the hill and go get lunch. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:29.039 Six years later, uh, Christy and I we're in Salzburg, and so we go back to the castle, and this time it's a little bit different. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:31.359 I've you know, we actually had a hotel room with a shower. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:33.839 That was an amazing part of the trip having a shower. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:41.599 Um, and so we're back up at the castle, and this time we're gonna, you know, we're gonna splurge and spend that huge like$8 for the guide. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:49.359 Um and so we spend the$8, and all of a sudden, uh, because of the guide, because of the guide, we're not walking by stuff. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:50.960 Like we're getting it all. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:54.960 Like we're getting the story, what happened, the history. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:56.720 I mean, you know, I'm learning about him. 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:00.000 He attends like some small church in Salzburg, and we talk about churches. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:02.319 I'm getting to know the guide, getting to know the all of it. 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:06.079 We we are we are missing, we are missing nothing. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:08.480 We're getting the fullness of it. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:14.559 This is this is what Jesus is saying when he says, I'm the good shepherd, saying, Hello, I'm the guide, I'm the shepherd. 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.400 When I guide you, I mean I want to help you not miss life. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:20.000 I don't want you to miss life. 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:22.079 Getting caught up in who knows what. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:24.319 Can I can I shepherd you? 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:28.240 Can I shepherd your wandering heart? 00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:35.119 So that's when in verse 10 he says, I've come that that they may have life and have it to the full. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:45.359 This is no news flash for most of us, but the abundant life is not a life full of stuff. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:49.599 Paul in Philippians, I mean, do you remember this? 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:54.640 He says, he says, I've learned to be content in all circumstances, whether to be in plenty or to be in nothing. 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:56.240 I mean, you want to talk about freedom. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:57.759 Freedom is not to have all the stuff. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:00.000 Freedom is to say, whether I have all the stuff or I don't. 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:01.119 Like I'm good. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:02.640 Like I'm really content. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:03.519 I'm very happy. 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:05.440 I mean, that kind of contentment. 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:06.960 And how is that possible? 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:09.200 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:13.359 I thought that that meant it was going to help me dunk a basketball when I was senior in high school, and it actually worked. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:15.200 I'm going like that, that's Philippians 4.13. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:16.480 That's why I could dunk a basketball. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:17.920 And I'm realizing now it had nothing to do with that. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:21.680 It had to do with like contentment, whether I was in plenty or nothing. 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:23.599 How do you get that kind of freedom? 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:25.359 Well, it's in the Good Shepherd. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.759 That's how you get that kind of freedom. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:32.160 Finding pasture, not in circumstances. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:33.839 I was at Health Place. 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:36.240 We've joined Health Place up here at the hospital to work out. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:41.519 I'm up there, and there's a proportionately large percentage of older people at Health Place. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.319 I love that because these people are ready to ready to talk, man. 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:46.640 They're retired and they're like they're hanging out. 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:47.920 They are hanging out. 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:51.200 They're not they're not younger people, we gotta go to work. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:55.519 You know, and so I'm in the locker room, and Buck Buck is over there, and I've become friends. 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:57.599 Buck Buck is 92 years old. 00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:59.759 I do this because he's a shorter guy. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:03.759 He's 92 years old, and he's over there, and we're talking. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.880 Maybe the third day we've kind of talked as we're getting dressed. 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:11.039 And he and he's he's struggling with a word, getting a word out, and he just stops. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:17.119 He says, You know, uh, not long ago, I I I just I missed two and a half weeks. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:21.359 It's like like like literally two and a half weeks, I I was out. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:22.079 I was out. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:24.640 He's like, all the family flew in, they thought it was it. 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:29.680 Two and a half, he's like, I woke up after two and a half weeks, and I didn't remember two and a half weeks of my life. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:31.839 He's like, that's a big percentage when you're 92 years old. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:32.880 That's a good point. 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:34.480 And then he said this, which is great. 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:39.200 He said, you know, I can't pronounce my words as as good as I used to. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:42.240 That was one thing that happened after the two and a half weeks. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:43.920 He said, Well, you know what? 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:45.359 You know what? 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:47.759 I have I have five children that love me. 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:51.440 I have 14 grandchildren that love me. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:55.759 I have six great grandchildren that love me. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:58.160 And he just said, That's the good stuff. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:02.319 You know, maybe maybe you won't have children, but that's that's fine. 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:08.960 But but the point the point is that there's there's parts of life that are just a lot better than shiny things. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:15.279 And it's finding our pasture and the things that really matter. 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:22.240 And when we have the good shepherd, the good shepherd starts to shepherd us to those things and guide us to those things. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:32.480 So we we see that he's gathering, he's giving, and he does this because he dies for us. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:33.920 That's how he can do this. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:35.599 So verse 12 through 18. 00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:38.960 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:40.480 Here's what the hired hand does. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:44.960 So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and he runs away. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:47.279 Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:50.319 The man runs away because he's a hired hand, he cares nothing for the sheep. 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:53.599 And here's what Jesus says, I'm not a hired man, I'm the good shepherd. 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:55.839 I know my sheep, my sheep know me. 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:59.759 Just as the father knows me, and I know the father, and I lay down my life. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.440 For the sheep. 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:03.920 I have other sheep that are not of the sheep pen. 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:05.599 We're gonna talk about that next week. 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:07.279 I must bring them also. 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:11.680 They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:18.799 The reason for my the reason my father loves me is that I lay my life down only to take it up again. 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:23.200 So he already knows I'm gonna, I will sacrifice myself. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.799 I will be the final sacrifice. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:27.039 I will lay my life down willingly. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:28.880 I will take it back up. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:33.519 I will have power over death, over the shame, over the just all the junk. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:34.640 I will have power over that. 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:37.519 So if you believe in me, you can have power over it. 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:39.359 No one takes it from me. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:42.720 Verse 8, no one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:47.039 I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:49.519 This command I received from my Father. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.680 Jesus is God in flesh. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.599 He's saying, I'm no hired hand. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:56.000 I'm not gonna bail on you. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:00.480 I mean, this is the same thing we're saying, oh love that will not let me go. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:02.960 He's saying, I won't bail on you. 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:06.880 You screw up, I won't bail on you. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:09.920 You get wounded, I'm not gonna bail on you. 00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:11.759 I'm not a hired hand. 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:14.000 I'm your shepherd. 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:15.519 I own you. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.200 I will die for you. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:22.240 I love you so much. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:31.519 I've been just resting in this passage all week and just trying to hear, just trying to hear Jesus saying to me, I know you. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:33.920 I know you're sheep. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:35.680 I know you're trying to hide. 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:42.480 I know you're trying to avoid kind of coming to that pure honesty of that I'm a wanderer and I'm helpless. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:48.079 Trying to go row after row, you know, in South Terminal, trying to find that pasture. 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:51.039 But here's what he's saying to us. 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:53.279 He's saying, You are that. 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:55.440 You are a wandering people. 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:57.839 You are full of fears you don't even know. 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:00.559 But I I know you, I know your name. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:05.119 And so even while you're this flawed, hurts the ego. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.160 You are so loved. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:09.920 I love you so much. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:11.039 Right? 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:16.000 I mean, so the ego gets hurt, you're flawed, and at the same time, there's such value coming in. 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:27.039 Yet I love you so much because you're mine and you're my flock, and I'm gathering, I want to give to you, and I will lay my life down for you. 00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:30.960 He's saying, Dear children. 00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:34.960 She's saying it with Pharisees, you're wandering sheep. 00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:41.680 But if you if you enter through me, if you enter through the gate, I will be your good shepherd. 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.519 I'll be your shepherd. 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:47.279 I'll shepherd your heart, I'll shepherd your mind, I'll shepherd your life. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:48.960 You won't be perfect. 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:51.519 I'm I'm perfect for you, and I'll shepherd you. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.880 Let's pray together. 00:24:56.079 --> 00:25:10.960 God, we get we get that image of us in a south terminal parking lot, and it's brutally hot, and we're walking row by row, and we're just wandering, and we hate that feeling, whether that's feelings in our whole life or like a part of our life. 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:22.000 We know the feeling of being helpless, and we we just come and we just we just we just claim our sheepness that we might we might embrace you are our good shepherd. 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:26.319 There are so many areas of our lives that we need you as our shepherd. 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:38.640 And God, it is amazing this morning that your grace finds us, and that though we are these little fearful sheep, that you value us so much. 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:49.440 You love us so much, it is greater than our sheepness, it is greater than our wandering, that you own us, that you will reign over us, and your love will cover us. 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:59.759 And thank you that you you actually became a sheep, the final perfect sacrificial lamb that we might not die. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:16.480 And so as we come to communion, we we remember our standing before you, our value as people, is not secured in us and what we do. 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:21.119 It is secured in what's been done outside of us and given to us. 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.599 Give us faith. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:24.960 Amen.