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morning everyone welcome back to previous Baptist Church warm welcome to any visitors Among Us amongst us for our call to worship this morning we have no announcements other than the Wednesday night bible study at 7 30 as usual for our call to worship please turn to perhaps the most well-known passage of scripture in the Bible at least in the psalter psalm 23. and for good reason David reminds us that the Lord is Our Shepherd Psalm 23 a Psalm of David the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. he makes me to lie down in Green Pastures he leads me beside the Still Waters he restores my soul he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup runs over surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever amen for our first hymn this morning we're going to sing psalm 102. selection b as in bravo psalm 102. please stand with me as we sing thank you foreign [Music] this is [Music] foreign [Music] always free perfect [Music] places [Music] foreign [Music] let us turn to the Lord in prayer thank you gracious Father in heaven we pray that your name would be hallowed in our midst this day we pray o God that all over the face of this Earth your name would be hallowed and exalted as the gospel Goes Forth in various pulpits this day I pray o God that you would be lifted on high and that people would be drawn out of Darkness into Marvelous Light we pray that your kingdom would come and that your will would be done and we know that this happens through the preaching of the gospel and through the rescuing of souls from the kingdom of darkness bringing them into the kingdom of the son of Your Love we pray oh God that that would be accomplished all over the face of the Earth this day we thank you that the church marches forward victoriously we thank you that the Gates of Hell cannot mount an effective defense against the preaching of the gospel for Christ shall build his church we thank you for these truths and we pray o God that you would work mightily amongst your people this day we pray in particular for the churches that are in lands of persecution places where the magistrate or the local idolaters false religions hate the work and the people of God we pray oh God that you would sustain those who are being persecuted those who are even being tempted to return to idolatry be merciful to your people oh God and give them strength to persevere thank you that you are doing a great work all over the face of the Earth we pray for the missionary Enterprise those men that are laboring in distant fields to plant local churches and to see National churches and leaders raised up we pray oh God that you would give much strength to those men in much wisdom and we pray that even in places where the gospel has not penetrated where the word of God has not been translated into the local languages there would be success in those Endeavors in the days and months to come Lord we pray that you would cause your church to grow and to mature and to be purified Lord we pray for our sister confessional churches the ones that the church plants with which we have close Fellowship we pray God you bless the work in Dryden Ontario thank you for the group that meets there on a regular basis we pray Lord that you would cause them to mature to grow to be rounded in the truth we pray that there would be a church properly constituted there in the near future bless Dan and bless Josh as they lead pray Lord that you would raise up elders and deacons in that place pray as well for our brethren in the Okanagan bless pastor maljar says he preaches and ministers there this day encourage your people add to their number cause them to mature and to grow in unity and in the faith bless the church in Surrey as well and Pastor Kirkpatrick as he ministers today encourage that body and cause them to grow together in unity and in love for the truth and bless us here oh God we thank you for the work that you've established here we thank you for the the unity that you've given us and we pray oh God that this would continue to grow and continue to we would continue to be a light in this community bless the other churches in this community that are preaching the gospel this day and cause your word to go forth effectively May the holy spirit of God be at work amongst the people of God in this city of chilawak Lord we do pray for the magistrates that rule over us in in this land that you would so work that the fear of God would fall upon them and that they would rule in righteousness and inequity they would cease encouraging Abominations and encouraging the shedding of innocent blood Lord be gracious to us I pray and cause a Revival and an Awakening to take place in this nation of Canada Lord be gracious to us this day open our ears and our hearts to receive the word I pray that you would receive our worship and we give you thanks for bringing us together in Jesus name amen for our next hymn let's turn to number 459 my hope is built on nothing less 4 59 and stand with me as we sing please [Music] is [Music] righteousness [Music] [Applause] is [Music] is foreign [Music] [Applause] be afraid he has all my own this is [Music] foreign [Music] take your Bibles and turn with me to our New Testament scripture reading this morning in Revelation chapter 11. read along with me as I read Revelation chapter 11. then I was given a read like a measuring rod and the angel stood saying rise and measure the temple of God the Altar and those who worship there but leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it for it has been given to the Gentiles and they will tread the holy city under foot for 42 months and I will give power to my two witnesses and they will prophesy 1260 days clothed in sackcloth these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the god of the earth and if anyone wants to harm them fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies and if anyone wants to harm them he must be killed in this manner these have power to shut heaven so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy and they have power over Waters to turn them to blood and to strike the Earth with all plagues as often as they desire when they finish their testimony the Beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them overcome them and kill them and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified then those from the peoples tribes tongues and Nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days and not allow their dead bodies to be put into Graves and those who dwell on the earth Will Rejoice over them make Mary and send gifts to one another because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the Earth now after the three and a half days the Breath of Life from God entered them and they stood on their feet and great fear fell on those who saw them and they heard a loud voice from Heaven saying to them come up here and they ascended to heaven in a cloud and their enemy saw them in the same hour there was a great earthquake and a tenth of the city fell in the earthquake seven thousand people were killed and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the god of Heaven the second woe was passed behold the Third Woe Is Coming quickly then the seventh angel sounded and there were loud voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever and the 24 Elders who sat before God and their Thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God saying we give you thanks O Lord God Almighty the one who is and who was and who is to come because you have taken your great power and Reign the nations were angry and your wrath has come and the time of the Dead they should they should be that they should be judged and that you should reward your servants the prophets and the Saints and those who fear your name small and great and should destroy those who destroy the Earth then the temple of God was opened in heaven and the Ark of his Covenant was seen in his Temple and there were Lightnings noises thunderings and earthquake and great hail amen let us pray Father in heaven we thank you for this picture of the exalted and reigning Christ thank you that you were both the god of wrath and a god of Mercy wrath against your enemies Mercy on those who once were your enemies but whom you have redeemed from every tribe tongue and people the nation give you thanks for these truths amen for our last hymn we're going to sing Psalm 23 selection B as in bravo Psalm 23 please stand with me as we sing [Music] here [Music] again [Music] forever [Music] is [Music] have mercy with all my life [Music] forever [Music] well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of John working our way through the fourth gospel we're in chapter 10 this morning the Good Shepherd discourse our Focus will be verses 7 to 10 but I want to read beginning in verse 1 to verse 21. so John chapter 10 beginning in verse 1. most assuredly I say to you he who does not enter the Sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way the same as a thief and a robber but he who enters by the door is The Shepherd of the sheep to him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own Sheep by name and leads them out and when he brings out his own sheep he goes before them and the Sheep follow him for they know his voice yet they will by no means follow a stranger but will flee from him for they do not know the voice of strangers Jesus used this illustration they did not understand the things which he spoke to them then Jesus said to them again most assuredly I say to you I am the door of the sheep all whoever came before me are thieves and robbers but the Sheep did not hear them I am the door if anyone enters by me he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly I am the Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd gives his life for the Sheep but a hireling he he who is not the shepherd one who does not own the Sheep sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees and the Wolf catches the sheep and scatters them the hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the Sheep I am the Good Shepherd and I know my sheep and am known by my own as the father knows me even so I know 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 will hear my voice and there will be one flock and one Shepherd therefore my father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it again no one takes it from me but I lay it down of myself I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this command I have received from my father therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings and many of them said he has a demon and is mad why do you listen to him others said these are not the words of one who has a demon can a demon Open the Eyes of the blind amen well let us pray Our God and father thank you for this day thank you for the Lord's day for the privilege of Christian worship for Gathering Together from outside of the world into this place where we we see in Scripture that it is the the house of God the Church of the Living God the pillar and ground of the truth and we pray that you would be glorified in this glad hour that as we come to the father through the son in the spirit you would be praised and worshiped and adored we pray that you would send the spirit that we might worship you in spirit and in truth and that might we might receive that word that we'd hear the shepherd's voice as it comes through scripture and that it would affect us in a way that is well pleasing in your sight we pray for any and all who've come here this morning that have not heard that voice that have not come to the Shepherd that have not believed on him we pray that today would be the day of salvation that you'd open eyes and hearts to see the sinfulness and in each of us and to see the sufficiency in our Lord Jesus Christ and his ability to save to the uttermost and even now cleanse us from all unright cleanse us from those things that that keep us from receiving your truth guide us again by the spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as we come to this particular discourse our Lord Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd he uses two figures of speech he speaks of being the door in verse 7 and 9 and then he speaks of being the Good Shepherd in verses 11 to following basically he says at the end of chapter 10 or 10 10 verse 10 he talks about giving life to his sheep and then from verses 11 and following he describes how he does that he describes that it's by laying down his own life on their behalf so God willing will look at that section next week but when we look at verses 7 to 10 I want to spend some time this morning on on verse 10 specifically 10B we're going to work our way to there but that's going to be the bulk of our concern this morning now remember there's a close connection here not just numerically but thematically and conceptually to chapter nine in chapter nine you have the healing of the man that was born blind that man that comes to Jesus that man whom is healed by by Jesus and then that man who is questioned by the Pharisees and the religious leadership they get upset with them and they cast him out from the synagogue this was the fear the parents had according to chapter 9 verse 22 and it's the fear that becomes realized in chapter 9 at verse 45. they cast him out you were born entirely in sins and do you think to teach us so they get rid of him well then that man comes or rather Jesus comes after him and Jesus saves him do you believe in the Son of God who is he Lord that I might believe Jesus says the man you're talking to the man you see is him and so the man confesses faith in Jesus and then he worships and then chapter 9 ends with Jesus talking to the Pharisees notice there's no sort of adversative or sort of a contrast in the flow of the narrative but rather chapter 10 picks up from chapter nine so notice in 9 40 then some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these words and said to him are we blind also Jesus Jesus said to them if you were blind you would have no sin but now you say we see Therefore your sin remains we typically as Bible readers stop there close our Bible and forget all about it until the next day but the passage continues Jesus continues to teach them and that brings us to chapter 10 and he speaks of these false Shepherds he speaks of these charlatans he speaks of these thieves these robbers and he condemns them and he contrasts them with himself who is in fact the door and the Good Shepherd so as we come to verses 7 to 10 we need to notice first of all the identification of the door secondly the condemnation of the leaders and then thirdly the Commendation of his ministry so in verses one to six he speaks by way of illustration notice it verse 6 Jesus used this illustration but they did not understand the things which he spoke to that this is not normal in John's gospel not that it's not normal that they didn't understand amp it's not normal or usual that he teaches by way of illustration or figuratively or parabolically in fact this is the only instance in John's gospel contrary to say or contrasted with a Matthew 13 where Jesus speaks in Parables and in many occasions he speaks all throughout Matthew Mark and Luke with reference to parabolic DJ this is one of the only instances that we find here in John's gospel so of course they don't understand it and then Jesus presses harder and Jesus digs Down Deeper with reference to his explanation concerning his mission so he speaks concerning the fact that he is indeed the door notice that in verse 7 the identification of the door so then Jesus said to them again most assuredly I say to you I am the door of the sheep this is one of those I am statements with a predicate we have considered this as we move through John's gospel there are seven in John's gospel in John's gospel we read that Jesus is the bread of life we read the that he is the light of the world he is the door of the sheep he is the Good Shepherd he is the resurrection and the life he is the way the truth and the life and he is the true vine so he makes these declarative statements I am and then he fills in the blank and here he says I am the door of the sheep now in terms of the particular meaning there's a little bit of difference than the way he uses it in verse two if you go back to chapter 10 verse 1 most assuredly I say to you he who does not enter the Sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way the same as a thief and a robber he's condemning the religious leadership he's condemning the Pharisees he's condemning the persons that cast out this man who had been born blind from his synagogue and then in verse 2 he says but he who enters by the door is The Shepherd of the sheep he's speaking about himself he's speaking about the fact that he is contrasted with these charlatans these Liars these thieves these destructive men and then notice in verse 3 to him the doorkeeper opens and the Sheep hear his voice and he calls his own Sheep by name and leads them out the door keeper there is the father so Jesus is allowed access or given access by the father through that particular door to function as the leader over the Sheep full in contrast to these religious leaders who had control of synagogue and Temple and yet willy-nilly drove people out because they didn't like their claim with reference to the Lord Jesus Christ now he says that he is the door so the metaphor or the figures change just a little bit and what he's saying here is that he is the door of access he is the way of life he is the entrance in terms of everlasting life or into this particular sheetful if you want that Sheepfold that is God's if you want to be included amongst God's people you must come through that door you must come through the Lord Jesus Christ we see that emphasis recurringly in John's gospel it's not the case that religion per se leads men to Salvation it's only Christ the religion of man apart from the Lord Jesus Christ does not lead to Heaven it is only Christ I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me same emphasis here he is the door if you want access into the Sheepfold which is God's people then it is only and alone through the Lord Jesus Christ he is the door of the Shepherd of the sheep he is the only access point between us and Heaven itself now notice the condemnation of the religious leaders he does this again in verses 8 and then 10 a so verse 7 most assuredly I say to you I am the door of the sheep verse 8 all whoever came before me are thieves and robbers he's not talking about Moses he's not talking about Pro uh the prophets the good Godly prophets he's not condemning Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Micah and more shaft he's not saying Hosea was a robber he's not saying that any of those men were problematic he's obviously talking about the religious leadership as it was in play in Israel in this first century context now even prior to that first century context you go back say to Malachi's day a few hundred years before you see that the religious leadership was corrupt then you go back a couple of hundred years before that Jeremiah's day you see that the religious leadership was corrupt you go back a couple of hundred years before then Isaiah's day and you see that the religious leadership was corrupt you get the point he's condemning the religious leadership of Israel that had blocked up the way of access to God most high there was this emphasis on externals this emphasis on formalism this emphasis on just wrote obedience without any heart involvement without any commitment whatsoever the very confession of Israel's Faith was followed by the appropriate response to the god that we confess hear o Israel the Lord Our God the Lord is one and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength it's not simply to be a cognitive expression of one's theology though it is a cognitive expression of one's theology it's to be followed up by Worship in spirit and in truth it's to be like this man that was born blind that in chapter 9 confesses faith in the Redeemer and then worships him so Christ is condemning the false teachers the leaders the the rabbis the Pharisees the the scribes that had come before him and again he uses very pointed language if you look at verse 8 all who ever came before me are thieves and robbers this is similar to The Prophet Jeremiah in his Temple sermon in Jeremiah chapter 7. Jesus cites this or rather Matthew cites this in light of the cleansing of the temple narrative in Matthew 21 Jesus cleanses the temple and Matthew makes the connection between that event and what happened in this Temple sermon of Jeremiah in chapter 7. and this is precisely what God has to say to the nation through the Prophet Jeremiah chapter 7 verses 8 to 11 behold you trust in lying Words that cannot profit will you steal murder commit adultery swear falsely burn incense to Baal and walk after other gods whom you do not know and then come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say we are delivered to do all these Abominations has this house which is called by my name become become a den of Thieves in your eyes behold I even I have seen it says the Lord it had become a den of Thieves well things had not changed things had only gotten progressively worse when Messiah comes on the scene in the first century it's not to a receptive audience it's not to a lot of willing Jews it's not to a lot of willing hearts that give him room they respect uh reject him they despise him they forsake Him this chapter ends on that very note they take up stones to throw at him because he being a man made himself equal with God they missed the boat they missed the prophetic testimony they missed the scripture they had the blinders on their eyes and Jesus doesn't say well you know it's just your interpretation it differs a bit with mine no Jesus is saying you're thieves you're robbers you're destructive you're destroyers you're the kind of guys that put a man out from the synagogue for the crime of owning Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior it was this sort of an atmosphere to which Our Savior came and this sort of an atmosphere in which Our Savior condemned these wretched men the notice with reference to our passage here in verse 8 all whoever came before me are thieves and robbers but notice this blessed statement but the Sheep did not hear that again when you go from this vantage point or our vantage point you look down the Old Testament you will always see a faithful Remnant you'll always see those that did not bow the knee to Baal now they didn't always see that remember that God contest at Carmel when when Elijah comes out Victorious First Kings chapter 18 he lays down the gauntlet he says you know how long will you will you halt between two options if if God or Yahweh is God then serve him if Baal is God then serve him so they have that contest well bring the sacrifice and we'll call Upon Our God whichever God consumes it by fire is the god that we're going to follow the the god that we're going to love on the heels of that the next scene is Elijah after the the fire comes down and consumes the sacrifice it's not that Ahab and Jezebel lighten up it's not that they no longer want to destroy him and so we find him under a broom tree very much full of lamentation to the point where he's ready to go oh he's not going to kill himself he's not suicidal he's not having some sort of a crisis he is sickened and he is repulsed and he is grieved by the status of the Covenant people in Israel they had changed the glory of the living and true God for this Baal so what does God say to him by way of comfort he has a meat and he has him sleep because God tends to the whole man and then he tells him I have 7 000 knees that have not bowed to Baal in other words Elijah there is a Remnant in other words Elijah there are the faithful in other words Elijah there are the people of God and his purposes will not be withstood and throughout the history of Israel you find that Remnant and so Jesus alerts us to that reality even in the first century here in this religious climate so all who ever came before me are thieves and robbers but the Sheep did not hear them praise God for that and then notice we're still under this head of the Commendation of the leader so he does this in verse 8 in terms of who they are but then notice in verse 10 a what they do the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy now perhaps you're like me I hope not but uh you you might look at the the news sometime and you might news on current events and you might see things that kind of blow your mind and you you just really kind of want to be left alone and pursue those things that God calls us to and and yet there's always these people in your in your path or or in high places in terms of government that that just want to steal from you and they they just want to kill you and they just want to destroy you like how many more billions of dollars do certain men need until they're finally happy they're never gonna be happy there's no amount of money that will make such a wretch happy to move from the Civil sphere into the ecclesiastical sphere which if you notice the Sanhedrin it was both political and ecclesiastical political and religious there's that same sort of mindset so-called Shepherds that don't care about the Sheep so-called Shepherds that only care about themselves so-called Shepherds that only want to ultimately fleece the sheep and kill the sheep and destroy the Sheep I mean they may not do the rigor and the Vigor say of a Paul pot or a George Soros but they do it with the same sort of effect in terms of spreading misery and pain and destruction why is that because they're Sinners because they're depraved because the heart is deceitfully wicked it is wretched it is Unholy it is unrighteous it is ungodly so when persons like that make it into positions of leadership which for whatever reason they often times find they are perverse in the way they conduct themselves so Christ says concerning the religious leadership of his time he already has called them thieves and robbers could you imagine them well that doesn't sound very nice that's not very polite discourse you can't refer to us in that way do don't you know we're regulated in terms of what we can and can't say don't you know that you could be canceled by ever offering up such a critique of the leadership in Israel at this time Jesus isn't back down Jesus isn't calling names for name calling a say he is pressing the ethical realities that these men who were supposed to be the leaders of the flock of Israel had fleeced them they had stolen from them they were about killing them and about destroying them again that that sort of package of of misery that they are purveyors of that's the kind of people that Jesus has in his crosshairs at this particular stage the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy again Brethren if those are your sort of goals in life I shouldn't call you Brethren because that's absolutely contrary to any confession of Brethren Hood but if that's your goal and purpose in terms of your fellow man to steal from them to kill them and to destroy them you've got big big problems you need to go to the Lord Jesus Christ you need to believe on him you need to look unto him and receive the Forgiveness of sins that comes as a result of his blood shedding is it the case that even these guys could have come to a saving knowledge well Christ is giving them access at least externally in terms of the knowledge necessary to go through that door he's not hiding that he's not speaking obscurely he's not saying well you know I'm not going to talk to you fellas because I'm going to now turn to the rabble over here no these men had they come to come to their senses and again I speak as a man could have said look this is Messiah this is the champion this is the savior let us come to him the way that this man born blind has and worship Him confess him in faith and then worship him so Christ can and this and in terms of the ratchet effect of leadership we see it here politically and religiously but the New Testament showcases it with reference to more of an internal threat I think when we think of religious threat to the church we think of Islam or we think of you know Buddhism in our uh prayer meeting this morning we sort of take a tour around the world reading voice of the martyrs and it's not hey these many good things going on it's typically government oppression it's typically religious oppression it is typically men that are likened unto these that are destroying the very people of God well as you move through the New Testament documents you see that internal threat we looked at a few of those last Sunday night again with reference to Ephesians 4 and Paul's or God's purpose through Paul for the ministry of the church you've got that that that uh Second Timothy 3 situation where these men that are corrupt they come in and they Prey Upon gullible women the that are loaded down with various losts what kind of a man does that well the kind of man that's described here or Jude three contend earnestly for the faith it was once for all delivered to the Saints why does Jude write that for certain men ungodly men have crept in unnoticed Revelation 2 2 the words of Jesus to the church at Ephesus you have tested those who say they are Apostles and are not so if political threat is a problem and it is if sort of nebulous religious threat is a problem and it is we mustn't neglect the threat that looms closer in terms of professing Christianity those false prophets who wriggle their way in those false prophets who have departed from the truth as it is in Jesus and start teaching pernicious Doctrine they start denying the very master who is described and given to us in the scripture and so the Lord Christ takes aim at these men and he says that they are thieves they're robbers and in uh consistent with that identification he tells us the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy so the identification of the door it's the Lord Jesus the condemnation of the leaders it's these wretches now notice thirdly the Commendation of his ministry in verse 9 and then verse 10 B so he makes three statements notice in the first place he says that he saves sinner notice in verse 9 I am the door if anyone enters by me he will be saved how wonderful if anyone enters by me he will be saved what does he mean he means believe on him if anyone enters by me means to believe on him do you believe he says to the man that was born blind in the Son of God who is he Lord that I might that I may believe and and then the man does believe or believes he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ John 1 12. as many as believed on him John 20 30 31 these are written so that believing in his name you may have everlasting life it is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and notice that Jesus doesn't just render men save a bowl he doesn't just provide a little assistance he doesn't help you achieve your goals Jesus is the savior it's not a shared uh function with the the saved it is he who will save his people from their sins notice the definiteness of this statement in verse 9A I am the door if anyone enters by me he will be saved don't miss that not he might be saved he's kind of going to be saved but he will be saved how many people tarry and how many people wait and how many people say well I'm not sure let me tell you on the authority of God's holy word both Old and New Testaments all that the father gives him will come to him and the one who comes to him he will certainly not cast out and as well notice it's not we'll be safe for a time and so far as his faithfulness is consistent with the faith that he's expressed in me no Jesus isn't a romanist Jesus is in A New Perspective on Paul Jesus is in a federal visionist Jesus knows the power of Salvation Jesus knows that once you've come to him once you've gone through that door by faith you're saved there is an eternal salvation what's the Apostle say in Hebrews 7 he says what partially he saves for a time he says for Monday to Thursday and you can throw yourself out of that Covenant on Friday he saves to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him the Salvation given by Christ isn't here today and gone tomorrow when I was a kid we had these bumper stickers we didn't but they did somebody did and it said I found it or I lost it I think it was a religious campaign I think it had to do with Christianity I think it had to do with finding Jesus but then you had the counter oh I lost it Brethren you never need I lost it bumper sticker on your car the moment you come to Jesus there's no losing it and I realize this is disputable and debatable and in the history of the church not everybody has seen it this way well those who haven't seen it this way are dead wrong because if a sinner for whom Jesus died shed his blood imputes his righteousness is ultimately lost then it's Christ's failure it is the reality that the one who begins this good work in you will complete it unto the day of Christ Philippians 1 6 Romans chapter 8 I am persuaded Paul says there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord or John 10 when you're in the hand of the father you're in the hand of the son there is no one who can pluck you out there is no one who can strip it away not even you and that's good news brethren because if we could lose it we would have lost it a long time ago that's the reality that the Bible conveys and Jesus doesn't just function as a door for a moment if you come through him and you access the father by faith in him you're saved that's beautiful that's where you know if we were in a black church in South Central everybody would have said amen right about now because it's glorious news he doesn't render us savable or or a Helper but he saves to the uttermost Eternal Redemption not just here for a time and do you think that as you Muse on scripture I'm going to look at some prophetic texts in just a moment that the prophets would announce a faulty salvation that the prophets would announce a messiah that's ultimately hindered by the people that he's come to save that the shepherd could be bested by the sheep that the Sheep could actually send their way out of the shepherd's hand now Brethren I'm not saying go out and say it you know better than that what shall we say shall we continue in sin that Grace May abound may it never be but the reality is is that John tells us my little children I write these things so that you may not sin but if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous we need to use that advocacy we need to confess with the apostles great I believe in the Forgiveness of sins that is a reality purchased for us by the Lord Jesus Christ so notice three statements here in verse nine I am the door if anyone enters by me he will be saved but notice secondly the Lord Jesus sustains the Sheep he doesn't save us we don't just walk through that door and then it's you know you're on your own now you know chap you're on your own now kid you're on your own now chunk you're on your own now to sort of work it out no he's with us look at what he says in verse 9. if anyone enters by me he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture it's beautiful language isn't it so reminiscent of Psalm 23. we're going to look at Psalm 23 in just a moment but that's the language that's invoked here by the Savior and these men wouldn't have missed that these Pharisees knew Psalm 23 these Pharisees knew the shepherd sheep references and the passages that we're going to look at these men understood the claim that he is making here in terms of his statement in verse 11. I am the Good Shepherd again there's no you know accident or nothing surprising in terms of Godless men as to why they picked up stones to throw at him they hated him they despised him they resisted him they rejected it they didn't see him as the man promised as the man who came in obedience to and fulfillment rather of the the Old Testament scriptures and prophecies concerning him but that language it's reminiscent look back in chapter six the bread of life discourse when you eat this bread wow you're always going to be hungry again no that's not how Jesus describes it notice in John 6 specifically at verse 35 Jesus said to them I am the bread of life he who comes to me shall never hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst well obviously that doesn't mean there's never going to be hard times in your life you know when we get into this Abundant Life that he conveys upon his people according to 10 of verse 10. that doesn't mean there's not hardships in life it doesn't mean there's not struggles in life doesn't mean there's not difficulties or afflictions in life we all have that this is a veil of Tears this is a sin cursed World wicked men are out to get us I'm sorry I know that sounds terrible I know when we first got here it must have been at the dollar store my wife got me a little fridge magnet still up there to this day it's got to be 25 years 24 years old and it says they really are out for you they really are trying to get you or something like that you know just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not trying to get you Brethren just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they don't really hate you Brethren you know speaking of the tongue-in-cheek here but with reference to this reality notice what we find in our blessed savior he provides good things to his people not the absence of challenge not the absence of affliction not the absence of hardship but as we learn from the Apostle in Romans 8 28 those problems he works for our good he's The God Who takes crooked things and and makes them straight he's The God Who takes the malice of Joseph's brothers and overrules it for good he's the god that that takes the worst criminal act in the history of mankind the worst criminal act in the history of mankind and uses it for his glory and the salvation of his people notice in verse 11 I am the Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd notice gives his life for the Sheep that's the biggest criminal activity that's ever transpired in the history of man the crucifixion of the Son of God had you been one of the participants that day or one of the people looking upon that you might be inclined to wonder how's this going to work out we love this man he's been with us for three years he's been a wondrous teacher we've seen him do Mighty things we've seen him raise the dead we've seen glorious things obtained as a result of his blessed words what would you be musing what would you be pondering I don't think always your theological well God overruled the wickedness of Joseph's brother and brought that for good no they're probably really really a vote with some sort of an emotional response what's going to happen now he's raised from the dead he's raised from the dead by the power of God most high he has the power to to lay down his life and and to take it up again he does this so that we can have pasture he does this so we can have the rich blessings associated with life in Christ again notice what he says I am the door if anyone enters by me he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture that is the contentedness that the people of God enjoy as the people of God not without problems not without difficulties not without hardships not without challenges not without afflictions but they have that pasture they have that blessedness and then thirdly in conjunction with this I think it comes out in more detail in verse 10 the Lord Jesus gives Abundant Life notice in verse 10 contrast with the Godless the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly I think there's a few things we ought to observe in this particular section 10B he says I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly I think the first thing that this section or this tax causes us to reflect upon is that there's a presupposition in the text and that presupposition is that they're dead they're not hurt they're not crippled they're not a little bit off they're dead why did the Shepherd come to give us life why did the Shepherd come if we were already alive the shepherd comes to convey life because we're dead this is John 6 44 no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him why is that because they're dead in their trespasses and sins Ephesians 2 more of a theological statement in verses one to three sort of the before picture of what we are before we come to Christ he says you were dead in your trespasses and sins again not just a little hurt not just a little maimed not just a little bit crippled so when you understand these things and when you by Grace believe and when you pass through that door from Death unto life guess what the appropriate response is worship praise gratitude and celebration because I was dead but now I'm alive I was blind but now I see I was lost but now I I'm found so the Lord Jesus comes to give life the presupposition is obviously death as well the contrast the Godless leaders they steal they kill they destroy but the Lord Jesus gives everlasting life it's a beautiful thing in terms of the leadership let's see this not only in the in the Lord's Earthly Ministry but you'll see it in the apostolic Earthly Ministry in the book of Acts I think we looked at that as we worked our way through the book of Acts that there was that not that the apostles were leaders like Jesus but the apostles were leaders like Jesus in other words the religious leadership in that first century setting after Christ descends on high he leads captivity captive and he gives gifts to men those Apostles function to demonstrate what true leadership in the kingdom of God looks like it is the proclamation of Truth it is the preaching of everlasting life it is the preaching of forgiveness of sins it is the imputed righteousness of Jesus all those themes are replete in the book of Acts what is the religious leadership do at the time the the formal leadership they're associated with temple in the book of Acts they try to steal they try to kill and they try to destroy there's this contrast between Christ and his ministers and these guys that were a bunch of frauds a bunch of fakes now notice what he goes on to say the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly perhaps you've gotten a gift before and you've been so amazed by that gift it's just an Incredible Gift your wife your husband your parents they give you this gift it usually doesn't rise up into you and say well could I have more could I have two I mean sometimes you get the odd kid yeah could I have two you know she's like I don't want one cookie I want two cookies that's the the deal on the table no you're gonna get one well then I want it typically though we get a good gift and we're like that that's that's beautiful we've got the gift of eternal life but that's not enough for our God that's not enough for the Good Shepherd that's not enough for the one who traffic's in Riches of Grace I I came that they might have life and and that they might have it more abundantly in other words these men want to steal from you they want to kill you they want to destroy you they want to spread misery Christ is just the opposite Christ wants to come to spread blessing and joy and happiness and celebration Christ is the the Blessed Shepherd who recovers us from our wandering who brings us into the fold who calls us to his table who calls us to joy and happiness and gratitude I came that they might have life and and have it more abundantly there's three sections or three portions of scripture that I want to try to use to draw this out in even more detail the first is the prophetic Proclamation you can go back to the Prophet Jeremiah Jeremiah chapter 23 we have these prophets in the old Covenant prophesying of blessing in the New Covenant and that blessing is associated with the Messiah that will come to bring that New Covenant notice in Jeremiah 23 it's a similar sort of a passage in terms of a contrast between the wicked and the righteous leadership notice in 23 1 woe to the Shepherds who destroy and Scatter the Sheep of my pasture says the Lord therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the Shepherds who Feed My People you have scattered my flock driven them away and not attended to that behold I will attend to you for the evil of your doing says the Lord but I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries where I've driven them and bring them back to their folds and they shall be fruitful and increase I will set up Shepherds over them who will feed them and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed nor shall they be lacking says the Lord see that contrast between the ungodly unrighteous leadership versus The Godly righteous leadership that will be installed by our Lord according to his grace but notice the connection between that event and the coming of the Messiah the Good Shepherd the Lord of Glory notice in verse 5 behold the days are coming typically in the Prof the prophetic literature that announces or that is sort of uh signaling the New Covenant era behold the days are coming says the Lord that I will raise to David a branch of righteousness who's this uh raise to David a branch of righteousness this is Jesus a king shall reign and prosper and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth in his days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell safely now this is his name by which he will be called the Lord our righteousness Brethren that's not accidental that the Messiah the shepherd the one who gives his life for the Sheep yes he's righteous in terms of his essential Divinity he's righteous according to his Humanity his holy harmless and undefiled he bears that perfection in terms of his person but he bears that function in terms of his office he's the Lord our righteousness what's our problem Brethren it's unrighteousness what's our problem it's Rebellion against God it is departure it is defection it is apostasis apostate type thinking so God the Lord sends the son of his love who will be our righteousness remember Matthew 3 when John tries to prohibit Jesus from baptizing him he says you should be back all right you should be baptizing me and Jesus says no permit it for now it is absolutely imperative that we fulfill all righteousness Second Corinthians 5 21 God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become what the righteousness of God in him the prophets are filled with the reality that there's going to be forgiveness the prophets are filled with the reality that there will be open a a a fountain open for sin and uncleanness but the prophets are filled with the reality that Christ is our righteousness that Christ brings what we need in terms of forgiveness and in terms of a righteousness by which we may stand before God most high there is this prophetic announcement this prophetic Proclamation concerning the shepherd who will lead his people in the paths of righteousness turn to Ezekiel Ezekiel chapter 34. this latter section of Ezekiel is encouragement it's to provide strength and and help and blessing to the faithful Remnant at the time of the Babylonian captivity this is a time when you desperately needed a word from the Lord and you desperately if you were the remnant needed a word from the Lord that was going to be very encouraging and that's precisely what you find in these latter chapters of the Book of Ezekiel and in Ezekiel 34 there is this promise of a davidic Shepherd there is this promise of the Good Shepherd there is this promise of the Messiah that will bring life to his people notice in Ezekiel 34 specifically at verses 23 and 24 verse 23 I will establish one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them my servant David he shall feed them and be their Shepherd and I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a prince among them I the Lord have spoken that doesn't mean David's going to fall out of heaven and function in this capacity it means that David's greater son the Lord Jesus says promised to David by way of Covenant in second Samuel 7 is going to come and make good all the promises of God for they are yea and amen in him he's the davidic Shepherd that will come to lay down his life for the Sheep not only to forgive them but to convey upon them righteousness notice in verse 31 in the same passage you are my flock the flock of my pasture you are man and I am your God says the Lord God and then one final passage as we consider this prophetic Proclamation and the emphasis here is on the abundance Shepherd language is lacking but the abundance language is present Isaiah 55 Isaiah 55 so Jesus says to the people at that particular time that he comes that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly now in Isaiah 55 we have on the heels of the statement concerning the suffering servant in chapter 53 on Heels of the the comfort that that affords to the church in chapter 54 now this blessed and gracious call to Sinners to come to Israel's God through the Messiah and notice the way that the prophet does this under under God it's not that Isaiah thought that morning hey I'm going to really make this good no he's God's Prophet he's saying what God says it is the words of the living and true God notice that the emphasis here or the accent falls on abundance it doesn't fall on just a little bit you know you do your part you might get more it's formulaic you put in a few good units of Holiness and you'll get out you know a few cans of blessing that's not the way it operates in this new covenant God rejoices over us to do us good I think that's a tough thing for us to get our minds wrapped around I know it is for me I'm guilty I was brought up Roman Catholic and they they traffic in guilt I mean you've got or used to before the internet we used to have those what were they called uh Travel Travel Planners or you'd go somewhere and you'd tell them what you know because I guess they still exist but they're not as prevalent when you can do it on your own what do they call those vacation planners travel agent yeah well romanism is a travel agent for Guilt it's just the way it is so so coming out of that you know especially when you know maybe you're a bit skeptical you you live by the maxim that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is I don't think anybody really wants to give me a free all expense paid trip to you know Alaska via cruise and you know midnight buffets for free I just don't think that I think it's too good to be true and you know thus far I've proven that to be the case well maybe I should have called more I don't know it's hard to believe what God gives to Sinners it's hard to believe a John 10 10. I I came to give them life and and not just life but but I give them an abundant life I don't just give it to them to the point where they can sort of fall into heaven when it's all said and done I convey it upon them I am profuse with it in our studies in the book of Ephesians it's according to the riches of his grace the The Riches of Grace Grace is already rich how much more grace do you possibly need well God says if it ever happens to be the case I've got infinite riches for you I've got stuff you can't even begin to imagine I will not use it up and again I am not saying as a result of that go out and sin that Grace May abound I actually believe that when we appreciate the provision of our God in the gospel when we appreciate the Abundant Life conveyed by our savior that functions as an argument to promote Holiness when this God blesses us so richly what's the typical response from the child of God I want to serve him I want to follow him I want to love him and Obey him and do everything that he calls me to that's the effect of gospel notice in chapter 55 of the Prophet oh everyone who thirsts come to the waters you who have no money come buy and eat yes come by wine and milk without money and without price why do you spend money for for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy listen carefully to me and eat what is good and let your soul Delight itself notice that language and in abundance the good Shepherds come he's come to give life and he's come to give life abundantly notice in verse 3 incline your ear and come to me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you the sure mercies of David indeed I have given him as a witness to the people a leader and Commander for the people so in just three brief passages in terms of the Old Testament you see this prophetic pronouncement of what Jesus says in John 10 10 being I came that they may have life and that they may have it abundantly now let's look at the poetic illustration in the 23rd psalm the poetic illustration in the 23rd psalm it's a beautiful Psalm as our brother said at the outset of worship probably one of the most well-known passages of scripture in all of the Bible you know what happens when we get overly familiar with stuff we don't spend time with it as we ought we get overly familiar with things we assume we understand we assume we know but it's always good to revisit these things it's always good to visit these things it's always good to refresh our hearts and Minds with reference to The Shepherd of our souls notice the psalm is quite simple there is a proposition and then there are proofs a proposition and then proofs the proposition is very simply stated in verse 1. the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want beautiful great proposition isn't it the Lord is my shepherd I I shall not want CH Spurgeon in his introduction to this particular Psalm made the observation it is David's Heavenly pastoral a surpassing ode which none of the daughters of Music can Excel the Clarion of War here gives place to the pipe of peace and he who So lately bewailed the woes of the shepherd Psalm 22 tune fully rehearses the joys of the flock don't miss the connection between Psalms 22 and 23. again not just because of numbers but because of theology the work of the Shepherd in Psalm 22 brings the blessing of the flock in Psalm 23. so the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want there's your proposition now notice the proofs in verses 2 to 6. First you've got the provision of the Shepherd in verses two and three he makes me to lie down in Green Pastures he leads me beside the waters he restores my soul he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake Brethren I think there's a lot going on there but the one thing I want to sort of focus in on is this restoration of soul I came that they might have life why because they were dead what's this restoration of Soul it is resurrection from spiritual death we know that because of what he goes on to say in verse 3. he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake consistent with that statement that the Lord uh he is called the Lord our righteousness why does this why is this in that because I was not in the paths of righteousness I was a dead sinner not just I but you we were wandering we were far we were gone we were not looking for righteousness we were pursuing unrighteousness we were perfectly content to despise and reject and forsake the very savior that is outlined throughout scripture but it's he who sought us it's he who found us it's he who recovers us it's he who restores our soul it's he who leads us in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake the second proof is in verse 4 the protection of the shepherd the protection of the shepherd verse 4 his afford did the people of God comfort for for ages for Millennia it's beautiful he says yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me and again this goes back to what I said earlier just because you're you know and a recipient of abundant life doesn't mean there's not hardship doesn't mean there's no Affliction doesn't mean there's not a bad diagnosis from the doctor doesn't mean there's not a tyrant for leadership in terms of the Civil order there are issues and problems associated with the Christian Life and this is the reality of the psalmist he says yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death notice the the resolve this is what the people of God at some times not all the time and I don't want to pick on anybody here let's just say generically outside there in the history of the world in the history of Christianity sometimes we lack this resolve we we lack this resolve yeah though I I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil that's a statement of resolution and that's not bound up in how great we are because he gives the reason in just a moment but it's a resolution based on the reality of the hardship and difficulties that we sometimes face that is something that the people of God need to have we need to have that resolve that our Gods got us our God has us our God is not going to let us go Come What May and if we had time we'd explore what he says in this as well yea though I walk what through the valley of the shadow of death he never anticipates for a moment that he's going to die on this one side he never anticipates for a moment that he's not going to make it he never anticipates for a moment that he's not going to meet his end he understands that he's going to go through it that's the reality the resolve is I will fear no evil and the reason for thou art with me even in the midst of the Valley of the shadow of death even in the times of Affliction and trial and hardship even in this veil of Tears thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me in terms of protection but as well in terms of chastening sometimes it's us that's you know trying to venture off sometimes it's us that that on a run from the shepherd sometimes it's us that can sing with reality prone to wander prone to leave the god that we love that Shepherd's crook brings us back to himself in a blessed way as well notice the next proof in verse 5 5 the Providence of the shepherd verse 5 is amazing you prepare a table before me where you know with all my family and friends my grandkids my kids we just have an abundance we have turkey we have stuffing it's beautiful now you prepare a table before me in the presence of my my enemies you anoint my head with oil my my cup runs over the provision of God or Providence of God is seen yes in the good times we know that all things that are good work for good but we need to be reminded that all things work for good even the bad and this is what the psalmist recognizes in terms of the proof of the proposition that the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want and then the last proof is verse 6 the presence of the shepherd it's the best thing about being Christ's sheep it's Christ the best thing about going to heaven it's to be with God you know it's the the the the Pearly Gates and the gold you know roads and all that that's not what we're going to be gazing on it's not what we're going to be viewing that's not what we're going to be looking that's all backdrop and I'm not saying it's bad but who's the jewel of Heaven it's our beloved Jesus and this is the promise of the psalm psalmist this is the the proof rather the proposition he says surely goodness and mercy shall follow me literally it's they'll pursue me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever the Brethren that's not just a reality that awaits us Beyond Death physical death it's a reality that awaits us every Sunday every single Sunday we've learned in our study in the book of Ephesians chapters two a chapter 2 verses 18 and 22. what happens when the gathered Church meets the gathered Church comes to the father they do so through the son and they do so in the power and by the presence of the Holy Spirit so the psalmist proves the proposition with these various things that are calculated to illustrate poetically for us what Jesus means in John 10 verse 10. I can't I came that they may have life and that they may have it abundantly more abundantly and then I would suggest after a prophetic Proclamation and poetic illustration there's just the good old theological declaration blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ Ephesians 1 3. so you've got all of these things that underscore for us what the truth of John 10 10 be is indicating for us I want to suggest that the Lord Jesus is in fact the shepherd appointed by the father we see that in the passages in the Old Testament the Lord Jesus is the shepherd authorized by the father we see that in John 10 verses 2 and 3. he's the Shepherd that enters in by the doorkeeper's permission to go govern the Sheep as well the Lord Jesus is the shepherd equipped by the father he is uniquely equipped our confession says it this way the Lord Jesus in his human nature thus United to the Divine in the person of the son was Sanctified and Anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in whom it pleased the father that all fullness should dwell to the end that being wholly harmless undefiled and full of grace and truth he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and Surety which office he took not upon himself but was there unto called by his father who also put all power and judgment in his hand and gave him commandment to execute the same so for the people of God who by the grace of God entered through this door into the Sheepfold which simply means by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ Rejoice you have Abundant Life you have every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ you have justification you have sanctification glorification is in your future you can sing with the children in Sunday school this train is Bound for Glory that's our final destination it is Emmanuel's land wherein there is no unrighteousness where the wicked are excluded and the righteous have trapped with God throughout eternity if you are not a Believer here this morning listen to the savior he comes that they may have life and that they may have life more abundantly this is not a miser savior this is not an Ebenezer Scrooge savior this isn't the Savior that you know we'll we'll Dole out a few pennies insofar as you do your part this is the savior who lays down his life for the Sheep this is the savior who seeks out this man that was born blind who was cast out according to verse 45 it's Jesus who finds him it's Jesus who seeks him it's Jesus who discloses Jesus to him it's Jesus who saves him this Jesus is as good as the Bible says that cruise is probably fake they don't really want you to have two weeks free but when it comes to the gospel of our Salvation it is so blessed and so wondrous and So Glorious that our savior came that we might have life and that we might have it abundantly listen to the the Puritan John Owen when he describes the fullness that is in Jesus it's got a little bit of Puritan ease in it that's a little bit dated in terms of you know 17th century theology but I think you'll get the thrust of well I'm not talking like we're morons here but there's a different turn the different way that they wrote in the 17th century little longer syntax longer words a lot more commas and and you know dashes and that sort of thing listen to what he says this is the Beloved of our souls holy harmless undefiled full of grace and truth full to a sufficiency for every end of Grace full for practice to be an example to men and to angels as to obedience full to a certainty of uninterrupted communion with God full to a Readiness of giving Supply to others full to suit him to all the occasions and necessities of The Souls of men full to a glory not Unbecoming a subsistence in the person of the Son of God full to a perfect victory in Trials over all Temptations full to an exact correspondence to the whole law every righteous and holy law of God full to the utmost capacity of a limited created finite nature full to the greatest beauty and Glory of a living temple of God fall to the full pleasure and Delight of the soul of his father full to an everlasting Monument of the glory of God in giving such inconceivable excellencies to the son of man and then that son of man promises to give such inconceivable excellent excellencies to all who come to him in faith he came that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly Christian Rejoice praise adore celebrate Express gratitude non-Christian don't tarry don't wait don't put it off don't say well I don't know come to the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved it is Most Blessed news let us pray our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you so very much for the shepherd of our souls we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ the way he fulfills the Old Testament prophecy the way that he comes to do good to his people and bring glory to God most high may it be the case today that wherever the gospel is preached the spirit would attend the spirit would convict the spirit would produce the The Graces of faith and repentance so that Sinners may pass from Death unto everlasting life and for the Saints of Christ help us to reflect upon these things upon the Abundant Life that you have freely given to us and may we respond with worship and praise and adoration and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn in your hymn books to number 568 and we will praise this Triune God singing the doxology [Music] praise [Music] foreign the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen we thank you Father for the the mission of the Son of God to save his people from their sins we thank you for including us we thank you for your Sovereign Grace and your mercy we thank you for the life and the death and the resurrection of your son and again we pray that this gospel would run swiftly and be glorified throughout the Earth today and we pray in Jesus name amen but please be seated for a brief time of meditation