Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
First verse 21 versus.
Chapter 10, verse one.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Jesus entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same as a thief and a robber. But he is entered in by the door, and the shepherd of the sheep to him the Porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice. And he called his own sheep by name, and leader them out. And when he put his forth his own sheep he doeth before them.
And the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from Him, for they know nothing. Voice of strangers, this parable spake Jesus unto them. But they understood not what things they were, but he spake unto them.
Then said Jesus unto them again.
Verily, verily, I say unto you.
I am the door of the sheep.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
Eye on the door.
By me if any man entering any shall be saved, and will go in and out, and find pastures. The chief cometh not before to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.
I am a drugstores. The drugs giveth his life for the sheep.
For he that isn't hireling, and not the shepherd whose only sheep are not, see if the wolf coming and leave it the sheep and flee it, and the wolf catches them and scatters the sheep.
The firing fleeeth because he isn't hiring, not for the sheep.
I am the Good Shepherd and know my sheep, and I am known of mine.
As a father knoweth me, Even so no other father than I lay down my life for the sea. Another sheep I have which are not of this whole. Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice. And there should be one full and one shepherd.
Therefore, does my Father love me?
Because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No, ma'am, take 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 commandment have I received of my father.
There was a division therefore, again among the Jews were these sayings, and many of them said, He had the devil and his man. Why hear ye him? Father said these are not the words of him that hath the devil. Then a devil opened the eyes of the blind.
The 9th chapter.
The blind man is cast out who was one of the sheep, and by the same token the Lord Jesus was rejected.
So I believe we have in this chapter the Lord Jesus as the door.
The door so that the sheep might come out of the former order of things and be brought into the new. The Lord Jesus himself ushering in the new order of things, and he is the door Himself.
00:05:08
Wouldn't you say, Brother Lundy, that there are two doors in this chapter? There are two parallels.
And the first the door is the one the Lord himself enters.
In the second parable, the Lord becomes the door of the sheep. He is the door himself, where he says by me, If any man enter in, he shall be saved.
So I would take it that the first door that's mentioned here.
See that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the shape.
That.
We find that door in connection with all the prophecies of the Old Testament that the Lord fulfilled to the letter. In fact, in Daniel 9, you'll get the very year that He was to be born come into this world.
In their.
5th chapter of Micah you get the town Bethlehem was to be the town where he was to come, and the 7th chapter of Isaiah we get the way he was to come. A virgin should be with child and bring forth a son, and he was to be called Emmanuel so.
All those scriptures were fulfilled when the Lord presented him.
How to Israel not a scripture that had reference to the Messiah, thought the Lord fulfilled one and all. So he entered by the door. Others had come as the shepherd, but they didn't enter by the door. They tried to climb up some other way, which only proved that they were false.
And not the true shepherd of the sheep.
That's why it says to him before her openness, isn't it in the next verse?
Him, the Porter ultimate, and the sheep hear his voice.
There are a couple of other scriptures that.
Or like you said, brother, one is in John 5.
And verse 39.
John 5 and 39 speaks about the scriptures.
They are they which testify of me.
The scriptures pointed to one and only one, the coming one.
In Luke 24.
Some have called these verses 2526 and 27 the key to the scriptures. Now I say some have called it that and I hardly know of any better scriptures.
All fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ who suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
That's what the whole Bible is, is that it's the story of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some take the Scriptures as mere history. Well, there's history in the Word of God, but I like to think of it as His story from beginning to end. We see fights of the Lord Jesus Christ back in the books of Moses, even beginning with Genesis, way back in the first of Genesis when that land is authored by Abel. Well, it speaks to us of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The blood that was shed.
The animals that had to be slaves and the skins made into coats for Adam and Eve. Well, it all speaks to us of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's his story from beginning to end.
00:10:09
The point is that he alone qualified.
According to all the scriptures.
And I believe that the Porter is the Holy Spirit acting through Providence.
Well, take the case of.
So they're on the phone with the second of Luke.
Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, 25th verse. His name was Simeon.
Man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was upon him. Now notice there the Holy Ghost was upon him, and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost. Holy Spirit Mansion began that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, again into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him, after the custom of the law.
Then took him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now let us thou thy search depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. There we get the Porter opening the door to the aged.
Servants, the one who was waiting so long, doubtless for the consolation of Israel.
Well, he was led by the Spirit of God and of the temple the very.
Day that Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law. And so if you trace the subject on through.
Well, take the case of.
The disciples, well, we get there at the baptism of John.
How John says, behold, the Lamb of God. Two of his disciples left John and followed Jesus there. The Holy Spirit was opening the door so that those two disciples could enter into the place where they would have the company of Jesus. And we can say this that there wasn't.
A one among all the sheep.
That God had in Israel at that time.
That didn't get to hear the shepherd's voice. The Holy Spirit saw to it that every sheep among all the people of Israel got to hear of a shepherd's voice. The Lord traveled from one end of Palestine to the other. We don't read of him going outside of Palestine, for he was sent definitely to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.
And his voice was heard by everyone of the sheep.
In that whole nation.
And it was the Holy Spirit opening the door. But would you say then, Brother Barry, that the reason the Jews?
Did not recognize in the Lord Jesus the one scent of God. That is because they deliberately rejected the testimony of the Scriptures.
I'm sure that's true.
And and also the fact that God had spoken in Malachi of sending one before him. And this John the Baptist that our brother said, behold, the Lamb of God was the special vessel to point out, to introduce, to usher in.
The Lord Jesus Christ so that if we look also in the third chapter of Luke, you looked in the second look in the third chapter Luke in the end of verse 21.
The heaven was opened.
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him.
00:15:00
And a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I find my delight, or in whom I well pleased. Now I think all these thoughts contribute to the thought that the quarter opened unto him.
We might say at this juncture.
That we might look upon.
2 words here in the chapter that might give, as it were, the key to this portion.
The first one is in verse one, the sheep fold.
The sheepfold was a confined.
It had its.
Its limitations, as it were. And such was Judaism.
A system of religion with the law as.
Its central thought.
The sheep fold, we might say then, is Judaism, in which the Lord found that blind man in the previous chapter.
Now the other word you give the key to this portion is in verse 16.
Our authorized versions uses the word full and it's it's not the right translation at all.
It should read flock.
So the contrast is the sheepfold the old Judaism system of religion.
With the flock, the one, as we say, had a circumference without a sentence.
The other is Christ, the center without a circumference. That's why we have the liberty of verse 10 or 9.
So.
The way God.
Preserved his people of old, I should say, was in the thought of a fool, a wall built around.
For protection. So we have in Jacob's word to his son.
Joel, it says that Joseph is.
How does that read by a wall? Truthful bow? A fruitful bow by wall whose branches run over the wall?
So that if any outside of the nation of Israel got in touch with the true God, it must be through Israel.
Like Ruth the Moabite, well, the brother, the vine ran over the wall and Ruth got some of those grapes of Levine that had gone beyond that wall. But still it was.
The thought of being legally held together.
With the laws and ordinances and the priesthood and all that God had given to Israel to keep them in separation from the unbelieving nations around us.
But we will find that as we go on, I don't want to get ahead of our subject that it was a barren place. Just like any farmer knows that barnyard where he keeps his animals, that every fear of grass is, is tramped up, becomes a barren place. So that's the way with the the position that Israel was in, it was a barren place. It was like what you read off.
It was a low D bar, a place of low pasture, but as you go on you're going to find where the pasture.
00:20:00
To be found.
For rich pastures that the Good Shepherd leaves his sheep so they lie down in safety to enjoy.
The richness and the fullness of what he has brought his people into.
But we don't want to get ahead of the subject swinging these parts out because there's so much in connection with hearing the Shepherds voice.
The scripture you referred to brother area believe would be good to read a few more verses in Genesis 49 and we're like dropped to our fifth chapter, John.
Genesis 49.
22.
Joseph is a good football, even a beautiful bow by a well we granted running over the wall.
Parts of their shortly greedy with shot at him and pitted him, but his four, holding strength in the arms of his hands, were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob from thence into shadows.
Israel.
There's where we are.
Yes, and it's important to notice The Archers have thoroughly grieved him and shot at him and hated him. That tells what the Lord passed through his rejection and his sufferings down here, for He was despised and rejected of men. Man of Sorrows.
Acquainted with three. That's very beautiful they brought into that portion.
Brother, but his bow a vote in the strength, the arm of his hands were made mighty. After all the insults that man peeped upon our blessed Lord, He abode in his strength, didn't he? He came out of all his sufferings, even his atoning suffering.
Upper and the victor over all the power of the enemy of sin and death, and all that was against it.
And there we get the shepherd of Israel, proven to be the shepherd again.
There are three quite prominent thoughts here in this chapter and the one that you've just mentioned.
In connection with the shepherd giving his life to the sheep, I believe is the central one.
The first one that would be.
Could call attention to would be the 9th person what the Lord is.
I am the door. I don't mean to go ahead of our passage. I just like to call attention to these three things to keep them in mind. But in the ninth verse, the Lord says I am the door.
Find me. If any man enter in, he shall be saved. Shall go in and out and find pasture.
The next is I am the Good Shepherd, That's the 11Th person, the Good Shepherd given his life for the sheep.
Well, that's the sufferings of Christ, the basis of all the blessings. But he says I am the Good Shepherd, I am the door, I am the Good Shepherd.
Now the other one is in a verse we didn't read further on the chapter.
It's in the.
30th verse.
I and my father are one.
Now, I think those three thoughts are quite prominent in this chapter. In fact, this chapter.
Really should touch our hearts.
Brought right into the very presence of the Lord Jesus himself as the Good Shepherd, the one who gives his life not for Israel, that isn't what it says, but for the sheep. It's true that it was unto all, but still I believe what's before us here is the sheep, the Good Shepherd, and the sheep. He gives his life for the sheep, but the first thing that's mentioned is that He is the door.
00:25:19
But there could be no one entering that door had he not given his life for the sheep. But then the chapter goes on to show us the ultimate because the one who was the man Christ Jesus, the shepherd down here, is the one who is, although he was servant to the Father, yet he's one with the Father. And that takes us back to the thought that we have in John.
Another places.
In my father's house or many mansions.
Associates us with the Father. That's the end of all the blessing to be with, with Christ and glory in the Father's house. But he is the door. He's the one who went into death, and he's the one who will associate us in the glory there with the Father has done so.
I think what you said by the mundane about the blind man whose eyes Jesus opened.
Being a sort of an introduction to this chapter is very helpful. I believe that's what you meant. And we really get a much better understanding of the whole chapter if we have that before us to see in the preceding chapter the blind man that the Lord sent to the pool of Shalom, who moist and came seed.
Gave us a bright testimony for the one who opened his eyes.
That they finally cast him out of the semi dog. And when they cast him out of the semi dog, you find them in company as the one who had been cast out before him to find the Lord found in man's, and says to him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
Well, now he owns him as the Son of God and becomes a worshiper of him as that glorious person, God's Son, who had opened his blind eyes.
Well now let having that before us as we go into this chapter, we find the Lord enters the the door of the sheep.
So she pulled and he leads his sheep out of the fold. And this blind man is just a sample of all the others that were led out of that fold.
So that it becomes a very precious subject to our hearts to see that.
That he had gone before them and had already been cast out, and now that she'd followed him and they know his voice.
I suppose the blind man was not intelligent as to who the person of Jesus was when he was cast out. He gives the witness that he was a prophet, and then they cast him out. But the moment they cast him out, Jesus finds him again, and then he reveals further truth. And doesn't that set before us a lovely principle that if we're faithful to the truth in any little measure that's been given us, will get more light?
And this blind man now comes into the full revelation of who the person of Jesus is.
Because he had been faithful. And isn't it, brethren?
The fact that if you and I are in the enjoyment of companionship of the Lord Jesus, not only in separation but rejection, then the truth will be clearer to us. We'll understand it, but we'll also enjoy it.
Because if we're linked to tall with this side world that hates Jesus, how can we enjoy the truth properly?
And then it leads to worship too. It shows that worship is found in the outside place where the reproach of Christ is, is the portion of those that go unto him, like you get in the 13th of Hebrews.
00:30:04
Let us go therefore unto Him without the camp during His atroach, and then you get by Him. Therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise, giving thanks to His name. Then you get such sacrifices. God is well pleased. So there is a definite connection with the worship that is so acceptable to the heart of the Father.
Who delights the son in the place outside where reproach for his name?
Is found. I'd just like to mention, Brother Barry, what you were Speaking of in connection with worship that it wasn't just that this blind man's eyes were opened and that he was enlightened, but the Lord Jesus could say.
I am. He is the speaketh with me. I believe that's the secret, is it not?
Brethren, it isn't just knowing truth.
But as the soul and the enjoyment.
Practically, day by day of the person of Jesus.
That.
Draws out that worship.
Knowing truth won't do merely.
Am I right in this? Yeah, yeah, that's that's right. I'm sure. I believe this band's eyes were open to see the Lord Jesus Christ especially.
And.
We know that what it did to him when he saw him.
Oh, what a change that was in that man. He became a worshipper.
And that's what makes us worshippers, is to have our gaze, our vision filled with Christ, to see no man save Jesus only.
That's why it's so important that when anyone takes his place at the Lord's table, that he should see.
That the Lord Jesus Christ is there in the midst.
That's so important to see that he's in the midst.
Sometimes people might take their place at the large table for one reason or another.
There might be different experiences that they have.
That bring exercise to them, but there's this one thing that I believe they should see the Lord Jesus Christ himself in the midst and to want to be there because he is there.
And.
Filled with Christ, seeing Him will make us worshipers.
This particular case that it was not only excommunicated or put away, put out out of the synagogue, but also I will need to hold on Judaism.
Goes further than the synagogue, but very full from Judaism there was no room for a confession that this man was the Christ in Judaism was at that present time. And so it is with the with ourselves today we must not only.
Step out, as it were, or be put out. But we must recognize the person in the middle, and be attracted to him and to him alone, therefore thereby judging that which had been going on with.
Very helpful.
I understand that the words used here in the 10th chapter and the 9th chapter in connection with this blind man being cast out. It says in verse 34 they cast him out.
I understand that's a similar word to the word we have in verse three of chapter 10. He leadeth them out.
There's something similar about those two words, or what is translated there in the original.
Well, it's very important to come out, to be LED out, and the Lord may allow us to be cast out, to be put out. The Lord works in our hearts, works in our lives, that we might be brought to a place where we see no one but Him and see that He is the one.
00:35:02
That we should follow because we find that after they're put out.
Then he goes before them. They find that he is their leader. They find that he is the Shepherd, and they don't want to follow anybody else but him.
A beautiful example of that in blind Bartimaeus. After the Lord had opened his eyes, he said, Now Bartimaeus, go thy way.
Well, the blind man might have said, well, I've never seen the novel Sights of Jericho, so I'm off. Instead of that, it says he followed Jesus in the way. His heart was attracted to the person who would open his eyes. I suppose he would be the first one blind Bartimaeus saw, the very one who had opened his eyes, and he fallen him in the way.
I was thinking to Brother Lundeen you just mentioned about the Lord being I am the door. I remember correctly the Lord presents Himself seven times in John's Gospel as the I AM.
I am the door, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the light of the world, I am the way, I am the Resurrection, and so on. But in the first six he stands absolutely alone. We have no part in either of those six occasions. When He says I am. But in the 7th is in the 15th of John, he says I am the true Vine, ye are the branches. Now He brings us into association with Himself there.
But in the other sects we have nothing to do with the resurrection for the door for the Good Shepherd or the light of the world. He stands alone in that. But how precious that He brings us into association with Himself on the 7th.
In the 6th chapter he says I am the bread of life.
In the 14th chapter, I am the way, the Truth, and the life.
And you mentioned 11Th, I think I am, the resurrection and the life. In the 18th chapter he says I am and they fell backwards.
This gospel declares him as the Son of God.
He is unique in his deity.
In John's Gospel.
And.
Our chapter is the middle chapter of John's Gospel.
The one gospel that.
Gives you the buddings of Christianity.
The stepping stones, as it were, towards Christianity.
May be traced from chapter one right through to the end.
It's the most peculiar in John's Gospel, how Christianity is anticipated and in a sense, vision is made, the Holy Spirit given the Father to be known as our Father.
And even when it comes to assembly, in the 20th chapter, the door is being shut and the disciples were assembled together and the Lord Jesus himself was in the midst.
And in that same 20th chapter, you get a whole series of new things coming out in connection with that person, that person that the Holy Spirit delights to honor.
He takes the things of Christ, He shows them to us. He glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.
And in resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ comes out as the head.
Of the new creation.
And through grace, you and I are identified with.
And he breathed on them, and he says, Receive ye the spirit.
Well, we have identification of Christ and resurrection life.
And he said, I go to my God, and your God to my Father and your father, and so many new things there. He gives a new Commission in John 20.
And our fourth verse.
00:40:01
We have some things that are very important, I think, to notice in connection with, when he put it forth, his own sheep. Now these are in contrast with all the rest of Israel. These are his own sheep. These are the ones that he came down to die for, the ones he came to save.
And he's made full provision for his sheep. He goes before this. I believe that's very important to notice.
To put it practically, we find a person is converted, saved, and they're in an isolated place. They don't have much fellowship, perhaps the two or three.
Are they without resource? Why? No, He's made full provision, he goeth before them and now they follow him.
Well, that's the exercise of a new nature now and following Jesus.
We find that this has been brought out with the blind man, and with that is Bartimaeus and also the blind man in the 10th chapter.
The eye is upon Christ now. It has been taken off of the the other.
And it's resting on Christ, and so the soul has full provision by the Spirit now, who takes of the precious things of Christ and shows them to us.
But he does not leave us without resource, no matter how small a little assembly is in which you're found, you'll find that God has made provision for you. And it sometimes takes a little waiting upon God to discover it. But he has made that provision. And Christ is the is the one who goes before his sheep, his own sheep, and.
The sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
It seems to me that that is what characterizes the shape and contrast with Israel.
It's his voice that draws them out from the mass around.
Now those who have the oracles of God outwardly, as the nation, did not hear his voice.
They stumbled because they had expected a mighty deliverer to come, and they didn't know the ways of God. They hadn't been in communion. They hadn't been true to the light. They had but his own sheep.
Heard his voice.
Turn to Isaiah just for a verse. Isaiah 50. I believe it gives us a little picture of the same remnant that we have in Malachi and in Luke 2 as we've been reading up today, Isaiah 50.
The 10 first.
My brother Brown was saying that we have in John the buddings of the.
The truth of the church, the buddings of the beginnings of it. But here we have the little remnant looking on who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyed the voice of his servant. There you have it. Obey the voice of his servant. Now that's just as true today as it was when Jesus walked the streets of Galilee.
That walketh in darkness and hath no light. That's not so true today, though there's plenty of light today.
Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God. Well, that's the little remnant.
That was found in the days of this blind man, when Jesus was here that heard his voice and followed him, had no light otherwise, but it was true to the light.
That he had there is a verse in the 50th Psalm.
He that offers praise glorify me, and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. I believe that to mean one who is true to the light that they have, there will be more light given, and not only for salvation, but for the pathway after we're saved.
Singing of what you're calling attention to is old faith.
The Lord uses the same expression in the 13th chapter of John.
00:45:02
Having loved his own, which were in the world he loved among to the end.
But why that speaks to our souls doesn't say his disciples, doesn't say his apostles.
He doesn't say his brother, but his oath, that very word speaks of possession, something that one values.
That as something that's priceless to their hearts.
We know in order that any poor Sinner might.
Belong to Christ he laid down his life as we get here at this chapter good chapter give us his life for the sheep, but.
That word speaks much to our souls, his own, which were in the world.
He loved him unto the end.
I think that's a nice brother. Very like we're told. It's so sweet when we think of math Was 13.
Sold everything to get that Pearl. Now he owns and I was taking notes. Mary Magdalene and John 21.
The third verse that we go back to that a moment she hear his voice.
He calls his old sheep by name. These two things go together there. Mary Magazine.
She was.
She heard his voice and the Lord spoke to her, but she didn't know immediately that it was the Lord. She still thought it was the gardener, but when the Lord Jesus said Mary, now he spoke her name.
He recognized them immediately. I believe that was our voice and his brother, Barry said. And this is just the disciples, they were known as those that accompanied with the Lord. All his path were here.
But Mary is old and his own here in a special way when she heard his voice.
There's a word missing here, I believe. I believe in the new translation, we find that there's a note as to this, that if you really read when you put a court all his own sheep, that's not leaving out anybody, not just the disciples, not just a few here and there, but all those who are the sheep.
He takes them all in here, and that would bring with it responsibility if the Lord puts forth all his own sheep and he goes before them.
Why? There's a responsibility there to follow him and to know his voice, to listen to his voice. No one is exempt here.
If we're thinking of the Lord as the servant.
Of God here, which I believe we do have is come down as the servant. But I know that is what characterizes Mark's gospel, but I believe it characterizes John also in this sense that you have Moses referred to often in John and you have those signs that Moses indicated prophet like unto me, but he's the servant here and now. That's makes it particularly sweet as we think of the Lord.
Come down to to do the work of the father.
His heart is affected as he sees the sheep and he lays his life down for them, but he does so as the servant. He's the servant of the Father. He's the servant of God. Now does that not have a voice for any who may seek to serve the Lord? It isn't simply carrying out of service.
But Christianity brings with it a heart warmth. I think our brother Eric Smith called her attention to the fact that what's needed today is broken hearted shepherds among the people of God. It isn't simply knowledge that's needed. It isn't simply walking in a strict.
Orderly course which is necessary, but to have a heart we have that here brought out his own sheep, and yet He had come to serve the Father.
00:50:00
Mr. Potter used to say the Lord didn't have any shepherd dogs.
Any what? Any shepherd dogs? No.
Verse 16.
Both of Jews and the Gentile brought together in verse 16.
Another sheep I have which are not of this full referring this full referring to the Jews.
Then under Judaism.
Then also I must bring.
And they shall hear my voice.
Referring now to the Gentiles.
And they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
So you have to distinguish between the sheep and that which we have in verse 16. Other sheep I have. We can sit here and combine both, but it's good to keep them separate and because it brings before the marvelous place of cloth.
I suppose the Lord was anticipating.
But he brings out at 16 birds when?
His brother Anderson has called our attention to all his own feet so that it's just as much a word for ourselves as was for those Jewish sheep that the Lord was first addressing himself to.
So that we can have a very real way appropriate every thought.
We find brought with force to ourselves, like the shepherd going before us as Brother Landin has so nicely brought out.
And that's very priceless to think the Lord has has everything.
Raised and planned. Just, you might say, like the time the Lord sent the two to prepare the Passover. Lord had everything.
Pre arranged so that when they came together, they were in the place where they surely found the Lord in their midst. And then we could speak of this thought too, in connection with the sheep following Him and his going before the sheep, that there isn't a trial or sorrow that we will ever experience in this life, that the Lord hasn't gone before and passed through that sorrow himself.
So that he's not asking us to follow in the path where the Lord hasn't already gone through that, so that it's a safe path and it's a sure path.
Something like the 23rd Psalm where it says yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. So if the Saint of God is nearing the end of the journey.
I'm passing through.
Leslie.
Suffering, while the Lord has gone through the suffering of death even before him.
Of course, as we know, the valley of the shadow of death is not just.
The Saint of God dying. There's the whole scene down here that's spoken of in that way. Not death, but the valley of the shadow of death for death has cast.
Its shadow over everything that we have to do and in this life.
Everything fading, fading fast. All is stamped with deaths. Dark cast in the end of first Peter 2.
There are a couple of thoughts that fit in with what you just said.
Peter two and verse 21 The middle of the verse.
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that she should follow his steps. Verse 25. For ye were as she going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
00:55:09
May have the same true verses the former brother Ron like tension in verse 21.
Her brother Darby puts in a word that brings the intimacy a little closer, but he should follow in his steps.
So if we're following in his steps, we'll not be like Peter who follow the far off. I'm not able to hear the shepherd's voice.
In his steps, we'll hear his voice, like the little boy that was following his father through the snow.
He he reached out and put his foot right down where his father put his foot down.
In verse three, says the sheep, here his voice.
The end of verse four. For they know his voice. I was thinking what the we have from the Mount of Transfiguration, when the Father opened the heavens and declared, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Hear ye him well. Why is it necessary today then for the Saints of God to listen to all the strange voices around us? Are we not liable that we can get confused if we do? Isn't the Shepherd's voice enough for every one of us?
It should be, but we find on every hand many dear children of God are listening to the many strange voices around, and in the end they're so confused they don't know where they stand. But the Father has said, this is my beloved son. Hear him well, Beloved Saints of God, surely His voice should be sufficient for every one of us. He will never lead us astray, never deceive us. He'll show us the right way and give us the grace to walk in it. We listen to His voice.
In Zechariah Chapter 11, it speaks of the idol Shepherd and he is in contrast to the Good Shepherd.
The idle shepherd is there. Speaking of, I think, of the future.
Antichrist.
The Antichrist and in our epistle of First Epistle John chapter 2, we are warned about the many antichrists. Even now there are such. So we have to be on our guard as to what voice it is that we pay heed to.
At 16th verse of the 11Th chapter, Zechariah, that you were speaking about, it says, Lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land which shall not visit those that be cut off. Neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that look, nor feed that that stands still, but he shall eat the place of the fat, and tear their clothes to pieces.
World of the idol shepherd that leave us the flock. The sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye. His arm shall be cleaned, dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly dark.
You get.
The foolish shepherd in one of those verses, it's in verse.
Verse 15, that's the Antichrist. And then Mr. Darby's translation to verse 17. Woe to the worthless shepherd now in chapter 12.
Verse 7.
Awake, O sword against my shepherd Zechariah.
The wickedness will be such in that day that that shepherd will be cast into hell alive.
Without any sessional judgment before the throne, he'll be cast directly into hell.
That's the wickedness of man.
Really, of those of the Jewish nation summed up in this man manifesting in that one one man. I was thinking of the voice here in connection with Elijah.
01:00:09
We find Elijah.
When he got a little discouraged, he left the land of Judea, and he went out to Sinai.
Into the presence of God.
And we we had a fire, I believe, and an earthquake, and a wind, and the Lord was not in the wind.
But when he heard the still small voice.
Then he knew the Lord was there, and he recovered his head.
Dismantle bowed himself. And perhaps that's a little picture to us of.
Of a practical side of this.
To be in the enjoyment of that voice, perhaps we get so busy and we become.
As Luke tells us, overcharged with the cares of this life, it might be so, and we think we know the Lord's mind, but we don't have it because we don't wait for the still small voice. And we're reminded that he's not in the wind, he's not in the fire.
And he's not in the earthquake. But in order to hear that voice, we'll have to be quiet, which is a very difficult thing to do today, I know.
But in order to hear that voice, we will have to be quiet.
I told the voices heard through his word instruments and that takes him all the scriptures.
But it's as one walks in communion that they get the voice of the Shepherd.
The apostates that Jude speaks about.
Are just the opposite, for they speak great swelling words, they make much over man, and they have not the spirit.
The Lord Jesus says I am meek and lowly in heart.
We know his character, we love him.
For that which is found in No Other Man on Earth.
We love him because of that tender, loving heart that is ever true, faithful and cares for us. He is the Good Shepherd.
Until it's it's really walking in the power of an ungreased spirit grieves not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby your sailor for the day of redemption. If we're allowing anything in our lives to we know it's displeasing to the Lord. Why we can't expect to have the guidance in the mind of the Lord.
So we need to be.
Much before the Lord, that nothing should be allowed to hinder the direct guidance that He gives by His Spirit and through His Word.
It may be a principle that's found in the word, or it may be some special words that comes just when we need.
Where to direct us?
I spoil where you read here on the 6th verse. This parable spake Jesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. If the Jews, unbelieving Jews, and the unbelieving heart of man can never enter into the things of God.
Verse 26 is in keeping with just what you said.
Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice.
Now I suppose that this truth.
01:05:03
Is to be found in practice only in the sheep. But do the sheep always walk through to this? I I doubt that that is not the subject of our chapter. I know, but for the sake of any that have these thoughts arise. Why you take Peter for instance. He was a sheep.
And yet he followed afar off, and there's many a child of God that has through carelessness, gotten away from the Lord, and they have been influenced by my.
All religious leaders and persuaded and it followed them and in fact they'd get into their little groups and make an awful lot over that one. Well, that's just what they wanted.
They wanted a following, so we have to be walking in the good of this truth to be true to our new nature.
John speaks to return to life. That's divine light and we get the characteristics of that eternal life.
And the 11 Characteristic is that those who have that light hear his voice and they follow him.
Well, it's a solemn thing to claim to have eternal life.
And not be following the Lord, not be listening to his voice, that is with a view to be to being obedient.
****.
Needed half my commandment and.
Keep it there, My commandments, and keepeth them. He it is that loveth me, and He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love Him who will manifest myself to Him. Now I believe the thought there is the enjoyment of it in the soul through obedience, obedience to His word. One may might be a sheep and not be in the enjoyment of walking and obedience to the Word. So he doesn't enjoy that communion.
I think that most of us have experienced that at times in our lives.
His commandments.
I I don't want to get off our subject, but we're talking about His voice, aren't we? Not they in the verse referred together in first John 5.
His commandments are preservative.
Where the soul goes on valuing his precious word, heeding it.
Why His word just keeps us in the path of happiness and blessing. His commandments do that. Oh, how much in contrast to the commandments of Moses.
They were indeed. They were a hard thing for anyone to try to live up to.
Because man is a fallen Sinner. But now we have those of the new nature is sheep, and 1St Epistle of John is the family, and there it's his commandments that do us good and keep us in the way. I used to have a very, very homely little thought, my own mind you take these wooden gutters on the House, or any any such thing that keeps the water flowing in its right course.
Well, his commandments keep us in the way of happiness.
When you speak of commandments, you're not Speaking of the 10 commandments, but any precept that the Lord has given us, any principle, if we really love the Lord, want to please Him, it becomes a commandment to us, doesn't it?
They're necessary for the new nature to know the path, and that's the path in which he's gone before, is it not?
The birds I'm thinking of is in John 14 at the end of the chapter.
31St verse. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandments, Even so I do.
That characterize the whole pathway of the Lord down here. Doesn't it mark him out as a divine person because every other.
01:10:07
Servant, or every other one that has trusted the Father has failed in obedience at some time many times.
Here was one that never failed in obedience.
What his they could say as He does here, that verse that you just read, that the world may know that the Father, that I love the Father.
That was approval.
Brother Barry, I would like to get a little help on this question. If you notice at the end of verse 3.
He calleth his own sheep her name, and leadeth them out. Now, verse 7.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep, all that ever came before me, and so on. Is he not going out before them, and leading them out in verse 7, as well as three, and then after speaking about the thieves and robbers that had hitherto gone into that duty.
Judaistic.
Bull. Then he says in verse nine, I am the door, and he introduces that which would point to Christianity.
I'm sure that's.
Have contained in the thoughts before us.
That is, now that the Lord has gone outside himself of the Jewish folk, he becomes the door not to the the old Jewish folk. That part of the cold is entirely given up as God's ways of dealings with His people. But now the fall of a flock comes before us.
And as you say, that is the budding of Christianity, isn't it?
Now the Lord has a prop, and He is the center of that block, so that now in order to be among the sheep Christ, one must come in through that door, which is Christ Himself.
All that ever done I am the door by me. If any man enter in, it is into that flock. He shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pastures.
Paul gives us the doctrines of Christianity and we get a great deal of truth in Corinthians in connection with the truth of the body.
But it seems to me that John is so necessary to come before we have in the first chapter Christianity set forth in a person.
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. We don't have really a transfiguration in John, but we do have His glory, perhaps in a little different way.
In the first chapter the glorious is seen as of the Son of God, but it's manifested here in a man. But it's Christianity in a person. The true Christianity in connection with the Church was not brought out until Pentecost. But still we have that which lays the foundations and the patterns, do we not? In connection with the individual here, Not the collective company so much, but the individual.
Rather, I believe in John.
That's why Brother Darby said on his deathbed.
Half he exhorted his brethren not to give up John's ministry for Paul's ministry, because the person of Christ is the is the subject all through the writings of John, and if we get cold doctrines without being attracted to the person of Christ.
We can easily.
Be turned aside, going the wrong direction. But if the person of Christ is everything to the soul, that one is going to be preserved and kept.
Then often said that it isn't doctrine that's going to keep any of God's people, it's love for Christ that will keep us.
01:15:04
And that's why some of the most valuable teachers that were ever among those gathered to the Lord's name have gone astray. And then the leaders in division, they had the doctrine, they had the truth, clearly they knew Paul's doctrine in the most excellent way. But losing sight of Christ, well, the enemy takes advantage of that one.
To to make use of them in dividing instead of.
Instead of holding the sheep together.
We have and must have the balance of truth and I'm sure when Mr. Darby made that statement at the very last of his ministry, even from his bedroom.
That.
He had in mind that we were not.
To be only in the truths concerning the Church.
The Apostles 14 Epistles brings us the truth for this age in a particular way, like none other none other could have to do.
Well, the apostle Paul, he speaks about the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. He says the love of Christ constraineth us. And his epistles are full of Christ, the person of Christ. But it is in a different way in Paul's ministry. It is that one who is now in the glory, the Holy Spirit has come down here to make everything of Christ.
You read Colossians chapter one. Indeed he.
Shown that all of his glory and Paul would have us give him the preeminence as God would in all things. In Hebrews chapter one we see the majesty and the glory of the person who's gone in so acceptably in the worth of his sacrifice into God's presence and so well, we're not going to try to pit.
The ministry of run against the other. We need them both. Doctrine is absolutely essential at all times. If it is received in the heart and the fear of God, we need to tremble lest we have the truth merely in our head. We must live more in God's presence, more on our knees, and value every bit of the Word of God.
This business of having favorite scriptures and saying that this is a much more important than that. We must never in any way belittle any portion of God's Holy Word. Time is up brother 103.
We'll sing of the shepherd that died, that died for the sake of the flock. His love to the utmost was tried but firmly endured as a rock. 103.
No, no.
I'm ready.