Gospel—Jim Hyland
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Let's start the Gospel meeting this evening with hymn #9. On the gospel hymn shape come every soul by sin of breath. There's mercy with the Lord, and He will surely give you rest by trusting in His word. I suggest that those of us who can't stand up to say this hymn #9, and if someone will, please start.
Umm.
Far away.
And due to the weather.
Believe in heaven.
I'm feeling I love you, the one I'm glory in my life.
Nsnoise.
He will take him for now.
Start Skype.
Going to read several portions of scripture at the beginning of the Gospel meeting this evening. The first one is in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah, chapter 53.
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Isaiah chapter 53 and verse 6.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way.
And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
And then a portion in John's Gospel, chapter 10.
John's Gospel, chapter 10 and verse 11. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. And then in Luke's Gospel chapter 15.
Luke's gospel, chapter 15 and verse one then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them, And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you having 100 sheep, if he lose one of them, does not leave the 90 and 9.
In the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it. And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep, which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over 1 Sinner, that repenteth more than over 90 and 9 just persons.
Which need number repentance and then I want to read another verse in Hebrews chapter 13.
Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 20.
Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen. And I want to read just one more expression. It's in Psalm 23.
Psalm 23 and verse one. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Well, as we know, going through the word of God we find that the person and work of Christ is brought before us in different ways.
Sometimes the Lord Jesus is brought before us as the Lamb of God. He's brought before us as the Son of God and many, many aspects of his work and person brought out in so many different ways. In the verses that we have read together, He's brought before us as the Shepherd, and God uses these ways to bring before us the truth, to make it clear and simple and plain.
Because he wants us to understand tonight the way of salvation.
Through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, there's a lot of complicated things in this world today.
A lot of things that are hard to understand, and I have no doubt there are students here who dread going back to school on Tuesday. You say I just don't understand that textbook they handed me at the beginning of the term. I just don't understand that homework they gave me to do and to ponder over the weekend. There are things that are complicated, some perhaps here, who are distressed as they think.
Of going back to the business or the corporate world, how tangled things are.
In the corporate world today. But isn't it wonderful that there's something that is never complicated?
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Or sometimes we complicate the gospel, but the gospel is not complicated.
God has made it so very simple, and I've had opportunity on many occasions to present the gospel to young children, to boys and girls. And you know, the astounding thing is sometimes they can take it in better than those whose minds have become cluttered with the cares and teachings and philosophies of this world, whose minds have become, as we would say, more developed and more enlightened.
Because it does take the faith of a little child to come, the Lord Jesus put a child in their midst on one occasion.
And told them that if there was going to be blessing, they needed to come in simple faith like that young child. And so the gospel tonight is not complicated, but there are a number of things we want to go over tonight in the presentation of the gospel from these verses that bring before us, as I say, the aspect of the Lord Jesus as that Good Shepherd. But I began here in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah.
Because this verse brings before us, first of all, very clearly why there was a need for a shepherd.
And why there was the need for a shepherd to give his life for the sheep? Here we find that we're likened to sheep. Why is mankind, in his natural state, likened to sheep?
Because sheep are wayward. And you know, if there's one thing man likes, it's to do his own will. It's to go his own way. I didn't have to teach my children to go their own way. I didn't have to teach my children to be wayward or willful. I didn't have to teach them to say no. I didn't have to teach them to quench those little fists in anger when they didn't want to do something that I wanted them to do.
No. We're born in sin and conceived in iniquity. We're born with a fallen, rotten nature that likes to do its own will. And here we find it says all we like. Sheep have gone astray. There's no exceptions, is there? No exceptions to the fact that we are sinners. If we were to go over to the Book of Romans, we would find there again. It confirms that all have sinned.
And come short of the glory of God, Solomon the wisest man, whoever lived in the Old Testament. He said, there's not a man on earth that doeth good and sinneth not. No, we like to have our own way all we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way, and we want to get this very clearly rooted in our souls. If you're not saved tonight, I want to impress upon you on the authority of God's word.
That you are a Sinner, and that not only are you a Sinner, but you are just as rotten a Sinner in the sight of God as the person sitting beside you. And you are just as rotten a Sinner in the sight of God as the person down in the penitentiary, or the person who lies in the gutter in the inner city, wasting their life and the part of the person who staggers home drunk and beats their wife.
The person who mistreats their children. The person who will stand and openly curse God. Oh, you say? I'd never do any of those things. Perhaps not, but there is no difference. For all have sinned. There is no difference. God sees you tonight as a Sinner, and you're without Christ if you don't know him as your savior and you're on your way to hell.
Are we, like sheep, have gone astray? We have turned.
Everyone. You know, when it says all, that's the whole human race.
But then it brings it down because it's easy to say all have sinned.
It's easy to admit that when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit.
That sin came into this world, and that sin has affected this world.
And mankind.
But we need to get to the second point, and that is we have turned everyone to his own way. That's individual, isn't it? That brings it right down to you and to me tonight. And that's the way we've got to see it tonight. Because tonight we must realize two things, That as individuals we're sinners, and that as individuals we must be saved.
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We don't get saved as families, we don't get saved as groups.
We were talking this afternoon about Timothy and how he had a wonderful, godly heritage.
I'm thankful for a godly heritage, but you know, Timothy had to make it his own. He had to come as an individual through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. It wasn't enough to have a God fearing grandmother. It wasn't enough to have a godly mother. No, he had to come. And that's really what it means when it says straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be.
That find it? Are you going on in rebellion?
Are you refusing to enter in? The gate is narrow, The gate is straight. You have to come as an individual, but you have to come. And the gate is open tonight to individuals. It's not closed yet. You can come tonight.
Are you going to disobey?
Are you going to rebel against God tonight and turn away from his pleading, from his command?
From his invitation to come to the Savior, you know the gospel is not just good advice.
You know, I might give you some advice. Or anybody else in this room might give you some advice. It might be good advice. It might be bad advice. And even if it's good advice, you might choose not to listen to it. But tonight we're not giving you good advice. We're giving you good news. And we're giving you, from the word of God, some of the facts of the gospel. And you are responsible because it talks about those who obey, not the gospel.
And they're going to be damned. In a lost eternity, God will have no choice but to send such an one to hell.
Maybe there's parents here who are praying for their children and young people. I want to encourage you not to give up.
I recently sat by my mother's bedside.
As she neared the end of her 87 years of pilgrimage.
Here in this world, and as I was sitting there quietly one afternoon.
I picked up my mother's Bible and I just.
Really idly flipped through it. I don't think I'd ever picked up my mother's Bible before, although I had seen it in use plenty.
But as I flipped through it, something came to my attention. Something that was tucked between some of the pages.
It was a newspaper clipping from 36 years ago and it was a newspaper clipping of one of my mother's sons.
That picture was in the paper, Really.
As a result.
Of a rebellious course.
One of her sons, at 16 years of age, had dropped out of high school.
With a Grade 10 education gone down to the City of Ottawa and written their real estate exams.
Got on in one of the local offices in Smiths Falls and this picture wasn't announced.
So that this 16 year old had now been hired as a real estate agent in the town of Smith Falls. I looked at that picture for a long time.
I have that picture on the podium with me tonight, just as a reminder.
And I have pondered in the last couple of weeks why my mother kept that picture in her Bible.
For 36 years.
I don't know exactly why, because I never had opportunity to ask her. She really wasn't cognizant of what was going on by the time I discovered this picture. But I have wondered if every once in a while she didn't look at that picture, the picture of her oldest son, and rejoice.
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That the grace of God, because it is the grace of God. It is only the grace of God that saves us, and it is only the grace of God that keeps us. And it is only the grace of God that restores us when we fail. And I just say that as an encouragement to any mother or any father or any grandmother or any grandfather tonight who may be sitting in these seats praying for a young person.
A son, a daughter, a grandchild who maybe they don't know if they're, say, you don't know if they're saved.
Or maybe they've made a profession and they've gone off in sin and rebellion.
And you're praying that they'll be restored. All be encouraged, but all we, like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. But thank God the verse doesn't end there. It tells us. But the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. And that's why I turn to John chapter 10, because in John chapter 10 we have in such a very precious way.
The shepherd brought before us the shepherd who in a previous verse is referred to as the door of the sheep.
The shepherd who in the verse we read together.
Is referred to as the Good Shepherd, not just the shepherd. There's a lot of shepherds. And in the days of the Lord Jesus, there were a lot of professed shepherds in Israel, those who professed to care for the sheep. And I'm not talking now about natural, literal sheep out on the hillside, but I'm talking about those who were God's people as far as being the Jews, God's people. And there were those who professed to be shepherds of God's people.
But they were anything but good shepherds. But here was the Good Shepherd. And the Good Shepherd had come to give his life for the sheep. Because if there was going to be blessing for fallen sinful man, it requires the death of an innocent victim. And oh, thank God, we can present the gospel tonight, because the Good Shepherd has laid down his life, he gave his life, he said later on, said later on in this very chapter.
That he laid down his life. No man taketh it from me. I have power to lay it down.
And I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father. Do you know this shepherd? If we were to read this chapter, we would find that the shepherd, the sheep, they hear his voice. Have you heard the voice of the Lord Jesus? He's speaking to you tonight.
What to God that you would hear, these scriptures that we are reading and quoting as the very voice of God to you these things, as we were reminded this afternoon?
Where God breathed, they were written down by, yes, John and Isaiah and others, but they are the very voice of God speaking to you.
When the Lord Jesus was here in this world, he spoke these words to those that listened to him.
That were around him, but you know he caused men like John to write them down.
So that his voice could still be heard tonight. Do you hear this as the very voice of God to you?
The sheep follow him. Oh, I know there's many in this room who delight to follow the Lord Jesus as his sheep. We used to sing a chorus when we were young people. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back. We find in this chapter 2 The sheep know him.
Do you know the Lord Jesus? Do you know him? Is he really your savior? Is he your shepherd? You know, the thought in a shepherd is one who cares for the sheep, one who provides for them.
I wish I could tell you more about the care of sheep. I'm a city boy. I don't know much about the care of animals. I'm not even a pet lover. And so I tolerate a cat in our house, but I don't really look after the cat. And so I don't know much about the care of animals. If my father were able to come and speak to us tonight, he'd be able to tell us a great deal about the care of sheep. You know, my father, he's been with the Lord over nine years.
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He was not a man. Whoever stood up in a public place very often, he was good and solid when it came to the truth, and he raised us in a godly God fearing home. But you know, one time I heard him preach the gospel. Just one time in a public setting I heard him preach the gospel. And he preached on sheep and he preached from his experience because as a young man he had cared for sheep.
And he could bring out things from this chapter in Luke 15 that I could never hope to bring out.
But I do know one thing. While I don't know much about the care of sheep, I do know that my shepherd has cared for me for many, many years. And so we find the Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep and he's calling tonight.
My wife and youngest daughter and I had opportunity to visit a large Maple Sugarbush operation. Lanark County, where I come from in Eastern Ontario, is reputed to be the heart.
And capital of sugarbush country and there's great production. I've heard statistics as to the gallons and gallons of Maple syrup that are turned out every spring, UH, in our area. And we had opportunity to visit a large sugar operation and to have a meal of pancakes and Maple syrup and to tour the operation. It's a state-of-the-art operation where the trees are tapped and then it's piped in and uh.
Boiled very scientifically, not like the old bats and the old horse and sleighs that used to collect it, And as we think of Maple syrup collection and boiling and so on. But you know, what struck me most about that day was not the Maple syrup operation, but there was a A. There were a few animals there, a few farm animals in different pens, and the boys and girls could tap them and feed them, and so on. And in one of those pens there was a sheet.
And that sheep was lying over in the corner, just viewing everybody as they passed by, and seemed as unconcerned as, uh, a sheep could be. And my daughter tried to call that sheep over. She even had some hay or something green, something green and leafy in her hand. And she tried to coax that sheep to come over, and that sheep would not respond, even though she had a tasty morsel for it. That she was no more interested in coming over to my daughter than anything.
You notice we were about to turn away, The back door of the kitchen opened and a young girl came out, and she was obviously the daughter of the owner, part of that family. And she had some things, some scraps from the kitchen in her hand. And she came over to the fence and she said here Nelly, come and get this. And immediately there was a response as soon as the shepherdess called the sheep by name.
That she responded immediately. And I've never forgot that. And oh, tonight the Lord Jesus is calling you. He's calling you by name. Are you responding? I know there are just so many here who have responded. I have redeemed the I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. It rejoices our hearts. But what about you tonight? Have you ever responded to that? Very.
Individual call.
There was a young boy named Samuel in the Old Testament, and the Lord called him too.
Samuel, Samuel. And finally he responded and said, speak for thy servant Heareth. What did everyone of us would respond to our name being called and that we would hear what the Lord Jesus has to say. But now I want to dwell for a few moments on that well known parable that we read in Luke's Gospel chapter 15. You know again.
The gospel is very simple and the Lord Jesus when he was here.
He often told real stories and he often spake in parables. Now, you know, they're not fables, they're parables. Scripture is very clear about that. You know, when I was quite a bit younger and 1St preaching the gospel a little bit, an older brother said to me, he said, Jim, remember, we don't tell fables or fairy tales in the gospel, you know, that was a good reminder. It stood me in good stead. No, we might tell an actual story or incident.
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To illustrate a point. But we don't tell fairy tales or fables. And the Lord Jesus never told fables, but sometimes he.
Used parables and a parable is a story or illustration to present to us a moral truth, to make something very clear, to illustrate something that is very vital for us to get a hold of. And the Lord Jesus. Here in this chapter he tells three stories. Before we comment specifically on this first one that we read, I would just say that in a general way to sum up these three stories.
We have, first of all, a wayward sheep, an inanimate coin, and an intelligent son. Or if I can put it in a way that perhaps is a little easier to understand, we have a lost sheep, a lifeless coin, and a lawless son. And when we take these three stories together, they really bring before us on the one hand man's condition, and on the other hand the blessedness of the Lord Jesus.
And God the Father, and the Spirit of God, seeking and saving the lost.
We might say again, in summary, in the first incident we have particularly brought before us the Lord Jesus, the Son. We have him as the shepherd. In the second incident, the Lady lights the lamp, the candle, and searches. It's the work of the Spirit of God. And then, as we were reminded last night, we have the Father dealing with the prodigal. In the third incident, we have what we might say the Trinity, the whole Godhead.
Working to bring a soul back to himself, Isn't that marvelous to think of So precious and vital is your salvation tonight that the whole Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are at work to bring you in. And if you go out of this room lost tonight, It's not, I speak carefully, God's fault. It's not the fault of the Spirit of God. It's not the fault of the Lord Jesus and if you go to hell.
When you leave this world for the Lord Jesus comes, it will be no one's fault but yourself.
You will in the coming days stand before God, uh, the the Lord Jesus as your judge, and you will be inexcusable. You will have nothing to say, no excuses, no arguments in that courtroom in that day. And so we find here the Lord Jesus tells this story and he tells this story as a result of a number of people.
Coming close to him to hear him, you know, as the Lord Jesus walked up and down the dusty streets of Palestine.
There were, generally speaking, I suppose, very few that really had time to listen and heed the message that the Lord Jesus had. But you know, there were some. There were some, like the publicans and sinners, those that had a real need, those who felt that they had a lack and they would draw near to hear the Lord Jesus.
Or today. Again tonight, word that you had a felt need.
You know, I read just before my mother passed away. I read in her own handwriting.
Her own testimony that as a young child sitting on her father's knee.
She had the vivid memory of receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as her savior. You know, I had the privilege and responsibility of taking my mother's funeral. It's not wasn't an easy thing, but, you know, with a state with statements like that and a godly life and practical Christianity manifested to her children and to her, to her family and to those about her. It was a great comfort because I knew.
Where my mother was, in fact, for 2 1/2 hours the night before her funeral, there was a steady stream of people, family and brethren and friends and neighbors and acquaintances that filed by her coffin. And you know, as we talked together, I said, you know, really, my mother is better off than all the rest of us in this room. She's with the Lord now. She's absent from the body and present with the Lord. But what about you tonight? Could that be said about you?
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I was walking through a graveyard some time ago and I came upon a tombstone with one word on it saved.
Just one word. I don't know if it was a man or a woman, a boy or a girl, a young person who was in that tomb, but it didn't matter. They were saved. I've often thought if you had to choose one word as your epitaph to be placed on your tombstone when you died.
Before God, what word would you honestly have to choose?
I've never seen it, but they tell me in Evergreen Cemetery, just outside of New York City, there's another tombstone.
With another word on it, Forgiven.
I am told too that in the state of Louisiana, and I'm not sure where it is.
So if there is a tombstone with one word on it, waiting.
Waiting. Waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus. Waiting for the resurrection and to be with the Lord Jesus. But I say, what would you would they have to place on your tombstone in all honesty before God? Well, these Republicans and sinners, they drew near to hear him. And so he tells this beautiful story, a story really, about himself as the shepherd.
That shepherd who was seeking the sheep, you know, when I was growing up, we used to sing out of Ira Sankey, sacred songs and solos around the piano at home, and when we had him sings and so on. And one of the earliest hymns that I remember singing was that old hymn. There were 90 and nine that safely lay in the shelter of the fold. But one was out on the hills away, far off from the gates of gold, out on the mountains, wild and bare.
Away from the tender Shepherd's care, you know, that hymn has a very interesting story.
Because in 1874, Dwight L Moody was holding some evangelical meetings in Scotland.
We often tell stories about Dwight L Moody, but perhaps we don't always often tell stories about Mr. Sankey. Mr. Sankey for many years was associated with Dwight L Moody in their evangelical outreach and, as the story goes, in May of 1874.
Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey were on a train from Glasgow headed to Edinburgh, Scotland, and they were going from one set of evangelical meetings to another that had been scheduled for the city of Edinburgh. And before they got on the train, Mr. Sankey bought a newspaper for one penny. Couldn't get a newspaper for one penny today, but in those days you could for a penny get a new paper.
And as they were traveling along, Mr. Sankey decided to see what the Daily News had to offer.
But as he was thumbing through the newspaper, he noticed a piece of poetry.
In the corner of one of the pages of that newspaper. It was the hymn I've just quoted, with several subsequent verses.
There were 90 and nine. He pointed out the piece of poetry to Mr. Moody, who was absorbed in something else and showed very little polite interest. And so he tore out the piece of paper and stuffed it in his coat pocket. A few nights later, Mr. Moody was preaching on Luke, 15, about the shepherd, and that's the conclusion of his Gospel meeting.
He announced that Mister Sankey, who was the soloist for Mr. Moody, would now sing an appropriate hymn at the end of the service.
I can't imagine what it must have gone through Ira Sankey's mind as he felt prompted to reach into his pocket and pull out that piece of newspaper. And as he said in his own by his own testimony, he his knees were shaking as he placed that paper.
On the organ, looked at those words.
Put his hands to the keys of that organ.
And began to compose the music for the first verse. He sang that verse through as he played the music for the first time.
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He said his greatest fear was that he wouldn't be able to repeat the music for the second verse, but with the help of God he was able and verse after verse he sang that him. Mr. Moody had tears streaming down his face. It was the first time that him had ever been sung and they say there were powerful results in the Spirit of God moved as a result of the preaching and singing of of this portion and the singing of that hymn.
And many profess to come to know the Good Shepherd that night.
That hymn was actually written by a lady who wrote that hymn for her brother George.
Her brother George, Her name was Elizabeth. Her brother George was brought up like she in a Christian home, just like myself and so many here.
But you know, as he got older and into his teens, he became.
Very wayward. He chose his own way and I believe at 16 years of age left home.
Chose like the prodigal son, riotous living.
But he was restored.
To the Lord are saved, saved, Uh, he. He was saved, as in in his rebellion he was restored to his family, and as she put it, restored to the flock, he came home and she wrote that him, that piece of poetry, never dreaming that it would be sung worldwide for years to come.
But she wrote that piece of poetry for her brother.
Not long after he was saved and returned home, he was thrown from his own horse, hit his head on a rock in the fall, and was instantly ushered into eternity. And those words were published in a Scottish newspaper. And those words, I believe, have been a great blessing to many.
For many, many years. But what about you tonight? Are you Are you way a wayward sheep tonight? Are you like Elizabeth's brother George? And what if you were killed tonight? What if you got went out and got in your vehicle tonight and got on the Parkway and something happened and you were broadsided?
Where would you be?
And so the Lord Jesus tells this story. We know it so well.
About this shepherd who goes out to find the sheep, I might just say this that the that numbers in the word of God have very significant meaning. We often go over the meaning of numbers. You know the number 100 has a very significant meaning in scripture. The number 100 denotes complete salvation. If we were to go back to the book of Nehemiah, the third chapter.
We would find there that the first gate that is mentioned in connection with the wall around Jerusalem is the Sheep Gate. And we would find too that over by the Sheep gate there was a tower. You know, a tower in scripture speaks of security. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runeth into it and is safe. But very interesting that the name of that tower is Mia, and Mia means 100.
Complete salvation as a result of the Lord Jesus going to Calvary's cross.
Giving his life and shedding his precious blood, we find that there was a net cast into the sea by the disciples, and when they dragged it out of the sea, it says there were 150.
And three fishes. Let me go backwards in the meaning of those numbers.
Three speaks a couple of things, death and resurrection. Because all blessing is based on the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, we sometimes refer to that net as the gospel net full of those fishes. I will make you fishers of men. Three speaks of complete testimony too, because the grace of God which bring us salvation has appeared to all men.
50 brings before us Pentecost.
You know, on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God came down and the gospel began to go forth. And it's gone forth ever since. And it's going forth today. It's going forth tonight.
8 and 100 is complete salvation. And here we find that this man had 100 sheep and he lost one and you'd think he'd be content. I'd say 99 out of 100 is pretty good odds. But no, the shepherd wasn't content. There was 1 missing. There was 1 who'd gone astray. Is that one you tonight? If he if it is.
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The Lord Jesus is seeking for you. He came to seek and to save.
That which was lost.
You know, sometimes we refer to people.
Who are not saved as just that not saved or unsaved.
And that's true. But tonight I want to bring it home a little stronger. If you don't know Christ, you're not just unsaved, you're lost.
You know, I I don't have a very good sense of direction. Anybody who's traveled with me by vehicle can attest to that, especially my wife and children. And you know, we'll be going down a road and there'll be a sense by the others in the car that we're not going the right way.
And a voice in the back seat will say, Dad, are we lost? Oh, no. We're just confused. We've just gone out of our way a little bit. We're turned around. Oh, we don't like to admit we're lost. You know what happens when you're lost too? You start going a little faster, you know? You think if you just go a little faster, you'll come out in the right direction. You ever do that, press on the gas a little harder? Isn't that the way it is in spiritual things?
Man is going faster and faster over the precipice to a lost eternity.
And he says, oh, I'm not lost and maybe just few things, but I'm not really lost.
I'm just looking for some answers, but you're lost tonight if you're without Christ.
This sheep was lost. This sheep wasn't just confused.
He wasn't just misguided or misdirected. He was lost. And you're lost tonight. But the marvelous thing is.
That the Lord Jesus as the shepherd, is seeking you.
And this shepherd he sought until he found.
He did. He saw it until he found, and he put it on his shoulders, the place of strength. Sometimes I think people, when they hear the gospel, say, well, I'd like to get saved, but I could never live like that. I could never follow the Lord like some other people do.
But when we get saved, he puts us on his shoulders and he holds us there. He gives us straight. He puts us on that place of strength and power. He doesn't leave us to find our own way. He didn't smack this sheep and tell it to get back to the fold and the rest of the good sheep that hadn't wandered away. Is that what he told the sheep? No. He picked it up in love and tenderness and he put it right on his shoulders.
And he carried it all the way. The Lord Jesus has been carrying me for many years.
On his shoulders. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for the Lord Jesus and the power that he gives to live the Christian life.
And then there was rejoicing. Oh yes, there was rejoicing. But where was the greatest rejoicing? In heaven. You know, if you get saved tonight, the greatest rejoicing will be in heaven. The greatest rejoicing will be the Father and the Lord Jesus rejoicing later on in the in the story of the prodigal who was happiest when the sun came back.
I don't want to be dogmatic, but I think the Father was probably the happiest, probably the most satisfied. That's what he'd been longing for and waiting for. And if you get saved before you leave your seat tonight, yes, there'll be joy in knowing your sins are forgiven, but there will be greater joy in heaven.
But in sad contrast to that, if you walk out of this room.
As a rebellious sheep, the way you came in.
You will cause great sadness in the heart of the Lord Jesus. You know, sometimes we sing that hymn come for Angel hosts or musing, or this sight so strangely sad, God beseeching man refusing to be made forever glad. Are you going to cause joy in heaven tonight? Or sadness?
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For a few moments I want to mention the other two verses that we read together. I read the verse in the 13th chapter of Hebrews because there are two vital facts of the gospel brought before us in that verse that verse one is the blood of Christ and the other is his resurrection. They are two very important and vital elements of the gospel.
The Lord Jesus gave his life as the Good Shepherd, but you know the Good Shepherd is not dead tonight.
No. That great shepherd is alive tonight. He's a great shepherd. He's a great savior. He rose from the dead. Come see the place where the Lord lay. He is not here. He is risen. Because if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain and you are still in your sins. Man likes to discredit the resurrection because if man can convince himself, there's no resurrection.
Then he has no responsibility to the Lord Jesus, but he did raise rise from the dead.
And he remained on earth long enough to give complete and ample testimony.
To his own that he had bodily risen from the dead. Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bone, as ye see me have, but I want to back up for a few moments. To the blood of Christ, After the Lord Jesus had dismissed his spirit, after he had laid down his life, we read these words. A soldier with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood.
And water we read in first John the blood of Jesus Christ his Son.
Cleanses us from all sin. How often we sing that question?
What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
We sometimes sing another question on occasions like this. Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you? Is the blood of Jesus precious to you? Are you redeemed with that precious blood?
It's that precious blood that sanctifies and justifies us. It's that blood that brings us nigh to God.
It's through his blog that we have the forgiveness of sin.
Has the blood been applied? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? But before we close, I want to notice the 23rd Psalm, where we read the Lord is my shepherd.
You know, it's one thing to speak about the Lord as the Shepherd. It's one thing to speak of him as the Good Shepherd or the Great Shepherd or even the Chief Shepherd, as he has brought before us.
In Peter's epistle. But it's quite another thing to say The Lord is my shepherd.
It brings us back to what we said earlier, that this is a very personal thing.
David had a very personal relationship with the Shepherd.
So that he could say the Lord is my shepherd. I know it's a very, very simple story, but I'm going to repeat it.
Because I'm touched every time I read the story of a young child who went off to Sunday school.
And at the end of the Sunday school season, the Sunday school teacher had put together a little recital.
And invited the parents and older ones to be there. And the boys and girls had been drilled in a number of gospel choruses. They were going to sing some Scriptures that they were going to recite, and some Bible stories and so on.
And there was a particularly young child who was, to simply quote.
Psalm 23, verse one. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Well, the teacher was sure this young child had it, just had it down just right. And so the day of the recital came and there were several parents, grandparents and other adults who attended the Sunday school recital and everything went quite well until it was time for this little child to recite.
The 23rd Psalm, just verse one.
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And when the child stood up and saw what seemed like a sea of faces.
The child got what I suppose we would call stage fright.
The child began. The Lord is my shepherd.
Froze. Couldn't think of the rest of the verse.
Decided better start again. The Lord is my shepherd still wouldn't come.
One more try. The Lord is my shepherd.
Sweat was running down this child's back.
In desperation, the child finally said the Lord is my shepherd, what more can I want? And sat down.
You know, without realizing it, that child caught really the essence of what we have here. The Lord is my shepherd, What more could I want? And all if you could just get one inkling.
One taste of the goodness of the Shepherd and what he has for you.
And the fact that he will fill and satisfy your heart for time and eternity.
I have to say what more could I want.
I've known this shepherd for most of my life.
For some 45 years, he's been my shepherd.
What more could I want? What more could you want? And what more can we say tonight in seeking to present this blessed one to you? Oh, tonight, don't go out of this room lost. I'm going to pray now. And if you don't know the Good Shepherd, if you haven't let him pick you up yet and put you on his shoulder.
I plead with you to bow your head quietly and in your heart, because he hears what you say, whether you utter one word aloud or not.
In your heart, receive the Lord Jesus as your savior. He'll be your shepherd, your friend for time and for eternity. He'll pick you up, and He'll carry you safe home. The Lord is my shepherd. What more can I want? The Lord is my shepherd. And who else do I have to present to you tonight but this blessed one, in all his loveliness, his beauty, his grace, Oh, come now to Jesus.
That dear loving Savior receive him this moment and peace.
Shall be thine. Let's pray our God and Father how thankful we are tonight that the Shepherd is still thinking.