[0:00] There is one more reading before Mick Lockwood comes to preach, and this is from the 10th chapter of John's Gospel, John chapter 10 and verse 1 through to verse 21.
[0:21] Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.
[0:41] He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him, because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger. In fact, they will run away from him, because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.
[1:01] Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
[1:37] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the father knows me and I know the father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.
[2:09] I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.
[2:30] I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my father. The Jews who heard these words were again divided. Many of them said, he's demon possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him? But others said, these are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.
[2:52] Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? Shall we bow our heads in prayer and let's pray together.
[3:04] Father, we cast ourselves upon you. You are our God, the great creator, sustainer of all things. And Father, as we've contemplated your word, as we thought about the Lord Jesus Christ, as we brought our prayers to you, we ask, Father, that by the enabling of the Holy Spirit, that you might bring your word in power to every heart, that you might feed your people. And for any Lord who are not yet saved, we pray for them tonight, Lord, that they might see Jesus and him crucified. For his sake we ask.
[3:39] Amen. We've read John's account of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. And now we're going to step back into the passage that Richard read for us in John chapter 10. Because everything that the Lord Jesus Christ did was always aimed little by little towards the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[4:06] You and I, we are born to accomplish what we can before we die. The Lord Jesus Christ came with the purpose of dying. Did many things on the way. But that was his set purpose. And he knew that from the start. It is a joy to be with you. And it's a joy for Jill as well to be with you. But on the way over, it took us a long time. Very busy. Isn't Whitby getting popular? And so the journey was such that Jill actually said, because she wants to be here, I'm glad I didn't know it was going to be so busy. Because if I had known, I might have been tempted not to come. How many things in our lives, if we had any inkling what we're going to go through, if the Lord gave us full insight and light to see what's before us, many of us would find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning.
[5:12] The Lord Jesus Christ, he knew from the outset. And we're going to spend a little time together in John chapter 10. But first, we're going to go back even further and begin in John chapter 8 verse 12.
[5:27] So if you have scripture before you, that will be a great help. Because in John chapter 8 and verse 12, Jesus is speaking and he says, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ as the great Messiah, that does not surprise us that Jesus said that because God is light in whom there is no darkness at all. And Jesus is the express image of the living God, so much so that he was able to say to his disciples, if you've seen me, you've seen the Father. So we know that God is light, which speaks of his purity and his righteousness and his glory. And the Lord Jesus Christ declares most authoritatively that he is the light of the world. That speaks of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it also means that because he is the light, he sheds light on everything else. And so we are enabled to see, we can begin to understand that this world is no mere chance or accident, but God is the creator. We begin to understand about human beings, how it is that they are filled with dignity and beauty and yet totally flawed because they fell and rebelled against God. We begin to see the reality that we are answerable to God and that there is a judgment day and that there is heaven or hell awaiting. All light shed from the Lord Jesus Christ so we can see, so we understand that these things are not dependent upon whether a person believes that they are there or not. And so if a person doesn't believe in God or doesn't believe in judgment, then actually it makes no difference to the reality. Because when the light of the Lord Jesus is shed, we see reality. And reality is the worldview of the Lord Jesus Christ. And here he announces that he is the light of the world.
[7:44] And so immediately on from there, going into John chapter 9, he gives sight to a man who was born blind.
[7:57] So in verse 10 of chapter 9 of John, then the man whose eyes have been made to see is questioned.
[8:10] And he's questioned by the Pharisees. And they ask, how then were your eyes opened? And he replied, the man they called Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and then I could see. And so that was his testimony to his neighbors and to his Pharisees. The Pharisees were most displeased about this because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day. They were totally against that. The Pharisees, they were the shepherds of the day. They were the experts in the law. They were the guides for the people who when the people wanted to know about God and wanted to know how to approach God, these would be the people that they come to. And this man was just an uneducated man. And this man was questioned by them.
[9:08] And they spoke ferociously to him. So much so that the man defended himself and said, it's a strange thing that you don't know where this man comes from. Because if this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
[9:22] And to this they replied, you were steeped in sin at birth. How dare you lecture us? And they threw him out. You can almost see the curl of the lip, can't you? The total disgust on this person. But who is this person again?
[9:39] A man born blind and now he can see. Jesus is the light of the world. And now he illustrates that by taking a man who can see no light and giving him light to understand. It's an illustration of this spiritual truth. Jesus goes to find him when he finds his being thrown out. And he says, do you believe in the Son of Man? Who is he, sir? The man asked. Tell me so that I may believe in him. You have now seen him.
[10:15] You have seen him. You have seen him. And he's the one speaking to you. The man said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
[10:33] Teachers of the law. But clueless as to Jesus was. They couldn't see him. This man had been blind. Jesus combines the physical, the actuality with the spiritual to illustrate his point. He's the light of the world and he could give sight. And so Jesus says, for judgment, I've come into this world so that the blind will see. This man will see. But those who see will become blind. The Pharisees weren't thick. They knew what he was getting at. So some Pharisees who were with him, heard him say this and said, what? Are we blind too? Is that what you're getting at? It's exactly what Jesus was getting at. You experts of the law who claim that you see, who throw this man out because he's been healed on the Sabbath day and you think this man is an ignoramus when he actually has been brought to see the Lord Jesus Christ, you are the blind ones. Here is the one who can see.
[11:42] If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. We need it to do that because we're looking at John chapter 10. And John chapter 10 is not the start of a new section. It's the continuation of this discourse begun by the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we need the context of John chapter 10 verse 1 with scripture before us in verse 1. Jesus says, I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in by some other way is a thief and a robber. So what Jesus is doing now is he's giving them a picture, a picture that will be known by everybody. It's of a sheep pen. And in the sheep pen, we've got three walls or three hedges, three walls that keep the sheep in. And on the fourth is a gate. And the shepherds would come, more than one shepherd, would come and bring their sheep into this pen. So there might be a few shepherds bringing them into the pen. And they have a watchman who guards it against wild animals on a night time. And Jesus says that the person who is in the sheep pen but has got in through climbing over the wall instead of going through the gate is an imposter. He's an imposter.
[13:18] I managed to get in your church building a bit early tonight. I was sat there and I did pray, Lord, bring somebody in who knows me. Otherwise they might have a bit of a shock.
[13:31] And thankfully it was Richard that walked in first, you see, and said, hello Mick. But if it had been somebody who didn't know me, here's this guy sitting in the church. How has he got in? What's he doing? Is there a window open? What's happened? That's how I began my first visit to any church. I shouldn't have started this so I won't go on. But my first visit to any church was just to go in. And a group of us, after going to the Rose and Crown for a few pints, we'd go in and bang boogie-woogie on the piano. My first ever visit. And Pastor White came to see us. The very first meeting with a Christian person. And he wasn't cross and he didn't throw us out and he didn't call the police. He spoke to us. My first ever meeting with a Christian. So there you are.
[14:15] I hadn't planned any of that by the way. So I hope that's useful to somebody. Because the point is, we can be in a place and we can be an imposter. Jesus says, right, you shepherds, you experts, you people who claim that you can see. The only way in to this sheep pen is through the gate. The people who are in there are there to damage and harm and destroy and steal the sheep.
[14:43] The only way is through the gate. Not climbing over the wall. That's what he's saying. So it's absolutely to these teachers. And the watchman opens the gate for the shepherd. And the sheep listen for the shepherd's voice. He calls his own sheep by name. Linda told us that in a testimony.
[15:07] And this is the experience of a Christian. That there are so many voices out there. So many ideas. And you're looking. And you're wondering. And you're thinking. And then suddenly the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ comes. And as we sang in the hymn, Jesus called Mary by name. It's our experience that we understand that here is a voice that we are completely inclined to. And other voices, not only are we not listening, and we're not going to be drawn to them and say, oh, I wonder what this voice is. Oh, no way. Because the sheep hear the voice of the shepherd and they run away from those.
[15:46] And they run instinctively. They know that here is the shepherd. Because they recognize his voice. And this is what he's teaching. He calls them out by name. He leads them out. He goes ahead of them.
[16:03] The sheep follow him. They'll never follow a stranger. They can't recognize a stranger's voice. So Jesus gives them this picture. And they're listening. And sometimes when Jesus tells a parable, he then goes on to explain what he said. Explains it spiritually. But here, it builds on this illustration. It builds on this picture. So in verse 7, he says, and he takes it a step further, and he says, right, I tell you the truth. I'm the gate of the sheep. I am the gate of the sheep. And so all, whoever came before me, thieves and robbers, but I'm the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. Now what he's saying is this. You notice it's important to recognize this. It's not just the gate for the sheep. But I'm going with the ASV and I'm going with the AV and a few others.
[17:00] It's the gate of the sheep because there's another meaning to this. It's not just for the sheep to enter. He's speaking to these teachers of the law. This is why we have to go back into chapter 9 to get the context. Because here we have these experts, these shepherds who are blind but think they can see, and they were opposing those who actually can see. Then what they have done is that they have gone amongst the sheep, but not through the gate. But Jesus says, I am the gate of the sheep. So in other words, these teachers, you've got to come through me. Anybody who speaks in the name of God, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, must come through Christ. Otherwise, they're false voices. There were false voices in the days of Jesus. How many false voices today? People who will speak in the name of God, but who have never gone through Christ. He's the only gate amongst the sheep. And yet there's all sorts of people amongst the sheep in our nation and throughout the world. How did they get in?
[18:06] They've climbed over the wall because they didn't come through the gate. They didn't humble themselves and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, repenting of their sin and come trusting in Christ Jesus alone.
[18:19] But they're amongst the sheep and they cause chaos. It's nothing new. It's something that will always be. But Jesus is speaking about this. He said, I'm the gate. You've got to come through the gate.
[18:29] But then, of course, it is about the sheep as well, but not exclusively. It's not the gate just for the sheep. It's the gate of the sheep. Those leaders have got to go that way. But he does say that those who come through me will be saved. That grand old Bible word that we can be saved through coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. That he is the life, the truth, the way. No one comes to the Father but by me. Exclusive. His authority, his dogmatism, his breathtaking. No other way. No other route to the Father. Only through me. But if you come to God through me, then you shall be saved.
[19:24] Taking Jesus' world view as the light of the world. We know what he means. He means that we, who have been separated from God because of our sin, then our only means of salvation, our only means of being reconciled to God, is to come to God through Jesus. And so he's teaching about salvation. And he gives us this promise. Come through me and you will be saved.
[19:53] In contrast, the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. But I have come so that they might have an abundance of life. Life. In every way of understanding and in every definition of the term, Christ gives life. So he's the gate. But then it builds on the picture again.
[20:17] I am the good shepherd. He's good morally. He's pure. He's righteous. He's the only one who has ever lived who is without sin. But actually in this context, it means he's good at his job.
[20:34] He's a good shepherd. There are some rubbish shepherds, you know. We live amongst shepherds. We can't grow out of pen-irons. The only thing he can do is put sheep in fields and look after them.
[20:45] And there are some good ones. And there are some not so good, frankly. And Jesus knows how to do the job. He is a good shepherd. The good shepherd is the definition of a good shepherd. Here are the characteristics of what actually makes a good shepherd. And the first characteristic is he lays down his life for the sheep. Good Friday. I want it to come into this. He lay down his life for his sheep. In contrast to the hired and who doesn't care about the sheep. In verse 12, and 13. But here we have this characteristic, this definition of what makes a good shepherd.
[21:41] Let me ask you a couple of questions. First question. Why did Jesus come into the world? What was his assignment? Not hard to answer. Crystal clear in scripture. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Christ's world view. The need and the solution. Man's greatest need. He came to save sinners. How would he accomplish that assignment? Well, his priority was to go to Jerusalem to be crucified.
[22:16] Three times at least he told his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem. There he will be crucified and after three days be raised from the dead. He set his face as a flint to go to Jerusalem. People would try and persuade him. Come and stay with us for a while. Come and do this. No. He had to go there.
[22:35] On one occasion, he had to turn and rebuke Peter and say, get behind me, Satan, when Peter did not think it was a good idea to go to Jerusalem and for him to die there. That was the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we understand that as Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, Jesus knew.
[22:55] So unlike us who are unaware of what's going to happen tonight, let alone next week or tomorrow, Christ was absolutely aware why he'd come and how he would accomplish that assignment to come and save sinners. So much so that at the breaking of bread at the Lord's Supper, this is my body given for you.
[23:18] When he takes the wine, this is my blood poured out for you. Substitutionary. He knew what was going to happen. The Old Testament taught clearly. We can turn, of course, to the Psalms. Psalm 22 especially or Isaiah 53.
[23:39] But I want to turn briefly to Zechariah 13, verse 7. Because in Zechariah 13, we have something which is very informative about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have God himself speaking. And what God says is, Awake, O sword, against my shepherd. Against the man who is close to me, declares the Lord Almighty.
[24:11] My shepherd. When the Lord Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. The man who is close to me, when the Lord walks in fellowship with his Father. But what is God saying? He's calling for his sword. Awake, sword.
[24:29] His sword is going to have some action. The sword of justice. The sword of vengeance. The sword of thrusting and killing.
[24:41] That's what he's talking about. Can that be the Father speaking about his Son? People in our generation have made massive complaints about this. Child abuse. Oh, the poor people cannot see the depths of love. Because here is the depth of love of God. Father, Son, Holy Spirit working one true God for our salvation. This doesn't talk about child abuse. It talks about how awful sin is. How rotten your heart is and my heart. Which had to have a solution like this. Don't let us dare put God in the dock and say, how can you behave like that as a father?
[25:34] How wicked. How grossly wretched and illustrative of the human heart that cannot see that this was the only way for a righteous, holy God to bring about our salvation. What wickedness. Terrible wickedness.
[25:53] To accuse God. A sinful, fallen creature to accuse God. When here we have the only solution to deal with sin. Are you sure it's about Jesus? Well, it goes on to say, strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But it brings this awful message of the sword of God against the good shepherd.
[26:18] The shepherd. Are you sure it's Jesus? Well, Matthew 26 confirms it because Jesus is predicting Peter's denial at this point in Matthew. And Jesus says to them, this very night you will all fall away on account of being. For it is written. And he quotes Zechariah chapter 13 verse 7. I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. So he quotes God speaking to him. He had full insight of what he was doing. He knew. He knew. So he knew in Gethsemane. Why did he sweat, as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground? Why did he cry out in agony? Why had an angel to come and comfort him? Otherwise he could not have persevered. Why was his mind just fixed on the joy that was set before him to endure all the agonies of the cross? What a man. We love him. We love him. He's incomparable. That's why we love him. His love and his compassion. When he knew things weren't happening around him and whoa, whoa, whoa, what's going on here?
[27:29] No. He knew. And in the moment when in the garden, come with me, his best mates, his disciples, those who it's taught, pray with me. And they all fall asleep. And that's why an angel had to come and strengthen him.
[27:48] No. Jesus knew that he was the sacrificial lamb. He knew that without the shedding of blood, there's no forgiveness. He knew that he was our substitute. He saw his seed. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. And Paul very clearly tells us what's happening here in Romans 3 verse 20.
[28:16] It says, no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law. Rather through the law, we become conscious of sin. That's the purpose of the law. Makes us guilty. Okay, we get it. I'm guilty.
[28:32] What happens next? That now, a righteousness from God, exactly what we need, righteousness, apart from the law has been made known, to which the law and the prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There's no difference. All have sinned, fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a propitiation through faith in his blood. Sensational.
[29:10] Propitiation is the wrath of God being diverted from our own heads, and we deserve it, onto the head of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we look at the cross tonight, and it's not a once in a year thing, is it? Hey, we're not like those. We're not calendar people, because we go to the cross all the time. I think it's genius. It's the wisdom of our God. As often as you meet together, do this in remembrance of me. That's a testimony of God's wisdom. It's a testimony of where God wants us to be, and frankly, it's a testimony of how thick we are. Because if he didn't tell us to do that, we'd probably forget, and move on. And think, oh, I used to do that as a young Christian. Now, you know. Now I've got all sorts of other interests. But we think about the cross occasionally. No way. Don't leave the cross.
[30:00] Don't leave it. Because if you're 50 years on in the Christian faith, you can't go anywhere else. It's the blood of Jesus. The power of the blood of Jesus. And so he did accomplish his assignment on the cross. He did not die on a cross to make things possible. Get that out of your head forever.
[30:26] Now, if Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and he died on the cross just to make it possible, dependent on something else, whatever it is, stick whatever you want in there, he did not accomplish his assignment. No way. Through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, he dealt with sin. Your sin, once and for all. All your past sins, all the sins that you've ever thought about committing, all the sins that you have committed, all the sins you ever will commit, are under the power of the new covenant blood. This agreement that God has laid down. You believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved. It's done. Sin has been dealt with once and for all.
[31:20] And that's why we have his teaching here, back to John chapter 10, where we've got this great teaching, where the Lord Jesus Christ, where the Lord Jesus Christ, as the good shepherd, lays down his life for the sheep.
[31:40] The sheep. How do we know if we're one of the sheep? Hey, that's not a difficult thing to discern. Because the sheep hear my voice, and they follow me.
[31:55] So, we hear what Jesus is saying. Loads of voices out there. And whenever the gospel's preached, it's not dependent on the preacher, eloquent words and all that.
[32:07] Christ came trembling. Sorry, the Paul came trembling when he spoke about Christ to the Corinthians. Came in weakness, so that God might have all the glory.
[32:18] And so, it's not the eloquence of the preacher. It is the Holy Spirit at work. So that Christ is calling out his sheep.
[32:30] And it's an incredible thing, this. It really enhances gospel preaching. And it enthuses you for evangelism. Totally enthuses you.
[32:42] Because you know, when the gospel is being proclaimed, then, there are those who recognize Jesus. And receive Jesus.
[32:55] And follow him. The most unlikely people. Most unlikely people. So you can't have all sorts of studies done. And inquiries.
[33:06] And sometimes you hear, even churches do this. Hmm. We're in this area. What sort of people might be most likely to follow Jesus? What about the students?
[33:18] Yes, I think the students might be. Okay. Oh, no, no. Maybe it's the older people. Or maybe it's this type. Or that. Oh, they're very difficult to reach. Oh, no, no.
[33:29] The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. And God saves anybody. I heard Billy McCary's testimony again the other day.
[33:41] Do you know Billy? Yeah? Few of you know Billy. He was a terrorist in Northern Ireland. He got saved in the Mays Prison. In the H Block. And Billy, bless him, he was adamant.
[33:54] He was quite proud of being in prison because he thought he'd done the right thing. And there were Christians in there. And on one occasion there were two Christians. And they got into conversation. And Billy made it clear.
[34:04] I don't believe in God. Don't think there is a God. And he was waiting for the Christian's reply. Because he'd been in conversation with Christians a number of times before. And the pat reply from any Christian before had been, the fool says in his heart there is no God.
[34:20] And Christians are rather pleased when they say that. And on this occasion Billy was waiting for it. But he didn't get it. The man, the medical man simply said, Billy, there is a God.
[34:33] And we are answerable to him. And there is a judgment day. And there is a hell. And there is a heaven. And whether you believe in it or not makes no odds to the fact that that is reality. And that made him think.
[34:46] And God saved him. And he served the Lord. Oh, great servant. Served the Lord since in a wonderful way. And so that's just one testimony.
[34:57] Like Linda's testimony. And I pray that all of us have got testimonies. That a day came, a time came when we met with Christ. Christ. When, whatever the experts said.
[35:10] And the religious leaders. We met Christ. Like that blind man. And he could see. He didn't have much of a testimony at first.
[35:21] Who healed you? Who gave you sight? Don't really answer to that I'm afraid. But, I was blind. But now I can see.
[35:32] I know that much. We can only tell what we know, can't we? But he knew when the Lord met him. And the Lord had the grace. And the wonderful. The wonderful love.
[35:42] To go and seek him out. Thrown out by the religious. The Lord would find him. Do you believe in the Son of Man? Who's he? It's me. It's me.
[35:53] You're looking at him. With your new eyes. Oh. And he worshipped him. And worship's a strong word, isn't it? Nobody worships anyone. Except God himself.
[36:04] And Jesus didn't turn him away. And so the sheep follow me. Because they know my voice. Never listen to a stranger. And there are other sheep as well.
[36:16] And so in John 10 verse 16. Most of us here get a specific mention. Because I must bring them also. Sheep who are not in this pen. They too will listen to my voice.
[36:29] That's the key. And there shall be one flock. And one shepherd. Gentiles by the way. The Jews. The Gentiles. All one. Whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.
[36:42] And follows. So. We have this tremendous testimony. Before Jesus went to the cross. We've heard about it tonight. But here. In full knowledge of what's going to happen.
[36:54] And then in the latter part of the chapter. We see Jesus gives us a reason. As to why the father. Loves him. And the reason that he gives.
[37:05] Is that he lays down his life. And you see the authority of Christ. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own accord.
[37:16] Of authority. To lay it down. Authority. To take it up again. The purpose of Jesus coming. That was his assignment. To come save sinners.
[37:26] And here. We have his accomplishment. That that. Is how he would do it. The last two verses. These words. Jews were divided. Many of them said.
[37:39] He's demon possessed. He's rabid mad. Why listen to him. There's nothing new under the sun. Sometimes when you hear Christians speak today. You think that what's happening today. Is just.
[37:50] Whoa. Nobody's ever seen anything like this. But of course we have. Of course. It was like the New Testament. It's like the world is set against God. We have this expectation. That the media.
[38:01] The dear old BBC. And our politicians. And our representatives. And so on. Should all be promoting good things. Like the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Well whoever. Whoever thought that they had ever intentioned to do that.
[38:12] Of course not. It's our job. As believers. In the Lord Jesus Christ. And so. The reaction is. These are crazy words. He's mad.
[38:22] This is. This is crazy. But. There are a few others. There are a few others. That say. Well hang on. I don't think these are the words.
[38:34] Of a demon possessed man. And besides. That fellow was blind. And now he can see. That seems to illustrate.
[38:47] What Jesus is saying. And the miracles. Are used. For that purpose. Now. The death of Jesus.
[38:58] That the blood. Of Christ. Is sufficiently powerful enough. This very night. For you. To come to God. And for you. Just to cry to him.
[39:09] From your heart. You know you're saying. And to say. God have mercy on you. You say. You're the gate. You say. You're the shepherd. Am I hearing your voice?
[39:22] Is there something. Of God in this? Is this not just. A meeting. That I come to. And then go home. And perhaps have an interest in this.
[39:32] And an interest in that. Is God speaking? God speaks through his word. And the Holy Spirit comes. And he works in people's hearts. And he saves people.
[39:42] And we should have that expectation. And if you're not safe tonight. Come to him. Come to him. Sincerely in your heart. And cry out to him.
[39:54] Because you know the way to God. God. It's through the gate. It's through the Lord Jesus Christ. And the promise is there. You shall be saved. And you know how Christ has achieved it.
[40:05] He's died. He's shed his blood. He's given everything. Everything. He's the Lamb of God. Slain. For us.
[40:16] Everything has been provided. And your sins. Are not too hard. For him. Don't be so proud. And say. Oh you don't know what I'm doing.
[40:29] Come on. Christ. Blood. Is all powerful. And he came. For sinners. So. Because this man could see.
[40:41] A few people thought. Well. Let's seek him some more. Not surprisingly. In the next chapter. Brings a man back to life.
[40:54] Been speaking about his resurrection. I've got the power. I've got the authority. To lay down my life. And to take it up again. These are crazy words. Surely. Okay. Watch this.
[41:05] Lazarus. Ah. The one that you love. He's very sick. Okay. Shouldn't we go now? Oh. Let's wait. How many days dead was it?
[41:16] Cheers brother. Okay. Four days dead. Four days. Back to life. These aren't empty words.
[41:27] He's not just saying stuff. You get some people who say. All sorts of stuff. He's not just saying stuff. He's doing it. He's illustrating. How can we be sure that. Christ's blood. Cleanses from all sin.
[41:39] Three days after his death. He's alive again. Praise God for. Easter Sunday. Let's pray. Father we thank you. For the death and resurrection. Of the Lord Jesus.
[41:49] We thank you for the gospel. Of the Lord Jesus. Which is the power of God. Unto salvation. To all who believe. We plead with you. Have mercy upon us. We ask father. For every soul here. That nobody might be indifferent.
[42:01] Nobody might be uncaring. Nobody might. At this very moment. Just be sticking it out. The reds. And just desperate. To get away. And to put the mind.
[42:12] On what they really like. To think about. Lord. Meet with us. Open eyes. Open hearts. And save souls. For Jesus sake. Amen. Let's sing together.
[42:24] Our closing hymn. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[42:34] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[43:07] We really do. We just think. Christ is wonderful. But Lord help us do a bit more. And sing it. Help us live it now Lord. Help us.
[43:19] Listen intently to your voice. And follow. Unconditionally. Every step. Where you lead us. Please Lord. For Jesus sake.
[43:30] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.