Antioch Odessa
HIs Church
  • Go Tell It on the Mountain
  • Hark The Herald Angels Sing
  • O Come O Come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)
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    Good morning, turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 1. This is our starting place and then we will flip over to John chapter 10 to look at our main text. Today I want to take some time to explain to us how Immanuel came to guide, guard, and give His life for His church.
    The reason why this is so important for us to understand today church is that there are many things in our world today that are trying to lead us and guide us down some very destructive and hurtful paths. The Devil is doing everything he can to tear apart families and marriages. He wants your children to be deceived about the truth. He hates when families get serious about God and come to church. We are seeing so many people be deceived today because ultimately they are not following Christ and His Word.
    When Christ returned back to heaven, we know that He is now no longer with us physically here on earth. However, we do know that we have been given as believers the Lord’s grace and Spirit. Jesus is of course at no time absent from us. How do we know this? Well, let us turn to God’s Word for some help. Turn with me to the gospel of Matthew chapter 1.
    It is interesting that the Gospel of Matthew begins and ends with a reminder that Immanuel, in that of Christ Jesus our Lord is with us. So, what we see is the bookends of a wonderful reminder. Let’s start in Matthew chapter 1 and then we will look at Matthew chapter 28.
    Matthew 1:23 ESV
    23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
    Now turn over with me to Matthew 28 and verse 20.
    Matthew 28:20 ESV
    20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
    It is encouraging to know today church that God has no left us to fend for ourselves. No, God is with us. In fact, God’s guidance and leadership have always been some of the most central themes throughout the Bible. What this shows us is God's active role in directing and leading His people. Think about this with me for just a moment. We can go all the way back to the early patriarchs and move through the Old Testament and on into the early church to see this. God’s Word provides numerous examples of how God guides individuals and His people according to His will and purpose. In the Old Testament, God’s guidance is often shown through direct communication from God. For instance, God called Abraham to leave his homeland and journey to a land He would show him.
    Genesis 12:1 ESV
    1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
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    This call was not only a command but also a promise of blessing. We also see that Moses received guidance through the burning bush, where God commissioned Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:2-10). For me, one of the neatest ways that I see God leading his people is when the Israelites experienced God leading them through the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, which guided them through the wilderness. We see this in Exodus chapter 13.
    Exodus 13:21–22 ESV
    21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
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    This wonderful and very visible manifestation of God's presence assured the Israelites of God’s continual guidance and protection. Even the role of the Old Testament prophets was significant in providing God’s guidance. Prophets like Samuel, Elijah, and Isaiah conveyed God's messages to the people, offering direction, correction, and hope. Listen to what Isaiah tells us in Isaiah chapter 30.
    Isaiah 30:21 ESV
    21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
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    All throughout Scripture we see how God does guide His people including the New Testament. As we step into the Gospels we see a great picture of how Immanuel in that of Christ leads His flock as the Faithful Shepherd. Grab your Bibles and turn with me to John chapter 10.
    Main Text: John 10:1-18.

    1. Christ Guides His Flock.

    John 10:1–6 ESV
    1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
    Here in these first few verses we come to see how Jesus gives us a great picture of the relationship between the good shepherd and the sheep. We learn here that the Shepherd calls each of His sheep by name. This shows us that salvation comes from God. Those given to Christ by God the Father before the foundation of the world hear Jesus calling out, and they will come to him. They begin to follow Jesus because they realize how lost they are. We see all of this in John chapter 6.
    John 6:37 ESV
    37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
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    But it also shows us that Christ knows each of His sheep in a very personal way. Jesus knows what you are struggling with. He knows your hurts and pains. He understands what it is like to be personally attacked or even abandoned as some of you have experienced. God sent us a shepherd in that of Immanuel Christ Jesus who came to this earth to reconcile lost sheep or sinners. Are response as humans is to hear the good news and respond by repenting of our sin and placing our trust in Jesus, and then and only then will we begin to follow him. The reason we need a shepherd is to lead us as we begin to follow. Look at verse 3 with me. Jesus leads or guides us out of the gate. The reason why this is so important as we think about sheep going out to graze in the pastures is that left to our own thinking we can wonder off and fall into a ravine or dangerous place. Jesus comes along side of believers to lead us and guide us by giving us His word, which is the Bible. He also gives us the gift of prayer so that we can communicate to Him. Finally, we are also given the Holy Spirit to encourage us and convict us. These are all ways that the good shepherd guides us and is leading us.
    Illustration: This past week I went to the gym to run because it was so cold outside. When I go to the gym I like to run on the treadmill because it guides me to the exact pace that I want to run at plus it helps that it is the perfect temperature and I can stay at a flat pace on the treadmill. The treadmill keeps me on track better than I could do just running outside on my own. When we as believers follow Jesus He helps us to stay on track and put our attention and focus on the finish line of heaven. This is so important as we live in a world full of distractions.

    2. Christ Guards His Flock.

    John 10:7–10 ESV
    7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
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    We now also see that Jesus is not only the good shepherd, but He is also the door or gate for the sheep. The gate here is a picture to remind us that Jesus stands guard over His flock to keep out those who intend to sneak in and hurt the sheep. When we go back to John chapter 9 we learn about the religious leaders who excommunicated a man who publically professed Jesus as Messiah. It is in response to these sinful earthly shepherds that Jesus says this. They are trying to harm the sheep. These religious leaders were trying to make the people keep all the laws perfectly in order to earn their salvation. Their teaching was wrong and destructive. This teaching was deceiving the sheep. What is interesting here church is that there are still many thieves and wolves in our world today. There are many people trying to climb over the sheep fold and attack the sheep. Paul addresses this to Timothy and Titus when he warns them about the false teachers that would try to sneak into the church and deceive the people. Sometimes people and even pastors can disguise themselves as sheep but they tear apart the flock with their false teaching. We see this with false religions like Mormonism and Jehovah Witnesses. They say that they believe in Jesus but it is not the same Jesus we believe in. We also see this with the prosperity gospel that is being taught in many churches. This type of teaching is telling people that God only wants to bless you and heal you and if you don’t have enough faith in Him than He won’t do that. This type of teaching is leading many astray. The good news is that God has given us godly and faithful pastors to warn the flock about these false teachers. So, remember today that Christ is the gate, and it is He who guards his sheep offering protection and peace to those who would turn to Him and follow the Shepherd.
    Something else that we must know here is that Jesus also protects us and guards us by feeding us His very Word and warning us about sinful ways. Jesus loves us so much that He gives us His word to not only guide us but also protect us and guard us from the great adversary Satan who is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Don’t let a life of sin steal your joy and the delight that God wants you to have in Christ Jesus. Jesus came so that we may have life and have it abundantly.

    3. Christ Gave His Life for His Flock.

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    John 10:11–18 ESV
    11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
    In one of the most important ways we see that Jesus cares for his sheep and guide them, is in the way that Jesus gave His life to save us as sheep. So often the enemy attacks us and tries to pick us off. We as sheep by nature are sinful and prone to chase after sinful things. This is why we need a Savior Shepherd. This is why Jesus came to lay down His life for his sheep. Notice here in verses 11,15,17,18 we see that Jesus promises to lay down his life for the sheep. This means that when Jesus sees the dangerous enemy coming to attack the sheep He does not run away or leave us to fend for ourselves. Jesus is not some sort of hired hand or day laborer who only cares for himself and cares nothing about the sheep. No! Jesus steps in front of the sheep and will not allow anything to harm or hurt his sheep. This means that the price was high and Jesus gave his life so that we may have eternal life with Him. Listen to what John the Baptist said about Jesus.
    John 1:29 ESV
    29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
    Church there are many predators today that are trying to attack the sheep. Satan, sin, false teaching. So be reminded today that Jesus died in our place, and by His death we are saved.
    Pastor and author John Piper reminds us however that the story does not end with a shepherd who is dead among the wolves and fierce predators, with the sheep scattered and starving out in the desert. Jesus speaks with authority here. Jesus’s death defeated sin and death and judgment because he did not stay in the grave. His is risen, He is our victorious shepherd and He continues everyday to shepherd us as sheep.
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    As we have seen here in John chapter 10 once again this is a wonderful reminder for every believer to know that Jesus is truly the Good Shepherd. I want to encourage you today then to follow Christ and trust Him. Don’t wonder away from God and His Word. Don’t think you know better or that the grass is greener somewhere else besides following Jesus. When you are thirsty and hungry turn to the truth of God’s meal and drink which is His Word. When you are uncertain and don’t know which way to go call out to God and know that he leads us on paths of righteousness. Yes, you may go through some dark and lonely valleys but be reminded that God is with you. When you are afraid, know that God will comfort you with His presence. So, follow the good shepherd today.
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    If you are here today and you have never surrendered your life to Christ and followed Him, would you do that today? Would you call out to Jesus and repent of your sin and place your faith in Him? If you are here today and are a believer but you have struggled lately as Christ to give you the strength to follow Him and lean and trust Him as your shepherd.As we surrender our lives to Jesus, He often uses us to encourage and uplift others, making us people of His incredible grace and love.
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    (Close in Prayer)
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      • Matthew 1:23ESV

      • Matthew 28:20ESV

      • Genesis 12:1ESV

      • Exodus 13:21–22ESV

      • Isaiah 30:21ESV

      • John 10:1–6ESV

      • John 6:37ESV

      • John 10:7–10ESV

      • John 10:11–18ESV

      • John 1:29ESV

  • Doxology (Amen)
  • How Deep The Father's Love For Us
Antioch Odessa
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