Jesus: The Good Shepherd of Our Souls

As it's my privilege to resume my Ministry in this pulpit and in this place I felt that there was nothing that we could do which would be more profitable to us than to look at this statement which is one of these Grand statements in which we are held face to face with the very essence of the gospel and the whole purpose of the Gospel. [00:37:52]

Here is somebody looking at the world's problems who's unlike everybody else who's ever been in it. You look at him and you apparently see nothing but a man Jesus of Nazareth a man who worked as a carpenter well who is he to look round upon the multitudes in this way Ah that's the whole secret and that's why this is a gospel and why it is different from everything else. [00:33:52]

There is an honesty and a truth about what he says which you never find anywhere else. Let me summarize this hardly by putting it like this my contention is as a preacher of this gospel that there is nothing else in the world this evening that tells us the truth about ourselves and our present position. [00:58:40]

The world is as it is tonight because it is without a Shepherd. It's the condition I say again of strange Sheep No Shepherd but you say surely this is impossible this is I say once more the fundamental proposition of the Gospel there is nothing and no one on the human level who can help us at all. [00:32:01]

The world is filled with voices claiming to have answers, yet they often lead us astray. Jesus, however, offers a different path. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep, rescuing us from the clutches of sin and despair. His sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate act of love and redemption. [00:45:07]

The multitudes what are they like tonight are they not as those who are fainting and Scattered abroad as sheep without a Shepherd now these words that are translated here faint and Scattered abroad are very interesting words our author translation version here isn't the best it's good but there are better there are better translations. [00:17:23]

The world is as hopeless tonight as it's ever been don't you hear it don't you feel it in the very atmosphere we're like a crowd of frightened sheep frightened terrified alarmed not knowing not understanding in utter bewilderment and no one has a word to speak to us oh it's as true tonight as it was when our Lord uttered the words nearly 2,000 years ago. [00:37:08]

The Son of God has been in this world stop talking about your men for a moment I'm tired of them all Julius Caesar Alexander the Great Philip of meedan all of them together great men but they came to nothing and everybody who's lived ever since put them all into the same category and all your philosophers with them they've all tried and they've all failed. [00:42:31]

The Good Shepherd he says leth down his life giveth his life for the Sheep the Sheep of got to be bought back for their rightful master and owner they've gone astray and false persons have possessed them the thieves and the robbers and they must be bought back and he came into the World in order to buy us back. [00:45:07]

The Blessed Son of God took our sins and guilt upon himself lay down his life he said no man taketh it from me I lay it down myself I have power to lay it down I have power to take it up again and he's done so but he came into this world deliberately in order to die for us our only hope is that we be restored to our rightful owner. [00:45:07]

He leads us out in and out and finds pasture he knows where the pasture is and he leads us out to it what is it well I find a great deal of it in this book he has wonderful pasture I've been eating this now for many years and you know my appetite is greater than ever I want more and more of it here has food for the soul. [00:53:28]

The sheep hear his voice and he calleth his own Sheep by name and leadth them out and when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them and the Sheep follow him for they know his voice oh my dear friend in this harassing perplexing bewildering hour in which we are alive I want to ask you a few simple questions do you hear his voice. [00:53:28]