I Am The Good Shepherd

I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD n - Pastor Chuck Bernal - April 9, 2017

 When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were hurting and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36 – NLT)

FIVE CHALLENGES OF BEING A SHEEP

 Sheep often get ________________________________ very quickly and easily

 Sheep have no built-in _____________________ system to ward off predators

 Sheep are very _____________________  &  _____________________________

 Sheep can get ________________________  ______________ by their own filth

 Sheep fall and cannot get  __________________  _____________ on their own

 Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him. We are his people; the sheep he takes care of. (Psalm 100:3 – ESV)

 I AM YOUR GOOD SHEPHERD

 The robber comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I came so they might have life, a great full life. “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  One who is hired to watch the sheep is not the shepherd. He does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep. He runs away while the wolf gets the sheep and makes them run everywhere. The hired man runs away because he is hired. He does not care about the sheep.  I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me . . . I give My life for the sheep.”  (John 10:10-14 – NLV)

 LEVEL ONE MOTIVATION:  ____________________________________

I AM YOUR GREAT FRIEND

 No one can have greater love than to give his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I tell you.  I do not call you servants that I own anymore. A servant does not know what his owner is doing. I call you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from My Father.  You have not chosen Me, I have chosen you. (John 15:13-16 – NLV)

LEVEL TWO MOTIVATION:  ___________________________________

I AM YOUR LOVING FATHER

See what great love the Father has for us that He would call us His children. And that is what we are. We know what love is because Christ gave His life for us.  (1 John 3:1, 16 – NLV)

LEVEL THREE MOTIVATION:  __________________________________

OUR PROBLEM & GOD’S SOLUTION

 We are _____________________  &  ___________________________ from God

 Your persistent wrongdoing has come between you and your God; since you constantly reject and push God away, He had to turn aside and ignore your cries. (Isaiah 59:2 – Voice)

 We are _____________________  &  deserve _____________________________

 He was hurt for our wrong-doing. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so we would have peace. He was beaten so we would be healed.  All of us like sheep have gone the wrong way. Each of us has turned to his own way. And the Lord has put on Him the sin of us all . . . He was hurt because of the sin of the people who should have been punished . . . But it was the will of the Lord to crush Him, causing Him to suffer. Because He gives His life as a gift on the altar for sin . . . My Servant, will carry the punishment of many and He will carry their sins. (Isaiah 53:5-6, 8, 10-11 – NLV)

 BUT

 God _____________________ us and sent Jesus to _________________ for us!

 (We have a good shepherd, a great friend and a loving Father)

 Jesus has always been as God is. But He did not hold to His rights as God. He put aside everything that belonged to Him and made Himself the same as a servant who is owned by someone. He became human by being born as a man. After He became a man, He gave up His important place and obeyed by dying on a cross.  (Philippians 2:6-8 – NLV)

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.  (1 Peter 3:18 – NLT)

GOD’S SALVATION IS A GIFT THAT EACH OF US MUST RECEIVE

God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8 – GWT)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 – LB)

But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children. (John 10:12 – NET Bible)

____________________ +  ___________________  = ____________________