오늘 저는 ‘나는 선한 목자라’ 이런 제목으로 말씀을 나누고자 합니다... I would like to speak about our Lord Jesus who says, "I Am the Good Shepherd." My text is fromJohn 10:9-15. Please repeat after me, "I Am the Good Shepherd. I Am the Good Shepherd." 7. <이후에 목사님 설교시작하면 됩니다> Throughout our lives, we meet many people. We meet our parents at birth. Then we meet our brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors as we grow up. When we are mature enough, we meet our spouses and get married. Then we get to meet our own children. We continue meeting people throughout our lives. Therefore, meetings are very important. God blesses our lives through good meetings. When we meet the wrong people, however, it may bring us some problems or hardship. Helen Keller was born blind, deaf, and almost mute. Her whole life was changed when she met Annie Sullivan, her Christian governess. Before meeting Annie, Helen Keller was destined to live and die in despair, but after meeting Annie, she could overcome her handicaps and testified to the grace and love of the Lord Jesus. Not only that, Dr. Young-Woo Kang lost his parents when he was little. He also lost his sight when he was in the 9th grade. He met Eun-Ok Suk, a lady who was then a college freshman. After meeting with her, he was changed. He became a Christian and overcame his adversities. He is now a member of the National Council on Disability, making recommendations to the president and congress. His meeting with her changed his life. We could not possibly imagine what his life would be like, had it not been for this meeting. The most important and precious meeting is the meeting with Jesus our Savior. We can dwell in God’s grace only when we meet Jesus. Then we can have God’s blessing, His forgiveness, and love. No matter how many people we meet, our destiny as a whole cannot change. However, when we meet Jesus, or when we meet someone who has met Jesus, we can have God’s grace in our lives. Now that we have come this far through our meeting with Jesus, let us give thanks to the Lord and give glory to God for the rest of our lives. 1. The purpose of Jesus’ coming (2Co 8:9). First, I want to speak about the purpose of Jesus’ coming. Please repeat after me, "The purpose of Jesus’ coming. The purpose of Jesus’ coming." Jesus came as the Savior to this world while it was filled with sin and despair. The Lord came to earth to save us, to make us into the children of God, and to lead us to heaven. Jesus himself is the gate to salvation. John 10:9 says, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture." Jesus alone is the gate to salvation. No one else can bring salvation to us, for Jesus is the only way to salvation. John 14:6 says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." There are many ways in the world, but there is only one way to salvation. It is through Jesus Christ the Lord. Jesus is the only way to eternal life, and He is the only everlasting truth. The Lord Jesus did not come only to give us salvation and eternal life, but he came so that we may have a grace-filled life. In John 10:10, He says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Amen. It is declared that Jesus came toearth so that we may have life, and have it to the full. I pray that you will enjoy your full life in the Lord Jesus Christ. Although Jesus was rich, yet for our sake He came to earth in the flesh, humbled himself, and died on the Cross with all our curses and poverty on His body, allowing us to become rich through His poverty. Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’" 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." Jesus came to earth and died on the Cross, taking on His body all the poverty, curses, diseases, death, sin, and all the powers of the devil. By putting an end to all of this, He gives the abundant grace of God to us. As soon as we believe in Jesus, we will be saved, and we will enjoy physical, environmental, and spiritual prosperity. We must give thanks to God for this wonderful grace of the Lord upon us. Let us give unceasing thanks to the Lord. 2. Jesus, the good shepherd (Jn 10:11). Second, I would like to speak about our Lord Jesus as the good shepherd. Jesus who came to earth to save us is also our good shepherd. Please repeat after me, "Jesus, our good shepherd." Verse 11 says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Sheep need a good shepherd?good enough to lay down his life for them. When a hired hand tends a flock, however, if wild beasts attack the sheep, they will be in big trouble. John 10:12-13 says, "The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns 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." A hired hand will not lay down his life for the sheep. Since they are not his, he will run away when wild animals attack the flock. In those days, Israel’s religious leaders did not tend sheep as good shepherds. They were hired hands in pursuit of nothing but their own satisfaction. The religious leaders such as priests, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees may have seemed holy and devoted from the outward appearance, but in reality, they were hypocrites and haughty. They made all kinds of hard rules and judged people for not keeping them. Moreover, they collected money by colluding with merchants at the temple. They reigned over the sheep, demanding the sacrifice and services of the sheep. They were full of words but no deeds. God put His sheep under their care, but they abused them and cheated them. Since sheep are ignorant and innocent, they follow their shepherd and eat and drink whatever their shepherd gives them. They even nibble on poisonous plants or drink filthy water. It was those wicked shepherds, the religious leaders of Israel, who crucified Jesus. Jesus, however, isthe good shepherd and leads us to the place of blessing, grace, love, and healing. Psalm 23:1-2 says, "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters." Hallelujah! Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Hallelujah! When you feel utmost frustration and pain, when you are too tired and feel like giving up, I urge you to meet our Lord Jesus, our good shepherd. Come to the Lord. He will become your absolute and ultimate hope. I want to read a famous poem to you called, Footprints in the Sand. One night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord and Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, One belonged to me and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, There was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life. This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, You said that once I decided to follow You, You would walk with me all the way, But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life There is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why in times when I needed You most, You should leave me." The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of footprints It was then that I carried you." During the time of trouble, when we are too tired and frustrated to do anything, lamenting, "I am finished. I give up. No one helps me," the Lord Jesus our good shepherd comes to us, holds us in His arms, and leads us to the place of hope beyond all the tunnels of suffering. Our Lord will never leave us. Even during the time of adversity and sorrow, even when we would rather die, our Lord will never forsake us but keeps us and takes care of us. Whenwe collapse, unable to do anything at all, the Lord comes to us, carries us, and walks along the journey for us. He will lead us to His kingdom of hope, blessing, and grace. We have to thank Him for this wonderful grace and love. We are nothing. We are nothing but weak sinners. Nevertheless, our Lord loves us, saves us, and protects us at all times and during every moment of trouble. He even comes at the most troublesome points, carries us, and walks for us. We must give Him endless thanks. Our Lord, our good shepherd Jesus, will never leave us but stays with us, leading us to green pastures and beside quiet waters. Furthermore, Jesus knows all about us. 3. Jesus who knows us (Jn 10:14-15). Third, I want speak about Jesus who knows us. Please repeat after me, "Jesus knows all about us." Jesus knows the situations we are in. John 10:14-15 says, "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." Jesus says that He knows His sheep. In this passage, ‘to know’ means more than ‘to know superficially’ but ‘to know very well.’ The Hebrew word for ‘know’ is ‘yada’, which means ‘knowledge through experience’. It means to know intimately well as a married couple knows each other. Our Lord knows the depths of our hearts, all our problems and situations. He understands our thoughts, weaknesses, shame, and sinful nature. He knows what we want, what we are struggling with, and the secrets that we cannot talk to others about. He also knows the pain and sorrow in our hearts. I want you to leave all your cares to our Lord and good shepherd. A traveler in Israel saw a herd of sheep and said to the shepherd, "All the sheep look all the same to me. Can you tell one from the other?" The shepherd replied, "Blindfold me, and bring any sheep to me. Then I will just touch its head and know which one it is." The shepherd knows whether it is an obedient sheep, a troublemaker, a wanderer, or a dozer. Since the shepherd knows all about his flock, he will lead them the best way. Jesus knows all about us. He knows our deepest pain and sorrow. When Martha and Mary were weeping after Lazarus had died, Jesus wept with them out of deep compassion for them. John 11:35 says, "Jesus wept." Jesus, the Son of God, comes to the place of agony and sorrow and weeps with us and for us. Only Jesus, only Jesus can be a true comforter in our lives. Jesus also knows how weak we are. Psalm 103:14 says, "For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are?yet was without sin." He indeed knows our sorrow, pain, and weakness. Therefore, to receive mercy and compassion from the Lord, we must approach our God through prayer. Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence! The Bible tells us to approach the Cross, the throne of grace, in order to experience the grace of His compassion. When we come to Him, He will hold us in His arms and say, "My dear son, my dear daughter, I know you are in pain and sorrow. Do not be dismayed. I will help you. I will be with you throughout your life and will never leave you." 4. Jesus who laid down his life for us (Jn 10:15). What is most gracious is that Jesus our shepherd sacrificed himself for us, by laying down His life for us. Fourth, I want to speak about the Lord Jesus who laid down His life for us. Please, repeat after me, "Jesus laid down his life for us." John 10:15 says, "Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father?and I lay down my life for the sheep." "I lay down my life for the sheep!" The climax of the life of Jesus Christ was His crucifixion. The acme of His life was His suffering and death on the Cross. Jesus came to earth to be crucified on the Cross for us. People are born and live to enjoy happiness, joy, satisfaction, and the good things in life. However, Jesus was born to sacrifice himself, to serve others, and to die for us. It was the Cross of suffering and shame. He was stripped of his clothes, His hands and feet were nailed, and He wore a crown of thorns on His head. His blood flowed and covered His whole body. He shed His blood because He loved us and because He wanted to save us. He laid down His life for us. Thanks to His sacrifice, we can have the free gift of salvation. John 10:17 says, "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life?only to take it up again." How gracious He is! Sheep are gentle and pure. However, their vision is so poor that they cannot see farther than a few feet away. They do not have any power to defend themselves. They would fall prey to wild beasts unless they were properly protected. Since they cannot protect themselves, they need a shepherd for survival. They can live peacefully, only when they have a shepherd. As long as they live under the care of their shepherd, they will be safe. The job as a shepherd may look peaceful and nice, but a shepherd is always under the strain of taking care of his sheep. Even when the sheep are asleep, he cannot sleep, for he has to protect the flock from wild animals. He must be prepared for any possible attacks from wolves or other wild animals. He also has to keep an eye on his sheep, watching out for thieves. Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd. A good shepherd is a shepherd who is willing to sacrifice himself for his sheep. Jesus died on the Cross for us to save us. Since death on the Cross was the only way to lead spiritually dead sheep to salvation, Jesus voluntarily chose to die. At Columbine High School in Denver, Colorado (USA), a tragic shootout took place. A gunman opened fire atthe students. Mr. Sanders, a PE teacher and baseball coach, ran to the spot and helped the students quickly escape. He was running around to save as many students as possible when two gunshots hit and killed him on the spot. That evening a newspaper carried an article titled, "There was a true teacher during a time of commotion." Jesus says in verse 15, "I lay down my life for the sheep." His death was not compulsory but voluntary. He chose to die to save us. Verse 18 says, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." He says, "I lay it down of my own accord," emphasizing that He saves us by giving up His life. A shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep is a true shepherd. Jesus is the only good and true shepherd. There is no other person who can lead us to eternal life. Who would sacrifice himself for sinners? Hebrews 9:28 says, "So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." Thanks to Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice on the Cross and by believing in Jesus, we have become the children of God. This debt of love is too great for us to pay for. In order to express our gratitude for this love and grace, we must preach the Gospel of the Lord to those who do not know Him yet. We must proclaim, "Jesus is the only Savior. He is the only way to salvation." Last Friday we had a memorial service for the late Elder and Mrs. Cho (Senior Deaconess Kim), Rev. Yonggi Cho’s parents. I told a story about the late Elder Cho in my sermon. It was a story about how he became a Christian. This story was taken from his book, A Somniloquy of a Worm. I want to conclude today’s sermon by reading the story to you. Elder Cho wrote it, but I will omit some of it. "After the Independence of Korea, I lost a fortune, my son got sick, and the Korean War broke out. I had to sell my house in the country and move to Pusan. I started a nylon glove manufacturing business, which was very popular in those days. There was an old Korean saying, "If it is warm on October 1, the hat salesman will cry," and it was so warm that winter that the gloves we had made did not sell at all. Since I put all my money and even my friend’s into the business, I had to go on sales. My son introduced me to Mrs. Choi, who was a seminary student then, but later became a pastor. She helped me supply gloves to venders all over Seoul. Many days passed, but I could not collect any money. My son and Mrs. Choi tried to comfort me, but I felt very troubled. One day it was raining all day. I could not go out to collect money, anyway, so I decided to sleep in my room in an inn. Rev. Choi came and said, "Since it is raining, you cannot go out anyway. What an opportunity! We have a revival meeting at the seminary. Let us go there." How could I go to a revival meeting, when I had even kicked my son out of my house for believing in Jesus? So I said, "I did not sleep well last night. I need to rest here." However, Rev. Choi was very persistent, insisting that we should go. I thought, Come to think of it, if I refuse her offer, she would be upset and would not help me with my business. Then the vendors would not pay me back for the gloves. I am terribly indebted. I went there against my will and sat in a chair in the back. My mind was occupied by other thoughts. ThenI lifted my head and looked at the missionary who was preaching and at my son who was interpreting the message. I saw a flame of fire coming out of their mouths flying directly toward me. Completely astonished, I heard a message like pounding thunder, ‘Heaven belongs to those who forcefully take it.’It struck my heart and at the same time, floods of tears kept falling down my cheeks. I rebuked myself, saying, ‘I am the worst sinner of all sinners.’I cried, repented of my sins, and accepted Jesus as my Savior. God certainly seeks His people. He stretched out His hand of salvation even to me, a most stubborn person. I am more and more thankful for the grace of the Lord and for the love of Rev. Choi." Through the message and through the persuasion of Rev. Choi, the Lord saved Elder Cho and as the good shepherd, led him and blessed him for the rest of his life. The Lord Jesus has also been the good shepherd throughout the lives of Elder Cho, Mrs. Cho, and Rev. Choi. He is also the good shepherd of Rev. Yonggi Cho, manifesting the glory of God through him. The Lord Jesus is your good shepherd, the good shepherd of all of you. He will never leave you but will stay with you throughout your lives, leading you into the way of righteousness and blessing. I pray that you will trust in the Lord Jesus, the good shepherd, and live for the glory of God throughout your lives.