Sunday Morning Worship Service September 6, 2020

To us. Aren't you grateful for the rain today? Been praying for this for, what, three weeks now or something like that? I don't know about you, I mowed my lawn the other day. It was the first time in, I think, about a month since the lawn got mowed.

And it felt good to get those weeds cut down and so forth. Roll the wheels over that brown grass and leave the marks in the grass. Some of you are smiling because you've done the same thing and so forth.

But we have needed this rain and the Lord is blessed in providing it and we're so grateful for it. Also grateful for the opportunity of enjoying showers of blessing. Hope that they'll be poured out upon us today as we've gathered together to worship the Lord.

A few announcements just to share with you in your bulletin to keep you abreast or remind you of what's going on. This morning I'm looking at, in the morning's message, looking at the same passage, Psalm 22, that we looked at last Sunday night, but looking at it from a different perspective.

Last Sunday night, looked at the psalm from the standpoint of the psalmist and his personal suffering, but then recognized that that was prophetic, that that psalm and the suffering of the psalmist was prophetic of the Savior, our Good Shepherd.

So this morning we're going to focus on Psalm 22 and look at the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep. But then tonight we'll go to Psalm 23, the next psalm, which is the psalm of the Great Shepherd.

So I encourage you to be back tonight at 6 o 'clock if you can be here for that evening service. One change in this daily devotionals that I'm doing, I'm sure if you watch those every day you might have figured out that I don't wear the same clothes every day, so I must do something else, and I do.

I record those sessions ahead of time and then broadcast them through the week. So I added a 7 .30 broadcast in the morning so you could catch it live on Facebook or when it is aired on Facebook at 7 .30 at noon and at 6 o 'clock.

And then you can always catch those in the past, the devotionals from the past, you can catch those on YouTube, on our YouTube channel and on the website as well eventually. So just to note that if that's something you would like to just watch first thing in the morning, 7 .30 is the time you could do that.

Next Lord's Day, Roberto and Patricia Coelho will be with us. They're missionaries with Baptist World Mission to Brazil. They've been on the field of Brazil for a few years and they're home on furlough.

They were actually here at our church probably about 17 years ago. So they completed deputation, went and served I think two terms on the field, they're back on furlough. So they're going to come next Sunday, next Lord's Day, and they're just going to be here in the morning.

So in the Sunday school hour, everybody junior age, Sunday school on up will meet here in the auditorium and they'll share their testimonies and present the work that they're doing in Brazil, do any questions, answer any questions and so forth.

And then they'll also minister in the morning service as well. And then they'll be leaving to go back to Minnesota after the morning service. So plan on that. Next Lord's Day, the Coelhos will be with us.

Now there's a note in the bulletin today about a church family business meeting after the service. We are having to do that. And that is a meeting for the church family. And so what that means is when the service is over, if you're visiting with us and you can slip out at that time, if you're not a member of the church, but you are seriously considering membership in the church, then that is a meeting you're welcome to attend as an observer.

I debated about that and thought maybe that shouldn't happen. But then I also thought if I were a prospective church member, I would want to know how a meeting like this is conducted. So you could stay and observe.

Obviously no participation for non-members, but that's after the morning service today. Well, we have gathered to worship the Lord. That's our primary focus this morning. And Psalm 22 verse 27 says, all the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

All will eventually say, behold, our God. Jim going to come and lead us in that opening hymn from our song supplement book. Jim.

Thank you, pastor. That's number six in your blue supplemental books. Number six, behold our God. Let's all stand together, please. And sing behold our God. Number six. Who has held the oceans in his hands?

Who has numbered every grain of sand? Kings and nations tremble at his voice. The nation rises to rejoice. Behold. Seated on his throne. Come let us adore him. Behold. Nothing can compare. Nothing less than our God.

Behold. Remain standing for prayer. Our father, we are reminded and encouraged by your word and courage to even in Sunday school, when we've seen a reflection of our, the foundation of our nation, those that have come over from persecution of their religious beliefs to found a great nation based upon the word of God, our rock, our savior, Jesus Christ.

We thank you for this country. We thank you for the freedoms that we have, that we can worship freely, even in this place at this time, without persecution, we do pray for our country and you would continue to work in it through us.

For we come to worship you. We lift our voices and praise in anticipation of the very word of God you've established in Christ. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Thank you. May we be seated? Psalm reading,.

Want to read Psalm 22 verses one through 18, lengthier, uh, Psalm reading today. So it's not on the back of your bulletin. Uh, so if you have your Bible, follow along. Psalm 22, this also is a passage to prepare our hearts for the Lord's table, sharing together, commemorating the Lord's supper.

Um, when you came in on the table in the foyer, there were these little cups with, uh, the, the bread and the juice. If you did not grab one of those and would like to partake of communion, you know, the Lord is your savior.

You've been, you've been obedient to him and been baptized. You can join with us in that, uh, remembering of the Lord's table and maybe during the next hymn, if you didn't pick one of those up, you can, uh, slip out, grab what you need and come back in while we sing.

But Psalm 22 verses one to 18, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me? And from the words of my roaring, oh my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou here is not. And in the night season, and I'm not silent, but thou art holy.

O thou that inhabit us, the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee, they trusted and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee and were delivered. They trusted in thee and were not confounded.

But I am a worm and no man, a reproach of men and despised of the people. All they that see me, laugh me to scorn. They shoot out the lip. They shake the head saying, he trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him.

Let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb. Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb. Thou art my God from my mother's belly.

Be not far from me for trouble is near. There is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me, strong bulls of Bashan have set me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths as a ravening and a roaring lion.

I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws. And thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

For dogs have compassed me. The assembly of the wicked have enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones. They look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.".

The Lord add his blessing to the reading of this psalm today.

The next song is My God, My God in Your Sheet. You should have a sheet. Does anybody not have one? Dan, just raise your hand and Dan will come and give you this insert. Do you all have that? Does one up here, Dan?

Anybody else? Anybody else have one? No, that's very good. Thank you, brother. Appreciate that. Okay, let's sing My God, My God, all four verses together. We'll be seated as we sing that together. My God, my God, to you I cry.

Oh, why have you forsaken me? Why are you far from giving? And from my agonizing plea. All day, my God, I cry in vain. By night get no relief. But still you are the holy one. Israel's praise you are enthroned.

Our fathers put their trust in you. You saved them when to you they groaned. They cried. They trusted and reproached of men who all despised. A word and not a mention. Recognize that as being the words, many of them, that Jesus prayed on the.

Cross. He cried out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He knew that was coming. The night before the cross did not take him by surprise in the least bit. We're going to see later on in Psalm 22 in John chapter 10 that Jesus had full authority over all that happened to him.

So on that night before the crucifixion, the night in which he was betrayed, as he gathered with his disciples for this Passover meal, he could look ahead to the next day and the events of that day and he knew that his body was going to be broken and he knew his blood was going to be shed.

As he looked at that table around which all the disciples were gathered, they were reclining at that table, he saw the bread and the wine and knew full well that those reflected very well what was coming the next day.

So he picked up that loaf of bread and he took the bread and he broke it and used that as an emblem. So take your bread as the Lord took that loaf of bread that night. We don't have a wafer that we can remember that and imagine that we were there at that table.

If you're a follower of Christ, you're there at that table and the loaf comes to you and you pull off a pinch of that loaf and then when it's come fully around, you had to have been wondering what's going on, what is this all about?

And Jesus said to them when they all had their piece of bread, take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you. I'm sure there was a measure of perplexity on the part of the disciples having heard that, having the flavor of that bread still on their tongue, wondering what is this all about, what does he mean by this?

And then the Lord took the cup and that cup was the red wine and he saw that as a symbol of his blood that was going to be shed. He took that cup and he passed it around and he told them when that cup comes to you, said this cup is the new covenant in my blood.

All of you drink from this cup and he announced that that cup of his blood contained the new covenant. It was the new covenant that was in his blood, his blood that was shed for many. Our Father and our God, we do thank you today for that blood that was shed, for the body so willingly given to be broken and bruised and abused and done so for us, unworthy as we are.

Nevertheless, our Lord Jesus in his love for those whom you've given to him, he willingly, gladly for the joy set before him endured the cross, despised its shame, gave his body to be broken and his blood to be shed.

Again, our Father, we thank you for that gracious sacrifice, that gift of eternal life, the gift of the new covenant in the blood of Christ. And we thank you, our Father, that because of his work on the cross, his giving of his body for us, that we can be your children and then his rising from the dead that for our justification and his ascension to the right hand of the throne on high, that our our Savior, the Lamb of God that took away our sins on that cross, our Savior is also our great High Priest.

And he intercedes for us even today, even this morning, in this very hour, how greatly we need that intercessory work of our High Priest. So we come before you today and we pray for your people who are in need.

We think of our missionary families and many of them experiencing some unique needs at this particular time. The Baccharachs in the Philippines still restricted from having any kind of gatherings and therefore ministering in this most unique way.

Use them, give them grace and give them endurance through this time. We pray for Lynette Heineck recently recovering from surgery. I pray that she would make a full recovery and she would be well again.

You'd protect her from any infection and especially care for the heart needs that she has. Thank you Father that Rachel and Kelsey Barilla have arrived back in Cameroon and I pray that as they have been reunited with Mark and can restore the work of the ministry there, that you would use them and give them great grace as they too face difficulties and challenges with the global virus.

Father, we pray for those in our midst who are recovering from illness and suffering. We pray for Bob, continue to work in his body and give healing to his ankle. We pray for him as he deals with chemotherapy this week, having another round of it.

I pray that his body would respond well to it and not have adverse reaction. I pray for Harold and Kathy as they deal with rehab and I pray that you give strength to the body, strength to the bones and the muscles that need that rehab work.

I pray that you would meet their needs. I also pray for Kent Foster today and pray that you would encourage him and strengthen his body after a difficult week. Raise him up we pray and Father we pray that you'd meet these needs.

We think of our church family and Lord we know that even here today there are some who are in great need and struggling with some various things, some with some emotional challenges and heartache. I pray that you would minister the balm of Gilead to the breaking heart.

There are some who are struggling today physically just because of the limitations of age and all that goes with that. Give grace through that time. We also pray for your grace to sustain those who are shut in and cannot be with us for services because of again the limitations of age and health.

We pray for Sue Cherry and just Lord we thank you for her and just pray that you would meet her needs. Jeannie Ludwick and Jerry Sailors and Dean Kinnaman. I just pray for these individuals and others like them who would love to be gathered together with God's people but for prudence and even for physical limitations cannot.

I pray that you would bless them and meet their needs today and I trust that as many as cannot attend but are watching by live stream that you administer to them even in that most unique way when they cannot enjoy the fellowship of an encouragement that comes from God's people.

So meet these needs today we pray and we ask all of these things in Jesus name. And in your supplements once again your blue.

Book that is number 40. Number 40 in Christ alone. I'd like to sing all four verses together. Let's stand together please. In Christ alone number 40. I take that back. There's verses one two and four skipping verse three one two and four.

Still when striving sees my comforter my all in all here in the love of Christ I stand in Christ alone. Who took on flesh fullness of God in helpless babe his land of love and righteousness scorned by the thorns he came to save till on that cross as Jesus died the wrath of God was satisfied for every sin on him was laid here in the death of Christ.

No guilt in life no fear in death. This is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath. Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell no scheme of man can ever block me from his hand till he returns or calls me home.

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand. Scripture reading for our message this morning is from John chapter 10. I want to read verses 7 through 18. I'd encourage you to put a marker ribbon or whatever you need to do in psalm 22 or John 10 one or the other because we're going to flip back and forth between these two passages for the message this morning.

John 10 verses 7 through 18. Follow along in your copy of scripture as I read Jesus said to his disciples verily verily I say unto you I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not hear them.

I am the door by me. If any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go out go in and out and find pasture. The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep he that is in hireling and not the shepherd whose own the sheep are not seeth. The wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth.

The wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth because he is in hireling and careth not for the. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine as the father knoweth me even so I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep and other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice.

And there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Therefore doth my father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again.

This commandment have I received of my father a brief prayer. So our father we do thank you for this passage of scripture. Pray that you would speak to us through this and the second and the 22nd psalm and help us to appreciate and respond well to our good shepherd.

This we pray in jesus name. Mr tutions was my first boss my first boss and my first real job. I worked at a ponderosa steakhouse. He hired me. I was all of 15 years of age and um you know jesus talked about the hireling that doesn't really care for the sheep.

And you know if you have a boss that's a hireling that's just doing his job and doesn't really care for his employees. That wasn't mr tutions. Now mr tutions cared about his employees and this and I felt a special sense of care and consideration from him.

It was first noticed most significantly when not long after I was hired I was still 15 years of age and I wasn't going to turn 16 for about five or six months if I recall. Uh he came to me and he said uh brian he said um we've got a little bit of a problem.

I said what's that. He said corporate from the top down. Corporate is uh requiring us to let go all of our 15 year olds anybody under age 16. Now you could in illinois you could work at age 15 but you had restrictions on how many hours and the time and so forth and um and actually if you closed the ponderosa you worked the the late you know to close the store you would actually end up working past that curfew time.

So he said uh the the store the the corporate headquarters have told us we have to let go all of our 15 year old employees and I I think I must have looked at a little crestfallen or something because I'd only been working there for a couple of months.

And he said but I'll tell you what. Just bring me a copy of your birth certificate. I said okay why. He said don't ask me why. Just bring me a copy of your birth certificate. So I got a copy of my birth certificate and brought it in and gave it to mr tutions.

And I never heard another word about 15 year olds needing to be let go now. There were some 15 year olds co-workers that I worked with that were let go. But then later I found out what he did was uh doctored my birth certificate a little bit and made me a year older than I actually was.

I suppose I shouldn't have gone along with that. I was a 15 year old kid and just wanted a job you know. But here's the thing about that even though he put his own job on the line it was very clear to me that he cared about me and he cared about having me as one of his employees.

And he showed that many many times through the course of his tenure there as a manager at the ponderosa steakhouse managers of course their tenure was short there was a lot of turnover in that position but he's one now uh let's see how old 47 years later I look back upon with fond memories I respected him as a good boss.

Now I use that illustration because those of us in the 21st century few of us have had any experience being shepherds. None of us have had the experience of shepherding like a first century mediterranean shepherd.

So we may not be able to relate very well with what jesus is talking about when he speaks of himself as being the door of the sheepfold and the good shepherd of the sheep and going out and coming in before him and all that.

And yet we do understand what a good boss is like. And i'm thinking particularly about the response that the sheep have to a good shepherd. The response that an employee who's got any sense has to a good boss.

So with that in mind I want us to see this morning three qualities of our good shepherd. That demand of us. The right kind of response. The kind of response that is brought out in the 22nd 22nd psalm.

So first of all I want you to notice how jesus the good shepherd endured suffering for the sheep. He endured suffering for the sheep. In john 10 11 he said I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. We just reflected on that a few minutes ago on what our good shepherd did for us in giving his life for us. But back in psalm 22 we see some of the ways in which our good shepherd suffered in behalf of the sheep.

And john 10 jesus just simply says speaking of what's coming the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. But how does he do that. What does he go through to give his life for the sheep. Psalm 22 gives us some insight.

And we notice first of all how jesus suffered emotionally. He suffered emotionally. Now the psalmist of course as we indicated last lord's day in the evening david is writing this from his own experience.

But he's also writing it prophetically. All that david is expresses in psalm 22. It finds its fulfillment in the suffering of our savior of the good shepherd. So he suffered emotionally. We see this in verse 6 when he says I am a I am a worm and no man.

A reproach of men and despised of the people he was treated. Jesus was with utter contempt. If you want an idea of an image in your mind of what that contempt must have been like think of think of how you respond with the name when you hear the name adolf hitler.

There's not a person in this room who has any respect for that man. I would venture to say everyone in this room is this. It has nothing but contempt for that man. And rightly so. But that justified legitimate contempt that you have for an adolf hitler.

That kind of contempt is the contempt that these at the cross had for jesus. I am a reproach of men. I am despised of the people he suffered emotionally. And that contempt he suffered emotionally furthermore from the mockery and uh the being made a laughing stock as it's expressed in verses seven to eight.

He says all they that see me laugh me to scorn. They shoot out the lip they shake the head saying he trusted in the lord that he would deliver him. Let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him. And the way I read that I think is the way they expressed that it was.

It was. It wasn't a statement of fact. Oh well you know after all he trusted in the lord that the lord would deliver him. So what. Let the lord deliver him. Like they were watching and expecting that to happen.

This was derisive. This was mockery. They were laughing at him of all things he thinks the lord's going to deliver him. And look at him hanging on that cross. Where is his lord who said he's going to deliver him.

It's a laughing stock. He's mocked. We have no way of accurately paralleling the disparity between the one hanging on the cross who is absolutely unworthy of any kind of mockery and those who are doing the mocking.

We have a faint picture of it. And maybe you saw this picture of the the follower of christ who was at a um one of these riot protest things and he was simply trying to share the gospel. He's trying to be a witness for christ and his.

He had a some kind of a placard in his hand a you know a banner or something a sign in his hand and it was a gospel oriented sign. I don't remember what it said but dripping down from his head were was raw egg.

He'd been egged and he'd been. And the article went on to talk about how he'd been pushed around and shoved and mocked made fun of because he was trying to tell people about christ. Jesus suffered that and so much more.

And verse 14 indicates the emotional depletion that the lord experienced. He says my heart is like wax. It is melted in the midst of my bowels. Emotionally deplete depleted. Jesus suffered emotionally but he also suffered physically.

You can't read verses 14 through 17 without realizing the physical suffering. He says i'm poured out. The beginning of verse 14. I'm poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. And you have heard enough about the cross and the the method of crucifixion to realize how that happens.

As he's still lying down the cross is he's. He's pinned to the cross nailed to the cross the victim is. And then that cross is lifted up over the hole which is dug for the for the for the post and then dropped into it.

And when the dropping occurs the the cross beam the post hits the bottom of the ground and the whole thing just rattles. And gravity forces forces the bones to go out of place. Verse 15 he says my strength is dried up like a pot shirt.

My tongue cleaveth to my jaws. Now it's brought me into the dust of death. And you remember how jesus said on the cross. I thirst. They ran to give him something to drink. And then verse 16 dogs have compassed me.

The assembly of the wicked have enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet. And he's hanging there on the cross. Jesus could say i can count all my bones. They look and they stare at me. Jesus suffered physically but then he suffered spiritually.

And this i think is his greatest expression of suffering. Verses one and two of the psalm. When he says. Jesus quotes this psalm on the cross. My god my god. Why hast thou forsaken me. Forsaken of the father.

Now let me clarify. There are two different ways in which god forsakes. One of those ways is an absolute forsaking when um there's a final complete total final withdrawal of god from an individual. We don't know when that comes we don't.

We do know that for the unconverted the one who has never trusted christ. We do know that that comes at at death. It will be separated from god for all eternity. But there's that total final withdrawal of all god's mercies.

But there's another kind of forsaking and that william plumer describes it this way. He says. It's a temporary withdrawal of god's animating soul cheering presence which will be followed by marvelous mercies.

A temporary withdrawal of his animating soul cheering presence. It's like you sense that god is not here that his presence has been withdrawn. You don't sense the you don't sense the the energy the life the animation that his cheering presence gives to you.

This is jesus on the cross. Why have you forsaken me. He goes on to express an utter sense of helplessness. Why are you so far from helping me. And he expresses then a sense of being completely unheeded as if god doesn't hear him as if he's crying out.

And yet his prayers don't get any higher than the ceiling like the heavens are brass. Why are you so far from the words of my groaning. My groaning oh my god. I cry in the daytime but you don't hear. And in the night season and i'm not silent.

But yet you have forsaken me. You are far off. He suffers spiritually. Now what the psalmist prophesied in his experience. And then writing it down the lord jesus fulfilled. I've been mentioning that throughout.

But i want you to go to john 10 now and look at how jesus anticipates this fulfillment in john 10 by what he says how he speaks of his own suffering and what's coming. He says in verse 11 that he will suffer sacrificially.

We mentioned this earlier on the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Jesus is looking forward. You those who are hearing him they really don't get it. They don't get it. Now when they when they look back and they hear they they they remember what he said.

Then it all makes sense after the cross. But now while he's saying it he gives his life for the sheep. What does he mean by that. What's he. What's he mean by that. Is he talking about how you know he could have a career somewhere.

And you know just maybe be a carpenter in a carpenter shop and make you know make good quality furniture and have a lucrative career. And and and be comfortable and settled and all of that. But he's instead you know he's he's committed himself to teaching us and and leading us around and teaching other people.

Is that what he means. He's given his life. What do they. What does he mean by that. Well they will find out. But what he means by that jesus is that he is indeed going to give his life sacrificially.

He also suffered obediently. Verses 17 and 18 jesus says therefore doth my father love me because i lay down my life that i might take it again. No man takes it from me but i lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down.

I have power to take it up again. And now look at what he says at the end of verse 18. This commandment have i received from my father. You're all familiar with john 3 16. Right. God loved the world in this way that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God loved the world in this way that he gave his only begotten son. He sent his son into the world. But what if his son was a rebel. What if his son was not fully obedient actively and passively. What if his son wasn't an obedient son.

What did jesus say in john chapter 6. Verse 38. John 6 38 he said i came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me in 8 29. John 8 29 jesus said he who sent me is with me.

He has a lot. He has not left me alone. I always do those things that are pleasing to him. So even the cross even at the cross jesus is suffering obediently. He's doing what he was sent to do. He's doing as he was told if you will.

I've received this commandment. And then those same couple verses 17 and 18 along with verse 15 here in john 10 indicate that jesus suffered voluntarily. Last part of verse 15 jesus says i lay down my life for the sheep.

In verse 17 he says therefore doth my father love me because i lay down my life. Verse 18 no one takes it from me but i lay it down of myself. So even though jesus was doing what he was doing out of obedience as a as an obedient son to his father out of love for his father and obedience to his father he was.

What he was also doing was absolutely totally voluntary. I lay it down of myself. No one no man's taking it from me. So when the disciples were in the garden of gethsemane and judas showed up and the soldiers came to arrest jesus.

Jesus said take me take me. He could have called 10 000 angels to destroy the world and set him free. He said go ahead take me. He went through all of the ridicule of the of the mock trial and all that stuff.

And then the beating and the scourging and the crown of thorns and led out with the cross carrying it for a while and falling under that and then being taken out to the to calvary. And the whole time he's going voluntarily.

And those who were taking him they're thinking we're in control. What's jesus saying. No i'm doing this voluntarily. I'm going along as a volunteer. Here he is hanging on the cross. He could have called 10 000 angels to destroy the world and set him free.

But he died alone voluntarily for you and for me. He suffered voluntarily. And verse 17 also indicates that jesus suffered purposefully. Purposefully look at the end of the verse. He says. I lay down my life that i might take it again.