John

[0:00] As the Lord should be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the Gospel of John, chapter 10, and the 27th verse.

[0:19] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

[0:34] Chapter 10, the Gospel of John, and the 27th verse. This is a word which dropped from the lips of Jesus Christ, speaking as the Good Shepherd.

[0:59] And it is a word which sets up a standard whereby you and I may stand alongside it and measure our religion.

[1:13] If so be, it is of God or no. My sheep hear my voice.

[1:26] Have you heard Jesus Christ speaking to you? Speaking as He alone can speak with power, authority, divine.

[1:44] Do let your consciences tell you the truth about it, as your consciences will do if they are in working order.

[1:58] The dear Saviour declares, my sheep hear my voice. I say, have you heard it? Are you on the listen for it?

[2:11] If so be, Jesus Christ would speak to you, for He may speak, and oft times when He does speak, He speaks in a still small voice.

[2:27] My sheep hear my voice. And I know them. I've sometimes pondered when Jesus Christ was going about on earth, preaching the Gospel, as He alone could do, being the blessed sum and substance of it.

[2:50] The Word of God says, Jesus knew who they were that did believe on Him. It would be, maybe I ought not to say this, it would be a wonderful help to those of us who try to preach, if we could be sure who they were that did believe what we had to say before God on their behalf.

[3:21] But too often, with those who try to preach with divine authority to do it, oh, they have many searchings of heart when their labours are ended.

[3:32] Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? But Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd, being God omniscient, verily God, verily man, discerned in the assemblies where He was preaching who they were, who had ears to hear, and a heart to receive, what He was declaring of the gospel of His grace.

[4:11] It may encourage you, if you can appeal to God with whom you have to do, that you are here with that concern, I would hear what God the Lord will say.

[4:23] And if you have got that petition, oh, give me Samuel's ear, the opened ear, oh Lord, alive and quick to hear each whisper of Thy word.

[4:46] And now, I want, as the Lord should help me, to look at this subject from two or three viewpoints of it, the setting of the subject is very solemn.

[5:00] Jesus Christ was addressing a multitude, but in that multitude there were many who did not believe on Him.

[5:15] There was a division, therefore, again, among the Jews for the saints. And wherever the gospel is preached with divine authority, there will always be a division made among those who listen to it.

[5:35] Some will have the ear to hear, a heart to receive, and be concerned to have a living interest in the things of God.

[5:48] And others will apparently be in the attitude of hearing, but there is no response within. And they come in that category while they are in such an attitude, He that rejecteth me and my words hath one that judgeth him.

[6:10] The word that I have spoken, it should judge him at the last day. And now there, you might weigh things up, dear friends, as to whether you are concerned to listen to the Good Shepherd, whether in your heart there is a movement after God if so be, He will give you some sure sheep marks that you belong to Him and His people.

[6:42] My sheep hear my voice and I know them. It beggars all language to say much about it.

[6:53] when you think on the earth at the present time there must be some millions of Christ's sheep and Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd discerns each one individually as well as the flock collectively.

[7:13] I know them, I know each one wherever they are, whoever they are, I know them. and that knowledge is a foreknowledge too.

[7:29] Before the world was built or time was born, Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd in the covenant of grace could declare, I know them. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

[7:46] and God the Father ordained that number which no man can number to eternal life in the covenant of grace.

[7:59] Oh, to have some sure evidence that you and I are in it. Shepherd, divine, blessed, Son of God among thy sheep redeemed by blood, oh, may my soul at last be found and with eternal life be crowned.

[8:15] my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.

[8:27] Do you? as you live your life is that your everyday anxiety before God that you may be as a sheep following the Good Shepherd in what you do, what you say, where you go and the company you keep.

[8:51] Jesus says to his sheep and his lambs follow me. Here is the word of God setting up a sure standard of the life of the righteous and they follow me.

[9:11] Are you doing that this Sabbath afternoon? As you are here before God and they follow me. Are you following with that deep down concern?

[9:26] Lord Jesus make thyself to me a living bright reality. Are you following even though it may be with feeble desires and wishes so weak eh, but is Jesus inspires and bids you still seek?

[9:45] Maybe the truth about most of us is in another scripture and Peter followed afar off. Is there one poor sinner under Union Chapel roof who is here before God with that feeling nearer and nearer to thee clinging oh may my helpless soul be found.

[10:14] Oh for a closer walk with God the Lord bless you and multiply you till everyone who is a sinner born again lives with that deep down concern continually.

[10:29] and now first of all it might be well leaving the setting of the subject to look at some of these sheet marks.

[10:43] I know the subject is very familiar to you but it is one which the Savior delighted to use at this time and I want to give you a warning in sincerity and affection because sometimes the subject is one that is familiar you must be on your guard in listening and listen yet more earnestly lest in spite of the subject being one that is familiar when all is said and done you should still be lost.

[11:24] remember that you cannot hear the subject of sheet and listen to it and say oh we know all about sheet.

[11:38] The pastor can tell us nothing more than we know about sheet and you may know quite a deal about sheet but the great thing is have you got something from God that you are indeed one of his sheep.

[11:54] come in inside that beautiful scripture and they shall be all taught of God and this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

[12:14] I want you dear people and you know how I do wish you well I say I want you to listen not so much to a sermon I want you to listen to the gospel that it might be good tidings of great joy and that you might enter into what the Selmist says blessed is the people that know the joyful sound they shall walk oh Lord in the light of thy countenance and now my sheep hear my voice and now under the Mosaic ritual how Israel of old had to worship God the sheep was acceptable as a sacrifice and was accounted a clean creature and now when a sinner is born again he has lodged in his breast a clean principle and that is godly fear which is an unctuous light to what is right and to barter what is wrong and yet strange to say when that clean principle is lodged in the sinner's breast in his approaches to God he confesses continually unclean unclean because whatsoever doth make manifest is light which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and godly fear is an illuminating principle man i would remind you of what the apostle paul said to the godly hebrews when he bade them call to remembrance the former days and he says after you were illuminated it and when godly fear is lodged in a sinner's breast he is lighted up inside yea he is an illuminated man or woman as the case may be youth or maid yes and it causes that sinner to desire to live the life of the righteous and yet in his approaches to god he feels to be the opposite of what he desires to be if i can make that plainer i will illustrate it with what god said concerning job my servant job is a perfect man and that is to say honest sincere one that feareth me and escheweth evil what did job say before god behold i am vile and that was how job felt inside not how he lived outside job felt the leprosy lies deep within sin and that is what godly fear enables poor sinners to realize when that godly fear is active the heart once harder steel that's made for sin to feel bears tokens of a ransom soul and that sinner born again being numbered with

[15:57] Christ's sheep desires to live a clean life oh he desires that godly fear should dictate his life and he obey the dictates of it willingly let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight oh lord my strength and my redeemer blessed sheep mark oh cry we to heaven with one loud accord that to us be given the fear of the lord my sheep wonderful it is to think that Jesus Christ can look around on that vast multitude of sinners born again and declare of them my sheep my sheep hear my voice and then as the sheep are gathered together they are designated a flock fear not little flock for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom and now they flock together because that is their character to do so and you find that where the shepherd makes his presence known their

[17:25] Christ sheep will flock together the word of the Lord is in all places where I record my name there will I come and bless thee and if you came aright to worship God this Sabbath afternoon oh you came with that feeling what is the house to me unless the master I can see and you came with willing feet you came with that principle within which causes you to flock together where Christ's sheep are to be found we love the place oh God wherein thine honour dwells the joy of thine abode all earthly joy excels love is a sweet blessed sheep mark lord lord i have loved the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth i would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my god than to dwell in the tents of wickedness and then sheep are creatures who have to have particular food and they want that which a man cannot receive except it be given him from heaven do

[18:54] Christ sheep you read in Isaiah about clean provender winnowed with a shovel and a fan and that sets forth the gospel of the grace of God in the proclamation of it what is called by the Puritans and what it really is experimental truth not just truth in the doctrine of it although that is essential let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed but you want the reality of the doctrine something must be known and felt then alone out of the abundance of the heart the mouth can speak and the psalmist says the meat shall eat and be satisfied and increase their joy in the Lord so that when you come to hear the gospel it is to eat it as you read in

[20:01] Jeremiah thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart so that the sheep do love the green pastures and to be where the still waters flow oh they can say then Lord it is good for us to be here my sheep hear my voice and I know them and he knows every one of you who were numbered with his sheep and some of you who as yet come in the category of lambs I know them dear friends if that truth could be engraved in our hearts it would help us to live more like we should be living with our names on church rolls many of us

[21:05] I know them remember what was said to the seven churches in Asia I know thy works I know where you are and who you are and it is good if you and I can appeal to the good shepherd and declare O Lord thou knowest what I would be I would belong to thee and thine yes my sheep hear my voice and I know them and now go back a moment to what I said about a sheep being a clean creature therefore it was acceptable as a sacrifice and I want to emphasize that line of things in my ministry because if you and I do belong to

[22:05] Christ sheep then there must be in our life that which corresponds to a sacrifice but when the sheep of old time was offered for a sacrifice it was a dead sacrifice and now if you and I belong to the sheep of Christ you must learn to live otherwise I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God the emphasis is on the words that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice and that means that your religion if

[23:15] God is the author of it you will obtain it at great cost the word of God says buy the truth and you have to buy it and pay very dearly for it in some viewpoints of it as to having a right experience as the outcome do remember that if you are not a living sacrifice in your everyday life and remembering what the apostle John said we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren do you think he meant that we should go up into the village and be burnt at the stake no no in laying down our lives for the brethren it means as every opportunity is afforded you to do good unto all men and especially they that be of the household of faith and you make a sacrifice in your own life to do what you can for those whom you esteem for the truth sake lay down your life maybe with a heartache in doing it and much weariness of body and taking up your time and you having to give up this and that in your own life a while in the doing of it there must be a living sacrifice in our lives otherwise you lack an all important sheep mark remember that it is enough for the disciple that he be as his

[25:09] Lord Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow in his steps much might be said along that line of thought and there is just another sheep mark I would touch on my sheep hear my voice and I know them and now a sheep is a meek creature harmless inoffensive and that is what you must be in the spiritual interpretation of it if you belong to Christ sheep what you are by nature must not be predominant creating mischief within and without meek I thought many times of one scripture in Zephaniah seek the

[26:10] Lord seek meekness as though if you sought meekness that summed up all that you need for your religion to be fruitful in good works and you to behave as you should do before God and man seek the Lord and in doing that seek meekness and that means to humble yourselves under his mighty hand in all his dealings with you not to kick against the pricks of his dealings and seek to argue with God why this should be allowed to come into your life or that but to humble yourself under his mighty hand and say it is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good let my soul live and it shall praise thee let thy judgments help me all this beautiful blessed meekness how good it is to see it in poor sinners lives as it bears fruit to the glory of

[27:26] God blessed are the meek the good shepherd said earlier on my sheep hear my voice and now it says and they follow me how do they do that they follow him desiring to live like him and they follow him seeking to reduce to practice what they know of him and is true and I might say that they follow him in making a profession of his name remember that Jesus says to each believer be baptized in my name he himself in

[28:31] Jordan's river was immersed beneath the stream I'm not suggesting any of you should be baptized but I am suggesting that if you want to be numbered with Christ's sheep you should listen to what the good shepherd has to say about it my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me do you you do follow in your desires as a seeking soul but it is laid down ye are my witnesses and if ever there was a day in the world's history when all who are sheep of a truth and lambs should answer that question who is on the Lord's side this is the day in which you and I are living oh you should seek to follow him in showing the world whose you are and whom you serve come and hear all ye that hear

[29:43] God I will tell you what he has done for my soul said the selmist long ago and remember it is a delightful experience you who are outside the church if you would like to do it ask any one of our dear people inside the church how they have felt when additions have been made God given additions and they will tell you with pleasure we behold Emmanuel's offspring come as sheep are gathered to the fold and left no more to roam yes there is sweet fellowship in it my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and remember although your name is not on a church roll yet where you live and how you live others take knowledge of you that you have been with

[30:57] Jesus and they do observe you seeking to follow him according to what light you have you may say there is this hindrance for me and that or there is this question I would like answered and that but then when the apostle Peter put a question to to the good shepherd after he had risen from the dead how did the good shepherd respond to the apostle Peter what is that to thee follow thou me yes and they follow me they follow him in bearing their cross for his sake as well as their own there is a word in the

[32:05] Philippians epistle which needs to be remembered every day not only is it given unto you to believe on his name but also to suffer for his sake mark that word in you too often think that you suffer for your sake and so you do and much of our suffering is a question of sowing and reaping but even so you suffer for his sake when you follow him he that taketh not up his cross and follow it after me is not worthy of me the savior said and whatever suffering God has allotted to you you do need divine aid to follow him and bear that cross as being one that God has ordained for you let but my faint in heart be blessed with thy sweet spirit for its guest oh

[33:11] God to thee I leave the rest thy will be done in submitting to the will of God you will desire to follow him whose you are and whom you serve and there is something very beautiful in that experience when that gracious meekness that I referred to as a sheep mark is known and felt maybe you have thought sometimes when some things have come into your life you have been like a wild bull in a net and very ill behaved and thought I will not brook it I will not put up with it as it were but when you have been quieted down when that gracious meekness has permeated you how ready you are to say Lord I would indeed submit gladly yield my all to thee what thy wisdom sees most fit must be surely best for me thy will be done and now you are following him right my sheep hear my voice and

[34:32] I know them and they follow me there is a following of the dear good shepherd in his providential dealings with us I do want you to have a right apprehension of what providence is because the hymn writer hits the nail on the head when he says the fictious power of chance and fortune I defy my life's minutest circumstance is subject to God's eye I hope I have seen it quite a few times along life's way the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way though he fall he shall arise he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand and you find if you are helped to follow the dear good shepherd in his providential leadings you will learn whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the

[35:54] Lord and that does not mean when you follow him in providential leadings that your cupboard shelves will be always well stored and your pocket well lined no no sometimes you have to go back to Bethlehem and see how Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and learn foxes have holes birds of the air have nests but the son of man hath not where to lay his head and yet you follow him in that providence if it should befall you and what do you learn then I am the lily of the valleys and the valleys bless the rich perfume and you say it is enough for the disciple that he be as his lord for ye know the grace of our lord

[36:57] Jesus Christ although he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me sometimes this following of the good shepherd is entered into when you seek to fulfill the word of God bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ Jesus Christ said I am among you as he that serve it the son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and sometimes you find an opportunity to follow the good shepherd like that and remember what

[38:02] Joseph Hart says behold the gospel plan trust in the Lord with all your heart and do what good you can and you will find plenty of opportunities to do it as grace is given much might be said under that heading my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me oh it is good when you can follow him with an earnest desire to serve him as the Lord Christ and they follow me faithfully it is said if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned but they never did return but they lived as pilgrims and strangers in the earth where

[39:03] God ordained they should be and while you may not feel to know as yet much about Jesus Christ as to the deep things of God or to climb into the heavenly heights and be in heavenly places in Christ Jesus in your soul's experience yet you do in your soul's desires follow him and you long to know him as he is to be known to know my Jesus crucified by far excels all things beside and they follow me and if you are helped to do it right you would do it prayerfully yes the soul that with sincere desires seeks after Jesus love that soul the Holy Ghost inspires with breathings from above and they follow me and they not only follow faithfully and prayerfully but they follow loyally or they preface what they do with this question what think ye of

[40:27] Christ and in what you do where you go and what you say and the company you keep you will let other folks know what you think of Christ remember that my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and they follow him once they begin to do it or they follow him continually until at last they arrive where the good shepherd is in the realms of bliss to enter into the rest that remain it for the people of God my sheep hear my voice and now I go back to what I said earlier on have you heard it the good shepherd speaks sometimes to convince his voice raises the dead the dead shall hear the voice of the son of

[41:41] God and they that hear shall live and sometimes the good shepherd speaks to poor sinners like that I wish it could be more known amongst us in every nominational life no preacher especially a pastor can ever know while he lives how much good may be done or not be done as the outcome of his labours because to a great degree it is hidden and that being the case often many of us who labour in word and doctrine wearing out our lives in doing it sometimes I have castings down and feel I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for no you may say oh but then I'm surprised if you should feel like that as the pastor because you can look around you and see how many signs have followed your labours amongst us yes

[42:46] I will admit that but I will also tell you this what did the apostle Paul say brethren my heart's desire for Israel is that they might be saved yes my sheep hear my voice and that voice will be sometimes I say a convincing voice sometimes it will be a comforting voice because he who is the promiser will speak one of his own promises come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden I will give you rest and when Jesus Christ speaks such a word oh the wondrous comfort it communicates to our fainting hearts sometimes the voice will be to confirm our souls

[43:48] I sometimes think about that beautiful verse in the Acts of the Apostles where they went everywhere preaching the gospel confirming the souls of the disciples exhorting them to continue in the faith and now many of you who have been following on year in year out to know the Lord desire that your soul should be confirmed that what you know is what God has communicated whosoever should drink of the water that I should give him it shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life and that means that when you get a fresh sip of that living water all your helps by the way that you have ever had all your past experience that you desire to treasure up as beyond all price seems to be made alive again in your soul and you know it is of

[44:58] God it springs up to everlasting life remember that my sheep hear my voice sometimes it may be a voice of rebuke reproofs and instruction are in the way of life I like that word because in my life since I was born again I've had some reproofs and received them I hope as from God and got good in doing so reproofs and instruction are in the way of life and you must not be surprised some of you dear people if when you hear the good shepherd's voice the next time may it be quite soon it will not be to comfort you nor even to confirm you but it will be to rebuke you admonish you bring you back to where you ought to be where you used to be in the things of

[46:13] God yes my sheep hear my voice all my friends do you possess this sure sheep mark has the dear good shepherd spoken to you how tenderly he speaks at times to poor sinners and when at other times his voice searches us through and through causing us to humble ourselves at his feet perhaps feeling then like Ezra of old oh my God I am ashamed I blush to lift up my face unto thee he speaks according to his word as many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent some of you may feel if I could but hear the good shepherd speaking with his all powerful voice thy sins be forgiven thee

[47:21] I should rejoice with joy uns with joy uns poor sinner Jesus will not your cry forget you shall obtain the blessing yet has he given you ears to hear his voice in convincing you of sin and judgment to come has he comforted you and confirmed you with helps by the way has he caused you to understand a word in Micah hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it has he rebuked and corrected you thank God and take courage and think of Manoah's wife long ago when she argued if the Lord were pleased to kill us would he have showed us all these things and as at this time have told us such things as these there is a beautiful picture of the good shepherd in

[48:28] Isaiah he shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young as I come to the Amen I would encourage whoever you are desiring to follow on to know the Lord such an exercise such a concern is a sure sheep mark and the good shepherd declares if any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there also shall my servant be and they follow me happy happy is the people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord all what heaped up happiness awaits them when time shall be no more and the whole flock shall be found at the good shepherd's right hand as he has declared then shall the king say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world then shall

[49:57] I see and hear and know all I desired or wished below and every power finds sweet employ in that eternal world of joy Amen