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[0:00] And upon the Lord for all needed help, I venture to draw your prayerful attention to the Song of Solomon, chapter 1, a part of verse 8.

[0:26] Song of Solomon, chapter 1, verse 8, and the middle clause.

[0:40] The footsteps of the flock. The footsteps of the flock.

[0:56] This flock has a shepherd who constantly cares for them.

[1:14] Loves every sheep and lamb. Goes before them in the way.

[1:29] Protects them from their many enemies. Leads them into the green pastures.

[1:44] Makes them to lie down in green pastures. And leads them by the still waters.

[2:01] Consider a flock in eastern lands without a shepherd to constantly care for them.

[2:15] The sheep would wander. The sheep would perish. Be killed by wild beasts.

[2:31] Stolen by wicked men. Come into places of great danger. Eat that which might be harmful to them.

[2:47] So before we look and consider the flock. We would consider the shepherd of the flock.

[3:05] This flock. This flock. This flock. This flock. This flock. Sheep and lambs. All given by God the Father to the good shepherd of the sheep.

[3:22] And this good shepherd. Laid down his life for the sheep.

[3:33] For all we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way.

[3:47] This flock. This flock. In and of themselves. Are perishing. In their sin. Wandering far away.

[4:01] From God. And yet. Watched over. By this good shepherd. And he.

[4:12] Who died on the cross. Whose precious blood. Blood was shed. Who paid that price. Of redemption.

[4:24] Will call. And gather. Each of his. Sheep and lambs. To himself. At the appointed.

[4:36] The time. And they shall come. The. Powerful voice. Of the shepherd.

[4:47] Calling them. Calling them. Out. Of that. State. Of danger. How they are. Ready. To.

[4:58] Perish. And they are gathered. One. By one. And sweetly. Sing. Jesus. Sought me.

[5:09] When a stranger. When a stranger. When a stranger. Wandering. From the fold. Of God. He. To save. My soul. From danger. Interpose.

[5:21] His precious blood. The good. Shepherd. And here. Beloved. Is this.

[5:32] Dear shepherd. Whose eye. Is upon. Them. That fear him. That hope. In his mercy. He died.

[5:43] For them. They are called. By his grace. He goes. Before them. In the way. And they shall. Never.

[5:53] Perish. Neither. Shall any man. Pluck them. Out. Of. My. Hand. The flock.

[6:06] What. Are the marks. Of being. Found. In this. Flock. The lambs. And the sheep.

[6:17] For whom. The shepherd. Died. Whom. The shepherd. Will bring. To glory. At.

[6:28] Last. In my. Business days. Traveling. On the. Borders. Of.

[6:38] Surrey. And Sussex. I had to stop. For a few moments. Do. And. In the field. Nearby. I observed.

[6:49] A lamb. That obviously. Had. Only. Really. Just. Been. Born. How. Weak. How.

[7:00] Frail. How. Defenseless. Cremling. One. Thing. I observed.

[7:10] Was. The. Mother. The sheep. Its. Care. Of. Its. Lamb. One. And. And. That.

[7:21] Led. Me. To. This. As. One. Whom. His. Mother. Comfort. It. So. Will.

[7:31] I. Comfort. You. Now. What. What. I. Particularly. Observed. Was this. Here. Before. My. Eyes.

[7:41] Was. Life. Very. Weak. Very. Frail. And. Unless.

[7:52] I. Was. Mistaken. And. I. Think. Not. From. That. Little. Weak. Lamb. There. Was. A. Fainting. Bleating.

[8:04] So. Beloved. In. The. Things. Of. God. The. Lambs. Of. This. Fold. Are.

[8:15] Born. Again. Spiritual. Life. Though. So. Weak. Though. So. Frail. Though.

[8:26] So. Defenseless. Though. So. Very. Very. Poor. Yet. Here. Is. Life. Do.

[8:36] Some. Of. Our. Younger. Friends. Come. In. With. This. Are. There. Some. Bleating. Things. Are.

[8:47] There. Some. Broken. Cries. For. Mercy. Is. There. In. Your. Heart. A. Seeking.

[8:58] Of. The. Shepherd. A. Desire. To. Know. That. You. Are. One. Of. This. Flock. That.

[9:09] You. Are. His. That. He. Died. For. You. That. His. Blood. Was. Shed. That. To. Put. Away.

[9:20] Thy. Sin. If. There. Is. This. Movement. In. Your. Soul. This.

[9:31] Deep. Longing. Of. Your. Heart. This. Cry. For. Mercy. This. Being. Drawn. To. Jesus. Christ.

[9:42] It. Is. The. Blessed. Evidence. Of. Spiritual. Life. And. Spiritual. Life.

[9:53] However. So. Faint. Yet. Real. Is. The. Evidence. Of. That. Fini.

[10:03] Interest. In. The. Finished. Work. Of. Christ. Spiritual. Life. Is. Inseparable. From.

[10:14] The. Blood. Shed. Of. The. Deer. Shepherd. Of. The. Sheep. And. Of. That. Interest.

[10:26] In. His. Finished. Work. The. Flock. When. Thou.

[10:36] Was. Perishing. In. Thy. Sin. And. To. Be. Perishing. In. One. Sin. Does.

[10:46] Not. Mean. Only. To. Be. Right. Out. In. The. World. Never. Coming. To. God's. House. Never. Hearing. The. Word. We. Can.

[10:57] Be. In. The. World. Perishing. Having. Be. Brought. Up. Sitting. In. The. Chapel. Sitting. Under. The. Truth. And. Hearing. The.

[11:07] Gospel. From. Our. Childhood. Days. But. Oh. What. Has. The. Lord. Done. For. You. What.

[11:19] Power. Has. Been. Put. For. include. Illum. For. Fatim. Our. Beloved.

[11:31] That. Tie. When. You. Begun. To. Feel. Concern. Over. Your. Soul. Burden.

[11:42] With. Your. Sin. When. You. Were. Led. To. Seat. For. Mercy. Pray. to be prepared for eternity when sin became such a reality such a burden this is the footsteps of the flock and under that burden of your sin conscious now that you are perishing afar off and then hearing the shepherd's voice speaking come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me

[12:44] I will in no wise cast out dost thou remember that first word or words upon which your soul was caused to hope when you were drawn by this powerful love of the shepherd hearing his voice drawing you to himself the footsteps of the flock coming in all your need and unfitness and yet with hope in your soul and yet so many many fears a mark of the lambs and sheep of this flock is that they dwell together

[13:48] I have been told that a sheep alone is unhappy you find them in the flock together dost thou now testify of that love to the dear people of God do you say I love to meet among them now why is it just because you are friendly with them and that you love to meet them it is right that you should be friendly it is good that you should love to meet them but I love to meet among them now and at thy gracious feet about the finest of them all to meet with God's people with the desire that Jesus may meet with me that I may hear his voice that I may be confirmed in my soul that I am not just openly that I sit with God's people but that

[15:00] Jesus is my saviour that Jesus died for me that my sins which are many are all forgiven you some of our younger friends particularly in daily employment what does it mean to come to God's house on the Lord's day and in the week can you enter into this being let go you come to your own company oh my friend sheep dwell together excluding the thought of wild sheep as I believe there are in parts of the earth but for the most part if we think of sheep and lambs they belong to somebody we might ask who do I belong to who do you belong to that either we belong to Jesus or that the evil one is our master or are we his now the sheep are marked one of their little children two or three years ago was away and saw these sheep with a red mark on the back and turned to her father and said it looks like blood it wasn't blood of course but father had sweet meditation these sheep this flock redeemed by the precious blood of

[17:06] Christ Christ oh friend it's the blood the mark when I see the blood I will pass over you have we this mark oh perhaps some of you may say tis a point I long to know oft it causes this anxious thought do I love the Lord or no am I his or am I not oh how canst I be sure that it is well with my soul we cannot see our own mark it is seen by others if and to change the illustration for a moment the God's people are sealed in their foreheads now

[18:09] I could not see any mark now on my forehead you would see it but if I needed to see it I would use a mirror I would need eyes opened I would need light I would need a mirror God has given it to those who are burdened over their sin those who seek the saviour those that cry for mercy their eyes are opened the light has shone into their soul and the mirror is the word of God which reveals to us the marks of the lambs and sheep of this fold all who fear God both small and great the footsteps of this flock this flock the shepherd the shepherd leads and makes them to lie down in green pastures and leads them by the still waters the those that are born again seek the green pastures they cannot feed on the husks that swine feed they need as newborn babes the sincere milk of the word they pray for the

[20:01] Lord to lead them feed them and nourish them and make them lie down to give a spirit of humility at the feet of Jesus Christ for all pride to be removed to be as a little child to sit at his feet to hear his word and at times this expression he maketh me to lie down you're restless you're tempted you're burdened you're fretful perhaps we're not of a right spirit but he makes us he breaks down that pride he humbles this self of ours and makes us to lie down waiting dependent on him and then as fed and blessed and find a little rest a little place of refreshing and stillness sheep will never lie down if there is anything to frighten them or again

[21:39] I would take it if they were hungry well fed and quietness leads to rest or when the Lord has blessed us and fed us from his word when Satan has been silenced our fears have been removed there's been such a greenness in the pasture and a stillness in our soul oh how precious this blessing is but there's so much that distresses and disturbs the sheep I've been told that in some flocks there's some sheep that manifest quite a well they just won't let any of the other sheep rest they'll go about and disturb one and disturb another may we ever be preserved from being a disturber in the flock oh friend and then again the sheep might be alarmed at the sound of a wolf or in eastern lands of the lion but the shepherd watches over but aren't we afraid sometimes don't we need the

[23:07] Lord to come and say fear not and then again do you find sometimes that yes you've been helped under that heavy trial in that time of difficult and you were able to rest in the Lord and to be still but something small has come into your life and oh it's so irritating it really wankles it really upsets you and yet when you start to try and think about you think well why should this little thing worry me so and disturb me far more than past the bigger trials through which I've been brought through well you know the poor sheep sometimes are worried by insects aren't they played with them these flies so friend how we need the Lord to come and as I believe in certain cases of caring for the sheep that special provision is made of oil or something to preserve the sheep from getting distressed and worried with these small flies that so disturb them and distress them that leads us to this the footsteps of the flock in this that thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies that still the shepherd see it's not a banqueting house that we're talking about there it's the shepherd's duty to provide pastures for the sheep to find out that which is suitable for the sheep you see there's danger the sheep may say oh that looks nice for me but it could be poisonous could be harmful so the shepherd finds out the pastures and leads the sheep there too thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies one of the great enemies of our soul is the devil and he'll tempt you the fiery darts of the wicked and have you sometimes been so troubled so tried so tempted as you come to

[25:48] God's house and you felt that you were out of the secret entirely there was no hope for your soul and the Lord has prepared the table led his servant to speak a word that has caused the devil to flee your soul to be fed your heart to be encouraged and remember prior to the call to the ministry and then as a deacon of the cause and I have to name that not by any way of attention to myself or boasting of myself but you'll understand why I mentioned that I was a deacon my pastor had died and one Lord's Day morning I felt a real spirit of prayer for a blessing for my soul another reviving another token for good as we have in the psalm here let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth draw me tell me

[26:52] Lord that's what I want and this came sweet into my soul show me some token Lord for good a token of thy special love show me that I'm born again and that my treasure is above and then came the devil I cannot and I will not describe what I passed through lest I should even bring into your mind what I passed through from the attack of the enemy it was in this way you should never be a deacon if that's all you can say and much more my friend I was knocked down brew I went to God's house the dear minister was preaching and I don't know today what his text was but do you know in the middle of that sermon he paused and he said that he spoke of a deacon that would die and it was a

[27:57] Sunday and the people in the chapel said we would love you to choose a hen that is now sweet to your soul that we may sing in the sanctuary today he said yes and he said the hymn is this show me a token lord for god a token of thy special love and the dear minister went on to say how that deacon soon a day or two later passing away passed away in full assurance of faith they're wonderful seasons it's just as though you were the only sheep of that flock and the lord should take such care hear your poor prayer silence the devil come to you and comfort you the footsteps of the flock thou anointest my head with oil that was what I was coming to here are the sheep plagued with these insects can't rest here is this one that is bruised that you got a bruise but there again the same thought comes nothing but what Jesus gives and speaks and can be a comfort to your soul and heal that wound and that bruise perhaps you come to the point at times you can't go on any longer like the sheep coming in at the end of the day is exhausted but there's the good shepherd he holds the anointing oil in the horn in his hand that would be of no avail to the bruise sheep the sheep that is plagued with insects the sheep that is weary just to see the oil it would be a comfort to see it the sheep would have some hope of it that there is oil but the vital thing is for the application of it isn't it oh pray for that pray for application pray for that word to be so blessed to your soul and that word to come just where you are that it will bring comfort in your sorrow and strengthen you in your weakness and revive you and refresh you we know something we know what it has been to be brought to nothing to be brought to the end of everything one night some years ago when my children were young it was Sunday night and

[31:09] I was driving to Tamworth Road and I thought I'd come to the end what was I going to say how was I going to preach and my girls were singing a hymn very rare in the car they did it but they did that night it was the Lord's appointment and I suddenly heard this Jesus Christ your father's son bid you undismayed go on friend that was a message from heaven for my soul it was power it was application all pray for this pray much for it the footsteps of the flock but who are we following in eastern lands as you well know the sheep follow the shepherd and it is said that if you should see the sheep walking in a straight line more or less a straight line you could be assured that there's a shepherd in front of them you see sheep in the field alone without a shepherd and they'll be scattered they'll just wander to and fro in the field but if you see sheep walking in a straight line you'll see them that they're following the shepherd and my friend

[32:36] I like this expression the footsteps someone's gone before it's our Jesus it's this good shepherd he knows all the paths he knows all the way not only does he know it not only has he walked it out but in unerring wisdom and love this is the right path for you and for me not the path that we choose not the way that we love but it's the right way and in our right mind this is the path we seek for in thy presence I am happy in thy presence I am secure in thy presence all affliction I can easily endure the footsteps of the flock is to follow in his steps it is to be obedient to his voice it is to walk by faith it is to walk in the fear of the

[33:52] Lord it is to walk and owning no other but Jesus Christ oh how we come into such trouble when we think that we know a better way when we think that the grass is greener if we should turn aside there oh beloved friend what danger there is and remember backsliding isn't just and only confined to turning the back on the centre and going right into the world we can still be in God's house and slowly come into a back sliding state by seeking to go our paths seeking to walk in our way and I believe this we must watch it ever so carefully

[34:53] I feel I need it myself increasingly to watch against my spirit a wrong spirit does us great harm rebellion before God the rebellious dwell in a dry land the wandering will come into a place of barrenness the grass may appear green and everything may be favourable but my friend it will not prosper fear an unforgiving spirit an unkind thought unjust judgment a failure to confess our own fault any deviation from the footsteps of the flock we shall suffer the mercy is this that the Lord will not leave us to perish perverse and foolish oft I strayed and get in love he sought me and on his shoulder gently laid and home rejoicing brought me if the eastern shepherd observes one of his sheep wandering far from the fold he'll take his sling and cause a stone to fall just in front of that sheep not to hit the sheep not to harm the sheep but to startle it it's a great mercy the Lord doesn't leave us to perish we are kept by the power of God and my friend when the

[36:40] Lord sends a word sometimes to show us our folly where we're wrong and to bring us back and isn't it wonderful that he still receives us that he doesn't leave us to perish in our sin still has us still we are his the footsteps of the flock sometimes it's the valley experience the valley is the deep place the lonely path sometimes and yet some of the sweetest pasture the greenest grass the most precious fruits in the valley aren't they have you proved it sometimes a valley a place of darkness a low place a lonely place and yet a place of blessing to your soul yea though

[37:52] I walk through don't lose sight of that friend through it's through much tribulation but it's through it let us go on to the other side said Jesus Christ but you see there was the storm and there was that time ready to perish and the disciples had forgotten surely what Jesus said the other side it looked as though they were going to sink but Jesus had said the other side and so as we have quoted they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand the footsteps of the flock when everything seems so dark when it is dark you cannot see if I can use the illustrations very simple I stood in this pulpit at midnight tonight and there was no light whatsoever this Bible open I would not be able to see the text that is written in this

[38:56] Bible but no one would be such a fool to say that the text because it's dark is being removed from this Bible but you see we're so poor and so troubled and so tried at times that when we're in the dark we fear that it's all gone and the devil roars and tells us where's your religion where's your God now what about the promise now where are you now but oh friend to trust him in the dark to say yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow there I will fear no evil no evil one for thou that's the secret thou my shepherd that loves me my shepherd that died for me thou art with me I have spoken in this rambling discourse this morning of the 23rd psalm of green pastures well

[39:57] I do not know how many times I've read it in my in my life but it was only last year I saw something I'd never seen before green pastures is always fresh friend I observe there's only two words in that psalm in italics that means that our godly interpreters and quite rightly insert the word to give a clear English translation and understanding of the word but the first word in italics is the word is the Lord is my shepherd so really if we took it literally is the Lord my shepherd and in the simple meditation that softened my heart heart it came so sweetly in this way the Lord my shepherd oh how close he is every moment never failing ever with me the

[41:05] Lord my shepherd like that word yea fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine that little word art is in italics thou mine nothing to separate us from his love think of it your life hidden with Christ in God then the other yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me that little word art thou with me friend oh I would speak with care what more can he say than to you he has said you who unto Jesus the refuge of land his closeness itself is ever with his children he'll never fail them never forsake them lo

[42:09] I am with you all the way even unto the end of the world you have doubtless read of a godly man that had that dream and he saw his life as footprints in the sand and two sets of footprints but as he looked closely there he saw at times there was just one set of footprints and as he considered it he observed that that one set of footprints was when he was in the deepest trouble when he was in the dark and he couldn't understand Lord didst thou leave me then no my child I carried thee he does doesn't he as we read in Isaiah about carrying the lambs in his bosom and that sheep that he finds he lays it upon his shoulders the government of the world is on his shoulder but the sheep found is on his shoulders and that's a place of strength friend and in his bosom that's a place of his love oh they shall never perish oh they are he the footsteps of the flock to walk by faith to walk in trust to walk leaning on our beloved walk looking unto

[43:30]  Jesus and look just this thought if he loved me keep my commandments and Jesus has set an example he was baptized the footsteps of the flock the Lord lead you forth any that are burdened and exercised in the ordinance of his heaven to follow in these footsteps it is in love it is by faith and as you sung in your opening hymn but by faith and not by sight Christians yield obedience the footsteps of a flock and it's right to heaven at last because the good shepherd is there and he'll bring his children there and he says fear not little flock it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom amen amen away to sae agreed to