Sermon by: Robert Austell; January 20, 2019 - Genesis 27:1-29 :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell."  Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: Prelude: Ashokan Farewell (Chris Orr - fiddle, Rich Bonnell - mandolin, Robert Austell - guitar) Come Thou Fount/We'll Feast (arr. and chorus, Austell) Your browser does not support the audio element. Let Us Be Known (Bethel Worship) His Mercy Is More (Papa/Boswell) - chorus for Song of Assurance CHOIR: 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (arr. Youngblood) - Cathy Youngblood directing Have Thine Own Way, Lord (ADELAIDE) :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose. Is it okay to do something wrong – sinful – in order to accomplish God’s will? Does a good and godly end justify means that are less than godly? What happens to God’s plan when we sin? These are all questions raised in today’s story. We are continuing the “Here I Am” series, seeking to be listening, available, and ready to go for whatever God may ask of us individually and as a church. I’ll flat out tell you this is a messed-up story. In fact, one of the first things I do in preparing for a sermon is to go into my files and see what I’ve preached or taught on it before. I realized I have never taught or preached this passage before. I don’t remember consciously avoiding it, but I’m sure I looked at it and thought, “Yeah, I don’t know what to do with all that mess,” and moved on. So why now? Well, when I chose the eight or so passages for this series, they came from searching for the phrase, “Here am I.” This was one of the passages that turned up so I put it on the list. Joke’s on me! It appears twice in this passage, but neither time from Jacob! But, I trust that God put it on my radar for a reason, so we are going to dig in. And, having looked at it now, it’s still a mess, but I think there are some profound things to learn from Jacob’s story about how we make ourselves available for God. “Here I Am”: Esau The first time “Here I am” appears in our story is on the lips of Esau. Isaac, the son of Abraham, has grown old and wants to pass on the family blessing before he dies. This blessing is no small thing. It can only be given once and was understood to be a legal as well as spiritual transaction. The father would bestow the family mantle and God’s blessing on the son. And traditionally that blessing went to the eldest son. So Isaac summoned Esau and greeted him, “My son.” To this Esau responded, “Here I am” – not just identification, but “listening, available, and ready to go” for what his father wished. Esau was the first born (of twins) and was a hunter. And so Isaac asked Esau to hunt his favorite game, prepare it, and return “so that my soul might bless you before I die.” Trickery and Deceit Straightforward enough so far… but mother Rebekah hears this and goes into action. She tells Jacob to go get an animal from the flock, which she will cook and prepare. She wants Jacob to pose as Esau with old, blind Isaac, and get the blessing. Jacob realizes that may not be enough and points out that he and Esau are very different and different-looking twins. Esau is very hairy and Jacob is not. Jacob is worried, not that this is wrong, but that he will be caught! But Rebekah responds in two ways. She tells Jacob to obey her, that she will take any curse or fallout from this upon herself, and in some of the verses I skipped over for length, she dresses him in Esau’s clothes and puts the hide of a furry animal on his arms and neck so that Isaac would be fooled. Later, Isaac will speak the second “Here I am” as he is thoroughly tricked

Sermon by: Robert Austell; January 13, 2019 - Genesis 22:1-14 :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell."  Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: Blessed Be Your Name (Redman) Be Still My Soul (FINLANDIA) I Will Offer Up My Life (Redman) My Faith Looks Up to Thee (OLIVET) :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose. **If you would like to dig into Genesis 22 in more depth, I have put a four part sermon-study out in the welcoming area. If you are reading online you can access that study HERE. Last week we started the “Here I Am” series with Jesus and Peter. It was an overview to how God calls us to be part of what He is doing, even when we may feel unqualified or disqualified. Jesus forgave Peter and let him know that he wanted him to be part of God’s work in the world. Today, and in each of the coming weeks, we will look at a biblical character who literally said “Here I am” to God. We’ll look at their life situation, what aspect of God’s character they were responding to, and how their story might inform our story. Our goal (and the tagline of this series) is to be listening, available, and ready to go. Today we look at Abraham and what is, perhaps, the defining moment in his faith and life. Even more important than that defining moment, however, is God’s definitive demonstration that He will keep His promises. And that, ultimately, is what affects us the most. We may be shocked and/or encouraged by Abraham and Isaac and what they went through, but in the end, those reactions should be overshadowed by the great demonstration of God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises. Take note of the THREE times Abraham says “Here I am” in today’s text. “Here I Am” #1: listening and ready The text and the story open up with the first “Here I am.” God calls Abraham’s name and he responds – listening, available, ready to go – “Here I am.” This is a hard story to start with, but I don’t want to shy away from it just because it’s hard. And really, it’s more than hard; it’s incomprehensible. We are told in verse 1 that this is a test, but God didn’t tell Abraham that. There are many bits of background to this. God had previously told Abraham something and Abraham had doubted and made a back-up plan. God told him he and Sarah would have a child in their old age even though they had not been able to have children. But Abraham had the child, Ishmael, with Hagar because he wanted an heir. God told Abraham to go through Egypt and then through the country of King Abimelech. Rather than trust God, Abraham lied to both rulers and said Sarah was his sister instead of his wife because he was afraid. And twice God intervened to deliver him. And now God was asking an even more impossible thing. Secondly, child sacrifice was not unknown. In fact, it was practiced by some of the surrounding people. It’s what other gods demanded. Abraham could have rationalized his action because others did this. But was the God of Abraham like other gods? God had promised Abraham children and blessing. Would God go against His word? And finally, note that God is not just making an unfeeling demand, but knows and expresses the depth of what this sacrifice would cost a father. In the end, God the Father is the one who sacrifices His only Son and Abraham the father can truly understand what that means, some 2000 years before the cross. Abraham, take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac… and offer him as a burnt offering (a pure sacrifice for sin). (Genesis 22) The language is notably familiar to language used in the New Testament to describe Jesus’ sacrificial deat

Sermon by: Robert Austell; January 6, 2019 - John 21:15-17 :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell."  Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: Come People of the Risen King (Gettys) Depth of Mercy (Bob Kauflin) Mighty to Save (Morgan/Fielding) Here Am I/Take My Life (Tomlin/Giglio) :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose. “I forgive you.” Have you ever heard those words spoken truly and purely? You’ve messed up, hurt someone, done something wrong. And that person has not responded with retribution or passive-aggressive payback, but has moved toward you in love and offered a second chance and a clean slate? “And I want you to be a part of my life.” Most of us would settle for the release that comes with forgiveness. “Whew; that’s over.” But wiping the slate clean can leave one feeling alone at the bottom of a new mountain to climb. But what about when forgiveness is rooted in a desire for restoration and healing and relationship? Can you even imagine? How would you respond to that? That’s what Jesus offered Peter in today’s text. And I chose this passage to begin a new series entitled, “Here I Am.” Over the next eight weeks or so I want to look with you at a number of situations in the Bible where people responded to God by saying “Here I Am.” And what I think we’ll see is two-fold: 1) that people offer themselves to God with the full range of human emotions… doubt, fear, enthusiasm, faith, courage, and cluelessness; and 2) people respond to different aspects of who God is… some to God’s power, some to God’s love, some to God’s presence. This is not a one-size-fits-all prescription for serving God, but one that is as varied as humanity and as rich and deep as the character of God. My hope is that we will encounter God in each week’s text and service and that we will become listening, available, and ready to go wherever God might lead us individually and together. So let’s dig in! Barriers to Following Jesus Over and over again Jesus invited people to come and see, come and check out his teaching, his life, his work. Over and over again Jesus invited people to believe and to follow. By ‘follow’ I mean serving Jesus with your life: priorities, commitments, time, energy, purpose. Following is what happens when we listen, make ourselves available, and are ready to go where God leads. But whether you are hearing that invitation for the first time or you’ve heard it many times before, one of the barriers to saying “Here I Am” is that we’ve messed up. Whether we’ve said it out loud, we think, “God wouldn’t want to use me; there are other, better people He’d want to use.” Peter had been a super-star disciple. He had clearly confessed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” and on whose testimony Jesus declared that he would build the Church. He asked Jesus if he could come out and walk on the water to him. He tried to banish demons and heal people. He was all heart and effort and faith. He fiercely refused to let Jesus wash his feet, then volunteered for a full bath when he realized Jesus was making a point. And he’s the one who said he’d never ever desert Jesus. And he did. In the hours of the night after Jesus had been arrested, he stayed close to see what was going on, but when he was recognized and questioned by a young girl and then others, he loudly denied knowing Jesus, finally swearing that he did not know the man. Then he ran away, not even present at the crucifixion of his Lord and friend. If you’ve ever failed someone in that way, you know how discouraging it can be and how easy to just turn away altogether. In r

Sermon by: Robert Austell; December 30, 2018 - Matthew 12:1-12 :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell."  Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: O Come, All Ye Faithful We Three Kings of Orient Ar The First Noel :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose. Today is the last Sunday of the calendar year and the last Sunday in our “Come and See” series. I want to look with you at the story of the wise men. It is a familiar story, but sometimes familiarity causes us to overlook important details. So I’d like to highlight a few details that are easy to miss, then look at what led the wise men to Jesus, then look at their response to finding him. In that I think we will find a natural transition from our “Come and See” series to “Here I Am” series starting next week. And perhaps it will be a helpful way to come into the New Year. Where Did the Manger Go? I want to press on to some of the significant parts of the storyline, but there are a number of fascinating details, so let me mention some of those first. The magi came to Herod asking to see the newborn king. They were not, themselves, “three kings” but likely were the chief advisors to kings. As such, they were probably not traveling alone, but with a large group of attendants and guards. And their journey probably took several weeks. (For example, if they had come from Babylon itself, the trip would have taken about 40 days by the main trade route.) That this is who they were and how they traveled helps explain how they were able to gain an audience with and the attention of Herod. To say a bit more, magi were a kind of scholarly priest that advised kings and rulers in the Middle East. We know that these magi were specifically familiar with the writings of the Hebrew scriptures (vv. 5-6) and that were also astronomers/astrologers (v. 2) because they mention both in the conversation with Herod. By ‘astronomer’ I mean that they were knowledgeable about the planets and stars and their movements, even in some surprisingly accurate detail. By ‘astrologer’ I mean that they ascribed meaning to the movement and relation of the planets and stars. Remember, too, that many of the writings of the prophets in the Old Testament were written to Jewish exiles in Babylon in the 8th through the 5th centuries B.C. These were the same writings that spoke of the Messiah, the birth of a God-promised King. It was this same culture – in Babylon – that produced the magi. They were the scholar-priests who advised the kings and rulers of the Babylonian and successive empires. It is no accident that these magi would have come in contact with the writings like those of Micah, who wrote of a ruler who would one day come out of Bethlehem. We also know from a little bit later in the story (v. 11) that when the magi found Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, the family was no longer in the setting for the birth, but were in a house in Bethlehem, probably staying with family there. Remember that Mary and Joseph had traveled to Bethlehem for the census at the time of Jesus birth (which was one reason it was hard to find room). But in the days that followed, it would have been very normal and typical, after giving birth, for relatives to house the young family for a time. Finally, given the timeline and details, particularly of Herod’s decree in the horrible story that follows this one (Matthew 2:16ff), Jesus may have been anywhere from six weeks to two years old by the time the wise men came. It was only after his family fled to Egypt and Herod died that they returned and settled in Nazareth, where Jesus would grow up. If y

Sermon by: Robert Austell; December 24, 2018 - various (see manuscript below) :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell." See the notes below about how the four-part sermon fit within a service of scripture and music. If you listen to the audio you may also want to follow along below and read the scripture being referenced. Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: see below for where various music was placed in this service of Word and music :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) ::  The telling of the Christmas story tonight is divided into four sections: the beginning, God’s promises, anticipation and birth, and witnesses. The service is largely scripture reading and music meant to complement the readings. But I will offer a brief devotion on each section of the story after the scripture is read. I have stitched them together here (this manuscript) to offer a Christmas ‘sermon’. "O Come All Ye Faithful" - congregation In the Beginning 8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. … 12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” (Genesis 3:8,12-15) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  (John 1:1-5) Lighting of the Advent Wreath and Christ Candle We started in the beginning because the birth of Jesus – and the existence of Jesus – were not an afterthought or a reaction to a problem or God’s back-up plan. But Jesus – the Word, the Life, the Light – was there in the beginning and before the creation of the world. Though the serpent and the sin of our first parents brought darkness into what God had declared good, that darkness could not even comprehend God’s bigness or power, God’s Light or Life, God’s forethought and readiness to draw near as we drew away. You can read that first story in Genesis as human failure, but that’s missing the big story. Rather it is the beginning of God’s love story for the world and people He created. Even in those earliest words of the ‘curse’ we glimpse a picture of the victory over sin and evil that God would unfold in history and in time. John pictures it as light that pierces the darkness and brings life to humanity once again. This is the prologue to the story of stories, but more than that, to the theme of hope that God has sung over our lives. “Get ready!” the story declares from the first pages, for the King is coming to make all things right and to make all things new. Where do you need to experience hope in your life? "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord" (Talbot/Caedmon's Call) - Worship Team God’s Promises 15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven

Sermon by: Robert Austell; December 23, 2018 - Luke 2:8-18 :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell."  Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: Here I Am to Worship (Hughes) People, Look East (BESANCON) OFFERTORY: While Shepherds Watched (arr. Peterson) Good Christians, All Rejoice :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose. All fall we have been considering the invitation to “Come and See” Jesus. That’s how some of the first followers of Jesus met him and followed him. Either a relative or a friend or Jesus himself said, in effect, “Come check him out – what he says, what he does, what he’s all about.” And people started trusting him and following him. And that still happens today. One of the first examples of this happened long before Jesus was walking around teaching about the Kingdom of God. In fact, he had JUST been born. Some messengers from God shared the news and we heard the story of some of the very first to “come and see” what God was doing through Jesus. As we near the end of our series I want to use this Christmas story to invite you again to consider Jesus and how you would respond to him. The Message and the Messenger(s)  This story starts with a message: God’s saving and chosen one has come into the world. And while the name wasn’t yet announced, it’s Jesus!  And this is good news; great news; joyful news Now let’s be honest. Is that what you focused on when you heard this story? If I’m honest, I was picturing the angel that terrified a group of tough, rugged shepherds… the kind that wouldn’t flinch at a wolf or predator threatening their sheep. I pictured the whole army of angels that appeared shortly after the initial message. What in the world would that have looked like? So amazing! But I think that’s precisely where the disconnect happens when we are trying to apply this story. Ordinarily, God doesn’t speak through beings so powerful that they cause our knees to go weak with fear. Ordinarily God doesn’t speak out of burning bushes and whirlwinds. The place where you and I are most likely to hear God’s message is in very ordinary ways – reading of scripture, preaching and teaching at church, or in the godly counsel of others. Sometimes God nudges our spirit as we pray or listen, but in my experience, we have to be really quiet and paying attention for that. And if God has spoken more loudly or impressively, then good for you. But even then, that may be a once or twice in a lifetime kind of thing. What about all the rest of the time? Here’s the thing: what’s really important is not the messenger, but the message. And the message of the angel and the angel-army is the same one that I speak week in and week out. It’s the same one packed into every book, chapter, and verse of scripture. And it’s the same one God’s Holy Spirit whispers to our spirits when we are really listening: God’s saving and chosen one has come into the world; he is Jesus! This is good news; great news; joyful news! That’s God’s message for YOU this morning. No angels or angel-armies, but the same message those shepherds heard that night. And it’s God’s message for you. A Sign or Two for Confirmation As if the visuals were not enough, the angel offers a “sign” to confirm the message: “you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (and cue the angel-army praising God) I’d offer a similar comment to what I said about the messenger. Signs are awesome! Confirmation is awesome! Wouldn’t life be so much easier if God would float a rainbow or peal of thunder in answer to our questions? “God, should I apply for the pr

Sermon by: Robert Austell; December 2, 2018 - John 12:12-26 :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell."  Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus/Behold, Your King (arr. Austell) CHOIR: I Am Not My Own (Boersma/Courtney) Amazing Love/You Are My King (Foote) Revelation Song (Riddle) :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose. Today is the last of our “Come and See” messages from the Gospel of John. However, I’ll still be inviting you to come and see Jesus as we move into some Advent and Christmas stories in the coming weeks. Today we end with one of the significant things to know about Jesus: he is KING! The first part of today’s text describes the events we usually read for Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. But, we usually don’t use John’s version of that story because it is pretty short and lacks some of the details in the other Gospels. But there are some things unique to John’s account and we’ll focus in on those today as we try to understand what it means that Jesus is King. I’m going to talk about the common expectation for the Messiah in Jesus’ day and then look at how there was MORE to Jesus’ kingship, as taught in scripture and as demonstrated in his teaching and ministry. And we’ll consider what it means for Jesus to be King of our lives. Hero-King In Jesus’ day people were looking for the Messiah. We’ve talked about this before. In the Hebrew scriptures God had promised to send a Messiah, or “anointed one.” This person would be a descendant of King David, the greatest king in the history of Israel. And he would be like David, blessed by God. Because the Roman Empire had conquered the known world, the common understanding and hope for the Messiah by the time Jesus lived was that the Messiah would be a warrior-king who would overthrow Rome and re-establish the kingdom of Israel on earth. So in today’s text, as in every Palm Sunday story, the crowd shouts “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (v.13a) This is part of Psalm 118, one of the scriptures that seems to point to a Messiah. “Hosanna” is Hebrew for “please save us!” So the people were literally calling out for the Messiah, a savior-king. That they expected this promised one to be a King is evident here because they add something not in Psalm 118. They say, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord, even the King of Israel.” (v.13) John adds another kingly quote from scripture: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” (v.15) Suffering Savior-King I want to add a bit to the overall scriptural description of the Messiah, though. It is true that the Messiah – that Jesus – was descended from King David. It is true that the Messiah was to be a King. But the people had developed an incomplete understanding or that kingship. It was more the king they wanted than the king God would send! Let’s look at some other scripture. Psalm 118 does have that memorable verse that the crowd quoted. I’ve noted that “Hosanna” isn’t a kind of Hallelujah or praise to God, but literally means “Please save us!” or “Save us now!” It is a cry for help. Psalm 118 also charts a course for the work the Messiah will do, particularly in vv. 22-29. The Messiah will indeed come as saving King, chosen by God; but the Messiah will first be rejected (v. 22) and a great sacrifice will be made (v. 27). The Messiah doesn’t come to save through earthly battle, but through spiritual sacrifice. And the context in Zechariah is similar. The quote about a king riding on a donkey comes in the midd

Sermon by: Robert Austell; November 25, 2018 - John 11: :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell."  Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: Sing Praise to God How Great is Our God/How Great Thou Art (Tomlin, Reeves, Cash) OFFERTORY: I Will Rise (Tomlin) There is a Balm in Gilead :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose. If you’ve never memorized any verses of scripture, I want to offer you a gift today. It’s John 11, verse 35. I bet every one of you can memorize it before you leave today. I’m going to say it to you and see if you can repeat the whole thing back to me. Are you ready: Jesus wept. Good job! I knew you could do it. But here’s the thing… it’s not just a cool thing that you now know the shortest verse in the Bible. It’s also one of the very, very significant verses of the Bible, and that’s what I want to talk about today. Have you ever thought about it: the significance that Jesus wept… that he had deep feelings. We often say that he is fully God and fully human, but I think it’s easy to gloss over what it means that he is fully human. He’s been where we are; he’s felt all the feels. And that’s really important. Today I want to look with you at the extended story in John 11. There is much there we could look at; in fact one year I took 4-5 sermons to go through this chapter. But today we are going to look at the whole thing, focusing in on Jesus’ humanity and what that shortest of all verses can teach us. First I want to remind you of the overall story and the main characters in it. But then I want to spend most of our time talking about Jesus and what his deep feelings mean within the story as well as for us. The Disciples Let’s start with the disciples. As the chapter opens, Jesus is some distance away from Bethany, where Lazarus and his sisters lived. Bethany is also pretty close to Jerusalem. Jesus and the disciples have gone away to put some distance between them and Jerusalem, where Jesus got trouble healing and teaching near the Temple. (Remember previous weeks, healing the man at the pool on a Sabbath, comparing the Pharisees to robbers and thieves of God’s sheep?) Jesus gets word that Lazarus is sick, but then stays put for two more days before heading to Bethany. The disciples are at once concerned that he doesn’t rush back to heal Lazarus, but then concerned when he does decide to go because they will be facing risk in going near Jerusalem again. Jesus explains to them why he has delayed and why he is going. And that really provides the key to understanding all that will follow. It’s there in verse 4, spoken to the disciples: “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” As we move through the story, keep God’s glory in focus. Martha Martha is the responsible and duty-focused sister, the one in a different story who worked in the kitchen to prepare food when Jesus came to visit. She is the one who comes out to welcome and receive Jesus as he comes into town now. She is the “doer.” Here Martha seems to have her faith and theology right as well, even if we can’t quite peer into her soul. She asks where Jesus has been, but trusts in Lazarus’ resurrection on the last day. And even as the story unfolds she knows that Jesus can do anything. She acknowledges Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world.” (v. 27) And with that, she goes to get Mary, who is still in the house mourning. Mary Mary is the one who sat at Jesus’ feet… the relational one… the emotional one. In another story she extravagantly poured perfume on his f

Sermon by: Robert Austell; November 18, 2018 - John 10:1-15,27-30 :: Sermon Audio (link) :: Click link to open and play in browser; right-click to save. Sermon audio is also accessible as a free podcast in iTunes. Search for "Good Shepherd Sermons" or "Robert Austell."  Your browser does not support the audio element. ::: Music :: Draw Me Nearer (Crosby, Sheets, arr. Austell) Psalm 23 (Townend) OFFERTORY: We Will Glorify (Paris) - piano, flute (Susan Slade) Where He Leads Me (NORRIS) :: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) :: This manuscript represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose. We pick back up today with the “Come and See” series, with a chapter in John that holds special bearing for our church. It is the passage in which Jesus names himself as “Good Shepherd.” And indeed, this chapter is full of sheep and shepherd imagery, with Jesus drawing comparisons to a number of aspects of working with sheep. Accordingly, I have named the sermon “Everything Sheepish.” What I hope this text will offer you today is several pictures of who Jesus is and how he shepherds us as God’s people. Here’s one important background to this text. In general, we all can appreciate shepherd imagery to some extent. Even we who live in the U.S. in 2018 and have never seen a sheep, pasture, or shepherd, can grasp quite a bit of the metaphor. Even we love the 23rd Psalm with its statement, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” We can read the words and understand. Shepherds protect their sheep; they lead and guide their sheep. They provide for their sheep. We get it. But think how much more all that imagery would mean to someone who lived in an agrarian or nomadic setting where sheep and goats and such were part of everyday life. It would be an image and metaphor that really came to life. Well one of the key biblical passages to understanding John 10 comes from the prophets to Israel. More than one spoke and wrote about the leaders of Israel as shepherds of Israel. And more than one bemoaned the poor leadership and poor shepherding some of those leaders offered God’s people. Ezekiel, in particular, wrote in Ezekiel 34 that God’s people were being deceived and betrayed, but one day God would come and rescue His people: “Behold, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out.” (v.11) And God promised a Great Shepherd to care for them: “I will set over them one shepherd and he will feed them himself and be their shepherd.” (v.23) King David was such a shepherd and this became part of the understanding of who and what the Messiah would be and do. Just as David was a Shepherd-King, so the Messiah would be a Shepherd and a King, to rescue God’s people. In John 10, Jesus is not just using random shepherd imagery, as positive as that might have been. He is CLAIMING something. He uses several “I AM” statements in which he makes claims to be that promised Good Shepherd, to be the Messiah of God. So, as we look at these teachings on everything sheepish, I’d like to divide the text up into four distinct sections. These will be an initial metaphor, two follow-up elaborations, and a final claim about being the Messiah of God. METAPHOR: He Who Enters by the Door is a Shepherd of the Sheep (vv.1-5) In verses 1-5 Jesus offers a metaphor to explain who he is, why he has come, and what the results of that ministry will be. Yet in verse six we read that “they did not understand.” So much like his conversation with Nicodemus about being born again, Jesus then revisits and elaborates on his initial metaphor to help them understand. Let’s first look at this first metaphor and then we’ll look at his elaborations. He begins speaking in the 3rd person: the one who does not enter the sheepfold by the door is a thief and robber. This person is contrasted with the one who does enter by the door; that’s th

Sermon by: Jim Hinton; November 11, 2018 - Genesis 1:1,26-28; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11) :: Moment for Ministry (link) :: Youth and Children's Ministry, Zach Drummond Your browser does not support the audio element. :: Moment for Ministry (link) :: Stewardship, Mark Katibah Your browser does not support the audio element. :: Sermon Audio (link) :: "Stewardship, a Way of Life" - Jim Hinton Your browser does not support the audio element.