This sermon explores the identity of Jesus as the Good Shepherd who sacrificially lays down His life for His sheep, contrasting Him with hirelings who flee from danger. The preacher emphasizes that true unity among believers arises not from human effort but from focusing on Christ as the head of the church and keeping God in His rightful place. By acknowledging human weakness and relying on God's power, Christians can overcome distractions and self-centeredness to maintain spiritual focus. The message highlights God's sovereignty and unstoppable nature, assuring listeners that He controls all circumstances for His glory. Finally, it issues an urgent invitation for all people to hear His voice, trust in Him, and become part of one fold under one Shepherd.

In a world where hearts grow weary, minds become troubled, and sin leaves its scars, David reminds us that the Lord is not only a Shepherd who leads and provides, but One who graciously restores. We look at the tender care of God for the fainting, wandering, and burdened soul, and ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, who seeks His sheep, brings them back, and renews them by His grace. The Shepherd restores what we cannot repair, revives what has grown cold, and leads His people again in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

The sermon centers on the assurance that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Drawing primarily from Romans 8:28, the preacher explains that this promise applies specifically to believers who have met the conditions of loving God and being part of His divine call. The message highlights God's attributes as all-knowing, all-wise, and omnipotent, using examples from Joseph and Paul to illustrate how trials and suffering are woven into a greater redemptive plan. It emphasizes that while the world remains broken and painful, believers can find contentment and peace knowing that nothing separates them from Christ's love. The preacher concludes by urging listeners to trust fully in the Lord with all their hearts rather than relying on their own understanding.

Someone will ask, Paul wrote, "how are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" Those are good questions (1Cor. 15:35). The resurrection is difficult to grasp but grasp it we must if we're to receive life from him and give our lives for his name. This is Luke's purpose for us in what is a third of three resurrection encounters near the end of his gospel account. Jesus appeared to Peter, then to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and now to a group of disciples in Jerusalem. This encounter recorded for us in Luke 24:36–43 invokes fear but answers that fear with a broiled fish.

It's a testament to the folly of our culture that the part of this story that tends to grip us the most is the fate of the porkers. Oh, the poor pigs! What does that tell us? Simply that we are so naive. We have no idea how good we have it. We have no idea what demon possession is really like. We watch it in horror movies for entertainment, if we even engage with it at all. Brothers and sisters, to the degree that you minimize the power of the demonic, to the same degree you minimize the power of Jesus, who commands the unclean spirits with a word, and they come out. If there is one thing I want you to take away this morning, it is simply this: this stuff is real! Legions of demons are real. The utter degradation and destruction of the human person is their specialty, for, of course, they are already working the utter degradation and destruction of their angelic personhood. Their malice seeks fresh victims, and finds them in the sons of men for whom God cares. Oh, yes, this stuff is real. Please don't be naive. Instead, marvel at the power and glory of Christ, who risks His life traveling across the sea to save a single demon-possessed man from a legion so horrifying that our minds will hardly even engage with their reality.

This sermon explores the believer's confident hope of eternal life through an exposition of Psalm 23:6. The preacher emphasizes that assurance of heaven rests not on human merit but on the faithfulness of Christ, the Good Shepherd, who guarantees the sheep's safe arrival in glory. The message highlights three aspects of this future home: its certainty as a destination, its recognizability through the presence of God and fellowship with saints, and its permanence as an eternal rest. By contrasting the temporary struggles of earthly life with the unending joy of the Lord's house, the sermon encourages believers to find comfort in their secure destiny and to cultivate a heavenly-minded perspective on their current walk.

The journey continues for God's people as He meets their basic needs and guides them forward through the desert. While they have what they need, they are not thriving nor amassing power. They are not settling down, or building cities, or developing a powerful army. They are impoverished and vulnerable. And, once again, they face a hostile foe and another threat of death, as the Amalekites look on with a determination to whipe them out. Thankfully, God will come through for them yet again and will grant them victory through supernatural means. It is yet another pointer to the good news of the Gospel and the victory that Jesus secured for us on the cross. What the Amalakites were to the ancient Israelites in the natural world, sin is to God's people in the spiritual world, a threat of death. And as God came through for His people back then through His leaders, Moses and Joshua, God later came through for His people through His Son, the greater Moses and the greater Joshua. Jesus won the war we could never win. He paid for and conquered our sin. He redeemed us. We are free.

Why do we like to spend time answering questions? + To understand and help with things on your mind + To show examples of good hermeneutics + To demonstrate the sufficiency of Scripture Today's Questions: 1 - I'm trying to find a good book that breaks down the chronology of Revelation: what happens before 3.5 year break and what happens after 3.5 years. 2 - Pastor Scott once made a comment during announcements saying one should reconsider partaking in communion if they haven't been baptized. During communion we always explain from Scripture that only those who have trusted in Christ should partake, but we have never added baptism as a prerequisite. Please explain why this should be considered. 3 - Since a woman is prohibited from serving as a pastor or elder, is it Biblically acceptable for her to serve as a hospital chaplain? 4 - Why are folks opposed to church membership? Culture? Carnality? Is this a newer challenge, or timeless? What's the trend and relationship between attendance and membership? 5 - I recently heard a comment made that "Heaven is tainted by sin." Is this an accurate statement?