We are Secure in the Hand of our Good Shepherd

I. Thank God for mothers.

II. Security concerns.

III. Fast pace and sheep without a shepherd.

IV. Where do we go for problems of life?

V. Christians know a better way in Jesus.

VI. Martin Luther quote about Romans 1. Martin Luther, the German reformer in the sixteenth century, had a difficult time understanding the idea of the righteousness of God. Early in his life he thought the righteousness of God was the reason to fear God and His punishment. One day when he was thinking about Romans 1 and the idea of the righteousness of God he had a big change of understanding. In Luther’s Preface to the Complete Edition of his Latin Writings, he wrote the following: [“At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’ ” There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.](Luther’s Works Volume 34, page 337.)

VII. Have to earn everything in life.

VIII. True security in John 10:14-15. Jesus points us to a different way to have true security in life. In John 10:14-15 Jesus tells us, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

IX. Jesus’ amazing promise in John 10:27-29. In the Gospel lesson for today in John 10:27-29 Jesus gives the amazing promise to all who believe in Him, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

X. Confused, tired, worried, or hopeless … Good Shepherd is Jesus.

Xb. [For Kyler for his confirmation day] “Philippians 3:14 (NIV) I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

XI. Secure in our Good Shepherd.