PART 10 JESUS CARES FOR HIS SHEEP

TEXT- JOHN 10:7-18

INTRODUCTION


THIS MORNING  IS OUR  CARING SUNDAY  AND ON THIS DAY EACH MONTH WE HAVE BEEN EMPHASIZING THE THEM AND GOALS OF OUR CHURCH FOR 1990.

IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE IT BUT WE ONLY HAVE 85 DAYS LEFT BEFORE 1990 IS OVER.

SO  FAR  WE  HAVE  MADE  VERY  GOOD  PROGRESS IN ACHIEVING OUR GOALS.

OUR  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  ENROLLMENT HAS INCREASED AS HAS OUR AVERAGE SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.

WE HAVE ALSO REACHED AND SURPASSED  OUR GOAL FOR NEW CHURCH MEMBERS.

WE HAVE SEEN THE DIFFERENCE OUR THEME HAS HAD ON THE WAY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT EACH  OTHER WITHIN OUR CHURCH AND HAVE ALSO SEEN THE POSITIVE EFFECT IT HAS HAD ON THOSE WHO ATTEND OUR SERVICES.

RECENTLY, OUR CHURCH RECEIVED  A THANK  YOU NOTE FROM A  PERSON WHO  MAS GREATLY IMPRESSED BY THE CARING AND LOVING SPIRIT  THEY FOUND  WITHIN OUR CHURCH.  (READ THANK YOU NOTE)

TO EMPHASIZE  THE NEED TO BECOME A CARING CHURCH I HAVE BEEN PREACHING  A SERIES  OF SERMONS FROM THE FIRST TWELVE CHAPTERS OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN.

IN  THESE  CHAPTERS  JOHN DESCRIBES FOR US SEVEN SIGNS  (MIRACLES)  WHICH  JESUS  DID  DURING HIS PERSONAL MINISTRY.

AS WE  HAVE BEEN STUDYING THESE CHAPTERS WE HAVE SEEN HOW JESUS CARES.

    A.  CHAPTER ONE- JESUS CARES BECAUSE HE IS GOD.

    B.  CHAPTER TWO- THE CHANGES SEEN WHEN WE CARE.

    C.  CHAPTER THREE- JESUS CARES ABOUT THE LOST.

    D.  CHAPTER FOUR- JESUS CARES ABOUT THE FAMILY.

    E.  CHAPTER FIVE- JESUS CARES ABOUT THE SICK.

    F.  CHAPTER SIX- JESUS CARES ABOUT THE HUNGRY.

    G.  CHAPTER SEVEN- JESUS CARES ABOUT THE TRUTH.

    H.  CHAPTER EIGHT- JESUS CARES ABOUT SINNERS.

    I.  CHAPTER NINE- JESUS CARES ABOUT THE BIND.

THIS MORNING OUR TEXT  IS FOUND  IN JOHN 10:7-18 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "JESUS CARES FOR HIS SHEEP."

A PASTOR WAS INVITED  BY  THE  LOCAL  KIWANAS TO JOIN  THEIR  CLUB.   THE SECRETARY OF MEMBERSHIP TOLD THE PASTOR THAT THE CLUB  RULES STATED THEY COULD  ONLY  HAVE  ONE  REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH PROFESSION.  THE PROBLEM WAS SOMEONE HAD ALREADY FILLED  THE   CATEGORY  OF  PASTOR.    THE  ONLY CATEGORY  LEFT  OPEN  WAS   "HOG-CALLER."    THE SECRETARY  ASKED  THE  PREACHER, "WOULD YOU MIND  REPRESENTING  THAT  PROFESSION?"    "WELL,"  THE PASTOR GENTLY REPLIED, "WHERE I COME FROM, I WAS REFERRED TO AS THE  SHEPHERD OF  THE SHEEP, BUT, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW YOUR GROUP BEST."

THIS MORNING I’D LIKE US TO CONSIDER THREE REASONS WHY JESUS CARES SO MUCH FOR US AS HIS SHEEP.