Turn to John chapter 10. John 10. We'll read verses 14 through 18 and focus on verse 16 this morning.

This is the conclusion of a brief series on I am God Almighty,

be fruitful and multiply.

I believe verse 16 here is a clear statement about the authority, the almighty-neth of Jesus

in his willingness to be fruitful and multiply his church.

Starting in verse 14 in John 10,

I am the good shepherd and I know my own and my own know me.

Even as the father knows me and I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also and they

will hear my voice and they shall become one flock and with one shepherd.

For this reason the Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it again.

No one has taken it away from me, but I lay it down of my own initiative.

I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again.

This command that I have received from my father.

If we're going to fulfill the prayer goal of 2000 by 2000, which is not only to send 2000 our own people

into missions, but to win 2,000 people to in Jesus Christ, by the end of the year 2000, it will be

by virtue of the authority and the power of Jesus Christ expressed in verse 16.

I have other sheep that are not of this fold.

I must bring them also. They will heed my voice. So there should be one flock, one

shepherd. Let's clarify some of those terms. He says I have other sheep that are not of this fold. What fold? Well in his context, he's referring to the fold of Israel. He's saying in effect effect I have come to the last sheep of the house of Israel. Yes, my focus is upon gathering the sheep in Israel, but I have other sheep beyond Israel among the nations.

So this fold here is the fold of Israel and he's saying don't become ingrown beyond this fold I've got other sheep.

So he's making very clear that not only Jews will belong to him, but Gentiles too.

More of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations, as he says in his other book,

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