Lent 2024- WK 1

The Good Shepherd/The Gate

John 10:7–18 NRSV

So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 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. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

The Gate

John 10:7–10 NRSV

So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

The Good Shepherd

John 10:11–18 NRSV

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 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. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

Throughout both the Old and New Testament God and Jesus are referred to as Shepherd.

We think of Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd” maybe the most popular verse.

We hear our text today when Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd or in the Gospel of Matthew when Jesus says he is the shepherd that leaves the 99 to follow the one.

shepherd imagery is all over the Bible and for very good reason. Shepherds were all over this area of the world. Everyone knew who the shepherds were and what they did.

—> When Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd in verse 11 and then begins describing the differences between the Good Shepherd and the hired hand he is painting a picture of who he truly is for the people in a way they can understand.

—> Sheep in that part of the world were raised more for their wool than for their meat. So a shepherd would tend the same flock for years.

—> This would allow him to really get to know the sheep.

—> He would give them names

—> He would know their markings, their scars

—> He would know their personalities and who could be trusted, and who to never turn your back on.

—> The shepherd would talk to them and even sing to them, both to guide them during the day and to calm them at night and in times of trouble. The sheep knew the voice of the shepherd.

—> The shepherd knew his sheep

—> The Good Shepherd was vigilant

—> always awake

—> always watching

—> We have a skewed idea of what flocks and herds look like because we are from Texas.

—> We have pastures and fences

—> In the Middle East however that is not the case, and especially where Jesus was.

—> There may have been a fold, either made from fence or a cave , or a grouping of rocks, but there were no pastures, no designated boundaries that the sheep could wander without fear.

—> NO the sheep had to be watched every minute of the day.

—> There were dangers

—> the terrain was desolate, it wasn’t rolling grass lands but desert highlands where vegetation and food was not always plentiful so the sheep would wander from place to place looking to graze.

—> There are craggy outcroppings and sharp drop offs. Not the most hospitable country.

—> There were the wild animals, specifically wolves that waited for an opportune moment to catch a member of the flock alone just a little too far away.

—> There were people too thieves and bandits trying to steal the sheep to feed themselves or add to their own flock.

—> It was the shepherds job not only to know the sheep, but to know the dangers and protect the sheep.

—> Those are the qualities of a Good Shepherd and those are the characteristics of Jesus towards his people, his sheep.

—> As we start Lent, we start with realizing Jesus’ great love and care for us, all of us.

John 10:16 NRSV

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

—> Jesus knows you, but do you know him?

—> It’s ok if you are new to the flock, but in this flock we listen to the shepherds voice.

—> We love the shepherd, because he loves us

—> He is always there, always watching out for us.

—> He protects us and guides us.

—> He would do anything for us, even die for us.

—> All because he loves us.

—> This season we are asking ourselves the question that Jesus asked his disciples…Who do you say that I AM?

—>