Untitled Sermon (7)

The last words of chapter 9 were spoken to the Pharisees; the first verses in chapter 10 give directives for leadership. Follow your heart , Be true to yourself - Matt 16:24 Believe in yourself - Believe in me John 12:44 Live your truth - I am the truth john 14:6 As long as your happy, forget about everyone else - What will it profit a man to gain Mark 8:36

John 9 Jesus Heals a blind Man, blind from birth - Who is later taken to the Pharisees refused to acknowledge Jesus as the healer. In the Old Testament or in other writings from the Ancient Near East, to find rulers designated as shepherds.David’s Shepherd

Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want…"

Matthew 9:36 - he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. In John he says He cares so much he lays his life down for the sheep.

- Mark 8: 36 Ezekiel’s 34th chapter - prophecy against the shepherds of IsraelEzekiel v1-5 ESV Like Ahab in II kings - kings of Israel have cruelly exploited the people who were under their care. showed none of the pastoral qualities that were required of them in caring for the weak and defenseless members of the community instead of keeping the flock together in safety they allowed them to be scattered over all the earth Christ is the ‘good Shepherd,’ because he is the true King. His ministers are shepherds as being officers in his kingdom.” Ezekiel’s 34th chapter, undoubtedly, stood before Jesus’ eyes when He spoke those words. John 10:1 - 2 Characteristics of the Shepherd He does things the right way—“But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep” (John 10:2). The Jewish leaders considered themselves shepherds of the people of Israel, and in fact they should have led the people to serve God according to His will. But they were like the false shepherds of Ezekiel 34, who simply used the sheep for their own selfish purposes, rather than caring and providing for the sheep But they were like the false shepherds of Ezekiel 34, who simply used the sheep for their own selfish purposes, rather than caring and providing for the sheep. Jesus began His illustration by contrasting the true shepherd to thieves.The true shepherd would enter the sheepfold by the door, but one who would try to climb up and enter some other way must be a thief.John 10:3 C. He knows His sheep (John 10:3)—“He calleth his own sheep by name” (John 10:3). Luke 12:7 And even the very hairs of your head The apostle Paul says - (2 Tim. 2:19) - “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that Namath the name of Christ depart from iniquity” 3-5 Note that the shepherd does not need to drive the sheep, but leads them. Nor does he need to compel each one to follow; he simply calls. Beware of what you see - my sheep hear my voice. Following with our eyes rather than our ears. So to speak Sheep should be able to distinguish the Shepherd from the bad Shepherd based on the characteristics call of Jesus separates His true followers from those who do not follow Him. When He began teaching, those who were truly willing to be the true people of God (i.e., those who were willing to do God’s will – 7:17), recognized Jesus for who He is and willingly followed Him. They could distinguish Him from false teachers, because they knew How did the Pharsise miss it? John 10:4 -5 He is known by His sheep (John 10:4)—“The sheep follow him: for they know his voice” (John 10:4). 3-5 Note that the shepherd does not need to drive the sheep, but leads them. Nor does he need to compel each one to follow; he simply calls. Beware of what you see - my sheep hear my voice. Following with our eyes rather than our ears. So to speak Sheep should be able to distinguish the Shepherd from the bad Shepherd based on the characteristics call of Jesus separates His true followers from those who do not follow Him. When He began teaching, those who were truly willing to be the true people of God (i.e., those who were willing to do God’s will – 7:17), recognized Jesus for who He is and willingly followed Him. They could distinguish Him from false teachers, because they knew How did the Pharisees miss it? How did they recognize Him? By His miracles, fulfilled prophecy, and the truthfulness of His teaching compared to the Old Testament. They listened to His teaching and observed His works. There was evidence by which they could identify Him. (2 Tim. 3:16) _ all scripture All of this evidence today is found in the Word of God, the Bible. The “voice” of Jesus today is not a sound, but a message. So, we hear the Lord’s voice by studying and responding to the gospel Maybe 5-8 Acts 4:11-12 KJV The Jews did not understand Jesus’ illustration, so He explained further. He said that He is the door of the sheep and all who came before Him were thieves and robbers. Jesus here is represented by both the shepherd (verse 11), and the door of the sheep (verse 7). The door is the means of entrance. Jesus not only provides care and protection for His sheep, He is also the means by which they can enter the place of safety. John 10:10 - But there were others who claimed to provide for the sheep and who wanted the sheep to follow them. These were thieves and robbers. They did not have legitimate claims that the sheep should follow them nor could they prove their claims. “All” who came before refers, not to Old Testament prophets, but to others who claimed to be Christ and perhaps to any other false teachers. They wanted the sheep to follow them, but their claims were not legitimate. The only ones who would follow them were not the true sheep. sheep to go in and out and find pasture – spiritual nourishment. Sheep need nourishment to live and grow. But they are foolish and cannot find pasture and drink for themselves. The shepherd must lead them to it. Jesus provides this need by feeding us on His word so we can grow and be strong Philip 6. 8:9 Characteristics of the sheep A. They will not follow strangers (John 10:5, 8)—“And a stranger will they not follow; but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers” (John 10:5). Read to 8 He is the only true Shepherd—“All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them” (John 10:8). Here is a reference to the Church. Our Lord had already promised it and would soon pray for it. 1. The promise— “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). • Characteristics of thieves and robbers (John 10:1, 8, 10) A. Their words are evil— “All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them” (John 10:8). B. Their works are evil— “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:1, 10). The emphasis in the parable is on following. This is based, not only on recognition of the voice but also on trust. It is, in a way, blind faith because recognition rests only on one tangible observation: hearing. Hearing, believing, and acting in accordance with trust all belong together. With the sheep, trust is not generated by sight; they could just as well be in the dark. It is, in fact, blind faith. Paul writes to the Romans: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”373 And Jesus told Thomas: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”374 Following the well-known voice is preceded by being called. The Lord calls us by name. We are wakened from our inertia, from our “sheepishness,” because the Lord gives us a name and calls us personally. The giving of a name presupposes personality. It means being human. It places us on equal footing with Him because He has come to be on equal footing with us. By entering the gate, the Lord made Himself one with us. He who leaves through the gate is the Lamb of God who literally “lays down his life for the sheep.” Entering the gate is an image of the Incarnation. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews writes: “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.”375 It is not clear why John uses the word “again” in vs. 7. It can either mean that Jesus will return to the subject at a later time, or that He repeats in other words what He has just said. This is probably the hardest part of the parable to interpret. In the first section, Jesus speaks of the door in relationship with the shepherd; in the second He uses the same figure of speech in relationship to the sheep. But in this second instance also there are shepherds who do not take the door seriously enough to pass through it. It is this double facet of the image that makes the interpretation so difficult. It is like the execution of a double fugue; the themes are related but they are developed independently. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary states: “The Lord explained the figure in terms of his own person and mission. The truth is greater than the forms through which it is conveyed. In real life the shepherd could not be identified with the door. But the thought is too valuable to let slip (cf. John 14:6).” It, evidently, represents a fundamental principle; it stands for the rules of the game. Without this door a man cannot be a shepherd, his brother’s keeper. The fundamental principle, the foundation is Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”376 Jesus, not only, kept the rules, He is the rule.