I Am the Good Shepherd (Week 1)
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I Am the Good Shepherd (Week 1)
John 10:11-18
A newspaper in Qatar had this quick news blurb…
ISTANBUL: Hundreds of sheep followed their leader off a cliff in eastern Turkey, plunging to their deaths this week while shepherds looked on in dismay. Four hundred sheep fell 15 metres to their deaths in a ravine in Van province near Iran but broke the fall of another 1,100 animals who survived, newspaper reports said yesterday. Shepherds from Ikizler village neglected the flock while eating breakfast, leaving the sheep to roam free, the Radikal daily said. The loss to local farmers was estimated at $74,000.
Who’s fault was it?
The sheep for being dumb or the shepherds who knew their sheep were dumb and ate their breakfast anyway?
God loves to use the sheep metaphor to describe his people. We are dumb sheep. But we have a Good Shepherd.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
5 Reasons We Need the Good Shepherd
5 Reasons We Need the Good Shepherd
1. We Will Die (11)
1. We Will Die (11)
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Sheep do not live without a Shepherd.
Sheep are dumb.
God used sheep metaphor throughout old testament to refer to Israel and Gentiles were added into the fold in the New Testament.
God sees how helpless we are without him.
Sheep cannot live on their own.
They will eat something that will kill them.
They will get eaten by a wild animal.
They will follow one of the sheep that do not know where they are going and all get lost and die.
If they roll onto their back they cannot get back up on their own and die.
Their hair grows constantly and if someone doesn’t cut it they will get so heavy they cannot walk and die.
If they wonder off alone they will not know how to get back and die.
Only the true shepherd, the owner, is willing to die for the sheep.
Several times in this passage we are reminded the Good Shepherd will die for the sheep.
“For the Sheep”= In place of the sheep. Substitutionary atonement. he paid what we could not pay.
Prophesied by the High Priest.
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all.
50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”
51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
Hired hands= the leaders of Isreal. Just about what they can get out of it.
They will not sacrifice. (Refers to the Sadducees and Pharisees.)
They just want the money and title. Want respect of the position.
Earthly leaders will let you down. We come and go. Some are better than others but none of us will love you as well as Jesus.
2. We Are Prey (12-13)
2. We Are Prey (12-13)
12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
ILL- Hunting under a tree when a mountain lion crossed 75 yards from me. I became the prey.
We have an enemy that wants us destroyed.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Either we are going to die or someone is going to die so we can live.
There is only one who was ever qualified to die for us.
Jesus.
3. We Are Known (14-15)
3. We Are Known (14-15)
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
A shepherd knows everything about every sheep in the herd.
Each has their unique needs to be taken care of.
Jesus knows us intimately, deeply. He knows us better than ourselves.
He knows the number of hairs on our heads.
We are beautifully and wonderfully made.
Everyone of us is different.
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
4. We Are One (16)
4. We Are One (16)
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
God is bringing unbelievers into his fold. Those who are willing to go through the door, Jesus.
This is going to be too far for the Pharisees.
He is claiming to be God by saying He is the Good Shepherd.
Now he is saying the Gentiles can come into the fold. Also saying that many Jews are not in the fold.
They are going to try to stone him for saying these things.
There is “one flock”-
New Testament- individual churches make up “one church”.
No competition between churches.
We are still on the same team. God is not punishing me nor you. We are still under the same Shepherd.
5. He Has Authority (17-18)
5. He Has Authority (17-18)
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
Jesus died willingly for us. Because he loves us. He loves his sheep.
Only way into the fold= to go through the door-= to go through Jesus.
Jesus has authority to die for us because God gave him the authority.
No one else has ever been given the authority.
He is the only son.
John 3:16
How you submit to those in authority is your own decision.
ILL- Rules at school/ Rules of government/ rules driving.
You can break the rules but there is always consequences.
CONCLUSION
Have you surrendered to the authority of the Good Shepherd?
Have you surrendered to the authority of the Good Shepherd?