I am the Good shepherd Notes

Intro - Last Week’s story (I am the Door)

In our last lesson of our “I am series, we read out of John 10:1-10. We read the short story about the sheepfold that Jesus spoke about to teach the Jews about Himself and His sheep.

Sticking to our “I am” statements, the I am statement that comes from that story is his third notable “I am” statement, and that one being “I am the door”. From that, we learned that there is no other entry way into family of God except through the person of Jesus.

If we choose to reject or be in denial of Jesus like the Jews and pharisees from the last few chapters we would either end up as the thieves/robbers who rob others of the enjoyment and belonging into the family of God. Or we are sheep that are gone astray and lost maybe belonging to some other sheepfold.

The unique thing about John 10, as mentioned lightly last week, we are not limited to just one “I am” statement from this story. Jesus uses the story of the sheepfold to teach about Himself as the door, but also His fourth “I am” statement from the gospel of John.

That fourth “I am” statement is one of the more relational statements of the 7 statements in John. That one being, “I am the good shepherd”.

What are some examples of shepherds that we know?

John 10:1–5 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Notes

His point of being the good shepherd is in line with the previous story shared about the sheep in the sheepfold. He first states that He is the door, but continues in saying, He is the Good Shepherd.

Good Shepherd is defined as:

Able to call sheep by name ( John 10:3) / Knows his own (John 10:14)

Able to lead/bring out his sheep, and guide them ( John 10:4)

Lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11) & (John 10:17-18)

Cares for the sheep (John 10:13)

Gathers other sheep from another fold? (John 10:16)

The Good Shepherd is…

Of authority, leads, tends/cares for his flock, calls them by name, grows + strengthens the flock in number (?), and lays his life down for them.

Key things in the passage:

“You (the jews in rejecting Jesus) are not among my sheep”

Sheep hear the voice and follow. Gift of following is eternal life. (No one will snatch them out of my hand nor the Father’s hand - I and the Father are one [John 10:30])

The hired hand is not a shepherd.

Jesus is getting stoned again. Asked what works, but the Jews answer, not for works but for blasphemy

Other insightful stuff worth giving attention?

Feast of Dedication

Stoning for blasphemy

Trinitarian theology (I and the father are one)

Christ is the sacrificial lamb, the door, and the shepherd

Wiersbe Commentary Insights:

By speaking of himself as the good shepherd, Jesus is contrasting himself to the false shepherds who misguided the Jewish faith of that day. “Thieves and robbers”.

Shepherds did not shepherd their sheep so that they would be slaughtered. Shepherds tended to their sheep that they might give wool, milk, and lambs.

4 things that Wiersbe recognizes that Jesus taught

He dies for his sheep (John 10:11-13)

He knows his sheep (John 10:14-15)

Brings other sheep into the flock (John 10:16)

Good shepherd takes up his life again (John 10:17-21)

This might be a better segway into “I am the resurrection”…

Notable times “shepherd” is mentioned in Bible

Gen 48:15 - Jacob (Israel blesses Joseph and refers to God as his shepherd

Numbers 27 - Moses talks to God and asks who is to lead congregation as a shepherd. / Leaders of Israel were like shepherds.

2 Samuel 5:2 - It was said that the Lord said to David that he shall be the shepherd of His people Israel.

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.

Ezekiel 34 - lots of times shepherd is mentioned. Jesus is the likely fulfillment of the needed shepherd for the church.

Revelation 7:15–17 (ESV)

“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

This passage is so cool. It speaks of Christ as the sheep, shepherd, and everything else. What an amazing passage this is that speaks to Christ as Lord!