The Good Shepherd
Notes
Transcript
The Sacrificial Shepherd
The Sacrificial Shepherd
For the next few weeks I want us to look at a term in the bible that we all as Christians have heard said many times but I wonder how many of us really understand it.
“The Good Shepherd”
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Have you heard this statement or this scripture a million times in church but really don’t even know what it really means.
We do that a lot at church many times we quote a certain scripture or part of a statement but no one ever really stops and explains what those statements really mean.
I want us to look at t he many different meanings in that scripture or that statement “I am the good shepherd. “
So the first thing want us to look at is The Sacrificial Shepherd.
So let’s start by looking at John 10:1-3
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. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
So really quick what have we learned already. Jesus says anyone who entereth into the sheepfold by any other way besides the door he is a theif and a robber.
There will be people who enter through the sheepfold but not through the gate.
There will be people who look like a shepherd, talk like a shepherd but they haven’t gone through the gate.
let’s jump down to V-7 real quick.
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Jesus is telling us right here true shepherding, true discipleship and teaching only comes through an experience with Jesus.
If you will listen and pay attention here to the definition of a shepherd I really think you will change the way you look at some things.
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Let’s look a little closer if you are in a pasture and you see two people with a staff in their hand, with some sheep, they feeding them caring for them and holding them. Would you have any idea who the hired hand is or who the true shepherd is ?
They are both looking the same doing the same.
In V-12 Jesus says this is how you will know who is who. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep so when he sees the wolf coming he leaves them and takes off.
The wolf attacks and destroys the flock and the hired hand runs off.
Jesus says in V-11 I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
A true shepherd a true disciple maker sees a wolf coming and says I want run.
Let me ask you this in your role as a parent, teacher, disciple maker, mentors are we protecting the sheep in our mix.
If you are you will have to make sacrifices, many times that can be your money, your time, your time.
