"JESUS, OUR GOOD SHEPHERD"

>>>I am very passionate about people knowing their relationship w/God/His relationship w/them.

*It is foundational.

>>>Need to understand/be reminded of God, us, and the big picture of Scripture.

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>>>Book of John is about deity of Christ-in a personal way.

>>>John 9 Jesus heals blind man-uproar

>>>Jumping through theme of spiritual blindness, yet Jesus uses opportunity to talk about Who He is to His people.

>>>Parable of a shepherd

John 10:1–5 ““Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.””

>>>Jesus told a parable about a true shepherd-a good shepherd.

>>>15x in gospels talk about shepherds. 167x referring to shepherds in OT.

*Abel was a shepherd.

*Joseph w/bros were pasturing the flocks.

*Moses was a shepherd.

*David was a shepherd (model for kings).

*Psalm 23 about shepherding

*Amos was a shepherd.

*Prophet Micah uses shepherd metaphors/references.

*Bethlehem was a city of shepherds.

*Shepherds were first to hear of Christ’s birth.

*Sheep w/o a shepherd

*Arrested/disciples flee

*Pastors are Shepherds.

>>>Shepherd is not just a parable but something obviously a big deal to God.

>>>John 10 gives a description of a good shepherd.

*Enters through the door (real access)

*Sheep listen to his voice.

*Shepherd knows name of his sheep.

*Leads sheep/goes ahead of them.

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John 10:11 ““I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

>>>Jesus identifies Himself as the good shepherd of the parable.

JESUS IS OUR GOOD SHEPHERD.

>>>The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

*“lays down” means “gives up”

*The Good Shepherd loves His sheep to the point of death.

John 10:12–13 “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock. He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep.”

>>>Hired hands were those who watched sheep in return for money.

>>>He is not one who really cares for the sheep. He flees when danger comes, allowing the sheep to be snatched.

>>>Hired hands have no real connection/relationship w/the sheep.

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John 10:14–15 “I am the good shepherd, and 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.”

>>>Jesus identifies Himself as the GS for 2nd time.

>>>He knows His own. His own know Him.

*relational knowledge.

*refers to v.3 that He knows the names of His sheep/leads them.

>>>(v.15) The relationship between Jesus and His sheep is like the relationship He has with His Father.

>>>There is fellowship.

>>>We are Jesus’ sheep-known by Him.

OUR GOOD SHEPHERD-FELLOWSHIP WITH HIS SHEEP

>>>Through Jesus, we have an intimate relationship w/Him just as He does w/Father.

>>>We are known by God, Who gives His life for us, unlike the hired hand.

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John 10:16 “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd.”

>>>There a sheep Jesus says are not of His fold. They wander.

>>>He seeks to bring them into His fold, to listen to Him and be one with other sheep w/one shepherd.

*One single unit.

John 11:52 “and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.”

Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

1 Peter 2:25 “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”

>>>Jesus sees all people and wandering sheep whom He wants to bring near to Him. Not greedy-loving. Not satisfied w/12.

*Shepherd thinking “outside the flock”.

OUR GOOD SHEPHERD-PURSUING HIS SHEEP

>>>We were all wandering sheep Jesus came to rescue.

>>>Jesus continues to seek all people to come into His eternal flock.

>>>Our salvation begins with Jesus’ pursuit.

*Everything about the gospel/salvation is initiated by God-pursuing people.

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John 10:17–18 “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. This commandment I received from My Father.””

>>>What a beautiful heart Jesus has for His sheep. He “lays down” His life for them.

*Used 5x in passage-means “give up”.

*No one takes Jesus’ life. He willingly gives it up.

OUR GOOD SHEPHERD-DYING FOR HIS SHEEP

>>>Unlike the hired hand who flees, Jesus chooses to give up His life for the sheep.

>>>Jesus is the personification of victory-God in the flesh. Yet on His own He loses His life so we as His sheep can have ours.

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>>>Jesus is not just a Shepherd Who just sits and watches sheep. He knows His sheep, has a relationship w/them, pursues them to be in His flock, and even chooses to give His life for them.

>>>We are His sheep. We belong to God. Jesus is our Good Shepherd.

*Let’s personalize this: Jesus is MY Shepherd.

>>>Unbelievers: Jesus loves you enough to pursue you and die for you, so that you too can be brought into His flock.