The Good Shepherd-- John 10:1-21

Introduction

Good Morning Church, would you go to the Lord in prayer with me?

Alright, 2nd—5th graders you guys are free to dismiss. Parents you can pick those children up at the Wetlands Center after the service.

I also want to remind all of our young families, that we have a speaker out in the lobby area broadcasting the sermon, so if your infant or young child begins to get restless, and yet you still want to be able to listen to the sermon, that’s there for you.

Well welcome to CBC, my name is Andrew McClure and I’m one of the Pastor’s here, and this morning I want to invite you to open your Bible’s to John 10

We’ve discussed this before, but John gives us a total of 7 “I AM Statements” to help us Know Jesus, and we’ve already studied the first 2.

I Am the bread of Life in John 6,.

& I Am the Light of the World in John 8, and 9.

Well today he gives us two more.

“I AM THE DOOR of the Sheep”

& “I AM the Good Shepherd.”

So let’s read our text this morning, this is John 10:1-18

John 10:1–18 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.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. 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. 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. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 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 says, I AM the Door of the Sheep & I am the Good Shepherd.

These are beautiful figures of speech, that paint a picture of Who Jesus is, and the relationship we get to enjoy with Him.

But this isn’t something we implicitly understand in a technological 21st century America is it?

Like I don’t know of many people who work in this field? (PUN INTENDED)

I don’t know any of you that own sheep.

So by God’s grace, my hope today is to shed light on this relationship between Shepherd and Sheep, so that we may come to know and enjoy Jesus as our Good Shepherd.

But although we may be unfamiliar, Jesus’ audience was not.

Those he was speaking to in John 10, understand the rich imagery.

You see, as you read the OT, you quickly realize Shepherding was a common occupation to the ancient Israelites.

Abraham was a shepherd, as was Isaac and Jacob after him.

Moses was a shepherd for 40 years, of his father in law’s flocks in Midian.

And we all know David spent his foundational years shepherding sheep.

So Shepherding was a common occupation, and an occupation Jesus’ audience was intimately familiar with.

But also, as you read through the Old Testament, you’ll see that God’s people were always likened to sheep.

People are God’s Flock, His Fold, or His Sheep.

Psalm 100:3 “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;”

Yes, Scripture is rich in portraying humans as sheep… and a little newsflash church, this isn’t ever a good thing.

Because sheep aren’t very smart, and as the hymn says, “prone to wander” is very true for sheep.

it’s proven that sheep lack a good sense of direction, so they often get lost.

They’re also skittish, and frightened by nearly everything.

And unlike other animals, they’re extremely vulnerable.

Meaning, they can’t defend themselves.

If attacked, they’re utterly helpless.

So dumb, directionless, fearful, vulnerable, and helpless.

And that’s what the Holy Spirit constantly compares you and I too!

That feels real good to the Ego doesn’t it.

People are like sheep.

In fact, you’ve probably seen this: but let me show you a quick video that illustrates sheep.

VIDEO

Yes, the Bible says we are all like sheep.

Which means, —- we need a Shepherd.

And in the Bible, one of the ways God cared for His flock, was by appointing Human Shepherds, who would serve as Under-Shepherds to Himself, and their job was to care for the flock.

These were the religious leaders, much like the Pharisees in our text today.

They were to shepherd God’s people, on behalf of God.

But consistently throughout the OT, these religious leaders failed. They disobeyed. They did not care for the flock.

So God often condemned these failed shepherds.

In fact, let me bring your attention to Ezekiel 34.

It is one of the most vivid condemnations, and will greatly aid us in today’s text.

Ezekiel 34:1–5 “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered;”

Instead of feeding the sheep, these false shepherds only fed themselves.

Instead of strengthening the sheep, they neglected them.

Instead of searching and saving them when they’re lost, they were content letting them be scattered.

They’ve used the Sheep.

They’ve Abused the Sheep.

They’ve failed as Shepherds.

But God still loves His Sheep, so he goes on to promise a New Shepherd.

Ezekiel 34:23 “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.”

Now he couldn’t possibly be talking about David, because David had already lived and died.

David had been dead for about 400 years, when God spoke this word through Ezekiel.

So he isn’t talking about David, instead he’s talking about a descendent of David.

A Son of David, who will Shepherd the Sheep the right way.

In fact, he goes on in Ezek 34 to describe the flourishing, dare I say abundance of the sheep, that follow this promised Shepherd.

They’ll experience security, and safety, and rich nourishment, and blessing.

When this Shepherd comes, that God will provide… the sheep, God’s people will have abundant life.

So with that context,

Jesus comes on the scene to say:

“I AM the Good Shepherd.”

That he is the promised shepherd who will lead God’s Flock to Abundant life.

And in our text, there are 3 things he tells us about Himself as the Good Shepherd.

So here’s your outline:

The Good Shepherd:

He Knows the Sheep

He Leads the Sheep

He Dies for the Sheep

Let’s begin.

The Good Shepherd Knows the Sheep

Knows the Sheep

Our text begins with, John 10:1 ““Truly, truly, I say to you...”

Who is Jesus talking to here?

To answer that you have to go back to chapter 9.

In John 9, we saw that Jesus had healed a man, who had been born blind.

And after one encounter with Jesus, his life was totally transformed.

But the Pharisees proceeded to accuse the man, and slander him—- and even socially isolated him by casting him out of the synagogue.

So Jesus is talking to the Pharisees… and that’s important, especially given their … Pharisees who had set themselves up as the Religious Shepherds to the people of Israel.

Just like the failed shepherds of Ezekiel 34, these Pharisees had failed as God’s undershepherds.

Instead of caring for the sheep, they cast one out.

That’s who Jesus is talking to.

So what follows is really a contrast between Jesus and these False Shepherds.

John 10:1 ““ he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.”

He’s calling these Pharisees thieves and robbers.

Instead of caring and leading, and providing for the sheep they instead use, abuse, and brutalize the sheep like robbers.

This poor blind man, instead of being accepted, and loved, valued, and treated with dignity.

Instead of throwing him a party, and rejoicing in his new found sight physically and spiritually they degrade him.

Consequently they are false, failed shepherds.

But not Jesus.

He’s not a thief or robber… he is the Shepherd.

John 10:2–3 “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.”

Shepherds would often stay out in the fields or wilderness for days.

But after a while he’d return to his town or village, and drop the sheep off at a communal corral.

A corral shared not only by him, but all the other shepherds and flocks in that town or village.

Picture.

So this would be a corral where many flocks, owned by many different shepherds would be kept.

and they would collectively hire a gatekeeper to guard the flocks at night so that the shepherds could get a shower, and a hot meal.

Well the next morning, when the Shepherd is ready to go back out to find new pasture, he would go to the corral.

And being recognized by the gatekeeper, he’d open the corral.

But there were so many different flocks, how on earth would he be able to distinguish his, from another’s!?

Easy—

The Good Shepherds Know His Sheep.

He calls them by name, and they know his voice.

John 10:4 “When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

The sheep follow him because they know his voice.

They’ve heard that voice, call out their names since they were lambs.

But they won’t follow a stranger. They don’t recognize a stranger.

John 10:5 “A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.””

Church, all of this communicates familiarity. A knowing.

Jesus Knows Us. He knows you.

He knows you deeply.

He knows your name.

He knows the number of hairs on your head.

He knows your past. He knows your present. He knows your future.

He knows your thoughts, and dreams.

he knows your failures, mistakes, and sins.

He knows your insecurities, fears, and anxieties.

Listen he knows your hurts, and pains, and wounds.

Surely the Psalmist was right when he wrote

Psalm 139:15–16 “My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

He Knows you.

Sure, Jesus loves the world, or all the little children.

But that’s too abstract. It’s too distant.

We’ve got to understand this personally—- He knows YOU. He Loves YOU.

The Good Shepherd Knows the Sheep.

But because He Knows Us, and calls us out by name, we get to Know Him too.

We respond to His knowing of us, to an ever deepening Knowing of Him.

John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,”

Not the intellectual type of knowing, as important as that may be… but a relational knowing.

A knowing with your heart.

I know Annie’s social security #.

I know her birthdate, and phone #.

But do I know HER!? no, just a lot about her.

But over the last 16 years, we’ve dated, and held hands, and talked, and played, and rejoiced, and cried, and suffered, and raised 4 kids, and walked through highs and plodded through lows.

But after 16 years of living life with her, I know HER.

Church, for many of you it’s time to move past facts and figures, and begin knowing Jesus Christ.

And the best way to do that is to hear His voice!

Now I’m not advocating that all of you run off and start hearing voices, and emailing me saying, “Pastor, Jesus is telling me I should preach next Sunday.”

I’m not advocating for an abstract speaking, although I believe Jesus can speak to us anyway He desires.

But a Concrete speaking, and Jesus concretely speaks through His Word.

His Word is Alive—- it’s active today.

And this is probably the main reason we struggle to know Him relationally, because…

a) we don’t know what He says in general

b) we don’t know what He says specifically about my situation or circumstance.

Let me give you a few examples.

Many of you are stressed financially!?

Well, what does Your Shepherd have to say about Money!?

Maybe you read Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

And you hear Jesus encouraging you not to worry, but instead to give, to increase your giving, and entrust your wallet to the Shepherd of Your Soul.

And as He provides for you, you can begin to know Him relationally.

Many of you are experiencing extreme weakness in your faith.

Overcome by sin, doubt, and even despair… You’re experiencing none of the life that Jesus promises.

But you read Hebrews 10:25 “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

So you hear your Shepherd, and you begin prioritizing the gathering of church on Sunday’s, and groups throughout the week, and all of a sudden you feel reinvigorated.

You experience the Holy Spirit strengthenging you and building you.

Why!? Because you Hear His Voice, and you’ve exchanged informational knowledge, for transformational knowledge.

And this knowing is available to you—- because Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who Knows His Sheep.

Church there is no end to this knowing of Christ!

And I say that confidently, because the knowing Jesus has with us, is the same knowing he has with the Father.

John 10:15 “just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;

This is incredible. Mysterious, and amazing.

To the depth that the Father knows Jesus—- is the same depth Jesus knows you.

And to the depth that Jesus knows the Father—- is the same depth you are invited to know Jesus in.

It is a profound, and highly personal fellowship and affection that Jesus invites you into.

And it is available to you, because the Good Shepherd Knows His Sheep.

But secondly, the Good Shepherd Leads the Sheep

Leads the Sheep

John 10:7–9 “So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

First, Jesus leads the Sheep to Salvation.

That’s what he says… I am the Door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.

Not this I AM Statement, “I AM the Door” can be confusing, because in the first 5 verses he talks about himself as the Shepherd, and then there’s a hired Gatekeeper.

So it can be confusing, and that’s because Jesus has shifted the metaphor.

In the towns or villages, there was a communal corral.

But Shepherds would often be out with their sheep in the wilderness for days on end.

And there was no corral there. No hired gatekeeper.

But shepherds would build these smaller, little pens that looked a lot like this.

Picture

Little enclosures made of stick, or rocks, and as you can notice there is no door.

And without a door, the sheep are left to escape and wander, or worse, a predator could get in.

Well, guess where the Shepherd would lay and sleep?

Picture.

You guessed it.

Okay, so don’t miss this—- In order to go into the fold, you must pass through the Shepherd.

You see, what Jesus is making abundantly clear is there is only one way of entering eternal life.

Jesus is THE WAY.

And as much as that perceived exclusivity offends us, it is the truth.

The only way to the Abundant Life of God is through belief in Jesus.

But if you pass that way, if you believe in Jesus—- you will be saved.

And anyone who preaches differently, who teaches that there is another way, or multiple ways, they are thieves and robbers.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

Any other Shepherd, that doesn’t lead you to the Door which is Christ— is false, and a mouthpiece of Satan.

And that’s exactly what the Pharisees were.

You see, the Pharisees taught that the Door was the Law.

That if they simply obeyed and did everything the law required, then they would gain entrance.

Many still believe this today.

If your good deeds can outweigh your bad, you’re good— you’ve punched your ticket, you know the password, the door will open for you.

So you strive, and grit your teeth, and try and be a good person.

But you know it’s never enough, so it inevitably leads to despair, and frustration.

In effect,

It will steal your joy.

It will kill your freedom.

& Ultimately, it will destroy your soul.

But if you come through the Real Door, Jesus Christ—- He will lead you into Salvation.

But he’ll also lead you out to experience Abundant Life.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

And what is abundant life?

Well it’s not Long Life—- how many people have you known, who have lived long—- but miserable!?

It’s also not a successful life—- same litmus applies, how many successful people do you know who are miserable?

It’s also, not a wealthy life— when was the last time a purchase, satisfied you for more than a few days?

No… money can’t buy this.

Because Abundant Life is a Satisfied Life, it’s a Content Life.

A Satisfaction that is not dependent on circumstances or external criteria at all… but a satisfaction, that Your Shepherd Knows you, and you know Him.

And church listen… sheep can’t find this abundance on their own.

Like that video, we are prone to jump into the same ole ditches of this world to find satisfaction.

No, we can’t find it on our own.

We have to be led there.

Well guess what! I’ve got good news!

Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.—- I’m content!? Why? Because the Lord is my Shepherd.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

And this life is not dependent on circumstances, because

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, (WHY!?)

for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

(And when people hate me, and persecute me, and reject me, and slander me… so what!? I’m still satisfied! Why!?)

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

That is the Abundant Life.

Why?

because the Good Shepherd Leads the Sheep

But finally, the Good Shepherd Dies for the Sheep

Dies for the Sheep

Ultimately, this is the means by which we can know Him and experience abundant life.

He Died for Us.

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

4x in 5 verses Jesus says He lays His life down for the sheep.

But why? Why does He do this?

Because the sheep are in real, mortal danger.

Because not only are the prone to wander, they are determined to die.

But the Good Shepherd acts on their behalf.

He moves for their deliverance.

He puts His life on the line, for theirs.

Because unlike a hireling, or a hired hand, he cares deeply for the sheep.

You see in just a few months after sharing this, His love for His own will lead him to the painful, sacrifice of himself for them.

And as we approach Good Friday, let me remind us all of one essential truth.

HE LAID HIS LIFE DOWN.

It was not taken from him.

They did not kill him. He laid it down.

It was totally voluntary.

The soldiers did not capture him in Gethsamane, in fact, when he told them “I AM HE”, they fell to the ground.

Pontius Pilate did not condemn Him to death, instead Pilate would have zero authority if not granted to him by the Father.

The guards did not kill him on the cross, instead we read that He cried out, and gave up His spirit.

This was all a voluntary surrender of his life.

Why?

Because of Love.

Because He loves His Father

Because He Loves His Sheep.

The Good Shepherd Saves

But the scene does not end with a dead, mangled shepherd, and all the sheep scattered.

Look at vs. 18

John 10:18 “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.””

What he is predicting here!?

The very event we will gather to celebrate next Sunday—- He will rise again.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd

He Knows His Sheep

He Leads His Sheep

He Died for His Sheep.

And He Rose for His Sheep

Conclusion

The church, you and I, and all who are known by the Shepherd, led by the Shepherd, and saved by the Shepherd—- we are God’s Flock, God’s Fold.

And what he says toward the end of our text is 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. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

One Flock, of other folds.

What this means is that the flock just won’t be of the Jews, but also the Gentiles.

Not just those in the 1st Century, but also all of us today in the 21st Century.

Not just the sheep of CBC, but also he sheep of FBC, and Church of the Hill, and Compassion, and New Beginnings, and New Life…

Now they may all have some different identifying marks.

They may worship a little different, gather a little different.

May be different folds.

But at the end of the day… THERE IS ONE FLOCK

All because there is One Good Shepherd

May we never forget that our Unity in Christ, always trump our disagreements in styles, philosophies or preferences.

We are one flock… listening to, following, and worshipping one Shepherd.

Let’s pray.

Benediction

Fasting for Good Friday