The Good Shepherd Part 3 John 10:11-28

Introduction:

That last song we did is called “Run to Jesus”. It’s one of my favorites now.

Listen to the last verse:

Though the journey is long Though the night tarries on Your Redeemer is strong in your weakness He will carry you through He is faithful and true He will make all things new Run to Jesus

Would that song be just as good if we we changed the “wills” to “mights”?

“He might carry your through… He might make all things new?”

How about Blessed Assurance, He Might be mine?

How about “For His eye is on the sparrow, And I think maybe He watches me.”

Are those songs worth singing anymore? No- because they have no assurance without assurance our praises ring hollow.

When my son was born, my wife and I started talking to him every night. At around the six month mark, we read a book on worshipping God as a family, and his advice was that kids only remember what you always tell them.

Funerals are like that; we get up and say what our relatives always did or what they always said. You remember what your mom or dad always did- the way they hugged you, or the way they liked their eggs. So, we decided we wanted him to remember something from us always.

Every night for seven years we have told him him this same thing “Mommy loves, Daddy loves, and Jesus loves you most of all.” And guess what, even when he knows what we’re saying he still loves hearing it.

You are not so different. The Gospel of Jesus, the assurance of Jesus should do the same to us. Though we’ve heard it one hundred times, it should make our cheeks warm and our hearts glad.

I need you to trust me here- Christian and non Christian alike. You need more assurance. I’ve already read this sermon, and I promise you- I needed it too.

John 10:11–18 ESV

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.”

Pray

—The Assurance of our Salvation comes from the Strength of our Savior—

Verse 16 Every Tribe

John 10:16 ESV

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.

Verse 16 is a clarification given to the audience of this sermon. Remember, John 10 continues a conversation Jesus had with the blind man and the pharisees who challenged Him. Jesus is going to qualify why He is the good shepherd in comparison with hired hands and thieves. 16 is here essentially as a detail for the haughty- lets just say it- often racist Pharisees. They would spit at the feet of gentiles, not eat with them, not associate with them. Judaism was never meant to be locked into one ethnic category- but by this time it was.

Here is what Jesus means by this: Revelation 7:9

Revelation 7:9 ESV

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

This should not surprise anyone I hope- but I wanted to address it first because it is a narrow.

Blank: Jesus has sheep from every tribe, nation and tongue.

Verse 11—13 Laid Down

John 10:11–13 ESV

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.

How do we know Jesus is the good shepherd? Because He lays His life down for His Sheep. This is the proof He can be trusted to be followed.

False teachers, Jesus says are there to devour sheep. Here- He compares Himself to even hired hands. This isn’t to disparage hired hands- they’re shepherds of a sort, too. Instead- it’s to tell us He is the ideal shepherd. His care for us isn’t for a reward. He isn’t here to extract value out of us. He is here to serve not to be served. Remember- He sets a table before me - He came to serve.

Christianity is the anti-religion

In Islam, you must believe in Allah, then your good deeds are weighed against your bad deeds.

“Quran, surah 101 verses 6-9 Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], He will be in a pleasant life. But as for one whose scales are light, His refuge will be an abyss.”

Depending on the system of Buddhism, there is no savior. You must master the eightfold path and obtain nirvana yourself.

In Hinduism, you must perform the good actions your caste performs dharma, until you are reincarnated into a higher caste, until finally you are released from the system.

Optional Detail: 1 Peter 5:4 calls Jesus the “Chief Shepherd”. For this reason Pastors call themselves “under-shepherds” we work for Jesus. A good test of a ministry leader is that- but it is also a good test for every Christian who ministers.

14-16 As the Father Knows Me.

John 10:14–16 ESV

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.

Here we have phrase of Jesus that He often uses. “Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” It sounds poetic to us, but it isn’t- He’s implying absolute eternal truth.

Try to think of things that will always be true. Will the sky always be blue? Will the earth always spin? Will the sun always burn? No all of these things are temporal. Jesus knows this- so instead He encourages us that His knowledge- His love of us- is just as the Father knows the Son.

It is like saying to your spouse- I’ll love you as long as water is wet. Jesus knows you, just like the Father Knows Him and He knows the Father. He knows you!

Spurgeon writes “As surely as truly, and as deeply, as God the Father knows the Son, so does this Shepherd know his sheep; and as God the Son knows his Father, so do these sheep know their Shepherd.”

“Since pastors get in trouble all the time for this- I’ll let you say it. “ are Now just as surely- who does Jesus say He lays His life down for? The sheep. The sheep He knows. His sheep.

17-18 Purposely and with Authority

John 10:17–18

John 10:17–18 ESV

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.”

“For this reason the Father Loves me”

D.A. Carson says The Father Loves the Son with the knowledge eternally that He would lay down His life for His Sheep.

After our first date, my wife learned my mom was in the hospital. She found her room and visited her. The nurse took a picture while Bree was there- she was washing my mom’s hair.

If she didn’t do that- would I still have fallen in love? Yes. But now it’s one of the reasons I love her. For this reason, I love my wife. For this reason- the Cross- the Father loves the Son.

“I lay my life down- in order - to take it up again.”

v18

Jesus laid down His life purposely.

You must know- this was always the plan.

Acts 2:22–24 ESV

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

This was the plan for all time. And the plan had a name- you were in it.

Secondly, He says I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. Who can say that, but God? This is why we need a strong understanding of the divinity of Jesus.

I want to be nice and call Jehovah’s witnesses Christians. But I cannot. Why? Because they deny the divinity of Jesus. You might say “oh so they have to totally understand God to be saved”. No- but we’re not arguing semantics or concepts here. We’re arguing salvation! How on earth can a man, who was only a man save you?

Blank: Jesus laid down His life purposely and with authority.

19-23 Narrative Moves forward

John 10:19–23 ESV

19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.

Happy Hannukah!

D.A. Carson- “In 167 BC the Syrian Antiochus Epiphanes overran Jerusalem and polluted the temple, setting up a pagan altar to displace the altar of Israel’s God....Eventually they grew strong enough to overthrow the oppressor, and, under the leadership of Judas Maccabaeus (‘Judas the Hammer’), they recaptured the temple and reconsecrated it to God on 25.… The people celebrated the rededication of the temple for eight days, and it was decreed that a similar eight-day Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) should be held every year,”

24-26 Not My Sheep

John 10:24–26 ESV

24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.

The first thing we see here is a fallacy called a “special pleader”. It is someone who requires proof according to their custom. I could tell you I’m married and my lovely wife can be found in the nursery right now, and you could say “I don’t believe you”. Well, you can go look for yourself! But a special pleader will say “I won’t believe you until I see your marriage certificate and the witness at your wedding takes a polygraph.” - Well, I can’t do that for you.

They’ll say- OH! See- I’m supposed to just believe you.

Obviously people do this with God....

Yet, people you know might say “I won’t believe it until He comes down and tells me Himself.” Guess what- He is not obligated to do so!

Even so- that isn’t the issue. It’s that they wouldn’t believe anyway. Romans 1:19 “19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” Yet verse 18 says they “suppress it”.

Why are we discussing evidence here? Well, because Jesus tells us that His works- His miracles and teachings are enough for HIS SHEEP to hear His voice and follow Him.

Scripture is enough for Christians- it is not only substantial evidence but our soul affirms it. It is effective.

The skeptic down the street says about our faith “that’s all well and fine that you have your belief- but I require a little more evidence.”

Why is that? Is it that Christians are naves and fools who believe an old book, and the skeptic is superior requiring specialized proof from God Himself?

No- it isn’t that Christians are fundamentally less skeptical- it is that the words of our Shepherd

There are two parts to this verse we all know so well:

Hebrews 4:12–13

[12] For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. [13] And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (ESV)

Blank: The Shepherd’s Call is Effective for His Sheep.

27-28 Eternal and Secure

John 10:27–28 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Bree pointed this out last night- look at the language in John 10:12 “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.”

Jesus says to us- in front of His enemies- no wolf (pointing) will ever snatch them out of my hand. Carson “Even so, the focus is not on the power of the life itself, but on Jesus’ power: no-one can snatch them out of my hand,1 not the marauding wolf (v. 12), not the thieves and robbers (vv. 1, 8), not anyone. To think otherwise would entail the conclusion that Jesus had failed in the explicit assignment given him by the Father, to preserve all those given to him (cf. notes on 6:37–40).”

How is your salvation secure- because HE is faithful?

Jude 24 “24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,”

Blank: We are secure because He is able.

John 6:38–40 “38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.””

There are Christians who doubt their salvation- whether or not they lose it. But that’s the wrong question. “Can I lose my salvation” is the wrong question. Listen- it wasn’t yours to begin with. “The will of Him who sent me is that I should lose nothing of all that He has given me.” The question we’re really asking is “Can Jesus lose me?” “Can Jesus fail?” No.

Romans 8:38–39

[38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (ESV)

Overview

Looking from a 30,000 foot view. I see assurances galore here. Wow- just look at all the promises. The Gospel is Jesus laser focused on saving us. Look at the conditions- v16 He has sheep in every tribe, "yes event people like you and me." Now- look how He casts out doubts. He tells us v14 He Knows us. v15 He lays down His life FOR us. v17-18 He does this willingly and with authority- He is not a hopeless martyr who ties Himself to save a tree while the forest comes down. v24-27 He is effective. He efforts do not fail- it's not that the pharisees were too tough to convince- it's that they aren't His. v28 He saves us eternally - to the uttermost without ever losing us..... When we look at the evidence it's all about assurance. None of this is random chance. When Jesus went to the cross, He had His sheep in mind. When He rose from the grave, He had your victory in mind. Before the Father spoke, all creation was made through the Son, and the Spirit hovered over the waters, Jesus was preparing to claim you. Overall, John makes it utterly clear that none of this is chance. When Jesus went to the Cross, He didn't for a moment think "I hope this works" or, I wonder how many people will follow me." Never for a moment was it "Here goes nothing". No, Jesus came with clear-eyed purpose. He is laser focused on you. When the world was made, when the tablets were written, when the temple was built, when the Son was born- all of it was on purpose and the path was straight for you. Jesus was not a bachelor looking to find a suitable bride. He did not come here to convince or woo. This is a marriage arranged before the foundation of the Earth. He came to rescue His bride from the enemy, and He left to prepare the home before the wedding. He is laser focused on saving- preparing and joining His bride!

Revelation 19:7–8 ESV

7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.