Who is Your Shepherd?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
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Passage: John 10:7–18 “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.””
Transition:
Main Exposition
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Main Point: Jesus Must Be the Shepherd of your life.
What is Shepherd?
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A Shepherd is one who leads and directs the flock.
In other words, in this analogy we all have something leading and directing us.
Those who are not lead by God are led by a thief who comes to steal kill and destroy.
John 10:8–10 “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.”
See what Jesus is saying is that those who are not led by Him and led by a thief who has come to lead them into destruction.
The world would have you believe that you can lead yourself. You can come up with your own truth, your own identity, your own morality.
But the truth is that those who do not follow the voice of God are sheep who have gone astray and are actively headed for destruction.
Transitional sentence
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Satan Steals, Kills and Destroys.
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Satan try's to steal your joy, your promises and blessings from the Lord.
Satan will try and steal your attention by distracting your eyes and taking your time. Theres a lot of shinny objects that pull you away from gospel centered productivity.
Satan and sin without the Lord in your life will kill you. Sin actively kills people and brings death.
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For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We have to realize that those who are not saved will spend eternity in hell.
I say that to hopefully light a fire under you, because we need to recognize that the lost people in our life are on a fast track to destruction.
If the enemy can’t win you to his side, Satan will try and destroy your life from within.
Satan will try and destroy your life with pornography, with alcholoholism, with THC and LSD. With secret sin that corrupts the mind body and soul.
Maybe its not the sex drugs and rock and role. Satan can use video games, social media, content, food, to try and bring destruction in your life.
If we are not activity connected to the Shepherd the thief will use anything and everything in our life to pull us away
Which is why we need Jesus.
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We cannot be our own Shepherd.
I need to be honest with you. I feel like I have tried to be my own shepherd.
I have been relying on my own strength to fight the battles in my own life.
Have you been trying to be your own Shepherd? Have you been relying on your own strength?
Have you been fighting on your own pornography, laziness, over consumption, anger or anxiety?
Or have you been relying on Jesus. Leaning on him in his word/
We cannot be our own good shepherd because we are corrupted by sin and being chased by an enemy
But by the blood of Jesus we can turn around and fight the thief in our life.
Transitional sentence
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Jesus the Good Shepherd is the one who lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:17–18 “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 was beaten, tortured, abused mocked and scorn so that you may have as verse 10 says, life in abundance.”
The Lord Jesus died and rose again to live with you in paradise for all eternity and friends there will be a day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
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Application: Go tell your friends about the Gospel and Live it out.
If you really believe that there is a heaven and a hell and a returning Lord who will separate the sheep from the goats then go live it out.
You need to live with urgency, and be actively sharing the gospel with your friends, and family.
Live out the Bible by applying it to your life.
Take every opportunity to pray with the people in your life.
And prove by the way you live that you love the Father
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.”
We are called to share the Gospel with lost sheep and introduce our Shepherd to them.
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Conclusion
- Ask yourself, who is leading you, have you been trying to be your own Shepherd. Or are you actively following the Good shepherd who came to seek and save the lost?
John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
He can be FOUND today if you welcome Jesus the Good Shepherd into your heart.
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””
Outline
Main Idea: Jesus Must Be the Shepherd of your life.
Satan Steals, Kills and Destroys.
We cannot be our own Shepherd.
Jesus the Good Shepherd is the one who lays down his life for the sheep.
Application: Go tell your friends about the Gospel and Live it out.
Small Group Questions
Why can we not be our own Shepherd?
What are aspects or characteristics of a good shepherd?
How do we as believers accidently try and lead ourselves? How do we rely on our own strength?
What does Satan try and steal in our life? How does he try and destroy believers?
What are problems in your life that you need the Lords help with?
What are ways we connect with Jesus and abide in Him?
Why do we need to be activity connected to the Shepherd?
How do we fight against the temptations and distractions in our life?
Take a moment to read Luke 19:10. In light of this passage why do we need to share our faith? How do we do that?
How does the reality of heaven and hell give urgency to share your faith with everyone?
