I am the good Shepard

John 11 ESV

1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

John 10:11–18 CSB

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about 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. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

I. Introduction v.11

This passage opens with Christ’s statment that He is the good Shepard. and that he laysd down his life for His sheep. This uses the imejery of David who risked his life to keep his sheep safe

Ezekiel 34:23 ESV

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.

1 Samuel 17:34–37 CSB

34 David answered Saul: “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

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This passage seeks to draw the contrast between the good and the Bad, the faithful and the unfaithful Shepard The Shepard was absolutely responsible for the sheep, if anything happened to the sheep he had to produce some kind of proof that it was not his fault.

A. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

II. The Hired Hand (V. 12-13)

John 10:12–13 CSB

12 The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep.

A. The hired hand is not the Shepard v.12a

-There is a big difference between one who was part of the family who owned the sheep and one who was just simply paid to do the Job.

a. The hired hand does not own the sheep, v.12b

-The hired hand does not own the sheep so he is not as concerned about the sheep as he is His own life

b. The hired hand sees the wolf coming and flees v.12c

-The primary motivation of the hired hand is self-preservation. He flees in the face of danger and deserts his deities to the sheep witch results in dire consequences

c. The Wolf snatchers the sheep and scatters them. v. 12d

Because the Shepard has left the sheep are left defenseless and the wolf snatched some the rest are scattered

D. Pastoral authority

-The same can be equated with Pastors it is my responsibility to train and equip you the church and to protect you from wolves. This is why many churches that are without pastoral leadership for extended periods of time struggle spiritually.

B. 13 The Hired hand flees v. 13a

John 10:13 ESV

13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

a. The Hired hand cares nothing for the sheep 13b

a. and cares nothing for the sheep. 13b

-The reason why the hired hand runs away if further explained, because the sheep do not belong to the hired hand or his family he does not care for them in the same way that a family member would. and this is why he will desert the sheep and flee.

Here Jesus was referring to the Jewish leaders who were not carrying out their responsibilities to care for the people

-in the same way some pastors are in ministry for the money, and always focus on how they can get money , those pastors are hired hands and do not care for their people.

-in the same way some pastors are in ministery for the money, and always focus on how they can get money , those pastors are hired hands and do not care for their people.

-This is not to say that pastors should not be paid adequately to live on but rater that should not be the driving force of the man.

III. The Good Shepard (v.14-16)

John 10:14–16 CSB

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. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.

A. 14 I am the good shepherd.

a. I know my own and my own know me,

Christ contrasted himself with the leaders by the fact he was the good Shepard. unlike the Jewish leaders Jesus knew his people and they knew Him

B.The father Knows be and I know the father v. 15a

John 10:15 CSB

15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.

Johnn 10:15

This statement was intended to imply that he enjoyed an intimate personal relationship with Him.

C. I lay down my life for the sheep. 15b

Just as He said at the beginning of the passage he reiterated here, those shepherds in the open century must be prepared to lay down their life for the sheep they are protecting. Jesus actually laid down his life for his sheep. It was his love that led him to do this

Just as He said at the beginning of the passage he reiderated here, those shepards in the open contery must be prepared to lay down their life for the sheep they are protecting. Jesues accully laied down his life for his sheep. It was his love that led him to do this

John 15:13 CSB

13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.

This love makes him the good Shepard.

D. The other Sheep 16a

John 10:16 CSB

16 But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.

-This is alluding to the gentiles and the ultimate universal scope of salvation through Christ’s atoning death

a. they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 16b

-This statement one flock and one Shepard includes all believers both Jews and gentiles

-THis inclues every believer, on every contenent, every countery, every race gender, ext. Each believer is part of the universal Church.

-This includes every believer, on every continent, every country, every race gender, ext. Each believer is part of the universal Church.

-This is alluding to the gentiles and the ultimate universal scope of salvation through Christ’s atoning death

Ezekiel 34:23 ESV

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.

a. they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 16b

-THis is alluding to the gentiles and the ultmete universal scope of salvation through Christ’s atoning death

III. I lay down my Life v.17-18

John 10:17–18 CSB

17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

A. The father Loves me 17a

-Christ laid down his life on the cross in obedience to the father . This obedience drew out the fathers love for His son. it the plan of salvation it was required that the son lay down his life in obedience to the father.

a. Christ laid down his life and took it up again 17b

-however it did not end with Christ laying down his life but also involved him taking it up again.

-This is one of the few places in the NT where the resection of Jesus is attributed to Christ himself

B. No one took Christ’s life 18a

John 10:18 CSB

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

-This is noted throughout scripture, no one took Christs life, although they thought they did they did not.

a. I have authority to lay it down, 18b

-John shows that Jesus was not the victim of circumstance but he was in complete control of his destiny

This is seen in a few places

Jesus identified Himself to those who came to arrest Him

2. during the Roman trial, when Pilate said to him Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you? To this Jesus replied you would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.

-These incidents show that Jesus was in control over his destiny

b. and I have authority to take it up again.

b. and I have authority to take it up again.

c. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Application