The Good Shepherd John 10
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning, well here we are and its a new day and of course it is the Lord’s day.
I know all we are hearing around us is bad news, poor reports and more we should be doing this or this...
I am here to give you some good news.
The Good News is the message, the proclamation of the message of Jesus Christ. And this is what the world needs to hear, The story of Jesus is the very thing the world needs to hear and know.
So what do we do… We go and tell!
So this morning we are blessed to hear about Jesus again that we might know more of Him and be able to go and tell it to the world.
So this morning lets go and find the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, and lets consider the role of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. This is the next part of our series of messages as we are looking through the Gospel of John as we think about moving toward Easter and the cross of Jesus.
So , verses 11-18
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.”
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.”
Isn’t that a beautiful passage. Understanding the role of a shepherd allows us to gain a better understanding of His love, care and provision for us, the sheep of His pasture.
So this investigate the text and see what the Word of God will say to us today.
The very first thing I would ask you to see is this… Jesus identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd
1. Jesus Says He Is the Good Shepherd
1. Jesus Says He Is the Good Shepherd
1. Jesus Says He Is the Good Shepherd
1. Jesus Says He Is the Good Shepherd
Reading through John chapter 10 we see Jesus speaking about these different elements that protect, shelter, and even sacrifice for the sake of those entrusted into His care.
He has just finished speaking about Himself as the true door to the sheep fold, speaking about not just the blessing of shelter and protection for the sheep, but for their Salvation.
And here in verse 11 Jesus teaches that He is the Good Shepherd. This truth is important for us to hear… remember that in verse 10 He has just layed out the plans of the evil one, the false shepherd, The false shepherd care nothing for the sheep and seeks to see them lost, destroyed…
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
But the true Shepherd seeks to bring life and life abundantly.
But the true Shepherd seeks to bring life and life abundantly.
And now with verse 11, Jesus identifies Himself. I am the Good Shepherd.
Look back at verse 11
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
The word “Good” is special, unique. Good describes the role of the Shepherd. It is much more than just a adjective, a description of the Jesus, the Son of God but signifies that He is different than all who have come before Him. He is different than the religious leaders.
There is a stark contrast between Him and the hired hands. The hired hands care nothing for the sheep, they do not belong to them. But for Jesus, the sheep are His and as such there is love for the sheep.
This word “good” Kalos is the Greek word implies more than just good or good nature, it speaks of the true, authentic and genuine role Jesus plays in regard to His children, the sheep of His pasture.
Isal 40:11
He is the true light, , the one who receives true worship
Listen the words of Isaiah the prophet as He speaks of the good shepherd..Isa 40:11
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
He is the owner, not a hireling, He is the true Shepherd, the only Shepherd…
He is the owner, not a hireling, He is the true Shepherd, the only Shepherd…
You see this is a picture that Jesus has painted of Himself and the Father’s work all through out the Gospel of John.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
True Light, 1:9, True Worship 4:23, true bread 6:23, the True Vine 15:1, True Life 14:6 and the list goes on…
He is the good, the true shepherd and He cares for you and me… How wonderful is that my friends.
And then secondly, Jesus is the one who lays down His life for the sheep.
2. Jesus says He Lays Down His Life for the Sheep...
2. Jesus says He Lays Down His Life for the Sheep...
Here we see the sacrificial role of the Shepherd in our lives.
One of the best books you could ever read is Phillip Keller’s book, A Shepherd’s Look at the 23rd Psalm. Truly wonderful for it describes in great detail what it means to be a good shepherd.
Keller takes us on a journey of all the Shepherd does to ensure the Sheep are safe, provided for and blessed and brought safely back to the fold at the end of their journey. Its a sacrificial story.
Jesus tells us the same here.. he Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Look back at the text of
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.
Jesus paints a contrasting picture here. The good shepherd will lay down His life for the sheep. He will sacrifice his own person safety to ensure they are safe. Think of King David how he told that He fought off the lion and the bear to save the family flocks He was tending as a young man even before been anointed as King over Israel.
The Hired hand, when hostile intents arise, they flee.... simply because the sheep are not His...
But there is a new day approaching.. look at this picture. In the Old Testament, the sheep were sacrificed to atone for the sins of the people, the sheep lost their life that the people could enjoy life and a live in relationship to God the Father.
But here, Jesus says it is changing.. the Shepherd will lay down his life for the sheep, that they might have life and have it more abundantly. .
5 times in this chapter Jesus speaks of his approaching death as a sacrifice to atone for the sheep. He is not a martyr killed by men, No, He layed down his life as a sacrifice, a substitute for sin so that we could enjoy life.
Aren’t you glad the shepherd loves you enough that He layed down his life that you might have life and not death.
Man I am, it forever changed my life.
Moving on to my next thought today, Jesus says He knows the Sheep.
3. He Knows the Sheep...
3. He Knows the Sheep...
In life, it is great to be known…
You love it when people remember our name, when they have taken the time to remember who we are… it reminds us even in the smallest way, we are cared for..
Here in this passage, Jesus tells us that He knows His sheep..
Lets look again to .... verses 14-15
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.
Again Jesus identifies Himself and the Good Shepherd… And what Jesus says next is wonderful. I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
There is a wonderful relationship between the Shepherd and the Sheep. he knows them.. Remember earlier in verses 3-5, as Jesus taught about Himself being the true gate.
Listen with me
3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
There is a special bond there, they know the shepherd, they trust Him.. Why, Because He loves them and has demonstrated that care for them. Even when one was lost, Jesus even tells how the Shepherd will leave the 99 in search of the one.
So there is the joy of relationship with Him and the Father. Jesus knows the sheep the sheep know Him and they follow him and He lays down His life for the sheep.
What is Jesus speaking about...
He is not just communicating how self sacrificing the Shepherd is… but he is pointing to the cross. It is not far off...
There he will take the place of the sacrifice, He is the lamb of God . He will intercede on behalf of man and will die as a sacrifice for sin. Laying down His life, so that the sheep, so that we might have life.
I really cannot think of anything more wonderful than knowing that Jesus loved us, the sheep of His pasture. And there was one threat against us, one evil thing that kept us in harm. Sin.
So just as the sheep had been the sacrifices for sin in the OT, so now He would be the Sacrifice for sin. He would die once for the sins of the world, past present and future.
He died for you and me, taking our sin and atoning for it by the shedding of His own blood that we might be forgiven, justified and yes sanctified in front of the Father.
Aren’t you glad you are known by God and they You know Him. Aren’t you glad He saved you from your sin.
And then he will go one and remind us of one more promise...
Jesus will keep us...
4. Jesus Keeps His Sheep
4. Jesus Keeps His Sheep
In our present state here on ole planet earth we wonder at times can God really love us… In spite of all the wrongs we have done, some evil… can He really love me...
The answer is Yes… How do I know this to be certain. First off he died for me.
Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for sin for you, for me. so that We would have life and have it more abundantly.
But Secondly, Because He Keeps Me.... I remember several years ago a man told me there were two things in life that He never got rid of, His guns and His Woman or his wife.
I am reminded that Jesus never gets rid of us. You see we are guilty of looking at life with a works based mentality, we want to earn it, everything, including God’s love. But it doesn’t work that way...
God works on grace model… He loves us because of himself, His own nature. he chooses to love us. And it is not based on what we do.. It is based on what Jesus did.. He died for us and as such, He keeps us.
If you go back and look at verses 22-30, Jesus is in the temple area and the Jews are there. They ask Him plainly, if you are the Christ tell us. And Jesus tells them I did, And my works, the miracles He preformed healing the sick, raising the dead giving sight to the blind… all of these things they did not believe. So he tells them…but you did not believe me, because you are not my sheep.
And listen again to what Jesus says in verses 27-30
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. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Here Jesus reminds them again of the relationship the Sheep have with the Shepherd.
A. They hear His voice.... there is the recognition of the relationship. Those we love, all we have to hear is their voice. it calms us, blesses us and reassures us that it is alright.
B. I know them and they follow me. Again, relationship. I know them, and they know me is implied for they hear His voice and follow. My old bird dog Annie, when she was alive all I had to say was her name, lets go and she was ready. She followed where I led.. Why. She was mine and I was her Master. She loved me and followed me.
But then Jesus steps it up a bit…
C. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. He lays down His life, that atoning sacrifice is the gift of God, John reminds us of this in verse 12 of chapter 1
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Jesus death extends Salvation to all who would believe.. This is the purpose of God, to save us from our sin, to restore the relationship man had with God but was lost because of sin, .
We are saved...
And in the restoration of our life in front of God, we have security and salvation.
And as God gives life to us, salvation. He gives it forever, He holds us, it cannot be lost.
Verses 28-29
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
I give them eternal life, listen carefully it is not that I will give them in the futre, it is a present gift, now. I will give them eternal life.
Scripture tells us that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
And they will never perish… that is His promise, they will not be lost, separated from the Shepherd even in death.
and they will never perish. and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Listen to Jesus as he has spoken al through the gospel of John
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
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.
You see false shepherds bring destruction, but the true shepherd brings life and lie that is eternal.
And He says no one can remove them from my hand.
And then verse 29, Jesus steps it up a notch… My Father is greater than all, and no one can remove them from His hands either.
You see the secutiry we have is assured to us in several ways,
we have eternal life, it is not a conditional promise,
It is His gift so it is not something that we can earn or merit, we are saved by His grace. and it cannot be lost by our “bad works”
16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
3. Jesus gave us a promise that His sheep do not perish, and His promise cannot be broken.
Jesus Keeps His Sheep… aren’t you glad that Jesus loves you, gave his life for you has promised to keep you.
You see it begins with being the sheep of His pasture. YOu have to be His in order for Him to keep you.
Do you know Jesus today.
You see that is where is begins my friend.. You cannot have life, until you know the one who is life.
Jesus is the good Shepherd and He laid down His life for us.
He Knows His Sheep
He Keeps His Sheep.
1 “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. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 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.”
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. 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. 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. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
John 10
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.