The Good Shepherd and the Hirelings
Notes
Transcript
The Good Shepherd and the Hirelings
The Good Shepherd and the Hirelings
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
jn10.10-14
the events of come out of the responses of the previous chapters -
In chapter 8 we find Jesus (after forgiving the woman caught in the act of adultery) stating “…I am the light of the world...”
in chapter 9 we find the Lord healing a blind man on the sabbath day - a man who was born blind - was given sight by the Lord Jesus - you would have thought that everyone would have rejoiced, but the Pharisee’s did not...
not only were the Pharisee’s not happy about this great miracle, they were so enraged, that they kicked the man out of the synagogue...
They ex-communicated him -
They “churched him” (not quite sure where the term came from)
They kicked him out… for being healed and not condemning the one who healed him...
In chapter 10, we begin with the Lord switching the imagery of his teaching...
The imagery or illustration was one that everyone in this society was well aware of, it was that of the shepherd...
in bible days, any leader was viewed as a shepherd…
because of the OT individuals that were revered who were shepherds:
Able - a shepherd who was murdered for his offering...
Moses - a shepherd who was the chosen leader of God’s people and the recipient of the Law...
David - the man after God’s own heart, the King and champion of Israel and also the sweet psalmist...
These individuals were known shepherds and especially the last 2 were mighty men in Israel -
The Lord referred to his people as sheep, so anyone who led his people - whether spiritually or politically were viewed as shepherds...
Jesus goes to this analogy that was understood by all and he was going to dismantle their view of themselves as shepherds and he was going to reveal to them that they were not shepherds, merely hirelings...
In revealing to them their position of a hireling, he relays to them who the Good Shepherd is...
The Good Shepherd and the Hirelings
The Good Shepherd and the Hirelings
As we look into the scriptures this morning, I want to preface that there is only 1 Good Shepherd. That is the Lord Jesus Christ -
When we look at sheep today, as in bible days… sheep are by nature:
Stupid
Prone to wander
Sheep are clean - not as dogs / pigs -
Sheep are defenseless -
Sheep are prone to wander -
Though the word Pastor “poimen” the same word that is traslated shepherd - is used in ephesians..
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
This is the only time the word pastor is used in the NT - 9 times in the entire bible - but only 1 time in the NT...
Though the Pastor is the leader of the church… lets not get confused… there is only 1 Good Shepherd!!!!
the earthly pastor / shepherd is 1 dumb sheep called out of the flock to lead the other sheep in a way that the 1 Good Shepherd would desire...
earthly shepherd is in no way:
better
smarter
more worthy than any other sheep - he just happens to be the spokesman for the Good Shepherd
We are all to be looking to the Good Shepherd -
His purpose
His protection
His provision
There is only 1 Good Shepherd and ...
his name is Jesus
his name is Wonderful
Counselor
the Mighty God
the Everlasting Father
the prince of Peace
His name is:
Emanuel
God with us
The Messiah
The Christ
The Promised One
Savior
Master
Rabbi
Lord
He is our GOOD SHEPHERD...
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
The word good - Aga-thos...
Intrinsically good, moral, beautiful
Jesus told this man - that Intrinsically, there is only one that is good - that is God
Paul put it this way...
rom 3
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
So when Jesus declared himself to be the Good Shepherd… he was in fact saying -
I am God - because no man… is good - intrinsically good - only God is w/o the tainting and stain of sin...
This Morning - as we Look at the Good Shepherd - and the pharisees that were referred to as the hirelings… I want you to see some wonderful things about our Good Shepherd...
1. He Knows our Name
1. He Knows our Name
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
You and I are known by the Lord...
we are not just 1 of the 7.8 Billion people in the world today… the Lord knows His Sheep by name...
He knew Simon Peter...
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
He knew Nathanael
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
jn10.27-
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
In He called Zaccheus by name...
It was at the garden tomb that the resurrected Savior called Mary by her name… and it was the use of that name that - and how he said it - that she Knew it was the Savior...
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
For the Lord to know us by name…
what a blessing...
what a connection...
growing up… my granny would call out to one of us grandkids… and she would go down the list...
I would be called everyone but Kerry -
YOU know who you are… get over here....
we would just laugh… it was so comical to see - but I knew that she knew me… so it wasn’t a problem...
There are times that I will forget someones name...
But the Lord never does...
The Good Shepherd Knows our Name
2. He Knows our Nature
2. He Knows our Nature
as alike as we are in our Adamic nature… we are diverse in our
Personality
character traits
drive / passion
compassion and empathy
we are so blessed to have so many young families and children...
My 3 children - same mom & dad, same home, same upbringing… but they are so different...
each ones strengths and weaknesses (well none of them have any of those) just the ones inherited from their mother… :)
personalities
they are all different...
Miss Bethany - has shared with me some of the differences of ELIAS & JUDE -
The Lord knows all of HIS SHEEP...
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Jn10.14
Think about the disciples...
Their differences, yet the Lord knew them and knew how to lead each of them...
Peter - the impetuous leader - out front - bull in a china shop… gets things done, but makes a big mess in the process - there is always damage control in everything he does…
John - the beloved… I imagine him as a kind, gracious man - like Bro. Randy… a man with a heart - a love for the Lord and for people...
Thomas - The doubter… I see a man that is not optimistic - more pessimistic… considers himself a “realist” - the problem is that “realist” are so “real” that they seldom accomplish anything, because all they see is the obstacles… not the opportunities...
the Lord was a good coach!
I thing about good coaches, and I think about Phil Jackson -
He played 12 seasons in the NBA as a Power Forward -
He won 2 NBA Championships with the NY Knicks in ‘70, ‘73
As a head coach,
He coached the Chicago Bulls from ‘89-”98 and won 6 NBA Championships
He later coached the Lakers from ‘99 - 2004 and won 5 more NBA championships...
Jackson knew how to play
Jackson knew how to coach- he knew how to manage superstars like
Michael Jordan, scotty pipen, and the dress wearing Dennis Rodman...
He knew his players and knew where to place them and how to get them to work together...
Our Good Shepherd Know our Nature - and knows how to deal with us individually!
strengths...
weaknesses
success / failures
Likes / dislikes
Faith / fears
He Knows Our Name
He Knows Our Nature
3. He Knows our Needs
3. He Knows our Needs
Under the old dispensation - the sheep died for the shepherd… but now it flipped...
The Shepherd died for his sheep...
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
a. He knows our need of Salvation...
a. He knows our need of Salvation...
Have you accepted the Good Shepherd???
are you saved?
24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
B. He knows our need of Service
B. He knows our need of Service
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
jn10.
a wandering sheep is vulnerable...
Illust:
Coyotes and dogs come from the same family, but they are different… I heard that coyotes can bark like dogs… Up in Chico a few years ago, they had a problem with the coyotes killing family pets...
the coyotes would bark like a dog and lure the neighborhood dogs into the woods and then the pack of coyotes would attack and kill the dogs...
This old world has a lot of people… and though we may look alike...
there is a difference between sheep and goats… and when the sheep leave the fold to be with and like the goats - they become vulnerable to the wolves… the destroyers of the sheep...
Serving the Lord isn’t just to give us something to do, it is to keep us focussed and aware that there is a devourer....
Jesus - as the Good Shepherd will protect and provide for his sheep
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Jn01.11-
C. He Knows our Need of Security...
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
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He knows what trial we are facing...
He knows what burden you bare
Is it health - concern for you and your family???
we have had the conversations in our home...
and I come back to the message I preached… “What if...”
We cannot deal in uncertainties… we can only deal with realities...
What’s a reality?
The Lord is Good
The Lord is the Good Shepherd
The Lord Knows my Name
The Lord Knows my Nature
The Lord Knows my Needs...
Let’s trust in him… -
Are you saved today? then you have a Good Shepherd that Loves you...
If you are not saved today - there is a Good Shepherd that loves you so much that he wants you to be saved...
He will forgive every sin
He will give you eternal life
He will be your Shepherd...
are you saved?
24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
jn10.24-