The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

HOOK

Yesterday here at The Message we completed chapter 9 with the topic about Spiritual Blindness

As a result of the investigation of the Pharisees about the man born blind— Jesus impressed on them their spiritual blindness

We concluded with the following principles;

RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS KEPT ME FROM SEEING

BUT JESUS OPENED THE EYES OF MY HEART

The beginning of chapter 10 is the continuation of Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees

Open your Bible to John 10:1-7, you know what to once you got there

CHARACTER, COMMAND, PROMISES, CONVICTIONS, EXAMPLES, CHALLENGES AND ENCOURAGEMENT

BOOK

John 10:1–7 NIV

1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

LOOK

CLIMBS IN BY SOME OTHER WAY, IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER

The false shepherds failed in their duty [JEREMIAH 23:1-8]

To remedy for their failure— God takes on the role of the shepherd of Israel [PSALM 23:1]

HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME AND LEADS THEM

The good shepherd knows his sheep

HIS SHEEP FOLLOW HIM BECAUSE THEY KNOW HIS VOICE

The sheep that really belongs to his flock follow him

The point is that sheep follow the right shepherd

The pharisees did not understand the metaphor— they missed the symbolism of the parable— so Jesus declared

I AM THE GATE FOR THE SHEEP

One of the 7 “I am” statements of Jesus

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TOOK

JESUS IS MY GOOD SHEPHERD

I KNOW HIS VOICE AND I FOLLOW HIM

CLOSING SONG— Another in the Fire by: Hillsong United