2021 08-01 Sunday Morning Service

Chapter 8, there was just confrontation and admittedly he escalated it by telling them the truth. He said to them, your, of your father, the Devil, he's a liar and a murderer. And so, you are liars and murderers as well. We could say that for them, the incident in chapter 8 and it on a very severe note as a result. John 859 says, therefore, they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus, hid himself and left the temple grounds. So, he escapes a stoning. And on his way out of the temple, he sees a blind man causes cuz that's what blind man. Did they sat at the gate? The bag. The man had been blind from birth and Jesus stops and heals him by, then the Pharisees and caught up with him, they slowed down the effort. Call him at that moment, he being absorbed in the crowd and having drawn, the crowd's attention by the miracle, they are again. Deeply distressed by the fact that he is having such popularity in that. He is healed. This man and drawn, such attention to himself. They had made a law that if anyone confess Jesus to be the Messiah, he was to be put out of the synagogue. Well, Jesus healed the blind, man, and then the blind man came to faith in Christ as a story ends. We know he said, Lord, I believe and he worshipped him. So the man was healed physically. And he was healed, spiritually. And as a result of that, he violated their law. He has confessed him as Messiah, Lord, and savior, they throw him out of the synagogue, and they are still completely intent on Killing Jesus. 9 then features an extension of chapter 8 in the hostility of the religious leaders of Judaism towards Jesus. The healing of the blind, man, in the sense is somewhat incidental. Not incidental to the blind man. But the big picture here is it. When Jesus does a Monumental miracle that has no other explanation because this is a man blind from birth and everybody knows it because he's a familiar figure there. It was been begging a long time. It has no effect on how they feel about Jesus. They make no move in the direction of affirming. Something. Other than that, he's satanic their hostility is past the point of any return they are. In fact, demonstrating themselves to be false leaders who instead of acknowledging their Messiah, reject him and want to execute. They are the false Shepherds of Israel. Shepherding was a metaphor in the ancient world that people understood. It was very common in the Old Testament. Psalm 80 God was called The Shepherd of Israel. Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd and many other places, they all understood that because the land of Israel was full of sheep and Shepherds Shepherd, spoke of care, and feeding and protection. These were men who appointed themselves Shepherds of Israel but they were false Shepherds truth is they were wolves in sheep's clothing. So in chapter 9, after the healing of this man, they surfaced again with the same hatred and the same hostility in chapter 9, closes with Jesus, pronouncing a judgment on them because of their blindness because they are willfully. Blind to the truth. The conversation, specifically with them ends. With these words, your sin remains, you are anything but righteous, you are in your sin, you will die in your sin and where I go, you will never come. Here, he says a couple of chapters later, you remain in your sin. So here are the blind leaders of Israel. Hear the false Shepherds of Israel. As we come into chapter 10, he is still talking to them. They're still there, the blind man, the disciples, the crowd of Jews is there where the healing took place, and the Pharisees are still there. Jesus then launches into a description of how a Good Shepherd conducts, his life. It is. According to verse 6, a figure of speech and analogy. A Shepherd has his own sheep and he knows his own sheep. And I'd only has the right to lead and feed his own sheet, but he has the responsibility to do just that at night, the ship would come into the village. Would bring his sheep and they would all be in the same fold. And then in the morning, the shepherd would come and call out his own sheep and call them by name. He knows his sheep and he calls them by name, the Sheep know their master's voice and they follow him. The Sheep will not follow a stranger, we also learned that while they're in the fold at night feves and robbers, may try to climb over the wall and fleece, the sheep or even Slaughter the sheet. And so, there has to be a guard set at the door to protect the Sheep. The shepherd returns, in the morning, to leave them out, calling them by name, one by one to Green Pastures. And Still Waters. The shepherd is even the door because they have to pass by him to be identified as his own. Now, the reality comes clear, when you look at the language in verse 9, I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved and we'll go in and out and find pasture. This is a picture of the Salvation. Provided by the true Shepherd, the Divine Shepherd, has his own sheep, they've been given to him by the father they've been chosen before the foundation of the world. He knows them. All by name, he has the right to call them and he calls them by name. They know his voice and they follow him, they will not follow a stranger, that's salvation. The elector in the fold of the world, with the time comes to call them out in the voice of the shepherd calls. And they hear that voice And they follow that voice. This is irresistible Grace. The Divine call to Salvation, they will not follow a stranger, they will not follow voice, it's unfamiliar and yes, there are thieves and robbers false teachers, who try to climb into the fold and fleece, and destroy the Sheep, but the shepherd provides protection for them from the false teachers. The shepherd leads them goes before them and they follow, he takes them in a safe way to Green Pastures and Still Waters. Meaning spiritual blessings throughout time and all into eternity. It's a lesson on salvation who is the shepherd Jesus is starting to give us a pretty good idea in verse 9. He says, I am the door Shepherds were the door at night. The ship would go in and the shepherd would drop his rod and stop every sheet. Check them over. Freddy kind of wound or any kind of problem, and then lift the staff and let them go in in the morning, he'd call them all by name and they had to pass by him into his care. The shepherd was the door. Jesus is saying this faithful Shepherd, this is how shepherding should be done. This is how I do it. I am the door that gives a pretty good hint. We know it's a figure of speech because in the same verse he says he's talking about salvation. But then and verse 11 through 18, He said specifically, 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 is not the owner of the sheep sees, the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and fleas and the Wolf, snatches them and scatters the flock. He flees because he is a Hired Hand and does not care about the Sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, and I know my own in 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 and they will become one flesh with one Shepherd, for this reason. The father loves me because I lay down my life so that I may take it back. No one has taken it away from me, but I'd lay it down on my own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back this commandment. I received from my father. A division occurred again, among the Jews because of these words, many of them were saying, he has a demon and saying, why do you listen to him? Others were saying these are not the same size of one demon possessed by a demon. Cannot open the eyes of the blind Kenny. So here in verses 11 through 21, Jesus explains how he fulfills the identity of the Good Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd. He is the one prophesied he launches into this particular figure of speech because the religious leaders of Israel were known as the Shepherds of Israel. But they were false Shepherds and so he distinguishes the false leaders from himself. He is the true Shepherd of the sheep. They were blind. That's how the conversation with them ended in chapter 9. They were spiritually blind to the truth of God. They couldn't lead anybody anywhere because they couldn't see where they were going themselves. They are, in fact, strangers, not Shepherds. They are hirelings Hired Hands, who do what they do for money and have no concern for the Sheep. They are thieves, they are robbers who want a fleece and kill. Jesus was talking about them in contrast to himself. Did the understand it? No, verse 6. Jesus told them this figure speech but they did not understand what the things, which he was saying to them mint. Proof of what he said. In chapter 9, you are blind. You do not understand. Whatever. I say, you don't understand. He actually went so far as to say because I tell you the truth, you don't understand because you are of your father, the devil it was a liar if I lied you would get it but when I tell you the truth, you don't. So this metaphor is designed as an illustration. Not only of the Good Shepherd but an illustration of the blindness of the false Shepherds because they didn't understand it all the false leaders thieves. Robbers strangers. Hired Hands have nothing in mind but protecting themselves. They are not about to risk their lives for the Sheep. As we read, they went they want the money and if need be, they will become Steve's and robbers to get it. They are strangers. Not Shepherds. The true Shepherd, however, is described here as one, who loves and cares for and nourishes and lives for and dies for the sheep. And that of course, is none other than Jesus. So let's look down at these verses 11 through 21 and we'll just kind of work our way through. This is the fourth. I am in the Gospel of John, hear he is the Good Shepherd, and looks, look at that a little bit. I am the Good Shepherd, then he repeats it immediately. Now, this is an important construction for us to understand. The emphasis here is this, I am the shepherd, the good one very important order here. I am the shepherd, the good one as if to say, in contrast to all the bad ones. I am the shepherd, the good one. He is not just another shepherd. He is above all the Shepherds, the good one. Now, the Jews had an idea about who was the best Shepherd for them? Historically. It was David. The shepherd boy who cared for his father's flocks and defeated Goliath and became the king of Israel. David was there. Great Shepherd historically, but in chapter 5, Jesus claim to be greater than Moses. And in chapter 8, he claimed to be greater than ever Abraham. And here he is, the shepherd far greater than any other Shepherd, including David. He is the shepherd who is the good one that is quite a claim to make? Just say, you are better than Moses, better than Abraham better than David. And then to say you were God no wonder he had to back it up with Miracles, right? He was telling those Jews that he was God, because they knew Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd, they knew Psalm 80 The Shepherd of Israel. They knew what Isaiah the prophet said about God. Shepherding his people, he is saying, I am the shepherd the good one again another claim to his deity. Now his true goodness, is a Shepherd is seen in three ways here in this. Passage this Shepherd, the good one is marked by three particular Ministries to his sheep one. He dies for them to, he loves them and 3D unites them. The back to verse 11, the shepherd the good one, lays down his life for the Sheep. Shepherds were responsible for the sheep and it was serious business. If anything happened to the Sheep, he had to produce proof that it was not his fault due to dereliction of Duty or rustling. The Sheep away for his own, keeping or letting a friend, take one, or whatever. There were wolves, mountain lions neavin, bears, the law, laid it down next to this. 2213 if it is all Torn to Pieces, have him bring it back as evidence. He shall not be compelled to make restitution for what has been torn to pieces, you have to account for that sheet to the ultimate owner. You have to bring a piece to prove that it was an animal to the shepherd. It was the most natural thing than to risk his life. It's what Shepherds did A Shepherd who was doing, what he should never hesitated to risk his life and it was voluntary. That's why Jesus says, in verse 11, I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd, lays down his life, for the Sheep, to go down to verse 18. No one has taken it away from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have authority to lay it down and I have a thorny to take it back. Voluntarily. Jesus gave up his life for the Sheep. Some would say, that's no big deal. He's got. So he had a body and he gave up the body, big deal. It was more than that. And it's bound up in the word life, he says, lay down his life, the Greek word used here means Soul, which speaks of the whole person, not the outside, but the inside he gave up his soul, his whole person, he didn't just feel the pain of the nails in his body and the pain of the foreigners in his body and the pain of the storage in his body, his whole soul was tortured with sin, bearing anguish and Matthew 2028. Jesus said the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. He gives his soul his whole person and he felt it in every part of his being. And why did he do that? Why did he voluntarily lay down his soul? He says, for the Sheep. That's exactly what it says in 2nd Corinthians 5:21. For Paul explains. He made him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf. So that we might become the righteousness of God in him, laid down his soul for the Sheep. It was an actual atonement, a complete atonement for the Sheep who he knew. And who when called would know him, he did it for the benefit of the sheep from a natural standpoint. If this happened to the shepherd, that's the end of the sheet. If something's coming after the sheep and kills the shepherd, the Sheep are going to be vulnerable. They're liable to be killed or scattered, whether it's an animal or a thief, the death of the shepherd, could really spell the end of the sheet. But not this Shepherd, because he laid down his life. Verse 18 says, he had the power to take it up again and on the third day, he came out of the grave and we gathered his scattered sheep, were they scattered. Yes, they were take out the shepherd and the Sheep are scattered, but he came back from the the grave and we gathered them. So, the death of the shepherd usually meant the death of death of the sheet. But not in this case, Why did he die? Isaiah 53. 8 for the wrongdoing of my people. Matthew 1:21, you shall name him Jesus for, he will save his people from their sins. It's an actual atonement. It's not a potential one that you can sort of turned into a real one by believing. He actually paid in full the penalty for his sheep who he knew, and throughout human history is calling to himself. Very unlike a Hired Hand verses 12 through 13. He was a Hired Hand and not a Shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep sees, the wolf coming and leaves the sheep, and fleas in the whole, the wolf, snatches them, and scatters the flock. He flees because he is a Hired Hand and does not care about the sheet. The true Shepherd or the owner cares about the Sheep. It's not just a job, it's his very life. He has developed relationships with those. She knows them, they're loved by him. That's not true of Hired Hands. The world is always been full of Hired Hands. This is another term for the leaders of Israel strangers, thieves now, Hired Hands, the sheet become victims of any of these. The world has always been full of these and the flock of God is always attacked by these false teachers who fleece and destroy the sheet and who flee when real Trouble Comes and who is the wolf? The wolf is anything that attacks the Sheep? Anything satanically, orchestrated throughout the world. Anything that comes against the sheet, there are many false pastors false teachers as there have been throughout history. They may say Lord we did this and we did that. He's going to say depart from me, I never knew you. There are perverse men who rise up within the church and lead people astray as well as wolves from the outside. But Jesus is the one who will risk his life and give it up for his sheep. A Hired Hand is a mercenary no, impulse other than personal gain and a coward in a crisis. And when the crisis comes, whether it's an attack on the outside or an attack on the inside, The Hired Hand is going to protect himself. He's out. There is outside danger attack from the wall. There is also the Wolves dressed like sheep. Jesus said Matthew 7, Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly. They are ravening wolves, but the true Shepherd, he gives his life for the sheep. And then he takes it back again and gathers them as they have been scattered. So the church is first priority and Leadership is Christlike. Shepherding, were you? Even put your life on the line. Even risked, your life for the Sheep, you risked your life to be the one through whom God and Christ can call them out and protect them. When the danger comes. You don't run when the danger comes, you stand up. So the first characteristic then of the shepherd's relationship to the Sheep is he gives his life Secondly, he loves his sheep. This is of course, what's behind the giving of his life verses 14 and 15, I am the Good Shepherd and I know my own in my own know, me just as the father knows me. And I know the father and I'd lay down my life for the Sheep. This explains why he lays down his life voluntarily for the Sheep because he knows them. How do you get love out of that? There's no love there. Four times it says, no not love. Let me show you just a little bit of a hint verse 15. My father knows me. Verse 17, The Father loves, that's the interpretive key, the word. No. Here has the idea of a loving relationship. This goes all the way back to Genesis for 1 or Adams knew his wife and she had a child paying knew his wife and she had a child, Adam knows, even again. And another child. God actually says a name is Israel. Only having I known it. It does not mean, the Jews are the only people he's acquainted with. It says about Joseph, that he was so disturbed because me She was pregnant and he had never known her. What is that talking about? It's a euphemism for intimacy. It's not about information. It's about love and four times here. It implies has intimate relationship. This loving Fellowship, the sort of consummated relationship in John 14:21. The one who has my Commandments and keep them keeps them is the one who loves me and the one who loves me Will Be Loved by my father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him. So they're the language is love rather than knowing verse 23. If anyone loves me, he will follow my word and my father will love him and he will come to him and make our dwelling with him. So when you see the word no in this context, it's the idea of a loving intimate relationship, he loves his sheet, he knows them more than knowing their name, more than knowing who they are. He knows them. Intimately in The Sermon, on the Mount. Jesus said, depart from me, I never knew you, but I know who you are. I don't have any intimate relationship with you any loving relationship. You wanted to give his life for his sheep because he knew that he loved them. John 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave his only son that everyone who believes in him, will not perish, but have eternal life. That's why the father gave the son. That's why the son gave his life because he loves his sheet. This too is in stark contrast to the false Shepherds who have no love for the sheet. No affection for the sheet that they claim to Shepherd, loves his own that love leads to a third aspect of the relationship. He unites the Sheep. First with himself. And then with each other, verse 16, and I have other sheep that are not of this full-time. Must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one Shepherd. Remember, the fold is Israel. The Lord is the shepherd. He comes to Israel and then he calls out his Sheep by name and they follow him. But he also has sheep, which are not of the fold of Israel. I have to bring them all. So, who are they? The Gentiles? This is unacceptable to the Jews. This is more fuel for their animosity because they resent Gentiles, they believe Gentiles are permanently outside salvation and the promises of God and yet and Isaiah 42:6 wearied. I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness. This is God speaking to the Messiah. I will also hold By the hand and watch over you. And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people as a light to the Nations to open blind eyes to bring out. Prisoners from The Dungeons and those who dwell in darkness from the prison. There's a Messianic promise that the Messiah would take salvation to the nation's. He's shocking them by saying, I have sheep not in your fold. It's why there's a Great Commission go into all the world and preach the gospel to Every Creature. God makes Disciples of all Nations. He will bring them all together as one flock with one Shepherd, and that's why Paul and Galatians 3 says in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek Jew nor Gentile. That's why many fijians to Paul says the middle wall of partition is torn down and we're all one in Christ Jesus. And Gentile, that was always his intent. Unites his sheet. He brings them together to himself and to each other. So, that is the relation of the Good Shepherd to the Sheep. He gives his life because he loves them and he brings them into intimate, Unity, with himself. And with one another, He that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit, one with him and one with all others in the one body of Christ. Secondly, and just briefly the relationship of the Good Shepherd to the father is in verses 17 and 18. For this reason. The father loves me because I lay down my life so that I may take it back, no one is taking it away from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it back this commandment. I received from my father, let me give you a simple understanding of this. The father gave a command to Jesus, lay your life down and take it up. You have the authority to do that. I am commanding you to do it. It was a command but no one has taken it from me. I lay it down on my own initiative. That's why the father loves me because of my obedience, this is pretty profound. Yes, the father chose Jesus to be the lamb, the acceptable sacrifice. Yes. The father is the one who killed the Sun by The predetermined. Council of God. He was the sacrifice This is not something about which Jesus has no choice. I'd lay my life down, no one takes it from me including God. Jesus is telling us, this was a perfect ACT of willing obedience. These are Mysteries, he couldn't send. He had no capacity to send and yet there is a real struggle because in the garden he says, father if it is possible to stop this, take this cup from me. Nevertheless not my will, but yours be done. You voluntarily. Did what the father commanded him to do. And that's how he demonstrated his love to the father. And that's why the father loves him. The father loves me because I laid my life down that I may take it again. That's what the father wanted him to do. That was crucial to the Plan of Salvation to gather the redeemed, into eternal glory. He did it voluntarily. This isn't something. He had no choice about. He couldn't make a wrong choice, but he voluntarily made the right choice. I had a command given to me. I voluntarily and willfully obeyed that command and the secured The Father's Love. If you love me, Jesus says, keep my Commandments. That's how you affirm your love is relationship to. The father was one of love and obedience so that's a model for us. The father eternally loves the Son, and the son eternally loves the father, but in some unique way in the Incarnation, the sun voluntarily obey the command of the father to give up his life out of love for the father and in. So doing sustain The Father's, love forever, love and obedience. There's a final relationship here. The relationship of the Good Shepherd to the world. It's in versus 19221 dissension occurred. Again, among the Jews because of these words, many of them were saying, he has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to him? Others were saying, these are not the words of one. Who is demon possessed by a demon cannot open the eyes of those who are blind, can it? A division occurred again, among the Jews because of these words, many of them were saying, he has a demon in his insane. Why do you listen to him? That would have been the manager of the leaders, and the people would have bought into it. We have people like that people who don't mind cursing, Jesus saying Blasphemous things about him, but then there were the other saying, these are not the same as of 1 demon-possessed. I mean, that's pretty rational, isn't it? Demon possessed. People don't talk like that. They don't do those Miracles. So, these are the more rational people. I guess you could say the first or the irrational blasphemers and the 2nd or the more rational people they both end up the same hell forever cuz it really doesn't matter whether you curse Jesus or whether you think you need to treat him more reasonably that kind of hesitation gets you. Nothing. You either confess Jesus as Lord or you. Dying your sins and occupy the same hell with the extreme blasphemers. So we meet the Good Shepherd in relation to his sheet. He gives his life for his sheep. He loves his sheep, he unites his sheet, his relationship to the father. He loves and obeys, the father is relation to the world. He's rejected either by those who blaspheme him in a kind of irrational way or by those who rationally, tolerate him. But for us will place ourselves among the disciples there that day and will say with him, you are the Christ, the son of the Living, God won't we I'll say this is we close. Hebrews, 13:20 and 21. Now may the God of Peace who brought up from the dead, the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the Eternal Covenant that is Jesus our lord equip you in every good thing to do. His will working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to him, be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Let's pray.

Jesus, we thank you. Forgiving your life for us. And willingly being the sacrifice for our sins. Show us with gratitude. And with blessing as we continue to serve you Praying, your mighty name, amen. Thank you, you are dismissed.