Sermon Tone Analysis

The Good Shepherd

Greetings.

Two goals I have today.:

1 - Deliver the message God has for you today

2 - I want you to grow in your love for the Bible

it is my prayer that we can each open our hearts and minds to what God wants to say to us.

If you are talking notes, you might like to write down, Lord what do you want to say to me today?”

Pray

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About Sheep - Just what are they like

About shepherds - Just what are they like

Can sheep live without a shepherd?

No. Sheep cannot live without the shepherd.

They are entirely dependent on the shepherd for everything.

They require constant care and watching over.

So leaving them unattended can put them at risk and greatly endanger their lives.

The Bible make many references to Shepherds

The most famous of which comes from Psalm 23, I will read that one soon, but let’s consider a few others just to get a feel of how the Bible uses the word shepherd.

Shepherds despised

God as Shepherd

Concern for no shepherd….

Saul had been shepherd, but not a good one, David would now be the one

NASB Psalm 28:9

A cry from the Psalmist

Then of course Psalm 23

Read it all pausing to emphasis what a shepherd provides.

I find it fascinating to consider that the audience would have largely known this psalm and the crowd would have been mixed with this picture of a shepherd as being tender and caring and protector of sheep and those who despised them.

Jesus then utters these words - I am the Good Shepherd!

To some such relief, to others utter disbelief, how could anything good come from a shepherd.

Jesus does not want to talk about the business of shepherding here though, He wants to draw attention to being known and knowing Jesus.

Let’s examine the passage carefully.

In the verses before, Jesus described Himself as the door, the gate, the one who comes to give life.

Now in this passage He opens up what this life is and how it is made possible

I would like to look at two themes here and pose a question.

1 The Good shepherd lays down his life….

(changes passages to NIV)

5 times Jesus mentions this, laying down His life.

The Good Shepherd does this, the hired hand (ie the bad shepherd) does not

[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.

2 I know my own and they know Me

Sheep know the Shepherd

This reflects the relationship of Jesus and the Father

[14] I am the good shepherd.

I know my own and my own know me,

3 Jesus freely lays down His life

Freely

For all sheep

No one takes my life, I offer it

I have authority

I do it as my Father wants it……and we know each other

[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.”

Q, How do you respond to Jesus.

Jesus essentially told the crowd the same thing twice.

I am the way into the place where you want to be, I am not a thief, I have come to give life.

I know you, you know me, just like me and the Father…..

However, the crowd was divided.

Now us today, I do not expect we are going to be publicly divided about who Jesus is.

but how about in our hearts?

Last Saturday - family movie night - War Room Movie - failing marriage - bad husband - forgiving wife - my daughters response - God’s challenge to me.

Do you love me?

How do we respond to Jesus?????

[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?” (ESV)