“The Good Shepherd” John 10:11-18
1. The first thing I noticed in this text is the “Boom” right off the bat Jesus says, “I am”
• “Ego eimi, I am he” (4:26) I am the bread of life” (6:35). I am the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5).
• “Before Abraham came into existence, Ego eimi“ (8:58). I am the door” (10:9).I am the resurrection and the life” (11: I am the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6).
• “I am “Refers back to Moses’ encounter with God many centuries earlier. On that occasion, when Moses asked God’s name, God replied, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you'” (Exodus 3:14).
2. 2nd thing I noticed in the text is that Jesus refers to himself to “I am” but “The Good Shepherd”
• “I am the good shepherd” The OT uses Shepherd as a metaphor for God (Genesis 48:15; Jacob called God the Good Shepherd who took care of the clan
• Psalm 23:1; 1The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
• Isaiah 40:11 11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
3. The next thing I noticed The Shepherd is not just an ordinary shepherd but is “Good”, “Shepherd” Jesus is so good that he goes beyond the regular duty of a Shepherd
• He calls (Jn 10:3). . He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
• He gathers ( Jn 10:16) . 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.
• He guides (Ps 23:3; He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
• He feeds (Ps 23:1-2; 2He makes me lie down in green pastures,
• He protects and preserves (Jer 31:10; He will gather and watch over his flock like a shepherd.
• He laid down his life for Jn 10:11,15. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
• He gives eternal life to (Jn 10:28). 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
4. Another thing I noticed is that The Good Shepherd desires Relationship 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, like a mother daughter father son relationship
• Recall God created us in His image ,He walked with Adam in the cool of the day He talked to Adam and Eve “You can eat of any tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil/” The Shepherd wants relationship”
• The Good Shepherd “becomes flesh and walks among us”
• The Good Shepherd walks in our struggles, sufferings, our joys, our sadness
5. The final thing I noticed is the Good Shepherd has “Power”
• The Good Shepherd has Power over death “I lay down my life--only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up
• The chief priests and Pharisees plotted against him they thought they had all the influence
• Judas betrayed him Judas thought he had some control over the circumstances at hand.
• Pilate sentenced him to death He thought he had all the Power
• Roman soldiers carried out the crucifixion they thought they had all the muscle and clout
But the architect of the plan was the Good Shepherd (God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit) The purpose of the plan was to save the world from its sin, and Jesus is a willing participant in that plan. Just as “the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (v. 11), Jesus lays down his life “that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (3:16).
