Life or Death (Sheep or Cows) - John 10: 1 – 10
Intro: Beginning question for today: “Who wrote ‘Mammas Don’t Let You Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys’?” Ed and Patsy Bruce in 1975. In March of 1978 Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson used it as the cover song for their album winning the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Cowboys ain’t easy to love and they’re harder to hold. They’d rather give you a song than diamonds of gold, Lonestar belt buckles and old faded Levis. And each night begins a new day. If you don’t understand him and he don’t die young, he’ll probably just ride away.
Mamas don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys. Don’t let ‘em pick guitars or drive them old trucks. Let ‘em be doctors and lawyers and such. Mamas don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys. ‘Cause they’ll never stay home and they’re always alone even with someone they love.
I Another question: Why did God send Jesus instead of a cowboy names Roy? The answer begins at VS. 2 “The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.”
A What is the difference between a cowboy named Roy and Jesus? A cowboy drives the cows forward from behind by yelling and making noise. A shepherd gently calls and leads the sheep from the front.
B This passage is divided into 2 parts: Part one is Verses 1 – 5 in which John begins with a PAROIMIA / PROVERB which is a saying that describes an ethical way of being. VVS. 3 – 4 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him (the shepherd), and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
C The stranger / thief (cowboy) promises to show the way, the truth, and the life for the price of a seminar, a book, a DVD or attendance at a performance disguised as worship.
II In this passage, Jesus doesn’t discern for us the difference between a cowboy and shepherd. Part 2 is Verses 6 – 10 in which Jesus explicitly identifies himself as means by which we can have salvation and obtain eternal life.
A John uses 2 words here that are essential for us to understand what is at stake here. These two words are only used when expressing an emphatic statement. The 1st word is ego / e?? translated as”I” the 2nd word is eimi / e?µ? translated as “am”
B The significance of those 2 words used together are really lost to us unless you have studied Hebrew or the Old Testament. EXODUS 3: 14 says “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”
C By using “I AM” Jesus points to his divine character. Jesus uses those 2 words together several times in this gospel. For example: He says in VVS 7 & 9, “I am the gate” Then, Jesus says in VVS 11 & 14 “I am the good shepherd.”
Concl: VS. 10b – “I have come that they (the sheep) may have life and have it to the fullest.”
In most Biblical traditions, God is understood to be the Good Shepherd and God’s people are the sheep. Some think of sheep in a negative way. They may believe sheep just blindly follow their leader. This is not the intent of this metaphor. There is only one GOOD SHEPHERD and that is God who goes ahead of the sheep. The sheep only follow those whose “voice” they recognize. God has appointed shepherd here on earth to lead the flock into the presence of the one true Lord, Christ Jesus. That is only possible when we read, study, and speak the word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is not important for you to listen to me. IT IS IMPORTANT for you to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking the word of God leading you forward in service unto eternal life not driving you forward from behind.
