I am the Good Shepherd
Text: John 10:11-18 (see also 1 Peter 5:1-4)
Subject: What kind of life does the good shepherd promise
Complement? life that is overflowing with meaning and purpose.
Big idea? “I have come that you may have life – and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
Mission – there are so many wolves and thieves that people need freedom from…
Introduction: *What are pastors called in Germany? (German shepherds)!
Favourite meal of christians all around the world ? shepherds pie.
MAIN Moves…
Recap the series…… “I am” series… lent…easter… read this book – bible boot camp is coming!!!
Notice there are 7 I AM statements! ? memorize ? $5 dollar gift card (Max of 10) = 50$$
Jesus’ makes 7 “I Am” statements in the book of John. (7 = full…)
(All introduced by AMEN, AMEN! believe me…believe me!!!)
“I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51)
“I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)
“I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9)
“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14)
“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)
“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5)
OT Background - read Exodus 3:14
13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 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.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’
{“This is my name forever; the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”}
I am ? self-existing…self-reliant … eternal… not created… “wholly other” (transcendent)
This God! – makes himself known to Moses… and, makes himself visible in Jesus!
And in john’s gospel we have Jesus making 7 “I AM” statements/declarations – plus 1 BIG ONE – JOHN 8:58. “before Abraham was born…I AM.”
*That deserves an amen - from amen corner! …That deserves a hallelujah from the hallelujah chorus!!!
Read text – John 10: 11-18
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to 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 authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Situation ? Jesus says we are “sheep”!… the following traits are descriptive…
rectangular pupils provide an almost 360^° field of vision, can see behind without turning heads; but have poor depth perception, often afraid of shadows.
Scent Glands: have scent glands beside their eyes & between their hooves = Smell trouble
Social Intelligence: Sheep can remember 50 faces, and prefer positive facial expressions.
Story of 25 sheep – followed a flute played by owner…
Sheep have emotions... sheep feel afraid, angry, bored, sad, and happy. … sheep can display optimism, pessimism, and empathy! Sheep can recognize emotion in the facial expressions of other sheep.
Sheep are “prey animals” (they are hunted – not hunters)
As prey animals, they feel safer in close-knit groups.
Sheep remain in flocks for protection from predators. Sheep form strong bonds with one another.
Sheep forced to live in isolation experience distress.
If lying on their back, they cannot always get up on their own,
Self-Medicating: They can learn to identify beneficial plants to self-medicate…
Sheep have distinct personality traits like shyness, boldness, or adventure
…sheep Wool grows constantly & doesn’t shed = regular shearing!!!
Adaptable Herbivores -- they eat plants - in a multi-chambered stomach!!
Psalm 100:3. …we are his people the flock that he shepherds…
Psalm 80
1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth 2 before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Awaken your might; come and save us.
*Sheep are needy creatures/sound strangely familiar… turn to the person beside you and say … “baa”!
…Now do you see why Jesus calls us sheep?
Complication/Problem ? there’s a major problem with sheep…*Threats to survival*
#1 - Desert – sheep spend much time spent in the desert - a harsh & threatening place.
Desert Geography ? plenty of rain on one side of the mountain… dry on the other.
Just over the Mt of Olives and you’re into the desert that stretches for thousands of Kms to S Arabia…Iran…
#2 - 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; (SATAN and his accomplices…)
“Thieves” - bandits… exploit …modern day scammers… ponzi schemers…
Calls for discernment ? esp in a world of algorithms... (CLICK BAIT)
#3 - wolves… kill and devour… wolf is hungry…A predator
**“wolves in sheep’s clothing” (false prophets)
Matt 7: 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
**When someone puts “prophet” on their resume be careful **
Paul’s farewell to Ephesus… Acts 20: 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
“Savage wolves…”
Cults? JW and Mormon’s (Cult = control/guoilt/fear/false teaching)
Prosperity gospel – makes the holy and transcendent God an errand boy for our greed?
**Marriage of Christianity and Politics – happening today (!) …Germany – (Nazi’s)
Barmen Declaration Was Written(1934)
…written by church leaders in Germany (Confessig church) to help Christians withstand the challenges of the Nazi party and of the so-called “German Christians,” - a popular movement that saw no conflict between Christianity and the ideals of Hitler’s National Socialism.
Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer…In view of the errors of the “German Christians” of the present Reich Church government which are devastating the Church and are also thereby breaking up the unity of the German Evangelical Church, we confess the following evangelical truths:
1. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes to the
Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does
not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that
man is a thief and a robber. … I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he
will be saved.” (John 10:1, 9.)
Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one
Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and
obey in life and in death.
We reject the false doctrine, as though the church could and would have to acknowledge as a source of its proclamation, apart from and besides this one Word of God, still other events and powers, figures and
truths, as God’s revelation.
2. “Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (I Cor. 1:30.)
As Jesus Christ is God’s assurance of the forgiveness of all our sins, so in the same way and with the same seriousness is he also God’s mighty claim upon our whole life. Through him befalls us a joyful deliverance from the godless fetters of this world for a free, grateful service to his creatures.
We reject the false doctrine, as though there were areas of our life in which we would not belong to Jesus Christ, but to other lords—areas in which we would not need justification and sanctification through him.
**I think we must beware of this mixture of Christianity and politics in these days!!!
A new threat… the digital world ? both threat and opportunity (requires wisdom)
Youtuber’s …mud slinging Christianity …
**spend more time in the bible than on YouTube **
Another threat – “hirelings” ? run away when trouble comes!
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
**Virtual shepherds viz actual shepherds.
**…Where do sheep turn for (1) survival and (2) peace and (3) bountiful wool production???
… sheep need a shepherd!!!
So we come to verse 14…
Resolution/Solution? …Sheep (really) need a shepherd!!!
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to 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 authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
**Jesus’ Claim – verse11 and 14 ? “ I AM the good shepherd.”
Recall the I AM of Exodus 3!!!
Recall the 7 I AM statements of Jesus!
Q. what Proof do we have of this claim?
… a fact of history ? the crucifixion of Jesus –
“I lay down my life for the sheep”… “only to take it up again…”
… no one takes it from me.”
**Jesus is Endorsed by the Father by his resurrection and his ascension!!!
Verse 10? Jesus offers us life – life in its fulness!!! …including eternity
What is this full life?
Prosperity and riches? (No)
Uninterrupted heath? (No) .
No Family issues…
No Accidents?
No trouble???
Hardly… we cannot expect “heaven on earth” …
Didn’t Jesus our Lord suffer…didn’t Jesus say they persecuted me and they will persecute you?
So then…what does it mean to have “life to the full?”
Peace
Joy
Love
That’s a start!
A perspective on life and eternity that teaches that God is sovereign!
Imagine how people must feel today with wars and unrest and bombings…missiles… drones… Ukraine… Iran…Lebanon … Venezuela… Cuba…Israel…gaza…
Housing
Sexuality and identity issues…
How do we handle all of this turmoil and trouble…?
I’m thankful for the hope of the gospel – one day Jesus will end the suffering and the injustice…
Salvation!!! God’s free gift
There’s a hymn that says…
It took a miracle to put the stars in place
It took a miracle to hang th? world in space
But when He sav?d my soul
Cleansed and made me whole
It took a miracle of love and grace.
There’s more… your life can impact someone for all of eternity… your life has purpose… you are called into God’s work of salvation and truth…
The good shepherd asks you to participate in his shepherding work!!!
(see how Jesus speaks to Peter …
Application ?
Are you ready for a shocking statement…
**Jesus delegates shepherding to ordinary people - pastors!
John 21:15 (Jesus delegates shepherding! ….)When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Years later this same disciple, Peter in his letter to churches around the year 63 AD
* 30 years since Jesus’ crucifixion …– written from Rome (Nickname Babylon!)
1 Peter 5:1 To the elders (Pastors) (Greek – presbyteros) among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
So sheep - Stay in the flock = church
…Expect regular sheering…
Your “wool” will bless someone with clothing/warmth!
crocheting in is now… where does this wool come from? (sheep…china…Australia…NZ)
There’s a wool shop in our town called “never enough wool.” (Great name…)
…Only the Good shepherd can save you!
It took a miracle to put the stars in place
It took a miracle to hang th? world in space
But when He sav?d my soul
Cleansed and made me whole
It took a miracle of love and grace
