The Good Shepherd Series

The Good Shepherd

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. – Matthew 9:35,36

Prayer

OKAY TODAY – is the week four in our message series, ‘Name Above All Names.”

A SERIES – where we are unpacking several of the names or titles given to, in an effort to know more fully The One we have chosen to follow.

AND UNDERSTAND – knowing Jesus better I what life is all about, or at least should be what life is all about for those who claim to follow Him.

AND LISTEN – if Paul who had many personal encounters with Jesus, suffered intensely for Jesus, and ultimately gave his life for Jesus… said in Philippians 3:10 “I want to know Christ!”

THEN – I contend that there is a lot more to knowing Jesus than any of us has ever experienced.

AND MGCC – let’s not forget the words that Jesus prayed in John 17…

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. – John 17:3

Eternal life = not just quantity (as in forever) but also quality (as in life in all it’s fullness, you could say a life of shalom)

NOW – the name of Jesus that we are going to unpack this morning is; ‘The Good Shepherd.’ AND – it is actually a title that Jesus attaches to Himself in the 10th chapter of John’s Gospel…

HOWEVER – before we dive into this conversation, I want us to consider the following statement.

One of the greatest needs today among Jesus-followers is for us to 'really' see and 'really' believe the things we already profess to see and believe.

UNDERSTAND – it is essential for us to really see and really believe that…

• Jesus is the Word become flesh

• Jesus is Mighty God, Immanuel

• Jesus is The Prince of Peace

For those truths to have God’s desired impact in our lives.

AGAIN – its in John 10 that we find this title for Jesus…

AND – let’s put that chapter in it’s context as we begin…

BECAUSE – context, is what when it comes to understanding the bible? Context is king.

OKAY – let’s do this… SO – all of John chapter 9 is dedicated to Jesus healing a man who was born blind…

NOW - this guy is just hanging out by the roadside…

AND WHEN – the disciples first see him, they ask Jesus…

“Hey Teacher, is this guy blind because he has done something wrong OR is it because of his parents”

(YOU SEE - they like us wanted to know ‘the why’)

Jesus replies,

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. – John 9:3

QUESTION – do you know what the works of God are?

To display His glory.

To show the world how awesome he is!

AND LISTEN - just like this guy sometimes stuff happens in your life and mine for the exact same reason…

SO THAT - we will have an opportunity to display God’s glory.

AN OPPORTUNITY – to show the world how good, powerful and present our God is, even in the most difficult of times.

YES – displaying God’s glory many times is the ‘why’ in our suffering.

THEN - Jesus stoops down spits on the ground, stirs the dirt, and makes some mud… (now that’s a lot of spit – and still pretty gross even if it is Jesus)…

HE - puts the mud on the guys eyes and tells the guy to go to the pool of Siloam and wash it off…

SO - the guy goes and washes it off and immediately his eyes are opened… Awesome!

NOW – I don’t know about you, but I would call that entire event (spit and all) a good thing (wouldn’t you?)…

I MEAN – who would look at a guy born blind being able to see and call it bad?

I’LL – tell you who, the leaders of God’s people… the Pharisees…

YEAH – (as crazy as it sounds) these ‘relgious leaders believed that a guy born blind going home seeing, was a bad thing… WHY? - because it was done on the Sabbath, went against their rules and how they thought things should be done.

SO INSTEAD – of celebrating this man’s recovery, these guys begin holding hearings…

They bring the guy in and give him the 3rd degree,

They asked him who healed Him…

They don’t like his answer