(Photo Source: springsfel.tripod.com)Preached by Gregory W. Lee
26 August 2007
26 August 2007
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 10
11. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns 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."
-- this morning, we're continuing in our series on the "I Am" statements of Jesus -- so far, we have looked at two of them -- "I am the light of the world" and "I am the gate" or "I am the door" -- in each of these statements, Jesus has done two things for us
-- first, He has declared Himself to be divine by using the reserved phrase, "I Am" -- ego eimi -- the same Greek phrase used in the Septaguint -- the Greek translation of the Old Testament in use in Jesus' day -- to describe the God of the Old Testament -- so, in using the phrase "ego eimi" -- "I Am", Jesus is stating definitively, "I Am God"
-- and, secondly, Jesus is using these "I Am" statements to tell us a little of His nature or character or intrinsic qualities to help us better understand and relate to Him as our Lord and Savior
-- first, He has declared Himself to be divine by using the reserved phrase, "I Am" -- ego eimi -- the same Greek phrase used in the Septaguint -- the Greek translation of the Old Testament in use in Jesus' day -- to describe the God of the Old Testament -- so, in using the phrase "ego eimi" -- "I Am", Jesus is stating definitively, "I Am God"
-- and, secondly, Jesus is using these "I Am" statements to tell us a little of His nature or character or intrinsic qualities to help us better understand and relate to Him as our Lord and Savior
-- this morning, as we turn our attention to Jesus' third "I Am" statement in the Book of John, "I am the Good Shepherd" -- we see Jesus sharing with us the same things -- verse 11 tells us what Jesus wants us to understand from this metaphor
-- He tells us who He is -- He is God
-- He tells us what He is -- He is the Good Shepherd
-- and finally, He tells us what He's going to do -- He is the Savior
-- so, let's look back now at verse 11 and let's study together this remarkable declaration from Christ
-- He tells us who He is -- He is God
-- He tells us what He is -- He is the Good Shepherd
-- and finally, He tells us what He's going to do -- He is the Savior
-- so, let's look back now at verse 11 and let's study together this remarkable declaration from Christ
II. Jesus is Good -- Jesus is God (Jn 10:11-13)
-- verse 11
11. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
11. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
--Jesus is God
-- in this verse, Jesus gives us two declarations of divinity -- the first, of course, is "I Am" -- "ego eimi"
-- the second, is a little less obvious to our 21st century ears -- notice what Jesus says here in this verse -- "I am the good shepherd" -- not "a" shepherd -- not just "I am the shepherd" -- but "I am the GOOD shepherd"
-- by using this term, Jesus was claiming for Himself divinity once again -- hold your place here and flip back over to Mark 10 and look at verses 17-18
17. As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18. "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.
18. "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.
-- in these verses, we see a man coming up to Jesus and wanting to know how to inherit eternal life -- He cries out to Jesus, "Good teacher" -- and notice what Jesus' response is, "Why do you call me good? -- no one is good, except God alone" -- Jesus gets to the heart of the matter -- to be good is to be God -- and if the young man wanted to inherit eternal life -- if he wanted to enter into God's kingdom, then he had to recognize Jesus as being more than just an upstanding moral teacher -- a man who knew God -- he had to recognize that Jesus was good -- that Jesus was God
-- turn back over to John 10 -- in the same way, here in verse 11, Jesus is saying He is more than just a shepherd -- the word "shepherd" can also be translated as "pastor" -- the Pharisees could say they were shepherds -- they were the pastors -- the leaders --of the church and the temple in Jesus' day
-- but, the difference was, they were not and could not be "the good shepherd" -- only God is good -- and only Jesus was the good shepherd
-- but, the difference was, they were not and could not be "the good shepherd" -- only God is good -- and only Jesus was the good shepherd
-- Jesus makes that point very clear in verses 12-13 -- look back at verse 12
12. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns 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.
-- the Pharisees and the other shepherds in the church were not "the good shepherd" -- they were merely hired hands -- and, as a result, they failed to take care of the sheep as they should have -- when trouble came their way, they turned and ran, leaving the people of Israel to their fate
-- in Ezekiel 34, God pronounces judgement on these false shepherds -- these leaders who don't take care of His people -- in verses 1-4, Ezekiel writes, "1. The word of the LORD came to me:
2. "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?
3. You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
4. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally."
-- God says that because they have refused to take care of the sheep, God is going to remove the flock from their care -- and in verses 15-16 God says:
15. "I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.
16. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice."
-- in other words, I am the Good Shepherd
12. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns 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.
-- the Pharisees and the other shepherds in the church were not "the good shepherd" -- they were merely hired hands -- and, as a result, they failed to take care of the sheep as they should have -- when trouble came their way, they turned and ran, leaving the people of Israel to their fate
-- in Ezekiel 34, God pronounces judgement on these false shepherds -- these leaders who don't take care of His people -- in verses 1-4, Ezekiel writes, "1. The word of the LORD came to me:
2. "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?
3. You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
4. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally."
-- God says that because they have refused to take care of the sheep, God is going to remove the flock from their care -- and in verses 15-16 God says:
15. "I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.
16. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice."
-- in other words, I am the Good Shepherd
III. Jesus is Shepherd
-- verse 14
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.
-- verse 14
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.
-- Jesus is Shepherd
-- in Isaiah 40:11, we see a touching picture of Jehovah Roeh -- Jehovah the Shepherd -- Isaiah writes, "He 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."
-- Jesus tells us that He is a good who relates to us in this way -- He cares for us as a shepherd cares for his flock -- as a shepherd takes care of the health and well-being of the sheep in his care
-- last week Jesus told us that He was the gate to the sheepfold -- once you have entered in through that gate -- once you have entered in through Jesus, you are of His flock
-- He knows you and you know Him
-- in Isaiah 40:11, we see a touching picture of Jehovah Roeh -- Jehovah the Shepherd -- Isaiah writes, "He 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."
-- Jesus tells us that He is a good who relates to us in this way -- He cares for us as a shepherd cares for his flock -- as a shepherd takes care of the health and well-being of the sheep in his care
-- last week Jesus told us that He was the gate to the sheepfold -- once you have entered in through that gate -- once you have entered in through Jesus, you are of His flock
-- He knows you and you know Him
-- this word, "know" -- doesn't mean just to know with head knowledge -- you can read about someone and know all the facts, but still not know them
-- college football season is just around the corner, and I have been reading everything I can on Georgia's starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford -- I know where he was born -- I know where he went to high school -- I know how many yards he threw in high school -- I know why Georgia recruited him so highly -- and I know what he did last year -- but I don't really know him -- I just know about him
-- college football season is just around the corner, and I have been reading everything I can on Georgia's starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford -- I know where he was born -- I know where he went to high school -- I know how many yards he threw in high school -- I know why Georgia recruited him so highly -- and I know what he did last year -- but I don't really know him -- I just know about him
-- Jesus says that He knows His sheep and they know Him -- the Greek word here means more than just factual knowledge -- it means knowledge gained by experience -- it means knowing with the head and the heart -- it means knowing intimately -- knowing as a husband knows a wife and a wife knows her husband -- or as a Father knows His Son
-- notice that Jesus says that all who go through that gate -- all who come through Him -- belong to His flock -- it doesn't matter if you are Jew or Gentile -- male or female -- as it says in the familiar children's song, "black and yellow, red and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world" -- once you go through the gate, you are in His flock -- and there is only one flock and one shepherd
-- notice that Jesus says that all who go through that gate -- all who come through Him -- belong to His flock -- it doesn't matter if you are Jew or Gentile -- male or female -- as it says in the familiar children's song, "black and yellow, red and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world" -- once you go through the gate, you are in His flock -- and there is only one flock and one shepherd
-- just as Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:4-6 -- "There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
-- all of us who have entered in through the gate of Christ are in His flock -- part of His body and filled with His Spirit
-- all of us who have entered in through the gate of Christ are in His flock -- part of His body and filled with His Spirit
IV. Jesus is Savior
-- look back at the second part of verse 15 again
I lay down my life for the sheep.
-- now look down at verse 17
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."
-- look back at the second part of verse 15 again
I lay down my life for the sheep.
-- now look down at verse 17
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 is Savior -- as the Good Shepherd, Jesus lays down His life for the sheep -- it is a choice -- it is something that He willingly does
-- it is not something that was forced on Him -- the crowd may have said "Crucify" -- Pilate may have pronounced the judgement and sent Him to Golgotha -- but it was not their choice or their decision that put Jesus on the cross -- it was His own free will
-- it is not something that was forced on Him -- the crowd may have said "Crucify" -- Pilate may have pronounced the judgement and sent Him to Golgotha -- but it was not their choice or their decision that put Jesus on the cross -- it was His own free will
-- do you remember the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" -- one of the most compelling scenes in this movie was at the crucifixion of Jesus -- Jesus has collapsed on the ground at Golgotha -- on Mount Calvary
-- the cross is laying on the ground where Simon has dropped it at the direction of the Romans -- and as the Romans move to put Jesus on the cross, He stirs Himself up and crawls onto the cross Himself, spreading His arms on the crosspiece and placing his legs on the cross
-- there is no doubt -- it was Jesus' choice to be on the cross
-- the cross is laying on the ground where Simon has dropped it at the direction of the Romans -- and as the Romans move to put Jesus on the cross, He stirs Himself up and crawls onto the cross Himself, spreading His arms on the crosspiece and placing his legs on the cross
-- there is no doubt -- it was Jesus' choice to be on the cross
-- as it says here in verse 18, "I lay my life down on my own accord" -- Just as it was Adam and Eve's free will that allowed them to take the forbidden fruit and eat it and bring sin into the world -- it was Jesus' free will that allowed Him to go to the cross and lay His own life down for ours to take sin back out of the world
-- notice, too, in verse 18 that His death was not the end -- it was merely the first step in God's great plan to bring us back into a relationship with Him -- Jesus willingly laid His life down for us -- but Jesus also took up His life again -- He emerged from the cold, darkness of the tomb triumphantly alive
-- and in doing so, Jesus became the reconciler between God and man -- the redeemer of all the sheep of the flock
-- that is what a Shepherd does -- that is what a Savior does -- that is what our God does
-- notice, too, in verse 18 that His death was not the end -- it was merely the first step in God's great plan to bring us back into a relationship with Him -- Jesus willingly laid His life down for us -- but Jesus also took up His life again -- He emerged from the cold, darkness of the tomb triumphantly alive
-- and in doing so, Jesus became the reconciler between God and man -- the redeemer of all the sheep of the flock
-- that is what a Shepherd does -- that is what a Savior does -- that is what our God does
V. CLOSING
-- In what is probably the best-known Psalm of all -- Psalm 23 -- King David wrote:
1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
-- as I close this morning, how many of you can truly say this of yourself? -- How many of you can say with all honesty, "The Lord is my Shepherd?" -- Is Jesus your Shepherd? -- Is He your God? -- Is He your Savior?
-- it takes more than just coming to church every Sunday -- it takes more than a bumper sticker or a fish symbol on the back of your car -- it takes more than perfect attendance at Sunday School and Bible study
-- it takes knowing Him -- knowing Him as God and Shepherd and Savior -- knowing Him -- not just with your head -- but with your heart
-- if you want to know where you are with God today, then think about this -- sheep follow where their shepherds lead -- they obey the voice of their Master and they love the One who cares for them -- are you following Jesus today? -- are you living for Him today? -- does He know you and do you know Him?
-- if you can't honestly say today that the Lord is your Shepherd -- if you can't say that you are following Him in obedience and trust and faith -- then I would invite you to respond to God's word -- to come to the cross and meet His there -- to enter in through the gate of the sheepfold so you can become one of His flock
-- let us pray
-- it takes more than just coming to church every Sunday -- it takes more than a bumper sticker or a fish symbol on the back of your car -- it takes more than perfect attendance at Sunday School and Bible study
-- it takes knowing Him -- knowing Him as God and Shepherd and Savior -- knowing Him -- not just with your head -- but with your heart
-- if you want to know where you are with God today, then think about this -- sheep follow where their shepherds lead -- they obey the voice of their Master and they love the One who cares for them -- are you following Jesus today? -- are you living for Him today? -- does He know you and do you know Him?
-- if you can't honestly say today that the Lord is your Shepherd -- if you can't say that you are following Him in obedience and trust and faith -- then I would invite you to respond to God's word -- to come to the cross and meet His there -- to enter in through the gate of the sheepfold so you can become one of His flock
-- let us pray
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