JCSLK #47 Jesus The Good Shepherd John 10

 

JCSLK #47 Jesus The Good Shepherd

John 10

 Introduction 

Another Christmas is past and now comes the long wait until the next big holiday, almost as big and nearly as festive, Groundhog Day. Actually, I think New Year’s day is next and that is a bit more exciting than watching Panchitani Phill come out of his den in PA.

Over the past few sermons, except for Christmas, we have been in the book of John from chapter 7 through 9 and as the Holy Spirit inspired and led John the apostle in his memories and words, he put all these events together around the Feast of Tabernacles. As they travel to the feast, while they were at the feast and then some of the days after the feast is over.

This is the year of Opposition, and Jesus is not longer keeping his true self hidden from the public. In chapter 7 and 8, he boldly preaches publicly and directly to the vast crowds in Jerusalem for the feast.

When the priest poured out the water from the pool of Siloam, Jesus used that moment to loudly cry out and proclaim John 7:37-38 If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

The next day, in chapter 8 the Pharisees escalate their battle with Jesus by setting a trap with the adulterous women, seeing if Jesus will command her to be stoned as Moses said, thus bringing him in conflict with the Romans, or free her and break Moses law. Jesus keeps the law by telling the accusers John 8:7 He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. This was the law if you made the accusation and had witnesses then you had to cast the first stone. The Pharisees were convicted by their own sin of conspiracy and walked away. Jesus then told the woman, John 8:11 Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Afterwards Jesus makes his boldest declaration as the giant Menorahs are lit in the Temple courtyard, John 8:12 I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

This begins an intense debate between Jesus and the Pharisee in which Jesus takes ownership of the name of God, John 8:58 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. The Pharisees and their minions then pick up stones and like a mob of vigilantes decide to kill Jesus right there and then.

Jesus hides himself and leaves the temple courtyard and as the Bible says. John 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. The disciple ask John 9:2 Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Then Jesus heals the man and because He healed on the Sabbath day, it escalates this already red hot conflict between Jesus and the spiritual leaders of Israel. The Pharisees kick the once blind man out of the synagogue and out of their society and family. Jesus finds him and places him in Jesus’s family.

John 9:35-38 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

Jesus brings the event to a close by saying He is the sole criteria for judgment in the world. John 9:39 For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. Then when the Pharisees once again challenge Him, he tells them John 9:41 If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Now we come to chapter 10, this is called “The Good Shepherd Discourse” and it continues the narrative, conflicts and declarations of Jesus during the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus know that by the next big Feast Passover, He will be crucified, by lifted up by His own people. He is not working in the background anymore, now He will declare who He is and present Himself as the the water of life, the truth that sets free, the light of the world, the judgment of the world and now in chapter 10 the Good Shepherd of Isreal and all those who would believe in Him.

The Pharisees were supposed to be the leaders, the caretakers, the teachers and the shepherds of God’s people but Jesus had declared them as blind not able to see the light of truth and now in John 10 he will declare them to be thieves, robbers and hirelings. Look at John 10:1

Jesus The Door - John 10:1-10

1 ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers.’ 6 This parable (allegory) spoke Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spoke unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

False Shepherds, Thieves, Robbers and Hirelings

Israel was an agrarian economy as most of the world was back then. The people understood sowing seed, planting and harvesting, fishing and shepherding sheep. Jesus used these occupations in His parables and teaching all the time. Here he uses the shepherd which was a well known metaphor in Israel from Psalms 23, Isaiah 40 and many other places in the Old Testament scriptures.

Verily, verily is the Hebrew word “Amen” and Jesus uses it to twice, Amen and Amen to emphasize the veracity of what He is about to share. His first statement goes to the very heart of conflict that has been running during the course of the Feast of Tabernacles and is connected to what He just old the Pharisees “Your sin remains.”

John 10:1-2 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

Not hard to understand who He is calling thieves and robbers.  Let’s set up this discourse for those of us who aren’t sheep herders, which I think would include all of us here last time I checked.

I bought a new book for this study of the Person of Jesus and I have really gotten a lot out of it. The book is by Mark E. Moore, intitled The Chronological Life of Christ. I’m just going to read his description.

“After a long day of grazing, the sheep were kept in caves or pens with only one opening. Sometimes it had an actual door on it, but often it was simply a hole in the rock wall, and the shepherd would lay himself down across the opening. Several flocks could be kept together in one pen. In the morning, when the shepherds called them, each sheep would recognize his own shepherd’s voice and follow. The oriental relationship between a shepherd and his sheep was personal. He knew all his sheep by name, and they knew his voice. Even if someone dressed themselves like the shepherd and imitated his voice, the sheep would not be fooled. If they were in the pen, they would stay put. If they were in the field, they would scatter with fear.

If the shepherd could afford hired help, he might employ a night watchman. His job was simply to guard the door of the pen against intruders, wild animals and stupid sheep who wanted to wander off. Only the chief shepherd could gain access through the watchman. That is important because the sheep were a valuable commodity and easily stolen. Palestine was full of both thieves, who snuck in to steal, and bandits, who used violent force rather than stealth. Another peculiarity of Oriental shepherds is that they led their sheep. In other parts of the world, sheep are driven. This is another indication of the kind care Palestinian shepherds took with their sheep. - Mark E. Moore, The Chronological Life of Christ, (Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company, 2011), 364.

John 10:6  tells us, “This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.” The word parable here in the Greek is paroimia, not the word for parable, this word is closer to the idea of a metaphor or an allegory rather than the classic form of a parable.

What does Jesus say is the difference between the Shepherd and the hireling? The hireling runs when there is danger, but the shepherd will defend the sheep to the death.

This teaching is a direct challenge to the Pharisees, they are accused of being false shepherds. The Pharisees did not care for Israel, the flock of God, they were the thieves, robbers and hirelings that Jesus is naming. They were not seeking to protect the sheep but only to profit from stealing the sheep.  

Jesus is The Door

John 10:7-10 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus again boldly tells all those listening then and all who will listen today. I am the only way to salvation. I am the door by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved.

We talked about the “I Am” statements of Jesus recorded by John.

“I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, 48)

“I am the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5)

“I am the door” (10:7, 9)

“I am the good shepherd” (10:11, 14)

“I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25)

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (14:6)

“I am the true vine” (15:1,5).

Three of these “I Am” statements of who Jesus is, occur in these chapters during the Feast of Tabernacles. In the Greek that phrase is “Ego eimi, I am.”  It was the phrase uttered by God to Moses at the burning bush and the same phrase Jesus used in the Temple that caused the Pharisees to spontaneously try and stone Him, because He named Himself as God.

Now Jesus uses it John 10:9 “Ego eimi hē thura, I am the door”. There is only one way to God and that is through Jesus. There was only one door into the ark in the days of Noah. There was only one way to enter into God’s presence in the tabernacle or the Temple and there is only one way into His presence today and that is through Jesus.

He is the door of the sheep, the door to salvation.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  

Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

False Shepherds and False Salvation

There are many false shepherds today and if it were possible more wicked, self-serving and greedy than the Pharisees. They preach health and wealth to the deceived but it their health and wealth that they are seeking. They preach the Gospel of prosperity and ignore the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They use the same words as God’s word, but they twist them and reshape them to make themselves gods of those they blind with their lies.

Jesus confronted them and so should we. Jesus condemned them as so should we. Jesus knew them and preached against them in His most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 7:15-23 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

You remember the comedy routine Jeff Foxworthy used to have, If you have a broken down washing machine, a couch and a grocery cart converted into a BBQ grill you may be a readneck. Well let me say if you have a million dollar mansion, cars that cost more than most people make in 10 years, have your own private jet, wear thousand dollar suits and your wife look like she does her shopping in Paris and I don’t mean Texas, then you are a false shepherd, a false prophet, thieve and a liar. And one day you will hear the Lord say, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Jesus now comes to the climax of this discourse with another ergo eimi statement, the one that gives this chapter its name.

Jesus The Shepherd – John 10:11-18

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

The Good Shepherd

Jesus declares that He is the “good” shepherd. The word here in not the usually word for good which is agathos, where we get the name Agatha. This word is different I was reading WA Criswell’s sermons on John 10 and this is what he said about this word.

Now I would suppose that would be the word here, agathos, “good.”  It isn’t the word is kalos—not agathos—kalos.  Well, kalos is the Greek word for “beautiful,” noble, stately, heavenly.  Our Lord is the heavenly shepherd.  He is the princely shepherd.  He is the noble shepherd.  He is the beautiful shepherd, the pastor of our souls, the Lord Jesus.  - W A Criswell

Oh I loved to hear that man of God preach. Son of a cowboy barber from Oklahoma and God used him to pastor Americas church, First Baptist Dallas Texas. Did you hear what Criswell said? Jesus is the heavenly, princely, noble, beautiful shepherd, the pastor of our souls. What a wonderful truth for us that are sheep of his fold.

Jesus says He is the good shepherd because He would lay down his life for His sheep. The hireling will run, the thieves will steal and the robbers will violently hurt but Jesus the true shepherd of Israel will lay down his life to protect and save His sheep. The sheep He knows by name and who know Him as their true shepherd.

Jesus added, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” That is us, the Gentiles, the lost sheep not of Israel but of the world. Even then at the feast of Tabernacles around 29 AD, Jesus already had a plan to find us, to find you and I and bring us into His fold.

Jesus Lays Down His Life - Jesus says John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Jesus didn’t die by accident; He didn’t die because the Jews captured him in the Garden or because the powerful Roman Empire crucified Him as a criminal. Jesus told Peter in the Garden Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

That is over 8000 angels and just one angel slew 185,000 Assyrians in the time of Hezekiah. Jesus life wasn’t taken by force it was given in powered, the power of His love and Jesus promised that it would be taken back up in the power of life over death, forgiveness over condemnation, God over Satan.

The Good Shepherd Is Calling

I’m preaching today to those “other sheep.” And in the words of the Gospel, I am speaking on behalf of the Good Shepherd who died for you and for me. He lay down His life to show us the power of His love and He took back His life to show us the power of His promise.

All of this is fact; it is history it is recorded in the Word of God that is true from beginning to end. The only thing that is uncertain is have you heard Jesus’ call? Are you one of His sheep. The one way you can know that is to come to Him.

Jesus is calling listen to his voice, if you are weary He invites you to rest, Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

If you are thirsting Jesus promises, John 7:37 If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

If you are lost in the dark Jesus is calling, John 8:12 I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

We have one more teaching of Jesus to cover in John 10 and we will close. It takes place in vss 22

Jesus The Eternal Protector – John 10:22-38

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

Jesus The Keeper of the Sheep

Vs. 22 tells us that this takes place not at the feast of Tabernacle but 2 to 3 months later at the Feast of Dedication, So in the space of one verse many months have passed from verse 21 to verse 22. Much takes place during this time, events that are covered by Matthew, Mark and especially by Luke. That is where we will be next Sunday.

John jumps this 3-month gap because the teaching of Jesus here in this confrontation with the Pharisees is directly related to what Jesus taught earlier about the Good Shepherd and His sheep.

The Pharisees come and make a demand, If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. Jesus tells them, I have told you plainly, the miracles have told you plainly but you won’t believe those simple, obvious plain truths, because you are not my sheep. You won’t believe to the flock of the Shepherd of Israel because you won’t believe. They did not know Him, they did not hear his call, they were outside the fold. They were not His sheep. He was not their Shepherd.

That is a terrible truth for the Pharisees but of course they don’t care. Jesus goes on though and give those who are in the fold, those who are His sheep some wonderful, eternal truths.

John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

Do you hear it? This truth is what gives us eternal hope, gives us security, gives us confidence, gives us assurance. They shall never perish. Once you hear Jesus call and you enter into the salvation of His fold, you can never be lost again.

You can never perish. This word is ἀπόλλυμι apollymi; it means to destroy fully or be lost literally or figuratively. AT Robertson says it is an emphatic double negative, meaning it is an utter impossibility, an eternal, once for all impossibility.

You don’t need the Greek language to know this though, do you? Its right here in the explanation of Jesus. “My Father gave to me, those sheep who heard my voice and no one can pluck them out of my hand and my Father’s hand encloses mine and no won is able to pluck them out of the combined hands, the combined eternal power of God the Father and God the Son.”

It is impossible to be a lost sheep again we are held in the hands of Jesus and God the father. How shameful those who would doubt this. How blasphemous those who would call Jesus a liar and say they could pluck themselves out of His hands. Are they wiling to make themselves more powerful than God, more powerful than Jesus?

Not only is eternal security promised us here, it is taught throughout the Word of God in both throughout the Old and New Testament.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

Psalms 125:1-2 They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Over and over again we read that once you are saved, you need never worry because you will always be saved. What kind of Shepherd would Jesus be if He could not keep us safe?

Conclusion

There is so much more here, that we just don’t have time to cover.

Jesus declaring His deity by saying, “I and my Father are one.” Jesus using the Psalms to who that they should have know and expected this to be true of the Messiah. Jesus declaring that He is the Son of God. That the Father is Him and He is in the Father. All these things fill their hands and hearts with stones to kill and to deny Jesus.

Back in John 10:19-21 John records that, “There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?”

Two sides of the question who is Jesus. Two sides of the door inside and outside as the children’s song says, “Which side are you?” And you must take a side, you must. There is no neutral ground, there is no gray area, there is no holding place. You choose or the choice is already made for you.

We’ll close with this passage from John 3:18-19 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light.

Don’t stand condemned, instead stand in the love, power and eternal protection of Jesus, the Good shepherd.