Sunday, February 28, 2021 ~ The Book Of John ~ Series: LOVED BY JESUS ~ Message: The Shepherd ~ Scripture: John 10:1–21 ESV ~ Pastor Philip Miller

I Am the Good Shepherd

10 “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. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may 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 I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

SERMON NOTES

Sunday, February 28, 2021

The Book Of John

Series: LOVED BY JESUS

Message: The Shepherd

Scripture: John 10:1-21 ESV

Pastor Philip Miller

One of the unique features of the Gospel of John is the attention he gives to the seven “I AM” statements Jesus uttered. In each of these seven statements, Jesus is recorded as saying the phrase: “ego eimi” – “I AM”. This is the Greek translation of the Hebrew YHWH, meaning “I AM Who I AM” from Exodus 3:14​. These are purposeful statements hinting at Jesus’ deity.

In this passage from John 10, Jesus gives us two more “I AM” statements: “I am the Door of the sheep,” and “I am the Good Shepherd.” What on earth does he mean?

We explore three insights into Jesus as our Good Shepherd:

The Shepherd’s Provision

• Significance

• Security

• Satisfaction

1) The Shepherd’s Provision: Jesus is the Shepherd in this analogy, and we are the sheep. This may seem like an unflattering analogy, because sheep are notoriously vulnerable animals. But the point for us today is that sheep need a shepherd to thrive, and we need a Shepherd to thrive as well. A Shepherd provides three important things for us: significance, security, and satisfaction. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who offers the good life, now and forever, in him. Jesus is offering a life beyond scarcity, worry, stress, and even death. A life abounding with significance, security, and satisfaction. That’s the Shepherd’s Provision.

The Shepherd’s Position

• Legitimacy

• Leadership

• Loyalty

2) The Shepherd’s Position: Jesus calls himself “the Good Shepherd”, which in the Greek means “I am the Shepherd…the Good One.” He is drawing attention to the difference between a good and bad kind of shepherd. The religious leaders claimed to be the shepherds of Israel, but Jesus is saying that they have shown themselves to be bad shepherds. In this comparison, a good shepherd has legitimacy, leadership, and loyalty. Jesus is claiming that He is the real, true Good Shepherd whose flock is from every nation, tribe, people, language and tongue. How will the Good Shepherd bring that about?

The Shepherd’s Passion

• Sacrificial

• Substitutionary

• Voluntary

• Authoritative

• Lovely

3) The Shepherd’s Passion: The final proof that Jesus is the Good Shepherd is found in the fact that he lays his life down for the sheep. The death of Jesus is sacrificial, substitutionary, voluntary, authoritative, and lovely. His passion is the reason the Father loves the Son, and it’s the reason the sheep follow the Shepherd. If he laid down his life for us, when he calls, won’t we follow him anywhere?

Takeaways

• We’re like sheep without a shepherd.

• Bad shepherds are all around us.

• The Good Shepherd offers the good life.

We’re all like sheep without a shepherd, and there are bad shepherds all around us who want to steal your life. Who can we really trust? The Good Shepherd offers the good life: a life of significance, security, and satisfaction. We can trust that Jesus is the Good Shepherd because he is legitimate, he is our leader, and he is loyal to the end. If Jesus loved you enough to die for you, he’ll never do you any harm.