John Ch10v1-18 - Our True Shepherd

And Chris is going to read for us this morning.

Thanks, Rich.

Our reading is from John chapter 10, beginning at verse 1 and going to verse 18.

John 10 · chapter mention

And that's on page 1076 of the Red Bible.

So it's John chapter 10, beginning at verse 1.

John 10 · chapter mention

Very truly, I tell you, Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate,

but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When he is brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them,

and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

But they will never follow a stranger.

In fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.

Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore, Jesus said again,

Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.

I am the gate.

Whoever enters through me will be saved.

They will come in and go out and find pasture.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

I am the good shepherd.

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

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.

The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd.

I know my sheep and my sheep know me,

just as the father knows me and I know the father.

And I lay down my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold.

I must bring them also.

They too will listen to my voice and there should be one flock and one shepherd.

The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again.

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.

Thanks very much, Chris, for reading and thanks, Sam, for leading.

And thank you too to the musicians.

I'm always amazed and wonder and say thank you, God, for musicians,

because I'm not a musician.

So it's great to have people play.

So thank you for that today.

Let's keep our Bibles open in John chapter 10

John 10 · chapter mention

as we look at the subject of the one true shepherd.

Let's pray.

Let's pray.

Let's pray.

Let's pray.

Let's pray.

Father, our prayer is that we would hear your voice to us today through your word.

And that as we hear, we would follow you.

That we would trust you.

Help us now, we ask.

And it's in his name we pray.

Amen.

Look at verse 11.

Jesus says, I am the good shepherd.

And in case we miss it, again in verse 14, I am the good shepherd.

Why not, I am the good baker?

Or I am the good carpenter.

After all, that's what Jesus did.

He was a carpenter.

Well, throughout the story of the Bible, God is portrayed as a shepherd and his people as sheep.

Look how the prophet Isaiah speaks of God's care for his people.

You can see it there on screen.

He that is God 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.

What a beautiful picture.

If you are part of God's flock today, how reassuring it is that he tenderly holds you and leads you.

The shepherd loves you.

In fact, God had called the leaders of his people to be shepherds.

Essentially, God was saying to them, shepherd the people just like I do.

But the problem was, instead of caring for the flock, they abandoned the flock.

Go with me, please, to Ezekiel chapter 34.

Ezekiel 34 · chapter mention

Ezekiel chapter 34.

Ezekiel 34 · chapter mention

First there, if you could give me the page number, I forgot to check it there.

Ezekiel 34.

8-6-5.

8-6-5.

Ezekiel 34.

And in this chapter, through the prophet Ezekiel, God gives us a picture.

He shows us bad shepherds and promises a good shepherd.

Shows us bad shepherds and promises us a good shepherd.

First, look at the bad shepherds.

We'll pick it up in the middle of verse 2.

This is what the sovereign Lord says.

Woe to you, shepherds of Israel, the leaders, who only take care of yourselves.

Should not the shepherds take care of the flock?

You eat the curds, the food, you clothe yourselves with wool, and you slaughter the choice animals.

But you do not take care of the flock, that is, the people.

You have not strengthened the weak, or healed those who are ill, or bound up the injured.

You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost.

You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

These were leaders, kings, who were meant to be the spiritual leaders, called to provide and protect, to help and to heal.

But like all human leaders, they failed desperately.

So while not only rebuking the bad shepherds, second, God promised a good shepherd.

God promised to come and replace the bad shepherds with himself.

Look at verse 11.

For this is what the sovereign Lord says.

I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.

As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep.

I will rescue them from the places where they've been scattered on the day of clouds and darkness.

Down to verse 15.

I myself will tend my sheep and make them lie down, declares the sovereign Lord.

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.

Let's go back to John's Gospel.

A picture there of the failed shepherds who will one day be replaced by the promised shepherd.

Now look at John chapter 10 and how Jesus opens up this section.

John 10 · chapter mention

Look who he's talking to.

Did you catch that in verse 1?

Very truly, I tell you Pharisees.

Anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.

Ring any bells?

You Pharisees.

You Pharisees.

You Pharisees.

The so-called spiritual leaders of the people.

You're just like those bad shepherds.

Remember how they treated the man who had been born blind?

Just go back a few verses to John chapter 9 verse 34.

John 9:34

He claimed he had been healed by Jesus and that he was God.

And look at their reply, verse 34.

You are steeped in sin at birth.

How dare you lecture us?

And they threw him out.

Jesus, on the other hand, verse 35.

He had heard they had thrown him out.

And he found him.

He went looking for him.

You see, Jesus is saying,

I am that promised shepherd.

I am the one who's come to search for the lost and to bring back the stray.

I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.

I will even lay down my life for you.

I am the good shepherd and you can trust me.

Now sadly, our country in many ways has a history of suffering from bad shepherds.

Spiritual shepherds and political shepherds.

The church has let the people down.

People have run to the church for life.

But instead have received lies.

And sometimes people have been hurt.

Our governments have made promises.

But they end up being broken promises.

Do you expect as the politicians,

as they canvas around our country and knock on the door,

do you think every single promise they give you is going to be completed?

Well, I think they'll try their very best.

But the reality is,

they fail.

But let's not point the finger too much at the church or the government,

because what we see at times there

is just a little reflection of our own life.

You see, rather than shepherds,

the Bible describes us as the sheep.

Sheep who have gone astray,

who've wandered away

and done our own thing.

We cannot even manage to shepherd ourselves.

Never mind anybody else.

You see, what this country needs,

what we all need,

is a shepherd

who will come and forgive us

for all the things we have done wrong.

A shepherd who will come alongside us

in our brokenness and in our hurt

and heal us

and restore us

and provide for us

and be there for us.

And Jesus is saying to us afresh this morning,

I am that good shepherd.

So let's explore together

and see how Jesus is good for us today.

First,

Jesus gathers all his sheep.

At the beginning of John chapter 10,

John 10 · chapter mention

we have in verse 1 there,

the sheepfold.

A picture of,

if you like,

a stone circle

in which is all the sheep.

So the different shepherds

from the different places

in the night time

would come down to the sheepfold

and they would bring all their sheep in

and they would be all mixed in together.

And then in the morning,

the shepherd would come

for his sheep.

We'll pick it up in verse 2.

The one who enters by the gate

is the shepherd of the sheep.

The gatekeeper,

the one who'd been protecting them

through the night,

opens the gate for him.

And the sheep listen to his voice.

He calls out his own sheep by name

and he leads them out.

So a big, big pen

full of sheep.

The shepherd comes along

and he calls them.

But who comes?

Only those,

verse 3,

he calls by name.

The ones that the shepherd knows.

The ones that already

belong to him.

They're the ones he calls out.

Now to help us understand

what's going on here,

cast your minds back

to the Exodus.

When God's people, Israel,

were in slavery in Egypt

under the brutal tyrant Pharaoh.

And what did God do?

He called his people out.

Look how that rescue is described

in the Psalm 78.

God brought his people out

like a flock.

He led them like sheep

in the wilderness.

He guided them safely

so that they were unafraid.

He settled the people of Israel

in their homes.

You see,

Jesus is saying,

I am that shepherd.

The one who's come

to rescue you.

The one who's come

to gather my sheep

and to call you

to myself.

I have come

to set you free

from a greater slavery.

Sin.

I've come to set you free

from a greater tyrant.

Death.

I've come to lead you

out of your darkness

and bring you

into a life

of light

and freedom.

Jesus gathers

his sheep,

his people,

as he calls us

by name,

calling us

into his family.

And this is what we are,

but an expression

this morning

of his family.

Sheep who've been

gathered in

to his church.

verse 4.

When he is brought

out all his own,

the shepherd

goes on ahead

of them

and the sheep

follow him

because they know

his voice.

Now maybe you're

wondering this morning

if I'm part

of God's flock.

Maybe you're not.

Well, there's good news

for you.

Jump ahead

to verse 16.

Jesus says,

I have other sheep

that are not

of this sheepfold.

I must bring

them in

also.

They too

will listen

to my voice

and there shall

be one flock

and one shepherd.

You see,

if we are not

part of God's

flock today,

if we are not

under his care,

you can be.

This is the

invitation.

God,

by his Holy

Spirit,

is calling

you by name.

He knows

you.

He knows

your past.

He knows

your future.

He knows

your past

failures

and your future

flaws.

He knows

your hurts

today.

He knows

your pains

and the struggle

that you are

going through

and he calls

you to himself.

Believe

me.

Follow

me.

I am the

good shepherd

and I

will gather

my sheep.

Second,

Jesus gathers

all his sheep

and he provides

for all his

sheep.

I got that

right.

There we are.

He provides

for all his

sheep.

Look at

verse 9.

Jesus says,

I am the

gate.

Whoever

enters

through me,

whoever

comes to

me,

believes in

me,

will be

saved.

They will

come in

and go

out,

back and

forth,

and find

pasture.

Again,

we're provided

with this

wonderful picture

of a shepherd

taking care of

his sheep,

bringing them

in and out

to the

pasture to

provide for

them what

they need.

And Jesus

picks up on

this image

to show us

that what

he provides

for the

sheep is

eternally

good.

Look at

verse 10.

The thief

comes only

to steal

and kill

and destroy

the bad

shepherds.

But I

have come

that they

may have

life and

have it

to the

full.

The bad

shepherds,

well,

bad

shepherds

are all

around us

and their

voice is

crying out

to us.

They say,

live your

own life.

Find your

own path.

Be who

you want

to be.

Believe in

yourself.

You know

what's best.

But that's

like a shepherd

leading a

sheep towards

the edge

of a cliff.

This kind

of teaching,

this kind

of philosophy

will only

destroy you.

life.

But the

life that

Jesus

offers

is abundant.

Did you

see it at

the end

of verse

10?

I have

come that

you may

have life

and have

it to

the full,

to its

overflowing.

A life

that satisfies

and fulfills.

Remember the

food and

drink that

Jesus has

promised to

provide for

his people?

Do you

remember the

woman at

the well?

And Jesus

says to

the woman,

if you knew

who has the

water of

life, you

would ask

for him.

And Jesus

says, the

water I

give will

become in

you a

spring of

water,

welling up

to eternal

life.

And the

crowd that

he fed

with the

bread,

bread,

physical

bread that

satisfies our

hunger,

Jesus said,

I am the

bread from

heaven,

which you

may eat

and not

die, but

live forever.

This is a

full and

abundant

life.

Now it

doesn't mean

to say that

we're going

to be free

of struggles

and suffering,

but it

does mean

that we

have a

shepherd who

will lead

us and be

with us.

Even in

the deepest

darkness,

Jesus will

provide

what you

need.

Even when

we feel

hopeless and

helpless,

Jesus the

shepherd will

sustain you.

He knows

your need

today and

he will

provide and

give you

grace for

every moment

and every

day.

He will

not let you

down.

Through

Jesus we

experience

life in

all its

fullness.

So he

gathers

his sheep,

he provides

for his

sheep,

and he

will secure

all his

sheep.

Look at

verse 11.

I am

the good

shepherd,

and the

good shepherd

lays down

his life

for the

sheep.

sheep,

the hired

hand.

Well,

he's not

the shepherd

because he

doesn't own

the sheep.

So when

he sees a

wolf coming,

whoa,

he abandons

the sheep,

he takes

off,

I'm out

of here.

And the

wolf attacks

and the

flocks

scatter.

It's a

frightening

scene,

isn't it?

Because sheep

are vulnerable

and fragile.

Sheep

don't have

sharp teeth

and long

claws to

fight off

their prey.

Something a

wolf has

with great

power.

They're

extremely

dangerous.

So when

the wolf

attacks,

verse 13,

the man

runs away

because he's

a hired

hand and

he cares

nothing for

the sheep.

Not

Jesus.

How

different

Jesus

is to

the offers

of protection

people give

us today.

He will

come.

He's

warning us,

yes,

that wolves

will come.

I think in

this context

it's false

teachers and

corrupt leaders

who will

come to

harm you

and seek

to lead

you astray.

But Jesus

says,

don't fear.

I'm not

like a

hired hand.

I will

lay down

my life

for you.

I will

do whatever

it takes

to protect

you and

keep you

forever.

In fact,

Jesus promises

to secure

our salvation

forever.

So once we

trust him,

we are his

forever.

Look over

at verse 27.

27.

My sheep

listen to

my voice.

I know

them and

they follow

me.

I give

them eternal

life and

they shall

never perish.

No one

will snatch

them out

of my

hand.

My

Father who

has given

them to

me is

greater

than all.

No one

can snatch

them out

of my

Father's

hand.

I and

the Father

are one.

Do you

see the

double

protection

there?

The picture

is like we

are in

the hands

of Jesus,

gripped

by his

firm hands

and around

the hands

of Jesus

are the

hands of

the Father.

So no

scheming,

no lying

wolf,

can take

us from

the protection

of the

Father and

the Son.

Not even

our sin

can take

us.

Not even

the struggle

we are

going through,

not even

Satan

himself.

We are

secure

forever.

The

shepherd has

gathered you

in and he

will provide

for you

and he

will keep

you.

He will

hold you

fast.

And then

fourth,

Jesus the

shepherd dies

for all

his sheep.

Back to

verse 14.

I am

the good

shepherd.

I know

my sheep

and my

sheep know

me.

Just as

the Father

knows me

and I

know the

Father

and I

lay down

my life

for the

sheep.

You see,

when the

wild animals

come,

a shepherd

will fight

them off

with his

stick or

his crook

or whatever

he has,

a few

stones.

He will

do all

that he

can to

protect

his

sheep.

However,

if that

shepherd's

life is

in danger,

he's going

to let

the wolf

or the

wild animal

take that

one sheep.

Understandably,

the shepherd

will protect

his own

life.

No

sheep is

worth the

value of

a shepherd.

Better

the sheep's

life than

losing your

own life,

eh?

except for

Jesus.

Jesus does

the unthinkable,

doesn't he?

The unimaginable.

When it

comes to

his people,

Jesus says,

I will

lay down

my life

for you.

I will

die for

you.

I am

the good

shepherd

and I

lay down

my life

for the

sheep.

In fact,

his giving

of his

life

is not

accidental,

but intentional

and sacrificial.

Again,

look at

verse 17.

He says,

the reason

my father

loves me

is that

I lay

down my

life

only to

take it

up again.

no one

takes it

from me,

but I

lay it

down of

my own

accord.

I have

authority to

lay down

my life

and I

have

authority to

take it

up again.

This

command I

received

from the

father.

You see,

that's what

makes Jesus

not just

a shepherd,

but a

good shepherd.

These are

not just

words or

illustrations.

It's what

Jesus has

come to

do.

He came

to die

for us.

That's

his whole

purpose.

Speaking of

Jesus'

death,

the prophet

Isaiah put

it like

this.

You know

these words.

We all

like sheep

have gone

astray.

Each of

us has

turned to

our own

way.

And the

Lord has

laid on

him the

iniquity

of us

all.

All our

flaws,

all our

failures,

and Jesus

the shepherd

says,

I'll come

and I'll

take the

hit.

Jesus

puts

himself

where we

deserve

to be

placed so

that we

wouldn't

face his

judgment.

He lays

down his

life for

us so

that we

might have

life in

him,

life in

abundance.

And of

course,

as verse

18 implies,

Jesus didn't

stay dead.

Yes,

he laid

down his

life only

for Jesus

to rise

again from

the dead.

he had

authority

to take

his life

up again.

And so

Jesus remains

the living

shepherd who

continues to

be good and

continues to

care for us

day by

day.

he.

So how

can you

and I

experience

this shepherd's

care personally

and intimately

as we

scatter

into our

communities

and into

our workplaces?

How can we

know the

love and

care of

this tender,

kind shepherd?

shepherd?

Well,

briefly,

two things.

First,

listen to

the shepherd's

voice.

We know

who the

sheep are

because they

listen.

They

listen.

Verse

three.

The gatekeeper

opens the

gate for the

shepherd and

the sheep

listen to

his voice.

he calls

out his

own sheep

by name

and he

leads them.

The sheep

listen

because they

are his

sheep.

Go for a

walk down

through the

Kerry Mountains

and you

will notice

there are

sheep marked

with all

kinds of

different

colours.

Red,

blue,

yellow,

purple.

Each colour

marks them

out to

which farmer

they belong

to.

Well,

the people

who belong

to God

are marked

out as

those who

listen to

his voice.

They listen

because they

are his

sheep.

Verse

four.

He brings

out his

own,

he goes

on ahead

of them

and his

sheep

follow him

because they

know his

voice.

And the

primary way

in which we

will hear the

shepherd's

voice as we

walk through

our day is

through God's

word.

So,

fellow sheep,

let's be

reading God's

word.

Let's get our

nourishment from

the bread of

life.

Let's drink of

the water of

life.

Let's be

studying the

word together

and encouraging

each other

with words

from God.

God.

And as we

do,

we will

grow deeper

and deeper

in our

relationship

with him.

Look at

it.

Verse

14.

I'm the

good shepherd.

I know

my sheep.

My sheep

know me.

Just as

the father

knows me

and I

know

the father.

Isn't

that incredible?

The relationship

the father

and son

have together,

that intimacy,

that union,

that precious

relationship

existing from

before all

time began,

the father

and the son's

relationship.

He says,

you can have

that too.

Listen to

my voice

and you

will grow

deeper and

deeper in

relationship

with me

and you

will find

abundant

life.

so let's

listen to

the shepherd's

voice.

And

second,

let's

run

from the

stranger's

voice.

Verse

5.

The

sheep

will never

follow a

stranger.

In

fact,

they will

run away

from him

because they

do not

recognize

a stranger's

voice.

Jesus

has made

it clear

there are

thieves and

robbers.

There are

wolves that

will come

in to try

and attack,

steal and

destroy and

lead God's

people away.

False

teachers,

and there's

plenty of

them,

spread their

lies.

Just

because they

carry a

big black

Bible and

walk up and

down the

stage,

just because

they have

thousands of

views on

YouTube,

doesn't mean

they are good

shepherds.

people

know

how do

you spot

a

stranger?

Even

more

importantly,

how do

you know

I'm not

a

stranger?

Well,

as we

read the

Bible and

as we

study the

word for

ourselves,

so we

deepen our

understanding

of God

and we're

able then

to discern

who are

the

strangers.

and to

run from

them for

our lives.

In fact,

you have a

responsibility

and I

want you to

take this

responsibility

serious.

You must

hold me

accountable

to the

word of

God.

If I

start drifting

off and

talking about

something else,

you should

say,

my role

is not

to make

followers

of

Johnny

Grant.

Please,

my goodness

me,

what a

mess you

will become.

No,

we run

to the

shepherd,

the good

shepherd.

Verse 27,

my sheep

listen to

my voice.

I know

them,

they follow

me,

I give

them

eternal

life,

they shall

never

perish,

no one

will snatch

them out

of my

hand.

Let's

pray

together.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Our

Father God,

we confess

and admit

that like

sheep we

have wandered

away,

but we

thank you

that you

are the

good,

kind,

loving

shepherd

who has

gathered us

in,

called us

out of

darkness

into light,

providing

all that

we need

for every

moment and

every struggle

of life.

You are

sufficient.

Thank you

that in the

deepest

darkness

or the

greatest

storm,

you hold

us safe.

Our life

is secure

in your

hands.

our salvation

will never

be taken.

You have

us in

your grip

and you

have proved

it and

shown it

all through

your death

and resurrection

for us

so that we

might enter

into that

relationship,

Father and

Son.

Oh,

how good

you are.

Thank you.

help us to

listen to

your voice,

to follow

your ways.

In

Jesus'

name,

Amen.

Well,

we're going

to sing

together.

Here's a

good line.

When I

fear my

faith will

fail,

Christ

will hold

me fast.

That double

protection in

the hands of

Jesus and

the Father,

he will

hold me

fast.

Let's

stand together

if we're

able to,

and we'll

sing,

and as we

sing,

we encourage

one another

in the

faith that

we have.

Amen.

when I

fear my

faith will

fail,

Christ

will

hold me

fast.

When the

tenter

would

remain,

he will

hold me

fast.

I could

never keep

my own,

through

life's

will

back.

Oh,

my love

clears,

God,

God,

word,

he will

be sixth,

know.

I

need

days,

then,

be

Huh?

He

will

pass.

Means

none.

He

will

fade,

деле,

needs

lots.

fastest,

omy,

includes

that

Now,

of

the

dirt,

to

be

young.

Wise and holy words, precious in His holy sight.

He is holy, blessed in the love of His holy sight.

He is holy, blessed in the love of His holy sight.

He is holy, blessed in the love of His holy sight.

I will let you fall.

Amen.

Amen.

Let's pray together in just a moment.

The family blessing.

We'll read it in just a moment.

Let me pray first.

Father, thank you for the promise

that you, the good shepherd, will hold us fast.

Help us to step into this week confident,

knowing that you are with us

and will not leave us.

Now let's pray the blessing together.

May God, the great shepherd of the sheep,

equip you with everything good for doing his will.

And may he work in us what is pleasing to him

through Jesus Christ,

to whom be glory forever and ever.

Amen.

Please do stay for tea and coffee.

Chance to catch up.