John 10:10-21 “I Am the Good Shepherd”

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We talk a lot about life on Easter, don't we?

New life, eternal life, abundant life.

But what is the good life after all?

It's a really important question, isn't it?

What's the good life?

Maybe you come to a church like this on Easter and you conclude that the good life that Christians have to offer involves wearing pastels even when they're uncomfortable,

gathering plastic eggs, and listening to a long monologue from one of many people pretending to be holier than he is.

And you would understandably want out of that.

Just as much as you don't want the good life to be endlessly floating on a cloud with a harp.

What comes to mind for you when I say the good life?

Is it security?

Community?

Health?

Purpose?

Comfort?

Peace?

A lot of things probably.

Maybe jot a couple things down if you want to this morning.

For me as a kid, the good life was being a professional baseball player.

That was it.

And all the success and the fame and the fun that would come with that.

And it was all about being a professional baseball player.

And then I got injured.

And then I got older.

And now I just hope that I can make it through one game of pickleball without pulling a hamstring or tearing a rotator cuff.

The good life for me has always included everyone getting along.

Peaceful relationships all around me.

Oh, it makes me feel so good.

But man, y'all relationships are hard.

Life is messy.

Maybe, I've thought more often than I'd like to admit, maybe I can just, I can't give all the relationships, but I can just make everyone love me.

And think I'm wonderful.

And I've performed for that.

I've exhausted myself trying to please everyone.

And then I became the father of teenagers and I just gave up on that dream altogether.

Love you.

Love you.

Even wildly successful quarterback Tom Brady, after reaching the pinnacle of sport and for many life, said it's not all it's cracked up to be.

It was longing for something more.

Maybe you've known that same struggle with the things that are on your list, even if they're different.

You long to have the good life.

But you're going to need something that fixes the brokenness you see around you.

That fills the emptiness that you feel inside you.

No matter how hard we try or how much success we have achieving the good life, it seems to elude our grasp.

See if you can write down a few words that describe the good life in your mind.

And then let's see what kind of life Jesus offers.

In John chapter 10, Jesus is telling us that he comes to give abundant life.

John 10 · chapter mention

The good life.

But his may be different from our idea of it.

It may also answer some of the same longings that you and I have in an even better way.

Let's read beginning at verse 10.

What Jesus has to say about who he is and what he offers.

Hear now the most important part of the sermon.

The very word of God.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

I am the good shepherd.

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

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.

He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd.

I know my own and my own know me.

Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.

And I lay down my life for the sheep.

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.

For this reason the Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may 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 I have authority to take it up again.

This charge I have received from my Father.

There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.

Many of them said, he has a demon and is insane.

Why listen to him?

Others said, these are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon.

And can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

Jesus, we ask for your help this morning.

Would you help us to see you clearly for who you say you are?

Would you by your spirit open eyes?

Give hope to hurting hearts?

Enflame hearts that have grown cold?

Show us, Jesus, who you are in the life that you give.

We ask in your name.

Amen.

Jesus uses here in this chapter the imagery of the sheepfold and the sheep and the shepherd

to talk about our relationship with God.

And that should be striking right off the bat because of the close relationship that sheep

and shepherds have.

More involved with one another than any other animal and caregiver at that time.

It was a unique, striking relationship.

The coming and the going.

The morning and the evening.

The sleeping and the eating.

Together.

All the time.

And this is part of the abundant life.

The good life that Jesus is describing is that he, as the good shepherd, knows his sheep

and they know him.

In fact, they know each other, he says, as intimately as the Father and the Son from all eternity.

That kind of close relationship is what Jesus has in mind.

One key aspect of the good life, Jesus says, is being fully known.

Earlier in the chapter, Jesus says the shepherd of the sheep enters the sheepfold and he calls

his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Personally.

Individually called and led.

What would happen in Jesus' day is that several flocks of sheep would be kept overnight in the same

sheepfold.

And that way, one shepherd could keep them and sleep there with them.

But then in the morning, out would come the separate shepherds and the first one who would

show up would come and call in his own unique voice.

And out of that entire group of sheep, his sheep would come out and follow him.

Only his sheep would come.

See, he knows them and they know him.

That's actually what makes them a flock is that they have the same shepherd.

That's what Jesus means in verse 16 when he talks about calling other sheep that are not of this

fold.

They will listen to his voice.

And as they do, otherwise, unconnected sheep will become one flock.

Why?

Because they all follow the voice of one shepherd.

Jesus is speaking particularly of Jews and Gentiles.

But think in that context of the most extreme enemies, people of diverse backgrounds brought

into relationship because they all know and are personally known by Jesus.

What great community, right?

In the flock of the good shepherd with young and old, rich and poor, black and white, sharing

in common the most important relationship in all of life.

It can be a wonderful thing to be known truly, fully.

To have someone who knows the blemishes outside and inside.

The struggles you face each day.

The place you really belong.

It can free you up, can't it?

Not only from having to be left out, but it can free you up from having to pretend.

From having to hide.

The shepherd knows you too well to think that you can blend in with another flock and not

be noticed.

The piano tuner was here this week helping us get ready for today.

And as I was talking to him about the piano, whenever he talked about it, he talked about

it like a close friend.

He talked about her, in fact.

He had been part of the rebuilding of this piano years ago when that was needed.

He knows it inside and out.

What it should sound like.

How it needs to be tuned up when something's off, right?

Friends, God was part of your building.

He knows you by name.

Even more thoroughly than the piano tuner, which can be a wonderful thing, right?

God knows you.

Unless you're afraid of being fully known.

Unless you know your blemishes enough to feel shame.

Unless you've experienced what usually happens when someone sees all your flaws and all your

failures.

One of the remarkably hopeful realities that Jesus offers here is abundant life where you

are both fully known and fully loved.

What happens when Jesus gets the full view of us?

When he's aware of all our failures?

When he knows us completely?

He says it twice.

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Isn't that amazing?

Just ponder that for a minute.

Isn't it amazing that knowing us and everything about us, he decides to die for us?

What incredible love.

Jesus will later say greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for

his friends.

Paul marvels in Romans that it's hard to imagine dying even for a really good person, right?

And that wasn't us.

We weren't really good people.

We're weak.

We're ungodly.

While we were yet sinners, what?

Christ died for us.

God, knowing our worst, gave us his best, fully known and fully loved, exposed and embraced.

How?

How does that happen?

How does God protect us from the consequences of our weaknesses and failures?

Jesus says, I lay down my life for the sheep.

I step into harm's way, as we talked about with the kids, to defend you from the dangerous

attack, right?

Sheep have many predators.

We've only talked about wolves.

There's bears and lions.

Shepherds would have to fight them off.

In the case of sinful people, we are facing sin and Satan and death.

Those are the enemies we need protection from.

So our good shepherd will have to lay down his life to protect us from those enemies.

The preposition for there is one of substitution.

Yes, for our good, but particularly I lay down my life in the place of the sheep.

In other words, the sheep who are rightfully afraid, right?

They're afraid that they're going to get the rejection that they deserve from God, are protected

only by someone else who deserves something different, who deserves acceptance, being willing to trade

places with them.

Isaiah 53 says it this way,

But he was pierced for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep, interesting, have gone astray.

We have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The good shepherd, in this case, in this image, becomes a lamb, right?

Sacrificing his life in our place so that we are welcomed into his place in God's family.

Some of you have heard me recount the documentary on sheep that has a little orphan lamb.

A ewe lamb has died giving birth.

And her little orphan keeps being kicked away by all the other ewe lambs because they know and will only feed and care for their own lambs.

The narrator tells us that certainly this little orphan lamb is facing death soon.

The vision comes, the picture rolls to the lamb being kicked away, and he's rolling away from the flock in the dirt.

And then the narrator says,

Ah, but the shepherd knows best.

What does the shepherd do?

He pulls aside one of the little lambs that's feeding from his mother,

and he shears his coat.

And he takes that coat, and one leg at a time,

he puts it over the little orphan lamb that he's holding in his arms,

and then he bends down and he sends it running right back to that ewe lamb

who bends over and sniffs it

and eagerly welcomes it in and cares for it and nourishes it as her own.

That's what our good shepherd has done for us as the lamb of God

who takes away the sin of the world,

covering us instead of our sin with his perfection

so that we can be welcomed in and cared for in the family of God.

Isn't that wonderful?

Can you imagine living at work in a context

where you don't have the pressure of making budget?

In fact, if you made a mistake that cost the company a billion dollars,

you wouldn't be run off for that.

In fact, you worked at a place where if that happened,

the boss would say, I'm going to take care of it.

Let me cover the cost.

In fact, let's throw a party.

Employee of the year.

Wouldn't it be great if that was the real world?

Listen, it is the realest world that you'll ever know.

If Jesus is your good shepherd,

the fear of failure,

the shame of disappointment can be gone in his embrace.

He cares for you.

He protects you.

He pays your debt and lays down his life for you.

Contrast that with anything else,

with the hired hand.

What happens when there's danger coming towards the sheep?

What does the hired hand do?

He runs away from danger and from the sheep.

So they're left exposed

and facing harm on their own.

Listen, friends,

your money will not lay down its life for you.

It won't.

Your success,

your comfort

won't lay down its life for you.

But Jesus,

your good shepherd,

will and has.

He will keep loving you.

You are fully loved.

You can live adventurously

and never lose.

You can live confidently

and never fear.

Hey, with a life like that,

you may actually

not want it to end.

Ever.

That's a life worth living, isn't it?

Wouldn't you love to be freed up

to live like that every day?

To know that kind of joy

and confidence

and purpose

and freedom?

We long to live

fully known

and fully loved

forever.

Just think about it.

If you're wondering,

is that really what I long for?

Think about it this way.

Most of us

in here

have lost someone

who for us

was an absolutely fundamental part

of the good life.

Right?

For us,

a longed-for child

many years ago.

More recently,

beloved family members

and friends.

And now you live

and even the best moments,

the best experiences

that we have,

the good things

in this life

are not quite complete

without them,

are they?

without being able

to share it with them,

it just is not

completely good.

See,

we long not merely

for existence

after death,

but personal life

and relationships

and love

that continues.

That's what we want

and only Jesus

offers that.

No money,

no success,

nothing that I often

live for

brings my loved ones

back,

does it?

Look at what's so unique

about Jesus.

We get distracted,

understandably,

by the glorious reality

that our good shepherd

lays down his life

for the sheep.

But you know,

that's not really

the most surprising part

of what Jesus says here.

I can lay down my life,

right?

You can lay down

your life.

Only Jesus can say,

I lay down my life

that I may

take it up

again.

I have authority

to lay it down

and authority

to take it up again.

Aha!

We finally made it to Easter.

Some of you were wondering.

Some of you weren't sure

I was going to get there.

It's the good shepherd

who doesn't just die

and that's the end.

What happens to the sheep

then?

No.

The sheep would be

left unattended.

If he's not alive,

some of the broken parts

of the good life

can never be fixed.

If he's not alive,

the pain that Holly shared

and the struggles

that she's having

are real

and there's no real hope

for change.

If only for this life

we have hope in Christ,

we are of all people

most to be pitied.

But,

Jesus has more to say.

Jesus is the author

of life.

Jesus is the Lord

of life.

Jesus is the giver

of life.

So,

when life is painful here,

he lives

to weep

with us.

When life is

disappointing here,

he lives

to offer us

a new life

to come.

When life is confusing

or scary here,

he lives

to hold us

and to say,

no one

can snatch you

out of my hand.

My Father

is greater than all.

no one

is able

to snatch you

out of my Father's hand.

That's security,

friends.

That's the safety

and the life

that we long for.

Fully known,

fully loved,

fully protected

in his hand

no matter what

comes

because he lives.

Jesus' resurrection

also frees us up

from one of the most

difficult parts

of this life.

the uncertainty

and pressure

of running

out of time.

Boy,

we fight

Father time

every way

we know how,

don't we?

We want to get

everything we can

out of life

while we have

the chance.

It feels to me

like we've got

a one day pass

to Disney World

and we've got

to wake up early

and stay late

and run full speed

wire to wire

to get to everything

we can.

Our version

of the good life

has us finding purpose

by rushing around

to see how many

states or countries

we can check off

our list

to skydive

to drive

the coolest cars

to experience it all

before we run

out of time.

When Jesus offers us

an eternal extension

of all of our bucket lists,

I love this.

Kelly was sharing

about this insight

earlier this week.

It's so helpful.

Abundant life

means I'll keep

enjoying these things

forever

so I can slow down

now and actually

enjoy them

and savor moments

with the grandkids

and linger over

conversations with

friends

and neighbors

and rest

in prayer

with God

because I'm not

running out

of time.

Think with me,

how much more

enjoyable

will that trip

be if you don't

have to rush

back home

before you're ready?

Wouldn't that be nice?

Wouldn't that trip

have been better?

Listen,

I want you to imagine

how much more

memorable

will those moments

that you look forward

to be

when you share

moments like that

with those you love

that you miss

in your life

right now?

How much more

sweet will they be

when you share

them together?

Now,

I want you to stretch

a little bit

on this one.

I want you to dream

if you possibly can

how much more

glorious

will your tour

of the universe

be

when you're

given it

by the one

who flung out

the planets

and then threw

the stars

over there

beyond what

we've been able

to find yet

who crafted

the mountains

and the beaches

who painted

the flowers

and the rainbows

and he's going

to walk with you

and give you

that tour

and enjoy it

with you?

Isn't Jesus

amazing?

Isn't he awesome?

Won't that be

glorious?

Jesus offers

the good life

without the

uncertainties

of the future

fully secure

eternally free

because he

always lives

and listen

because he lives

he brings his

sheep

who hear his

voice

and follow him

to live with him

forever

if the shepherd

after the worst

attack

from the most

dangerous enemies

if he lives

so

do

the sheep

if the good

shepherd

is alive

you

will live

with him

forever

that's good news

if you hear that

and it sounds

crazy

it sounds

too good

to be true

you're not alone

in fact

the crowds

listening to Jesus

say it

were starkly

divided

listen

verse 19

there was again

a division

among the Jews

because of these

words

many of them

said

he has a

demon

and is insane

why listen

to him

others said

I don't know

these are not

the words

of one who's

oppressed

by a demon

can a demon

open the eyes

of the blind

two options

right

either he's

crazy

possessed

not worth

listening to

at all

go on with

your life

or

he's really

the Christ

the

divine

Messiah

it's his

comment about

authority to take

up his own

life that pushes

them there

isn't it

you can talk

about laying

your own

life down

fine

anybody can

say that

but don't

tell us

that you're

in charge

of taking

it back

up

only God

can

yep

Jesus

leaves the

crowd with

limited options

doesn't he

demonic

or divine

we're

still left

there

and notice

what many

begin to say

as they

wrestle in

that tension

they begin

to realize

both his

words and

his works

argue

for the

latter

this guy

doesn't talk

like the

demonic

people we've

known

his words

make sense

he speaks

with authority

his imagery

is understandable

it's right

from our

world

he seems

to be

speaking

for the

good of

others

and on top

of that

his works

the way

he lives

I mean

he's not

getting rich

off these

wild claims

he's humble

poor

he's not

living for

himself

or even

using these

powerful miracles

for his

own ends

he's feeding

other people

he's healing

other people

like this

blind man

that's not

demonic

perhaps

divine

maybe there's

something to

this Jesus

wouldn't it be

great if there

was

just

hypothetically

wouldn't it

be great

if there

was someone

who could

fix the

brokenness

who could

fill the

emptiness

that we

all know

too well

friends

this is

this is

Jesus

this is

who he's

telling you

he is

he's offering

us the

good life

fully known

fully loved

forever

and he's

telling us

that that

life is

really all

about him

right

the good

life is

with the

good shepherd

you can't

have it any

other way

can you

because he's

ultimately good

he is

what is

best

see for our

versions of

the good

life Jesus

didn't have

to come

he doesn't

need to come

for me to be

a famous

wealthy

professional

baseball player

who has

peaceful

relationships

and everybody

loves him

and thinks

he's wonderful

Jesus

didn't come

so that we

could avoid

struggles

always be

healthy

make gobs

of money

impress all

our friends

fit in with

the cool

kids and wear

ourselves out

along the

way

it's not

why he

came

no

Jesus

came

he tells

us

and died

and rose

love

that we

might have

abundant

life

the true

good

life

in deep

relationships

with true

purpose

to shine

the glory

of the good

shepherd

everywhere

in a renewed

world of

justice

and peace

and hope

to everyone

life in

secure love

that never

fails

and never

lets us

down

no matter

what we

walk through

how often

we stumble

how bad

we mess

it up

in life

with him

that never

ends

where we

never stop

marveling

at his

grace

where we

never see

the end

of the

impact

of our

lives

with him

where we

never

plumb the

depths

of his

perfection

or run

out of

reasons

to praise

him

for his

goodness

Jesus

lives

he lives

to invite

you into

that life

today

if you've

never trusted

him before

would you

come and

talk to

him about

that

would you

come and

ask him

to give you

the life

that he

promises

right now

in the

midst of

whatever

you're

dealing

with

wherever

you are

don't

clean up

first

no no

pastels

not required

don't

go run

for those

in fact

perfection

not allowed

unless it's

his

so you

don't actually

get to do

the work

you just

come to

him

he's eager

to receive

you he invites

you right

where you

are

he gives

that life

right here

in this

struggle

and forever

in glory

I also

suspect there

are a bunch

of us

in here

who have

come to

Jesus

who have

tasted

that life

that he

offers

but who

are struggling

to think

of their

life as

abundant

right now

perhaps

even on

Easter

maybe

especially

on Easter

we need

to come

to Jesus

too

don't we

listen

to his

voice

he's the

good shepherd

ask him

and nothing

else

to give you

the life

that he

promises

he says

I am

the good

shepherd

I lay

down my

life

for the

sheep

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

I give

my sheep

eternal

life

and they

will never

perish

and no one

will snatch

them out

of my

hand

I came

that they

might have

life

and have

it abundantly

let's pray

Jesus

would you

indeed give

us

such life

free us

from the

places that

we are

frantically

running

trying to

make our

life good

bring us

back to

you

show us

the hope

the purpose

the joy

that we can

know in

relationship

with you

thank you

for meeting

with us

this morning

thank you

that you're

alive

that gives

us hope

and so

would you

meet us

even now

as you

work in

our hearts

help us

to hear

your voice

to know

your love

to rest

in your

care

amen

for more

information

visit us

online

at

southwood.org

and

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