Sunday Worship 31 December 2023 : “I am the Good Shepherd”
Text: John 10 31 December 2023
INTRODUCTION
PROFOUND DECLARATIONS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
1. I am the Bread of Life (John 6)
2. I am the light of the world (John 8, 9)
3. I am the Door of the sheep (John 10)
4. I am the Good Shepherd (John 10)
5. I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11)
6. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14)
7. I am the True Vine (John 15)
THE SHEPHERD IMAGERY
1. It is found in the Psalms (Psalm 23)
2. It is also found in the Prophets (Isaiah 40)
TWO CLOSELY RELATED IDEAS
1. I am the Door of the sheep (John 10:7)
2. I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear 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 does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:7-10
1. Thieves and Robbers
a) These are false shepherds
b) They steal, kill and destroy
c) They do not care for the sheep at all
2. The Door of the sheep
a) The Caring Shepherd sits at the mouth of a cave in the open fields
b) The sheep will find safety because of the Shepherd’s genuine concern
c) They will have life abundantly
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know 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 will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.”
John 10:11-18
1. Declaration
“I am the Good Shepherd” John 10:11, 14
2. The Contrast Between the Good Shepherd and the Hireling
a) The Hireling
i) He is not the shepherd (John 10:12a)
ii) He does not own the sheep (John 10:12b)
iii) He flees when he sees the wolf coming because he is a hireling (John 10:13a)
iv) He does not care for the sheep (John 10:13b)
b) The Good Shepherd
i) He gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11)
ii) He knows His sheep (John 10:14a)
iii) The sheep know their Shepherd (John 10:14b)
iv) He lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:15c)
c) The Close Relationship of the Father and the Good Shepherd
i) The Father knows the Good Shepherd (John10:15a)
ii) The Good Shepherd knows the Father (John 10:15b)
iii) The Father loves the Son
Because He is willing to lay down His life (John 10:17)
iv) God’s power is given to the Son fully (John 10:18)
d) The Plans of the Good Shepherd
i) He will bring other sheep (John 10:16a)
ii) They will hear His voice (John 10:16b)
iii) There will be one flock and One Shepherd (John 10:16c)
MIXED RESPONSES
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.
20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
John 10:19-21
1. Negative Response
a) “He has a demon”
b) “And is mad”
2. Positive Response
a) “These are not the words of one who has a demon”