JESUS, THE GOOD SHEPHERD
John 10:1-15
ONE WAY IN
V:1-3. "I tell you the truth, the man who does not
enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief
and a robber. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3
The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He
calls his own sheep by name and leads them out."
A. These verses describe a gated enclosure where a flocks of sheep are
kept
for safety.
1. The gate keeper,
doorman or watchman keeps watch over the sheep
in the absent
of the shepherd.
2. The doorman
knows the shepherd.
3. The sheep know
the voice of their shepherd.
4. The sheep will
only respond to the voice of their shepherd.
B. The shepherd spends time with his sheep to get an
intimate knowledge of them.
1. The shepherd
know the needs, wants and the problems of his sheep.
2. The shepherd
cares for his sheep.
3. Because of the
shepherd's constant attention to the sheep, they know his voice.
4. According to
Barnes Notes, it is common for the shepherd to name his sheep.
a. The sheep
will respond to the name when they hear the shepherds voice.
C. The pastors of the local Churches are the watchman of
God's sheep.
1. It is the job
of the pastor to teach and preach the Word of God to the congregation
so that they
will have a working knowledge of the Word.
2. The
congregation should be able to distinguish between the Word of God
and false
doctrine.
D. The Word of God is
the door to the hearts of the congregation.
1. The shepherd or
pastors should be guided by the Holy Spirit.
2. The shepherd
should lead his congregation to a closer walk with Jesus.
3. The shepherd
should lead by example.
JESUS TAKES THE LEAD
V: 4-5. " When he has brought out all his own, he goes
on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But
they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because
they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
A. When the local Church is well schooled in the Word of God,
they will know the
the voice of a
stranger because he preaches a different doctrine.
1. A well educated
congregation will not follow a stranger.
2. Satan disguises
himself as an angel of light.
3. A well educated
congregation will recognize and not listen to Satan.
B. The Word says be careful how you entertain strangers
because you might be
entertaining an
angel.
1. There are God's
angels and Satan's demons who show up to be entertained.
2. We must be on
our guard so we will know the difference.
3. Empowered with
the Word of truth, believers can rebuke Satan.
JESUS GIVES US AN UNDERSTANDING OF HIMSELF
V:6-8. : Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not
understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell
you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were
thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. "
A. When you don't understand the Word, you should stop and
ask questions.
1. A God shepherd
checks to see if his teaching is understood by the hearers.
2. Jesus began
with a parable which His disciples did not understand.
3. He explained
the concept of a good shepherd in another way.
B. The gate keeper to salvation is Jesus.
1. The truth is
Jesus.
2. The light of
the world is Jesus.
C. Sheep know the
voice of the shepherd because they have been nurtured by Him.
1. Robbers and
thieves were the false teachers of the day.
2. The Jewish
leaders; the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Scribes were false
teachers.
a. They did
not care about the spiritual welfare of the Jewish people.
b. They used
their position for personal gain.
3. There were some
Jews who knew the Word of God and did not listen to
the false
teachers.
4. We have a
choice. Study the Word of God for our spiritual growth or
remain ignorant
and subject to the influence of false teachers.
a. Study the
Word so that you may rightly divide the Word of truth.
b. Study the Word
so you will be able to recognize false
teaching.
JESUS, THE GATE TO SALVATION
V:9-10. " I am the gate; whoever enters through me will
be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only
to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it
to the full."
A. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
1. No one can come
to the Father but through Him.
2. No one can come
to Jesus unless he is drawn by the Father.
B. Satan is a master at perverting the Word to deceive
believers.
1. Satan mixes a
little lie into the Word which make his statements a lie.
2. That was the
problem with Eve in the garden of Eden.
a. She repeated
the Word to Satan, but he convinced her that her interpretation
was wrong.
b. Satan call
God a liar but Eve couldn't see the lie.
c. We must know
difference between the Word of God someone's opinion.
3. The Word of God
never changes.
4. The Word never
contradicts itself.
5. Every verse in
the Bible gives clarity to every other verse.
6. Satan is a
master at getting you to focus on your problems rather than Jesus, the
problem solver.
a. Satan is a
master in getting you to concentrate on his thoughts rather than
the Word.
b. Jesus gave
us the example in the wilderness; repeat the Word of God in the
mist of
false teaching.
c. Consider
how silly it is: The devil trying to teach Jesus, the author of the Word.
THE SACRIFICE OF THE SHEPHERD
V:11-13. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd
lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who
owns 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. 13 The man runs away
because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep."
A. Jesus is the good shepherd.
1. He is good
because He is the source of all righteousness.
2. He is good
because He is the source of life.
3. He is good
because He loves His sheep.
4. He is good
because He protects His sheep.
5. He is good
because He provides for His sheep.
6. He is good because
He leads His sheep in the right direction.
7. He is good
because He sacrificed His life for His sheep.
B. You can tell the difference between someone who is for
themselves and someone
who is for God.
1. The hired help
will not risk his life for the sheep.
2. The owner will
protect his sheep with his life.
3. Jesus the good
shepherd, never abandons us.
4. In times of
trouble the selfish person will abandon the Word and you.
5. In times of
trouble Jesus is a shield for all believers.
QUALITIES OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
V:14-15. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep
and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father —
and I lay down my life for the sheep
A. He knows His sheep.
2. He knows what's
in our hearts.
3. He knows our
spiritual needs.
4. He knows all
our weaknesses.
5. He knows His
plan for our lives.
6. He knows when
we are going astray and how to put us back on course.
7. He knows our
sins and our need for forgiveness.
8. He knows our fears and He comfort us.
9. He knows our
troubles and provides the solution.
B. The sheep of the shepherd knows Him.
1. He predestined
us to be in Him before the foundation of the world.
Eph 1:4
2. He called us out
of the world. Rom 8:30
3. He drew us to
Himself. John 6:37-44
4. He gave us a
measure of faith so that we could accept Him as our savior.
Rom 12:3
5. He gave us the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit so that we could understand
His Word. John
14:17
6. He rearranged
our thinking so that we would have a thirst for His Word.
Matt 5:6
7. He allows
circumstances in our lives so that we are drawn into dependence
on Him. James
1:2-6
8. He gave us
preachers and teachers to proclaim His goodness. Eph 4:11
9. He uses the
power of the Holy Spirit to keep us in remembrance of
His Word. John 14:26
10. He sealed us
by the power of the Holy Spirit so that our focus would
stay on Him.
Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30
C. The shepherd is known
by the God the Father.
1. God the Father
so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son so that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have
eternal life. John 3:16
2. The Father and
the Son are one.
D. The shepherd knows the
Father.
1. The Shepherd
did not speak on His own, but what the Father
told Him. John 8:26-28
2. The shepherd
reverenced the Father.
3. Even though He
is equal to the Father, He thought it not robbery to
submit to the
will of the Father. Phil 2:6-8
E. The shepherd sacrificed His life for the sins of His
sheep.
1. You and I have
eternal life because of the work the shepherd
completed on
the cross. 2 Cor 5:19
2. The shepherds death
on the cross was by His own intentions.
John 10:18
3. After bearing
the sins of the world on the cross, His last dying words
was, "It
is Finished". John 19:30
THANK YOU JESUS FOR BEING
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Rev M Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia
Baptist Church
For more lessons follow me on facebook and visit my blogs
goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com and www.revmmitchell.com
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