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
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway
Houston, Texas 77041
For more lessons follow me on facebook and visit my blogs
goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com and www.revmmitchell.com
