I know my notes game has been weak lately. I have no easily accessible internet... but I am posting this one up cuz it might be for somebody out there in net land.
Sermon Preached On: Sunday December 20th 2009
Joh 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh 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 commandment have I received of my Father.
Going through the chapter in context we notice that Jesus is speaking in the context of a shepherd and his sheep. He was giving an analogy about the shepherd his sheep and the roles they play.
Once you are given life, you become part of the fold.
You are adopted into the family of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Now in this parable we know Jesus was talking about people, but the parable itself describes sheep and all the things the shepherd would do for them.
LAYS DOWN LIFE vs 11
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
When he says the the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep he is making it explicitly clear that the shepherd is utterly concerned with the safety of his pasture and if necessary would ensure that if necessary he would give his life for them.
John Gill's commentary
the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep: not only exposes it to danger, as David did his, for the sake of his father's flock, but gives it away freely and voluntarily, for the sake of the sheep; in their room and stead, as a ransom for them, that they may be delivered from death, and might have eternal life:
Doing this was not uncommon because sheep were valuable so in the context of the culture real shepherds would do that for their sheep.
1Sa 17:34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
1Sa 17:35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
So we see David... a forefather of Christ had these qualities esp exactly in the field of sheep herding.
KNOWS HIS OWN vs 14
I know my own and my own know me,
The shepherd knows his sheep well, hence he knows who he is protecting.
He knows his sheep because of their charachteristics.
The charachteristics of his sheep are clear. He knows which sheep has the most fur. The one who has speckled fur, brown fur and the charachteristics of the sheep are well known. If he sees a wolf he would know that it is not part of the flock and he would defend his flock agains the wolves.
Turning from Sin.
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Bearing Fruit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Since you have become part of the family you are joined into the bloodline.... the love in the family is the love of God... the incorruptible love of God.
You are therefore loved beyond comparison. Hence he chases you and looks for you.
Mat 18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
IS ALL ENCOMPASSING
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also
Christianity is not exclusive, it is inclusive. It makes the opportunity available to all, and the shepherd must bring them also...... Jesus has a mandate to bring them so therefore he seeks them.
We see this in by his statement here and it is backed up by Paul in his address to the Romans where he specifically states that first all have sinned. Both Jew and Gentile.
Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
And that the gospel which is the power of God unto salvation is for both Jew and Gentile/Greek
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
There was once a time when the Israelites were the only redeemable people in the world and no one else was worthy of God's love.
However the new covenant breaks that and makes everyone eligible for the Grace that God bestows.
That is how it becomes possible for us to become sheep. As sheep we should be all encompassing to and not shunning or thinking others unworthy of being part of the family. God does not want anyone to be left behind.
Now I encourage you to think of yourself as a literal sheep and recite the following Psalm.
Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
will you dwell in the house of the Lord forever?
