March 11, 2018
Evening Service

In chapter 9, we saw Jesus heal a blind man on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees quickly got involved and investigated to see if in fact it was a miracle, and to determine if Jesus was in the right doing it on the Holy day.  As they continued to question the man who received his sight, he finally just told them the facts; “I was blind but now I see.”  The proof is in the results.  Jesus came from God because His works prove it.  A blind person had never before been healed, and this miracle also fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah saying the “Blind shall receive their sight.”  Our greatest and most powerful testimony is not something deep in theology, but just the simple truth of how God changed your life.  Many of us can confess that “I was blind, but now I see.”  As we begin chapter 10, Jesus again uses things that His listeners know and understand to teach them something.

John 10:1-6  “Truly, truly, I say to you, He who does not enter into the sheepfold by the door, but going up by another way, that one is a thief and a robber.  (2)  But he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  (3)  The doorkeeper opens to him, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  (4)  And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him. For they know his voice.  (5) And they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”  (6)  Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they did not understand what it was which He spoke to them.

·        It was common practice to place your flock of sheep into a sheepfold during the night for protection.  There could be several flocks held together with an assigned gate keeper to guard the single opening.  The shepherd would be the only one allowed to enter through the door, but a thief would have to enter another way.  The shepherd would call and his sheep would follow him out.  They would not follow a stranger. 

·        In the OT, a shepherd was an image of an ideal leader and king.  God was often referred to as the supreme Shepherd and the Messiah was a King-Shepherd.  Jesus as the Shepherd enters by the door as the legitimate One who fulfills the messianic prophecy.  His sheep here would symbolize those who believe in Jesus as the Christ.  This was spoken as a parable so the Pharisees would not understand.  He now expounds upon it.

 

John 10:7-11  Then Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  (8)  All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  (9)  I am the door. If anyone enters in by Me, he shall be saved and shall 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 so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  (11)  I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

·        Here we see the 3^rd and 4^th “I am” statements of John’s gospel.  He previously said “I am the Living Water and the Light of the world.”  “I am the door” states that there is no other way into the kingdom of God than through Him.  Access to the safety, security, and salvation of the sheepfold is offered through Jesus our Protector.

·        Many false prophets (thieves) try to enter and lead others another way, but they only led them to death and destruction.  Jesus came to give the abundant life.

·        “I am the Good Shepherd” is a wonderful image of whom our Lord is and why He has come to us.  He is committed to the sheep’s safety loving them even to the point of protecting them with His own life (prophecy of the cross).  A true Shepherd does not herd  His sheep from behind but leads them and they follow because they love and trust Him.  I love to refer to a committed Christian as a “Christ follower.”  Jesus continues his explanation listen closely to the wording He uses.

 

John 10:12-18  “But he who is a hireling and not the shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away. And the wolf catches them and scatters the sheep.  (13)  The hireling flees, because he is a hireling and does not care for the sheep.  (14)  I am the Good Shepherd, and I know those that are Mine, and I am known by those who are Mine.  (15)  Even as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.  (16)  And I have other sheep who are not of this fold. I must also lead those, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd.  (17)  Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I might take it again.  (18)  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down from Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment from My Father.

·        The hired hand watches the sheep because he is paid to and will flee at the first sound of trouble because he has very little invested.  The Good Shepherd not only owns the sheep, but knows and loves them.  “I know those that are Mine and am known by those who are Mine.”  I am His and He is mine. 

·        The other sheep He refers to are us, the Gentiles that together with the Jewish believers become “one flock, one Shepherd.”  We are all in unity together as Christ followers.

·        Jesus then gives us insight into His coming death.  No one will kill Him; He will give His life away for us and then on Easter morning take it back again.  This is God’s will.

 

John 10:19-31 Then a division occurred again among the Jews because of these words.  (20)  And many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you hear him?”  (21)  Others said, “These are not words of one who has been possessed by a demon. A demon is not able to open the eyes of blind ones.”  (22)  And the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem, and it was winter.  (23)  And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's Porch.  (24)  Then the Jews encircled Him and said to Him, “How long do you make us doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  (25)  Jesus answered them, “I told you and you did not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.  (26)  But you did not believe because you are not of My sheep. As I said to you,  (27)  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  (28)  And I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand.  (29)  My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand.  (30) I and the Father are one!”  (31)  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

·        At the Festival of Dedication the Jews finally cornered Jesus and insisted that He clearly state who He was.  He has already told them, but they still do not want to believe. Those who are not His sheep do not listen to His voice.

·        Jesus again makes the powerful statement that our salvation is solidly held in His hands and He will lose no one who comes to Him (27-29). God has given us to Him and who is able to stand against Him?

·        Jesus replies directly to their question as He answers them in verse 30.  “I and the Father are one.”  They wanted it plain and simple so there it is.  Their reaction is they grab stones to kill Him.

 

John 10:32-34 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from My Father; for which of these do you stone Me?”  (33)  The Jews answered Him, saying, “We do not stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God.”  (34)  Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, "I said, You are gods?"

·        To the blasphemy charge Jesus refers to Psalms 82:6 where the Israelite rulers and judges were referred to as gods.  He reasons with them that if God called those men gods because they were agents of God, how is it blasphemy if Jesus calls Himself the Son of God?

 

John 10:35-42  “If He called those gods with whom the Word of God was, and the Scripture cannot be broken,  (36)  do you say of Him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, “You blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God?”  (37)  If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me.  (38)  But if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works so that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”  (39)  Then they again sought to seize Him, but He went forth out of their hand.  (40)  And He went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John baptized at the first, and He stayed there.  (41)  And many came to Him and said, John indeed did no miracle, but all things that John said concerning this One were true.  (42)  And many believed on Him there.

·        Jesus again reasons just as the healed blind man did with them that look at what He is doing and that will point you to the truth of who He is.  His works proved Him to be speaking the truth.

·        The Jews again sough to seize Him, but His time was not yet.

 

What did we learn about Jesus?

·        He is the only Door into heaven.

·        As our Good Shepherd Jesus loves, protects and even lays down His life for us.

·        No one will take Jesus’ life; He will give it away and take it back.

 

What can we apply to our lives?

·        God loves us and will protect us as His sheep.

·        I am His and He is mine!

 

Heavenly Father thank You for sending the Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep.