Sermons
The Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd
Jn. 10:1-18
Introduction:
1. This parable is set in a context following the healing of the blind man in Jn. 9.
2. The Pharisees refused to accept Jesus as come from God. Instead, they accused him of being a sinner, of being insane and of being demon-possessed.
3. 10:6 and 19-21 tie the parable with the Pharisees rejection.
4. Later in chapter 10, they will pick up stones to stone Him for blasphemy because, as they put it, “being a man, You make Yourself out to be God” (33).
5. So, this parable is spoken in the hearing of Jews with particular focus on these unbelieving Pharisees. The primary focus of the parable is on Jesus’ relationship with believers. It contrasts the believers and the unbelievers.
6. The parable naturally divides itself into three sections. The first two beginning with “Truly, truly.” The middle one connecting to the third with “I am.”
a. 10:1-6.
b. 10:7-10.
c. 10:11-18.
Discussion:
I. Jesus is the shepherd; the sheep hear His voice (10:1-6).
A. What is a sheepfold?
1. It is a pen used to protect the sheep when not out in the pasture. Usually used
as an overnight place of safe keeping.
2. It involved a wall, or fence, or some such structure.
3. A door or gate was used as an opening into the fold.
4. It is my understanding that sometimes more than one flock might be sheltered
in a particular fold. But this is not a necessary part of this parable.
5. The regular practice was for the shepherd to gather the sheep from the fold to
take them out to pasture and return them to the fold for the evening.
B. Four things in this parable evidence that Jesus is the legitimate shepherd.
1. He enters by the door. Thieves and robbers come in by another way. It is
even suspicious today if you see someone going into a house through a
window.
2. He is recognized by the doorkeeper.
3. The sheep recognize him by his voice.
4. He calls the sheep by name. They are the objects of His love and care. He
has intimate knowledge of them.
C. The parable illustrates that those that know Jesus hear Him and follow Him.
They know His voice. The Pharisees are thus thieves and robbers and strangers
and so, Jesus’ sheep do not follow them.
D. Jesus does not specifically say, “I am the shepherd.” Instead, He contrasts “a
shepherd” with “the thief and robber and stranger”. The obvious implication is
that He is the shepherd and stands in contrast to the others.
II. Jesus is the door; the sheep enter through Him (10:7-10).
A. Notice the correlation between hearing and entering and being saved and going
in and out and finding pasture.
B. This stands in contrast to what the thief comes to do: to steal and kill and
destroy.
C. Jesus came to bring life, but not just life, abundant life.
1. Jesus brought life to the man born blind.
2. Note Matt. 11:2-6; cf. Isa. 35:5; 61:1ff.
3. God has always been in the business of bringing life and life abundant. It is
sin that brings death.
4. It is interesting to observe that soon these Pharisees will be picking up stones
to kill Jesus (10:31). Yet, He is the one who does works that bring life. It is
these works that testify that He is the Son of God (see 10:24b-28).
5. Such works as the healing of the blind man should have produced belief. It
did in some, but not these Pharisees.
6. Sometimes I think we worry about somehow being accidently lost after having
been saved. There is no room for this in this parable. Deliberate decisions
are made. Either to accept Jesus or to reject Him. There is nothing accidental
in this text. Note again 10:19-21.
III. Jesus is the good shepherd; the sheep receive His life (10:26-29).
A. Jesus contrasts Himself with the hireling.
1. The shepherd, the owner of the sheep lays down His life for the sheep.
2. The hireling is not a shepherd, and not the owner of the sheep. He abandons
the sheep when he sees the wolf coming. He is not concerned about the
sheep.
3. As the good shepherd Jesus lays down His life for the sheep.
B. He knows His own and His own know Him.
C. There are sheep not of this fold.
1. Apparently “this fold” represents the believing Jewish fold.
2. “Other sheep” represents the believing Gentiles.
3. Note that those who hear (and respond appropriately) are brought into one
flock with the one shepherd.
D. “The Father loves Me because I give my life voluntarily.”
Conclusion:
1. First, we should be the sheep who hear His voice.
2. Second, we should be like the good shepherd to others.
a. Not like the Pharisees who kill and destroy.
b. But like Jesus who gives life and gives it abundantly.
