The Good Shepherd

Some jottings for a sermon on John 10:

John 10 (p1076): The Good Shepherd

I. (a) Who Jesus is:

(i) The Gate (v7, 9)

(ii) The Good Shepherd (v11, 14)

(iii) Christ (v24f) – cf. King David the Shepherd (Ps 23)

(iv) Son (v36) / One with the Father (v30, 38) – God (v33)

(b) Who are we?

Jesus’ sheep?

Sheep smelly, stupid, needy, defenceless – need a shepherd

“other sheep not of this sheep pen” (v16) = Gentiles

Divided / mixed response (vv19-21)

Not my sheep (v26)

Thieves and robbers (v8, 10)

Hired hands (v12-13)

Wolves (v12) cf. Mt 6:15; Acts 20:28-31; 1 Pet 5:8

II. (a) What Jesus, the Good Shepherd, does:

Gives full / eternal life (v10, v28)

Dies for the sheep (v11, 15, 17-18) – really cares (v13)

Matthew 9:36; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34

Knows his sheep (v14)

Calls his sheep by name and leads them (v3)

Keeps his sheep (vv28-29)

(b) What we, Jesus’ sheep, should do:

Believe (vv25-26, 42; 20:31) – Trust Jesus

Listen to his voice (v4, 16, 27), know him (v14), obey, follow only him (v4-5, 27), run away from strangers (v5)