Sermon on 25 February 2024 by Pastor Gaius Lee
John 10:11-18 - ”“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.”“
Psalms 23:1 - ”The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.“
As long as Jesus is our Shepherd, we have enough to go through any challenges. We will have no lack.
7 ‘I am’ Statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John:
I am the bread of life
I am the light of the world
I am the door of the sheep
I am the good shepherd
I am the resurrection and the life
I am the way, the truth, and the life
I am the true vine
In John 9, a man was born blind so Jesus wants to heal this person. When the disciples of Jesus saw this man born blind, they first asked whose fault was this. Jesus answered that it was no one’s fault but God wants to glorify him. It is human flesh to find someone to be blamed, but when we are blamed, we will try to find excuses or cover it up. There is no peace in it. Jesus healed the man. He not only wanted to bring healing to the man, but also the gospel and salvation. We can also do the same in our walk and testimony. But the Pharisees were not happy with what happened because Jesus got the glory and credit but not them.
John 10:9 - ”I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.“
Jesus came in to talk about what is a good Shepherd. The door of the sheepfold is surrounded by stone, so the sheep cannot escape and wolves cannot enter. The only way to exit and enter is the door in front that is guarded by the shepherd. Only through Jesus, we can be saved and can find the true blessing.
John 14:6 - ”Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.“
John 10:10 - ”The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.“
Jesus really cares about the sheep. He protects our lives and it’s not just a simple life of survival, but an abundant life. In difficult times, we don’t feel defeated because we have an abundant life. People cannot tell that we have difficulties because we bring the fragrance of Jesus. But the thief comes into our relationships. The devil doesn’t only work mightily outside of church, but even more inside the church. We have to try our best to keep the unity that God has given us. This was exchanged by His precious blood. The Shepherd had to give up His life for our protection. We don’t destroy this wonderful love that God has given us.
John 10:11 - ”“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.“
Jesus is the good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. Jesus’ love is a sacrificial love. He doesn’t want us to repay these to Him. We might be selfish when we love people, but Jesus doesn’t do that.
John 10:17-18 - ”“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.”“
Jesus does these because the Father told Him to do it. Jesus is obedient to His Father so the Father loves Him. Jesus didn't need to go through the pain but He did it because it is the will of God. He is obedient even till the point of death. As we learn the character of the good Shepherd, let’s look at what kind of sheep we should be.
John 10:2-4 - ”But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.“
There are many sheep inside but not all belong to the same shepherd. However, the sheep recognised the voice of the shepherd. He also calls the sheep by name. Jesus is our Shepherd. We should recognise His commands and know what pleases Him. He also knows us by name. The sheep will follow the shepherd. As sheep, do we recognise Jesus’ voice?
John 10:14-15 - ”I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.“
When we are in difficulty, this verse reminds us that Jesus knows us. If Jesus is our Shepherd, we lack nothing. The stress and anxiety is there not because God is not blessing us, but because we don’t know Him well enough. We may only pray to Him as our last resort and go to Him because we have no help anymore. God knows us, but do we also know Him? He akin our relationship to the Father and Jesus. Jesus is a good shepherd that is close to His sheep. He stays inside us and knows what we are thinking or going through. Are we also close to Him?
John 10:12-13 - ”But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.“
The ‘hired hand’ is referring to the Pharisees. God has given us many areas of ministry. Minimally, we are here to encourage a fellow brother or sister. Don’t think that it is not our problem. It is not by coincidence that God placed us together.
John 10:16 - ”And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.“
There are still many people who don’t know about Jesus. Jesus wants us to bring them to Him. Jesus is loving to other sheep. Jesus wants oneness with all sheep.
John 10:11 - ”“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.“
The love of God is so big in us that we can return it to the people around us. When we fall, we pray that there will be a brother and sister that will encourage us. When we overcome this, we will be the person to help someone else. We are here because we have a good Shepherd. This is kingdom on earth already. We wouldn’t want to exchange this for anything else.
Are we Jesus’ Good Sheep?
Obedient to God and His word?
Close to God and others?
Loving to God and others?
Oneness with God and others?
Amen.
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