E-Free Church
The Good Shepherd
We all know the verse, “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.” But did you realize that all through out the Bible Jesus is called a shepherd? But it’s the adjectives that give it the meaning. He’s called a gentle shepherd, a good shepherd, a great shepherd, a chief shepherd, and my shepherd. What a shepherd He is! So join ins this Sunday for this brand new series…WHAT A SHEPHERD.
Locations & Times
E-Free Church - Gaylord Campus
1649 M-32, Gaylord, MI 49735, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
WHAT A SHEPHERD
He is the Good Shepherd
John 10
Isaiah 40 = The Lord is a GENTLE Shepherd
Psalm 23 – The Lord is MY Shepherd
Hebrews 13 = The Lord is a GREAT Shepherd
1 Peter 5 = The Lord is the CHIEF Shepherd
John 10 = The Lord is a GOOD Shepherd
I AM THE DOOR
John 10:7-8 - So 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.
In this passage Jesus contrasts Himself from the false teachers
At the end of the day, a shepherd would bring his flock back to the fold and he would count an inspect each sheep as they entered the fold
Often the shepherd would sleep at the entrance of the fold, making his very body the door)
Jesus takes on this analogy saying, “I am the door” (contrasting Himself to the false teachers who are like those who try to enter the fold a different way to harm the sheep)
He is the Good Shepherd
John 10
Isaiah 40 = The Lord is a GENTLE Shepherd
Psalm 23 – The Lord is MY Shepherd
Hebrews 13 = The Lord is a GREAT Shepherd
1 Peter 5 = The Lord is the CHIEF Shepherd
John 10 = The Lord is a GOOD Shepherd
I AM THE DOOR
John 10:7-8 - So 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.
In this passage Jesus contrasts Himself from the false teachers
At the end of the day, a shepherd would bring his flock back to the fold and he would count an inspect each sheep as they entered the fold
Often the shepherd would sleep at the entrance of the fold, making his very body the door)
Jesus takes on this analogy saying, “I am the door” (contrasting Himself to the false teachers who are like those who try to enter the fold a different way to harm the sheep)
He is not A door, He is THE door
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Because Jesus is the door, through Him we can find eternal benefits:
Salvation (he will be saved)
Sustenance (will go in and out and find pasture)
Satisfaction (they may have life and have it abundantly)
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Because Jesus is the door, through Him we can find eternal benefits:
Salvation (he will be saved)
Sustenance (will go in and out and find pasture)
Satisfaction (they may have life and have it abundantly)
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD
The Good Shepherd SACRIFICES
Jesus willing lays down His life for His sheep (speaking of the substitutionary atonement of Christ)
V11 – The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep
V15 – I lay down My life for the sheep
V17 – I lay down My life
V18 – I lay it (my life) down on My own initiative
He again contrasts Himself with false teachers who He illustrates as a hired hand that runs when there is danger because his real concern is for himself not for the sheep
The Good Shepherd SACRIFICES
Jesus willing lays down His life for His sheep (speaking of the substitutionary atonement of Christ)
V11 – The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep
V15 – I lay down My life for the sheep
V17 – I lay down My life
V18 – I lay it (my life) down on My own initiative
He again contrasts Himself with false teachers who He illustrates as a hired hand that runs when there is danger because his real concern is for himself not for the sheep
The Good Shepherd SECURES
The word “know” demonstrates an intimate relationship
Same word used to describe the sexual intimacy of a husband and a wife (“he knew his wife”)
John 10:27-30 - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
The word “know” demonstrates an intimate relationship
Same word used to describe the sexual intimacy of a husband and a wife (“he knew his wife”)
John 10:27-30 - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
The Good Shepherd SEARCHES
What is the significance of the lost item?
If you have 100 sheep and have lost one of them…?
Every man could relate to shepherding
What steps does the man take to find the lost sheep?
He leaves the 99 and goes out to find the lost sheep
Open pasture (eromos) = rough land or wilderness
When he finds it, he celebrates
What principles is Jesus teaching?
Sinners are lost and very valuable to God!
The lost sheep was very valuable to the shepherd
In the same way sinners are lost and very valuable to God
The word “lost” is used 8 times in chapter 15
GB Caird = “To call a man lost is to pay him high compliment, for it means that he is very precious in the sight of God!”
God will go through infinite trouble to find lost people!
The shepherd went to great trouble to find the lost sheep
In the same, way, God is willing to go through infinite trouble to find lost people (Luke 19:10; Romans 5:8)
Luke 19:10 - or the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Nothing brings greater celebration to heaven than a lost person being found!
The shepherd rejoiced when finding the lost sheep and invited his friends to rejoice as well
In the same way, there is rejoicing in heaven (v7) and in the presence of the angels (v10) when a lost person is found
170,000 converts daily - who cancelled the party in the church?
Gypsy Smith = “The church doesn’t make half enough fuss when one is converted!”)
What is the significance of the lost item?
If you have 100 sheep and have lost one of them…?
Every man could relate to shepherding
What steps does the man take to find the lost sheep?
He leaves the 99 and goes out to find the lost sheep
Open pasture (eromos) = rough land or wilderness
When he finds it, he celebrates
What principles is Jesus teaching?
Sinners are lost and very valuable to God!
The lost sheep was very valuable to the shepherd
In the same way sinners are lost and very valuable to God
The word “lost” is used 8 times in chapter 15
GB Caird = “To call a man lost is to pay him high compliment, for it means that he is very precious in the sight of God!”
God will go through infinite trouble to find lost people!
The shepherd went to great trouble to find the lost sheep
In the same, way, God is willing to go through infinite trouble to find lost people (Luke 19:10; Romans 5:8)
Luke 19:10 - or the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Nothing brings greater celebration to heaven than a lost person being found!
The shepherd rejoiced when finding the lost sheep and invited his friends to rejoice as well
In the same way, there is rejoicing in heaven (v7) and in the presence of the angels (v10) when a lost person is found
170,000 converts daily - who cancelled the party in the church?
Gypsy Smith = “The church doesn’t make half enough fuss when one is converted!”)