One of the most famous hymns sung in churches begins with the words, “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll not want.” It is based on the Shepherd Psalm 23 but also on the words of Jesus in John chapter 10 where Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd. We look at the latter to see what He meant.
Jesus The True Good Shepherd.10:11-15
John 10:11 “ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
“Good’ is from [kalos; καλός] meaning beautiful, valuable, virtuous, of great value. Jesus as the good shepherd was much superior to other so-called shepherds who were supposed to care for the sheep.
“Hired hand” is from [misthōtos; μισθωτός] means a wage worker, someone hired to perform a duty. Because they have no relationship with the sheep, they have no desire to risk their lives when caring for the sheep. When danger appears they flee because they care nothing for the sheep.
The contrast is made with Jesus as the Good Shepherd. He knows those who belong to Him and they know Him. This is a personal knowledge that Jesus compares to the knowledge the Father and Himself enjoy of one another. Jesus knows His sheep and cares for them, being willing to die for them.
Jesus Speaks Of Other Sheep. 10:16
John 10:16 “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” It must have seemed a bit strange to Jewish ears to hear that Jesus was interested in bringing people from other nations and cultures into the believing community. God had declared that Israel was His chosen people so why was Jesus talking about having a mission to bring others into God’s fold? However, God’s purpose was to bring the message of His forgiving love to a world that desperately needed it. Jesus had brought his message to the Jews, and now was the time to take it to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. There were other sheep outside the Jewish community whom Jesus knew would respond to His message. Many of them would listen to His voice and respond to Him. They would then become part of the one flock of God’s people with Jesus as their shepherd.
Jesus Claimed To Have Power Over Life And Death. 10:17-18
17 “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
Jesus had just spoken of laying down His life for His sheep and now He declares what that would mean. Even though He was shortly to go through human death, it was something He chose to do. Humans wouldn’t just kill Him as a powerless victim. Rather He would willingly lay down His life. Then He would take it up again. This was the authority that God had given Him.
It’s great to know that Jesus was not a helpless victim of human brutality. Even when facing death He was in charge. He willingly surrendered his human life when dying on the cross. Matthew records in Mat 27:50 “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.”
Then three days later He took it up again in His resurrection. Jesus conquered death and humans can be the beneficiaries of His triumph.
Jesus Gave His Followers A Commandment To Love One Another. 15:12-14
John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
Jesus showed the greatest love in laying down His life for His friends, meaning His disciples. They could prove to be His friends by obeying His commandments. The commandment was to love one another in the same way Jesus loved them. There were two aspects to this.
A willingness to lay down one’s life for others in the same way Jesus was to lay down His life.
And a willingness to love one another in the same way He had loved them.
St John captured both those aspects when he wrote, 1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”
St Paul did likewise in Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
The writer to the Hebrews shows how Jesus expressed His love for His followers as He became both the High Priest and the victim as He offered His own blood as an atoning sacrifice for His people, Hebrews 9:12 “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Motivated by love, He chose to enter into the holy places and He chose to offer His own blood to redeem lost sinners.
It is an amazing truth that Jesus laid down His life for sinners. I remember my theological college principal the late Dr Leon Morris saying, “We need to remember that we are people who have been died for, and died for by none other, than the SON OF GOD HIMSELF. “
Blog No.542 posted on Thursday 04 April 2024
holbeck 
542. Sermon Outline on John 10:11-18 “Jesus The True Good Shepherd” A reading for Sunday 21 April 2024
One of the most famous hymns sung in churches begins with the words, “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll not want.” It is based on the Shepherd Psalm 23 but also on the words of Jesus in John chapter 10 where Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd. We look at the latter to see what He meant.
Jesus The True Good Shepherd.10:11-15
John 10:11 “ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
“Good’ is from [kalos; καλός] meaning beautiful, valuable, virtuous, of great value. Jesus as the good shepherd was much superior to other so-called shepherds who were supposed to care for the sheep.
“Hired hand” is from [misthōtos; μισθωτός] means a wage worker, someone hired to perform a duty. Because they have no relationship with the sheep, they have no desire to risk their lives when caring for the sheep. When danger appears they flee because they care nothing for the sheep.
The contrast is made with Jesus as the Good Shepherd. He knows those who belong to Him and they know Him. This is a personal knowledge that Jesus compares to the knowledge the Father and Himself enjoy of one another. Jesus knows His sheep and cares for them, being willing to die for them.
Jesus Speaks Of Other Sheep. 10:16
John 10:16 “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” It must have seemed a bit strange to Jewish ears to hear that Jesus was interested in bringing people from other nations and cultures into the believing community. God had declared that Israel was His chosen people so why was Jesus talking about having a mission to bring others into God’s fold? However, God’s purpose was to bring the message of His forgiving love to a world that desperately needed it. Jesus had brought his message to the Jews, and now was the time to take it to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. There were other sheep outside the Jewish community whom Jesus knew would respond to His message. Many of them would listen to His voice and respond to Him. They would then become part of the one flock of God’s people with Jesus as their shepherd.
Jesus Claimed To Have Power Over Life And Death. 10:17-18
17 “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
Jesus had just spoken of laying down His life for His sheep and now He declares what that would mean. Even though He was shortly to go through human death, it was something He chose to do. Humans wouldn’t just kill Him as a powerless victim. Rather He would willingly lay down His life. Then He would take it up again. This was the authority that God had given Him.
It’s great to know that Jesus was not a helpless victim of human brutality. Even when facing death He was in charge. He willingly surrendered his human life when dying on the cross. Matthew records in Mat 27:50 “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.”
Then three days later He took it up again in His resurrection. Jesus conquered death and humans can be the beneficiaries of His triumph.
Jesus Gave His Followers A Commandment To Love One Another. 15:12-14
John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
Jesus showed the greatest love in laying down His life for His friends, meaning His disciples. They could prove to be His friends by obeying His commandments. The commandment was to love one another in the same way Jesus loved them. There were two aspects to this.
A willingness to lay down one’s life for others in the same way Jesus was to lay down His life.
And a willingness to love one another in the same way He had loved them.
St John captured both those aspects when he wrote, 1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”
St Paul did likewise in Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
The writer to the Hebrews shows how Jesus expressed His love for His followers as He became both the High Priest and the victim as He offered His own blood as an atoning sacrifice for His people, Hebrews 9:12 “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Motivated by love, He chose to enter into the holy places and He chose to offer His own blood to redeem lost sinners.
It is an amazing truth that Jesus laid down His life for sinners. I remember my theological college principal the late Dr Leon Morris saying, “We need to remember that we are people who have been died for, and died for by none other, than the SON OF GOD HIMSELF. “
Blog No.542 posted on Thursday 04 April 2024
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.