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 
543. On John 15:1-8. The Necessity Of Abiding In Jesus. A Reading for Sunday 28 April 2024
In the short passage Jesus taught His disciples some very great truths. He spoke of how His disciples were joined to him by their faith. That faith-union already existed but could be deepened as His disciples drew nearer to Him. Jesus Himself would help them in that process. There was danger for those who refused to abide in Him. However, there would be a blessing for those who committed themselves to Jesus and to His words.
The theme here is of abiding in Jesus. But what does ”abide” mean? It comes from [menō; μένω] and has these meanings, to remain, await, continue to be, to remain regarding a place, a time or a situation.
1]. Believers Already Abide In The True Vine. 15:1-3
John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.”
In these verses Jesus shares with His disciples that they are branches attached to Himself as the vine. The Father as the vine dresser wants the vine to grow and so He removes the branches that don’t bear fruit. But He also prunes the vines that do bear fruit so they may become more fruitful.
It reminds us that sometimes there are difficulties we face in our Christian walk. Often it is the Lord Himself who is arranging circumstances so we look for Him for His help. Fathers need to discipline their children and our Heavenly Father disciplines His children so they might live more fruitful lives. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews put it like this, “If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:8-11. The Lord’s discipline is done in love and for the benefit of those who receive it as they are made more holy.
That came a word of encouragement from the lips of Jesus, “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.” 15:3. “Clean” is from [katharos; καθαρός] meaning ceremonially and morally clean, pure, unsoiled, upright, virtuous. Believers had already been cleansed by accepting and acting on what Jesus had spoken to them.”
2]. Jesus Wants Believers To Abide In Him More Deeply. 15:4-5.
John 15:4 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
The invitation to abide in Christ is also a command. The great truth is that Jesus does abide in His disciples and gives them the motivation to remain in constant communion with Him. But humans have to make the effort to be open to Him. Only when the branch is abiding in the vine will it be fruitful. Jesus then affirmed the truth that those who abide in Him will bear much fruit. They cannot be fruitful apart from Him and can do nothing of eternal value while they are separated from Him.
We need to ask what is meant by the word “fruit” in this passage. Fruit is the natural outflow of the life of the vine, so the fruit God desires is that which is produced in us by the presence of Christ living in our lives. It is the outflow of His life through us as we abide in Him.
St Paul expressed a similar concept when he wrote Philippians 2:12-13, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Believers to need to work out in their lives what God is working within them. He gives them the willingness and the ability to please God in their lives. Their lives are an expression of the life of God within them. The fruit is the outward expression of the work of God in our inner being and God is glorified when it exalts His name.
3]. The Danger Of Not Abiding In Jesus. 15:6.
John 15:6 ”If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”
This is a strong warning from the lips of Jesus. Unless people continue to abide in Jesus they will wither like branches and will be destroyed. There are many different interpretations as to what these words mean but they can be summed up in the sense of believers must abide constantly in Christ. Jesus has made it possible for believers to continue to abide in Him because He abides continually in them. Jesus later prayed to his Heavenly Father, “I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26. Not only could His disciples know the indwelling presence of Jesus, but they could also experience His divine agape love.
4]. The Blessing Of Abiding In Jesus. 15:7-8.
4a]. Our prayers will be answered. 15:7.
John 15:7 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
It is not enough just to have some picture of Jesus in our minds as we pray. We have to be led in our prayers by the teaching Jesus has given to His disciples. Then we are praying in accord with the will of God and such prayers will be answered. As St John wrote in1 John 5:14-15, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” Jesus can be trusted to hear His people’s prayers and to answer them as they continue to abide in Him.
4b]. God Will Be Glorified. 15:8.
John 15:8 “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
In the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the first question asks “What is the chief end of man?” The reply is, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” It sums up the truth of 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” That should be the aim of every believer and the indwelling Christ can enable that to happen. It should be the characteristic of every believer to show forth fruit and so prove to be His disciples.
St Paul expressed the same truth but in different words in 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” The term “beholding the glory of the Lord” could be likened to “abiding.” The word “beholding” is from [katoptrizō; κατοπτρίζω] meaning to behold as in a mirror or to reflect what is being beheld. When our focus is continually on Jesus and His glory [abiding in Him], a change is taking place in us. It is called a “transformation” from [metamorphoō; μεταμορφόω meaning a change in external form, also translated as “transfiguration.” We begin to reflect in our lives the glory of the Person we are beholding, becoming more like Him. And this is an ongoing process wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, “from one degree of glory to another” as we behold Him or abide in Him. The more we reflect His glory, the more He is glorified.
Blog No.543 posted on Thursday 11 April 2024.