John 9:35-10:21: “Jesus Seeks Out The Man Whom He Had Healed Then Declares That He Is The Door Of The Sheep And The Good Shepherd”

By

Jim Bomkamp

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1.                  INTRO:

 

1.1.         In our last study we looked at verses 1-34 of chapter 9.

 

1.1.1.  In that study, we saw that as Jesus was passing through Judea with His disciples that He came upon a man who had been blind from birth.

 

1.1.2.  Rather than being compassionate towards the man and seeing if Jesus might heal the man, Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus whether or not the man’s blindness was caused by his own sins or the sins of his parents.  We  discussed how we should in thought and deed approach situations with people where they for whatever reason have had to go through great amounts of suffering or deprivation.

 

1.1.3.  Jesus performed a wonderful work of healing of the man’s eyesight who was born blind, but then we saw that when the man went to the Temple that the Pharisees brought him and his parents to court in order to try to disprove a genuine healing had occurred and discredit the healed man as well as Jesus.

 

1.1.4.  We saw how this healing by Jesus symbolized prophetically God’s work in restoring sinners to wholeness through salvation in Christ.

 

1.1.5.  We saw how this healed blind man became an incredible and bold evangelist for Jesus and stood up for Jesus before the Pharisees, simply testifying of the things that he knew that Jesus had done in his life. I mentioned that the more I read and think about this man the more I admire him.

 

1.1.6.  However, as the man continued to stick to his story about Jesus healing of him, we saw that the Pharisees finally excommunicated the man from all temple and civil life in Judea. 

 

1.2.         In this study, we are going to look at verses 35 of chapter 9 through verse 21 of chapter 10.

 

1.2.1.  Jesus will go and go and seek out the man whom He had healed from a blindness from birth who had been excommunicated from the synagogue for testifying of Jesus’ healing of him.  Jesus will encourage and strengthen the faith of this man.

 

1.2.2.  Next, Jesus will begin to declare to those who are present more about who He is in the essence of His person and mission.

 

1.2.3.  Jesus will declare that He is the door to salvation for the sheep.

 

1.2.4.  Jesus will declare also that He is the Great Shepherd. 

 

2.                 VS 9:35  - “Jesus heard that they had put him out;  and finding him, He said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of man?’  He answered and said, ‘And who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’  Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you’.  And he said, ‘Lord, I believe’.  And he worshipped Him.” – When Jesus heard that the Pharisees had put out of the synagogue the man healed from his blindness He came and found the man and told him who He was who had healed him

 

2.1.         Moved by compassion after hearing that the man whom He had healed of blindness had been excommunicated by the Pharisees, Jesus goes and finds the man in order to encourage him.  Jesus asks the man if he believes in the Son of ‘God’ or ‘man,’ depending upon the Greek manuscript.

 

2.2.         Later in this story, Jesus will declare that He is the Good Shepherd, and in seeking out this man who has been excommunicated for testifying of Him we see that Jesus is demonstrating the qualities of a Good Shepherd. 

 

2.3.         We can see that the man is anticipating that Jesus is probably the Messiah, however he still answers Jesus by asking, who this ‘son of man’ individual may be? 

 

2.4.         The healed man is ready to believe in Jesus wholeheartedly, and he is also ready to give Jesus all of his heartfelt thanks.  The man immediately worships Jesus when Jesus declares to him that He is this One, the ‘Son of man.’ 

 

2.5.         Note that Jesus in His earthly life never turned away or rebuffed those who worshipped Him, as happened on this occasion, with Thomas after Jesus’ resurrection, and else where in the New Testament.  If Jesus were any other than God Himself then to worship a mere creation would have been of the grossest idolatry, however Jesus should be worshipped because as God The Son from all eternity He is worthy of our worship. 

 

2.5.1.  Jesus never turns away or rebuffs us when we come to Him to worship Him.  He loves for us to give to Him all of our heartfelt worship and praise, for He is truly worthy all of it.

 

2.6.         The Lord is always close to His children when they are persecuted for His Name.  Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:14, ‘the spirit of glory and of God rests upon,’ us when we are persecuted and suffer for the Lord. 

 

2.7.         We Christians need not fear persecution from the world, for in reality the world cannot hurt us or damage us in any way, and we will be blessed if we are persecuted for the Lord! 

 

3.                 VS 9:39-40  - “And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see;  and that those who see may become blind’.  Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things, and said to Him, ‘We are not blind too, are we?’  Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, then you would have no sin;  but since you say, ‘’We see’’, your sin remains’.” -  Jesus tells those present that it was for judgment that He came into the world, that those who are blind may see and that those who see may become blind

 

3.1.         Jesus tells all of those who were listening to Him on that day that He came into the world for judgment so that those who see (the religious leaders of the people, whose calling it was to instruct the people in religious matters) may not see (may become blinded to further revelation of God because of the sin hardened hearts), and that those who do not see (the common people who were not pretentious) may be made to see (to truly have wisdom and knowledge of the truth of Jesus and salvation). 

 

3.2.         When the Pharisees ask Jesus if they are blind also, He tells them in essence that if they were not hardened and pretentious believing that they knew what they were doing that they would at this time have sight.  Instead though, Jesus tells them that their sins remain unforgiven before the Lord!

 

3.3.         We Christians need to be careful that we do not have the attitude of the Pharisees in saying in our hearts that, “we see,” that we really believe that we know what we are doing.  When we think like this we are not being dependent upon the Lord and seeing ourselves as needy before Him.  Jesus said on another occasion that one must become as a little child in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Are you childlike today?  Are you really teachable?  Do you continually stand in awe of God and His work, just as a little child would do?

 

4.                 VS 10:1-2  - “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep’.” -  Jesus declares that He is the door to the sheep

 

4.1.         In this parable, Jesus teaches that there is only one acceptable entrance into being a shepherd of God’s flock, that is by the door that He opens.  God’s ministers must receive a special commission from Him, and have His sanction upon their lives.

 

4.2.         In the middle east in this day, at night a shepherd would take his sheep to a sheepfold, which was a pen with high walls around it and only one door of entrance.  The shepherd would leave his sheep with the door keeper and go and rest for the night.  The next morning he would come to the doorkeeper and get his sheep from the sheepfold.

 

4.3.         In using this analogy, Jesus is comparing Himself and His ministry to that of the Pharisees.  He came in by the door keeper, or the legitimate entrance, into God’s people.  However, the Pharisees had acted like thieves and robbers and climbed up their own way to the sheep, making rules and laws that superseded and nullified God’s commandments.  Jesus as the true shepherd came to the sheep the legitimate way, through the door and the door keeper.  In this explanation, you can see that the doorkeeper is the Holy Spirit who validated Jesus’ ministry and all that He did.   

 

4.4.         The self-appointed shepherds who aren’t commissioned by the Lord have evil and self-serving motives, and Jesus describes them as climbing up by some other way.  Also, they do not really care for the sheep but are only looking out for themselves, and thus they are also described as thieves and robbers.  Instead of having a heart for the sheep, they are building their own kingdoms and abuse the sheep. 

 

4.5.         Later on in these verses, Jesus says that He is the door of the sheep, and thus some have said that Jesus is teaching that a shepherd that is called must come through Jesus.  However, it seems that in these verses that Jesus is just saying that there is a proper and an improper way for a shepherd to come. 

 

4.6.         There were many places in the Old Testament where the God’s appointed shepherds over Israel were judged and condemned by the Lord.  Jesus is the true and prototypical shepherd, and a true shepherd of God’s people will be so because He is called by Jesus and is like Jesus in character himself.

 

4.7.         Church leaders of all types must be people who are moldable by the Lord, and who have let Him lead them in every facet of their lives and ministries.  They must not be people who are motivated by selfish ambition or glory.  God’s leaders must also be people who have waited for God’s timing before stepping out into ministry, and thus they have God’ s blessing upon their lives. 

 

4.8.         As Moses began his ministry forty years after his calling, God’s ministers must also go through the deserts and valleys that are designed for their training and breaking.  Then, and only then will they be properly prepared to shepherd as Christ the good shepherd shepherds them.

 

4.9.         The best leaders are those who first were good followers!

 

5.                 VS 10:3  - “‘To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out’.” -  The one who enters by the door into the sheep, the sheep hear his voice, and he calls and leads his sheep by name.

 

5.1.         The ‘doorkeeper’ in this parable  has been variously interpreted as John the Baptist, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit.  As I mentioned, I prefer that the Holy Spirit is symbolized by the ‘doorkeeper’ since His work in the lives of God’s people most suits the name, ‘doorkeeper.’ 

 

5.2.         The sheep recognize the voice of the true shepherd.  Christ’s sheep recognize His voice when He calls them by name.  This is one of the characteristics of one who has truly come to have salvation in Christ. 

 

5.3.         Jesus is the prototypical shepherd.  Also, He knows each of His sheep by name, as He has special care and concern for each of His sheep.  He is also a true leader of the sheep, thus He ‘leads them out.’

 

6.                 VS 10:4-5  - “‘When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers’.” -  The true shepherd goes before the sheep and the sheep follow him because they know his voice

 

6.1.         A good shepherd goes before his flock so that he can protect them from wolves and harm in general.  Some shepherds follow behind their sheep and herd them, but not the good shepherd who cares for the sheep. 

 

6.2.         The sheep follow behind the good shepherd because they know his voice and he has a rapport individually with each sheep.  This is the second characteristic of someone who has come to truly have salvation, he will follow Jesus where He leads him.

 

6.3.         Jesus teaches that His sheep in this world will not follow false shepherds because His sheep do not recognize the voice of the false shepherds.  This teaches the doctrine of the ‘perseverance of the saints,’ true sheep will not fall away and follow false shepherds.

 

6.4.         Strangers will not be followed by God’s sheep because they do not know the voice of a stranger, and thus they will flee from him. 

 

6.5.         God’s shepherds in the church must lead the sheep by example, not by lording it over them.  They too must go before the sheep, leading by example!  Christ said that the those who will be great in His kingdom will be the servant of all, and God’s shepherds must be examples to the sheep of a servant, if they are to shepherd as their shepherd.

 

7.                 VS 10:6  - “This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.” -  John tells us that they did not understand this figure of speech that had been posed by Jesus

 

7.1.         Jesus had totally lost all of His hearers, disciple and Pharisee alike.  None realized that Jesus was the good shepherd of this parable, nor appreciated what it would mean to them as one of God’s sheep.

 

8.                 VS 10:7-9  - “Jesus therefore said to them again, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door;  if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture’.” -  Jesus tells everyone that He is the door of the sheep and all who enter through Him shall be saved, but all who came before Him were thieves and robbers

 

8.1.         Now, Jesus tells the group assembled that He is the door of the sheep.   This is now Jesus’ third ‘I am’ statement concerning Himself in this gospel.

 

8.2.         Being ‘the door’ infers in this teaching that Jesus is the only way for a person to come to salvation.  Before Jesus had stated that He came through the door-keeper to the sheep (the legitimate way), now He states that He is the very ‘door’ to salvation.  Later in this gospel, Jesus will state that He alone is the way, truth, and life and no man comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6-7).

 

8.3.         All of the false Messiahs that previously came to the Jews were just thieves and robbers and never really cared for the sheep, but rather robbed from them.  The Pharisees were also teaching a false means of salvation, through the adherence to their own laws.

 

8.4.         Jesus again repeats that those who are God’s elect sheep do not go after those who are false shepherds and teachers.

 

8.5.         Jesus was leading God’s sheep out of Judaism in order to bring them to salvation. 

 

8.6.         Then, Jesus tells them that if anyone (for salvation is open to all who will come) enters through Him to know and serve the Father, He shall be saved from all danger and harm, and that he shall also go in and out of God’s house as a Son, and shall “find green pastures” to graze and rest in.  This is very reminiscent of the 23rd Psalm, where the ideal shepherd is described.  Salvation is described as finding pasture by Jesus, and what a picture that presents for us of what the Lord performs in our life when we come to salvation.

 

8.7.         As God’s shepherds, we leaders in the church are called to watch carefully over our flock, protect them, and to make sure that they are always fed the word of God so that they will be healthy.  But, we must also lead them besides the still waters (as in Psalm 23) where they shall find rest for their souls.  We must teach them not to strive but to wait and rest in the Lord!  Lead them to the peace that passes comprehension, and make sure they stay there.  We must lead them to an environment where they feel protected, or find pasture, and thus they will be able to grow spiritually in that environment.

 

9.                 VS 10:10  - “‘The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy;  I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly’.” -  Jesus tells the people assembled that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but that He came that they might have abundant life

 

9.1.         Jesus explains further what the ‘thief,’ or the false shepherd, desires for the sheep.  He steals, kills, and destroys the sheep because He is only building his own kingdom at their expense.  However, Jesus as a good shepherd only desires to give to the sheep that quality of life that comes from God, that which is ‘life abundant’ (full and meaningful).

 

9.2.         God’s shepherds should lead the sheep of our flock into the ways of life, as Jesus leads us to life abundantly.

 

10.            VS 10:11-13  - “‘I am the good shepherd;  the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them.  He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep’.” -  Jesus tells those assembled that as the good shepherd of the sheep that He lays down His life for the sheep, not like the hireling of the sheep who flees the sheep when he sees the wolf coming

 

10.1.    Jesus says that He is the ‘Good Shepherd,’ and this is His fourth ‘I am’ statement in this gospel.

 

10.2.    The Greek word that is translated ‘good’ here is “kalos” and it means something that is of good quality as opposed to those things that are worthless or of little value.  The term ‘Good Shepherd’ then refers to the type or quality of a shepherd that Jesus is.

 

10.3.    The scriptures tell us much about how that we as God’s people are His sheep and He our shepherd, for instance:

 

10.3.1.Psalm 23:1 tells us that the Lord is our shepherd, “1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

 

10.3.2.In Isaiah 40:11, we are told how that the Messiah when He comes shall act like a good and caring shepherd, “11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” 

 

10.3.3.In Zechariah 13:7 it is prophesied that the Messiah who is the Lord’s shepherd will be struck down and that at that time the sheep will be scattered, “7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate,” Declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones.” 

 

10.3.4.In Hebrews 13:20 Jesus is called “the great Shepherd of the sheep”, “20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord.” 

 

10.3.5.In Revelation 7:17 we are told that for eternity the Lamb in the center of the throne will be our shepherd, “17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.””

 

10.3.6.Zechariah 11:17 references a man called “the idol shepherd” or “worthless shepherd” who is believed to be the anti-Christ when he comes, “17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.”

 

10.3.7.Ezekiel 34 exhorts against the shepherds of God’s flock who don’t take good care of the flock, much as the Pharisees did in Jesus’ day, “1 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3 “You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. 4 “Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. 5 “They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. 6 “My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.” ’ ” 7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “surely because My flock has become a prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock; 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 10 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.” ’ ” 11 For thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12 “As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. 13 “I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. 14 “I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 “I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God. 16 “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment. 17 “As for you, My flock, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats. 18 ‘Is it too slight a thing for you that you should feed in the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures? Or that you should drink of the clear waters, that you must foul the rest with your feet? 19 ‘As for My flock, they must eat what you tread down with your feet and drink what you foul with your feet!’ ” 20 Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them, “Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 “Because you push with side and with shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns until you have scattered them abroad, 22 therefore, I will deliver My flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 “Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. 24 “And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the Lord have spoken. 25 “I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful beasts from the land so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 “I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing. 27 “Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 28 “They will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. 29 “I will establish for them a renowned planting place, and they will not again be victims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations anymore. 30 “Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,” declares the Lord God. 31 “As for you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are men, and I am your God,” declares the Lord God.”

 

10.4.    From the 23rd Psalm, we can see that a good shepherd takes care of the needs of his sheep to such an extent that they shall not want, he feeds them, he leads them to water, he leads them to rest, he protects them, etc.

 

10.5.    It is interesting that the scriptures reveal that the Lord considers His people to be like sheep, and there are many ways that this is applicable, including:

 

10.5.1.Sheep have no offensive or defensive implements and are entirely dependent upon a shepherd for protection.

 

10.5.2.They tend to wander away and thus need to constantly be shepherded.

 

10.5.3.A sheep can starve to death or die of thirst within sight of food or water and need a shepherd to lead them to eat and drink.

 

10.5.4.Sheep are not too smart.

 

10.5.5.Sheep tend to follow the pack, even if it is dangerous to do so.  If one sheep goes over a cliff they will all go over a cliff.  The shepherd must constantly keep an eye on them.

 

10.6.    As The Good Shepherd, Jesus tells us that He lays down His life for the sheep.  Jesus is predicting that He will die on the cross so that we might have life through His sacrifice when He talks about laying down His life. 

 

10.7.    Jesus’ laying down of His life is not just a one time event, it goes on forever and ever.   He is always protecting and watching over His sheep, and at their disposal. 

 

10.8.    False shepherds are called ‘hirelings’ because they do not treat the sheep like one who owned them would treat them.  When a person owns something, he usually treats his property with a lot of care.  But, when he borrows someone else’s property, he will not go to the same extent in caring for that property.  Likewise, the hireling leaves the sheep and flees when faced with danger or the need of his sacrifice.  As a result, the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters the flock  of a hireling.

 

10.9.    In the church, we all have at times people whom we are entrusted to care for.  As a result, we all have the opportunity to either be a good shepherd and truly care for those allotted to our care, or act as a hireling.  The hireling is only concerned for what he gets out of shepherding the sheep.  He is not motivated out of an unselfish desire to care for the sheep.  So, we all ought to follow the true ‘Good Shepherd’ and as He cares for us, so we should care for those who are allotted to our care!!! 

 

10.10.We all wimp out at times in the area of serving others, but this is an exhortation to lay our lives down for the sheep we have been given charge of, just as Jesus lays His life down for us.

 

10.11.In the biography of Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators’ ministry, the story of his death is told.  He jumped into a river to save a person that was drowning.  The person was saved, however Dawson himself drowned in the rescue.  The author summed up Dawson’s life by saying that, ‘He died as he had lived, for others!’  People in this world are drowning in their sin and we have the opportunity always before us to jump in and try to rescue them.  This operation will always be risky and dangerous, and will cost us.  In fact, some time we may die in the process of rescuing others as Dawson did.  However, as Jesus laid down His life for us, we are called upon to lay our lives down for the sheep that God brings into our lives!

 

11.            VS 10:14-15  - “‘I am the good shepherd;  and I know my own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father;  and I lay down My life for the sheep’.” -  Jesus tells the people that as the Good Shepherd that He knows His own and that His own know Him, even as the Father knows Him

 

11.1.    Jesus reiterates being the good shepherd in these verses.  And, He lets the people assembled know that He does in fact know His sheep. 

 

11.2.    Then, Jesus relates that just as the Father knows His son and He knows His Father, in the same way does He know His own sheep, and they can know Him.  The relationship that Jesus has with God the Father demonstrates His relationship with His sheep and in a sense is a guarantee of that relationship His sheep can have with Him.

 

11.3.    If we are sure that God loved Jesus (His Son), then we can be sure that Jesus loves and cares for us as His sheep.

 

12.            VS 10:16  - “‘And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold;  I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice;  and they shall become one flock with one shepherd’.” -  Jesus tells the people assembled that He has other sheep which are not of this fold but that they also shall hear His voice and become one flock with one shepherd

 

12.1.    Jesus reveals that His body (the church) is to include many more than it did at that present time, and that those other sheep shall follow Him as their shepherd, just as His present sheep follow Him.  And, He tells them that His church is universal, and shall be one body (flock) with Him as their shepherd.

 

13.            VS 10:17-18  - “‘For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative.  I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.  This commandment I received from My Father’.” – Jesus tells the people assembled that the Father loves Him because He lays down His life for the sheep, and that He lays down His life of His own initiative

 

13.1.    Jesus declares next to them that the Father has special love toward Him, because He is going to lay His life down for the sheep.  Also, He declares that His laying down of His life is to be totally voluntary, and that the only reason He was crucified was because He voluntarily chose to be crucified for our sins. 

 

13.2.    No one had the power to crucify the Lord unless He laid down His life voluntarily.  He also states that He has the authority to lay down His life as well as to ‘take it up again,’ or resurrect from the dead.  This He received from the Father.

 

14.            VS 10:19-21  - “There arose a division again among the Jews because of these words.  And many of them were saying, ‘He has a demon and is insane.  Why do you listen to Him?’  Others were saying, ‘These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed.  A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?’” -  John tells us that there was a division among the Jews on this day because of Jesus words

 

14.1.    The Jews were still divided in their opinion of Jesus.  Some thought He was demon-possessed, others that He was insane.  However, those who thought clearly of His deeds were saying that a demon would do works only to harm and disfigure, whereas Jesus’ works were all wonderfully marvelous in every way.

 

15.            CONCLUSIONS:

 

15.1.    Have you come through ‘the door” who is Jesus to find salvation?  Peter preached in Acts 4:12 that there is salvation in no other name but that of Jesus Christ, “12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.””

 

15.2.    Are you one of God’s sheep?  Have you heard the voice of the Good Shepherd and in obedience and faith trusted in Him and His work on Calvary’s cross alone to save you?

 

15.3.    Are you resting in the care of your Good Shepherd today?

 

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