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John 10:1-18 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but
climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But
he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To
him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own
sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And
when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow
him: for they know his voice. 5 And a
stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the
voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they
understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus
unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that
ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he
shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that
they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I
am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd,
whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The
hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and
am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth
me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And
other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they
shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore
doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh 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 commandment
have I received of my Father.
I. Verse 1-5 is the parable. Verse 7-18 is the explanation of the parable.
II. Is this parable speaking about salvation, the security God's people have
in the good Shepherd, the Christian life in following the Shepherd, or about the
rejection of the Jews (as a nation) and the acceptation of the Gentiles (in the
local church)?
A. The main thrust of the parable speaks about the comparison between the
good shepherd and the thief and robber.
1. This is a parable of the Good Shepherd, not a parable about sheep.
2. Let us continue to look at the overall thought Christ wants us to
understand, and not get so bogged down with the details that the overall
thought is missed.
B. Also involved in the parable is Christian growth initiated by the Good
Shepherd.
1. Salvation is always the first thing.
2. After salvation, the natural next step is to follow Christ in
scriptural baptism.
3. The next step after following Christ in baptism naturally involves
eating spiritual food and growing to maturity.
C. Verse 9.
1. There is an entering in by way of the door, which is salvation.
2. There is also a going in and out by way of the door, and finding
pasture (food, which will allow the person to grow to maturity.
a) The going in and out of the door doesn't mean that a person can be
lost once they are saved.
b) Going in and out of the door isn't talking about spiritual swings of
emotion.
c) The going in and out speaks of the natural growing process of always
following Christ as He leads us beside the still waters, restoring our
soul, and providing that which is necessary for our spiritual maturity.
D. Verse 10.
1. Christ came to give life to the sheep. (This is talking about
salvation.)
2. He also came to give them life more abundantly. (This is talking about
spiritual maturity.)
III. There is a difference between the true Shepherd and the false shepherds.
A. Christ is the Good Shepherd.
1. Christ is the door.
a) What do you go through the door to get?
(1) Verse 9 - He shall be saved.
(2) Verse 9 - He shall go in and out. (only as led by the shepherd,
who is Christ)
(3) Verse 9 - He shall find pasture (that is - food, in this case
spiritual)
2. Verse 11 - The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
a) The hireling fleeth when danger comes because he only wants what
will be beneficial to him, he careth not for the sheep.
b) If the sheep are scattered, and the hireling still receives what he
wants, he doesn't care.
3. Porter - the person in charge of the gate. Such persons served at city
gates (2 Sam. 18:26; 2 Kings 7:10), Temple gates (1 Chron, 9:22,24,26), the
doors of private homes (Mark 13:34), and even the gate of a sheepfold (John
10:3). Women also served this function (John 18:16-17; Acts 12:13). It seems
the porter would be God the Father, who has elected from before the
foundation of the world, and given those to Christ.
a) The porter refers to God the father, who holds all things in his own
hands.
b) It is God the Father that so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son that whosoever believeth might be saved, John 3:16.
c) All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me, and He that
cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out, John 6:37.
d) No man can come to Christ except the father shall draw him, John
6:44.
e) The shepherds God sends to tend His flock should stand by them, as
long as they will allow him to.
B. False prophets. These are people (whether pastors prophets, or members
who want others to follow them instead of following Christ.
1. The hireling is a person that is simply working for a wage.
a) The wage may not be money, it may be personal prestige, or power.
b) God has not necessarily called the wolf to the task, but he has
accepted the position (and the money) as a means of feeding himself.
2. Ezk 34 shows that Christ is the good shepherd, that he will rebuke all
bad shepherds, and will return to help the sheep.
3. Ezk 34 - These unfaithful shepherds have fed themselves at the expense
of the flock. This is why pastors are not to be guilty of desiring filthy
lucre. God will take care of them, supplying all their needs. The pastor is
to trust God for his daily necessities while serving the flock, searching
out good pastures for them.
4. Jeremiah 23:1-3 speaks of bad pastors which scatter the children of
Israel by telling them lies in the name of the Lord.
a) Jer. 23:9-13 declares the result of the false prophet's message upon
God, Jeremiah, and the people of Judah.
b) God will judge these false prophets
5. Matt. 7:15 - Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
6. Acts 20:29-30 - For I know this, that after my departing shall
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock 30 Also of your
own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them.
7. Zech. 11:1 - Christ will strengthen the sheep that have not been fed
by the shepherd.
IV. Verse 8 - Those false shepherds that came before Christ.
A. The word "before" not only refers to those false shepherds
that were born before Christ was born into the world, it also refers to those
false shepherds that would set themselves up as superior to Christ, regardless
of when they lived upon this earth; before Christ or after Christ.
1. Verse 10 - The thief is Satan, and all his imps, which represent Satan
on this earth.
2. They are the wolves in sheep's clothing.
B. Verse 8 - The sheep do not hear the false prophets.
1. It is not that the sheep cannot hear the voice of the false prophets,
but that the message of the false prophet cannot be understood by the sheep.
a) Just as the goats cannot understand the heavenly message, so the
sheep cannot understand the hellish message.
b) The message of the hireling causes confusion to the sheep, which
causes them to be scattered, verse 12.
2. This doesn't mean the false prophets has no influence on the sheep.
3. The sheep are scattered because the false prophets confuses them, and
doesn't help them.
a) There are saved people in every denomination because false prophets
have scattered the sheep with their lies and confusing language.
b) Many saved people are confused about what the truth is because false
prophets have deluded them, and they don't know which way to turn.
V. See verse 19-42 - The Jews still don't understand who Jesus is, even after
all this discussion, and evidence.
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