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      "The Good Shepherd"
      John 10:11-18
      Theme:       The Good Shepherd, at His own initiative, sacrifices Himself to save His sheep.

      1. The Importance of the Good Shepherd – 10:11-13

        1. He Provides the Sheep with Sacrificial Devotion – v. 11

          1. Having persisted in the use of the analogies to the shepherd and the sheep, Jesus now brings them to a crescendo – "I am the good shepherd;"
          2. Such a statement would have been understood as a claim to a messianic relationship with Israel – a fulfillment of the 23rd Psalm.
          3. The construction is "I AM … (egw eimi – an emphatic construction that was often cited as a translation of Jehovah – "I AM that I AM") … the shepherd, the good one"
          4. What verifies His claim of being the "ideal shepherd" is that He is willing to "lay down His life for the sheep"
            1. "… lay down …" – conveys the idea of a willing and deliberate act or deed of surrender done with clear purpose and motivation
            2. "… His life …" – literally reads soul (yeuch) and refers to the impact of this sacrifice – it wasn’t merely physical death, but it carried a spiritual cost
            3. "… for the sheep …" - demonstrates that He gave his life not as a martyr for truth, nor as a moral example of self-sacrifice, but for people – those ones whom God had given him.
          5. Such willingness to sacrifice oneself for the welfare of others is a sign of true greatness and a definitive standard of devotion.

        2. He Prosecutes Preempts the Selfishness that Surrenders Devotion – vv. 12-13

          1. In contrast to this wonderful, perfect, and ideal shepherd, there are those who would tend the flock who fail to maintain a priority on the sheep.
          2. Instead, some "leave the sheep and flees" and refuse to sacrifice themselves on behalf of the true Shepherd – the One Who cares.
          3. The kind of person who would do this "… is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep."
          4. Thus, the vested interest in the sheep is diminished – these kind of men would stand and intently observe the approach of an enemy and merely run for cover themselves – "sees [gazes at] the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them."
          5. It isn’t that anyone hired to watch the sheep is this way, but when the sole interest is in the wages earned for tending the flock and there is not a real compassion for the sheep, a spiritual leader is revealed: "He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep."
          6. The example of Christ sets such self-serving lack of devotion into a clear context of disgust.

      2. The Intimacy With the Good Shepherd – 10:14-16

        1. The Priority of Intimacy – vv. 14-15a

          1. Jesus reminds us of the contrast between Himself, and those hirelings who think only of the temporal advantages of their employment but who are "not concerned about the sheep."
          2. He restates the major theme: "I am the good shepherd" – my compassion and devotion is complete.
          3. He then shares that the reason the "good shepherd" is "concerned about the sheep" is because an intimacy exists between them – "I know My own and My own know Me."
            1. The testimony by Christ that He "know[s] My own" is eternally critical – upon t his reality rests the eternity of any sinner who would qualify for eternal life – cp. Matthew 7:23
            2. That which compels the believer and drives him onward in his Christian experience is the persistent hunger to know Christ and follow Him – cp. John 10:27,28; Philippians 3:10; 1 John 2:3; 1 John 5:20
            3. .
          4. This intimacy is modeled on the loving and trusting mutual relationship of the Father and the Son and therefore is dynamic & personal, not merely theoretical – "even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father."
          5. There is no more intimate relationship for Christ Jesus except His relationship with the Father – than His relationship with "His sheep"

        2. The Price of Intimacy – v. 15b

          1. However, this intimacy - albeit prized by Christ - did not come without great price – "and I lay down my life [soul] for the sheep."
          2. The ability to enjoy fellowship and intimacy with the sheep was so prized by Christ that He willingly died in place of the sheep
            1. The Greek word "for" (uper) conveys the notion of "on behalf of" and implies substitution – cp. John 11:50-52; 15:13; 18:14
            2. This pictures the vicarious atonement – where Jesus died for the sins of the world – 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:6-8
          3. The price of intimacy with the good shepherd is on His part His blood, and on our part the willingness to die to self and yield to Him – 1 Corinthians 6:20

        3. The Pursuit of Intimacy – v. 16

          1. He then indicates that those who belong to Him are not limited to the Jewish people – but "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold"
          2. This refers to us (the Gentile) who prior to the work of Christ were considered "far off" and "outside the covenant" – but Jesus indicates here that He will go and bring them into the joy of intimacy with Him – "I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one Shepherd."
          3. This is a beautiful picture of the unity and peace that exist between people previously estranged – cp. Ephesians 2:11-16

      3. The Initiative of the Good Shepherd – 10:17-18

        1. The Point of His Initiative – v. 17

          1. Jesus indicates that the major motivation in His love for the sheep and the work of redemption in laying down His life was the love of the Father – "For this reason the Father loves Me …"
          2. That is, the approval of the Father motivates Him to do who pleases the Father – including being concerned about the sheep that are given to the Son by the Father – cp. John 10:28-30
          3. It is for this reason that Jesus commits Himself to the accomplishment of His mission of redemption – "because I lay down My life so that I may take it again."
          4. Notice that His life is NOT TAKEN – it is a voluntary deed done deliberately, purposefully, and at His own initiative – with a view toward the ultimate victory on the other side of the grave – cp. Hebrews 12:2.

        2. The Power of His Initiative – v. 18

          1. Once again, Jesus emphasizes the nature of His sacrifice – He was not victim – but the One who possessed the ability to fulfill the work of atonement and redemption – "No one has take it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative"
          2. Since He has laid His life down of His own initiative, it has also been granted to Him, by the Father, the authority to take it up once again – a irrefutable reference to the resurrection – "I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again."
          3. Once again, this authority has been granted to Him by the Father – who Himself was involved in the resurrection – "This commandment I received from My Father" – cp. Romans 6:4.

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