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You can turn with me in your 
Bibles to the book of John. We're working our way through 
John's gospel, and we're in John chapter 10. Our focus this morning 
will be verses 11 to 21, Jesus' good shepherd discourse. The 
only place in John's gospel where he gives something concerning 
or something like a parable or illustration concerning his mission. 
So we'll read beginning in chapter 10 at verse one, I'll read to 
verse 21. Most assuredly, I say to you, 
he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some 
other way, the same as a thief and a robber, but he who enters 
by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him, the doorkeeper 
opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep 
by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own 
sheep, he goes before them. And the sheep follow him, for 
they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow 
a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the 
voice of strangers. Jesus used this illustration, 
but they did not understand the things which he spoke to them. 
Then Jesus said to them again, Most assuredly, I say to you, 
I am the door of the sheep. All whoever came before me are 
thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am 
the door. If anyone enters by me, he will 
be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does 
not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have 
come that they may have life and that they may have it more 
abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life 
for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not 
the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf 
coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf catches the 
sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he 
is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good 
shepherd, and I know my sheep, and am known by my own. As the 
Father knows me, even so I know the Father. And I lay down my 
life for the sheep, and other sheep I have which are not of 
this fold. Them also I must bring, and they 
will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 
Therefore, my Father loves me, because I lay down my life that 
I may take it again. No one takes 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 command I have received 
from my Father. Therefore, there was a division 
again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of 
them said, he has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to 
him? Others said, these are not the 
words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of 
the blind? Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
gracious God and Holy Father, we thank you that Jesus Christ 
is in fact the door of the sheep and that He is the Good Shepherd. 
We thank you that He lays down His life for the sheep, that 
He died and rose again so that we might have everlasting life, 
and not just have life, but have it abundantly. We praise you 
for every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. 
We praise You for justification and sanctification and glorification. We praise You for what You have 
purposed to accomplish in and through Your Son. And we pray 
now that You would give us ears to hear and hearts to receive 
these things. May You strengthen us and encourage us as we see 
afresh this good shepherd of the sheep. And God, for any and 
all who've come here this morning that are dead in their trespasses 
and sins, May they hear the voice of the shepherd as it comes through 
scripture, by the power of the Spirit. May they see their sin, 
may they see their dead state, and may they see that in Jesus 
Christ alone is salvation. Forgive us all for all of our 
sin, and cleanse us in that precious blood, and fill us now by your 
Spirit, or with your Spirit, so that we may understand your 
holy word. And we pray these things through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. Well, as I said, in this particular 
passage, Jesus uses parabolic teaching. He uses two figures. 
He says first that he is the door in verses seven to 10, and 
then he says he is the good shepherd in verses 11 and following. So 
we're gonna focus on that part of his discourse this morning. 
And in many respects, we see it as an explanation of what 
he says in verse 10. If you look again at verse 10, 
the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. So he's making a contrast between 
himself and the religious leaders. We know there's a close connection 
between chapters 10 and 9. Chapter 9, we see the healing 
of that man who had been born blind, we see the salvation of 
that man who had been born blind, and we see him being cast out 
by the religious leaders of his day. Why? Because he owned and 
confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. So Jesus does not 
stop and start a new subject, but in chapter 10, 1 and following, 
he condemns that religious leadership. And he does that in 10a, the 
thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. And by way of contrast, he announces 
why he's come. He says in verse 10b, I have 
come that they may have life and that they may have it more 
abundantly. So it's not only that God confers 
upon us eternal life, but it's abundant. It is profuse. It is according to the riches 
of His grace. Our God is not a miser when it 
comes to the salvation of His people. Our God rejoices over 
us to do us good. As He promised through the prophet 
Jeremiah, He would plant His people in the land with all His 
heart and with all His soul. Our God is glorious and gracious 
and wondrous, and He gives us eternal life, and that life is 
abundant. And then in verses 11 and following, 
it's as if Jesus describes or answers the question, how does 
He do that? He's come that they may have 
life and that they may have it more abundantly. Well, it's through 
His death. It is through His resurrection. 
It is through His life of obedience to the Father. It is through 
what we call the gospel of our salvation. So as we examine verses 
11 to 18 under the heading of the Good Shepherd, we'll notice 
three things. First, the declaration concerning 
his role in verse 11. Secondly, the condemnation of 
his opponents in verses 12 and 13. And then the explanation 
of his mission in verses 14 to 18. So not only has he come to 
give us life, but he's also revealed how he's going to do it. So let's 
look at the declaration concerning his role in verse 11. So similarly 
with verse 7, where he says, I am the door of the sheep. Now 
in verse 11, the figure of speech changes, but the truth is the 
same. He says, I am the good shepherd. Now this is one of 
those I am statements that John's gospel is filled with. There 
are seven of them. Jesus says, I am the bread of 
life in John 6. Jesus says, I am the light of 
the world in John 8 and 9. Jesus says, I am the door of 
the sheep in chapter 10 here. He says, I am the good shepherd 
in chapter 10. He says, I am the resurrection 
and the life in chapter 11. He says, I am the way, the truth 
and the life in chapter 14. And then he says, I am the true 
vine in chapter 15. So these are expressions concerning 
his function or his role. And so this is the declaration 
that has a lot of Old Testament teaching behind it. We saw last 
week how the prophetic announcement concerning the coming Messiah. 
In Jeremiah 23, a shepherd will come and we will call him the 
Lord our righteousness. In Ezekiel the prophet, in chapter 
34, God is telling through that man the nature of the new covenant 
and the shepherd that will come and unify the people of God. 
We see that all throughout this particular passage. We saw it 
as well in the poetic illustration of the 23rd Psalm. The Lord is 
my shepherd. I shall not want. That's the 
proposition. That's the declaration. That's 
the truth claim made by the psalmist. And then he goes on to illustrate 
that in verses 2 to 6. We see similar structure here. 
Jesus says, I am the good shepherd. That's the declaration. The demonstration 
comes in that he gives his life for the sheep. As well, this 
whole idea of him conferring benefit upon his people is summarized 
by Paul theologically in Ephesians 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual 
blessing. This is the abundant life that 
Christ confers upon his people, announced by the prophets, illustrated 
by the psalmist, realized in the first coming of the Savior 
in terms of his death and resurrection on behalf of his people. It is 
a rich metaphor. It is a rich figure of speech. It is something that ought to 
cause us to stand in awe and amaze and to respond with love. 
He's the good shepherd. We don't want because of what 
he's accomplished on our behalf. This affords comfort and encouragement 
to the people of God. Whatever may be going on in your 
life, whatever difficulties or trials or hardships, whether 
physically or spiritually, You have this reality that Christ 
has come to give you life and to give it abundantly. So whatever 
this world may throw at you, whatever the devil may do in 
terms of molestation, whatever the remaining corruption in your 
own heart throws at you on a regular basis, the reality is that Jesus 
is your good shepherd. Jesus does provide a context 
for you in which you shall not want. He provides everything 
profusely according to the riches of God's blessed grace. We need 
to muse on this and meditate upon this and find great joy 
and comfort. So when we move through this 
present evil age, we always have that to tether us. We always 
have that to bind us down. We always have that to ground 
us and balance us so we don't lose our minds. Christ is the 
good shepherd. That's the declaration. Now in 
terms of demonstration, look at what he says in verse 11. 
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life 
for the sheep. So in a similar fashion, the 
Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want the proposition. And then the proofs come in two 
to six, same here. God or Christ rather is the good 
shepherd and he gives his life for the sheep. This is the declaration 
or demonstration of the declaration. And it also functions to explain 
again how verse 10b comes to pass. I have come that they may 
have life and that they may have it more abundantly. Now, brethren, 
in terms of the shepherd, You don't typically think of the 
shepherd giving his life for the sheep except insofar as he's 
defending them, right? The bear comes, the lion comes 
to sink their fangs into the sheep, and the shepherd goes 
out there to fight. The shepherd goes out there to 
defend. The shepherd goes out there, if necessary, to give 
his life for the sheep in terms of defense. So the image is there, 
the parallel is there, but Jesus actually is going farther than 
that. He gives his life actively for 
the sheep. In defense, certainly, of the 
enemies that vex our souls, but he gives his life positively 
so that the sheep may have everlasting life. When I was in the US Air 
Force, there was a group called Parrot Rescue. They're sort of 
like the special forces in the Air Force. And their motto was, 
that others may live. And that's an intriguing motto, 
that others may live. These were called Parrot Rescue 
guys, and they trained a lot. They learned medicine, they learned 
how to go behind enemy lines and find people that were captured 
and bring them out again. Well, you'd need medical skills, 
but you need skills to go in and be able to do that sort of 
thing. But that was their motto, that others may live. Christ 
gives his life for us that we may live, and that not only may 
we live, but we may live abundantly, that we may know the joy of the 
Lord as our strength, that we may be encouraged and comforted 
and helped and benefited. John Gill says not only exposes 
it, his life, to danger, as David did his, for the sake of his 
father's flock, but he gives it away freely and voluntarily 
for the sake of the sheep. And as we move through this passage, 
you will not see an unwilling Savior. You do not see a Savior 
that doesn't really want to embrace the work that the Father has 
purposed for him. No, it's very obvious. The Good 
Shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Now notice, secondly, 
by way of condemnation of his opponents in verses 12 to 13. 
We've not left that close connection with chapter 9. He's condemning 
these robbers, he's condemning these thieves, he's condemning 
these men that come to steal and to kill and to destroy. He's 
come to condemn this religious leadership operative in the first 
century because they were bankrupt. This is the same reason he goes 
in and he cleanses the temple at the beginning and end of his 
ministry. What is that? It's an indictment upon what 
had happened in terms of religious or Israel's religious life. And 
so he does the same thing in this section. I've mentioned 
that the apostles do that in the book of Acts. Not positively 
and actively the way that the Lord Jesus goes after his opponents, 
but the fact that the apostles preach the truth that is consistent 
with the Old Testament scriptures shows the bankruptcy of the Sanhedrin, 
shows the bankruptcy of the religious leadership in that first century 
setting. They had missed Messiah. They had missed the promised 
one. They had resisted and rejected the very one that God sent forth 
according to his plan and purpose. So notice how Jesus deals with 
his opponents here. He speaks of them as hirelings. Notice the conduct of the hireling 
in verse 12. He says, but a hireling, simply 
a hired man, a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who 
does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the 
sheep and flees, and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters 
them. Now, in terms of this condemnation, 
this is not the first time. Verse 1, verse 8, verse 10a, 
and again, speaking to the situation in chapter 9, verse 34. That confirmed the fears of his 
parents in John chapter nine at verse 22. They had been threatened. They had been intimidated. They 
had been coerced into compliance with that bankrupt system. If 
they identified with Jesus, if they sided with Jesus, they would 
be cast out. These men were functioning like 
that New Testament character called Diotrephes. He loved the 
preeminence and he wanted to put out the people of God. So 
notice the identification of the religious leadership here 
is higher link. Klink makes this observation, in the ancient world, 
the hired worker was viewed in a derogatory sense. Those who 
acted for pay, not from loyalty or friendship. Notice it's very 
obvious in the way that Jesus speaks, verse 12. He says, but 
a hireling who is not the shepherd, one who does not notice, own 
the sheep. He has no vested interest in 
them. He has no care for them. He has no concern for them. It 
is not his prerogative to put his life on the line in their 
defense or in their behalf. The dereliction of the religious 
leadership, this is what he's speaking to. One who does not 
own the sheep, he sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and 
flees. And the wolf catches the sheep 
and scatters them off. So we ask the question, who's 
the wolf in this illustration? I think the wolf is a sort of 
a threefold enemy. First, the devil. Now the Bible 
tells us he roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he 
may devour. I can't think of a particular 
passage that ascribes to him sort of wolf-like tendencies 
or characteristics, but he is the menace of the sheep. He is 
the one that seeks to destroy the sheep. But as well, the heretic, 
the false prophet. Listen to Jesus in Matthew's 
gospel in chapter 7 at verse 15. So the hireling sees the 
devil coming and what does he do? Does he fight for the sheep? 
Does he defend the sheep? Does he lay down his life for 
the sheep? No, he runs and he hides. When the hireling sees 
the false teacher, the false prophet, when he sees the heretic 
coming, does he mount opposition? Does he seek to defend? Does 
he contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered 
to the saints? Does he have an answer for those who question 
him? No, he runs, he hides, he flees, 
whether through his own ignorance or whether through his own cowardice. 
He does not face the threat of the false teacher. But interestingly, 
and I mentioned this before, the Sanhedrin encompassed in 
Israel not only the religious aspect in terms of leadership 
and rulership, but also political. As they were subject to the Roman 
Empire, it was the Sanhedrin that made the shots politically 
for the children of Israel. There's an interesting turn of 
phrase that the prophet Ezekiel uses in Ezekiel 22-27 to refer 
to civil tyrants. He says, her princes in her midst 
are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, 
and to get dishonest gain. So with this hireling, he is 
supposed to be guarding and watching the flock. He is supposed to 
be tending to that. The devil comes and the hireling 
flees. The false prophet comes and the hireling flees. The civil 
state comes and the hireling flees. He doesn't do his job 
in terms of defending the sheep. He doesn't do his job in terms 
of laying down his life for the sheep if that is necessary. Now, 
I'm not suggesting every pastor is going to die for every single 
human being that is in his church. Ultimately, it's Christ who is 
the good shepherd. Pastors are under shepherds. 
And believe you me, passages like this are very convicting. 
They very much cut to the heart of those who are given that task 
of being under shepherds. Because we're not good like the 
Savior. We don't defend like the Savior. We don't give our 
lives like the Savior. But brethren, the Savior is in 
view here, and the Savior as good shepherd defends us from 
the devil. He defends us from the false 
prophet, or the heretic, and he defends us from the civil 
state and their tyranny. We have the blessedness of our 
Christ at the right hand of God most high, where he functions 
in the capacity of being a good shepherd to his people on earth. 
It is most wondrous. It is most glorious. It is most 
blessed. So we see this hireling flee. Now notice in verse 13, he gives 
the reason why he does this. Verse 13, basically he has no 
vested interest in the sheep. He doesn't care. They're not 
his. It doesn't matter to him if the 
devil ravages them. It doesn't matter to him if the 
false teacher comes and upbraids them. It doesn't matter if the 
civil state enslaves them. Notice in verse 13, the hireling 
flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. It's pretty obvious. It's pretty 
simple. It's pretty expressive of the 
conduct of these false teachers in religious leadership at the 
time of the Messiah. And so Christ condemns that, 
Christ obliterates them, and Christ shows that what they had 
done is absolutely faulty and wrong. And remember, this is 
his present audience. If you look back at chapter 9, 
specifically at verse 39, for judgment I have come into this 
world. Those who do not see may see, 
and that those who see may be made blind. Then some of the 
Pharisees who were with him heard these words and said to him, 
Are we blind also? Jesus said to them, If you were 
blind, you would have no sin, but now you say we see, therefore 
your sin remains. Now we have a chapter break there. 
Typically we finish our Bible reading there and we close it. 
And then we come back to chapter 10 and we forget the close connection. 
Who's Jesus talking to according to John 10 verses 1 and following? He's talking about the Pharisees 
or talking to the Pharisees about the Pharisees. It's one thing 
for me to stand here and condemn the false teachers in our generation 
insofar as they're out there. And pretty much everybody in 
here is kind of on board. I mean, nobody's going to get 
up and say, well, maybe someday that's going to happen. You're 
a nut. You're whacked out. You don't know what you're talking 
about. For the most part, though, it's easy to condemn false teachers 
when they're far removed from you. Christ is surrounded by 
these men. Many times I've emphasized, again, 
not to justify, but to understand why they picked up stones to 
throw at him. He was not their favorite fellow. 
He was not their favorite person. He was not somebody they would 
have had coffee with. He was not somebody they would 
have had dinner with. They constantly complain about 
him. They constantly oppose him. They constantly resist him. In 
fact, toward the end of this exchange in chapter 10 at verse 
20, they say he's a demon and he's mad. He's out of his mind. Don't listen to him. Don't receive 
what he has to say. So he's not surrounded here by 
his friends. Now, there are some. 21 tells 
us that others rebuff that sort of concept, that he was demon-possessed 
and he was mad. But for the most part, he's standing 
in the midst of the opposition, condemning the opposition. I 
suggest that Jesus would probably be thrown out of a lot of churches, 
every single university campus, and probably most buildings that 
house political leaders. Because he wouldn't shrink back 
from declaring the truth. Because it's ultimately the truth 
that shall set us free according to John chapter 8. And unless 
we traffic in and truck in the truth, then we aren't going to 
make any advancement in the kingdom of God Most High. It is about 
the truth. And so Jesus tells the truth, 
even when it might possibly, and it most certainly does, offend 
the delicate sensitivities of those around him. The narrative 
ends, or the chapter ends, with them picking up stones to throw 
at him to kill him. You don't do that with somebody 
you're kind of all right with. You don't do that with somebody 
you're kind of okay with. You do that with somebody you 
despise. You do that with somebody who 
is the target of your opposition and enmity. You do that with 
somebody you absolutely detest. They wanted to take stones, throw 
them on his head to kill him and to destroy him. And to suggest 
that, well, you know, they didn't really know what they were doing. 
They knew perfectly well what they were doing, and they ultimately 
fulfilled their purposes in crying out, away with him, away with 
him, crucify him. They loathed him. So in that 
context, he doesn't shrink back from saying, you are the guys 
that are thieves. You are the guys that are robbers. 
You are the guys that were condemned by Jeremiah in his first temple 
sermon in Jeremiah chapter seven. The same sort of thing. You've 
made my father's house a den of thieves and iniquity. Christ 
is a prophet and he condemns these people because they are 
inconsistent with their calling. Now notice Sturdley from 14 to 
18. 14 to 18, he explains his mission. So he not only makes 
this declaration concerning his role in verse 11, he not only 
condemns his opponents in verses 12 to 13, now he's going to explain 
his mission in verses 14 to 18, something he does often in John's 
gospel. Remember, John tells us who Jesus 
is. In the beginning was the Word, 
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He tells us the 
Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And then when the Word, who 
became flesh, goes about His earthly ministry, we have that 
announcement in John 1, 29. Behold the Lamb of God, who takes 
away the sin of the world. So we've got theology in terms 
of Jesus' relation to the Father, and we've got economy in terms 
of salvation and redemption and His functional role as mediator. 
So he comes now to explain his mission, and he does so with 
two things. First, he speaks of the love 
of the shepherd, verses 14 and 15, and then he speaks specifically 
concerning the work of the shepherd in verses 16 to 18. So notice, 
the love of the shepherd. He makes a contrast with himself 
and the hireling. So verse 13, the hireling flees 
because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 
Now, in contrast with that, Jesus says in verse 14, I am the good 
shepherd and I know my sheep and am known by my own. See, 
there's that connection. And I think as we read through 
this brief section in 15 and 16, where he uses the word know 
or knowledge, we need to understand it as a term of intimacy. We 
can see it as a term of love. I know my sheep. Not just cognitively. The shepherd doesn't just say, 
well, that one's name is Bill, that one's name is Jane, that 
one's name is Marianne. It's not just that kind of knowledge. He has a knowledge that is intimate. 
He has a knowledge that is predicated on love. He has a knowledge that 
brings them into this relationship wherein he will lay down his 
life for them. The hireling doesn't because 
he doesn't know them. The hireling may know them cognitively. His name is Bill. Her name is 
Jane. Her name is Marianne. But he 
doesn't have that knowledge, that intimacy, that love. So what is Jesus highlighting 
here? Again, he's underscoring the 
proposition that I am the good shepherd. Notice the relation 
he bears to the sheep. In contrast with the hireling, 
verse 14, I know my sheep and am known by my own. He knows 
us, brethren. And again, love and intimacy. 
He knows us. And yet, he still loves us. Isn't that glorious? The more 
we get to know each other, the harder at times it might be to 
love each other. Why? Because we start to see 
things we didn't discover on the honeymoon. It takes about 
oh five, 10, 15, 20 years to realize, wow, you're really like 
this. Hopefully we don't verbalize 
it quite like that because we want to spare the marriage and 
spare our hide and that sort of thing. But the more that we 
know one another, it's not always the case that it's, I mean, There 
is that better for worse. There is that richer for poorer. 
To be sure, it strengthens us. Even in the midst of our blemishes, 
our shortcomings, our sins, our challenges, our issues, our spouse 
still loves us in spite of us at times. Well, this is what 
the shepherd says. I know my own. I know what they're 
like. I know their sins. I know their 
blemishes. I know their faults. I know their 
issues and their challenges. But I'm not like that hired man 
that runs off. I'm not like that hired man that's 
going to leave them pray for the devil, for the heretic, and 
for the civil tyrant. I'm not like that. I'm invested. I have skin in the game, is what 
Jesus is saying, in essence. I know them and I am known by 
them. Well, how is it that we've come 
to know Him? Through the gospel of our salvation, through the 
blessed truth that Christ lived, died, and was raised again, and 
that all who by grace believe in Him will have everlasting 
life. The Apostle muses on this in 
Galatians 4. It's not that you know God, but 
rather have been known by God. Because God knows us, because 
Christ knows us, because Christ loves us, because Christ gives 
his life for us, he brings us into the place where we know 
him. Again, cognitively, prior to our salvation, we knew who 
Jesus of Nazareth was. I mean, in the Western world, 
I mean, I think it's deteriorating to some degree, but for the most 
part, people at least know what Jesus means, that word, oh, that's 
associated with the Christian religion. You don't have to have 
a PhD to have that cognitive understanding. But the knowledge 
that Christ is speaking of here between the shepherd and the 
sheep differs fundamentally qualitatively from what the hireling does. 
The hireling doesn't own the sheep. The hireling doesn't care 
about the sheep. When the hireling sees a threat 
to the sheep, the hireling runs. He wants to save his own bacon. 
He wants to preserve his own life. There is no interest in 
him of giving his life for others. That motto, that others may live, 
guess what job he's not going to sign up for if he enters into 
the US Air Force. That doesn't, it's not how he 
rolls. It's all about him. It's all 
about his prestige. It's all about his power. It's 
all about his money. And so Jesus makes this contrast. I am the good shepherd, verse 
14, and I know my sheep and am known by my own. But then notice 
he makes this comparison. So not just the contrast with 
the hireling, but the comparison with what he enjoys with the 
father. And it's this that's calculated to encourage the people 
of God. We've entered into a status. We've entered into a relationship 
that's not the exact same father to son, but it's analogous. It is comparable. We have been 
let into this place of intimacy wherein we now enjoy communion 
with our blessed Savior. So notice what he says in terms 
of this comparison. Verse 15, As the Father knows 
me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the 
sheep. See what he's saying? He's already made the statement, 
as I know my sheep and they know me, there is something comparative 
to the relation between the Father and the Son. And so what holds 
in terms of Father and Son at the level of blessed wonder that 
we'll never be able to exhaust, at least in some analogous way, 
is enjoyed by the sheep of Christ in this present evil age. We 
have this intimacy that is similar in nature to the intimacy between 
the Father and the Son. Jesus does this in Matthew 11. 
Matthew 11 at verse 27, just before he says, come to me, all 
you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Before 
he makes that great gospel declaration or this response to the gospel, 
he says in 11.27, All things have been delivered to me by 
my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does 
anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom 
the Son wills to reveal Him." That's what he's doing here. 
In contrast with the hireling, the good shepherd lays down his 
life for the sheep. In contrast with the hireling, 
the shepherd knows his sheep. The sheep know the shepherd. 
compared with that is the relation between the father and the son. 
The father, rather, the son knows the father, and the son, the 
father knows the son. There is this relation that obtains 
between those, and we gain an analogy from that to warm our 
hearts. Notice in John 15, in the upper 
room, Jesus does this several times. John 15, it's as if he's 
letting us in. It's as if he's demonstrating 
the nature of his good shepherd-ness and illustrating it by the way 
that we now have access into his presence and intimate communion 
with him in a manner similar to what he has with his father. 
So notice in 15.9, as the father loved me, I also have loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep 
my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept 
my father's commandments and abide in his love. See the comparison 
there? Again, it falls flat when we 
go from creator to creature, but there is an analogy, there 
is a similarity, there is something that obtains with reference to 
our relation to the good shepherd. Notice in 1627, 1627, for the 
father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed 
that I came forth from God. See, we're given access, we're 
given entrance, we're given position of intimacy. So when he says 
that they may have life and have it abundantly, one of the aspects 
of that abundant life is communion with God. It is love to God and 
being loved by God. Notice in John 17, the high priestly 
prayer that comes after the upper room discourse. Notice in verse 
23, I in them and you in me, that they may be perfect in one 
and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved 
them as you have loved me. And in verse 26, and I have declared 
to them your name and will declare it, that the love with which 
you have loved me may be in them and I in them. So going back 
to John 10, this is what he's illustrating. The contrast with 
the hireling, the comparison with the relation that he has 
to the father. And for the saint of Christ, we should see this 
and rejoice. We should see this and praise 
God. We should understand that now 
Christ knows us and we know Him by grace through faith in Him, 
based on the fact that He gave His life on our behalf. Seal 
of Alexandria said, just as God the Father knows His own Son, 
the fruit of His nature, and holds Him to be a genuine offspring, 
and the Son in turn knows the Father and holds Him to be true 
God, since He has begotten of Him, so also we, since we were 
brought into relation with Him, are referred to as His offspring 
and called His children. Brethren, I feel like or fear 
that I might be confusing you. I don't want you to be confused. 
There is this contrast with the higher link and there is this 
demonstration of the good shepherdness of our blessed Savior. It is 
comparable to what he enjoys with the Father. It is comparable 
to what the Father has with reference to the Son. When we come into 
a saving union with our Lord Jesus Christ, we're not chump 
change. We're not just sort of out there 
somewhere. We're known by Him, and we know 
Him, and it is similar to what the Father and the Son share 
in terms of infinite glory and blessing. As well, Matthew Poole 
makes a similar observation. Christ, to show not only the 
sincerity, but the degrees of His love to His people, does 
often compare it to the love wherewith His Father loved Him. 
You get the Trinity down in terms of what's happening with Father, 
Son, and Holy Spirit, and you understand that analogously, 
at a creaturely level, we enjoy that kind of knowledge, we enjoy 
that kind of love, we enjoy that kind of intimacy. That's the 
kind of stuff that the people of God need in a world filled 
with trial and hardship and affliction. It's not your love necessarily 
for Christ that brings the beatitude, but it's Christ's love for you. It's Christ's blessedness for 
you. It's Christ's work on your behalf. And then Jesus repeats what he 
said in this statement. He says, as the Father knows 
me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the 
sheep. Notice the constant emphasis. 
John 15, 13, greater love has no one than this, than to lay 
down one's life for his friends. So I don't know if they still 
do this, but when I was a kid, there was this sort of activity 
that people would do. I think it was a daisy or some 
sort of flower with a petal. And the girl would say, he loves 
me, and pull off a petal. And then he loves me not. He 
loves me, and he loves me not. I fear at times that Christians 
do that. Man, I had a bad day yesterday. 
God must, you know, really be on the outs with me. Now I'm 
not suggesting that you pursue bad days, and by that I mean 
sinful days. But I am suggesting that there 
is nothing that shall separate us from the love of God, which 
is in Christ Jesus our Lord. That is the sure word and promise 
of Romans chapter 8. There is nothing, not even your 
bad day yesterday, not even the sins you committed this morning, 
not even the sins you perhaps are committing right now. Again, 
this is not to encourage sin, but if anyone does sin, we have 
an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. 
There is nothing that shall separate us from the love of God which 
is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The father doesn't ever not love 
the son. The son never not loves the father. That cry of dereliction from 
the cross, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Christ 
is speaking obviously according to his humanity. There is no 
breach in terms of the first and second persons of the triune 
God. As Jesus has become sin for us, 
he says, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? No breach, 
no dissolution, no separation. There is never a time that the 
Father will not love the Son. There is never a time that the 
Son will not love the Father. And there is never a time when 
the Father and the Son and the Spirit will not love one for 
whom Jesus died, perished the thought, Christ's love is sure. God's love is secure. Paul can challenge the entirety 
of the created order and rehearse that blessed truth. There is 
nothing that shall separate us from the love of God, which is 
in Christ Jesus our Lord. This isn't the, he loves me, 
he loves me not. If you have believed the gospel 
of our blessed Savior, you are safe and secure. Christ is going 
to end his Good Shepherd discourse on that note. Look ahead to verse 
23, I'm sorry, verse 25. I told you and you do not believe 
the works that I do in my father's name. They bear witness of me. 
But you do not believe because you are not of my sheep. As I 
said to you, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they 
follow me. Notice, and I give them eternal life and they shall 
never perish. Do you ponder that? Do you contemplate 
that? Do you think through that? Brethren, 
if it was possible that you could lose your salvation, you'd have 
lost it the first millisecond you had it. Thankfully, our salvation 
is ultimately in the hands of the Savior himself. So notice, 
I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither 
shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has 
given them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch 
them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Theology 
proper affords great blessing in terms of soteriology. Who 
God is highlights the blessedness of what God does. Now, as we 
proceed or proceed, notice that Christ underscores or highlights 
his work on behalf of the sheep in verses 16 to 18. He does three 
things here. My mind just kind of works that 
way, so it kind of helps me keep on track. But he does three things 
in verses 16 to 18. He highlights the beneficiaries 
of his work, verse 16, the nature of his work in verse 17, and 
then the explanation of that work in verse 18. But notice 
the beneficiaries. And verse 16, and other sheep 
I have which are not of this fold. Who's he talking about? 
He's talking about Gentiles. He's talking about the oracle 
that was given at the time of Noah, where Japheth would find 
rest and respite in the tents of Shem. He's rehearsing the 
promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that in them, or in 
him, Abraham specifically, all the nations of the earth will 
be blessed. Not because of Abraham ultimately, but because of his 
seed, the Lord Jesus Christ. Gentile inclusion in the covenant 
promises of God were always consistent in the Old Testament. This wasn't 
a new thought in terms of Jesus' arrival on the scene in the first 
century AD, but rather it had been prophesied. Psalm 2, ask 
of me and I will what? I will give you the nations for 
your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. 
Isaiah 42.6 and again in Isaiah 49.6, the servant songs of Yahweh. 
What does a servant do? He's not only a light to Israel, 
but he's a light to the Gentiles. It's too small a thing for that 
servant to be given simply to save the tribes of Jacob. But 
I will give you as a light unto the Gentiles. So Christ is foreshadowing, 
Christ is speaking, Christ is consistent with what the Old 
Covenant promises declared concerning Gentile inclusion in the covenant, 
covenant of grace. So verse 16, and other sheep 
I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, 
and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and 
one shepherd. So the Old Testament promise 
of Gentile inclusion in the covenant of grace. We've got it all over. Paul as well. We're going through 
Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 2, the apostle 
tells us these two groups, Jew and Gentile, are now one new 
man in Christ Jesus, consolidated under Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 
3, he explains this as being the mystery of Christ. What does 
he mean? It means that Gentiles are going 
to come to Israel's God through Israel's Messiah. They're going 
to be included in those covenant promises of God. But we don't 
have to leave John's gospel to get his theology of a worldwide 
salvation. The reality that both Jew and 
Gentile find their safety in the Good Shepherd. I mentioned 
John 1 29 earlier. You can go there. John 1 29. 
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away what? The sin of the world. And as we move through John's 
gospel, we'll notice that world doesn't mean every man without 
exception. It rather means every man without 
distinction. So Jew and Gentile notice in 
John 3.16, God so loved what? The world that he gave his only 
begotten son. As well, you've got John 4.42, 
after Jesus saving dealings with that Samaritan woman. He then 
goes to the Samaritan village, he talks to them, and notice 
what happens in 4.42. Then they said to the woman, 
now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves 
have heard him, and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the 
Savior of the world. And then notice in chapter 11, 
Chapter 11, Caiaphas, the high priest, speaks truth concerning 
Jesus. Notice in John 11, beginning 
in verse 49. And one of them, Caiaphas, being 
high priest that year, said to them, you know nothing at all, 
nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man 
should die for the people and not that the whole nation should 
perish. Do you see how God does that from time to time? He causes 
his enemies to speak the truth of the gospel. Luke 15, all the 
tax collectors and the sinners draw near to Jesus to hear him. 
And what do the Pharisees say? Well, this man receives sinners 
and eats with them. That's absolutely positively 
right. The psalmist says even the wrath 
of man shall praise you. In fact, John, the theologian, 
explains Caiaphas' saying. Notice in verse 51, now this 
he did not say on his own, but being high priest that year, 
he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for 
that nation only, but also that he would gather together in one 
the children of God who were scattered abroad. And look across 
the page at John 12, verse 19. It says, the Pharisees therefore 
said among themselves, you see that you are accomplishing nothing. 
Look, the world has gone after him. Well, John doesn't leave 
us in doubt as to what they mean. Notice in verse 20, now, there 
were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the 
feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, 
and asked him, saying, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. Philip came 
and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew and Philip told Jesus. 
So this inclusion of Gentiles in the covenant promises of God 
is replete through John's gospel. So the good shepherd has come, 
and the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. And other 
sheep I have that are not of this fold, they're outside the 
Jewish nation, them I must also call. And notice the calling 
of the sheep. We've already seen that the voice 
of the shepherd is heard by the sheep. The voice of the shepherd 
is responded to by the sheep. So he says in verse 16, and other 
sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also, notice 
this next phrase, I must bring. See, there is a class of Christian 
or a class of theology out there that does not teach this definiteness 
relative to Christ's work. There's a hypothetical mess about 
it. Well, you know, Christ came, he did what he did, and now it's 
up to you to exercise your free will and activate that reality. Again, we would never do that. Our free will is enslaved. It's 
in bondage. We're dead in our trespasses 
and sins. Dead men don't choose for Jesus. If salvation is not of the Lord, 
there's no salvation. These other sheep, I must bring. Christ's work is not hypothetical, 
it's not general, it's not possible, it is definite, it is secure, 
it is sure, and he will accomplish all that the Father has given 
him. That's the emphasis in our passage. As he explains, the 
10B, I have come that they may have life and that they may have 
it more abundantly. He doesn't do that partly, he 
doesn't do that partially, he doesn't just help us, but he 
actually saves us. So he says, them also I must 
bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one 
flock and one shepherd. In the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 
the prophet, we see that. We see that. One flock, one shepherd. You see it in Paul's statement, 
Ephesians 4, specifically at verses 4 and 5. There is one 
body and one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of 
your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father 
of all who is above all and through all and in you all. The one body, 
brethren, is from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. The 
one body, brethren, is Jew and Gentile. It is too small a thing 
for Messiah just to go after the lost tribes of Jacob. He's 
a light unto the Gentiles. There is a comprehensiveness 
about the work of the Savior on behalf of his people. And 
then notice the nature of that work in verse 17. Again, he highlights, 
Therefore my Father loves me. Brethren, therefore, my father 
loves me because I do these things. Well, according to his humanity. According to his divinity, he 
has the same nature as the Father. Yeah, impossible. But in terms 
of his humanity, it's impossible as well. Christ always does that 
which is pleasing to the Father. Christ always fulfills the law 
that he was supposed to fulfill. Christ pleases the Father in 
the sense that he comes from the Father, he takes on our humanity, 
he lives a life of obedience for us, he dies on the cross 
in our place and in our stead, and he's raised again the third 
day. Of course the Father loves him. Of course the Father is 
well pleased. What does Paul say in Ephesians 
chapter 1, talking about the work of Christ? Now he's been 
stationed at the right hand of the Father, where he's over all 
power and dominion and every name that is named. Philippians 
chapter 2, on the heels of his cross work, what happens? Therefore 
God has highly exalted him. This is the emphasis because 
he does what he was sent to do, which means to save us from our 
sins through his life, death and resurrection and bring us 
into this intimate connection and vital union with himself. 
Therefore, my father loves me because I lay down my life that 
I may take it again. He goes on to explain that work 
in verse 18. No one takes it from me, but 
I lay it down to myself. Intriguing, isn't it? It was 
the Jews that were crying out, away with him, away with him, 
crucify him. It was Pilate to whom they went so that they could 
get authorization, so that Pilate could give the kill order, so 
that Pilate could destroy him. But Jesus was always in control. Jesus was never out of control. In fact, look at Jesus' words 
to Pilate in John 19. John 19, specifically at verse 
10. Then Pilate said to him, Are 
you not speaking to me? Do you not know that I have power 
to crucify you and power to release you? Jesus answered, you could 
have no power at all against me unless it had been given to 
you from above. Therefore, the one who delivered 
me to you has the greater sin. Turn over to Acts chapter 4. 
This in addition to Peter's statement in Acts 2 that Jesus was delivered 
up according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God. But 
notice this apostolic prayer in Acts chapter 4. Verse 27, 
for truly against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both 
Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of 
Israel, were gathered together, notice, to do whatever your hand 
and your purpose determined before to be done. So back in our text, 
I think the reason that he explains this, the reason that he shines 
the light on this is to demonstrate a few things. And we're going 
to close here in just a moment. But he wants to show, first, 
the voluntariness of his work. Now, imagine if you had come 
into this relationship of intimacy with the Savior, but he kind 
of did it against his will. You know that sometimes. Well, why did you do that? Well, 
you know, my mom put pressure on me. If I didn't do it, I'd 
have lost my allowance. That's not the most virtuous 
reason as to why something is accomplished, right? Well, you 
know, the Father sent me, but this is how I got to do it. There's 
a voluntariness about the Savior. He doesn't know us and cause 
us to know Him and bring us into this intimacy with Him because 
He's not willing. because he's not voluntary, because 
he doesn't want to do this. It's glorious. The fact that 
he wants us? Again, brethren, when you find 
that girl or guy that you're gonna slap a ring on, what's 
one of the chief benefits? What's one of the chief sort 
of things about that? They actually want me. Again, 
slap a ring on that finger. If you find somebody on this 
ball that actually wants you, marry them, because that's a 
good thing. Christ wants us. This is an amazing 
thought. Why? We're not good. We're not lovely. We're not pure. 
We're not law keepers. Brethren, every single morning, 
every single night, every single day, every single moment of every 
day, we could confess transgression of the Ten Commandments. We have 
other gods before God whenever we put ourselves first. We don't 
worship God as he is fit to be worshipped. We are blasphemous, 
not perhaps with our language, because we wouldn't want to do 
that, but our conduct. This is how Nathan upbraided 
David. By this, you've given reproach to the enemies of God 
Most High. By what? By his adultery and 
by his murder. Sabbath-breaking. We do that 
probably every Sunday. Insubordination. I'm sure some 
of us have had to confess that sin in spades over the last three 
years. I mean, we are struggling to 
be subject to this civil authority. Murder. Doesn't mean you see 
somebody's life. But if you hate your brother 
in your heart, if you character assassinate somebody. Adultery. Jesus says if you look upon a 
woman, if you inject that into your head for a moment, or if 
you're a woman and you look upon a man, Theft in the 8th commandment, 
lies in the 9th commandment, covetousness in the 10th commandment. 
Perhaps you're like that rich young ruler, all these things 
I've kept from my youth. Well, the 10th commandment is 
going to smash you. It's going to smash you like a mallet. Jesus 
says, go sell everything you have, give the proceeds to the 
poor, and come follow me. What happens to the man? He goes 
away sorrowful. Why? Because he had many possessions. 
Okay, he had never murdered anybody. He had never committed adultery. 
He had never done those outward acts in terms of the law. Though, 
I would really, really, really question him. Our Savior's very 
gracious that he doesn't press him. But it's that covetousness 
that finds him out. Jesus, in terms of his work on 
our behalf, he engages in it voluntarily. Notice as well the 
authority involved in his work. He's not only voluntarily engaged 
in it, but he has the power and the authority to carry it out. 
Imagine, you might have the voluntariness to alleviate the suffering of 
a fellow, but you might not have the power or the authority to 
do it. That's what sympathy is about. We engage in co-passion. We don't have the necessary power 
to deliver them out of it, but we'll sympathize with them, and 
that's good. I'm not suggesting otherwise. But not only voluntariness, 
but he's got the authority and the power. Notice what he says. 
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down to myself. As well, 
he highlights the obedience involved in his work. The end of the verse, 
this command, I have received from my father as mediator of 
the new covenant. The father bids him to go live, 
to die, to rise again. So he lives in compliance with 
that for the benefit of the elect. And then notice the efficacy 
of his work. See, brethren, Jesus doesn't 
die a martyr's death. Jesus dies the Savior's death. There have been a lot of martyrs 
in Christian history. In fact, the 20th century was 
very bloody in terms of Christianity. We see that rising in our own 
generation. I don't think it's accidental 
that somebody wanders in to Covenant Presbyterian School and shoots 
people there. There is that animosity toward 
the people of God. And with reference to the efficacy 
of this work, we don't just need a martyr who dies for the cause, 
we need a Savior whose work on our behalf does what God intended 
for it to do. So the Lord Christ is, in fact, 
the Good Shepherd. The Lord Christ, in fact, gives 
His life for the sheep, and that life is abundant. If you have 
not come to this Savior, don't resist Him, don't reject Him, 
don't say, well, I want nothing to do with Him. What in this 
Savior could there be that you want nothing to do with? A voluntariness? an efficaciousness, a faithfulness, 
a bringing you out of darkness into marvelous lifeness, the 
forgiveness of sins. You see, when he gives his life 
for our life, it is to forgive us of our sins. When he lives 
his life for our lives, it is to give us his righteousness. 
There is everything in this good shepherd to argue that you don't 
tarry in your sin, that you don't remain where you're at. I don't 
mean come forward, but I mean look to Christ in faith. These 
things are written, John will end his gospel with, that you 
may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that 
believing in his name, you may have everlasting life. And that 
life is abundant, that life is blessed, that life is a wonderful 
life of love. Well, let us pray. Our God and 
our Father, we thank you so very much for your word. We thank 
you so very much for your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and what 
he's accomplished on behalf of his people. We ask that you would 
just encourage our hearts as we reflect upon the Good Shepherd, 
that you would cheer us when we are downcast, cause us to 
reflect upon these truths in the midst of the trials associated 
with this present evil age. And God, may we worship you, 
may we serve, may we glorify and honor you. And may it be 
the case that you'd open eyes and hearts today to receive the 
truth as it is in Jesus. May sinners hear his voice wherever 
that voice is proclaimed. And may it be the case that every 
tribe and tongue and people and nation or sinners from those 
groups would come to the Savior and would know the joy of being 
found in him. And we ask this in the name of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. Well, you can turn in your hymn 
books to 568, as we close our service today, singing praise 
to our triune God. 568. ♪ Praise to our God, through all blessings flowed 
♪ ♪ Praise Him all creatures here 
below ♪ ♪ Praise Him above the earth below ♪ ♪ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ♪ Bless you and keep you. The Lord 
make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord 
lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. God in 
heaven, we pray that these things would be realized in our lives, 
that you would bless and protect and keep us by your grace and 
for your glory. Thank you for the son of your 
love. Thank you for the incarnation. Thank you that he completed the 
task that was given to him and has included us in this redemptive 
plan. Go with us now, we pray, and 
we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. will please 
be seated for a brief time of meditation.