“The True Shepherd”

Series: “Believe”
Text: John 10:1-6
Intro: Today’s passage is a continuation of what just happened in chapter 9, with the healing of the blind man. He had been kicked out of the sheepfold of Israel and it’s religious ways, but looking for and finding him was the true Shepherd. I don’t know of a more tender and beautiful way to describe our Lord than our Shepherd. Let’ take a closer look at the true Shepherd.

1) The True Shepherd’s Credentials. (v1-3)
a. Our Lord wanted to make it clear to the listener that this was a very important thing that He was about to say. “Truly, Truly.” “Most Assuredly”
b. He had not entered the wrong way, or try to come into the sheep fold like a thief or a robber. He came the right way.
c. Phillips: “That the Lord Jesus was the genuine Shepherd was evident. He had entered by the door, by the legitimate means of entry. He had been born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), He had been born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), he had come the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4) out of Egypt God had called His Son (Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2: 14-15); his arrival had provoked the rage of the enemy ( Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18). Thus he was the right person, born in the right place, arriving at the right time, summoned from the right country, and attended by the right sign”.
*d.* (v2-3) Our Lord entered the right way, and when he came the porter opened the way. Porter=Doorkeeper.
e. The Porter. John the Baptist. Pointing the sheep to him said there He is. He was sent to announce Him, and to validate His credentials to the people, and introduce Him to the people.
f. This paints a beautiful picture of the work of the Spirit in salvation. The Jews would’ve had a hard time comprehending this since the Spirit had not yet come as the Comforter, but Jesus speaks of His work in salvation. The Spirit stands as the porter, keeping the door, and as He does, He deals with the hearts of those who need salvation, seeking to allow the Shepherd in.
g. We also find comfort in this thought. The Spirit will never open the door to anyone other than Christ. If we are in fellowship with Christ, the Spirit will guide us as we serve Him. Much has been brought into the modern church contrary to the Spirit. If the Spirit doesn’t open the door, it must be a stranger seeking to climb in some other way!
h. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way…Jesus reveals the determined diligence of these false teachers. They refuse to enter the door, but they are willing to climb up some other way.
i. As we consider the diligence of false teachers, this also reveals they sneaky way in which they operate. They will not come through the door, in full view having their motives known. They seek to climb up another way, hoping to remain undetected. Rarely will a false teacher reveal his true motives. We must guard against those who seek entry other than through Christ!

2) The Call of the Shepherd (v. 3)
a. The sheep recognized the voice of the shepherd. They said of him that “he toaught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Matthew 7:29)
b. (Illustrate. There may be several flocks sharing the same sheepfold. However, when the shepherd of the sheep walks up to the door and calls his sheep, they instantly recognize his voice and respond to him. They know his call.)
c. (Illustrate. A man in Australia was arrested and charged with stealing a sheep. But he claimed emphatically that it was one of his own that had been missing for many days. When the case went to court, the judge was puzzled, not knowing how to decide the matter. At last he asked that the sheep be brought into the courtroom. Then he ordered the plaintiff to step outside and call the animal. The sheep made no response except to raise its head and look frightened. The judge then instructed the defendant to go to the courtyard and call the sheep. When the accused man began to make his distinctive call, the sheep bounded toward the door. It was obvious that he recognized the familiar voice of his master. “His sheep knows him,” said the judge. “Case dismissed!”)
d. Note he calls his sheep by name. I read that Palestinian shepherds named their sheep according to their characteristics. Long Nose, Black Ear, Fluffy. Etc..
e. It is good to recognize the Shepherd, but it is a greater blessing to be recognized of Him. I am glad He knows my name! I am glad to be counted among the fold. I rejoice to know the Shepherd of my soul knows me, loves me, and is leading my life! He knows each of us individually. You are not just a number to Christ; you are somebody in Him

3) The Care of the Shepherd (v.3-5)
a. Notice he leads them out. He does not drive them he leads them. He checks the path out in front of them.
b. We need leaders. Not drivers.
c. “putting forth the sheep”, The idea of the shepherd putting forth the sheep reveals that force is sometimes necessary. Sometimes sheep are stubborn and don’t want to follow the shepherd. In those times the shepherd has to force the reluctant sheep to follow the others. We will have to admit that Christ has had to prod us at times as well. We often know what He desires of us, and yet we are reluctant to follow His lead. The safety of the fold is wonderful, but if we are to become what the Lord desires of us, we must follow Him as He leads, even if that takes us on an unfamiliar path.
d. (v.5) When you stay close to the shepherd, and you are very familiar with His voice you realize that this is the safest place to be. It is the best place to be no matter what.
e. He speaks through His word, and the more we are in His word, and under the teaching of His word the more we recognize that voice.
f. It is that voice that we hear say, “Fear Not”, in the middle of the storm. It is that voice we have heard in the midnight hour, it is that voice that has whispered sweet peace to us. We know that voice.
g. I also read that at times they would change clothes and try to trick the sheep. But they would not follow because the voice was not the right one.
h. Illustrate. So it is with the lost soul. There are many voices which compete for our attention in the world, but there is a special note to the voice of the voice of the Lord. When He calls, everything changes - John 6:44. The lost sinners is dead until he is awakened by the Holy Spirit - Eph. 2:1. You see, the voice of the Good Shepherd is the only one that can awaken the dead heart. The only one that can give us hope. The only one that sounds right to a desperate soul. Ill. All other calls sound empty and frightening when compared to the sweet call of the Lord Jesus.)
i. Multiple sheep could sleep in a sheepfold at night. And there could be multiple flocks at night in there, but when the morning broke and the shepherds spoke the sheep would only respond to their shepherd. They know his voice, and it His voice that moved them.