I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep.
18 sermons cite this verse
… All these are like thieves trying to steal our lives. Let's go back to John 10, verses 10 and 11. Here Jesus says, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. However, I can that you may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the cheap. Jesus presents life here on earth as a flock. But like any flock, we will always be exposed to problems. There will be wolves who will want to attack us and thieves who will also seek to steal, kill, and destroy among us. But Jesus adds something I want you to take with you after this message. We are not alone, and you don't have to live everything in solitude. He has come into the world to dwell with you and suffer with you. He has come to a world to even protect your life by giving His own. And he has done this so that you have abundant life, life that does not end, life that lasts forever, eternal life in a world of death. …
… so she speaks it out loud they're not here and then he says the next thing to her in John 10 verse 11 when she realizes that there's no one there to condemn her he gives her an assignment he says not only do they not condemn you I don't condemn you this is the key to how we get to a place where we're able to forgive ourselves He says not only should you be able to come to a place where you can forgive yourself because other people have found themselves in other situations the very people judging you if I put what they did on the screen they would be asking for mercy too. So you're not a whole lot different than other people. All of us are carrying around some type of brokenness, some type of ailment that needed my grace and my forgiveness. So not only do they not condemn you, I who am holy and perfect, I who have not known any sin, I who called me holy, I say to you either that I don't condemn you. …
… the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The willingness to warn and safeguard the children of faith is rooted in the very character and nature of our God. Likewise, though it is especially true of shepherds, pastors, and elders, all Christians must be willing to warn and encourage discernment. How we do this, well, that could be a whole sermon unto itself. But let it suffice to be reminded of Galatians 6, verse 1. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Even Paul, who as you know if you've spent any time in the New Testament, even Paul, so bold in writing, he says, I'm humble face to face. There may be a time to name names, but there is never a time to lose the humility it takes to watch over your own life and doctrine. …
He's called the good shepherd. In the next verse, John chapter 10, verses 10 and 11, that whole chapter is about the good shepherd, and Jesus talks about his ministry in caring for the sheep. Throughout the Bible, sheep are a symbol for God's people. The church is called the flock of God. And the Bible says we are his sheep, okay? We are his flock, we are the sheep of his pastors. It says that in Psalms. And in John 10, 10 and 11, it says this. I came so that my sheep will have life. This is Jesus talking. I came that my sheep will have life and everything they need. I am the good shepherd. and the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. That's the God's Word translation. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Now, if Jesus is the good shepherd, we need to figure out what that means. How does Jesus treat his sheep? If we're supposed to be the flock of God and he's the good shepherd, what does that mean? …
… chapter 10 and verse 9. Better from verse 7, maybe. So Jesus again says to them—he's just declared, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. And so he says to them, verse 7, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. I'm the door of the sheep. All who ever came before me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep don't listen to them. And just think about that for a moment, back to where we started in 2 Timothy. Paul says to Timothy, you need to know the context in which you're going to follow Jesus. Evil men and imposters will be going from bad to worse, deceiving people and being themselves deceived. So he says, you need to understand that. And that's why I'm saying to you, you need to continue in what you have begun. of course, the confidence that he gives when he writes to the Philippians is being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion of the day of Jesus Christ so that we're continuing to work out what he is working in. So all who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. Here we go again. I am the door. By me, If anyone enters, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. …
… I want you to take a moment and notice how often he says it in this passage. Verse 11, he lays down his life for the sheep. Verse 15 concludes, I lay down my life for the sheep. Verse 17, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. Verse 18, twice, I lay it down. I lay it down. Now, that's not just a busy observation. Jesus is emphasizing that he is good because he voluntarily lays himself down. Biblical Christianity has sharpened its tools for centuries on the substitutionary work of Christ. In other words, when Jesus Christ hung on the cross, he hung as a substitute for the sinner. He hung in our place, on our behalf. You and I deserved death because of sin. He bore. He carried. He withstood. He took our sins and in our place he died. That's called the substitutionary atonement. He brought at one met between man and God by his death. But in the declaration of his substitutionary death, I think we have long since overlooked the voluntary aspect of it. …
… he shall live and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die do you believe this I mean the third one still didn't say he was God I am the good shepherd the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep number four and Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of the world He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. And then we come over to number five. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. I know, but he didn't say it was God. Number six, and Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. We're going to have a whole talk on this. It's going to be so beautiful and powerful. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. Powerful, beautiful, amazing truth, but he didn't say he was God. …
… This time he says I'm the door. Before that he said I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The only way that he became a door was because he became a good shepherd. He laid down his life on the cross. died a brutal death for all of humanity, died for three days, and then rose from the grave. Because he's the good shepherd, God qualified him to make him the door. Anybody thankful that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life? No one gets to the Father except going through the, come on, praise him, Zoe. There's no other way to the Father. There's no other way to heaven except through the door of Jesus. He said, I'm the door. I'm the door. The only way you have access is that you have access through me. Have you ever been to an event and they put around your neck a lanyard and on that lanyard it said VIP access? …
so grateful for the honor of bringing these messages to you after all these decades of preaching i've never quite gotten over the fact that you would give me some of your minutes some of your time and your trust. And I pledge to be a good steward of both. Gracious Lord. Gracious Lord. as we open your word, would you open our hearts? Would you deposit truth in the deepest recesses of our souls? Would you defy the lies, silence the voices that are not from you? forgive our speaker you know his sins are many and grant that we see Jesus just Jesus through Jesus we pray and all who agreed with the prayer said well Joe was ticked off at Jesus I've never seen anyone so angry at Christ I've seen few people so angry, but never anyone is angry at Christ. He was red-faced, clenched fists, spit-spewing, angry. Prior to the encounter, I'd never met Joe. A mutual friend asked if I could intervene in what he described as a crisis of faith. …
… I come that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." This is a very vivid picture that our Lord paints. He tells us in verse 6 that it's a figure of speech. In other words, He's giving us a physical, temporal, earthly illustration of a spiritual reality. And it features the idea of a shepherd, a shepherd who comes to take his sheep out of a fold and set them loose in the pasture. This is a picture of the work of our Lord in gathering His own elect redeemed people. It's a profoundly rich section of theology. But let's back up and talk about the shepherd a little bit and see if we can't get an understanding of the context. The picture of a shepherd obviously comes to mind when we think about Christmas, because there were some shepherds in the fields, and they heard the angelic message, and they went to Bethlehem, and they were praising God and glorifying Him for what they had seen, because it was consistent with the angelic message. …
For example, the Lord Jesus is called the Good Shepherd. John 10 verse 11, I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Now the Good Shepherd, that's Mount Calvary. And then the Lord Jesus is called the chief shepherd. 1 Peter 5, verse 4, And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. The good shepherd died for me. The chief shepherd is coming for me. But then also the Lord Jesus is called the great shepherd, and that's the one who now lives for me. Hebrews 13, verses 20 and 21, Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead that great shepherd of the sheep. You see, he's the one who rose from the dead. He's the one who has conquered the valley of the shadow of death. The good shepherd, he died for me. The chief shepherd, he's coming for me. The great shepherd, he lives for me in the valley of the shadow of death. …
… Jesus said, I am the good shepherd. Then He said something very wonderful in John chapter 10 and verse 11. He said, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 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. The wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Now folks, the wolves were after me, and they're after you. There were many, many dangers for the sheep in that day. There were wolves, and bears, lions, thieves who would come and slaughter and steal the sheep, wild dogs and scavengers of all kinds. And Jesus said, a false shepherd, one who's only paid by the hour, a hireling, he'll flee, he'll leave the sheep. But He said, a good shepherd will fight for his sheep. I remember reading in the Bible about the disciples said, Jesus, don't you go to Jerusalem. Don't go down there, Jesus. …
… He is described, first of all, as the good shepherd. Now, in John chapter 10, verse 11, Jesus said, I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd. The good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. any shepherd may lose his life for the sheep. That isn't what Jesus said. Jesus said the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. You say it's unthinkable that a shepherd would die for a sheep. It's more unthinkable that God would die for man. Jesus is the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. Now listen, when as the good shepherd he laid down his life for the sheep, he dealt with the penalty of sin for the wages of sin is death. And that's what Jesus Christ paid. sin will be pardoned in Christ or punished in hell, but it'll never be overlooked. Unless there's a good shepherd who's died for your sins, you sir, you lady, are going to have to face the wrath of an angry God at the judgment with your sins unatoned. He's the good shepherd. But now wait a moment. …
… He is described, first of all, as the good shepherd. Now in John chapter 10, verse 11, Jesus said, I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd. The good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. Now any shepherd may lose his life for the sheep. That isn't what Jesus said. Jesus said the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. did you know that there's only been one person who ever chose to die? Only one. Oh, you say no. Suicide pilots choose to die. Other people choose to die. People who die by their own hand choose to die. People who give themselves for others, they choose to die. No one has ever chosen to die but Jesus because he was the only one who didn't have to die. All the rest of us are going to die sooner or later. Some people may just choose to die a little sooner, but nobody has chosen to die except one. And that was Jesus who laid down his life for the sheep. …
… those of us who are His followers, here's what He said. He said in verse 11, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. And then if you'll notice again in verse 14, I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me. Who is the good shepherd? The good shepherd is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, the Lord is my shepherd. Now, what does it mean? It simply means that you and I have a relationship with him. If he is my shepherd, I have a personal relationship with him. And so, when you think in terms of the good shepherd, you may have the idea, well, how could God be so interested in those minor details? Why do you think he puts things like this in the Scripture? In order to unveil to us the tender, caring love and concern that he has for us. And so, he says, the Lord is my shepherd, not a shepherd. …
… THE SON OF MAN IS COME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH IS LOST. THAT'S WHY JESUS CAME. JESUS SAID, I'M THE GOOD SHEPHERD. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Why did Jesus leave the glories of heaven and come to the agonies of earth to seek the lost? Why did Jesus leave the golden streets of glory and walk the dusty streets of Galilee to save the lost? Why did Jesus leave his scepter of righteousness and come and take a wilted reed in his hand as they mocked him? To seek the lost. Why did the Lord Jesus Christ leave his diadem of glory and wear a crown of thorns? The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost. Why did Jesus settle Calvary's dust with his blood? the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost. The Lord Jesus is seeking you today. If you're listening by television, Jesus is seeking you. …
… his love for his children, those of us who are his followers. Here's what he said. He said in verse 11, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. And then if you'll notice again in verse 14, I am the good shepherd and I know my own and my own know me. Who is the good shepherd? The good shepherd is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, there are lots of folks in there thinking, they say, well, you know, I don't believe in Jesus, but I believe in God. And yes, indeed, I believe that 23rd Psalm. That's one of my favorite passages. And they'll quote, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. You know what? He's not their shepherd and they are in want. What they don't realize oftentimes is that they are in want of the most important thing in their life. They don't realize that's what it is. They try to keep filling up their lives with other things and relationships and so forth. And what they really want, what they really desire is the hunger and thirst that God has placed in the heart of every person for himself. And so when they say, I quote, I believe, I believe that 23rd Psalm, my favorite passage, the Lord is my shepherd. …
Nobody goes into the sheepfold except through Him. And finally, He says in verse 11, 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. the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling, does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and have known by my own. And as the Father knows me, even I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep have I which are not of this fold. Them also I must bring, and they will hear my voice. There will be one flock and one shepherd." So now Jesus contrasts Himself not with the thief and the robber, but with the hireling. Sometimes people took care of their own sheep, but also sometimes if they were too busy with other things, they would hire somebody to look after their sheep. …