Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep - John 10. So, when Jesus is gone, who's the shepherd? And who are the sheep? We like to think we're the sheep, but we should take another look.
Most of John 10 is devoted to a Jesus monologue on his role as the Good Shepherd. First contrasting the Good Shepherd with thieves and robbers, and then in our selection, the contrast is between the Good Shepherd and the hireling - one who cares for the sheep and would lay down his life, and the other who runs away when the wolves appear. And we all know what happened to the Good Shepherd.
We take a look at Ezekiel 34 which is the likely inspiration for the talk about sheep and the shepherds. This text helps us understand more about the predators. It turns out there isn't much attention given by scholars to the wolves and other predators mentioned in John 10.
We should also look again at the stilted dialogue between the resurrected Jesus and Peter in John 21. As I explain in the sermon, Peter fails to accept Jesus' call to become the shepherd. Quite simply, Peter doesn't want to become the next one on a cross. Irritated, Jesus ends up telling him that such is his fate.
We realize that the shepherd role falls to us. Who then are the sheep?
1st John 3 helps us understand who the sheep are. And then we can understand our role. Get these insights form the sermon video below, and note the downloads below the video panel.
Most of John 10 is devoted to a Jesus monologue on his role as the Good Shepherd. First contrasting the Good Shepherd with thieves and robbers, and then in our selection, the contrast is between the Good Shepherd and the hireling - one who cares for the sheep and would lay down his life, and the other who runs away when the wolves appear. And we all know what happened to the Good Shepherd.
We take a look at Ezekiel 34 which is the likely inspiration for the talk about sheep and the shepherds. This text helps us understand more about the predators. It turns out there isn't much attention given by scholars to the wolves and other predators mentioned in John 10.
We should also look again at the stilted dialogue between the resurrected Jesus and Peter in John 21. As I explain in the sermon, Peter fails to accept Jesus' call to become the shepherd. Quite simply, Peter doesn't want to become the next one on a cross. Irritated, Jesus ends up telling him that such is his fate.
We realize that the shepherd role falls to us. Who then are the sheep?
1st John 3 helps us understand who the sheep are. And then we can understand our role. Get these insights form the sermon video below, and note the downloads below the video panel.
| 04-22-18-ff-answers.pdf |
| 04-22-18-the_new_community-shepherding_and_the_sheep.pdf |