I Am the Good Shepherd

Transcript

GR 373
9/28/1980
I Am the Good Shepherd
John 10:11-21
Gil Rugh

John chapter 10 in your Bibles. John, chapter 10. We've looked through the first ten verses of this chapter, and noted that it is very closed connected to the events of chapter 9 of John, the healing of the blind man. And the response and attitude of the people toward that miracle of Christ. This connection will be seen as we get to the end of verse 21 where the people respond, "A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?" The miracle that has been done, the response of the nation to Christ as the performer of the miracle is indicative of His ministry as a shepherd, and the attitude of the leaders of the people as shepherds of the people.

The first six verses gave us the analogy of the shepherd and the sheep. A couple of key items here—we have the fold of the sheep in which the sheep are kept for safety, and we have the door to this fold and we have the shepherds. All are in view, naturally, as well as the sheep themselves. Now in verses 7-10, Jesus identified Himself as the door of the sheep. So you have the fold in which the sheep are kept and you have the door, and the analogy is that Christ Himself is the door. So any true shepherd and any true sheep must come through Him. He is the means of access. Anyone who claims to be a shepherd but does not come through the door, but attempts to come in some other way, is a thief and a robber. Those in view are the Pharisees, the religious leaders. They refuse to believe in Jesus Christ. They refuse to come by way of Him. They demonstrate they are thieves and robbers. They are set on selfish and destructive purposes. It's also true that to really be a sheep belonging to the true shepherd, you must come through this door of access.

Now the contrast was made in verse 10. "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." That contrast between thieves and robbers and between Jesus Christ. They come for destruction, He comes for life, abundant life, overflowing life. His purposes are beneficial to the sheep. The thief’s purposes are naturally destructive to the sheep.

Then with verse 11 He says, "I am the good shepherd." He’ll repeat that down in verse 14. "I am the good shepherd." Two evidences given of the fact that He is the good shepherd. One, He gives His life for the sheep; and two, He is intimately acquainted and involved with the sheep as only the good shepherd can be. This analogy of Christ as the shepherd is used three times in the New Testament. The first time is here in John chapter 10. Then again in Hebrews 13. Turn over there quickly. He is not seen there necessarily as the good shepherd but as the great shepherd.

Hebrews chapter 13, beginning with verse 20. "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord." Here He is identified as the great Shepherd who was brought up from the dead. The emphasis here is primarily on resurrection—the resurrection brought about by the Father. Of course, the resurrection subsequent to the shedding of blood which makes provision for our salvation and our service as those who have believed in Him.

Just a little further back in your New Testament, the book of Peter, chapter 5. I Peter chapter 5, and here the analogy is drawn between Christ as the Chief Shepherd and those who are shepherds under Him. So you have the flock of God—those who have believed in Christ—then over that flock are appointed shepherds. And over those shepherds is the One who is the Chief Shepherd. The chapter begins, "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you..." Then in verse 2, the elders are to "shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." He is the Chief Shepherd who will reward faithfulness at His coming.

So in John 10, He will be the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. In Hebrews 13, He is the Great Shepherd who is raised from the dead, and in I Peter chapter 5 He is the Chief Shepherd who rewards faithfulness, particularly to those who are shepherding the flock.

Back to John chapter 10. "I am the good shepherd." So He has used Himself as the door in the analogy, now He uses Himself as the good shepherd. And these analogies can be blended. It was common in biblical times when the sheep were put in the fold that the shepherd would lay across the door. So he literally becomes the door. No sheep could get out and no animals could get in without passing over or through Him, in effect. He became literally the door of the sheep fold. Now here Christ moves from the door to Himself as the shepherd and what He does as the Good Shepherd. The word ’good’ here not only denotes the moral quality of goodness but it can be more broad than that and often is. One translator translated it ’beautiful’ from the standpoint here that goodness is attractive. There is a desirability about it. It's not just intrinsic moral goodness, but the moral goodness that manifests itself, that is beautiful, that is desirable, that is attractive.

"I am the good shepherd." I think ’good’ gives the idea but it goes beyond just what is His character to His character being manifested obviously in what He does. And the point that He focuses on is "The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." This is a contrast with verse 10—the thief comes to steal, to kill, to destroy. "I have come that they might have life, and have it overflowing. I am the good shepherd who gives His life for the sheep." For the sheep to have abundant, overflowing life it is necessary for the shepherd to give His life, to sacrifice His life. John is the only one who uses this expression ’to give His life’. It denotes the sacrifice that is made. I will die for the sheep. He uses it three times in this chapter. In verse 15, ’’Even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” Verse 17, "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again." Verse 18, "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again." Over in chapter 15 of John, verse 13. Jesus says, "Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends." You put that with John 10, His friends are His sheep. He lays down His life for His friends. John 10 in the analogy it’s He laid down His life for His sheep. Jesus in John 15 looking to His impending betrayal. Also in John 15, we are on the night of the crucifixion.

One other passage—1 John chapter 3, verse 16. "We know love by this that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
Note here. We understand and grasp something of love because Jesus has demonstrated it by dying for us. Dying in our place to pay the penalty for our sin.
He died that we might have life. He is the good shepherd who gives His life for the sheep.

Important point to pick up here. As we go through John chapter 10, we are going to be focusing attention on Jesus Christ as the good shepherd. But the quality of the shepherd, the great Shepherd, the good Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, are to also be qualities and characteristics of us as those who shepherd under Him. Obviously true of elders and pastors, as 1 Peter focuses on. But also true of every single believer. That we are to view ourselves in a shepherding capacity in our involvement with other believers, and that’s the point that John picks up in 1 John 3:16. "And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Now I don't die in the way Christ died as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for your sin, but I ought to have that shepherd’s attitude of being willing to sacrifice myself. Whatever is necessary for your good and your well being. And that’s how John goes on to develop it in I John 3. I say this is crucial because the shepherd does not ask himself what the sheep can do for him, but rather what he can do for the sheep. We have much of this attitude present among Christians today—they are constantly asking, What can these believers do for me? Or complaining about what they don't do for them. You and I as believers are to have shepherds' hearts, a shepherd's attitude. And it is not a matter of what you can do for me, it is a matter of what can I do for you? And you need to ask yourself not what can I do for you but what can you do for me? A shepherd is responsible to develop and encourage and nourish the sheep. Yet here we are paddling around as those who are to manifest the character of the good, the great, the Chief Shepherd and we're grumbling because these Christians ignore me. Or these believers here aren't concerned about me. Or they don't do this or that for me. You don't find the shepherd going around saying, Boy you know, the sheep didn't do a thing for me today. The sheep didn't help me get my dinner ready. The sheep didn't make it easier for me to walk over this terrain. The sheep don't care whether I get a good night's sleep. None of the sheep came up and offered to help me watch for the wolves. What have the sheep done for me all day long? Not a cotton pickin' thing! You say, Wait a minute. You don't know anything about being a shepherd—a shepherd looks out for sheep, sheep don't look out for shepherds. And we need to be careful that we're manifesting the attitude and character of Jesus Christ when we're dealing with one another as believers. Am I taken up more with thoughts of what others should be doing for me or more with the thoughts of what can I be contributing to the health and welfare of these sheep? I'm not going to be developing that to a great extent but you ought to keep it in mind because that's where John develops it in 1 John chapter 3 as he draws the analogy of the shepherd and sheep.

Back to the Gospel of John, chapter 10. "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." Now he contrasts this action of the good shepherd with a hireling. "He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep." A hireling is one who is shepherding sheep for the pay he is getting. His concern is what he is getting.

We need to be careful. Sometimes we as believers manifest a hireling's attitude. The point here would be directed particularly to the religious leaders, the Pharisees. Their concerns were what they got out of the people. We have pastors, religious leaders, today who are functioning with the same kind of attitude. They are in it for what they get. And if we're not careful, we can manifest that attitude as believers. That's what we're doing when we're grumbling and complaining about what we're not getting from other believers. And what they're not contributing to us. The hireling is there for what he gets. His prime concern is not the sheep. His prime concern is his pay. He is not there to care for sheep primarily, he is there to make money. Now he needs to watch the sheep to make money, BUT when danger comes, though he sees the wolf coming, then it's a matter of my skin or the sheep, it isn't worth it. They're not paying me enough is what we'd say. I don't get paid enough to put my life on the line for a few dirty sheep, so he runs off. He is a hireling. The wolf comes and snatches the sheep. Now this analogy is picked up by the Apostle Paul over in Acts chapter 20.

Acts chapter 20, verse 28, Paul is addressing the elders. "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert..." In other words, be good shepherds. And those who would bring destruction on the flock will come, they must be careful they don’t turn and run. I must say sometimes pastors are great for this. A little bit of problem comes and all of a sudden they feel the Lord has called them to another flock. I have no problem with being called to another flock but I think you ought to go after the wolves have been taken care of, not before. We get convenient calls. But the warning here, the wolves will come and ravage the flock. Watch the flock! This is the same thing we read in 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 2, where Peter said "Shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion but voluntarily according to the will of God, not for sordid gain." Not for pay. Doesn't mean they wouldn’t be paid necessarily, but that's not their motive. Don't do it for what you get— you become a hireling. But rather do it for your concern for the welfare of the sheep.

Alright. In John chapter 10, verse 13 adds to it. He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep. It's important to note here. His action, he flees, flows out of what he is, a hireling. Because he is a hireling, he flees. He is not a hireling because he flees; but he flees because he is a hireling. In other words, what he is manifests itself in his actions. You do what you do because of what you are is the point. If you are a hireling, you flee under pressure. I think that's significant to note here. As long as everything is smooth, the hireling shepherds the sheep. It's when the pressure comes, when the danger comes that the character of the hireling is revealed. Under pressure he flees. Why? He is a hireling. Same kind of analogy Jesus used in the parable of the soils where the seed, the Word of God, falls on some soil, some hearts, and it springs up immediately. But what happens? Pressure comes, persecution comes, and it wilts the plant. Why? There is no root. The pressure, the persecution, revealed the true character of the plant. It's rootless. The pressure here, the danger reveals the true character of the shepherd. He's nothing but a hireling. He flees. Important point for us as believers. It's true in every area. It's the pressure that reveals our character. Oh we’re so great under good times. Boy we can quote those verses and we’re just super. The pressure comes and it reveals our character. That reveals us for what we really are. It’s under the pressure that my true character is revealed. And here the hireling is revealed under pressure. When danger comes, when the wolf is there, all of a sudden he is gone. Why? At heart he's not a shepherd. At heart he's a hireling. His character is revealed.

He has no concern for the sheep. All he's concerned about is his pay. Verse 14. ”1 am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." Totally different than the hireling who is not concerned about the sheep. You know what's the difference? Our shepherd has an intimate knowledge of us, and the sheep have a knowledge of the shepherd. So you see this reciprocity is a mutual relationship. "I know My own, My own know Me." I have a concern, I have an interest, I am intimately acquainted. This isn't just a herd of sheep! It's not just a big blob of animals! I know them! They know Me! There is a personal, intimate kind of relationship established here between shepherd and sheep. And you note the analogy he draws in verse 15, "even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father." So just like I have that relationship with My Father, I know Him and He knows Me, so I know My sheep and they know Me.

Now this expression 'even as' does not denote that it is an equal knowledge. It doesn't mean that I know the Son just like the Father knows the Son. Obviously there is a depth of knowledge among deity that I do not have. The idea is that there is a similarity in the intimacy, in the knowledge that is there. And I do have an intimate knowledge of my shepherd because the Holy Spirit of God indwells me as a believer and 1 Corinthians chapter 2 says that the Spirit who indwells me reveals to me the mind of God. So I do not know everything about my Savior, but I do have intimate knowledge of Him. It's not complete knowledge, but it is an intimate knowledge of Him. It's not thorough in every area, but it is intimate. I do know Him, and He does know me. What an encouragement, that I belong to Him and He knows me, and I know Him. So He is concerned about me. It’s not indifference. The closest perhaps we can come is people get pets in their family. You have a dog in your home and he gets to know you and you get to know him. And for some they almost become part of the family. We’ve had dogs in our home and it never quite worked that way with me. But it does work that way with some other people. Somehow I never got to know the dog and the dog never got to know me, but it did get to know our kids and the kids knew him. And there was a responsiveness there. Well, that’s the idea. They know the shepherd and the shepherd knows them, so what does He conclude with? Verse 15. ”1 lay down My life for the sheep.” In contrast with verse 13, the hireling is not concerned about the sheep—I know these sheep. They know Me, so I lay down My life for them. I am concerned about them.

"And I have other sheep which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice, and they shall become one flock with one Shepherd.” I have other sheep which are not of this fold—remember the fold is Israel, the nation Israel. Now Jesus is saying in effect, I have other sheep which are not Jewish. Other sheep which do not belong to the nation Israel. I have sheep who are Gentiles. That’s what He is saying. "I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one Shepherd.” Now some groups have done great and marvelous things with this verse, the fold and the flock. Some of the cults have picked it up and we'll share with you some strange ideas. It's not a difficult verse. The Roman Catholic church, Jerome when he did the Latin Vulgate, mistranslated 'flock.' There shall be one flock? He translated it as fold even though there was no manuscript evident for it, it was an arbitrary thing and that led to the doctrine of the Roman church that the Roman church is the fold and there is no salvation apart from the one fold, the Roman church. That whole doctrine flowed out of a mistranslation of this verse. It doesn't say fold, it says flock. It's different. The fold here is Israel. There are sheep that do not belong to that fold. They will be brought together in one flock and will be brought out of the fold of Israel, Jerusalem, some out of the fold of the Gentiles. They are brought together to form one flock with one shepherd. This theological development of this comes through Paul in Ephesians chapter 2.

What Jesus is talking about here gets its full revelation through Paul. It's the doctrine of the Church. The one flock is the Church of Jesus Christ, over which He is the one shepherd. Paul develops that here in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 13. "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall." The far off are the Gentiles, He brought them near to Christ and removed the division. There was a division that existed between Jews and Gentiles. He took both groups and made them one in verse 14. "He abolished in His flesh the enmity, the Law of commandments... that He might make the two into one new man...and reconciled them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity."

In verse 3 of chapter 3 Paul says this is a revelation, a mystery given to him by revelation. It was not made known before. The revelation is in verse 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and fellow-members of the body, fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Jews and Gentiles alike are going to be welded together into one body, or to use the analogy of John 10, one flock over which Jesus Christ is the shepherd. Or if you use the analogy of the body, He is the head. Now this one flock includes all believers. Every believer in Jesus Christ in the city of Lincoln is a part of this flock. Indian Hills Community Church is not the one flock. It is part of the one flock. But the flock is comprised of all believers in this city and around the world ruled over by the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Now there are individual groups within this flock ruled over by under shepherds of which this local church is one. But the one flock is that which Jesus Christ secures by His death, and all—now we have Jewish background people in this congregation and we have Gentile background people—we are one flock. That's where we need to be careful about much of the emphasis on Jewish evangelism today. It's fine to evangelize Jews, but that does not mean that we end up with Jewish believers as a separate entity. We are absorbed together into one body, one flock under one shepherd.

Back to John chapter 10, verse 17. "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again." Interesting the way it's put. The Father loves Me because I lay down My life. We'd say, Wait a minute; the Father loves Christ without qualification. There has been a love relationship between the Father and Son for all eternity. Now He says the Father loves Me because I lay down My life as though His love was conditional. But this is consistent in this area. It is true that He has been loved by the Father from all eternity. It is also true that if you love Me you will keep My commandments as Jesus will say to the disciples. And the obedience of the Son results in the manifestation of the favor or love of God to the Son. Same idea as Philippians chapter 2 where He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; therefore God highly exalted Him and has given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess. But He was exalted before He became a man according to Isaiah 6, and all creation bowed down before Him. But it is also true that in His obedience that has resulted in the manifestation of the favor and love and blessing of God as well.
So both are true. And in the obedience of the Son, the favor and love of the Father is manifested. So He can say "Because I lay down My life, the Father loves Me." Hebrews chapter 2 verse 9 gives the same emphasis. Note also in this verse, "...because I lay down My life that I may take it again." Death leads to resurrection. The result is victory, not defeat. I lay it down so that I can take it again. It has been part of the eternal plan of God that His Son die on a cross to pay the penalty for sins. It has also been part of the eternal plan of God that upon dying on a cross to pay the penalty for sins, He be raised from the dead. Both are inseparably linked together.

Now as you talk about laying down a life and taking a life, it is important to understand that this shepherd voluntarily gives His life. It is possible that there would be a shepherd who would give his life when he really didn’t mean to. Robbers and thieves surprise him while he is watching the flock and he is killed by them. Some have this perspective on the death of Jesus Christ That the movement got out of hand which He instigated. Things got out of control and He ended up being executed when it was not His intention. Jesus Christ makes clear, I am going to die and I am going to die by My own choice. And I'm going to be raised from the dead and I'm going to be raised from the dead by My own choice. Verse 18. "No one has taken it away from Me..." Interesting expression here. He doesn't use the future tense which He could have. It may be indicative that from God's perspective His life has been laid down, since He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. "No one has taken it away from He, but I lay it down on My own initiative." This is My choice and My decision to die for My sheep. He does not have to do that. He chooses to do that "I have authority to lay down My life, and I have authority to take it up again." The word 'authority' is crucial—it means more than power. He has not only the power but He has the authority or the right. I have the power to do many things that I do not have the right or authority to do. I have the power to drive 100 miles per hour—if my car could go that fast down the street, but I do not have the authority to do that. There is a difference. Jesus Christ not only has the power, He has the authority, the right, the prerogative and He uses that authority to lay down His life and that authority to take back His life. "This commandment I received from My Father." Now again, this is perfectly consistent with the Father's will that the Son have the right, the authority to lay down His life and to raise up His life. This is a unique passage. The New Testament does not talk about Jesus Christ raising Himself from the dead. It always talks about the Father raising the Son. But here we're told that the Son has that authority to take His life up again. All you have here is the perfect harmony and meshing of the plans and purposes of the eternal God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But from the perspective of the man who is going to die with the incarnation, then His subsequent death and resurrection, it is based on the commandment of the Father. This is consistent with the rest of the emphasis of John that Christ functions in accord with the commandments of the Father. John chapter 12, verse 49, Jesus says He has spoken according to the commandment of the Father. He says the same thing in verse 31 of chapter 14. In chapter 15, verse 10, the commandments of the Father are what determine His activity, but that is consistent with what He chooses and what He does.

Now here you have a remarkable teaching. He has shared the greatest act of love that could ever be done. That He is the Good Shepherd, the One who will lay down His life for the sheep; the One who is intimately acquainted with His sheep and His sheep with Him; the One who loves them, cares for them, nourishes them, provides for them; the One who by His own choosing will die for them, be raised from the dead because He has secured life for them. Now what will be the response of people to such a demonstration and teaching of love?

Note quickly verses 19-21. "There arose a division again among the Jews because of these words." We have noted this before in John. How often when Jesus teaches the result is division. Some say 'Yes, I believe.' Some say 'No, I do not believe.' Any time Christ is proclaimed, the result is division, because men and women either believe or they do not believe. The result is division. And note what some of them say. "Many of them were saying, 'He has a demon, and is insane; why do you listen to Him?'" Can you imagine? Here the eternal Son of God has just shared that which will enable us as human beings to comprehend what love is all about. "We know love by this that He laid down His life for us." He’s been sharing the fact that He will do that for the sheep, and the conclusion of some in this audience is, He’s crazy. He’s out of His mind. He’s demon-possessed. He's a raving lunatic. Keep that in mind. Here are religious leaders passing evaluation on the Son of God in light of what He has said and what has He said? ’I am the good shepherd, and I love My sheep so much I will die for them.’ You're crazy, you’re out of your mind! You're mad, is the evaluation of these who will not believe. Why? They cannot comprehend that love. They cannot comprehend a love that will enable Him to die for them, so they respond as though He is crazy, as though He is out of His mind.

Some respond and say, "These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?" They know something’s wrong here. He couldn’t teach like this if He is demon-possessed. He couldn't open the eyes of the blind of He was demon-possessed. There's got to be more to it than that.

You note here. You have a complete reversal. You have religious people calling God the devil. Here you have the eternal Son of God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Savior of the world, and He is identified by the religious people as a demon. They are calling God the devil. This response to Christ is carried over, and note just a couple of passages with me in closing.

Acts chapter 26. The Apostle Paul is making his defense before Agrippa and Festus, and in verses 22 and 23 he has been sharing that the Christ was to suffer "and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles." In other words, Paul has just preached the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and note the response in verse 24. "And while Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, ’Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.'" That’s the word we have over in John chapter 10—you’re out of your mind, you're mad. You’ve gone insane. Now I think it’s interesting here. Paul's response, "I am not out of my mind...but I utter the truth." Isn't it interesting? Paul preaches the truth here and they say it's the words of a man who has gone out of his tree! He's lost his mind. I think it's interesting the way Festus puts it at the end of verse 24. "Your great learning is driving you mad." You cannot win with the unbeliever. Someone presents the gospel who is relatively uneducated and they say he's too dumb to know any better. You know, he really doesn't understand. Here is Paul, one of the most educated men of his day. He presents the gospel and what do they say? He spent so much time studying things that he's driven himself crazy. Can't win. You're either too smart or too dumb as far as the world is concerned. That's what Festus says. Paul, you've spent so much time in the books, so much time with your great learning, you've gone off the deep end. You've gone crazy. What has Paul done? He has shared with them the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What's the attitude of the world been? You're crazy! Jesus Christ shared with the people of His day His coming death and resurrection, and what did they say? He's crazy. Now should you and I be so surprised that you should present the fact that salvation is only through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and people should respond and say, I think you're a nut! I think you're crazy! But we, as soon as someone says that we think we've done something wrong. Boy they sure didn't respond the way I'd expect. Now we present it with the desire for their salvation, and Paul's concern is that Festus and Agrippa be saved. But we ought not to be so intimated that the world might think we're crazy! They thought that Jesus was crazy. They thought Paul was crazy. And I take it that when I take this same message and present it to the same people—not same in identity, but same in essence, lost, fallen, sinful humanity—you know what they’re going to think? They're going to think you’re some kind of nut! You're crazy. You’re a fanatic. You've gone out of your mind chasing after these religious ideas.
That's not tragic. You know what the tragedy is? That sometimes we're intimidated by that and so we shut up. I don’t particularly like my neighbors to point me out as a walk by and they say, Hey, there's that guy who's gone crazy! There's that guy who has sort of gone off. Too bad. He's gone out of his mind. You talk to him and you know what he'll tell you? He'll tell you you're going to hell unless you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins, that He was raised from the dead. Too bad what religion does to you when you get into it too deeply. You've got to be careful. Shouldn't surprise me at all.

One other passage in closing. I Corinthians. Not every Christian that convinces other people that they're crazy is doing it the right way. And 1 Corinthians 14, verse 23. "If therefore the whole church should assemble together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?" There's our word. Mi-no-mi—you're out of your mind. Now note here. The cause of the unbeliever thinking Christians are made is improper conduct on the part of Christians. Now that's true. Some Christians are crazy, so to speak. They act like they're crazy. Here Paul is saying to the church at Corinth. If you carry on like this the world's going to think you're out of your mind. It has nothing to do with the presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I just say that so we're careful—that you haven't done the job just because people say you're crazy. I don't want you to go away with that idea. Just because you convince people you're a nut doesn't mean you've faithfully represented Jesus Christ. But, if you faithfully present the gospel of Jesus Christ and people think you're a nut, don't be intimidated. Don't be taken back.

So what has happened in John chapter 10? Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, the One who loves us so much He died for us. The One who by His death has provided life for those who will believe in Him. He is the Good Shepherd. Have you believed in Him? Have you come to realize that He is the One who died on a cross to pay the penalty for your sins? He was raised from the dead because that penalty had been paid. There is the great demonstration of love. It's amazing how the Jewish people responded. It's amazing how Agrippa and Festus responded. How have you responded to that great demonstration of love? Christ died to pay the penalty for your sin. He was raised from the dead. Have you believed in Him? Have you responded to that love?

Secondly, for those of us who have, are we really manifesting the character of this shepherd in our relationships with one another? Is that what characterizes us as a body? Are you manifesting the character and attitude of the One who is the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd? In our dealings with one another, do we have shepherd's hearts? A concern and a compassion to do whatever is necessary, to make whatever sacrifice is needed so that the sheep of God can mature and grow and develop? Let's pray together.

Father, we thank you for such great love. Lord, we acknowledge that we understand something of love because of the great act of love that Jesus Christ performed. That He died for us. Lord, we see something of what love really is when we see what He has done in our behalf. We thank you for the salvation that was accomplished in His death and resurrection. Lord, that we can be here this morning and proclaim the good news of life in Christ. Lord, we pray for those who are here who have yet to believe in Jesus Christ. They have been confronted with the reality of His death and resurrection, that He is the Good Shepherd who has given His life that people might believe and have life in Him. We pray that the Spirit might do that work that only He can do in opening their eyes to see the reality and their sinful lost condition, and that Jesus Christ is the One who paid the penalty for them.

For those of us who have believed, Father, we pray that we might learn a greater appreciation, a greater love from what Christ has done for us. Lord, that we might take to heart what the character of a true shepherd is, that our love and concern and compassion for one another might be a true reflection of the love, concern and compassion that Jesus Christ manifested for us, for we pray in His name