"I​ Am the Good Shepherd" (10:11–21)

​“I Am the Good Shepherd” (10:11–21)
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This is the fourth time Jesus says "I am" in John's gospel (John 6:35; 8:12; 10:9). Without a doubt, when making this statement, He is saying that he is different from the false shepherds who were in charge of the Jewish religion at the time. He had already called them "thieves and robbers," and now he would call them "hirelings."

The word that was translated to "good" means "inherently good, beautiful, and fair." It talks about what is perfect, the example that others can safely follow. The goodness of our Lord was part of who He was. It is the same to say "good" as it is to say "God" (Mark 10:17–18).

Some of the most important people in the Bible were shepherds, like Abel, the patriarchs, Moses, and David. In the Holy Land today, you can still see shepherds leading flocks and talking about how well they know each sheep, including its unique traits and needs. Jewish shepherds cared for sheep only to sacrifice them. Shepherds took care of them so that they would give wool, milk, and lambs.

As the Good Shepherd, Jesus said that He does four special things.

He dies for the sheep (vv. 11–13). In the past, the shepherd died for the sheep, but now the Good Shepherd dies for the sheep! In this sermon, Jesus made it clear five times that His death was a sacrifice (John 10:11, 15, 17–18). He did not die as a martyr, killed by people; instead, He died as a substitute, willingly giving up His life for us.

We shouldn't ignore what the rest of the Bible says about the cross when Jesus said He died "for the sheep." He also died for the people of Israel (John 11:50–52) and for the whole world (John 6:51). The blood of Jesus Christ can save the whole world, but it only works for people who will believe.

Jesus said that He was different from the hireling, who only watches over the sheep because the hireling is paid to do so. The hireling runs away when there is danger, but the real shepherd stays and looks after the flock. The most important part is "whose own the sheep are not." The Good Shepherd buys the sheep and owns them because He died for them. He owns them and takes care of them. Sheep are naturally dumb and likely to get into trouble, so they need a shepherd to look after them.

The Bible often compares God's people to sheep, and this is a good comparison. Unlike pigs and dogs, sheep are clean animals (2 Peter 2:20–22). They are weak and need the shepherd's help (Ps. 23). They are "prone to wander," and they need to be looked for and brought back to the fold often (Luke 15:3–7). Sheep are calm animals that the shepherd can use. They picture people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and are part of God's flock in these and other ways.

The Pharisees didn't care about the beggar like good shepherds do, so they kicked him out of the synagogue. Jesus found him and took care of him.

He is familiar with His sheep (vv. 14–15). In the Gospel of John, the term "know" signifies far more than mere intellectual awareness. It talks about how close God is with His people (see John 17:3). The Eastern shepherd knows his sheep well, so he knows how to help them best.

First of all, our Lord knows who we are (see John 10:3). He knew Simon (John 1:42) and even gave him a new name. He called Zacchaeus by name (Luke 19:5), and when He said Mary's name in the garden, she knew it was her Shepherd (John 20:16). You can understand how comforting it is to know that the Good Shepherd knows each of His sheep by name if you've ever lost your identity in a maze of computer operations.

He also knows who we are. All sheep are the same in their basic nature, but each one has its own unique traits that the loving shepherd knows. One sheep might be scared of heights, while another might be scared of dark places. A good shepherd will think about these special needs as he cares for the flock.

Have you ever noticed how different the twelve apostles were? Peter was quick to act and speak his mind, while Thomas was slow to act and unsure. Andrew was a "people person" who always brought people to Jesus. Judas, on the other hand, wanted to "use" people to acquire their money for himself. Jesus knew each man well and knew exactly how to handle them.

He knows our needs because He knows who we are. We don't even know what we need most of the time! Psalm 23 is a lovely poem about how the Good Shepherd looks after His sheep. The shepherd is taking care of the sheep and meeting their needs, so they don't have to be afraid in the fields, by the water, or even in the valleys. The main idea of the poem is "I shall not want … all the days of my life." You can find it in Psalm 23:1 and 6.

The sheep learn more about their shepherd as he takes care of them. He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him. They learn more about Him by hearing His voice (the Word) and feeling His care every day. The sheep learn to love and trust the Shepherd as they follow him. He loves "his own" (John 13:1) and shows that love by how He takes care of them.

The Good Shepherd adds more sheep to the flock (v. 16). The "fold" refers to Judaism (John 10:1), while there exists another fold comprising the Gentiles who are external to the covenants of Israel (Eph. 2:11ff.). During the early years of His ministry, our Lord focused on the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 10:5–6; 15:24–27). The people who became Christians at Pentecost were Jews and Jewish proselytes (Acts 2:5, 14), but the church was not meant to stay a "Jewish flock." Peter brought the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10–11), and Paul brought the message to the Gentiles in the farthest parts of the Roman Empire (Acts 13:1ff.).

The Good Shepherd's people are the only flock. God has people all over the world (see Acts 18:1–11), and He will call them and bring them together.

The message of the gospel of John is clear: "For God so loved the world" (John 3:16). Jesus went against the norm and talked to a Samaritan woman. He would not stand up for the Jewish religious leaders' exclusive way of doing things. He died for a world that was lost, and He wants His people to bring the message of eternal life to that world.

The Good Shepherd brings His life back (vv. 17–21). He willingly died and then rose from the dead in victory. From a human perspective, it looked like Jesus was killed, but from a divine point of view, He gave up His life willingly. When Jesus cried out, "It is finished," on the cross, He willingly gave up His spirit to the Father (John 19:30). He willingly took back His life three days later and rose from the dead. The Father loved Him and gave Him this power.

There are times when the Bible says that the Father raised the Son (Acts 2:32; Rom. 6:4; Heb. 13:20). Here, the Son said that He had the power to bring His life back. Both are true because the Father and the Son worked together perfectly (John 5:17, 19). In a previous sermon, Jesus had hinted that He could bring Himself back to life (John 5:26). Of course, the Jews would have protested this claim because it was like saying, "I am God!"

What did the people who heard this message do? "There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings." (John 10:19). Again, pay attention to that word (John 7:43; 9:16). People said again that Jesus was possessed by demons (John 7:20; 8:48, 52). People will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid the truth!

Because Jesus Christ is "the Door," we should expect a split, since a door keeps some people in and lets others out. He is the Good Shepherd, and the shepherd must keep the sheep and goats apart. There is no way to be neutral about Jesus Christ because what we believe about Him is a matter of life and death (John 8:24).

The third thing he said was the most shocking of all.