Today, our text is going to be from John chapter
10, but let us now pray. All glory be to you,
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Ghost. Make us ever mindful that we are the people
of the resurrection, and now there is no power
greater than your power, no power that can overthrow
your purpose and your kingdom. Help us to hear
and obey your voice. We humbly ask you now that
by your mercies and grace that you would make
the words of my mouth and the meditations of
all our hearts acceptable in your sight. O Lord,
our strength and nearest kinsman, Redeemer, Jesus
Christ. Amen. So here on this fourth Sunday of
Easter, we're returning to a place where we're
reflecting back on what Christ said of himself
in John chapter 10. So as children of the resurrection,
Let us now hear John chapter 10, beginning with
verse 1. Most assuredly I say to you, he who
does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but
climbs up some other way, the same as a thief
and a robber. But he who enters the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper
opens and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls
his own sheep by name and leads them out. And
when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before
them. and the sheep follow him, for they know
his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a
stranger, but will flee from him, for they do
not know the voice of strangers. Jesus used this
illustration, but they did not understand the
things which he had spoken to them. Then Jesus
said to them, again, most assuredly, I say to
you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever
came before me are thieves and robbers, but the
sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone
enters by me, he will be saved and will go out
and find pasture. The thief does not come except
to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come
that they may have life and that they may have
it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd, and
the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
These are the words of Almighty God. receive
them in your hearts. There are three things I
want you to take away from today. They are beginning
with this. We must know and follow Jesus' voice.
We must know and follow Jesus' voice. Number
two. All other voices deceitfully bring destruction
and death. All other voices deceitfully bring
destruction. and death and good pasture. You
know that pasture where peace and joy and love
is? Good pasture is only found in Jesus. Good
pasture is only found in Jesus. Last week we
were instructed by our text from Luke 24 about
the disciples traveling on the road to Emmaus.
that they had their eyes restrained why for their
certainty They have their eyes restrained for
their certainty the certainty in Jesus revealed
in His abiding presence and the breaking of the
bread Now this begs the question of God's work
for us in hard times where we cannot seem to
have a clear path Does that happen to you? Sometimes
it's hard. What's the clear path? What do I do?
Life often has uncertainties that God ordains
for his people. In keeping with that, have you
ever wondered about the broader application to
the church about Jeremiah 29 and 11? When I say
this, you're probably going to say, oh, I know
that passage. I've heard it. Jeremiah 29 and
11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you says Yahweh thoughts of peace and not of
evil To give you a future and to hope And he
does all this in uncertain moments and times
Our passage today provides us with certain confidence
and assurance in Jesus Now in our passage we
can be certain of two things Two things we are
sheep and we need the Good Shepherd So what do
we know about sheep I suspect most of us don't
know very much So you need to understand this
that sheep and by the way, we're the sheep remember
this we're coming through this we're the sheep
sheep are dirty and smelly We cannot clean ourselves
of our sins and offenses We need the good shepherd.
Sheep lack intelligence to be free. What I mean
is this. If the shepherd were to be out in the
field, and he was walking behind them, they'll
be going along, and if they see what looks like
a path, they'll start heading towards it. And
they'll go down that path no matter where it
leads, even if it's off of a cliff. Ask any shepherd.
Sheep are defenseless They need to be protected
from predatory animals Or those animals will
eat them We need God's protection we need the
Good Shepherd to avoid destruction Forth as one
commentator puts it Excuse me sheep are not only
dirty and not only not intelligent They're not
capable of defending themselves. We all agree
with that. So that's us. Remember that. But they
are also great complainers. If the shepherd comes
near the sheep, what do they do? They start bleeding.
Help me. Fix this for me. Do this for me. Help
me. All about me. We too, as the sheep of God,
are great complainers. They are always bleeding
and so are we because we want God to do something
for us So God here, this is important here is
not complimenting us when he refers to us as
sheep That's kind of a reference point we've
talked a little bit about sheep, but now we need
to look at what things give us the framework
for this passage. Our passage must be read in
the context of the fulfillment of Ezekiel 34.
Now, in the listing that I sent out last night
with reference verses for you, I'm only going
to read a couple of those verses in Ezekiel 34
today. But I encourage you to go back and read
all of Ezekiel 34 for a greater context. And
so again Ezekiel 34 says this, and the word of
Yahweh came to me saying, son of man, prophesy
against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and
say to them, thus says Lord God to the shepherds,
woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves.
Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You
eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool.
You slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed
the flock. the weak you have not strengthened,
nor have you healed those who were sick, nor
bound up the broken, nor brought back what is
driven away, nor sought what is lost. But with
force and cruelty you have ruled them. So they
were scattered because there was no shepherd
and they became food for all the beasts of the
field when they were scattered. So here Israel
in the book of Ezekiel is being pointed out that
they are sheep. All the bad things, all the weaknesses
are exposed. And worse yet, the under -shepherds,
the shepherds that God has set for them, are
just like the predators. They're eating them,
consuming them, using them for their own good.
And so they are scattered and in need of a shepherd.
Now at the end of Ezekiel 34, God says this himself.
Therefore, I will save my flock. and they shall
no longer be prey and I will judge between the
sheep and the sheep and I will establish one
shepherd over them and he shall feed the sheep
my servant David he shall serve them and be their
shepherd and I Yahweh will be their God and my
servant David and a prince among them I Yahweh
have spoken So here in John chapter 10 Jesus
is the fulfillment and he is declaring himself
the fulfillment of this prophecy in Ezekiel That
is the context of where we're at Finally the
third frame that we need to understand this passage
is to realize that John chapter 8 through 10
are connected right Again, I'm gonna admonish
you as you read the scriptures. Don't look at
the chapters and verses as breaks Sometimes it's
it's a paragraph here. It's it's it's a different
thought there and other places. It's a long stretch
and here John chapters 8 through 10 are connected
First of all, we have two feasts that are in
view that are being celebrated in the temple
in John 8 and 9 occurs during the Feast of the
Tabernacles, where Jesus declares to the Pharisees,
the scribes and the Pharisees, and he says they
are his enemies. Jesus said to them in verse
42 of John 8, if God were your father, you would
love me, for I proceeded forth and came from
God. Nor have I come of myself, but he sent me.
Why don't you understand my speech? This is important.
This is going to contrast this voices. We're
hearing and he says this Jesus himself says because
You are not able to listen to my word now listen
isn't hearing. It's doing it's hearing it accepting
it believing it and doing it He now speaks in
grim judgment you are of your father the devil
and the desires of your father you want to do
He was a murderer from the beginning and does
not stand in the truth because there is no truth
in him When he speaks a lie he speaks from his
own resources For he is a liar and the father
of it And now in chapter 10 this occurs several
months later during the Feast of Dedication This
feast is the one that recalls the time of the
Lord's intervention in delivering the people
of God during the intertestamental times with
the Maccabees the Maccabees by God's what mighty
work Bring relief from their Greek oppressors
But more importantly in the crisis in the temple
when there's not enough oil to keep it going
see oil to make oil for burning is a process
And they don't have enough to keep the lamps
lit. And God causes the oil in the lamps not
to run out until more oil is ready. So here,
remember, Jesus is in the temple during the Feast
of the Lights in this passage. Jesus himself
is illuminating. That is revealing not just himself,
but his light exposes the enemies. God Jesus
motives are for his light to provide light and
life to his people even though they are Simply
dumb sheep in need of constant care Here in John
10 Jesus continues to shed the light that the
scribes and Pharisees and most certainly the
chief priests Do not enter God's sheepfold properly
And of course it begins with most assuredly,
this is real important in the Old English and
in the Old King James, it says, verily, verily
I say unto you, that is actually a Greek translation
of amen, amen. It's twice, like it's saying,
I'm telling you this, no, no, I'm telling you
that this is a true saying. Most assuredly I
say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold
by the door but climbs up some other way. The
same as a thief and a robber, but he who enters
by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. You
see, these men, the Pharisees, the scribes, and
the chief priests, have been given the privilege
to care for God's people, the sheep who belong
to God. Rather than care for the sheep, rather
than feed the sheep, these men who opposed Jesus
were not motivated by God's motives. They rejected
all the miracles and teachings of Jesus because
was they did not want to follow God's word. The
words of men were of greater value to them than
the words of God. Let me say that again. The
words of men were of greater value to them than
the words of God. They saw the words of God not
as requirements to do justly, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with their God. but rather
as a means to preserve their position on the
backs of the people of God. They were thieves
and robbers. They stole glory from God and robbed
the people of God by consuming not only what
the people of God were producing, but by the
very eating of them. They ate the flesh of the
sheep, they just consumed them for their own
benefit. Now Paul describes such men in 2 Timothy
chapter 3 that says this, but know this that
in the last days perilous times will come for
men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving. unforgiving,
slanderers, without self -control, brutal, despisers
of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers
of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having
a form of godliness but denying its power. This
is exactly what they were doing. They had a form
of godliness that they built themselves. What
does Paul say? people turn away. For this sort
are those who creep into households and make
captives of gullible women, loaded down with
sins and led away by various lusts, always learning
and never able to come to the knowledge of the
truth. By the way, man, you can be gullible too.
Now here, Jesus tells us that he enters the door.
He is sent from the father to fulfill the promises
of the father to his sheep He says this to him
the door keeper opens That's God's open the door
and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his
own sheep by name and leads them out And when
he brings out his sheep, he goes before them
and the sheep follow him for they know his voice
You know, this is one of the most comforting
and assuring passages in Scripture The shepherd
speaks and the sheep hear. The shepherd calls
his own sheep by name. God knows your name. Children,
look up here. God knows your name. He knows the
very count of hairs on your head. The shepherd
leads the sheep out. He goes before them. And
the sheep follow because they know his voice.
voice. This is important. You need to read and
sing and hear God's Word, certainly here in church,
but you need to do it at home. Do it with the
brothers and sisters. You need to pray, certainly
here at church, but at home and with your brothers
and sisters in various places. You need to listen
to your pastors and elders as under shepherds.
You need to hear God's word. Know it. Believe
it. Obey it. Follow it. Now Jesus now, he strongly
contrasts the opposing voices. Yet, Jesus says,
they will by no means follow a stranger, but
will flee from him, for they do not know the
voice of strangers. And it says here, Jesus used
this illustration, but they didn't understand
the things that were spoken to them. The Pharisees
were so blinded by their own self -preserving
motives that they could not understand that they
were strangers. In their disobedience to God's
word, they had become, as Psalm 115 and Psalm
135 points out, not only are idols deaf and dumb
and blind, but now so are they. For Psalm 115
and 135 says, thus those who make them are like
them, idols. So everyone who trusts in them.
So as you make your idols, so you become. And
then Jesus says to them once again, most assuredly,
remember, at that time it's a double, this is
true. No, no, this is true. I am the door of
the sheep. All who ever came before me are thieves
and robbers. But the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will
be saved and go in and find. They go in and out
and find pasture. Jesus again in the most powerful
of ways declares that he is the only door for
the sheep. Jesus puts away any kind of thinking
that there is another way to the father. He said
that all others are thieves and robbers. Dearly
beloved, Jesus is declaring that there are only
two paths in life, two voices. His voice and
all other voices all of them are from Satan and
That they have come those voices have come to
steal and destroy Jesus is The only way to salvation
in life The Pharisees have become deaf dumb and
blind in creating their own way Saints of God
there is No third way. We either follow the word
of God unto life, or we follow Satan. And this
is the way to death and destruction. The lesson
and warning of the Pharisees is this. They sounded
like they knew God's word. They looked holy and
pious. They had special teachings supposedly
dedicated to God. but were based upon what they
wanted to hear. They had scripture memorized,
but did not obey God's word. They built a religious
life that excused sin for their convenience and
for their benefit and profit. This path may look
attractive and It might look like a good way,
but it always leads to death and destruction.
Many leaders, influencers and podcasters have
many attractive things to say. They look and
sound good. They even make true statements. Dearly
beloved, we think we're savvy. and that we wouldn't
fall for lies and deceit. But we need to remember
that every effective lie has elements of the
truth woven in it. Otherwise, it is too absurd
to be believed. And of course, we think we know
better, especially today, when we have seen and
experienced the absurdity of so many. And we've
seen that in the last five to 10 years. Absolute
absurdity. And we say, well, if I can pick that
out, I'm not going to be deceived by another
woman over here. After all, I know what a woman
is. I know that there's no gender fluidity. I
know that those sexual perversions are condemned
by God and are wrong. I don't believe the lies
of scientism or prophets. In this day and age,
we can easily too easily slip into a state of
pride arrogance and dishonor and dishonor to
God and dishonor to the body of Christ Jesus
is the only way for the forgiveness of our sins
and to enter into the kingdom of heaven that
is the full of God's sheep We are called to listen
to Jesus Not to the voice of a stranger Any voice
that is not Jesus's voice is not the way to peace
So what does the path and the voice of Jesus
lead us to? Do you live justly, love mercy, and
love humbly before your God? Do the voices you
hear drive you to obey God's word? Does it drive
you with humble gratitude to love mercy? to act
justly and not for yourself. You see, acting
justly, loving mercy, right, living humbly, that
matters in your house with your wife, with your
husband, with your children, towards your parents.
Are you hearing me now? Do you love? Do you live
justly so that they may benefit? Do you love
mercy that they may benefit, even if it costs
you, even like Jesus, if you have to die for
them? If you're listening to voices that are
not encouraging you in those things, stop listening
to them. Hear and obey God's word. Because remember,
is that the thief doesn't come except to steal
and to kill and to destroy. But Jesus says, I
have come that they may have life and that they
may have it more abundantly. Jesus came to give
us life and to have it more abundantly. The triune
God is not meager or stingy in his gifts. He
bestows all gifts that we may in turn share that
abundance. with others. Are you sharing the abundance
with others? God's love, His forgiveness? Are
you thankful? Are you full of gratitude? How
are you expressing that to your spouses, to your
children, to your parents? How are you expressing
that to your brothers and sisters in Christ here
and in the church more broadly? This passage
concludes with a clear and wonderful assurance.
All these voices, all these things. Coming back
to Ezekiel 34, he says this, I am the good shepherd.
And the good shepherd gives his life for the
sheep. Jesus is the good shepherd. we rejoice
when we hear that the Good Shepherd gives his
life for the sheep because we know that in the
fulfillment of Isaiah 53 6 this is true all we
like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone
to his own way and Yahweh has laid on him that's
Jesus the iniquity of us all that is our sins
Do you realize this promise and assurance in
Jesus doesn't make sense in our thinking. How
are we to be led into green pastures and to that
abundant and peaceful life? Well, it's through
obedience of hearing the voice of Jesus. But
what if obedience calls us for dying for others
to please God? I've said this before, but there's
always the grand gesture, throwing yourself in
front of a car, bullet for your loved ones. And
yes, man, I encourage you to do that. But for
you all out here, I want you to understand that
sometimes God's call to obedience to His word,
His service to your families, to your church,
that will cause you to walk in obedience, and
it might cost you your life. It might cost you
your hopes and your dreams and the things you
aspire to. It might cost you your goals. We need
to understand that God calls us to trust Him
and He will resurrect us and not just for the
last day. But in the obedience to the voice of
Jesus, we can trust the Good Shepherd to bring
us and His sheep into abundant life. When Abraham
took Isaac, I think oftentimes we just read the
story and we take it at face value. Yeah, that
was a great thing. Abraham trusted God when he
took his son. I want you to think about this
for a minute. It wasn't a five -minute walk with
Isaac to sacrifice his son, but he believed God.
He believed that God would either resurrect Isaac
Or he would bring provision for the sacrifice.
And he took that step day after day. They walked
and they walked and they walked. And they carried
up all the supplies. He did the hard thing, tied
up his son, restrained him. And the son, too,
had to restrain himself. I'm sure if he's a young
man, about 15, I'm pretty sure he could probably
handle his father at 100, right? Submission on
both sides. And what happened? God, in complete
obedience, in complete trust in God, God provided
there. We must, in obedience, obey the voice
of Jesus and trust the Good Shepherd. And He
will bring us to His abundant life. We may not
be able to clean ourselves from our sins and
offenses and we may behave like dumb sheep And
we may in fact be defenseless and to add injury
to insult we complain the whole way Dearly beloved
Jesus is the Good Shepherd and he is faithful
hear his voice and follow him We must know and
follow Jesus's voice. We must remember and guard
ourselves that all the voices are working deceitfully
to bring destruction and death, and that the
good pasture of love and joy and peace are only
found in Jesus. Let us pray. Heavenly Father,
we thank You for fulfilling Your promises in
Christ Jesus. He is truly the Good Shepherd,
who not only laid down His life for our sins,
but even now leads us to green pastures and still
waters. Help us we pray to hear the voice of
Jesus and to joyfully follow in obedience even
when you prepare a table for us in the presence
of our enemies. We humbly ask that you complete
your good work that you've begun in all of us
and that for the sake of Jesus goodness and mercy
might follow us all the days of our lives and
that we may dwell in your house forever and ever.
Amen.