Following the Good Shepherd: Embracing Abundant Life
Summary
### Summary
Welcome to our ongoing series on the Gospel of John, which we have titled "The Imaginative Gospel." Today, we delve into John chapter 10, a pivotal chapter that follows the events of John 9, where Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath, causing significant controversy among the Pharisees. This chapter continues the conversation, highlighting Jesus' compassion and the Pharisees' growing frustration.
In John 10, Jesus uses the metaphor of shepherding to describe His relationship with His followers. He contrasts Himself, the Good Shepherd, with thieves and hired hands who abandon the sheep at the first sign of danger. Jesus emphasizes that He is the gate for the sheep, offering them safety and abundant life. This metaphor would have resonated deeply with His original audience, who were familiar with the agrarian lifestyle and the role of shepherds.
Jesus' claim to be the Good Shepherd is not just a comforting image but a profound declaration of His divine mission. He states that He lays down His life for the sheep, a foreshadowing of His crucifixion. This act of self-sacrifice sets Him apart from other leaders who exploit their followers for personal gain. Jesus' exclusivity claim—that He is the only way to abundant life—challenges both the religious elite and the broader culture that resists such exclusivity.
The Pharisees, despite their extensive knowledge of Scripture and rigorous adherence to the law, are accused of spiritual blindness. They fail to recognize their need for Jesus' guidance, clinging instead to their self-righteousness. Jesus' words serve as a warning to all who think they have life figured out without Him. True understanding and abundant life come only through acknowledging our need for Jesus and following His voice.
The metaphor of shepherding also speaks to the relational aspect of following Jesus. It's not enough to know about Him; we must know Him personally and allow Him to know us. This two-way relationship is essential for spiritual growth and guidance. Jesus' voice leads us, not through coercion or fear, but through love and trust.
In conclusion, Jesus' claim to be the Good Shepherd invites us to examine our lives. Are we willing to trust His exclusive claim to abundant life? Are we ready to silence the competing voices in our lives and follow His lead? And most importantly, are we open to a dynamic, two-way relationship with Him?
### Key Takeaways
1. Jesus as the Good Shepherd: Jesus contrasts Himself with thieves and hired hands, emphasizing His role as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. This metaphor highlights His sacrificial love and commitment to our well-being, setting Him apart from other leaders who exploit their followers. [05:35]
2. The Danger of Spiritual Blindness: The Pharisees, despite their extensive knowledge of Scripture, are accused of spiritual blindness. Jesus warns that true understanding and abundant life come only through acknowledging our need for His guidance. Self-righteousness and a refusal to admit our need for help keep us in spiritual darkness. [09:57]
3. The Exclusivity of Jesus' Claim: Jesus' claim to be the only way to abundant life challenges both the religious elite and our broader culture. This exclusivity is not about afterlife rights but about immediate, abundant life. Jesus offers salvation and sustenance now, not just in the future. [12:34]
4. The Relational Aspect of Following Jesus: Knowing Jesus is not just about intellectual understanding but involves a dynamic, two-way relationship. We must allow Jesus to know us, opening our lives to His guidance and conviction. This relational aspect is essential for spiritual growth and true discipleship. [26:12]
5. Silencing Competing Voices: To follow Jesus effectively, we must silence the competing voices in our lives. Social media, cultural pressures, and other distractions can lead us astray. We need to discern which voices draw us closer to Jesus and which lead us away, committing to follow His voice above all others. [30:16]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:33] - Context of John 10
[03:04] - Healing the Blind Man
[04:23] - Jesus Confronts the Pharisees
[05:35] - The Good Shepherd Metaphor
[06:54] - Connection to Shepherding Tradition
[08:33] - The Human Condition of "I Know"
[09:57] - Spiritual Blindness of the Pharisees
[11:13] - Jesus as the Gate
[12:34] - Exclusivity of Jesus' Claim
[13:56] - Pharisees' Misguided Zeal
[15:28] - The Woman Caught in Adultery
[16:47] - Religious Superiority and Its Pitfalls
[18:09] - Jesus as the Good Shepherd in Tradition
[19:30] - Old Testament Shepherding Analogies
[20:50] - Jesus' Sacrificial Love
[22:21] - The Beautiful Shepherd
[23:42] - The Struggle of Following Jesus
[25:02] - Leading from the Front
[26:12] - The Two-Way Relationship
[27:20] - Trusting Jesus
[28:17] - Examining Our Lives
[29:13] - Silencing Competing Voices
[30:16] - Commitment to Prayer and Reflection
[31:57] - Closing Remarks
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- John 10:1-18
- Psalm 23
- Ezekiel 34:11-16
#### Observation Questions
1. What metaphor does Jesus use in John 10 to describe His relationship with His followers? How does He contrast Himself with others? [05:35]
2. According to John 10:10, what does Jesus say He has come to offer? How does this compare to the actions of the thief? [05:35]
3. In John 10:14-15, Jesus speaks about knowing His sheep and being known by them. What does this imply about the nature of the relationship between Jesus and His followers? [26:12]
4. How does Jesus describe the Pharisees' spiritual condition at the end of John 9? What is the significance of this description? [04:23]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus' claim to be the "Good Shepherd" challenge the religious elite and broader culture? How does this claim relate to His mission? [12:34]
2. What does Jesus mean when He says He lays down His life for the sheep? How does this act of self-sacrifice set Him apart from other leaders? [05:35]
3. How does the metaphor of shepherding in John 10 emphasize the relational aspect of following Jesus? Why is it important for Jesus to know His followers and for them to know Him? [26:12]
4. What are the dangers of spiritual blindness as described in the sermon? How can self-righteousness prevent someone from recognizing their need for Jesus? [09:57]
#### Application Questions
1. Jesus claims to be the only way to abundant life. Are there areas in your life where you struggle to accept this exclusivity? How can you begin to trust His claim more fully? [12:34]
2. Reflect on the competing voices in your life. What are some specific distractions that draw you away from following Jesus? How can you start to silence these voices this week? [30:16]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of a two-way relationship with Jesus. How can you open your life more to His guidance and conviction? What practical steps can you take to deepen this relationship? [26:12]
4. The Pharisees' spiritual blindness was rooted in their self-righteousness. Are there areas in your life where you might be relying on your own understanding rather than seeking Jesus' guidance? How can you address this? [09:57]
5. Jesus' sacrificial love sets Him apart from other leaders. How can you emulate this sacrificial love in your relationships and community? What specific actions can you take this week to show this kind of love? [05:35]
6. The sermon calls us to examine our lives and trust Jesus' voice above all others. What steps can you take to ensure that Jesus' voice is the primary influence in your decisions and actions? [29:13]
7. Reflect on Psalm 23 and its depiction of God as the Good Shepherd. How does this passage resonate with your current life situation? How can you find comfort and guidance in this imagery?
Devotional
Day 1: Jesus as the Good Shepherd
Jesus contrasts Himself with thieves and hired hands, emphasizing His role as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. This metaphor highlights His sacrificial love and commitment to our well-being, setting Him apart from other leaders who exploit their followers. Jesus' audience, familiar with shepherding, would have understood the profound implications of His words. Unlike hired hands who flee at the first sign of danger, Jesus remains steadfast, protecting and nurturing His flock even at the cost of His own life. This self-sacrificial love is a cornerstone of His divine mission and a model for us to emulate in our relationships and leadership roles. [05:35]
Ezekiel 34:11-12 (ESV): "For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness."
Reflection: Think of a situation where you have felt abandoned or unsupported. How can you invite Jesus, the Good Shepherd, into that situation to experience His protective and sacrificial love?
Day 2: The Danger of Spiritual Blindness
The Pharisees, despite their extensive knowledge of Scripture, are accused of spiritual blindness. Jesus warns that true understanding and abundant life come only through acknowledging our need for His guidance. Self-righteousness and a refusal to admit our need for help keep us in spiritual darkness. The Pharisees' inability to recognize their need for Jesus' guidance serves as a cautionary tale for all who think they have life figured out without Him. True spiritual insight requires humility and a willingness to admit our limitations and need for divine guidance. [09:57]
Isaiah 42:18-20 (ESV): "Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see! Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the Lord? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear."
Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you might be relying on your own understanding rather than seeking Jesus' guidance. How can you humble yourself today to seek His wisdom and direction?
Day 3: The Exclusivity of Jesus' Claim
Jesus' claim to be the only way to abundant life challenges both the religious elite and our broader culture. This exclusivity is not about afterlife rights but about immediate, abundant life. Jesus offers salvation and sustenance now, not just in the future. His declaration that He is the gate for the sheep underscores the necessity of entering through Him to experience true life. This claim confronts the cultural resistance to exclusivity and invites us to trust in His unique role as the source of life and salvation. [12:34]
Acts 4:12 (ESV): "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Reflection: Consider the areas in your life where you seek fulfillment outside of Jesus. What steps can you take today to align your pursuits with His promise of abundant life?
Day 4: The Relational Aspect of Following Jesus
Knowing Jesus is not just about intellectual understanding but involves a dynamic, two-way relationship. We must allow Jesus to know us, opening our lives to His guidance and conviction. This relational aspect is essential for spiritual growth and true discipleship. Jesus' voice leads us, not through coercion or fear, but through love and trust. This relationship requires ongoing communication, vulnerability, and a willingness to be led by His Spirit. [26:12]
John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
Reflection: How can you deepen your relationship with Jesus today? What specific actions can you take to ensure that your connection with Him is a two-way relationship?
Day 5: Silencing Competing Voices
To follow Jesus effectively, we must silence the competing voices in our lives. Social media, cultural pressures, and other distractions can lead us astray. We need to discern which voices draw us closer to Jesus and which lead us away, committing to follow His voice above all others. This requires intentionality and discipline, as well as a commitment to prayer and reflection to stay attuned to His guidance. [30:16]
1 Kings 19:11-12 (ESV): "And he said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper."
Reflection: Identify one competing voice in your life that distracts you from following Jesus. What practical steps can you take today to silence that voice and focus more on His guidance?
Quotes
1. "Jesus' ministry has long been understood to be for the marginalized and the downtrodden. This man, as you may have remembered from last week, spent the majority of the whole of his life blind, completely dependent on the financial gifts and generosity of others. They didn't have social networks and social infrastructure as we do today. And so this man would have been entirely dependent on other people giving and caring for him, this placing him in a position of low social status." [02:30] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "There's nothing more that the suffering and the oppressed want than the world to be made right. And this man has finally tasted of it. He's now been both physically oppressed and judgmentally in society been oppressed. And Jesus has released him from both. And he makes a statement to the man. He says in the end of John chapter nine, for judgment, I have come into this world so those who do not see may see. And those who see would become blind." [03:50] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Jesus is saying that if we cannot see and will not admit our own need for help, we're actually more blind than we could possibly begin to imagine. But those that will admit their blindness need help for guidance and will be given it, and so hence the transition into shepherding language. Those of us that will admit our need for leading and our inability to see and understand the world, there is guidance available in the good news." [09:57] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Jesus' own claim, is repeated in a more extended form, that I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will, not in the future, he will be saved and will come in and will go out and find pasture. He promises both salvation and sustenance, not as some far off thing, but immediately. His declaration, I have come so they may have life and have it abundantly, is an immediate statement with immediate benefit, not just some investment promise for later in eternity in afterlife." [12:34] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Jesus is claiming every other way to the good life, religious, material, social, fill in the blank, will leave you wanting, but if we will follow the good shepherd, the one who is willing to lay his life down for us, we will find life, and life abundantly. He states it here, and follows through with the offer, that in order to defeat darkness in our world, and in our own lives, he will give his own life in order to do that." [20:50] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "The point of calling Jesus the good shepherd is to emphasize the strange and compelling power of his love for us and displayed in his life, but as well as in his death and his resurrection. I think there's a deep truth. There, many of us know well, many of us that are listening, we have heard and seen of the goodness of Jesus, but we also then have heard and seen people in our lives who exemplified this well. And the way their lives beautifully testify of the way of Jesus draw us in." [22:21] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "There are two kinds of Christians. Those who admit they have a lot more room to grow in the way of following Jesus and liars. Because we all are terrible at it. There's so much more room for us to grow in living in the way of Jesus. And we often struggle with this idea of how or why are we not able to follow him better. We get frustrated with ourselves and often depleted and tired in the endeavors." [23:42] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "The way that we are able to grow in this relationship is found kind of in between the lines of and the words of Jesus. Jesus stated, I am the good shepherd and I know my own and my own know me. It cannot be that we just hear the voice of Jesus and get our marching orders and then go off on our own. It's instead that there is a two-way dynamic necessary for following the good shepherd." [26:12] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "We want to be self-sufficient, especially here in modern Western culture. We want to be able to do it, but we don't and we fail at that all the time. There's this need to open ourselves up to Jesus. Confession time for me. We just got back from vacation. And Natalie and I were talking about something. And she was speaking specifically about a situation in my life where I was struggling." [27:20] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "We come to this place of needing to examine our lives and go, do I actually trust Jesus' call of exclusivity and take it seriously? That is an easy thing to say, but the minute that we actually stop and examine our lives and process this, what are the other ways that we are thinking it is okay to live or even good to live when Jesus claims exclusivity? He is the only way to life and life abundantly." [28:17] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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