Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. In contrast, a hired hand will flee when the sheep are threatened by a wolf. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows and cares for his sheep intimately. He promises to bring other sheep into his flock from other folds, like the Gentiles. His death and resurrection demonstrate his commitment to the sheep. The passage leads to another division among the Jews about Jesus' identity and message.

1. “I am the Good Shepherd”
John 10:11-21

2. The fourth of the seven “I Am” statements
•Jesus shifts focus to contrast himself
with the Pharisees
•He just called them Thieves and Robbers
•Now he will call them “Hired hands”
•Some of God’s Greatest in Scripture
were shepherds, Abel, Moses, David
•Shepherds had a lifelong relationship
with their flock– we’ll see more shortly

3. 11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays
down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand,
and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the
sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep
and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters
them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not
concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good
shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,
15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the
Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

4. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I
must bring them also, and they will hear My voice;
and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay
down My life so that I may take it again. 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. This commandment I
received from My Father.”

5. 19 A division occurred again among the Jews because
of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has
a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?”
21 Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of
one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the
eyes of the blind, can he?”
John 10:11-21, NASB

6. A.) Why “the Good Shepherd”?
•Remember Jesus’ conversation with the rich
young ruler? (Mark 10:17-18)
•The word means, intrinsically good,
beautiful, fair, that which is ideal
•To call Him “good” is the same as calling
Him “God”
•Today in the region you’ll see shepherds
leading flocks, revealing how intimately
they know each sheep’s, traits, special needs

7. A.) Why “the Good Shepherd”?
•Also you must know the purpose of the flock to the
shepherd
•Sheep were not ever slaughtered for food
•They were kept for milk and wool and for
lambs
•The ONLY time one was killed was for the
annual sacrifice– to atone for the sins of
the family
•Jesus lists 4 ministries He has as the Good Shepherd

8. 1.) He dies for the Sheep, Vv 11-13
•Under the old covenant, sheep died for their
shepherd– not now! The Shepherd dies
•5 times in this sermon Jesus affirms the
sacrificial nature of his death; not as a
martyr, but as a substitute willingly
laying down His life for us
•Also– don’t be confused by Him dying
“for the sheep” He died for everybody
•His blood is sufficient for all but efficient for few

9. 1.) He dies for the Sheep, Vv 11-13
•Jesus contrasts Himself to the Hired Hand who only
works for a paycheck.
•The sheep aren’t his– the Good
Shepherd bought them with His life
•In danger her runs, but the GS stays
•Throughout Scripture we are compared
to sheep– stupid and prone to get into
danger, clean, defenseless, in need of a
protector, prone to wander off
•The Pharisees, in contrast, cared naught

10. 2.) He knows His sheep, Vv 14-15
•This Greek word means more than intellectual
awareness
•It speaks of an intimate relationship
between God and His people
•The Eastern Shepherd knows his sheep
personally and therefore knows best how
to minister to them
•Look at Jesus’ use of people’s names
when He greets them (Disciples, Mary in the garden

11. 2.) He knows His sheep, Vv 14-15
•That also means He knows our personalities and our
natures
•The loving Shepherd recognizes all
our individual traits
•Each of the disciples were complete-
ly different, yet He knew how to deal
with each one perfectly
•Knowing our nature also means knowing our needs
•Psalm 23 (Know Him better by listening to His voice)

12. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me
lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet
waters. 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths
of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Even though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no
evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they
comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the
presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head
with oil; My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and
loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And
I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23, NASB

13. 3.) The Good Shepherd brings others, V. 16
•The fold was Judaism, but there is now another fold…
•The Gentiles allowed into this flock
•The early church was Jewish but was not
to remain that way
•Peter evangelized Gentiles
•Paul took the Gospel to the far reaches
of the Roman Empire
•“One Fold” is really “One Flock”– all God’s people
who belong to the Good Shepherd– the WORLD

14. 4.) The Good Shepherd takes up His life
again, Vv 17-21
•His voluntary death followed by His
victorious Resurrection!
•No other religion has this story at
its heart– with eyewitnesses even!
•He was not Executed, not possible
•Another division among them, 19
•Name calling again in the face of troubling truth
•Doors also shut some out vs letting others in…

15. Conclusion…
•The take home this week is similar to
that of last week
•Where do you come down in this
division of thought?
•Is He your Shepherd?
•Or are you still one of those He had
compassion over when He said
He saw the people “as sheep without a shepherd”,
wandering around aimlessly?