“Everybody Needs a Shepherd”
John 10:1-21
Sermon Series: “Getting Acquainted With Jesus”
Introduction: Everybody needs a shepherd. That may sound like a strange statement to you, but I believe it is true. Here is why. Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned; every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Matthew 9:36 says, “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” That is how Jesus views us.
Main Message: Everybody needs a shepherd to take care of him spiritually. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who can do this.
1. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, gives us salvation (v. 7-11, 17-18). Jesus is the Door, who is the only way to salvation. He can give salvation to those who trust Him because He is God who came and died for our sins and rose from the dead. It is amazing that the Good Shepherd became a sacrificial lamb (1 Peter 1:19) who died for us. Lost sheep are brought back home to God through the work of Jesus on the cross.
2. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, gives us an abundant life (v. 10). Jesus is not talking about material things in this verse, but He is talking about living a satisfied life. God is the giver of life, and He wants us to be made alive spiritually and live life to the fullest in Him. He wants our lives to have meaning and purpose instead of us just existing. However, Satan, the thief, wants to harm and destroy us, and he uses temptation and deception to bring that about
3. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, gives us a personal relationship with Himself (v. 12-14, 1-5). This includes:
We are His personal possession (“my sheep”)
He has personal knowledge of us. A shepherd knew his sheep’s name, nature, and needs. Jesus us by name. He knows our nature, and He also meets our needs.
He gives us personal direction. He is very clear about the fact that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. Actually, one of the characteristics of a genuine Christian is the fact that she hears the voice.
4. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, gives us a spiritual family (v. 15-16). The “other sheep” that Jesus refers to are the Gentiles. When He says, “there will be one flock and one shepherd,” He is referring to the church (see Ephesians 2:11-22). Therefore, we not only have Jesus as our Shepherd to take care of us, but we also have each other. God is calling us to look after one another and live life together as a family. He wants us to meet each other’s needs (Acts 4:32-37).
Conclusion: Are you trusting and following our Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ?
