Jesus, The Good Shepherd
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
3/17/2013 PM
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Text:
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John 10:14
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Psalters: |
228, 110, 232, 52 |
- The beautiful concept.
- Jesus uses the figure of a shepherd to describe His relationship to His people (Ps. 23:1; 80:1; Isa. 40:11; Ezek. 34:23).
- A shepherd leads his flock, guiding, nourishing, protecting, and caring for them all.
- Jesus knows His sheep intimately, loving them, personally and as a whole (3,14,15,27).
- He is the “good” shepherd.
- First, He is good over against the hired men who are selfish and unkind.
- He has all the qualities necessary to be not only a shepherd, but an excellent one.
- He is “the” Shepherd.
- The excellence of Jesus as our Shepherd.
- First, He is made Shepherd by His Father’s appointing, calling, and sending.
- He knows His sheep, so as to call each of them by name.
- He has a universal, special, distinct, and exact knowledge of all of His sheep, their distinct natures, temperaments, needs.
- He has affectionate love for them, taking special care of them, indulging them with intimate communion with Himself.
- He gave His life for the sheep, freely and voluntarily.
- The benefit and profit for the sheep.
- First, they are “saved” (9). They are assured of their salvation.
- In our Shepherd we are given pardon and peace.
- In our Shepherd we have perfect security and safety, working all things together for our spiritual profit.
- Second, we know Him: I “am known of mine.”
- This is a special, spiritual, saving knowledge, not in a general way as the devil does.
- They love Him above all else.