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In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ. The Good Shepherd July 31, 2011. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info. Background.

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In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

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  1. In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus Christ The Good Shepherd July 31, 2011 www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  2. Background • While the subject seems to shift abruptly at the beginning of Chapter 10, Jesus is likely still speaking to the same group of Pharisees who challenged him over the healing of the blind man in Chapter 9 • What comes to mind when you think of an actual shepherd? • What comes to mind when you think of a shepherd in terms of a leader? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  3. The Sheep and the Shepherd • John 10:1-4 • 1“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2Buthe who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3Tohim the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  4. The Imagery Used • Jesus uses imagery known to His listeners • The image is of a secure, walled pen where the sheep are kept • There is a single door, tended by a doorkeeper • Would have been true for several flocks kept together overnight • Only the shepherd(s) would have been allowed through it • Those entering any other way are up to no good www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  5. Walled Sheep Pen www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  6. For Discussion • Why would Jesus use such imagery in this situation? • In your estimation, what do the various symbols mean? • The pen • The door • The doorkeeper • Those who enter via the door • Those who enter another way www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  7. The Sheep Follow the Shepherd • John 10:5-6 • 4“Whenhe puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5Astranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”6This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  8. More Imagery • The shepherd called each of his sheep by name, as we would a pet • Each knew his master’s name (or call) for it and followed when he called • These sheep were not driven ahead as they are today • Someone dressed as the master, calling the sheep the same name(s) would not be recognized by the sheep • What is Jesus saying to the people? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  9. I Am The Door • John 10:7-10 • 7SoJesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8Allwho came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9Iam the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10Thethief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  10. For Discussion • What does Jesus mean by “I am the door”? • Who are those who came before Him? • Why are they thieves and robbers? • How are those who enter saved? • What awaits the saved? • Who do the “thieves” kill and destroy? • What is Jesus’ purpose in coming? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  11. The Historical Context • Ezekiel 34:1-3 • 1Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3Youeat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  12. The Historical Context • Ezekiel 34:4-5 • 4“Thosewho are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. 5Theywere scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  13. The Historical Context • Ezekiel 34:6 • 6“Myflock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.”’” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  14. The Historical Context • Ezekiel 34:7-9 • 7Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8“As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “surely because My flock has become a prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock; 9therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  15. The Historical Context • Ezekiel 34:10 • 10‘Thussays the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. So the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I will deliver My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them.”’” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  16. The Historical Context • Ezekiel 34:11-13 • 11’Forthus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12Asa shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. 13Iwill bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  17. The Historical Context • Ezekiel 34:14-16 • 14“Iwill feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15Iwill feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord GOD. 16“I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  18. The Prophetic Context • Ezekiel 34:23-24 • 23“Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. 24AndI, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the LORD have spoken.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  19. For Discussion • God was against the shepherds of Israel because of the abuses of their office • He promised to take the flock away from them and restore it to Himself • He also promised to set His servant David over them www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  20. I Am The Good Shepherd • John 10:11-13 • 11“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12He 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. 13He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  21. For Discussion • What is the reaction of the shepherd vs. the hired hand when danger approaches? • A hired hand was expected to defend against one wolf, but was free to flee from two or more • How would the shepherd react in the latter case? • Would a shepherd actually lay down his life for the sheep? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  22. I Am The Good Shepherd • John 10:14-15 • 14I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.16Ihave other sheep, whichare not of this fold; I mustbring them also, and theywill hear My voice; and theywill become one flock withone shepherd.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  23. For Discussion • Jesus plays on the imagery to say that His own recognize Him as their Shepherd • They will recognize Him as clearly as the Father and Son know each other • Note that Jesus stresses again that He is willing to lay down His life for His sheep • Jesus takes the image to another level • Who are the other sheep? • What will be required to bring them in? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  24. I Give My Life • John 10:17-18 • 17Forthis reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18Noone 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.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  25. For Discussion • What is Jesus willing to do to bring these sheep into the fold? • On whose authority? • “I lay my life down ... no one takes it away” • “I lay it down ... I take it back up” • “On the Father’s authority” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

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

  27. In Closing • As always, Jesus invokes differing responses from the crowd • Those who refuse to believe • Those who refuse to commit • Those who truly believe • What Jesus did for us, He did of His own free will, under the authority of the Father • No one forced Him to die, but it was His free gift to us www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

  28. Next Week • The Sending Out of the Seventy • Luke 10:1-24 Questions? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

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