Redeemer Presbyterian Church

*Introduction*

Jesus alludes to *pasture* in verse 9. Pasture is a metaphor for spiritual
and physical well-being, the longing of the human heart- both emotional
well-being and physical safety, to go in and out safely, to have security to
graze, to have abundance of life, to enjoy all the benefits of belonging to
God.

The question God raises for you today is, Who is leading you to pasture?

Here is how the text helps you answer those questions:

* *

*1.     **The text tells you that you are a sheep who needs a shepherd.*

In this text Jesus is indicting the false shepherds of Israel for failing to
be the shepherds God called them to be. God called them to care for his
people according to the pattern he cares for them.

Ps.23;1  The Lord is my shepherd

Ps.80:1 O give ear, shepherd of Israel…

Ps.100  we are the people of his flock, the sheep of his pasture

Ps.121:8 The Lord will guard your going out and coming in

Jer. 31:10 The Lord will keep Israel as a shepherd keeps his flock.

Is.40:11 *Like a shepherd he will tend his flock, in his arms he will gather
the lambs, and carry them in his bosom; he will gently lead the nursing
ewes.*

Jesus calls them *thieves and robbers*  (v.8) because they steal from the
sheep the joy and shalom they ought to have as God’s flock. Clearly, then,
Jesus intentionally contrasts Himself with the irresponsible shepherds of
Israel, who just excommunicated an innocent man, as he self-consciously puts
Himself in the role of the true shepherd of Israel. He is the shepherd king
anticipated in the OT.

What might be stealing your joy and peace? False shepherds.  We tend to
think according to one of several different paradigms:

1. *I am my own shepherd*.

That’s why Jesus had compassion on the masses because they were like “sheep
without a shepherd”  (Mt.9:36)

In his compassion:

1) the Spirit  will expose self-protective strategies to find pasture:

2) the Spirit exposes the false shepherds

1. *Just Jesus and me.*

*2.     **The text tells you what Jesus promises as the true shepherd.*

* *

1. *He promises eternal life**. *

* *

*v. 7 I am the door of the sheep, if anyone enters through Me, he shall be
saved and go in and out and find pasture.*

* *

We need a substitute to lay down his life for us. Double meaning:

*Figuratively*, according to v.12-13, he lays down, gives up his own
welfare, puts aside claims to his own shalom, for the safety of his sheep,
rather than fleeing like a coward when the wolf comes to kill and destroy
them.

*Literally*, he was laid down on the cross prior to it being slammed into a
hole in the ground. That’s the place your sins would take you.

1. *He promises intimacy with His sheep*.

When Jesus chose twelve men of all the disciples to train for his on going
ministry, that inner circle of twelve he tended as His little flock
(Mt.16:5). Now that is for any of us. Notice how personal v. 3 is:

*…the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads
them out…*

*For His part*, He calls us by name.

*For our part*, we hear his voice.

c. *He promises pasture*.

*v. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he shall be saved, and go
in and out, and find pasture*.