What’s So Great About the Good Shepherd? - Part B

If Jesus is your shepherd, accept no substitutes. Don't ever try to live your life through somebody else's life, through the life of some leader. Any leader, any pastor, any mentor is at best an under shepherd of the great shepherd.

Welcome to Connect with Skip Weekend Edition. It was William Shakespeare who said, Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. I think it could be said of Jesus that He's the only one of which all three are true. He was born Immanuel, God with us, our Savior. He achieved greatness through His death and resurrection, and He had greatness thrust upon Him as He humbly submitted to His Father's will in order to fulfill the great plan of redemption. Among the great figures of history, Jesus Christ is truly unique, and we'll explore why that is today in Connect with Skip Weekend Edition.

But first, let's see what's going on in the Connect with Skip Resource Center this month. Listen to what the message version of the Bible says about the necessity of a clear vision for the future. If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves.

But when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed. Vision for your life. That's the theme of our resource package that features five excellent full length messages by Skip, including six things that will surprise you about heaven and God's purpose for people. Now here's a comment from Skip Heitzig on the topic of purpose.

God has a desire. God has a purpose for you, and one of His purposes for you is that you know Him, that He walk with you, that you do life together with Him. Do you walk with God?

Is that a concern of yours? Is that a stated goal in your head, in your heart? I want to walk with God. I want to live to please God.

I want to know God. Clear vision for your life. That's the theme of our vision resource package that features five excellent full length messages by Skip, including six things that will surprise you about heaven and God's purpose for people. You'll want to order our vision resource package for this month, which also features a full color magazine about the vision that drives Skip's ministry. You'll also receive an audio copy of Skip clearly outlining his philosophy of ministry in the past, present, and future. Receive your vision package when you make a donation of $50 or more to connect with Skip. Give your gift by calling 1-800-922-1888 or online at connectwithskip.com.

That's 1-800-922-1888 or connectwithskip.com. We resume today in John chapter 10. So if you'll open your Bibles, here's Skip Heitzig to continue our study. I've always been fond of the story of the old rich grandfather who was losing his hearing. And he went to the doctor and got a hearing aid and it worked. He went back to the doctor two weeks later and said, Doctor, these things are so great. I can hear conversations in the next room. The doctor said, Oh, that's wonderful. I bet your family is really glad that you can hear. He said, I haven't told them. He said, I've just been listening and listening and getting to know my family a lot better. And guess what, Doc?

I changed my will twice. You never have to worry that that will happen between you and God. He knows all about you.

And he still loves you. Psalm 139, David said, Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down. You know my rising up.

You understand my thoughts are far off. There's not a word on my tongue, but behold, Lord, you know it all together. He knows when you lay down to relax. He knows when you get up to resume your activities. He searched and anticipates your thoughts, your motives. He knows what you're going to think before you think it. He knows all the, he's got the dirt on you.

Okay. He's got the dirt on you. He knows you and he cares for you and loves you nonetheless. I'll add to that and say, he knows us perfectly. We know him barely in comparison, right?

Wouldn't you agree? In comparison to what God knows about you, you know him barely. Your knowledge of God is incremental.

It's growing. Peter said, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. God knows you instantly, totally. You know God barely. You and I are like Paul the Apostle who cried out in Philippians that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of the supper.

That's my heart's cry. I want to know him. Will there ever be a time when you know him fully?

Yes, but not on this earth. When you're in a resurrected body in glory before his throne face to face, then you'll get it completely. Paul writes this, 1 Corinthians 13, now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror. Then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part, then I shall know fully as I am fully known. Let me add just one more thought to this. If Jesus Christ is willing to be your shepherd, why would you settle for anything less? Or put it to you another way, if Jesus is your shepherd, accept no substitutes. Don't ever try to live your life through somebody through somebody else's life, through the life of some leader. Any leader, any pastor, any mentor is at best an under shepherd of the great shepherd. Yet some people get so tied into a shepherding kind of a movement where they don't make a decision, they don't make any kind of a movement unless they first check everything out with their earthly shepherd. It's a mistake when people look to any kind of a leader to meet their needs.

That's why I say accept no substitute. He's your shepherd. Here's the third reason why he's so great. He's great because he unites his sheep. Verse 16, look what he says, and other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring and they will hear my voice and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

I love this. Our shepherd is so great he wants to open up the corral to as many sheep as he can. He wants to expand the flock. Now notice the phrase this fold. I have sheep that are not of this fold. This fold is the fold of Judaism.

That's what he's talking about. There was a blind man who was just kicked out of the fold, right, because he mouthed off to the Pharisees. They excommunicated him.

We read well several weeks ago by now. They unsynagogued him. Jesus immediately scooped him up and brought him into his fold. But what I read here is our Lord is not interested in keeping this a Jewish thing. He wants to go to the highways and the byways and compel as many as he can all people to come in, which by the way was predicted. The Pharisees didn't live that out but it was predicted in their own scriptures that God's plan was to reach not just Jews but more. Isaiah for example chapter 56 verse 8, the Lord God who gathers the outcasts of Israel says yet I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him. Boy the Pharisees did not live that way. The Pharisees divided the world up into two groups, Jews and everybody else. Jews and Gentile and Gentiles were unclean, unsavable, pious religious fanatical Pharisees would go through the streets of Jerusalem holding their robes tight to their body so they wouldn't brush up against any Gentile unless they get cooties, some unclean kind of a rub-off from these guys. In fact some of the pious Pharisees 2,000 years ago, the men, you'll see why the men in a moment would pray this as part of their morning prayer. Dear God I thank you that I'm not a Gentile or a slave or a woman.

How'd you like to be married to that ladies? I was part of their prayer life. In fact some of the Pharisees said that God created the Gentiles for one purpose so he would have kindling wood for the fires of hell.

That's why they were made just so we could burn them all up. So here comes Jesus and he says you know what I have a plan that's so much bigger than just this fold. I'm going to make this fold so big that there would be one flock and one shepherd. He's speaking of his church the blending of Jew and Gentile together because that kind of narrowness was never God's plan. He wanted to expand it and have everybody in the world hear about the good news of the Savior. Good Jesus said for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

That was his plan. It was a revolutionary concept however. Did you know that even Peter the apostle of Jesus had a hard time with Jesus letting anybody but Jews into the fold? Did you know that?

It was a revolutionary concept. In the book of Acts in chapter 10 Peter's hanging out with the buddy down in the seaport of Joppa and he sees a vision. Remember the story the sheep that gets let down from heaven and there's all sorts of unclean unkosher animals on the sheet and God says hey Peter get up and kill those things and eat them and Peter kill those things and eat them and Peter being Peter says no way lord I've never eaten anything that's unkosher and unclean. God said let me tell you something what I have cleansed don't you dare call common or unclean.

Well this is all a setup because as he's getting this vision a knock on the door comes some guys are there to take him to Cornelius's house a gentile ruler in the Roman government. So he goes all the way to Caesarea there's Cornelius and this is what Peter says as he comes to Cornelius's door the door opens the first thing out of Peter's mouth listen to how wonderful Peter is. You know how unlawful it is for Jews like me to hang out with people like you.

Greetings to you too Peter. But then Peter says but God has been speaking to my heart that what he has cleansed I dare not call common or unclean. But you see Peter had a real problem with God reaching out to anybody who wasn't Jewish but Jesus was opening the doors why to whosoever will let them come that there would be one flock and he says one shepherd. Jesus Christ is the lord for the Germans and the Jews and the Arabs and the Spanish and the Asians and the Africans and the Europeans and the Americans and your neighbor next door. That's who he is red and yellow black and white they are precious in his sight Jesus loves the little children and adults of the world. By the way it's the best way to view people this is a revolutionary way for you to start looking at people who are unbelievers they're potential sheep that bank secretary potential sheep that business executive on the golf course potential sheep that policeman writing you a ticket a potential sheep that's why you want to treat them with great respect not just to get out of the ticket potential sheep. Here's the fourth and final reason he's so great he's great because he lives for his sheep verse 17. Therefore my father loves me because I lay down my life now we know what that is we've already covered it he gives his life he lays it down that's his sacrificial death because I lay down my life that I may take it again no one takes it from me I lay it down of myself I have the power to lay it down I have the power to take it again this command I have received from my father therefore there was a division among the Jews because of these sayings and many of them said he has a demon and he's nuts why do you listen to him others said these aren't the words of one who has a demon can a demon open the eyes of the blind what is Jesus referring to in verse 17 and 18 his death and his resurrection and lay it down I'm going to take it again this would be the ultimate sign of a his messiahship be his deity no one takes my life from me I give it I lay it down and I have the power not only to lay it down but to take it back up he's predicting his death and his resurrection now why is that so important to being a good shepherd because it means he'll never leave us remember what Jesus said after he died and rose from the dead he said to his disciples lo I am with you always even to what the end of the world end of the age only somebody who lives forever can make that kind of promise right if I were to tell you I'll be with you to I'll be with you to the end of the age what if I die next week or whenever I die for some of you who are young it's not possible only someone who lives forever can make that kind of a promise now some of you are thinking but uh Skip uh after the resurrection he did leave he ascended up into heaven the bible says they stood on the mount of olives and Jesus went didn't say that but he says they he ascended up into heaven he left and you're thinking what's so great about that it's actually greater it's greater you see before when Jesus was on earth Jesus could only be where Jesus was in physicality he was limited to a physical body from heaven reigning at the right hand of the father he can make promises like I will never leave you orphans I will come to you moreover did you know that Jesus now in heaven ascended into heaven at the right hand of the father you know he's been very busy the last 2,000 years he's been working some of you are thinking what do you mean he's been working you Skip you always talk about the finished work of Christ you're right on the cross on the cross he finished the work of redemption you can't add to it but there's another unfinished work in heaven and that's called intercession intercession here's what Hebrews 7 25 says Jesus ever lives to make intercession for you he lives for his sheep he pleads your case before the father wow I prayed for you this week I prayed for you every week that's not nothing monumental I should be doing that it's what pastors do they should pray for their flock but I do pray for you and I'm saying that because I want to compare that with another statement as cool as that might sound Jesus prayed for you this week he spoke to the father on your behalf because you have an adversary that has access to heaven named satan who is the one who's always condemning you always accusing you and Jesus is up there saying it's okay father he's one of mine I bought that one I bought that one this one is mine he's praying for you he intercedes on your behalf how can you lose with a shepherd like that I'll tell you what that ought to do something to us when we realize this is the supreme great shepherd that we serve there was a lady named Nancy hard-working gal got hardly any money she was always borderline poverty because she worked hard but she never got much of a wage however something interesting about Nancy she was radiant she was always happy she always had a smile always had a good outlook now people looking at Nancy's life would say there's no really good reason why she ought to be that happy until you get to know her and you discover she really does trust Jesus she loves him well she had another friend who always was gloomy and glum and negative and and her friend said this get this she said nancy you may be happy now but what about later and she said what do you mean her friend said well suppose you get fired you lose your job or suppose you come down with some terminal illness some disease that you die from that you die from or suppose and nancy said stop stop stop I don't suppose anything the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want and she added it's all those supposes that are making you so miserable how do you live do you live in suppose land yeah but what if this happens yeah but what if that happened yeah what if the economy what if my house what if my job okay all real fears not doubting them or do you live in the Lord is my shepherd he's the chief chief shepherd he's the supreme shepherd he already died for me now he lives for me what do I got to lose well what if I die let's see oh yeah heaven not bad not a bad deal one final thought closing thought I promise sheep are helpless I I get such a kick out of the fact that God chose to compare us to sheep they are utterly helpless do you know that sheep can come into a condition called cast c-a-s-t a sheep that lies on its back in some kind of a depression in the ground where its legs are sticking up in the air it's called a cast sheep they can't turn themselves over they're like a turtle upside down moves his legs but they can't really get back up sheep the same way if a sheep is cast in that condition it cuts off circulation especially in the legs and if it's warm weather the sheep can die within hours utterly helpless unless a shepherd sees it and rescues it something else about a sheep you know they'll eat anything anything poison stuff poison weeds and roots it's like no no discriminating palette whatsoever we know something else you know what sheep do when they're attacked they're helpless it's not like you have an attack sheep karate sheep you know what do you think a sheep does what do you think a sheep does when a wolf attacks some say well they run you know what a lot of them do nothing this is what they do wolf comes they go like this some don't even bleat they just stand there and die point is they're helpless they need a shepherd to rescue them i wonder if some of you this morning would just finally say yes to the shepherd admitting two things i'm a sheep i'm a sinner i need help i need a shepherd i need a savior one who can rescue me you know we are utterly helpless in face of eternity and our sins there's absolutely nothing we can do on our own to change our helpless condition we do very much need a shepherd we need a savior is it weak to admit such a thing well on the contrary the true sign of strength is knowing when you've come to the end of yourself and need someone else to help you carry on so if you've reached that place know there is a good shepherd who is truly great who is ready to help you that's all the time we have for today but before we go here's Skip and lenya with a final thought you know jesus you talked about today being the good shepherd and jesus is good and some people kind of just think he's on good on a par with others you know like he's good like buddha gandhi muhammad and they they start equating you know certain things or groups equal to jesus can you tell us what makes jesus different oh yes there's so many things that make jesus stand alone stand apart and absolutely unique from all the other men that you mentioned first of all he was predicted jesus was predicted over 300 times in another document the old testament the jewish bible the tanakh so it described their messiah 300 different ways all of which jesus fulfilled the odds of that have been calculated they're astronomical so his prediction in the old testament stands him apart number two his own claims he didn't claim just to be a good guy he didn't claim to just be a mouthpiece he claimed to be god he claimed that the reason that he came and that he would come again so the kind of claims that jesus made set him apart number three what he did he did miracles muhammad didn't do those miracles buddha didn't do the miracles gandhi didn't do them and they would be the first to say they couldn't do them so jesus did them and that's attested to by eyewitnesses and number three the biggest thing he rose from the dead he died he got up again he still lives today and that is sort of the that's the icing on the cake that's like the ultimate demonstration that he's different than anyone well thanks for your insights guys and remember if you want a copy of today's study you can find it at connectwithskip.com or you can call us and order one at 1-800-922-1888 each copy is just four dollars plus shipping the whole point of our study in the gospel of john is belief so next time we'll examine whether to believe or not to believe we hope you'll join us right here in connect with Skip weekend edition a presentation of connection communications connection connecting you to god's never changing truth in ever-changing times