Lord of the Law

The Glory

in a Sheep Pen

A Study in the Gospel of John

Sermon prepared for the week of

February 17, 2008

Dr. Larry Thorson

First Presbyterian Church, Hemet

www.hemetpresbyterian.org

Small Group Format

This sermon was prepared to be part of a six week Lenten small group series course at the First Presbyterian Church of Hemet. If you would like to visit a small group or need help in forming one, please contact me at larry@hemetpresbyterian.org. My hope is that those who participate in small groups of six to twelve other believers and seekers may find strength, hope, love, and acceptance from each other and from our Lord as they meet. Below is a sample format for the groups. At the end of each sermon in this series are study and discussion questions for that particular study. My prayer is that God’s Spirit will fall afresh on each group and on each participant. Contact me if you have any questions and if you form a group please let me know how it goes. I’ll pray be in prayer for you.

Select One Person to be a Group Facilitator to keep the group focused on the questions and activities.

Opening Prayer – sample provided or use your own

“Almighty God, thank you for your Word and Your presence. May we grow together in this time and come to a greater understanding of your Word and each other. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Introductory Comments: The most popular sermon series I have ever preached was a study of the 23^rd Psalm back in 2006. “The Lord is My Shepherd” is how that great Psalm begins. For some reason we really enjoy stories about sheep, sheep dogs or even shepherds. And of course a Christmas play is never complete without the shepherds out in the fields watching their sheep by night.

1. Do you have stories about sheep, sheep dogs or shepherds?

AND/OR

2. What animal do you enjoy watching the most and why?

Comments:

Most of you know I have a running partner, a collie dog named Shadow. Recently my wife took Shadow to Perris, California for a lesson in herding sheep. She was told that if he killed or damaged any of the sheep he was learning to herd, he would be fined $80. Of course, being a typical dog, he didn’t have any money on him so she said it was a little tense waiting to see what he would do. She was amazed at how fast “Goof-ball”, my other name for him, learned how to herd sheep. No, he didn’t damage any of the sheep.

What was most amazing to Martha, was how just hearing the shepherd instructor tapping his stick on the ground, Shadow could pick up what he was supposed to do and where he was supposed to go. Where did he learn that? He’s been a city dog ever since we took him away from his west Texas farm when he was a pup.

Read John 10:1-6

1 "Very truly I tell you Pharisees*, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

*Pharisees were the highly educated, highly religious conservative defenders of God’s Word to Israel in the days of Jesus.

Discussion Questions: Who was Jesus speaking to? How well did they understand what he was talking about?

Comments: Today in our story we head back to the sheep pen where the glory of God dwells. You will recall from one of our earlier studies that the glory of God was seen in the Old Testament days as a bright light where people who looked at it lost their eyesight. That’s how bright God is and because God is so bright we can’t look on him. That’s one of the reasons he became a man in the form of Jesus Christ.

Whenever you see Jesus you see the glory of God. But some people saw Jesus and didn’t see the glory of God. They were kind of like beagles in a sheep pen. Next door to my house is a very lovable, playful little female beagle named Maille. When Maille picks up a scent of something she desires that’s it, don’t distract her from the hunt. If she comes over to visit and we have meat on the grill that’s all she sees in our yard. We don’t exist in her mind because all she can see is the grilling meat.

Some people physically saw Jesus but instead of the glory all they could see was meat on the grill. First it was the woman Jesus met at the well who wanted what she thought was his endless water source. Then it was the 5,000 people Jesus fed who wanted an endless bread buffet. At first they couldn’t see the glory of God in Jesus. Some never did see it.

Discussion Questions: Why does it seem so difficult for some people to see spiritual things? Why do you think it was so difficult for the Pharisees?

Read John 10: 7-10

7 Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Comments: In today’s story the glory of God is right there in a simple old dirty sheep pen. In verse 9 we read, “I am the gate; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” My wife tells of the importance of gates when she was growing up the daughter of a Virginia cattle farmer. She says if her dad ever got a call from a neighbor saying his cows were out, it didn’t matter what else you were doing, you dropped it and ran immediately to deal with the situation. The only pause allowable was to grab a cane to use in directing the cattle. You see if a dog gets in the road, it’s the driver’s responsibility to avoid the dog, but if a cow gets in the road, the farmer is held liable.

Discussion Question: Have you ever driven up on a cow loose out on a road? What did you do or what should you do?

Comments: At the time of Jesus, gates were as important to the middle-east shepherd as they are to today's dairyman or farmer. A shepherd without good gates was flirting with danger and asking for trouble; he was endangering the life of his sheep; he was tampering with the very livelihood of his family and village.

During the day, shepherds took the flocks to green pastures and cool streams, but the flocks would be vulnerable by night so he would herd them into a sheep pen—usually three walls built of rough stone or mud brick, perhaps partially roofed…perhaps a cave, but something with only one opening.

Typically, the shepherd led his flock to rich and lush grazing during the morning hours, and then in the early afternoon he provided a temporary shelter built of shrubs where the sheep rested. This was a simple type of corral in which the sheep were protected from predators. This barrier had an opening across which the shepherd laid so that the sheep could not go in or out without crossing over the shepherd. That’s pretty much how I used to sleep on youth trips in previous churches. I want to make it clear that’s not true with our present youth group.

The shepherd would often name his sheep and call them by name. Many times several flocks were in the same area and would share a sheep pen at night. Of course they all got mixed up together but sorting was never a problem because in the morning the shepherd would call his sheep, and only his sheep would follow him. They sorted themselves out and followed as their shepherd led them once again in search of the best pasture.

Discussion Question: How do sheep identify their shepherd from other shepherds?

Comments: This term “I am the gate” is one of the six “I am” sayings of Jesus in John’s Gospel. The others are…

“I am the bread of life” - John 6:35

“I am the good shepherd” – John 10:11

“I am the resurrection” – John 11:25

“I am the way, truth and life” – John 14:6

“I am the true vine” – John 15:1

Each time Jesus says “I am” he’s alluding to being the eternal and divine God. That’s how God answered Moses at the Burning Bush when Moses asked God his name (Exodus 3:14). In John 8:58 Jesus said: “before Abraham was born, I am”. The Jews of his day knew what he was talking about and they didn’t like it because in verse 59 it says the Scribes and Pharisees' “Then took up stones to cast at him.”

Discussion Question: What basic needs in life are met by Jesus in the “I am” sayings? What else do you need?

Comments: For sheep, wild animals were a danger, but so were other people. Thieves would attempt to take what wasn’t theirs by trickery and subtlety. Robbers were more like bandits or guerrillas stealing by violence and plundering. Both were exploiters; neither cared.

The shepherd by contrast represents protection and safety. Twice Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep” It is an emphatic singular pronoun. …”I am the gate…” The shepherd would stand by the gate as the sheep entered the pen, inspecting them for injury, anointing with oil those who needed healing. To pass through the gate to safety and shelter, meant to pass by the shepherd and be personally cared for. But the gate was more than simple entry. During the night the gate was guarded by the shepherd.

Discussion Question: How you ever experienced the kind of care these sheep received from someone in your life?

Read John 10:11-18 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.”

Comment: The Bible scholar Sir George Adam Smith was one day traveling in Palestine with a guide, and came across a shepherd and his sheep. He fell into conversation with him. The man showed him the fold into which the sheep were led at night. It consisted of four walls, with a way in. Sir George said to him, "That is where they go at night?" "Yes," said the shepherd, "and when they are in there they are perfectly safe." "But there is no door," said Sir George. "I am the door," said the shepherd. He was not a Christian so he was not speaking the language of the New Testament. Rather, he was speaking from a Mid-Eastern shepherd's point-of-view. Sir George looked at him and said, "What do you mean you are the door?" Said the shepherd, "When the light has gone, and all the sheep are inside, I lie in that open place, and no sheep ever goes out but across my body, and no wolf comes in unless he crosses my body; I am the door."

Application: "I am the gate to the sheep." Do you realize what this says about the absolute security of the sheep? This means that it is Jesus who defends us and keeps us safe. It means that to get at us, Satan and the other enemies of the church have to cross over Jesus. And, they can't possibly be successful. Jesus Himself promises in John 10:28-29; “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. (29) My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.” We are secure, eternally secure, because Christ is the gate or door to the sheep.

Maybe you’re struggling with doubt thinking that you have fallen out of favor with God and won’t make it into heaven. I have never met a Christian, a true believer, who has lost his or her salvation. I have met plenty of Christians who doubt and others who have lost their assurance of salvation. To these trembling, fearful or discouraged Christians Christ says, "I am the gate ... no one can snatch the sheep out of my hand." So don't fear! Don't be afraid! Take courage! Take heart! For Jesus is the gate to the sheep. And against Him the forces of darkness can never prevail.

Jesus is the gate to heaven. And, it is up to Him to open or shut that door. We can’t open that door to heaven. It’s too big and too heavy for us to open. I think here of what Jesus commanded the Apostle John to write in Revelation 3:7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

Christ is an open door to all who by grace repent and believe. That door is open to everyone who repents and believes. In Christ there is both East and West, in Him both South and North. In Christ there is Dutch and Russian, black and white, capitalist and communist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic. In Christ there is every nation, tribe, people, and language (Revelation 7:9). In Christ there are murderers and rapists, prisoners and prison guards – as long as they, by grace, repent and believe. We welcome all.

That should give you confidence and boldness in whatever you undertake. The glory of God is in a sheep pen with a shepherd who won’t let you starve, thirst or be eaten. When you have these basic needs met you’re free to help others in need without looking out for yourself so much. That holds true for individuals as well as churches. The shepherd will take care of us.

I am not the shepherd. I represent the shepherd, and am more of the border collie. I am here to round people up and get them to stay close to the shepherd.

Returning to the story of our collie and his visit to the sheep herding university, what my wife learned was that when the collie was in the ring, the sheep stayed as close to the shepherd as possible. They thought the dog was a wolf. Shadow did his best wolf imitations…lunging and nipping at their heels. Suddenly those sheep were her best friends.

As your pastor there may be times I have to nip at your heels. You may not always like what I’m doing, but I’m here to keep you near the shepherd who is your real protector, your real healer, and your real salvation. Do you see the glory of God in a sheep pen or do you just see sheep with a shepherd?

Joys and Concerns: share with one another as you are comfortable starting with something like “Does anyone have a joy they’re grateful for today or a concern that we can pray about?”

Closing Prayer – Pray for each other if you are comfortable doing so. You might want to close with the Lord’s Prayer below:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen

NEXT WEEK

The Glory in Good Works

Read John 14:1-13