1. Sacrificial Love (verses 11-13)
2. Sacrificial Knowledge (verses 14-16)
3. Sacrificial Sovereignty (verses 17-18)

This past week I Googled my childhood pastors. I had one pastor for about 5-6 years (from 7th grade until I was a junior in high school). He was about 20 years older than I was. Then, when I was a senior in high school, another pastor came to the church. I was at home for a year, but constantly returned to hear him preach. He was about 10 years older than I was.

My church experience growing up wasn't really great. Our churches were quite weak when it came to holding strictly to the Bible. Anyway, I was curious to know what ever happened to my childhood pastors.

Anyway, the first pastor that I looked up is a really nice guy. I played basketball with him. He was always exceedingly kind to me. I think he was divorced about 20 years ago, which compelled him to transition to a more liberal denomination if ever he would continue being a pastor. When I looked him up this week, I found out he had been an interim pastor for a Congregational Church out east. During his interim time at the church, he helped them transition to an "open and affirming" church. When he left the church, the search committee had decided on having a lesbian to be the new pastor. This indicates where he went theologically.

I listen to his final sermon, before leaving this three-year interim pastorate. His message was essentially, "Believe." He brought out the illustration of Tinkerbell, the fairy in Peter Pan. If you remember the story, at one point, Tinkerbell was sick and dying. But she can only be saved if the audience believes in fairies. So, the audience is summoned, "Do you believe in fairies? If you believe, clap your hands!" As the audience claps, showing their belief. My childhood pastor then encouraged the people to "believe!" But he gave no context of what it is that they were supposed to believe.

Now, my other childhood pastor that I looked up was divorced as well. Likewise, he also changed denominations. He is now in the United Methodist Church, selling insurance like lots of former pastors do. He is a lay leader at his church now. I listened to his sermons and was encouraged by his attempts at exposition, yet still was soft on the gospel.

It's no wonder, then that when I heard the gospel preached clearly, my life was totally transformed as I didn't hear that in the churches in which I grew up. In fact, in one of the sermons of the first pastor I told you about, he made the statement, "The Bible essentially tells us that we need to live like Jesus."

Last week, we began our exposition of John 10, which brings up the idea of the voice of a shepherd. "The sheep hear his voice" (John 10:2). "the sheep follow him, for they know his voice" (John 10:4). In listening to these pastors, I remember their voice. I remember their cadence. I remember their personalities. Then it struck me that some of the children here in our congregation will have a similar experience. Perhaps they will Google in the future to see what I am doing. They will remember my voice. They will remember my cadence.

In looking up these men, the greatest thing that impacted me was their lack of explaining the clear gospel, that Christ died for our sins in our place as a punishment for what our sins deserve. That was not clear in their preaching.

Contrast these men with Charles Spurgeon. On July 18, 1886, Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon entitled, “The Heart of the Gospel,” from 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. He began his sermon with these words: “The heart of the Gospel is redemption and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary Sacrifice of Christ.”^[1]

He proceeded then to preach on the doctrine of the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ from 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Spurgeon spoke of how Jesus was the “spotless, innocent, and pure” sacrifice; how Jesus never committed an offense against the law of God; how Jesus never failed in any of his duties before the Lord; how Jesus was the epitome of virtue; how Jesus never thought a sin in his heart; how Jesus did not have any tendencies toward evil in any form.

This Jesus was “made sin” for us. That is, God laid the weight of Jesus upon himself, what a wonderful expression that could only have originated with the Holy Spirit, according to Spurgeon. Then Spurgeon said,

Instead of its resting on the sinner, who did committed it, it was made to rest upon Christ, who did not commit it, while the righteousness which Jesus wrought out was placed to the account of the guilty, who had not worked it out, so that the guilty are treated as righteous. Those who by nature are guilty, are regarded as righteous, while He who by nature knew no sin whatever, was treated as guilty.

Indeed, this is exactly what 2 Corinthians 5:21 says. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Spurgeon continued on in that sermon, by describing the many who reject this teaching. He said,

I think I must have read in scores of books that such transference is impossible, but the statement has had no effect upon my mind. I do not care whether it is impossible or not with learned unbelievers, it is evidently possible with God, for He has done it. But they say it is contrary to reason. I do not care for that, either; it may be contrary to the reason of those unbelievers, but it is not contrary to mine, and if I am to be guided by reason, I prefer to follow my own. The atonement is a miracle, and miracles are rather to be accepted by faith than measured by calculation. A fact is the best of arguments. It is a fact that the Lord has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all.

And this morning, as we come to our text, we are going to see this truth of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus come up several times.

So, if you haven’t done so already, I invite you to open in your Bibles to John, chapter 10. My message this morning will cover verses 11-18, picking up the shepherding imagery from the first 10 verses, we read,

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.

Did you see the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus? It was mentioned four times. The first is in John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." There it is. This it is Jesus, the shepherd, laying down his life, “for the sheep.” that is, “in place of the sheep” “instead of the sheep.” It comes again in verse 15, "I lay down my life for the sheep." It comes again in verse 17, "I lay down my life." In verse 18, Jesus simply says, "I lay it down."

This is what makes Jesus our “good shepherd.” His attention and devotion is upon the sheep. He loves the sheep. He sacrifices for the sheep. He knows the sheep. He gives himself for the sheep. He is willing to do this all of this for the sheep.

The title of my message this morning is, “I am the good shepherd.” It comes from verse 11, where Jesus says that very thing:

John 10:11
I am the good shepherd.

As we have worked our way through the gospel of John, we know that the “I am” statements are important for John. So far, we have seen four of these statements. In chapter 6, we heard Jesus say, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). This came in conjunction with Jesus feeding the 5,000. Jesus can satisfy our every need. He can feed us to the full.

In chapter 8, we heard Jesus say, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). This came in conjunction with the Feast of Booths, when they were lighting the lights of the festival. Jesus illuminates the path to life.

Jesus also said this in chapter 9 in conjunction with the healing of the man born blind (John 9:5). With Jesus, we need no longer walk in the spiritual darkness of sin.

Last week, in chapter 10, we saw the third “I am” statement of the gospel of John, “I am the door” (John 10:7). Perhaps better, “I am the gate,” “I am the gate to the sheepfold.” Jesus is the one who cares for us, and protects us. Jesus meets our every need.

This morning, we come to the fourth of the “I am” statements in the gospel of John: “I am the good shepherd.” Our picture there in our teaching slide is that of a shepherd’s crook, a long staff with a hook at the end. It’s a walking stick, that can also be used to guide the sheep, with the hook, a shepherd can gently nudge his sheep back toward him, even pulling a sheep who is stuck in a difficult place. It can also be used as a weapon when a predator of the sheep comes close. There is something also about the crook that gives comfort to the sheep. Psalm 23:4, “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Anyway, let’s look at our first point this morning: The Good Shepherd shows, 

1. Sacrificial Love (verses 11-13)

This is the idea of verses 11-13. The shepherd loves his sheep, and will give himself for his sheep. This is set up in contrast to the “hired hand.”

Look again at these verses.

John 10:11-13
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

This is the difference between a business owner and a business employee. A business owner will do everything that it takes to keep the business running and successful, working long hours, filling unfilled shifts, willing to endure difficult circumstances for the sake of the business, even working for lesser pay, with hopes of a better day coming in the future.

But an employee, will work only the hours for which he is paid. An employee can turn down the open shift if there is a scheduling conflict. An employee can demand a raise, or walk away. An employee has no allegiance to the company. An employee is different than the owner.

So, if a hired hand is out looking over the flocks, and a wolf comes by, the hired hand is more interested in himself and his own safety than he is for the flock. and the hired hand, as Jesus says here, "does not own the sheep, [he] sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them" (verse 12). Jesus tells us why in verse 13, "He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep."

Fundamentally, a hired hand cares about himself. He is hired for a wage. He is willing to do a job. But he is not willing to put his life at risk, so flees when the wolf comes.

How different this was than when David encountered the lion and the bear. In 1 Samuel 17, we read the famous story of David and Goliath. When David sees the Philistine warrior taunting the armies of the living God, David’s heart is enraged against this giant.

David said, “I will go and fight with this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:32). But Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, 1 Samuel 17:34 “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 1 Samuel 17:35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 1 Samuel 17:36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 

1 Samuel 17:32-36
And David said to Saul, “Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.”

But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

David was tending his father’s flock. He had an ownership stake in the business. He wasn’t a hired hand. So when a lion or bear came against the flock, David wasn’t going to back down. David was going to protect his sheep. David was going to fight these predators. And David tells of his success in warding off their threat. He “struck down both lions and bears” in his shepherding duties. What was such a giant, like Goliath?

Why would David defend the flock against lions and bears? Because he was the owner of the sheep (John 10:12), and because he cared for his sheep (John 10:13). This is what Jesus says that he is. He is the good shepherd, who loves and cares for his sheep.

That’s why Jesus laid down his life for the sheep (John 10:11), because he loves the sheep. This is why Jesus went to the cross, because he loves the sheep. I have called this, "Sacrificial Love" (verses 11-13).

Jesus became our sacrifice because of his love for us. In John 15:13, Jesus says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." This is what Jesus did upon the cross. Paul added, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Christ died in our place, as our substitute, taking God’s wrath for us.

We simply need to believe this to experience this. This is the call of the gospel of John, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). When we believe in Jesus, we show ourselves to be one of the sheep for which he died. His love for us will continue on! "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 3:32).

So, church family, believe that Jesus laid down his life for you.

OK, let’s move on to my second point. It comes in verses 14-16 I’m calling it 

2. Sacrificial Knowledge (verses 14-16)

Look at verse 14,

John 10:14
I am the good shepherd.

There it is. Jesus repeats it again. It is the emphasis of the text: Jesus is the “good shepherd.”

John 10:14-15
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

This is where I get my second point. Jesus speaks much here about knowing. Jesus uses the word, “know” four times in these verses. There is knowing between the sheep and the shepherd. “I know my own and my own know me.” Jesus is talking about the relationship of his flock of sheep. He knows his sheep, and his sheep know him.

Remember last week, we talked about the shepherd’s voice. The sheep know the voice of the shepherd. There is a relationship between the sheep and the shepherd. They “know” one another.

Jesus also talks here about the relationship that he has with his Father. “The Father knows me and I know the Father.” In the gospel of John, Jesus often speaks of his relationship with his father. "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise" (John 5:19). "On [the Son] God the Father has set his seal" (John 6:24). "I speak of what I have seen with my Father" (John 8:38). That’s what Jesus is speaking about here: He knows the Father. The Father knows the Son.

This knowledge between them is connected with the sacrifice of Jesus.

John 10:15
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

The relationship that Jesus has with the Father, is as sure as substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus. Yes, the Son knows the Father. Yes, Jesus laid down his life for us!

Do you know these things? Do you know the shepherd? Do you know that he laid down his life for you? His sheep know these things.

But look on. In verse 16, we see how well Jesus knows his sheep.

John 10:16
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

In the context here, Jesus is speaking with the Jewish people, the chosen people of God. Jesus is hinting that his flock is bit bigger than they were thinking.

As you work through the New Testament, it becomes clear what Jesus is speaking about. He is speaking about non-Jewish believers in the Jewish Messiah. I’m not so sure that it would have been clear to them what Jesus is saying, but it is clear to us.

Here’s how the life of Jesus goes. He will lay down his life for his sheep, by dying upon a cross. After his death, he will be placed in a tomb, but three days later, he will rise from the dead. Some 40 days after that, we will ascend into heaven, to sit at the Father’s right hand, waiting for his enemies to be made a footstool for his feet. Then he will return, and gather all who believe in him, into eternal life. and he will judge all who don’t believe.

Now, after Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to his disciples for forty days, “speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). He says this to his disciples "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Jesus here is alluding to the fact that the gospel of Jesus will go further than the Jews. It will begin in Jerusalem. It will continue south to Judea. It will continue north to Samaria. It will continue to the end of the earth.

As you continue reading through the book of Acts, which records the inspired story of early church history, we see this take place exactly. In the first seven chapters of Acts, we see the church in Jerusalem, but at the stoning of Stephen, the church scatters. Chapter 8 records how it scattered south to Judea and north to Samaria. The last half of the book of Acts records how the gospel spread to Jews and Gentiles alike, in throughout the whole known world!

That mission has continued to this day, some 2,000 years ago to Loves Park, Illinois, as we, a mostly Gentile congregation believe that Jesus laid down his life for us. As a result, we are his flock, along with all throughout the world who believe in Jesus. This is what Jesus alludes to in verse 16.

It is interesting here to note the word choice that Jesus uses in verse 16. He says,

John 10:16
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

It seems as if Jesus uses the word, “fold” to describe the local place of those in Jerusalem, who can all fit within a sheepfold, who can all fit in a building in a location. It seems as if Jesus uses the word, “flock” to describe all of his sheep, spread throughout the world, who could never fit into one building.

Theologians call this the “local church” and the “universal church.” The local church (or the “fold”) is like Rock Valley Bible Church. There are other local churches (or “folds”) throughout the city and the region, and the world. They may not look and do and be like us in every way, but they still have one Shepherd.

But there is also this world-wide “flock” of Jesus, which cannot be bound to one building or one location, nevertheless, has the same shepherd as we do. Jesus considers it his “one flock,” comprising all who believe in Jesus. Jesus knows who these people are. And he knows that he will gather them in to build his church! and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus knows how they are. Jesus knows who will hear his voice. Jesus knows all of his sheep by name. Jesus is their shepherd.

This promise of Jesus, that he has other sheep, not of this fold, should stir us to evangelism, to share what God has done in our souls with those around us, speaking the words of Jesus, trusting that the sheep of Jesus will hear his voice, and come into the fold.

I’m reminded of Acts 18, when Paul brought the gospel to Corinth. As was the custom, he preached Jesus, and was opposed and fearful of his life. He was ready to leave Corinth, but he received a vision of the Lord, who told him, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people” (Acts 18:9-10).

To use the language of John 10, "I have many sheep who need to hear my voice so that they may come into my fold." The Lord has used these words to stir many to spread the gospel of Christ.

One man comes to mind: Dr. David Livingstone. He was a Scottish physician, pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, and an explorer in Africa.^[2] He went all around Africa exploring and telling others about Jesus.

He died in 1873, they buried his heart in modern day Zambia to express his love for the African people. His body is buried in Westminster Abby in England. On his tombstone are the following words:

Brought by faithful hands Over land and sea Here rests DAVID LIVINGSTONE, Missionary, Traveller, Philanthropist, Born March 19, 1813, At Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Died May 1, 1873, At Chitambo’s Village, Ulala.

For 30 years his life was spent In an unwearied effort To evangelize the native races, To explore the undiscovered secrets, To abolish the desolating slave trade, Of Central Africa. Where with his last words he wrote, “All I can add in my solitude, is, May heaven’s rich blessing come down On everyone, American, English, or Turk, Who will help to heal This open sore of the world.

Other Sheep I have, which are not of this fold: Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice.^[3]

May this stir our hearts and minds as well, maybe not to explore Africa with the gospel, but to our neighbors and friends and relatives.

OK, let’s look at my final point this morning. I’m calling it 

3. Sacrificial Sovereignty (verses 17-18)

John 10:17-18
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

I have entitled these verses “sacrificial sovereignty” because Jesus tells us how he is the one who will dictate his death. Indeed, this is the emphasis of these verses.

John 10:17
I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

Jesus willingly laid down his life.

John 10:18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.

Jesus did have his freedom taken away from him. Jesus willingly gave his freedom away, at his time, on his own terms.

John 10:18
I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Jesus had the authority to lay down his life. He had authority to take it up again. He did so on his time frame. This is shown by John's constant awareness of "the hour" of Jesus. Consider the following verses, which show how Jesus was on his own time table:

John 2:4
Myhour has not yet come.

John 7:30
So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because hishour had not yet come.

John 8:20
These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

John 12:23
And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified."

John 12:27
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

John 13:1
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

John 17:1
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.

These verses all show the sovereignty of God regarding the time frame of Jesus. We see Jesus even forcing the hour to happen. This is especially apparent during his arrest.

John 18:1-6
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am [he].” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am [he],” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Here we see Jesus initiating the conversation with the soldiers who were coming to arrest him. He knew that his hour had come. He knew that he had to be arrested. We see also the power of his words. When Jesus told these soldiers, "I am." "I am the one you are looking for," they fell to the ground. Jesus could certainly have escaped had he wanted to. Instead, he pushes this issue:

John 18:7-9
So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am [he]. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”

In the midst of his own arrest, he made sure of the safety of his disciples. Jesus knew that it was his time, not the disciples' time. This is "Sacrificial Sovereignty." Jesus was sacrificed at the right time. Jesus even needed to bring it to pass. Jesus was practically begging to be arrested. Jesus knew that he needed to die for the sheep.

Again, it was all under his control:

John 10:18
I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

In doing this, the Father’s love was upon him.

John 10:17
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

Not that the Father’s love was conditional, as if Jesus wouldn’t have been loved if he didn’t lay down his life, but it’s a bit like a proud Father, who is encouraged by the obedience of his son. In this case, the Son willingly took on this mission, being sent by the Father to die on the cross for our sins in his place.

This is the substitutionary sacrifice that Spurgeon spoke of, that my childhood pastors did not emphasize.

As I close, I want for us to consider a bunch of verses that speak of Jesus dying as our substitute.

Isaiah 53:4-6
Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

That's the Old Testament. In the New Testament, this is emphasized often. As you consider these verses, look at the word, "for," which is a substitution word. He died for us. He died in our place.

Ephesians 5:2
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 Timothy 2:5-6
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

Titus 2:14
[Jesus] gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Hebrews 2:9
But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

We have two parties here: the righteous and the unrighteous. It was the righteous who died for the unrighteous to bring us to God. This is the essence of the gospel. As Spurgeon said, it is the "heart of the gospel." If you embrace this truth, it will be liberating to your souls. You will be joyful to know that Jesus took upon himself our sin, so that we walk, not as one who needs to earn our favor before God.

It is not, as my childhood pastor said in one of his last sermons to his interim congregation, "The Bible is teaching us that we just need to do better. We just need to love him." This is not good news. This is bad news. What if we don't love him well enough? The good news is that God loved us first. We love only because he loved us.

Here is one last verse. And I'll stop here.

1 John 3:16
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

This is the application. He laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

This is exactly what our text is talking about this morning. The good shepherd is good, because he sacrifices himself for the sheep.^[4]

This sermon was delivered to Rock Valley Bible Church on March 23, 2025 by Steve Brandon.
For more information see www.rockvalleybiblechurch.org.

[1] https://www.spurgeongems.org/sermon/chs1910.pdf.

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Livingstone.

[3] A simple Google search can lead you to see his tombstone.

[4] Here are some of the other verses that I had in my notes to share, but didn't for the sake of time: 1 John 2:2; Mark 10:45; Mark 26:28; John 6:51; Matthew 27:46; Luke 23:34; John 19:30; Romans 6:10; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Luke 24:46-47; Hebrews 12:2; Romans 3:25; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5.