104. Beginner Bible Course: "'I am the Door of the Sheep; I am the Good Shepherd"

EPISODE 104.   A simple Bible overview of...I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP, AND, I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD

...Irony is a great tool to create contrast between how things seem to be and how they really are beneath the surface. Shakespeare used it a lot. And so did Seinfeld, when you Google irony, they'll show you a picture of a stop sign with another sign beneath that that says no parking within 30 feet that's irony yesterday. My daughter and her friend went to get a hot and ready pizza. She waited 45 minutes for it. She ended up getting her money back, but it would have been even more ironic had they brought it out to her cold. John chapters nine and 10 is a wonderful example of irony. Jesus did it on purpose. He demonstrated how things seemed and how they really were beneath the surface with the religious leaders.

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00:00:49

These men were to be the shepherds of Israel, the enlightened ones it's irony that will make you smile and shake your head though. It's really not very funny at all. After his, before Abraham was, I am at the end of chapter seven, Jesus slips out of the chaos into the streets with his disciples. He walks by a man born blind, his disciples, ask him Jesus, who sinned this guy or his parents, even several thousand years after job. This style of job thinking is still very prevalent. Jesus corrects them. It's neither. This guy's a plant. His life here is to be a God sign.

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00:01:30

Then Jesus says, I'm the light of the world. Watch this gentlemen, Jesus bends down and mixes some of his spit with mud and puts it on this blind man's eyes were not given any indication. This man knew what was coming nor asked for it. After placing the paste on his eyes, Jesus says, now go wash in the pool of Salaam. He white canes his way to that pool. And when he washes off the mud, he can see, I can't imagine what happened at that pool. Born blind. He's an adult. Can you even imagine the look on his face? The rippling water, the green plants and the faces of the people faces.

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00:02:12

He'd only been able to touch the people who know him appear to be as stunned as the man himself. They can't believe it's the same guy. He says, I'm the guy I can see. Hey, you have a really big nose. I can see your nose. They ask him how on earth can you see? There was some Jesus guy and he put mud on my eyes and told me to go to the pool. And I can see, where is this Jesus guy to which he replies. Duh, how would I know I was blind at the time. Hey, did you hear that? I was blind at the time past tense. I can see. Oh, and by the way, you people have beautiful eyes.

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00:02:53

They take this giddy healed man to the nearest clump of Pharisees, the enlightened ones, Jesus healed this man on, wait for it. The Sabbath, the Pharisees asked him, how is it that you came to see? And again, he repeats Jesus mud washed in the pool, see the Pharisees, then split into two groups. They start to argue this Jesus guy. Isn't from God, God doesn't do work like healing on the Sabbath. Others think, yeah, but God doesn't give miracle healing powers to sinners either. So the Pharisee is turned to the man to get his take. What do you think this Jesus guy is? The man says a prophet in scripture.

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00:03:35

They called him a sear, a seer, get it, the Pharisees, then call in the man's parents. The parents arrived. And they're really scared. All the people around there had been previously threatened. You follow this Jesus rabbi guy, and we're going to boot you out of our synagogue. So when they're questioned by the Pharisees, they plead the fifth amendment. They say, yep, that's our boy. And yet he was born blind. But as for who healed him and how he did it, you'll have to ask him after all he's an adult. So they turn back to the man born blind and they threatened him with this honor, God, we know this man.

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00:04:15

Jesus is a sinner. He doesn't seem intimidated at all. I don't know about all that, but here's what I do know. I was blind now. I see. And I'm seeing a bunch of grumpy farracies here. Come on, turn that frown upside down. They continued to press, how did he do it? We've been through this. Do you want to hear it again? So you can be as follower. These grumpy Pharisees are not amused. You may be as follower. We follow Moses. God spoke to Moses. We know that. But as for this Jesus, the man replies, no, that is interesting. He opened my eyes by the way. I bet you'll find that that's never happened before.

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00:04:57

If God wasn't listening to him, I'd still be blind as a bat yet, you don't know where this Jesus is from the Pharisees and the conversation with this. You are born blind in the center and you have the gall to try and teach us, get out and stay out. Jesus hears about this and finds him. He asked the man who can now see, do you believe in the son of God, the man replies, I will. Who is he? I imagine Jesus winking at him and saying, you see him and you're talking to him right now. The rabbi then cannot help, but make this a teachable moment. He says, I came to this world so that those who don't see may see, and those who think they see maybe shown how blind they really are.

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00:05:43

The Pharisees who heard this say, wait a minute, are you saying we are blind? Jesus replies. Oh, how I wish you were? If you were blind, you'd have hope. But since you think you can see, you are doomed. A man born blind teaches the religious enlightened leaders who think they can see, but can't that's irony. The irony continues in John chapter 10. Now at Jesus addresses the religious leaders, those shepherds of Israel. That's what the Pharisees and Sadducees thought they were. And that's partially why they attack Jesus. So vigorously. They thought he was a Wolf leading the sheep astray.

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00:06:25

There's an old Testament passage in Jeremiah chapter 23 that I've just got to share with you. Now God speaks. What are the shepherds who are destroying and scattering? The sheep of my pasture declares the Lord. Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says to the shepherds who tend my people because you have scattered my flock and driven them away. And if not be stowed care on them, I will be still punishment on you for the evil. You've done declares the Lord. I myself. Note that we'll gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I've driven them. And we'll bring them back to their pasture where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will play shepherds over them who will tend them and will no longer be afraid or terrified nor will any be missing declares.

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00:07:10

The Lord, the days are coming declares. The Lord, when I will raise up for David, a righteous branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is Justin right in the land. In his days, Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called the Lord, our righteous savior with that as a backdrop, listen to where Jesus goes next. Addressing these shepherds of Israel, these religious leaders, Jesus says, let's talk about sheep. Shall we? Then he uses an analogy to make five strong statements. Now what Jesus is about to say in an analogy he uses would have been crystal clear to those people.

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00:07:51

But most of us have no clue in Jesus' time. Sheep generally grazed, wherever there was grass, it was kind of first come first serve shepherds were Bedouins who moved around during the day. They'd watch over their flock, intervening where necessary with wandering sheep or predators, but nighttime was more challenging. So it shepherds would do is build sheep. Folds sheep foals were simple enclosures. Normally they were built out of the field stones laying around. They didn't have to be large. In fact, the smaller, the better and the walls didn't have to be high walls. One or two feet high were plenty.

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00:08:31

When night fell. If there wasn't a sheepfold already built in the area by a previous Bedouin, a shepherd would build it himself. He would gather and pile stones in a circle. Maybe only about knee-high, he'd leave a small opening and lead. His little Lammy loves through it. Once inside the shepherd would sleep across the opening. The sheep wouldn't go out and anything wanting to in would go through the opening. Unless of course it went over the small wall. Now with this in mind, listen to Jesus points to the shepherds of Israel. Point one, sheep, follow the voice of a shepherd, but they flee from strangers to sheep are kept in a sheep fold with only one door, three.

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00:09:15

Anything that gets into that sheep fold without going through the door is either a thief or a predator for a good shepherd, loves his sheep and will take care of them diligently. They will live and flourish and five, a good shepherd will even lay down his life for the sheep. Hirelings don't do that. They'll cut and run from the sheep. When danger comes bailing out, because the only cares for himself, then Jesus follows this up with two. I am shepherd statements. The first is this. I am the door of the sheep. If anyone enters through me, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture. I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.

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00:09:58

Did you catch that? Jesus is saying, if you want to get into the sheep pen, you have to go through me. I'm the one laying in front of the door. Those inside are safe. They flourish. Anyone who tries to get in and not go through me. The door is a thief or a predator. Then Jesus gives number two. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I know my sheep and they know my voice. Then Jesus adds, I have many more sheep that are not of this pasture. They will all be one flock with me as their shepherd. One day are you hearing Jeremiah's prophecy here, then Jesus adds one more thing.

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00:10:40

I want to make it clear. I'm laying down my life for the sheep. It's not being taken away from me. And after I lay it down, I will claim it again. Abba. My father told me this apparently to some of the shepherds of Israel, listening. Jesus' words made an impact for a while. Some of these men, again, shook their heads concluding. You're a demon, a madman. Other of these leaders. Weren't so sure thinking since when do demons open the eyes of those born blind as John closes chapter 10, he fast forwards a few months to a celebration of lights. Today, we would call it Hanukkah.

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00:11:20

Jesus is walking in the temple. Some of these shepherds of Israel surround him and ask, how long are you going to hold us in suspense? Are you the Messiah or aren't you that's ironic in and of itself. They're still blind. Jesus says I've done many works. My works done in my father's name. Clearly demonstrates that I am the Messiah, but you reject those works because you're not my sheep. You don't follow my voice because you're not my sheep. Those who hear my voice and follow me will have eternal life. They'll perish and nobody, but nobody will snatch them from the hand of my father. Then Jesus adds this I and the father are one crying out, tearing their robes and looking for the nearest rock.

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00:12:07

Jesus asked, why are you grabbing those stones? They reply. You make yourself out to be God. Some critics of the Bible say Jesus was just saying, God and I are tight. And Jesus had said things like that before, like my father is working and I am working, or I always do those things that please my father, even there that's quite a statement from a human being, but right in the passage of John 10, Jesus clarifies to the religious leaders though, shepherds what he means. He says, I am in the father and the father is in me on the spot. They try to arrest him. I don't know. Maybe there weren't any rocks around, but Jesus won't have it.

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00:12:48

He walks away and he heads East to Perea the place of the Jordan, where John was baptizing at the end of John 10, we're told Jesus, and Perea found many more sheep. This ends Jesus. Third year of ministry there in Perea. He'll spend time here and begin his fourth and final year during that fourth and final year, Jesus will intensify the investment he makes in his apprentices. Those will be the shepherd of the sheep when he leaves. And those will be the ones who will be the foundation of a sheepfold. The church, Jesus knows that foundations have to be set correctly. And we will look at Jesus' efforts to do just that, to train the shepherds and carve the foundation stones of the kingdom correctly in our next wordpicture.