Jesus gave His Life for You

John 10

​Using the image of a shepherd who is willing to give His life to protect His sheep, Jesus predicted His own substitutionary death on the cross. The decision to lay down His life was His own but was worked out in His relationship with the Heavenly Father.

Here in John 10, Jesus also predicted His resurrection from the dead; the one thing that separates Him from all other religious leaders and claiming gods. As with such a claim, Jesus’ teaching caused division among His listeners and religious leaders. Some accused Him of being demon possessed or insane. Others remembered the miracles and hoped He really was the Messiah.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:1–10 (ESV)

According to John 14:6, Jesus is “the way” to safety and life. We must go through him to be saved. Jesus doesn’t want you merely to possess eternal life but also to possess the full experience of life. Following the shepherd leads to blessing and joy and a growing experience of eternal life. It allows him to rebuke and reverse the enemy’s attempts at blocking the blessings, purpose, and spiritual fulfillment God has for your life.

Having again rebuked the Pharisees for their unbelief, Jesus presented Himself as a “good shepherd.” He began by talking of how He selects and ministers to His flock. Dr. Harold Wilmington writes, “Several truths are highlighted in these verses:

•​Jesus is the only true Shepherd; all other religions or ways of coming to God are false (10:1–2).
•​Both the “gatekeeper” and the sheep recognize Jesus as the true Shepherd (10:3–5).
•​Jesus has a close relationship with his sheep, unlike other religious leaders (10:3–5).
•​Jesus is the way to salvation (10:9) and to sanctification (10:10). Some have suggested that “life” (10:10) speaks of the peace with God that comes with salvation, while the life we can have “in all its fullness” (or “more abundantly”) speaks of the peace of God that comes with sanctification.”

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 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. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may 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 I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:11-18 (ESV)

Dr. Tony Evans writes, “In saying, I lay down my life for the sheep, Jesus was speaking of his substitutionary atonement when he would sacrifice his life on the cross for the sins of the world—though that would not have been clear to his audience. As he would tell his disciples later, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.”

God the Father gave his one and only Son because He loved the world—all humankind, without exception. The other sheep that Jesus would save are Gentiles who would believe in him so that the church would consist of both Jewish and Gentile believers. There will be one flock... Jesus was under no obligation to sacrifice himself for sinners. And though the Jews would hand him over and the Romans would crucify him, this was only possible because he let them. No one takes the life of the Son of God. He lays it down voluntarily because he is willing to give his life in obedience to the Father’s command and in love for sinners.

“There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” John 10:19–21 (ESV)

Notice the polarization here. No one was on the fence about Jesus. Indeed, each of us will believe either the truth about him or will embrace a lie instead.

“At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” John 10:22–30 (ESV)

Dr. Evans goes on, “Believers are not eternally secure because of their grip on God but because of his grip on them. If you come to Jesus by faith, he’s got you. When you’re too weak and your hands go limp, he’ll still be hanging on... I and the Father are one—in essence and in purpose. You don’t get a clearer claim to deity than that. Remember, our Creator is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And Jesus Christ is one person with two natures (divine and human).”

“The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” John 10:31-33 (ESV)

Hearing Jesus claim to be one with God, the Jews tried to stone him. While some today might say Jesus was speaking of a vague spiritual unity with God, the Jews understood his words as a claim of deity and, considering it blasphemy, prepared for the appropriate response.

“Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. 40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.” John 10:31–42 (ESV)

Jesus asserted that, even if the Jews couldn’t accept his claims of deity, the miracles he had performed should be sufficient grounds for faith. When he again referred to his deity, however, they again tried to seize him. He escaped and ministered beyond the Jordan.
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Is Jesus your Shepherd? Have you received the salvation and eternal life which He plainly offers? Choose today to follow the Good Shepherd.

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