Jesus and His Sheep

Introduction
They seem harmless enough.  In fact to look at them you would never suspect that they were “up to no good.”  In spite of their known activity we pay little attention to them.  They freely roam our neighborhoods.  These brazen thieves don’t even bother to cloak themselves in darkness, they do their work in broad daylight!  In fact they walk right up to your front door when you are home and ring the doorbell.  Masquerading as “angels of light” they come preaching another gospel.  Jesus refers to them a “thieves,” “robbers,” and “strangers.”  Yes that is strong language and it certainly sounds harsh especially in our politically correct culture but then Jesus placed a premium on truth.  I understand that this kind of talk is troublesome in a pluralistic society.  We are supposed to say, “It’s okay whatever you believe.”  We are supposed to say, “Hey that’s great.  We are all going to the same place we’re just taking different paths.  We all worship the same God we just call him by different names.”  Yet Jesus was not nearly so tolerant.  He wasn’t “accepting” of such notions because truth exists.  There are right and wrong beliefs and the consequences are eternal.

Have you ever trusted or believed someone only to be disappointed?  Have you ever believed a lie?  When I was a kid my dad had pepper plants.  Routinely in the summer there would be a bowl of little hot peppers sitting on the kitchen table.  A little bowl of red, yellow, and orange balls of fire.  I loved my oldest brother and I trusted him.  He encouraged me to eat one.  I said that I knew they were hot and I wasn’t going to eat one.  He assured me the red ones were hot but  the yellow were sweet.  So, I ate one.  I cried for half and hour.  Later in the day he apologized.  He said the yellow ones were hot it was the orange pepper that was sweet.  I ate another.  Why would he do that?  He was my brother for heavens sake.  Why would he mislead me?

Nowhere is misplaced trust more damaging then when it comes to matters of faith.  There are a myriad of voices promising immortality, life and fulfillment.  They sound convincing but only one is true.  Our text this morning is found in John’s Gospel, chapter 10.

Text: John 10:1-21

The message of John in unmistakable in our text…

Thesis: Jesus our shepherd is the one and only savior and He is worthy of our trust.

There are two things I want to say from this text.

1. Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone!  (10:1-10)
2. This shepherd of our is worthy of your trust  (10:11-18), because:
   1. He is a savior of profound love.
   2. He is a personal, intimate Savior.
   3. He is a Savior with a heart for the world.

Jesus our shepherd is the one and only savior and He is worthy of our trust.