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For a day-by-day breakdown of Passion Week, visit: https://www.esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/chart-40-04/
Main Idea
Behold Jesus as the Good Shepherd
Opening question – What would you do if you knew you only had one week left to live?
• Knock things off your bucket list?
• Repair a broken relationship and make amends?
• Focus on spending time with a loved one?
• Eat all those expensive meals you could never afford?
• Take that crazy vacation you always dreamed of?
What would you want to:
1. experience
2. leave behind
Opening story- conquering Kings riding victoriously into won territory on white horses in battle armor and radiant splendor.
Today, I want to mine this mountain from a specific angle, not from a kingly entry or a triumphal procession where people joyfully shout praise for who they think Jesus is. I want to walk through Passion Week with you today through the lens of Jesus’ intention. What did he want to do or achieve in His final week on earth? How He lived this week is very telling of His true motives.
Today, I want to present Jesus as the Good Shepherd. I want to hang the shepherd’s cloth on the frame of Passion Week.
Passages
John 10:1–16 ESV
“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. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 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.
Outline
1. Enters through the door
2. Safeguards His sheep
3. Leads the sheep and gives them life
4. Judges the hired hand and protects against the wolf
5. Lays down His life for the sheep
Enters through the door
John 10:2 ESV
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
• The Triumphal Entry
• Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem (their destruction from the Romans and rejection of their visiting King)
Sets the stage and purpose for Passion Week:
1. The King is coming as a savior and king
2. The King is coming as judge and protector
Safeguards His sheep
John 10:4–5 ESV
When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
• Parable of the Two Sons
• Beware the Scribes / The Widow’s offering
• Parable of the Ten Virgins
• The Final Judgement (Imagery of sheep and goats)
Leads the sheep and gives them life
John 10:3 ESV
To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
John 10:10 ESV
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
• The Great Commandment
• Give to Caesar what is Caesars
• Sadducees’ rejection of the resurrection
• Question about the Messiah
• Parable of the Talents
• Passover Meal
• Washing feet
• Promise of the Holy Spirit
• Vine and Branches
• High Priestly Prayer
Judges the hired hand and protects against the wolf
John 10:12–13 ESV
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.
• Jesus cleanses the temple
• Jesus curses the fig tree
• Jesus’ authority is challenged (by what authority do you do these things)?
• Parable of the Wicked tenants
• Parable of the Wedding Feast
• 7 Woes to the religious leaders
• seek converts and make them 2x fit for hell as you are
• blind guides
• cleaner of the outside of the bowl
• whitewashed tombs
• brood of vipers
• A lament over Jerusalem
• Foretelling the Temple’s and Jerusalem’s destruction
• Plot to kill Jesus
• Judas’ betrayal
These are hard words and concepts, but we need to remember that Jesus has been given the authority to judge and will do so righteously. As Isaiah says, Destruction is decreed, and justice overflows (10:22).
Shepherds carry two items: A staff and a rod. One leads and guides while the other defends, and Jesus uses both.
Lays down His life for the sheep
John 10:15 ESV
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
• Jesus anointed at Bethany
• The Garden
• The Arrest
• The Trials (Sanhedrin, Pilate, Herod, Pilate)
• The Crucifixion
• The burial
Takeaway
As we celebrate the Triumphal Entry, we can also cry out “Hosanna!” (a shout of praise for help and salvation) by:
• Beholding our King
• Beholding our Savior
But, as we look at the rest of the week, we cannot miss the opportunity to also:
• Behold the Good Shepherd who:
a. spent His final week of life on this earth… not on himself… but in leading, feeding, defending, and dying for His sheep.
b. judges the hired hand and the thief.
c. not only died for His sheep but took their place at the slaughter as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.