Notes: Nov. 2, 2021

Good Shepherd

Why does Christ compare himself to a shepherd?

• He isn't going to leave his sheep
• The scriptures often refer to the Lord as a shepherd
• The shepherd is willing to even give his life for the sheep
• He knows his sheep and is known by his sheep

Mentions three times that he will lay down his life for the sheep.

Shepherd vs. Hireling

Danger

• Shepherd - protects
• Hireling - flees Ownership
• Shepherd - owns
• Hireling - temporary Investment
• Shepherd - livelihood, cares
• Hireling - getting payed, doesn't have vested interest

I AM

One of 7 "I AM" declarations

Makes reference to Exodus 3 burning bush episode

The Lord asks Moses to go back and free the Hebrews

Moses doesn't want to, God says "I will be with you, I will give you a sign"

"But who shall I say sent me?"

"I am that I AM" - makes reference to being self-existent, to having always been

"Yahweh" - form of verb "to be"

...

When Christ tells the Jews that he is "I AM", they try to stone him, they don't want to believe.

Christ doesn't allow us to say "He was a great teacher, though he may not have been the Son of God..." Either he is who he says he is, or he is a lunatic or the Devil of Hell.

John's Pattern

1. Declaration - the truth can set you free
2. Misunderstanding - we've never been enslaved
3. Explanation - the Son of Man can set you free from the traps of sin

Woman caught in adultery

Huge crowd comes riled up, asks Jesus

Jesus just pauses and draws on the ground

• A teaching method - pause, give time for energy to diffuse, people to think

Puts the ball back in each of their courts, each individual has to make the decision, "Am I free of sin?"

Does he forgive her? No, he just puts her on the path to repentance.

Pool of Siloam

One of the times that Jesus does a physical act with healing

Tells the man to do a physical act before he was healed. Requires an exercise of faith.

It's similar to anointing the sick with oil. Magical properties? No. Physical manifestation of faith.

Lazarus