Grace Bible Church
Basic Training in Doctrine
Pastor Joseph P. Sugrue
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Christ is the easiest person to love in the universe, but that requires knowledge of Him.
“for” – huper = the preposition of substitution; “on behalf of the sheep.”
God desires to share His happiness with man and God found a way to do that through the person of Christ and His substitution for all mankind on the cross.
the good shepherd = the beautiful provider, preserver, protector.
Tell me one thing that you have to fear?
Christ is the good shepherd in this verse, and there will be an emphasis on salvation.
In Hebrews 13:20 Christ is called the great shepherd and this is His provision for the believer in time.
Then in 1 Peter 5:4 Jesus Christ is called the chief shepherd and this is His provision for eternity.
A hireling is a hired hand who would never have as much desire for the sheep as the owner.
Religion doesn’t care about people, but rather only desires to use them, and when they can’t use them anymore they flee from them.
Out of the 2 million that were living in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. it is estimated that around 97,000 survived and were forced into slavery, which would spread them all over the world.
Religion always attempts to imitate Christianity and therefore the thief can try to lead the sheep astray and steal them.
“kill” – thuo = to offer a sacrifice. When religion gets around to killing people they always come up with a good excuse for doing so.
“destroy” – apollumi = to neutralize, to kill, to destroy human freedom by destroying volition as per the state.
The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but notice the contrast in what Christ brings… “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”
The life that Christ offers is the life of God which is eternal life.
Abundant eternal life, which is experienced in time, requires a wealth of doctrine in the soul and the application of that doctrine to experience, especially undeserved suffering.
“good” – kalos, which means beautiful, symmetrical, perfect character, and maximum attractiveness – all of which apply to the humanity of Christ.