Learning Leadership from the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:1-19)

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Sermon Outline

Some things are Foundational

1. Examples
2. Truly, Truly, I say to you (Jn 10:1)
3. Three Foundational Principles for Leadership ((Jn 10:1, 7, 13:16)
   1. There are people seeking to steal God’s flock (Jn 10:1)
   2. Jesus is the Protector Par Excellence (Jn 10:7)
   3. Our service is always less than Christ’s service (Jn 13:16-17)
      1. Corollary – Action is better than words (Jn 13:17)

Leading in the Kingdom

1. There are people who want to harm God’s flock (Jn 10:1, 8, 10)
   1. Why is this important to know? (Ezek 13:9-10)
   2. What kind of harm do people want to do to the faithful?
      1. Look at the names by which Jesus calls them –
         1. Thief and robber. (Jn 10:1)
         2. Wolves (Jn 10:12)
            1. Notice what wolves do:
               1. First they hunt, slyly on the fringe of a herd
               2. Second they attack
               3. Third, they eat – the wolf snatches onto a sheep
      2. Leaders must be on the lookout for those things, events, people who are up to no good and which might tear apart the body of Christ
   3. Leads to second fundamental truth
      1. If 1^st is there are dangers afoot
      2. 2^nd is there is a protector/good shepherd watching over you
2. Jesus is the good shepherd (Jn 10:11)
   1. The good shepherd is calling to his sheep (Jn 10:3)
      1. Jesus is speaking to his people.
      2. How does Jesus speak to his people?
         1. through the preaching of the Word.
         2. Regular reading of the Scriptures
         3. In Prayer
         4. Leaders –
            1. are you listening to Jesus?
            2. Is there significant time in your life to learn from the master?
      3. Jesus knows every member of the flock (Jn 10:14-15)
         1. Elders and Deacons –
            1. Do you know every person under your care?
            2. Do you know the unique struggles, sorrows, joys, the sin that easily entangles and the ways that most encourage them?
   2. The good shepherd is leading his sheep (Jn 10:4, 16, 10)
      1. What is the abundant life in Christ?
         1. Life of first having a loving Heavenly Father,
         2. then having family around the globe,
         3. being without fear,
         4. have spiritual power and all heavenly resources…
      2. Elders and deacons –
         1. do you know when your flock is missing, when one is gone or endangered and will you make the space to go get them?
         2. Going to mean prioritizing their welfare over your desires to recreate, travel, or even the discomfort you might feel for having the hard conversation.
         3. Are you leading them to places where abundance flows?
   3. The Good Shepherd Protects his sheep (Jn 10:7)
   4. The Good shepherd sacrifices for the sheep (Jn 10:11, 15)
      1. In fact, the sacrificial leadership of Jesus giving his all is the ground of the Father’s love (Jn 10:17)
      2. Sacrifice is voluntary (Jn 10:18)
      3. Elders and Deacons – This is a high calling. What will you give to care for the flock?
   5. Not Moralizing or using Jesus as a mere example (Jn 13:12-17)