Jesus: Pastor
The Gospel of John is famous for Jesus’s seven I am statements. "I am the bread of life," "I am the light of the world," "I am the door (or gate)," "I am the resurrection and the life," "I am the way, the truth, and the life," “I am the true vine,” and then there’s the one most pertinent to us this morning, “I am the good shepherd.” Or as we’ll be discussing, the good pastor. Pastor is the Latin word for shepherd. We’ll focus on the Latin translation this morning. Jesus’s identity as the good pastor is part of the very select “I am” statements. This alone tells us something important. Jesus as pastor is central to who Jesus is. The marks of the good pastor tell us why. What are the marks of the good pastor? The first mark of the good pastor, that is Jesus, is selflessness. Verse 11, 15, and 17: The pastor lays down his life for the sheep. Here’s a second mark – the good pastor that is Jesus, seeks out those who are left behind o...