Tag: Mosaic Law

John: The Shepherd and His Sheep | 8-16-26

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Updated: 8/16/2026

Sermon Prep

This was a tough month for me. Work ever since being diagnosed with MS in May hasn’t quite felt the same because I don’t feel the same. Feel the need to take a nap like nothing else and lack a lot of the drive that has gotten me this point in my life. More mentally foggy than ever and on top of that my work quota became even tougher to achieve. Very stressful season and yet still had to preach this Sunday sermon.

In fact, this year so far has felt a bit foggy and it’s harder for me to remember it because its flown by so fast. Feel like I blinked and months just disappeared from my memory. Then again, it could be that since my health scare in late February and the other medical problems my family has had this year it hasn’t necessarily felt like a smell the roses sort of year and more of a remembering that there’s roses to smell once you slow down a bit.

But God knows I need to slow down, so in his perfect timing he assigned me to teach this section of scripture in mid-August when there’s plenty of other things I’d rather get done. Do even more at my high velocity job that’s just getting busier, finish my long-gestating book, manage my home, stay connected to community and family, along with numerous other things I cared about more than God. Just being honest here and that blur of unmet expectations just weighs on me like a gargantuan boulder of responsibilities most days. Life’s busy and I allowed it to get that way.

Then again, at the beginning of the month it was slow and good. My Glory and I celebrated our golden anniversary in southern Colorado which was a much needed break from it all. Those two days really helped me catch my breath for a bit and be in the right place spiritually to share this message like I did last week. I didn’t dedicate as much time as I’d prefer, but at this point I’ve taught almost a hundred sermons and the workflow is so much easier to enter and exit in a timely fashion when focused on the task at hand. Certain rabbit holes just aren’t worth the extra research required.

In any event, the prep was not so much rushed as it was delayed largely on my recent and uncharacteristic lack of time management lately. Usually, I have these built out and nearly complete with a week to spare. This one was in that shape by late Friday night, so that I could properly enjoy Sabbath with my family. Not my greatest prep but efficient enough to get the job done, while spinning the rest of my life’s plates. With that, here’s the YouTube recording of this message and the notes below:

Sermon Notes

Intro

  • Story of Mr. Garcia whistling so loud his son Sam heard him almost a mile away.

Main Point

  • The sheep know their shepherd because they hear the Word and listen to him.

The Shepherd and His Sheep | John 10 (NRSVue)

“[1] “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. [2] The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. [5] They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” [6] Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. [7] So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. [8] All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. [9] I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. [11] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. [13] The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. [14] I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, [15] just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. [17] For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. [18] No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” [19] Again the Jews were divided because of these words. [20] Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?” [21] Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

  • The shepherd symbolized the OT ANE concept of “a royal caretaker of God’s people.” – NIV Study Bible (2011)
    • God is the Shepherd of Israel, while Israel’s leaders were false shepherds.
      • Pastor = shepherd in Latin, so Israel’s leaders were false pastors.
  • 2 of 7 “I am” statements: the sheepgate (John 10:1-10) and shepherd (John 10:11-18).
  • The sheepfold Jesus mentions would’ve been a courtyard in front of a house (John 10:1).
    • Different flocks were separated in sheepfold; gatekeeper is here for story sake.
    • The “other sheep” that join the flock are Gentile/non-Jewish Christians.
  • Throughout this text, Jesus alludes to his atonement for our sin (John 10:11, 17-18).
    • Jesus is our substitute, inviting us to participate in his victory over death and sin.
  • The hired hand had every reason to go, yet the shepherd had to stay (John 10:12-13).
  • The Jews reference the man born blind who was healed right before this (John 10:21).

“[22] At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, [23] and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. [24] So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” [25] Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me, [26] but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep. [27] My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand. [30] The Father and I are one.” [31] The Jews took up stones again to stone him. [32] Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” [33] The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human, are making yourself God.” [34] Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? [35] If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— [36] can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? [37] If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. [38] But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” [39] Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.”

  • Festival of Dedication = Hanukkah (winter); warmer in the portico (John 10:22-23).
    • Pastors (i.e. Israel’s leaders) were honored during this Festival of Lights.
  • God’s people are the sheep, whether Gentile or Jewish which he saves (John 10:25-29).
  • Clear Messianic claim given God is not human and he’s one being (John 10:30-33).
    • Under the Mosaic Law, claiming to be God was blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16).
    • Jews began preparing the judgment for blasphemy, which was the death penalty.
  • Jesus appeals to Psalm 82:6 doubling down on his fully divine nature (John 10:34-38).
    • He claimed that he’s Lord of the divine council and greater than the sons of God.
  • Jesus escaped easily because he didn’t stand out looking unremarkable (John 10:39).
  • Many believed what Jesus did and said because of John the Baptist (John 10:40-42).

Why It Matters

  • We sheep know the shepherd because we hear the Word himself and listen to him.
    • As you walk the Way, God’s voice will be easier to discern over your own.

Power Text

“[3] For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods. [4] In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. [5] The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed. [6] O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! [7] For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!” – Psalm 95:3-7 (NRSVue)

Outro

  • Do you hear the Word? Do you “believe the works” and listen to the shepherd?

Final Thoughts

Like I usually tell the fellow teachers at church, my method and style of sermons leaves a lot of unknowns baked into the final product. I don’t quite know what I’m going to say or what the Holy Spirit himself will guide me to emphasize until the sermon has been shared. Will I go off on tangents or stick to the broad bullet points? To be honest, I’m never quite too sure until I’m there in the moment. I try to let the Lord lead and just see what happens with the congregation.

This style preference keeps my messages in particular somewhat unpredictable and improvisational without going off the rails entirely either. It’s not perfect and sometimes it sucks because the material deserved a different approach more suited to it. Regardless, I think in this case under these circumstances it was a fine message with lots of fun moments sprinkled throughout I never considered mentioning in the prep stage. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.


John: The Light Exposes Darkness | 7-19-2026

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Updated: 7/19/2026

Sermon Prep

When we first began choosing what series to do next and how we would divvy up each section of our John outline, I chose this sermon first out of any of them. At the time, I had recently worked on a section of one of my books that would deal with errors in the Bible and this is one of those key texts when looking at textual discrepancies. For the book I’m Lord willing going to publish this Fall, it won’t be in there but a future book that takes more time to wrestle through those tough texts. Given my great interest in the textual criticism of it all, I made sure to grab dibs on that section and prepared for weeks.

I think absorbing the text over a long period of time and researching well in advance can sometimes hinder a message because it’s overcooked, but I think here it helped. I finished like I always aim to do the Monday before church and then sit on it before taking one final stab late Saturday night. Finishing the message ahead of time I think just respects the process given all the teachers we have now, there’s much less excuse to not have it ready in my opinion. Anyways here’s my sermon notes below and the picture above is from the week prior when my Dad was in town for a brief layover.

Sermon Notes

Intro

  • Growing up, I went home when streetlights lit up. No matter what, porchlight was on.

Main Point

  • Jesus is the light of the world who exposes and expels darkness in every corner of life.

The Light Exposes Darkness | John 7:53-8:30 (NRSVue)

  • Everyone went home, while Jesus went to Mount of Olives (John 7:53-8:1).

“[2] Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. [3] The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and, making her stand before all of them, [4] they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. [5] Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” [6] They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. [7] When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” [8] And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. [9] When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. [10] Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” [11] She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

  • Interrupts John 7-8. → Floating passage =  belongs in Luke, John, or independent story.
    • Oral tradition mid-1st century, 1st/2nd century allusions; Latin Vulgate.
  • Mosaic moral impurities include idolatry, sexual immorality, and murder. (John 8:3-4).
    • These make a person impure and the land, requiring exile (Leviticus 18:24-28).
      • For adultery, the death penalty of both parties was the purifying remedy.

“Therefore, exile is not only the dreaded consequence of moral impurity polluting the land, but this time away from the land is also the ultimate purifying agent for not only Israel as a community… but also the land itself. After sufficient time has passed, then Israel will be able to inhabit the land once more… When society is so polluted from moral impurity, the entire “system” of sacrifice is rendered ineffectual and only exile can be expected.”” – Andrew Remington Rillera

  • Sacrifice can’t remove moral sins from land and adulterers couldn’t remove their guilt.
  • Only Jesus’ shed blood on creation could defeat death and purify the land soaked in sin.
    • Jewish-Roman War and Second Temple destruction sent Jews in an exile.
    • To this day, Jesus’ resurrection power is slowly purifying and redeeming creation.
  • The Pharisees misquoted Mosaic Law, in order to set up their trap for Jesus (John 8:5).
    • They only bring the woman and don’t mention that the man should be stoned.
  • Some see Jeremiah 17:13 fulfilled here as what Jesus writes on the ground (John 8:6-9).
  • Did she previously commit adultery? Was she framed, guilty, or set-up? (John 8:10-11).

“[12] Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” [13] Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” [14] Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. [15] You judge by human standards; I judge no one. [16] Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid, for it is not I alone who judge but I and the Father who sent me. [17] In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. [18] I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.” [19] Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” [20] He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. [21] Again he said to them, “I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” [22] Then the Jews said, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” [23] He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are from this world, I am not from this world. [24] I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.” [25] They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Why do I speak to you at all? [26] I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” [27] They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. [28] So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. [29] And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.””

  • Jesus is responding to when Pharisees were talking to each other (John 7:45-52 → 8:12).
    • Lighting of the candelabra in the court of women during the Feast of Tabernacles.
  • Two witnesses referenced in Numbers 35:30, Deuteronomy 17:6, + 19:15-19 (John 8:17).
  • Alludes to his eventual ascension to Heaven and that he’s the Messiah (John 8:21-25).
  • Jesus foreshadows his crucifixion and the reveal of God’s triune nature (John 8:28-29).
  • Educated elite didn’t get it, yet many people still believed what Jesus said (John 8:30).

Why It Matters

  • Jesus exposed and expelled darkness in the scribes + Pharisees, along with the woman.
    • If we’re honest with ourselves, even now we still deal with the dark sometimes.
      • Jesus as the light of the world, can expel and expose any kind of darkness.

Power Text

“[8] Do not rejoice over me, my enemies; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. [9] I must bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he takes my side and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall see his vindication.”

  • Israel is personified as an unfaithful spouse who acknowledges guilt and exile.
    • Jesus not only exposes and expels the darkness of enemies but us as well.
      • No matter how far we’ve drifted into the dark, confession brings us home.

Outro

  • “Salvation is about coming home.” – Stephen Dempster. The light is here. We don’t need to be out past dark.
    • Are you going to disobey and stay out past dark or go back home to the light?

Final Thoughts

On this one when it came to delivering the message, I switched up some parts that differs from what’s on the notes. The biggest change was deciding to read John 7:45-52 with John 8:12-30 as one long section like it appears in the original manuscripts. I think it was a bold choice, but a helpful one for everyone following along. With the Pericope Adulterae interrupting the original text, I think it helped to see what it looks like as one large section.

I also decided against one story and chose a different one involving when I lost a nail riding a bike down a steep path in the neighborhood growing up. That was another great change that tied into my sermon better than the other story I had planned. That other story just didn’t seem to tie it altogether like the bike story did.

The Table Talks were decent, but didn’t go very deep. I think my table only became comfortable after 20-25 minutes of talking, which by that point church was pretty much over. I didn’t mention it in my message, but during the small group discussion I mentioned a fringe theory that the scribes and Pharisees had access to the woman caught in adultery because one of them was committing adultery. I don’t subscribe to it, but it’s an interesting theory nonetheless.

My delivery was really solid as well and people afterwards seemed to resonate with it too. Didn’t feel any nerves, so that was nice for a change too. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.