The Good Shepherd

Mark Hogan emphasized that Christ's death was intended by God for the salvific benefit of specific individuals given by the Father to the Son in eternity past. He drew from John 10:16, where Jesus says "I have other sheep which are not of this fold," and explained that these "other sheep" refer to Gentile nations who were given by the Father to the Son for salvation. Hogan highlighted that Christ's death was not a cosmic accident but rather the effective means for the salvation of His church. He emphasized that Jesus has other sheep, not from the Jewish nation, whom He will gather to Himself in the future, and that these people are included in the one flock with the Lord as their Shepherd.

Hogan encouraged his listeners to take comfort in the doctrine found in this passage because it reveals Christ's intimate relationship with His people. He noted that Jesus knows His sheep and laid down His life for them to establish relational reciprocity between them, from the Father to the Son, to the sheep, to the Son, and to the Father. Hogan also emphasized the covenant of redemption, which secures eternal security for those who belong to Christ.

As the Lord's supper was about to be celebrated, Hogan reminded his listeners that they have a good Shepherd who will guide them, lead them, protect them, and feed them until they are safe in the age to come. He prayed that God would help His people believe their promise of eternal security and that none of His sheep can be snatched from His hand.