Verse 27 The good shepherd being more like the good Lamb

John 10:10-11
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.

SIS

John 5:40
yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

Acts 20:29
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

2 Peter 2:1
Chapter 2
False Prophets and Teachers
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

Ezekiel 34:11-12
The Lord God Will Seek Them Out
11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

Ezekiel 34:23
And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.

Isaiah 40:11
He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.

Hebrews 13:20
Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,

1 Peter 2:25
For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 John 3:16
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

HIJ

Jesus' sacrifice was significant in three ways. His sacrifice was voluntary, He was not at the mercy of circumstance,
John 10:18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
If we view as a circumstantial thing we rob it of its reality that it was an act of supreme love as He gave His own life for ours.
His sacrifice was total. He set aside His glory as that of God's Son and through many stages went on to give Himself,
Philippians 2:7-8
but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
He even experienced being forsaken by Father God, bearing His wrath and accepting His ultimate punishment for our sin, separation from God the Father.
His sacrifice was beneficial, He died in our stead, He was our substitute and through that we get what is called vicarious atonement. Jesus died for our sins, and God blesses us by assigning to us the results of that sacrifice.
2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Verse 26 All Christians are born again

John 3:3
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

SIS

John 1:13
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

1 Peter 1:23
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

HIJ

Now for a Gentile when he converted to Judaism, was said to be reborn. You can understand Nicodemus being thrown by this comment.
After it comes on the heels of him praising Him. But Jesus cuts to the chase and wants to impress him of this fact. But Nicodemus confuses it for real birth, not seeing that he as a Jew would need this too, and that it is a spiritual thing. It involves change, from flesh to spirit, and that is independent of us. Like the wind, we cannot control its speed or direction, so we cannot manipulate the work of God, which is the being born again. Like we have no say in our first birth, if He wills us to be His, He will draw us to Himself, by having us view His Son given for us on Calvary.
Galatians 6:14-16
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Verse 25 The impossible to make things possible

Luke 1:37
For nothing will be impossible with God.”

SIS

Genesis 18:14
Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

HIJ

This is the statement which concludes the 'method' given by the angel to Mary, as to how a virgin can be a mother. The collaborating proof of an old woman, her relative Elizabeth, being pregnant sparks these words. God did the impossible with her, He did it with you too. Allowing her the strength to say
Luke 1:38
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
For it would mean ostracism, and the results of a society thinking of you be immoral and unfaithful.
The virgin birth, an impossible thing, was needed to enable another impossible thing to occur. A righteous life being lived by Jesus, resulting in an acceptable sacrifice of it, so we who are sinners may be righteous through it by faith.

Verse 24 The only fruit that counts

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self- control; against such things there is no law.

SIS

Ephesians 5:9
(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

HIJ

Fruit requires nothing from the grower, except a fertile soil, light, water (a picture of The Spirit) and time. Also it is there to be taken, and the more it is taken the more that is produced, either that or it rots on the tree.
There is no law with these things and so is a result of the grace given to you, not a demand that is put upon you.
Love is what God is, and told out wonderfully on the cross. Peace which is peace with God won there, as well as harmony between Christian. Patience seen in the face of sufferings or persecutions, again seen on the cross when Jesus says
Luke 23:34
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Kindness or gentleness is taking that lowly place, as displayed with the feet washing of the disciples, or His attitude toward children. Goodness is kindness towards others as illustrated in the Good Samaritan parable. Faithfulness which is fidelity, or reliability. Self-control means literally controlling self, and we should practice moderation.

In closing there is that exercise based on 1Corinthians 13. Going on the premise that love is God and Jesus is God you can read 4-7 as such

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Jesus is patient and kind; Jesus does not envy or boast; He is not arrogant 5 or rude. He does not insist on His own way; He is not irritable or resentful; 6 He does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Jesus bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Now to see how Christ-like you are, try putting your name there and see what you need to work on.
Let me tell you, you will need the Spirit's help, as they are his fruit and He is the One who grows them in you.

Verse 23 The ultimate display of love

Romans 5:8
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

SIS

John 3:16
For God So Loved the World
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

HIJ

So how does God show that He loves us. Is it by giving us good health, a long life. A loving family and a huge social circle. A thriving business or a bulging bank balance. You can continue that list on and on. What we think is signs of His love is nothing compared to the gift of His Son, and the forgiveness of sins from it. Eternally nothing we have from God compares to it. So in the words of Paul,
2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Verse 22 First and foremost

Colossians 1:15-17
The Preeminence of Christ
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

SIS

John 1:1
Chapter 1
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:3
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:18
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

John 8:58
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Hebrews 1:2-3
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

HIJ

He is the One is the firstborn, not that He was first made, for He was with God from the beginning, but the chief our all that was made. Based on the fact that He as with all the Godhead, made everything that was made. Also all things were created for them, and He is the One who holds it all together.
Like Paul would say,
Acts 17:27-29
that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring. ’

Our creator is not a remote person, but One who is intimately involved on your life. So when they saw our fallen state, they set out a means to remedy that.
Ephesians 1:4
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
Resulting in the death of His Son,
Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Verse 21 What peace and praise is made of.

Philippians 4:6-8
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

SIS

Matthew 6:25
Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Ephesians 6:18
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

HIJ

Jesus lived a life of prayer, before the choice of disciples, during the temptation in the wilderness, before the cross, to cite just a few. If the very Son of God needed prayer, and time with the Father, surely we do too.
Also what sums up Christ more than what is listed in verse 8, seven items enough for one a week.
Keep short accounts with Him, don't store up for the end of the week say. As you see something praiseworthy of God, pause and worship or give thanks. And yes prayer is for your requests, God is there to keep you. But He is not there for gimme, gimme. It is there so we can get peace by,
1 Peter 5:7
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.