I Am the Good Shepherd
The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted
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John 10:1-21
The sheep
There is a flock of sheep
They are in a pasture
This was an enclosure with ah stone wall/fence surrounding it
evidently with other flocks in this same sheepfold
“He calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out”
He is referring to the Jewish people (He calls His sheep from among the Jews)
The sheep hear the voice of the shepherd
They recognize it and follow Him
Notice that He is leading, not driving them
They flee from the unrecognized voice of a stranger
He has other sheep that are not of this fold (verse 16)
He knows who they are and they are His and will come into the fold through faith
Sheep are vulnerable to thieves and wolves
You know, even without this passage, that sheep can’t protect themselves
Andy’s fainting goats- bred for sheep protection
This is why the passage is so saturated with language that makes it clear that the sheep are dependant on their shepherd
The theives
All who came before Him are robbers (verse 8)
This is not a condemnation of every prophet and priest who ever came before Jesus
He is using this all-encapsulating to point to every self-proclaimed shepherd of God’s people who actually care nothing for the sheep
Ezekiel 34:1-6- The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
Jesus is making a specific point
The Pharisees and Jewish leaders, who just treated the blind man so harshly, are opposed by the full force of the wrath of God for their abuse of His sheep
His sheep do not listen to their voice
And so it is withthe blind man
He does not listen to the voice of these false shepherds
The Good Shepherd
Jesus is the Good Shepherd
He is not like the other false shepherds
He owns the sheep and cares deeply for them
He is the perfect Shepherd in every way
Psalm 23- Bible
He satisfies his sheep completely.
He provides for His sheep perfectly.
He leads His sheep wisely.
He restores His sheep tenderly.
He never leaves His sheep.
He protects His sheep powerfully.
He comforts His sheep lovingly.
He reconciles His sheep completely.
He is good and merciful to His sheep unfailingly.
He gives His sheep a perfect dwelling with Him forever
He came to give life abundantly
Could also mean “beyond” or “extraordinary”
This is not “your best life now”
He came to give peace with God.
He came to give joy of heart as we walk through this strange land that is not our home.
But He came mainly to give fullness of joy and pleasures that will never end.
The life that Jesus came to give is infinitely better than the anything world can even imagine
Better than the best day of your life
Better than the most breathtaking view
Better than the most luxurious car or house
Better than the most exquisite sex
Better than the most enjoyable vacation
He is better than the strongest friendships or family relationships.
He willingly lays down His life for His sheep
He is pointing to His crucifixion
This abundant life found in Him is going to be gained at the infinite cost of His life
Even so, He willingly gives it
Noone takes it, but He willingly lays it down
He takes it up again
And now He reigns as our Good Shepherd forever.
Follow the Good Shepherd
Follow after His voice
His Word
He has spoken to us
We can know Him deeply
His Word is sufficient
Do we value it, take it seriously?
Do you read the Bible?
Do you meditate on it and dwell on it?
Do you fill your head with it and cling to it?
Do you love it, submit to it, and obey it?
Or do you neglect it?
Do you give it a hurried 5 minutes in the morning and then not give it much thought until the next morning?
Do you fail to take the instructions of God seriously and neglect to follow what He has said?
Dwell among His flock
Sheep are not meant to be lone rangers
When they walk alone they become extremely vulnerable
So it is with Christ’s people
You were meant to abide in the joyful safety of the community of faith
To neglect meeting together with the people of God is disobedient to God’s command
To neglect meeting together with the people of God is a fearfully dangerous act of misplaced self-dependance
Do not let this summer’s busyness, work, liesure, holidays, and vacationing to separate you from the flock
Seek His face and rest in Him this summer
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The sheep
In this passage this morning we see a direct connection to chapter 9. The blind man has been healed, the hardened cast him out of the Synagogue, the blind man believes in Jesus while Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their blindness. Now, we arrive at chapter 10 where Jesus uses a figure of speech to speak to the Jews. This is connected directly to what has just happened in chapter 9. But before we get there, I just want you to keep in mind that this is a figure of speech with different angles given to the same point. It is not to be read as a narrative or as linear logic. It is highly contested what kind of figure of speech this is because it is not easily categoriezed for a number of reasons. Some scholars argue that verses 1-5 is a parable, but others disagree since there is not a single other parable in John’s Gospel. However, I would argue that this is a parable and that it is the only one in this book. Either way, John tells us in verse 6 that this is a παροιμία, which is a parable or figure of speech.
As Jesus begins to speak, He quickly presents a picture to His audience. In the picture three parties are established: the thief, the shepherd, and the sheep. I want to quickly focus on each one beginning with the sheep. There is a flock of sheep and they are in a sheepfold. This would have been a pasture that was enclosed with a stone wall, and, in Jesus’ day, there would have likely been several shepherds keeping their flocks in the same sheepfold. This is implied in the words of verses 3-4, when Jesus says “To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” His sheep are called for other sheep that are not His own.
And all of His sheep know the voice of the shepherd. They recognize it and follow Him. However, if a stanger calls for them they will flee from him because they don’t know his voice. There is no exception in the parable, and so it is in the realities of God. In this context, Jesus is speaking of the Jews. He calls His people from among the Jewish people and every one of His people follow Him. This, of course, can apply to all of God’s people. He calls then and they listen to His voice. And lest we think that He is only talking about those who have already believed, He makes a clarifying statement. He says, in verse 16: “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” He has other sheep that are not of this fold, which means that He has people who, in this original context, are not Jews. They have not yet believed and been saved, but He knows who will belong to Him through faith. And notice that there is not a call given and the response is that “some” or even “many” come to Him. Every single one who He calls comes to Him. This is the effectual call of Jesus. Those who He calls unto Himself believe. 100% efficacy.
Finally, we can see clearly the vulnerability of the sheep. They need a shepherd. They need a wall surrounding them to keep out predators and sometimes thieves. They need someone to guard the door of the sheepfol. They need guidance. They are a basically helpless animal. Pastor Andy and Rachel used to have fainting goats. They were awesome because if you so much as looked at them the wrong way they would stiffen up and fall over as if they were passing out. Andy told me that they were bred to do this for the protection of the sheep. Of coure, I thought that this was a funny joke, but he wasn’t kidding. He explained that they would be placed with the sheep in the field, and when a predator would come the sheep would run away, but the goat would stiffen up, fall over, and be left behind as a food while the sheep escape. This is a funny picture, but it is also a bit pathetic. The sheep are helpless against predators, so the solution is to breed an even more helpless animal to be the scapegoat. Of course, there is not the way that Jesus shepherds His people, but it is a real reminder of the truth of our utter dependance on Him. Apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
The thieves
But this is another group at play in this passage. Who are they? They are the thieves and robbers. Jesus says that all who came before Him are thieves and robbers (verse 8). This is not a condemnation of every prophet and priest who ever came before Jesus. He is using this all-encapsulating to point to every self-proclaimed shepherd of God’s people who actually care nothing for the sheep. He is pretty clearly referencing Ezekiel 34, when we read (Ezekiel 34:1-6) “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.” The shepherds didn’t care for the sheep. They only cared for themselves, and if the sheep could be used to get what they wanted then they used them to get it. Now here, Jesus is making a specific point about the Pharisees and Jewish leaders who are listening to Him. They just treated the blind man so harshly. He is a sheep who belongs to Jesus, and they were unjust, cruel, and abusive toward him. Now, Jesus shows by reference to Ezekiel that they are opposed by the full force of the wrath of God for their abuse of His sheep. God is not to be triffled with and His sheep are not to be mistreated.
But what do the sheep do? Do they listen to the thieves and robbers? No. His sheep do not listen to their voice because they don’t know their voice. The people of God do not listen to false shepherds and those who would threaten to lead them astray. Of course, this doen’t mean that the people of God are immune to being mislead or deceived, but when they know of Jesus through faith His voice will always win the day in the end. No genuine sheep of Jesus are ever stolen away from from Him. He keeps them. This is exactly what happened with the man born blind. He does not listen to the voice of these false shepherds. He listens to Jesus.
The Good Shepherd
There is one more piece of the picture. The shepherd. But this is not just any shepherd. This is not even a good shepherd. This is THE Good Shepherd. There is no shepherd like Him. Who is this shepherd? Jesus answer that question for us very clearly. He says “I am the Good Shepherd” (verse 11). He is not like the other false shepherds of Israel. He is not like the wolves who show up in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). He owns the sheep and cares deeply for them. He has no deficiency as the Shepherd to His people. He is the perfect Shepherd in every way. He is the shepherd of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” He satisfies his sheep completely. He provides for His sheep perfectly. He leads His sheep wisely. He restores His sheep tenderly. He never leaves His sheep. He protects His sheep powerfully. He comforts His sheep lovingly. He reconciles His sheep completely. He is good and merciful to His sheep unfailingly. He gives His sheep a perfect dwelling with Him forever.
He came to give life to His sheep and life abundantly. This word also means “beyond” or “extraordinary”. He came to give extraordinary life that is far beyond anything that this world can offer. This is not “your best life now.” No Christian has ever lived “their best life now.” Every person to live their best life now goes to hell forever. No, Jesus came for so much more than making your worldly comfort and pleasure increase. He came to give peace with God. He came to give joy of heart as we walk through this strange land that is not our home. And He came mainly to give fullness of joy and pleasures that will never end. The life that Jesus came to give is infinitely better than anything the world can even imagine. That’s because the life He offers is in Him, and He is better than anything in the world. He is better than the best day of your life. He is better than the most breathtaking view in the universe. He is better than the most luxurious car or house. He is better than the most exquisite sex. He is better than the most enjoyable vacation. He is better than the strongest friendships or family relationships.
But it gets even better. He isn’t just the Good Shepherd who cares for His people well and is better than anything else they can imagine. He is also the shepherd who willingly lays down His life for His sheep. He is undoubtedly pointing to His crucifixion, which is drawing closer and closer. This abundant life found in Him is going to be gained at the infinite cost of His life. Even so, He willingly gives it. Noone takes it, but He willingly lays it down. If He keeps His life its because He says so, and if He loses His life its because He says so. Pilot is simply a lackey in the hand of Jesus to do what He wills. But He won’t stay dead. He takes it up again in power. No grave can hold this Shepherd. And now He reigns as our Good Shepherd forever.
Follow the Good Shepherd
So now we have a question to ponder for ourselves. What will we do? Willing we trust Him as the Good Shepherd or throw Him off in rebellion because we think we know the way better or can make ourselves a better life now than He could ever give? I’m here this morning to plead with you to follow after His voice. But you may ask how this happens. It happens through His Word. He has spoken to us through His Word and now we can know Him deeply. His Word is sufficient, authoritative, perfect, wise, and life-giving. But do you value it, take it seriously? You can know the answer to this question by quickly reflecting on your life. Do you read the Bible? Do you meditate on it and dwell on it? Do you fill your head with it and cling to it? Do you love it, submit to it, and obey it? Or do you neglect it? Do you give it a hurried 5 minutes in the morning and then not give it much thought until the next morning? Do you fail to take the instructions of God seriously and neglect to follow what He has said? My prayer for you is that you would know the riches of God’s Word as David did who said that it is better to Him than life itself.
Finally, dwell among His flock. Sheep are not meant to be lone rangers. When they walk alone they become extremely vulnerable and so it is with Christ’s people. You were meant to abide in the joyful safety of the community of faith. To neglect meeting together with the people of God is disobedient to God’s command. To neglect meeting together with the people of God is a fearfully dangerous act of misplaced self-dependance. To neglect meeting together with the people of God is willingly casting off the primary way that the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep. My plea to you is that you not let this summer’s busyness, work, liesure, holidays, and vacationing to separate you from the flock. Do not begin to think that other things are more important than meeting together with the people of God, or that it’s no big deal to spend this Summer doing other things on Sundays. He has made you a part of the body of Christ, the people of God, the flock of Christ, so don’t diminish His wise design for the Christian life. Seek His face and rest in Him this summer.