JOHN 10:1-16 - Christ Our Good Shepherd

Introduction: John 10:1-16

Currently in the world in which we are living, especially in the West, it is evident that we are facing, as humans, a crisis of identity. We no longer know who we are, where we have come from, what our purpose is in this life. We are taught in our schools, in our universities, through the media that the true meaning of life can be found in what we make out of it, in what we think is best for us, in the unhindered pursuit of all of our desires in the name of ‘freedom.’

But where has this led us?

Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way.”

The identity crisis we are facing is because we have turned away from the Lord and have sought to find the meaning of life apart from Him and in the pursuit of our sin. We have given into the lie that what is ultimate is our individual autonomous freedom in the way that we want to define it. But in this process, we have lost sight of who we are.

In our text this morning the people of God are described as being sheep. The Lord is our shepherd and we are the sheep of His pasture. He owns the sheepfold to which we belong and where we find rest, life, and salvation. Our identity as His sheep comes not ultimately from who we are but from who our shepherd is and our relation to Him.

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading

This morning Jesus’ words remind us that true freedom, salvation, and joy come from living in submission to His authority as the Good Shepherd. From knowing His character. From trusting in Him alone who brings abundant life and joy.

The Apostle John wrote his gospel so that we would know who Jesus Christ is. What His mission to this world was and is. In John 20:31 John writes “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

My desire for us this morning is that as we would know Christ and His character more deeply and we would be moved to want to make Him known more greatly and widely. If we truly grasp what He has done for us, if we are truly assured of His particular saving grace for us, we would publish this gospel as wide and as broad and as vigorously as we can.

I want to look at the character of Christ under three headings

The Good Shepherd protects

The Good Shepherd brings abundant life

The Good Shepherd lays down His life

Main Point 1: The good Shepherd protects. (1-6)

Explanation:

The context for our text this morning is John chapter 9. Jesus has graciously healed a man who was born blind. He sent this man to wash in the pool of Siloam. The word Siloam actually means “sent.” The whole of John’s gospel is filled with this theme of Jesus being sent. The Father looked in pity upon lost and fallen sinners and sent His beloved Son to redeem them.

His healing of this blind man represents Jesus as the one sent from God, prophesied in the Old Testament. In Isaiah 35:5-6 we read, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”

Now, the man born blind not only had his physical sight restored but he was also given faith to believe in Jesus – his true sight was restored. In a short but powerful verse in John 9:38 which points us to the divinity of Jesus, the blind man says “Lord, I believe” and he worshipped Him.”

Read 9:39-41*

The Pharisees hardened their hearts towards Jesus. They created a works religion of their own and took advantage of the people of God for their own selfish gain. We see this as they threw the blind man out of the Synagogue and condemned Jesus for healing on the Sabbath – the very work which pointed to Him as the Messiah.

They were hardened and rejected Jesus because of their sin but there is also another reason why they did not accept Jesus - they were not of His flock. The blind man has left the fold of Israel for the flock of the Good Shepherd – where he now has true sight, and true protection.

The story of God’s mission in the world is His ingathering of a people for Himself from every tribe, nation, and tongue whom He has elected, chosen, and redeemed by the blood of Christ. To gather a bride for Himself that He would make spotless and blameless by His Spirit.

The coming of Jesus was prophesied throughout the Old Testament until finally He arrived, born of a virgin, born under the law, born in Bethlehem, at the right time to bring redemption to God’s people.

So, when Jesus arrives on the scene here before us, He has all the right credentials!

And this is what we see in John 10:2. “He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” Jesus is the rightful shepherd whereas the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were thieves and robbers who were harming and taking advantage of God’s people.

Now, Jesus tells us this illustration in verses 1-6 to show us the characteristics of the thief verses the characteristics of the shepherd. The thief has no claim on the sheep and therefore has to resort to sneaky ways to try and get in.

Ill: In the first century a sheep pen was usually open at the top with walls around. It could also have been bushes that were in a circle with one door and open at the top. There was also always a gatekeeper who guarded the opening. So, the fact that the thieves climb over the wall shows they are coming to bring trouble.

In verse 1 we see that the Pharisees, like wolves have jumped over the walls and have bypassed the gatekeeper.

But what does Jesus say of the shepherd? Read verses 3-5.

Illustration:

The true shepherd goes before the sheep to lead the way and to protect the sheep. Unlike the way we may think of sheep and shepherds today, there were no lush fields of grass stretching on for miles or a sheep herder chasing the sheep from behind trying to get them to obey him. In Jesus’ context much of the land was dry, mountainous, and arid where the shepherds herded their sheep.

In that context the shepherd walks in front of the sheep because of the dangerous pathways around the mountains. The sheep know the shepherd will lead them in the right path and they trust him.

And when all the sheep can see for miles is dry desert, the shepherd knows where the small streams of water and the patches of grass are for them to find rest and be refreshed. So, the sheep listen to the shepherd. They trust him because of his character and his love for them.

That is why Jesus says in verse 5*

Application:

The defining characteristic of the shepherd is His love and protection of the sheep.

The Lord’s mission is that He has sent His Son into this world to gather in His chosen sheep and to give them new life. To show them that their true identity is in relation to Him and in their dependence upon Him.

That is why it is so important for the church to have a strong expository ministry. When Christ’s Word is preached, His sheep hear and they respond and they grow and they follow Him.

What might this look like for us? It might look like fleeing from teachers who teach a man centered theology which exalts man and his accomplishments instead of Christ and His glory. And it looks like running to the Word to read it and meditate upon it.

The Pharisees did not understand this illustration Jesus was using because ironically they were those who were truly blind and man centered. They were puffed up with knowledge and completely ignorant of God’s character and His love.

Main Point 2: The good Shepherd brings abundant life (7-10)

Explanation:

Jesus now clearly explains the illustration which He told in verses 1-5. Jesus Himself is the door or the gate for the sheep. He is the way by which the sheep can come in, find rest, and find life.

Verse 8*

Jesus is separating the true Israel from the national Israel. He is leading His true and chosen sheep out of the fold and into His flock. And this very thing is what further qualifies Him to be the Messiah! The Lord’s anointed one is fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies of gathering in a remnant for Himself from His people.

The true sheep did not listen to the Pharisees but to Jesus.

But the Pharisees did not get it. They were mesmerized and blinded by their self-righteousness, pride, love for riches, prestige, and love for the glory of man.

With this third I AM saying in the gospel of John, Jesus makes an astounding statement. He not only shows us that He is the eternal Son of God identifying Himself with Yahweh from the Old Testament but that He is the sole and exclusive way to salvation. Verse 9*

Salvation and life is found in no other name but through Jesus Christ. Those who were saved before the cross and those who are saved after the cross are all saved through the One Mediator Jesus Christ and through His covenant of grace.

Ill:

When I was studying my undergraduate in theology at a liberal University in South Africa I took an elective class I thought might be interesting called ‘Anglican Church History.’ The professor was a visiting professor and also an Anglican priest who studied in the US. He was telling us a story one day of his time in the US. He started to speak about how wonderful it was that the church which he visited stripped it’s auditorium of pews and replaced it with carpets so that Muslims from the area could come and worship ‘God’ with them.

Well, he started to notice the concern on my face and on the face of my friend next to me. He leaned over to ask us what the problem was. And we responded that it was not possible to worship the same God together since Jesus is the only way to the Father. He paused for a moment and leaned further in and said this to us: “do you really believe that.”

Friends, we must reckon with this question which is very quickly becoming more and more pertinent for the church.

John 14:6: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Acts 4:12: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Brother and sisters, we must hold fast to the sole exclusivity of Christ for the way of salvation. He doesn’t need our gimmicks, our wisdom, our abilities. He is seeking for those who will simply be faithful to the gospel and bear witness to Him even when it is costly.

And He is seeking for pastors who will feed His sheep with the food of His Word.

So, if who walk through this door you will find rest, salvation, joy, forgiveness. You will find pasture. You will find that your true identity is not wrapped up in the world, or in yourself, but in the Good Shepherd and His saving grace and in what His Word says about you.

Application:

Look with me at verse 10.* The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus now points us back to the demonic activity of the false religious leaders. They were killing, stealing, and destroying. They were wringing the life out of God’s people and bringing them into bondage. Ultimately they were leading them to hell.

Satan was ultimately behind the destruction the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were bringing on God’s people. In John 8 Jesus tells the Pharisees that they were of their father, the devil. They thought their identity was sheep, God’s people – when actually they had rejected God’s rule and reign over them and replaced it with themselves.

In the same way it is Satan who is behind the cultural destruction of our day and much of the apostasy and confusion we see in the church. He has come to steal. To steal holiness, innocence, true life, joy, love, peace. He has come to kill. To reap divisions, instigate people to sin, lead them away from the hope found in Jesus. He has come to destroy. To poison the church with false doctrine, to lead young people astray and into destructive lifestyles that eventually lead to their ruin and hardening against Christianity.

And is it not true and a great shame that the ultimate thief, Satan, is using false pastors and false shepherds to continue his mission to kill, steal, and destroy. To blind people from seeing true and abundant life in Jesus.

They promise people prosperity but only offer disappointment. They proclaim “peace, peace” where there is no peace and where many are on their way to hell without a true knowledge of the gospel. They tell us to trade our citizenship in heaven for a humanistic doctrine of an earthly utopia. They tell us that it is okay to find our identity in our sinful desires instead of in the Good Shepherd who came to free us from those very desires. Ultimately, they trade the unsearchable and ineffable riches of Christ and His gospel for a man made, man centered version of Christianity.

Jeremiah 23:1-4.*

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

What can we learn from this? It is the responsibility of the local church to train up and send out qualified pastors and missionaries. And this can only happen when we have faithful under shepherds who are helping to guard the gate. Teaching and exhorting the flock to use the keys of the Kingdom given to them by the Lord Jesus Himself.

When we let go of biblical ecclesiology, we allow the church to become susceptible to thieves and robbers. As we can see from the state of the church today.

And so, the local church must guard this message of life and abundance by implementing regenerate church membership and church discipline as well as appointing qualified men to preach and teach.

Our heart for our local churches should be that they would be havens where the flock of Christ drink from the fountain of living waters through His Word and His Spirit. That they would be outposts displaying Christ’s glory and all sufficient worth to a world He seeks to save. And that the under shepherds we appoint would care for the church with the love of Christ.

Jesus is great, He is glorious, His worth is all satisfying and never ending and overflowing. His goodness is sweet and will follow you all the days of your life as you look to Him. “Here” is the fountain of living waters which will bring you eternal joy and peace.

Christ has come that we may have life and have it abundantly more than anything this world has to offer. Eternal life, Joy, and glory forevermore in the presence of God. But also, present enjoyment of that life now through the gospel, as we walk in fellowship with Him and are replenished by His goodness and abundant grace.

Main Point 3: The good Shepherd gives His life (11-16)

Explanation:

Jesus further explains the illustration from the beginning. In this section Jesus says He lays down His life for the sheep, He knows the sheep intimately, and through His death He is bringing other sheep into His flock.

In the same way we might find it strange that Jesus is both the door as well as the Shepherd, we may find it strange when Jesus says He lays down His life for the sheep.

This is one of those paradoxes we find in the gospels. How can such a loving and powerful shepherd care for His sheep if He dies? Won’t He leave His sheep open and vulnerable to the thieves and wolves? Won’t His sheep be left alone and out in the open with no shepherd?

In 1 Samuel we see how king David defended the sheep from lions and bears but he did not lay down his life for the sheep. He only put his life in danger by defending them. But this good Shepherd has come not only to save us from outside threats but to save us from our very selves! Our rebellion, our sin, our bondage, our rejection of the living God.

In laying down His life, He displays His ultimate love and grace for them by saving them from eternal perdition, by saving them from walking into the slaughter house of eternal condemnation.

In Acts 20:28 Paul tells the Ephesian elders: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

The death of Jesus purchased you and brought you into union with Him. On that cross when He laid down His life, He actually bore all of your sins and gave you new life when He rose from the dead if you belong to Him. Jesus is greater than David in that He not only defends the sheep but lays down His life for them, in their place.

Now Jesus again uses the example of the Pharisees but calls them hirelings (12) to contrast His goodness to their wickedness and falsehood. They lack commitment and concern for the sheep because their real interests lie not in the sheep but in what they can get out of the sheep. Whether that be riches, prestige, self-improvement, or even fame.

But Jesus is not like that. He is the true and good shepherd. The word “good” really refers to Jesus as being noble, or worthy, or excellent. He is set apart from everyone else – cut from a different cloth.

It points to Jesus as our benevolent ruler, leading the way, protecting us and caring for us. This is opposed to a view that sees shepherds as soft and weak. Jesus is strong and able to defend us and ward off thieves and wolves.

Jesus saves his flock by doing the very thing that might expose them, dying, not to save them from an outside threat but from ourselves. From our depravity.

The world believes all our threats are external and all our solutions must therefore address these external threats. That is further a large part of why the church is in the state it is today.

We have moved away from what John Owen would have called “the death of death in the death of Christ” and are preaching humanistic, moralistic, and man made ideologies and solutions.

What did Owen mean when he said “the death of death in the death of Christ?” Well, He was echoing the words of Jesus here in John 10 that Jesus’ death actually accomplished the salvation of His elect people, the abolishment of death forever, and the eternal security of those who would place their faith in Him.

The eternal Son of God has taken on flesh, lived the perfect life, fully obeyed God’s law on our behalf. And when He died on the cross, He took all of our sins, past, present, and future, and the wrath of God which was due those sins. When He rose on the third day He brought about our justification and gives us His very righteousness to stand blameless before the Father. Imputes it to our account.

In verse 15 we see that Jesus has an intimate relationship with His sheep. He compares this to the very relationship He has with the Father. His death has brought about our union with Him. His death was not some kind of general death but actually accomplished that for which it was purposed.

My friend, do you know this intimate loving grace of the Good Shepherd? Do you live in the place of knowing and resting in who Jesus is not only as the good shepherd but your good shepherd? Have you felt Him leading you in and out through the gate, feeding you with good pastures, and satisfying your soul?

Can you say with David, “the Lord is MY shepherd, I shall not want?” He is the best shepherd – He knows our ails, our diseases, our infirmities, and our problems and is infinitely wise and skillful to deal with our needs.

We don’t often go to Jesus with our needs because we don’t know that He has ALL authority and is powerfully able to provide for those needs!

Have the distractions, anxieties, and cares of this world clouded your vision of this good shepherd and his grace, love, and goodness? Today His voice calls you to rest in Him, to look to Him, to see His character as the shepherd.

He says in John 6:37 that everyone who comes to Him He will never cast out. Have you felt dry? Have you felt astray? Turn and run to the good shepherd who will defend you and fill you with every good thing.

This shepherd is good, good, good. Nothing and no-one comes close to the character and power of this Shepherd and His care for His sheep.

And when you have turned to Him and tasted His goodness, call those who are trying to find their identity in the things of this world to repent and see that there is a Good Shepherd in heaven who offers them true joy and eternal life that this world cannot. How we should want the world to know of this good shepherd!

So the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep, but Jesus’ death brings in the many sheep who are scattered abroad.

Read verse 16*

The flock that Jesus died for is not limited to a certain people group or nation but includes people from every nation under the sun.

Whether it’s in the far reaches of the Himalayas, the slums of Delhi in India, the furthest depths of the Amazonian jungle, the busy streets of Thailand, the townships in South Africa, or in your very neighborhood in the United States.

The Lord Jesus has His blood bought sheep that still need to come into His flock. And when we take the gospel to them and they hear the gospel – they will respond to the Shepherds voice. Why? Not because of our abilities or capabilities to perfectly articulate the gospel at every point – but because Jesus said that He laid down His life for His sheep, and it is in the laying down of His life for His sheep and His rising again for them from the dead that He secures their redemption.

There is not one of His sheep over whom Christ does not cry, mine! There is not one sheep that will go missing or be lost. They are beloved of Christ, chosen by Him, and awaiting the call of the gospel. How could we know this good shepherd and not seek to do all we can to make His name known to those who have not heard?

In Romans 10:14-15 we read, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

And so we can go out in confidence as we share the gospel with all around us. And we must go out because it is through us, you and me, the church, that Jesus brings His saving message to His people so that they may respond.

Every church has been given a deposit and responsibility to steward the message of the gospel. In the same way we wouldn’t deny medicine for a severe medical crisis, we shouldn’t stop reaching the lost for Christ just because He knows who are His.

He uses means, you and me, to bring this glorious gospel to the lost, as we saw in Romans 10. We must herald this gospel to all and relentlessly seek the lost just as Jesus does.

Ill:

From the beginning Baptists have had an evangelistic zeal to plant churches and tell people about Jesus. However, about a hundred years after Baptists really took root in England and started to spread to America, they fell into hyper – Calvinism. Calvinistic Baptists began to so overstress divine sovereignty and the accomplishment of redemption that stopped evangelizing.

A passivity started to settle into the churches and the lives of the ministers and church members. If God is sovereign, then who are we to interfere with God’s plan? Why do we need to send out missionaries and share the Gospel if God can bring this about anyway?

Well, along came William Carey. He challenged this unbiblical notion when he wrote a book in 1791 called: An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen. Carey argued that God’s sovereignty did not do away with the use of means but establishes the use of means. God works through the use of means to accomplish His will.

We do not know who the elect are but we do know that it is God’s will to save sinners and He calls us to preach the Gospel and use means to do so. So verse 16 gives us great assurance for our own salvation as well as a solid foundation for reaching the lost for Christ.

And when we have reached them and His people believe and are granted faith, we must gather them into rightly ordered churches with Christ as her head. “So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Application

Where has Jesus, the one sent for us and for our salvation, sent you? What are the spheres of influence He has placed you in to make His name known?

Like the cashier at the grocery store you always go to, or the waiter at the restaurant you visit often, or the unbelieving neighbor across the street or unbelieving family member you have a relationship with.

Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

The same one who sends us out to testify about Him also says “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Amen.