I am the Good Shephard

Alright lets lean in here for a few moments as we discuss the Next I Am Statements of Jesus. Last week we looked at the statement “I am the Gate” how we are the sheep, he knows us by name and we know him by voice.  and Jesus is the shepherd who is also our gate, here is the image. He would sit in the entry of the sheep fold. This is how we enter into the kingdom of God, by walking through Jesus. Today is a continuation of the same story. Jesus said two I am statements in succession of each other…but before we get to that. Lets review why we are going through this series. You should know this by now.

Why are the I am Statements important and why do they signify? Well when Jesus uses the “I am” phrase it is the same as when what? When God used it in Exodus when he said his name for the first time. So Jesus is making two claims here with these “I Am” statements. 1: I am God. 2: If you want to know what God is like look at me.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep 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 are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Jesus is saying here that he is, like a good shepherd, which means that when you look at God, you should see a characteristic of God is being a good shepherd. One who is willing to laydown his life, protect, discipline, care for and love his sheep which is you. And let me ask you a question. I want an audible answer, do you know the voice of someone who cares for you? We said it last week, yes. Do you know your mom's voice? Dads? Siblings? Friends? Teacher? Boyfriend, girlfriend? Yes you do. Since that is true Jesus is saying that as Jesus followers, if you happen to be one, then you should know the voice of Jesus. You know his voice because you have a relationship with him and you know his word. You might not hear it audibly but you hear it in your conscience, you hear it in your actions, you might get a prompting from the Holy Spirit and you know his voice. And in the story we know the voice of our Good shepherd.

In my life I can honestly tell you I have heard God’s audible voice three time. Each time he has spoken to me there have been three words. Thats it. And when I was in Israel in 2017 it was the second time I was there and in Chaiaphasis house, who was the high priest who condemned Jesus to death and had his minions tourcher him the night before he was crucified, I heard God speak to me. As I said he spoke three words. “You are Mine” I might have been a pastor but I was struggling with doubt, I was going through a hard time at work, karlee and I were not on the best terms, and I was wrestling with God about my identity. And in an instant God spoke exactly what I needed to hear “You are Mine.” It broke, and I cried hard. But did you know that God says the same thing to you? Anyone who is a Jesus follower he is saying the same thing to you, in Isaiah 43:10 it says, “He who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Listen to me, my kids are mine, my wife is mine, they belong to me and I belong to them. God is saying, I am the good shepherd, you are the good sheep, you are his, and he is yours.

Jesus being the good shepherd he also gathers. He Gathers. Jesus doesn't want his sheep to wonder off aimlessly. We do that sometimes, if not most of the time, we wonder off, last week we talked about the idea that we step over Jesus to get out of the sheepfold in order for us to go and sin more and more. But Jesus goes and gathers us back when we wander off. Just like you would go look for your pet who was wondered off. Jesus does the same for you except you are worth infinitely more than an animal to Jesus. He looks to gather you back into safety and into a relationship with him and with other believers.

A few years ago we were at zoolights. Karlee, Lilly, Atticus, Dean and I and so happened that karlees cousins and kids were there also we had no idea. So indeed up being 15+ of us walking around. We get by a walkway where the light show is about to begin and lilly is with me and karlee is 10 feet away and lilly says “I want to go by mommy” so i told her to run to her and half way there the lights go off. After the 5 minute show karlee comes up to me and asks “where's lilly?” She was gone, couldn't find her. So all 15 of us spread out, karlee freaking out, looking by the water, adults asking if they have seen little girls wandering around alone. I was acting cool, calm and collective on the outside but on the inside I was freaking out and praying asking God to let me find my baby girl. Everything was in slow motion, I can remember analyzing each and every face, looking for anyone who might be carrying a little girl who is scared, or a person her size somewhere they shouldn't be. So I walk about 150 yard up by the end of this walkway where there is a gift shop. It was at the gift shop I noticed two little old ladies kneeling down. I didn't see Lilly but it was a sight where I knew they were trying to confront someone. So I ran full speed the last 20 yards probably looked like an idiot to others, but I was trying to find my girl. And there she was. Safe, worried, not crying, but just concerned. I gathered her back to the family after she had been lost. But she was safe now because she was with me. Jesus gathers you back as the good shepherd.

Lastly Jesus lays down his life for his sheep. I don't want to get this misconstrued or misunderstood. Jesus’s ultimate desire isn't to protect you from today's troubles, heart aches, worries, pains or even sufferings. Does he want you to go through that, no and when you do he weeps with you. And in many times Jesus does save you from or heals you after those moments. But his ultimate desire is to give you eternal life lafter, and an eternal focus now. We will talk more about that next week.

Jesus was willing to lay down his life for his sheep. He was willing to lay down his life for what is his. Once again, I am not willing to lay down my life for my animals, if I had any. Not a chance in the world. I woulndt even risk injury to myself if my animal was in danger. You can call me heartless, but there is a crew of people who depend on me and need me more and for longer. But I would in an instant without hesitation or thought, lay down my life for my wife. I would lay down my life for Lilly, Atticus, Dean and Emerlyn. Why? Because they are worth it, and more valuable to me than they know.

Once again, Jesus is the good shepherd, and he lay down his life as the ransom, as the payment of debt that you owe because of your sin. He has laid down his life for anyone and everyone who would believe in him.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He knows you by name and you should know his voice. He is the good shepherd who gathers you when you wander off. He is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.