PARABLES OF JESUS - THE GOOD SHEPHERD

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Last week we looked at the narrow door – Jesus – and He is the only way. If we follow the wrong way it leads to consequences – eternal punishment. To walk through His narrow door requires realization of who He is but that must be connected to a relationship with Him – it is more than knowledge – it is living out that knowledge and wisdom through a relationship with Him. To often we can be like the son in the Weight Set story – love what it could do for us – but not willing to put in the work. This week Jesus tells us He is the narrow door of the sheep.

John 10:1-18 presents one of the most comforting and profound images of Jesus in the Bible: that of the Good Shepherd.

Jesus contrasts Himself with thieves, robbers, and hired hands while emphasizing His deep care, sacrificial love, and unique authority if we make Him our Good Shepherd.

Today, we will explore three key truths about Jesus as the Good Shepherd: He is our Guide, He is our Protector, and He is our Savior.

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THE GOOD SHEPHERD

John 10:1–18– “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 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. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 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.”

Today, we ask ourselves, “Are we more like the shepherd or the hired hand?”

1. The Good Shepherd: Our Guide (John 10:1-6)

Scripture: John 10:1-4 – " “(1) Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. (2) But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (3) The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (4) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."

Isaiah 52:6a says – All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;

Jesus is the voice we are meant to follow. As our Guide, He is the Way, The Truth and the Life so only He can lead us into life, truth, and security.

Look at the verbiage Jesus uses – opens, calls, leads, goes ahead– present tense and indicates a type of intimate relationship between the Shepherd and the sheep

(opens not instructs, calls not demands, leads not drives, goes ahead instead of lagging behind)

Anyone other than Him is a thief and a robber – verse 10 – the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy

Explanation: In the first few verses of this passage, Jesus emphasizes that the sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd. They follow Him because they know Him, and His voice is distinct from all other voices.

Application: In a world full of competing voices—media, culture, personal ambition—it’s easy to be led astray. But the Good Shepherd calls us by name and leads us with love. We are invited to listen to His voice daily, trusting His guidance for our lives.

Illustration: Connor Farnworth – went to Ireland and spent a day on a sheep farm – Dingle Peninsula – on a hill – going out to the sea. Two dogs – one speaks English one Irish and the shepherd used the dogs to get the sheep to come up the hill to him in minutes. If they cross the road and go up the mnt – they will die – the sheep up on the mnt if they come down – will die – neither can handle the different environments. The Sheep rely fully on the shepherd to get them to where they will be safe and taken care of.

Jesus is our guide – (point 1)

2. The Good Shepherd: Our Protector (John 10:7-13)

Scripture: John 10:11-13 – "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep."

Main Point: Jesus, as our Protector, is willing to sacrifice everything to keep us safe from harm.

Again – He is the door of the sheep – all who want enter Must go thru Him

He only allows His sheep to enter

The sheepfold is a place of security – safe from predators

When we reside in Christ’s presence – we are safe from the enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy

Explanation: Jesus contrasts Himself with the hired hand, who abandons the sheep at the first sign of danger. The Good Shepherd, in contrast, is willing to lay down His life to protect His flock. This selfless love and protection are seen in His sacrificial death on the cross.

There is no other – only liars and thieves – they want to steal your peace, kill your joy and destroy your walk and relationship with God

They leave and flee – abandon the flock – in it for selfish gain – leave the flock injured

Application: Jesus doesn't just watch over us from a distance—He has proven His protection through His sacrifice. Are we willing to trust Him to protect us in all areas of life? Whether we face spiritual, emotional, or physical danger, we can trust that the Good Shepherd will guard us with His life.

He wants to give us an abundant life –

He wants to give us agape love

He provides the safety – He protects us

He provides for our needs (pasture)

He and He alone provides salvation

· Illustration: George Adam Smith, the 19th-century biblical scholar tells of traveling one day in the holy land and coming across a shepherd and his sheep. He fell into conversation with him and the man showed him the fold into which the sheep were led at night. It consisted of four walls, with a way in. Smith asked him, "This is where they go at night?"

"Yes," said the shepherd, "and when they are in there, they are perfectly safe."

"But there is no door," said Smith.

"I am the door," said the shepherd. He was not a Christian man and wasn't speaking in the language of the New Testament. He was speaking from an Arab shepherd's viewpoint.

Smith looked and him and asked, "What do you mean you are the door?"

"When the light has gone," said the shepherd, "and all the sheep are inside, I lie in that open space, and no sheep ever goes out but across my body, and no wolf comes in unless he crosses my body; I am the door."

Jesus is not only our Guide but He is also our protector (point 2)

3. The Good Shepherd: Our Savior (John 10:14-18)

Scripture: John 10:17-18 – " I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 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."

Main Point: Jesus is not only our Protector and Guide, but He is also our Savior, the One who lays down His life to redeem us.

Explanation: His death and resurrection was His ultimate mission: He came to lay down His life for the sheep, but He also has the authority to take it up again. This speaks to His power over death and His role as the Savior of the world.

Application: In this Advent season, we reflect on Jesus' ultimate purpose—His death and resurrection for our salvation. He is the Savior who goes to the greatest lengths to rescue us from sin and death. How does the knowledge of His sacrifice impact how we live and follow Him?

Illustration: In 2009, during a fierce battle in the Ganjgal Valley, Afghanistan, Dakota Meyer and his team were ambushed by the Taliban. The situation was dire—several soldiers, including some of his friends, were trapped and wounded. Despite the overwhelming danger, Dakota disobeyed direct orders to retreat and instead charged back into the kill zone multiple times, exposing himself to enemy fire in order to rescue his comrades. He saved 13 soldiers, including those who had been left behind on the battlefield, but not without risking his own life. Meyer’s actions exemplified sacrificial love, as he literally put his life on the line to save others—knowing full well the cost.

Conclusion:

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who calls us by name, leads us with wisdom, protects us with His life, and saves us from sin and death.

As we follow the Good Shepherd, we can trust His guidance, rely on His protection, and rejoice in His saving work. If we don’t follow Him we follow the world which leads away from Him – leads to destruction

When we stray we run the risk of walking out into harm – we forfeit not only His protection but His guidance as well

As we enter the Advent season, let us remember the depths of His love and sacrifice for us and follow Him faithfully, knowing that He is our Good Shepherd—today, tomorrow, and forever.

This parable emphasizes and reminds us of the deep personal relationship Jesus offers to us as the Good Shepherd, guiding us, protecting us, and ultimately saving us through His sacrificial love.

Let Us Pray!