The Shepherd Knows the Sheep
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Bible Reading
Bible Reading
Mark 14:
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”
23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”
26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
“ ‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
30 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
Introduction
Introduction
In , James says that “the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.”
And ...
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we must acknowledge and recognise that we all have at least some tendency within ourselves to make boasts with our own tongues.
It takes little training for us to promote ourselves among others.
If there is one thing that we don’t like to hear is that we are going to fail.
Think of how quickly children start to put themselves up against others, and claim to be superior.
But If there is one thing that we as people don’t like to hear is that we are failures.
At least we don’t like to hear it from others.
We may speak negatively to ourselves, and perhaps put ourselves down.
But lo and behold someone comes to us and points out a weakness in us - we very quickly muster up a strong defense for ourselves, no matter how true the words might be of us.
As we turn to our text, we are going to consider this truth proclaimed by Christ concerning his disciples that they would all desert Him.
As we turn to our text, we are going to consider this prediction by Christ concerning his disciples who will all desert.
And as typical people like you and I, they will vehemently deny this.
But there is encouragement for us from this text.
Because as surely as Christ said that the disciples would desert Him, they did.
And yet, that was not the end of the story.
Today, you and I sit here because of the powerful working of God, beginning in those very disciples as they preached the Gospel following Christ’s resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
I’ve titled my sermon this morning “The Shepherd Knows the Sheep.”
I do trust that we will be encouraged through this text to rest in our Saviour Jesus Christ.
He is our Shepherd, and He knows us as His children.
He doesn’t know us as we would want Him to know us.... the polished version.
He knows us as we truly are - those stained, those struggling with sin, those battling the lusts of the flesh, those struggling to be the husband or the wife that we know we ought to be; those struggling to be the children that we ought to be.
He knows us truly.
And yet He is the One who keeps us and sustains, and the One who will bring us all the way to glory by His grace.
I.1 Context
I.1 Context
The disciples and Jesus have just partaken in the Passover meal.
Christ had used that Passover meal in order to establish a new covenant ordinance - that of the Lord’s Supper.
The disciples have eaten this meal with Christ, with Christ explaining the meaning of the bread as well as the cup to them.
But it was also significant that at this meal, Jesus declared to His disciples that there was one sitting among them that would betray Him.
One who was dipping his hand with Jesus into the bowl, one who was exceedingly closely connected with Christ, would betray Jesus.
As Jesus announced this, all of the disciples, one by one, said to Jesus “surely not I”!?
But Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot was one who was set apart by God for this task of betraying Jesus - he was the “son of perdition”!
Having finished their meal together, we read in verse 26:
26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
That hymn that is spoken of there is most likely the final Hallel Psalms () which was customary at the Passover.
And with that, they leave the upper room in Jerusalem, and head out again towards the Mount of Olives.
Remember that this is the very night where Judas will betray Jesus.
Jesus now heads out with the 11 disciples (excluding Judas)
And it would appear that the conversation that follows take place as they’re walking along the way between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.
1. Falling Away
1. Falling Away
The first thing that we note is Christ’s prediction that all of the disciples will forsake Him. ..
27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
“ ‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
These are stinging words from Christ the Messiah towards His disciples.
They were probably shocking words to them!
Firstly, we must recognise that this prediction or prophecy of Christ concerns every single one of his disciples - in other words all 11 remaining disciples.
There are circumstances which are approaching, says Christ, which will result in each and every disciple with Christ deserting him.
Consider that these disciples had walked with Christ for years now, and had devoted their lives to serving Him and to learning from Him.
Each one of those disciples were convinced in their own minds of their own commitment to the Saviour.
Each one of those disciples were convinced of their own commitment to the Saviour.
But Christ now tells them that each and every one of them, without exception, will fall away.
The same word is used in the parable of the sower of the seeds for the explanation of the seed that fell on the rocky places, where Christ explained...
It could mean “cause to sin” or to “stumble”.
17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
It is not a word that has positive
Mark 4:
In fact, the disciples may even have recalled Christ explaining these very words to them, and that he spoke of those who would fall away.
They no doubt believed themselves to be those who would never fall away!
Certainly, they had forsaken all for the sake of following Jesus, and yet here, He says to them that each and every one of them would fall away.
Now I want to be clear, that the falling away outlined in the parable of the sower is not what Christ was conveying here, since He makes it very clear that they would be brought back to Christ, and He would shepherd them.
So this was not a permanent falling away that He is speaking of here.
But it remains true that the disciples would flee away from the Saviour, leaving Him all alone as He would be arrested.
In the time of persecution that would face them, they would fall away.
1.1. Based on Prophecy
1.1. Based on Prophecy
But what we must note further from Christ’s words is the fact that He bases what he’s saying to His disciples on prophecy.
Christ says that the disciples will fall away, and then He says: “For it is written...”
Christ says that the disciples will fall away, “For it is written...”
In other words, this falling away must happen, this falling away is going to happen, because God has ordained it and stated it unequivocally in Scripture.
When God speaks, we must know that what He has spoken will come to pass.
When God speaks, we must know that nothing will change what He has declared will be!
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.
Isaiah 46:
When Christ says “It is written”, he’s simply explaining to His disciples that what he has said to them is going to take place, will indeed take place, because God has declared it.
Christ then proceeds to explain to His disciples where precisely it was decreed by God that these disciples would fall away.
He refers them to the prophet Zechariah.
Turn in Bibles to Zechariah 13:7
Turn in Bibles to Zechariah 13:7
As you’re turning there...
We must understand that one of the themes that runs in OT prophecy is that of the calling out of the leaders of Israel.
So often prophets were sent by God to the leaders of Israel in order to confront them for failing to lead properly as God had required of them.
Furthermore, the picture of a shepherd was one that was used extensively in speaking of these leaders of Israel.
The Israelites were pastoral people.
What I mean by that is that they were a group of people who had herds and flocks of sheep that they would move from place to place and graze their flocks where food was available.
So this picture of them being sheep with a shepherd was very vivid in their minds.
One of the most well-known Psalms in the whole Bible - - speaks of the LORD being the shepherd.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
Very often in the Old Testament, in the prophets specifically, the leaders of Israel are rebuked because they are shepherds that are not leading the people of God (the sheep) in the required manner - in the way of God’s law.
With that in mind, look with me at the words that Jesus quotes in our passage, which are taken from ...
For example, in :
The quotataion of Jesus in our passage is from ...
“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
against the man who is close to me!”
declares the Lord Almighty.
“Strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered,
and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
Zech 13:7-
Clearly, Jesus explains to his disciples that this prophecy was in fact about Him as the shepherd of the sheep - those sheep being those who truly believe in Christ.
But this is a striking quotation from Jesus, as the disciples listen to the words spoken here.
As we consider this quotation of Jesus from Zechariah, it will be helpful for us to consider some previous imagery in the prophecy of Zechariah
Often when a quotation from the OT is shown to have its fulfillment in Christ, one needs to recognise that there is a broader fulfilment than simply those words themselves.
Now we must understand that Zechariah didn’t begin his shepherd “picture” in chapter 13:7.
Zechariah had already explained that many shepherds were sent to the sheep Israel, but they failed to lead them as they ought.
The shepherds themselves were those who were failing in their duty and responsibility to the sheep.
Turn back with me to
In , we get a picture of this failure of the shepherds, who in fact sold these sheep and got reward for it, and then said “praise God”...
4 This is what the Lord my God says: “Pasture the flock marked for slaughter. 5 Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them.
Sechar
There was rightful condemnation on the shepherds over Israel, because the shepherds of the sheep did not spare them.
There was rightful condemnation on the shepherds, because the shepherds of the sheep did not spare them.
Instead, the shepherds themselves were the ones leading the sheep into paths of destruction.
What God then instructs Zechariah to do, and what he in fact does, is he goes to them as a shepherd himself.
He hopes to lead those leaders of Israel in the right way in order that they may honour God and lead for the benefit of the people.
But in prophetic nature, he not only goes to them as shepherd, but he personifies - prophesies - the great shepherd that is to come, Jesus Christ the Messiah.
7 So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock. 8 In one month I got rid of the three shepherds.
The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them 9 and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”
Zech 11:7-
The words of God through Zechariah the prophet are against the people of Israel, for they refused to listen, and in fact did not want to listen to the shepherd leading them.
Again, this was only a picture of the one great Shepherd who was to come, who also would be rejected by the Israelites, and in particular the leaders over the Israelites.
Zechariah went on in verse 10-11 to speak about God breaking annulling the covenant made with the nations due to the hardness of the hearts of Israel.
He’s referring there to the restrictions that he had placed on other nations around the Israelites to prevent them from attacking and destroying Israel.
But then he proceeds in verse 12-13...
12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.
12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.
Zechariah
What was the price paid to Judas Iscariot for the betrayal of Jesus into their hands?
30 pieces of silver!!
Even this was prophetic of what would unfold!
13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.
When Judas Iscariot was overcome with a sense of guilt, because he had betrayed Jesus, he attempted to return the 30 silver coins, but the chief priests would not receive it.
And so he threw the silver coins down into the temple.
And then because the chief priests knew that this was blood money, they couldn’t put it into the temple offering, and so they used it to buy a potter’s field.
Just amazing to see these pieces of Scripture coming together...
God’s word, when spoken, will come to pass!!
And all of this concerning the great Shepherd would come to pass, just as it was written and foretold hundreds of years before!
It is that background, of a good shepherd leading Israel and yet being rejected, that is spoken.
Returning to our text in Mark’s Gospel then, Jesus directly applies to himself, as the fulfillment of that prophecy.
What is striking is that the shepherd that is a good shepherd, one who is leading the sheep in good paths, will be struck down with the sword!
That’s striking in that usually only bad shepherds were judged by God, and were punished.
Their punishment was justifiable!
Where a shepherd came and led the sheep into paths of destruction, it would only be fitting that God strike down those shepherds.
But Christ is the “Good Shepherd!”
And yet, the sword would come against Him.
But notice also from that this shepherd is “the man who is close to me!”
The word “close to me” refers to one who is a neighbour.
In other words, one who shares common nature, rights and privileges.
That’s the implication of what Zechariah says.
There is indeed only 1 such person that existed, and that is the Messiah who came from the Father.
30 I and the Father are one.”
And then come the words that Jesus quotes.
But note, as Jesus quotes , he specifically includes the one who does the striking.
“I will strike the shepherd...”
Who is the “I” that Jesus refers to here?
None other than the Father Himself.
Jesus understands that the Father is the One who strikes Him down.
But wasn’t it the wicked leaders of Israel that did this?
Weren’t they the ones that were going to put Jesus on the cross, because of their own wickedness?
Well indeed they were those who plotted and planned to kill Jesus, and then carried through.
Pause...
But even then, it was Jesus who who was giving himself up for the sheep.
And yet all at the same time, it was God the Father who was striking Jesus with the sword.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
And yet all at the same time, it was God the Father who was striking Jesus with the sword.
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.”
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:14-
Jesus correctly asserts that it was not merely the hands of wicked sinners that were going to be placing Jesus on the cross, although they certainly did it, and were guilty of their sin.
But ultimately, this was in the plan of God almighty - He was the ultimate One striking the Shepherd.
Doesn’t this blow your mind?
It certainly blows my mind!!
Our God and His ways, while in one sense so simple and easy to understand, are in another sense simply incomprehensible!!
That God can work all things, with all people, through their own motives and desires, and bring all things to pass that He desires according to His foreordained decrees and purposes - it is mind-blowing.
Jesus clearly teaches his disciples that God has decreed that he will strike the good shepherd, and that consequence of that is that the sheep would be scattered.
These disciples are the sheep that are referred to.
They would all be scattered as the shepherd would be arrested, and sentenced to die.
50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.
2. Finding Grace (v.28)
2. Finding Grace (v.28)
50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.
2. Finding Grace
2. Finding Grace
But Christ did not leave his disciples with that word that they would fall away and be scattered.
Rather, he introduces in verse 28 a word of hope, using the word “BUT”!
The shepherd will be struck, and will in fact die (as we know).
BUT....!!!!
28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Here is a word of reassurance by Jesus to His disciples.
He unambiguously states that he will rise again.
But not only that, he would go to be with them in Galilee.
He would lead the way, go on ahead of them, and then meet them in Galilee.
Galilee was their own home town, where they had been when Christ first called them to be His disciples.
Indeed, the words that Christ spoke to them would also come to pass.
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
Christ, in the time of breaking difficult news and disappointing news of the disciples, doesn’t leave them without hope.
3. Fighting the Facts (v.29-31)
3. Fighting the Facts (v.29-31)
But we notice finally that these disciples, all of them, fight the facts as Jesus presented them to the disciples.
Verse 29...
29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
Peter is, as is usual for him, extremely self-confident.
Clearly he has a strong personality, and coming with that strong personality is a sense of great loyalty.
We must give credit to Peter in that he certainly desired to be fully devoted to Christ.
He certainly desired and set his aim on being the most faithful and devout of all the disciples.
“Even if all fall away, I will not...”
Friends, let us always be cautious of excessive self confidence.
The world teaches us that self-confidence is the key to making it big in the world.
You’re encouraged to boost your self-confidence - the higher the better!!
Let us be cautious!
We must careful of where our confidence lies.
Because when our confidence is in our own ability, or our own resources, or our own position or status - then we are in danger!!
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rocks
and make your home on the heights,
you who say to yourself,
‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’
18 Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
24 The proud and arrogant man—“Mocker” is his name;
he behaves with overweening pride.
In the New Testament, believers are warned to not be confident in their own ability to stand...
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
1 Cor 10:31
Peter had a confidence in himself to stay standing, and to be the one who would go with Christ even to the point of death...
He was certain in his own mind that nothing would turn him away from defending his Lord.
But Christ’s words are true, and they are certain.
30 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
Christ is not saying that in a years time, you will forget these words that are spoken, and will then disown me.
It’s not even in a weeks’ time taht you will disown me.
Today, yes, tonight!!!
In just hours from when those words were spoken, Peter would go on to disown Christ.
That account is recorded for us in .
Indeed, Peter would disown Christ.
But Peter at this stage is having nothing of it.
31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
Mark
All these disciples were in fact in the same boat. All of them were convinced that they would remain true to Jesus.
But the fact remains, God is true, Christ’s words are true.
And the disciples would ultimately desert Jesus and fall away.
Application and Conclusion
Application and Conclusion
As we consider this text, there are certainly many important things that we can learn and that we may apply to us.
I would like to mention just three points of application for us this morning.
A.1. Thank God that the Shepherd Knows the Sheep
A.1. Thank God that the Shepherd Knows the Sheep
As Christ taught his disciples, and explained to them that they would desert Him, He did not do so with any form of condemnation or rebuke.
While Judas was one who would betray Jesus, and condemnation was pronounced upon him, these were those who would not be lost.
Christ knew full well what would happen, and He knew that this was in God’s providence and design.
He knew that these who had followed Him, these who had devoted their lives to Him, would actually flee from Him and leave Him in the hands of those who would put Him to death.
And yet His mercy towards them remained.
I find this greatly encouraging.
My standing before God and my position before Him as a child is not dependent upon my daily performance, although I do desire daily to walk with Christ and be obedient to Him.
But if my performance was
A.2. Thank God for the Striking of the Shepherd
A.2. Thank God for the Striking of the Shepherd
This was the Good Shepherd.
It was this Good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep.
It was God the Father who ordained the events that would lead to this Shepherd (who was also the Passover Lamb) being slaughtered for our sakes.
Gospel message....
As we consider ourselves, do recognise our own sinfulness before God.
We are perhaps like Peter, who had a slightly elevated view of himself.
The great Gospel message is that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone.
This is not done on any merit of our own!!
A.3. Thank God for the Faithfulness of the Shepherd
A.3. Thank God for the Faithfulness of the Shepherd
The good Shepherd will always keep His sheep.
A.. Don’t place any confidence in your flesh
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
Have you ever promised that you would not ever again commit a particular sin, only to fail in that?
“I'm a package of weaknesses held together by divine grace.” (Paul David Tripp)
The sooner we recognise that our standing before God is not based on our own works, but on His grace, we will be able to rest in Him.
In closing, consider these words from Proverbs 3...
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
Proverbs
May we as God’s people be faithful to do that, always trusting in the overwhelming grace and love of our Father.
Amen