I AM-Good Shepherd

The Real/The Rub

Do you guys meet new people on airplanes? I love it when I get a seat on an airplane by someone I don’t know.

When my family gets on a plane and we get seperated there are very different experiences for Bre and I. She doesn’t want to talk to anyone or get to know anyone and she feels bad if she has to ask to go use the restroom.

I on the other hand make a new friend every time I’m on a plane and by the time it’s over I know about their upbringing, their job, their family, and where we may be able to meet up for coffee next time our paths cross.

A couple of years ago I was on my way to Southern California for a youth ministry conference and I got sat down next to this guy named JB. As it turned out we were headed to the same conference. He was a youth pastor on a volunteer basis. His job that paid the bills and put food on the table was as a shepherd. He literally farmed sheep.

He had some really good stories from being a shepherd but one story that he told really reminded me of the passage of scripture that we are studying tonight.

The Read

He and his wife were running late one Wednesday night on the way to church and they got about a mile and a half down the road and saw a sheep. He immediately knew that this was one of his sheep was out on the highway eating grass and watching the cars go by. They didn’t have time to go back home get, the farm truck, and take it back home.

So he got out and called for the sheep and it turned and ran right to him and jumped in the back seat of his wife’s Honda. They were so late they couldn’t even take it home. They took it to church with them. The stupid sheep ate his notes that he was going to teach from that night.

He had a halter in the car. Which makes me wonder if this was the first time that a sheep had ever been in the back seat of his wife’s Honda. So he put the halter on and found some rope at the church and tied it up out on the front lawn. Can you imagine if you showed up out here one night and we had a sheep tied up out front. And when it came time for the lesson I said, “Sorry, my sheep ate it.”

So he put the halter on and found some rope at the church and tied it up out on the front lawn

A couple things about that story that parallel with our passage of scripture tonight. He knew his sheep as soon as he saw it. His sheep knew him also and came as soon as called.

This is the relationship between shepherd and sheep.

I told you last week that people are alot like sheep and that analogy is used all through out scripture. Last week we looked at ourselves in comparision with Jesus as the gate. This week we’re going to look at ourselves in comparison with Jesus as the Shepherd.

The Read

The passage of scripture that we studied contains two of the “I AM” statements. We read through last week and we unpacked the claim that Jesus made saying, “I AM the gate for the sheep.”

This week, while reading the same passage. We’re going to discover the other “I AM” statement: “I AM the good shepherd.”

(NIV) 1“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

Jesus comes right out and states the contrast between a thief and a shepherd and this theme sort of sticks with this passage throughout as Jesus indicates the differences between himself and the Pharisees.

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. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

10 1“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate 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. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Let’s not beat the Pharisees up to bad for what it says in verse 6 about them not understanding what Jesus was saying. Because we don’t understand it either when we first hear it.

The sheep pen would contain the herds of several shepherds. When the morning came the shepherd would go there and call out to his sheep and the ones that were his and that recognized his voice would make there way through the crowd and would come gather with the shepherd and he would lead them out to a pasture some where that they could graze all day. They could only do this because they knew his voice.

They also would not come out for a stranger’s voice because they didn’t trust it and they didn’t know it. So Jesus said, “My sheep will never follow a stranger. Actually they’ll turn and run the other way.”

When I was a kid I was always amazed watching my grandpa work cattle. He’d step out on his back porch and yell, “Come on Cows.” And it really didn’t matter where they were at on the farm. They’d show up there just because they hear his voice. And I tried to mimmic that same thing and it never worked for me. They knew. And listen I’m a lot like my grandpa and always have been. But they could tell the difference between his voice and mine.

So I have a question for you? Don’t answer out loud but think about it. Who’s voice are you following? Who’s voice do you recognize? Are you following the voice of Jesus when he’s trying to show you new things or teach you new things? Are you following the voice of Jesus when he’s calling you to something?

Do you recognize his voice? Do you study his word enough to recognize when he’s speaking to you? Do you pray enough to recognize when his spirit is urging you?

Or are you following another voice? Are you more familiar with another voice?

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

There’s the “I AM” statement from last week and then there’s a verse that really defines this whole passage and again shows the difference when the Pharisees and Jesus. Jesus says in verse 10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus says that the thieves who came before the couldn’t get the attention of the sheep. They wouldn’t listen to them because even the sheep knew they had bad intentions for coming.

But they would listen to him because he came to give them a good life.

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.

Jesus makes his second “I AM” statement of the passage here. He says he’s the good shepherd and that he lays down his life for the sheep. One of the things we said last week about the sheep, who let me remind you is us, was that sheep were valuable to the shepherd.

But the weren’t quite that way for the hired hand. Jesus said as the shepherd, he’d lay his life down to protect his sheep. But the hired hand doesn’t place the same value on the sheep. It’s just a job for him.

This is sort of like the difference between a renting versus owning. Our house that we have now is the first house I’ve ever actually owned. When I moved out of my parents house I moved into an apartment that someone else owned. I had to pay them each month to live there but at the end of the day it wasn’t my place.

I had a picture that popped up on my facebook memories a couple days ago where one of the three of us who lived there flooded the kitchen because they put dish soap in the dishwasher instead of dishwashing detergent. We cleaned it up and shrugged it off. “Oh well, they’ll probably have to replace the dry wall in here but when we move out it won’t be our problem anymore.”

Fast forward to a couple days ago. Maya accidentally spilled a cup of water in her room and I run in as fast as I can with towels to sop it all up. I move the dresser out of the way to get underneath it and behind it. Because I own the house now and it’s far more important to me.

Jesus was saying here that the Pharisees who had been trying to lead these people didn’t really care about these people. They were in it for the power. They were in it for the money. They were in it for the notoriety. But as soon as trouble comes, they abandon their sheep and run the other way.

But Jesus goes to battle for his sheep because he cares deeply for them.

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.

Jesus repeats himself her with his “I AM” claim. He says that he knows his sheep and they know him.

Jesus knows his sheep better than they know themselves. And they know him because they spend time with him.

When we go to visit Bre’s parents in Stratford we take Layla with us. Bre’s dad has a golden retriever farm down there and one of his dogs is Layla’s littermate. All of the dogs look alike because they are all goldens. But Layla and Molly look the most alike. But even Maya, who is only 5, can walk out there and from 50 yards away pick out which dog is Layla.

Why? Because she knows her. She spends hours outside playing with her. She knows the things she does. She knows the look in her eyes. Jesus knows his sheep.

And then he repeats himself again by saying he lays down his life for the sheep.

I think this is why Jesus said he’s the good shepherd. And there’s a couple of things within that which I think are important.

Jesus doesn’t say he’s a good shepherd like he’s one of the options. He says he’s the only good shepherd. He’s the only one of his caliber.

Have you ever watched at the beginning of a pro football game when the starters are announcing themselves. If Baker Mayfield announces himself he says something along the lines of, “I’m Baker Mayfield and I played at Oklahoma University.”

If Ezekiel Elliot announces himself he say, “I’m Ezekiel Elliot and I played at The Ohio State University.” Ohio State University alumni and students and fans always call it The Ohio State University. Like they are set apart as the only one.

Well Jesus was saying here that he’s on a level of his own when it comes to being the good shepherd. He’s exclusive. He’s limited edition.

And I think that’s true. I think that’s why he didn’t say he was just a shepherd but a good shepherd.

As you read throughout this passage you see some characteristics about a shepherd that Jesus is identifying with.

Shepherds call their sheep. Shepherds lead their sheep. Shepherds guide their sheep. Shepherds know their sheep. Shepherds rescue their sheep. Shepherds protect their sheep. Jesus says he does all of these things.

But Jesus steps it up and says he lays down his life for his sheep. Ordinary shepherds don’t do that. They’ll protect their sheep from whatever threat may come their way, but if its between their life and their sheeps lives they’ll back out.

I grew up protecting our cattle. I had to chase of dogs and shoot coyotes that were going after out calves. I had to feed them when it was snowing so hard you couldn’t see the front of the tractor. I had to break the ice when it was 5 degrees outside and they needed to get a drink from the pond. I had to rescue a calf from a swift water creek before. I’ve had to help a first time heifer give birth before. But i would never give up my life for the cattle.

But the good shepherd laid down his life for me. He saw the pain that I was headed for because I was seperated from God. He saw the debt that I couldn’t pay. And he stepped in and said, “No that’s not necessary, I’ll lay my life down. He’s one of my sheep and I’ll lay my life down for him. I know what he deserves. I know what he’s done to get himself into that mess. But I don’t care. I’ll gladly lay down my own life so that he may be able to have one.

And he’s done the same thing for you. I hope you know that. I hope you’ve already been living in that.

But if not yet that’s ok. Look what Jesus said in verse 16.

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.

Jesus was getting right to the heart of the issue here that he came to lay down his life for all. The Pharisees and the scribes that he was talking to were very exclusive. If you didn’t belong to a certain bloodline or if you didn’t belong to a certain race or piety they ostracize you.

Jesus said, “Some of you are my sheep. Some of you believe. But I didn’t just come to save you. I came to save all of mankind. There are people alive today that aren’t following me yet, but they will. There are people who haven’t been born yet who will praise my name and will come into my fold and will be my sheep. In fact 2000 years from now people will still be believing in my and becoming my sheep. And when my kingdom comes people from every tribe and every tongue from every generation will bow at my throne and worship me. And I’m laying my life down for them also.”

And listen church. You and I are benefactors of that. Jesus wasn’t satisfied with just saving the few who happened to be alive in his day. His grace and sacrifice isn’t limited by time and I’m so thankful for that.

The Ready

I think there’s alot of ways that we can apply the message of the Good Shepherd to our lives. But it all boils down to this. Are you one of Jesus’ sheep?

Have you answered his call to follow him? The good shepherd calls all people to himself but only the ones who answer him are his sheep.

When the disciples were fishing one day he called to them to follow him and they did. They abandoned everything they thought they needed in this life in order to follow Jesus.

Do you remember the time you were at church camp and you felt like God was calling you to follow him? Do you remember the time you were in children’s church and you knew God was calling you to follow him?

What was your answer? Did you follow him? Are you still following him? Did you abandon you way of life and follow him when he called?

Or did you let your grip tighten up on the chair in front of you to keep you from accepting him? Maybe for the last several weeks of this series you’ve felt that call every week and you’ve left here without making the decision to follow him. Are you one of his sheep?

Are you letting the shepherd lead and guide you? Are you studying scripture to find out how you should live? Are you listening to Jesus to find out what you should do? Or maybe you’re even following another sheep that isn’t one of his sheep?

Maybe you feel God guiding you in a specific calling. Are you letting him take the lead or are you trying to take the lead?

Does Jesus lead you? Does he guide you? Are you one of his sheep?

Do you know the shepherd? Do you spend time getting to know him? Do you read his word building a relationship with him?

I don’t really care if you know of Jesus. I don’t really care if you know about Jesus. That’s not the question. Do you know Jesus like you know a friend?

If Jesus was in the room and he was dressed like the rest of us would you be able to pick him out of the crowd? Do you know him that well?

Does he know you? If he saw you would his eyes light up because you’re one of his? Or would there be confusion?

One of the scariest verses in all of scripture is found in .

(NIV)

(NIV)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

According to what Jesus was saying here, when we meet with Jesus face to face at the end of this life, if we don’t know him, he’ll send us away. He won’t sign off on our entry into Heaven.

And equally as scary is the fact that people can have every appearance of someone who is following Jesus but not actually know Jesus.

Our good deeds and accolades won’t be enough. I don’t want to hear Jesus say, “I never knew you.”

Do you know the shepherd? Does the shepherd know you? Are you one of his sheep?

Has the shepherd rescued you? If you’ve been saved, you’ve been rescued and that’s a beautiful thing.

So I’m urging you. Take a good self-examination. Answer this question! Are you one of his sheep?

The Response

He laid down his life for you. He gave it all up for you. He left his throne in Heaven so he could come be with you. He died a criminals death so that he could rescue you.

If you don’t know him, don’t leave here without answering that call and following him.