Singing among the Wolves
That You Might Believe • Sermon • Submitted
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Shepherding from the heart
Shepherding from the heart
Last week we talked a good deal about sheep. This week we will continue that thought....
During Bible times… Shepherds were a vital part of the Israelite economy and worship system. They were responsible for tending, protecting and leading the Sheep.
A Shepherd would always keep his sheep on the move always leading the sheep through the desert hills looking for small green shrubs that had gotten enough dew to grow up through the barren ground. Sheep were given what they needed just for that day, and trusted their shepherd to take care of tomorrow.
During the day the flock of sheep would follow behind their shepherd. For the most part, Sheep stay as close to the shepherd as they can and follow each other in a line. But at the end of the day when the sun would begin to set, the shepherd would fall to the middle of the herd, because when sheep get scared they do crazy things. They feel lost and scared without their shepherd. So as it begins to get dark, the shepherd stands in the middle of the flock as they travel along, close enough for every sheep to hear his voice and know that he is near. The sheep needed to know that their Shepherd is there protecting them from wolves… or other predators.
Shepherds often travelled together to find green pastures, so when the sheep happened to be mixed up with other sheep from a different flock, each shepherd would sing his own song to gather and call his sheep to himself. The sheep knew their shepherd’s song so well that they would follow the sound of the shepherds song, following after the voice they were so familiar with.
At night, the shepherd would lead the sheep into a sheep-fold, which was usually an enclosure with one small entrance, just wide enough for one sheep to pass through. We spoke about this last week. The shepherd would sleep lying across the entrance, his body providing a gate so that nothing could get in or out. This was a perfect time for the sheep to learn their shepherd’s song. You can probably imagine a shepherd, like David, laying there as the gate for his sheep, playing his harp and singing to them. Like a lullaby, soothing his tired sheep to sleep, ensuring them they didn’t have to be afraid.
In a similar way, Jesus ministers to His sheep.... singing His shepherds song.... Calling us to follow Him.... protecting His sheep from the wolves..... sometimes even singing His song… when wolves are near.
Jesus was ministering in a day when the religious leaders were actually acting more like wolves than they were Shepherds..... Many of the religious leaders (the religious elite of Jesus’ day) were primarily concerned with their own interests and not the needs and provision for those under their care.
If you will open your Bibles to the gospel of John chapter 10, we will resume our study about our Good Shepherd.
In the parable found in John 10, Jesus shares with us the lyrics to His Shepherds Song.... describing to those who will listen, what a true shepherd looks like and what a truly good shepherd does.
A real shepherd leads his flock… cares for his flock… has a genuine interest in his flock and gives them directions that lead to fruitful and abundant life.
Jesus continues the imagery of a Shepherd throughout chapter 10, but in verses 7-21 the imagery is beautifully composed into lyrics that could almost be considered hymn like.
As Jesus expands on the truth that He is the One who Calls people to follow Him as their Shepherd.... the One who saves and provides for those who follow Him...... He makes another profoundly divine “I AM” statement....
Let’s look at verses 7-21 together and consider the truths expressed through this Shepherd’s Song
I. The Shepherd’s Song-
This song like parable.... expresses several realities that flow straight from the heart of the shepherd.
The question being answered by this parable is : Why is Jesus the Good Shepherd?
The answer is repeated 4 times throughout the passage… almost like a chorus that is sung highlighting the truth of the verse.
Let’s look at verses 7-18 and see the first reason why Jesus is the Good Shepherd explained.... because He lays down His life for the Sheep.
A. The Good Shepherd Lays down His life for the sheep (7-18)
We wont take the time to read the passage again, but I would encourage you to mark in your minds... or physically mark in your Bibles the important chorus like phrase that is repeated 4 times in this parable (11, 15, 17, 18)… the phrase, “I lay down my life for the sheep”
If this parable were a song expressing the Good Shepherds heart for His sheep….. then this phrase “I lay down my life for the Sheep” would be the chorus sung at the end of each stanza.
In verses 7-11 the shepherd is described as having a Quality Character. He is the One through whom the sheep must enter… He is the One who constantly cares for the sheep, protecting them… leading them… and providing them with what they need to grow and thrive as members of his flock.
i. Quality of Character (7-11)
Here in verse 11 Jesus specifically describes the quality of character that this Shepherd possesses. He is Good. Look at verse 11.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
This is the 4th of the 7 “I AM” statements recorded for us in the Gospel of John. While this is the 4th one in sequence.... it is probably the most well known in popularity.
When artwork is produced picturing Jesus… or when a meme is posted online… most of the time there will be some imagery of Jesus being a Shepherd…
Jesus’ profound statement here in verse 11 is more than just a clever Twitter post… it’s more than just a Meme that popped up on your Instagram feed.
It is a divine proclamation revealing truth to the world about who Jesus is… and what He came to do.
He is the Good Shepherd.... He came to lay down his life for the Sheep.
Of all the I AM statements made by Jesus, this is one of the few statements made that have a qualifier attached to it.
Jesus could have simply said… I am the Shepherd… and it would have made sense because in the parable in verses 1-6, he was illustrated as the Shepherd calling out His sheep.
But, here Jesus says… “I am the Good Shepherd”.... He explains an aspect of the Shepherds character.
The Greek text literally reads… “the shepherd… the good one”.
This term sets Christ apart from all other shepherds… the word used here, translated as “good”, refers to His noble character… His qualities as a perfect, genuine, and authentic Shepherd… Jesus is put into a class by Himself… preeminent above all others.
The word “good” also expresses a sense of being morally good, beautiful, lovely, attractive… or possessing all the qualities that make someone desirable to follow.
As you read through this passage the concept of the “good” shepherd is contrasted with those that would be considered “false” shepherds (the hired hands, thieves, robbers, and the wolves)
When we look at the quality of character being described… Jesus proclaims… I AM the real deal… the genuine and true shepherd who is wholly good and beautiful..... contrasted with all of the false shepherds that have come before.... parading their false religion and artificial faith.
When Jesus calls… we are drawn to His character… He is the real deal… He is wholly good… His gospel is beautiful..... as God draws us to Himself… we are drawn to Him.
Jesus’ character claim here in verse 11 not only expresses his quality as a good shepherd… He is expressing exclusivity as The Good shepherd.... He is the only One… the True Shepherd.....
How do we know that He is The good Shepherd?
He lays down his life for the sheep.... There is that chorus..... ringing out the truth that The heart of the Good Shepherd is lived out through His sacrificial love for His sheep.
All shepherds were expected to risk their lives to protect the flock....
Jesus went far beyond just being willing to risk life and limb for His sheep.
He actually laid down His life for them.
The Good Shepherd is presented as having a supreme quality of character.... He is Good.
When we move onto the 2nd stanza of the Shepherds Song in verses 12-15, we are introduced to another aspect of our Shepherd's character.... His Intimate Compassion
ii. Intimate Compassion (12-15)
Look at verse 12 with me.
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.
Here Jesus contrasts Himself with those that would be considered false shepherds.... hired hands and wolves. As it says in the text… the hired hand doesn’t really care anything about the Sheep..... so the sheep are left vulnerable.... and allowed to scatter and fall into harm.
In stark contrast to the false shepherds… Jesus says again… I AM the Good Shepherd.... I have Intimate Compassion for my sheep.
He says.... I know my own.... and they know me! Jesus knows His sheep… and His sheep know Him....
By laying down his life for the sheep… Jesus expresses a type of knowledge and compassion for His sheep that is much more than a surface level care that a hired hand would have.
The type of compassion that Jesus expresses here reminds me of a statement He made that is recorded in Matthew 9:36. (Keep your finger here… and turn with me)
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
As Jesus went from town to town ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of the people.. he looked out on the sea of faces… and had compassion for them…
The word translated as “compassion” in this verse expresses a deeply felt churning in your bowels.... That may not sound super compassionate to us… in our day we might say that it reflects a heart aching… soul wrenching concern for someone.
That is the type of intimate compassion Jesus has for you.... He sees you… He knows you… He calls to you.... and His heart aches with compassion for your soul… so much that He lays down His life for you… so that you might live!
Here is something else that will magnify our understanding about Jesus’ compassion for us....
Look at verse 14 again,
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.
How well does Jesus know you? How intimately does Jesus know you?
Verse 15 says that He knows us.... in the same way that He and God the Father know each other!
Do you get that? Jesus knows you as intimately as He knows God the Father.... He knows us as well as He knows Himself.
That is pretty intimate.
(illustration… Jesus knows you more intimately that family relationships, friend relationships..... brother, son, daughter, spouse.....)
Jesus knows his sheep more intimately that we can ever imagine… and He loves us with such a deep heart aching compassion.... that he not only calls us.... provides for us.... protects us… but, he gives up his own life.... so that we might live.
This is who The Good Shepherd is....
The Shepherds song has revealed to us that Jesus, the Good Shepherd possess the highest quality of character that reveals His deeply intimate compassion for us.
In the last stanza of this parable, found in verses 16-18, Jesus shares with us His Loving Authority as our Good Shepherd.
iii. Loving Authority (16-18)
Jesus’ Shepherding authority extends to all those who the Father has lovingly called.
Many Jews thought that the Messiah would come exclusively to save Israel. Jesus corrects this misunderstanding in verse 16 when he says,
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.
Jesus points his listeners minds back to the parable in verses 1-5… the sheepfold of Israel. But, then he says.... I have sheep that are not of this fold..... There are sheep that belong to Jesus that are not part of the nation of Israel.
Jesus goes on to say that those sheep..... who are gentiles (not part of Israel) will hear His call… and listen to His voice.
Jesus is pointing his audience to the truth about the body of Christ… the church. There will be one body… one flock....following after One Shepherd.
Under what authority will this happen?
Look at the end of verse 18...
“This charge I have received from my Father”.... These events have been preordained by God..... that through the sacrifice of Jesus’ life… and through the resurrection of Christ.... all of those whom Christ calls.... will be saved....
In the gospel of John, the phrase “lays down His life” always refers to a voluntary, sacrificial death.
As Jesus takes steps towards the cross.... He is revealing that His death would be the atonement to provide propitiation (absorbing God’s wrath - show the picture/illustration) for the sins of all who would believe…
God has given Christ the authority to call the sheep, protect the Sheep, lay down His life for the Sheep.... resurrect His life, which was laid down... so that God’s wrath can be satisfied (propitiated)..... mankind can be reconciled with God...... and so that there can be one body.... one flock..... one group of people who are unified through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Through the loving authority of the Shepherd.... He creates a unified body.... one flock… following one Shepherd....
That is us..... white, brown, black, yellow..... makes no difference.... Jesus calls people from all walks of life… all ethnic backgrounds to follow Him....
One flock.... united by One Good Shepherd....
Verses 19-21 tell us how Jesus’ audience responded.... some said… “he has a demon.. or he is insane”.... and others said… there is no way that he can be possessed by a demon.... can a demon open the eyes of the blind?
— This statement connects this event back to chapter 9 where Jesus healed the man who was born blind. So, we know that this group of people were probably the same group of Pharisees from chapter 9.
From the Shepherds Hymn laid out in verses 7-21, the truth that this Good Shepherd..... Jesus… lays down His life.... is pretty important. We saw from the text that Our Shepherd is Good..... because He lays down His life for His sheep.
We saw in the text that Jesus is a Shepherd that possesses a divine quality of character, an intimate compassion for His sheep, and He leads His sheep with loving authority.
We have seen from Scripture today several truths that describe our Good Shepherd.
All of these truths are true and lovely … But how do they give us hope?
The fact that Jesus lays down His life for the sheep is repeated 4 times in this one passage of Scripture… means that it must be a pretty important concept. We should pay attention to it!
Practically speaking, what will the “laying down of Jesus’ life” do for those who follow Him?
As we continue thinking about our Good shepherd, let’s consider an action that our Good Shepherd does for those who belong to Him. Let’s consider the truth that the Good Shepherd secures His sheep.
B. The Good Shepherd secures His sheep (… 27-30)
The Shepherd’s song given to us here in John 10, is an expression of the Shepherds heart.
Verses 7-21 reveal that our Shepherd… Jesus.... intimately knows us.... deeply cares for us.... and leads those that are His sacrificially.
As we look at the rest of the chapter we will see the eternal results of the truth expressed through the Shepherds song… (verses 27-30)
As we move on from verse 21 there is a scene change in the text.
Verse 22 says,
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,
Chapters 7 through the beginning of chapter 10 have all taken place around the time of the feast of Tabernacles… or feast of booths. That would have been roughly around mid-October. Now in verse 22, we are told that it is winter… and it is during the time of the “Feast of Dedication”....
Another word used to describe the Feast of Dedication is Hanukkah. Hanukkah takes place in late December, so there would have been about 2 months time difference between verse 21 and verse 22.
As we come to this second half of the chapter, the Jews (usually meaning the opponents of Jesus) gathered around Him when he was in the temple.... and ask him in verse 24...
“How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Earlier in chapter 10, 2 months go, Jesus spoke to them in parables. (purpose of Jesus teaching in parables — those that were truly seeking the truth would find it… those that were seeking something else would not understand)
Now, they are telling Jesus… speak plainly.... tell us if you are the Christ...
You could almost imagine the sorrow and heartbreak in Jesus’ eyes when he responds…
“I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.”
The Pharisees have been exposed to the truth of Christ for some time now… and they still have decided to respond in unbelief. Their unbelief signifies that they are not among the flock of Christ.
As Jesus shifts his focus back to those who would respond to Him in faith.... this next statement of Jesus is instrumental in answering our question, … what will the “laying down of Jesus’ life” do for those who follow Him?
Let’s look at verses 27-30 together.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
This is one of the clearest passages in the bible that reveals the eternal security of the believer.
Let’s take a few moments and break these verses down.
Here are some observations about what Christ does as the Good Shepherd as well as what God the Father does...
Look at verse 28
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Jesus is speaking.... So, we have the picture of the sheep in Jesus’ hands… in His possession.... and he says that no one is able to every take them out of his possession.
Then in verse 29, Jesus shares with us that...
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
So, Jesus holds us firmly in His possession… in His hands.... and the Father is also holding us in His hands.... and in His possession so that no one is able to snatch us out of his grasp.... out from his possession.
This 2 handed grasp is pictured holding the believer secure..... the hand of Christ… and the hand of God.
I remember when our kids were younger. We would walk together, holding hands and sometimes we would walk with with Veronica on one side and me on the other. As we would come to a curb or the edge of the sidewalk both Veronica and I would squeeze that little hand a bit tighter and make sure that Tabitha, Luke, Beth or Charis didn’t fall. We were holding them securely.
There was not enough strength in their little bodies to actually hold our hands tight enough so that they didn’t fall. But, that was ok. Because it wasn’t their job… it wasn’t their role to hold onto us.... as their loving parents.... it was our role… our responsibility to hold them fast..... to hold them tight.... to provide security.
A similar… and extremely comforting.... situation is described here.
Jesus is saying.... Christian! Your safety does not depend on your imperfect… futile grip on me.... no, your safety and security depends on the truth that I am holding onto you!
How comforting!
Jesus is plainly teaching that the security of the believer in salvation does not depend on our own human effort… but is grounded in the gracious, sovereign promise, and power of God.
“No one can snatch them out of my hand” (v. 28). “No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand”.
One hand (the Son’s) wrapped around us… and another hand (The Father’s) wrapped around that hand… so that we are doubly safe.
Christian… that should soothe your soul! What a relief and a blessing that true Children of God have!
This is a promise that we can enjoy over and over again. Each time we read passages like this one..... we can celebrate who our Good Shepherd is.... and rejoice in all that He does for us.
As we embrace Jesus’ promise of safety and security.... the sweeter our salvation grows.
Before we go, let me give you a breakdown of this truth? (write these down and reflect on them later) —
Here are some truths that flow out of verses 27-30
i. Believers are His sheep (We arehis possession paid for by His sacrificial death/ resurrection)
ii. Christ’s sheep hear His voice and follow Him (and only Him… since they will not listen to or follow a stranger (10:5)… they could not possibly wander away from Him and be eternally lost)
iii. Christ’s sheep have eternal life (the concept of eternal life ending is a contradiction… something eternal cannot end)
iv. Christ gives eternal life to His sheep. (since they do nothing to earn it, they can do nothing to lose it).
v. Christ promised that His sheep will never perish
vi. No one… not false shepherds or false prophets or even the Devil himself… is powerful enough to snatch Christ’s sheep out of His hand.
The Father and the Son are 100% unanimous in their agreement .... guaranteeing the eternal security of the believers. When Jesus declared… “I and the Father are One”.... He was expressing their unity in purpose and action in securing the salvation of the believers.
Our position in Christ’s flock..... and the affection of our Good Shepherd is not dependent on anything we do...
Our security in Christ is not based on our works or our faithfulness…
NO, our security in Christ is completely based on the character of Christ.
Christ calls us to salvation.... Christ provides the means of salvation.... and Christ along with God the Father safeguards our salvation by His own unchanging and eternal character.
Conclusion/ Application:
An overall truth expressed in the text today is that
Our Good, Compassionate, and Loving Shepherd (Jesus Christ) is exclusively able to provide salvation and security for those who believe.
The question for you today is this: How will you respond to these truths?
Verse 31 tells us that the Jews responded in anger and unbelief as they picked up stones, ready to put Jesus to death.
Christian, I hopefully that you can respond to God’s Word today by rejoicing in the truth that He has laid down His life for you.... and celebrating the safety and security that He alone is able to provide.
Perhaps you are a Christian today but are going through a dark time. Are you afraid? Are you depressed? Does the situation you are in make you feel like a sheep that has tipped over and has all 4 feet up in the air?.... utterly helpless to correct yourself?
Christian… remember that the Good Shepherd is with you. Cry out to your Shepherd today! He will pick you up, He loves you… and He will put you back on your feet… safely under His care… as part of His flock.
Christian… what is your response to be?
Trust in Christ… and Rejoice in the security that Your Good Shepherd provides
Friend, maybe you are listening today and you don’t consider yourself to be one of God’s sheep.
You might be listening today and you would say… ‘I don’t know if I am securely in His hands....’
How are you to respond to God’s Word today?
Jesus, the Good Shepherd is calling..... Respond to His call today! He has laid down His life for you!
Please don’t leave here without settling that today… you can speak with me after the service or with one of our other church members. We would love to talk with you about how you can know.... without a doubt… that you belong to Jesus.... you are safe and secure in His hands.... and that He is holding you fast.
Let’s pray: