The Good Shepherd

In today’s passage Jesus uses two images to describe himself that due to changes in our way of life we miss the point of. First he calls himself the door of the sheep. This was a picture of how the shepherd took care of the sheep when out in the fields away from home. They would find a cave or maybe a hedge and they would ensure there was only one opening just large enough for one of the shepherds to lay across. Then everyone put their sheep in the makeshift pen. The one shepherd became the gatekeeper and served as a door to the pen. In the morning all the shepherds would call their sheep and they would follow the voice of their shepherd. The second image is that of the good shepherd who protects the sheep in contrast with the hired hand who abandons them to save himself. When thinking of a good shepherd I think of little David as he tells king Saul 1 Samuel 17:36

1 Samuel 17:36 ESV

Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

David risked his life to fight lions and bears to protect the sheep, now that is dedication.

Look with me at John 10:1-21 as we consider 4 ways Jesus is both the door of the sheep and the good shepherd.

John 10:1–21 ESV

“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.” There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

He Knows the Sheep

John 10:2–4 ESV

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.

First notice Jesus knows his sheep by name

Realize the creator and sustainer of the universe the one ensuring that all the planets are aligned just right and the animals are fed and even that the atoms that make all things up stay together knows your name. He knows the number of hairs on your head, your thoughts, your desires, he knows you.

Not only does he know the sheep but the sheep know his voice

they hear him calling and they follow him.

why because they know his voice

How sweet it is to hear the voice of God to know this is what I am supposed to be doing right now. I’m right where God wants me.

Notice also He leads them out.

Jesus does not simply call us to salvation or tell us to do something. Rather he leads on the way of salvation. He walks ahead of us leading us down the paths of righteousness. The process of becoming righteous or to be sanctified is simply being obedient to the voice of God as he tells us to do something.

Yet all to often I don’t hear Jesus calling because I am too busy. Just like a sheep to busy eating the last bit of sun baked dry grass I am all to often to busy with the cares of life to hear the voice of God as I should.

He is the Providing Savior

John 10:7–10 ESV

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.

Yet notice He is also the providing savior.

As the sheep follow him. He leads them to good pastures. As the old familiar psalm says he leads us to still waters and to green pastures. He takes us out of the already grazed pasture and brings us to the new good pasture where we can eat and be satisfied.

This is contrasted with those who seek to steal, kill and destroy the sheep. This often is thought to refer to the devil. Yet context is king, and in the context satan is not mentioned instead the thief refers to all who came before me, and later they are called strangers. Jesus refers to them trying to lead the sheep astray whereas all that follow Jesus find life, all those who follow the thief are destroyed.

Thus we can safely conclude the thief does not refer to satan but rather to all who claim to be the way of salvation or life.

Jesus is stating that he alone is the way life there is salvation under no other name.

Furthermore Jesus says he came to give us abundant life.

When we hear that Jesus came to give us life we often think of eternal life. Of life everlasting, when we live forever in heaven with God. Yet Jesus makes it clear here that he is not just bringing life but abundant life. That is true life, or a full life. We can all admit that there is existing and there is living. We all know someone who is just existing, their lives seem to lack purpose, or direction, they have no desires no drive they simply exist. Yet Jesus says I will make your life full to the very brim.

We cannot experience true life without Jesus. Yet Jesus spends all of his life ministering to Jews. The only time he interacts with Gentiles, non-Jews are when they come seeking him out and then he often seems reluctant. Yet he makes it clear here that we can be his sheep as well.

Multiple sheepfolds

John 10:16 ESV

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.

Praise God he has multiple sheepfolds.

Jesus did not come just to save the Jews, but rather God’s redemptive plan of salvation was for the whole world.

I have other sheep not of this fold

Thats us the non-Jews.

I must bring them also/ They will listen to my voice

We are included and will also hear, follow and obey.

Then there will be one flock guided by one shepherd

one of the saddest things to me is the division over denominations.

I firmly believe in standing up for what is right doctrine and for what the bible teaches. Yet I often wonder how our constant bickering over minor biblical issues or worse over ones the bible does not even speak on has adversely affected our gospel witness.

All to often i have heard stories of someone who was shamed out of church because he didnt dress a certain way, had tattoos, or different opinions on how often to take communion or some other periphial issue, or someone witnessed a heated debate between a baptist and a pentacostal. These people have vehemently told me that they will never go to a church again.

I fear God will hold us accountable for these souls on the day of judgement because we allowed our bickering and fighting to destroy our gospel witness.

Yet Jesus promises us one flock one shepherd

one day all denominations and all divisions will be removed and we will serve the lord as one united church. It is for this purpose Jesus laid down his life.

Sacrifice for the Sheep

John 10:15–19 ESV

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.” There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.

Notice Jesus says he lays down his life for the sheep

It is an act of loving sacrifice.

Just as David faced the lion and the bear risking his life for that of the sheep Jesus faces the penalty of our sin in our place. He dies the death that we all owed so that we might have life.

Yet because he commited no sin and was found innocent before God the Father He was granted the authority to overcome death and raise himself from the dead.

Our savior though he sacrifices himself for us is not dead he is alive.

We do indeed serve a risen savior.

Thus it is that Jesus, having lived a sinless life walking always in the joy of the father and having died a sacrificial death though innocent and having been granted authority over death, this same Jesus can promise us abundant life, for he knows what real life is.

A life without sin and dedicated to the service of God. This is true life. For God is himself the source of life. Nothing else can fill the God-shaped hole in our lives but God.

Invitation

Are you one of Jesus Sheep? Have you accepted him as your Lord and Savior, are you following in the footsteps of the Great Shepherd, or you still trying to make it on your own. Will you not answer the call of the Shepherd today. Will you repent of your sin and turn back to God placing your trust in Jesus and submitting to his will for your life?

For those that have already accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior I ask you are you listening to his voice and following him obediently or have you wandered astray and need to return to your shepherd. Listen for his voice, he is calling for you will you come home? Or maybe you are walking with him but you find yourself struggling to share your faith with others. I encorage you simply to tell them what he has done for you this week. How has he provided for you, in what ways has he enriched your life and blessed you with abundant life, real life.