THE GOOD SHEPHERD

 

John 10:1-18

 

The tenth chapter is described as one of the best loved

portions of the New Testament.

 

The tenth chapter is a continuation to chapter nine because Jesus uses the example of the Good Shepherd in light of what has occurred with the man who was once blind from birth. The previous chapter shows how the Good Shepherd found one of God’s sheep in bondage and led him into green pastures. When you here of the name Good Shepherd most people are naturally drawn to David’s psalm of exaltation of God’s goodness, mercy, and grace found in Psalm 23, which makes this Psalm the most beloved of the 150 Psalms written. The great Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon said this psalm is “the pearl of psalms” If there ever is a Psalm that could stand almost on a single line it would be Psalm 23.

 

“The LORD is my Shepherd”

 

Yahweh! The great God of the universe who spoke all things into existence. He is the Shepherd, the God of the universe who cares deeply for His created children. See! A shepherd in those days had to live with the sheep 24/7 and the task for caring for the sheep was unending. Day and night, through every season of fair weather, to terrible weather, the shepherd was always there to see his sheep through. They never stopped laboring for their sheep. They never stopped nourishing or guiding and most of all protecting their sheep from harm. According to Psalm 23, those who are Christ’s sheep will indeed be provided with all the good things and will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

 

But it’s not just Psalm 23 that this imagery

is found for God’s people.

 

In Psalm 100:3 we read, “Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Psalm 100:3-4

Isaiah declared, “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” Isaiah 40:11

 

Before Jesus was crucified, He referred to Isaiah prophecy of the suffering servant. “And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’” Mark 14:27

 

In the Book of Hebrews, we read that the writer describes Jesus as the Great Shepherd. “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep...” Heb 13:20-21

 

The apostle Peter saw Jesus as, “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” 1 Peter 5:4

 

And its here in chapter ten, we see the from the rich mine of biblical imagery of the parable of the Good Shepherd. We will see the underlying compassion between the Shepherd and His sheep, and also the unfailing love and watchfulness of the Great Shepherd. But, there something very important to notice before we dive into this text of Scripture as good stewards of the Word of God and that is there is two folds, Jews & the Gentile believer.

 

Who is Jesus talking to here in this text of Scripture that

we are looking at this morning?

 

The answer is fairly easy to understand if we read it in its context and what followed previously about the man born blind and in his mistreatment by those where the leaders of the people, supposed shepherds. I say this because of the absence of transitional words at the beginning of this chapter. There is no indication that its, “The next day” or “Jesus passed by” it would seem to be a continuation of thought and conversation that Jesus is pointing out.

 

THE SHEPHERD’S RELATIONSHIP TO HIS SHEEP. 

(v1-v6)

 

We see that Christ is the Shepherd

The current Jewish leaders are the thieves and robbers

The sheep are the people of Israel.

 

This portion closely resembles the parable of the lost sheep found in Matthew’s gospel. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Matt 18:10-14

 

Jesus uses this parable to put another charge against the Pharisees because they were to shepherd the people of God. Jesus does this by drawing on the rich tradition of the Old Testament text about sheep and shepherds. The most foundational test would Ezekiel 34 which critiques the leaders of Israel in 6^th century B.C. (turn with me to Eze 34) They failed at their duties as shepherds, they only concerned themselves for what they could get out of the sheep. This rebuke also has a promise that the true, perfect Messiah and the True Shepherd will guide the remnant, just as He reveals here in John’s gospel. This is what Paul talked about in his letter to the Romans. “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.” Rom 11:1-5

 

This promise is also evident here (v3-v6) the sheep “hear or listen to His voice” It has been said that travellers to the Middle east have been known to pay a shepherd to exchange clothes with them and then try to call the sheep, but the sheep do not come because the sheep only obey the voice they knew. Though sheep naturally are stupid animals they know their master’s voice.

 

This is why Jesus says, “They know a counterfeit when they hear one.” They will not follow a stranger, a hired hireling, imposter. Not only do they recognize the shepherd’s voice, the shepherd names His sheep, He calls them by name. A great example of this is found in John 20 when Mary Magdalene visits the Saviour’s tomb and finds the tomb stone rolled away. She stands there confused and weeping; but suddenly the Lord is standing before her and she didn’t know it was the Lord until when? She didn’t know until He spoke this one word and the Scriptures say, “Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).” John 20:16. The moment He called His sheep by name, she knew His voice. This is the same in your salvation when He called you out of darkness, He knew already who you were, He knows your failures and sin.

 

But He also know what He is going make of you as Paul said, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Rom 8:29-30. This is the beauty of the gospel; He doesn’t have to name them, but this demonstrates how much our Lord cares for us. This is evident as we continue in this chapter (v14-v15). He calls us by our own characteristics and we hear His voice and follow. This is a beautiful picture of God calling sinners out of darkness into His glorious light, its here the sheep respond to God’s effectual divine call to salvation. But the tragic end for many is what we read in (v6) they understood the picture but did not understand what He was telling them. This means they didn’t understand the deep spiritual realities, so Jesus explains further.

 

THE SHEPHERD’S PROVISION FOR HIS SHEEP. 

(v7-v10)

 

What does the Lord mean by referring to

Himself as the door or gate?

 

This is the typical picture of the shepherd of that time; when light has gone down, and all the sheep are inside the walls, the shepherd lies down in the open space and no sheep ever goes out and no wolf or predator comes in unless it crosses my body. “I am the door.” This is what the Lord is meaning in this passage. Jesus is saying, “I am the Living Door. This why Jesus says this to His troubled at heart disciples, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

This is why Peter would proclaim to the spiritual leaders of his day, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:9-12

 

This is why what Jesus says is so powerful to

the importance of this door.

 

In order to go into the fold, you must go through Me, this is why we read in (v10) “may have life and have it abundantly.” This could be translated “Full” so what does this mean? Many see it as prosperity, or things that bring you pleasure. But not so! Money can buy many things and keep you happy for many days. But ultimately money and things cannot buy true satisfaction. This word “Full” portrays the Great Shepherd leading His sheep into green pastures beside still waters. The Shepherd keeps them from poisonous plants and leads them to clean water, making sure they have life abundantly, providing everything for their health. What is amazing about this is that there is only one qualification to have a “Full life” It’s not in doing things by your strength. It’s not about how beautiful/smart you are. It’s not about what you bring to your salvation. Its’ about this one truth that the gospel produces. I love what Paul washer said, “I have given God countless reasons not to love me. None of them has been strong enough to change Him.” This is what the fullness produces in the life of the sheep that believe. It’s those who follow the Shepherd, wherever He leads His sheep. It’s knowing that the Shepherd knows what is best for the sheep.

David knew this, because he wrote about this very thing. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:5-6. Likewise, to go out to pasture, you must go through Me, because Jesus is saying, “He is the protector and provider. Upon salvation you are not only saved, but you are safe, because the Shepherd cares for you and will go before His sheep. 

 

THE SHEPHERD’S HEART FOR HIS SHEEP. (v11-v18) 

 

We read in Matt 9:36 that Jesus had compassion because He saw His sheep scattered and cast down. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” The word “Compassion” conveys the idea the He felt it in His stomach. His stomach turned with compassion. He pitied them. Our Lord is no hired hireling, like the ones mentioned here in the text. Jesus’ heart was full of sacrificial love.

 

Notice the four times Scripture says Christ laid down His life for the sheep.

 

The last part of (v11)

The last part of (v15)

The past part of (v17)

The last part of (v18)

 

This is like a refrain from the Lord’s own personal song with each stanza ending, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” This is the heart of the Good and Great Shepherd. Christ devoted His whole earthly life to us each day and finally gave it in an act of supreme sacrifice. Think about this! The soldiers did not capture Jesus at Gethsemane, Jesus could have easily called down thousand upon thousand angels if He wanted. We know according to John’s gospel that when they came to arrest Him, by saying His name, made them fall back. The Scriptures reveals that “He willing went to the cross and according to John 19:30, “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. “

 

Fulfilling everything He states here to reveal to mankind He truly is the Great Shepherd. That is the heart of our Shepherd, He laid down His life for His sheep, and this includes you as well. This why we need to be careful when reading Scripture. Our English language can sometimes lessen something of importance because our English words can be used in so many ways.

 

For example! When we read “I am the Good Shepherd” the Greek word for “Good” are sometimes rendered in the English language “aga-thos” this means good, morally and fundamentally. Sometime the word “good” in the Greek is translated “kalos” which is more of the meaning of “Beautiful” This is why some translators render the two phrases together “I am the shepherd, the beautiful shepherd.” I agree that this fits the passage much better. Spurgeon caught the feeling of this and said, “There is more in Jesus, the good Shepherd, than you can pack away in a shepherd. He is the good, the great, the chief Shepherd; but he is much more. Emblems to set Him forth may be multiplied as the drops of the morning, but the whole multitude will fail to reflect all His brightness. Creation is too small a frame in which to hang His likeness. Human thought is too contracted, human speech too feeble, to set Him forth to the full… He is inconceivably above our conception, unutterably above our utterances.”

 

This Shepherd we proclaim is altogether lovely, this beautiful Jesus,

is our Shepherd. Why do I say that?

  

You may not realize this, but you’re mentioned in this chapter of John’s letter? Look at (v16) and read what it says. “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”

“Other sheep” Who is the other sheep? This is speaking of His future redeemed church, you and me. We are the “other sheep” who would taste the grace after the Good Shepherd would lay His life down for the sins of the world. Several times Jesus makes this statement “I know my sheep”

What is Jesus saying? What does He mean

He knows His sheep?

 

The answer! Before the foundations of the world my name, your name was written in His book of promises. Why? Because He knows His sheep “other sheep” you and me! See, it’s not that He knows us like he is meeting us for the first time. He knew us before He created the cosmos and the planets. Before He separated light from darkness. That’s why Paul reminded the true believers with this opening statement when we read “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Eph 1:1-14

 

 

Let that really sink in this morning! BEFORE, past tense, referring to the fact that you, and I, were not formed yet, He created…

 

The Heavens and the earth

The sun, moon and the stars

Mountains, streams, rivers and oceans

Plant life and animals

You and me, to redeem us, from eternal judgement and Hell.

 

He knew your name; this is why life is precious and this is what makes Psalm 139 come to life.. “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” Psalm 139:16. I wasn’t even a clump of cells and yet the God of all creation was already preparing my days. 

 

We also read in the gospels! Here is Jesus speaking of the final judgement that is a future promise. “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” Matt 25:31-34

 

Not only does He know His own sheep, but He also knows the unbeliever [the goats] before the foundations of the world. The Shepherd [the Good Shepherd] or the better translation “the Beautiful Shepherd” The Great Shepherd knew our names and He made Himself known to us through the precious gospel and the written word of God. The word “know” here is used in the sense of affectionate regard or love. It implies such knowledge of their wants, their dangers, and their characters, as to result in a deep interest in their welfare. Jesus knows the hearts, the dangers, and the wants of his people, and his kindness as their shepherd prompts him to defend and aid them.

 

What does Jesus know according to this

passage in John’s gospel?

 

This passage points to the close connection or intimate relationship Christ has with the believer.

 

He is not a distant God who is just learning about you for the first time

He is not a disconnected God with His creation when it comes to out every being.

He is not an unloving God that is completely ignorant to your life.

He knows you better than you know yourself!

He knows His each and every one of His sheep; and this indicates He knows our individual traits and special needs.

 

When you read the word “know” it means much more than an intellectual awareness. It reveals to us a personal intimate relationship that He has with each and every one of His sheep. He knows your every weakness, strengths, fears, desires and so on. Just as sheep are completely dependent on the shepherd for food, water, shelter, protection and guidance. Sheep, even need help getting up when they fall down or over on their backs.

What picture of the Christian life!

 

I hear His voice to find peace in the midst of turmoil.

I hear His voice to find rest in a dry weary land.

I hear His voice when I plead for help and temptation.

I hear His voice to find shelter in the storms of my life.

I hear His voice to lead me beside still waters.

 

He is the beautiful Shepherd and I know Him because I trust in Him alone to guard and deliver my soul into heaven. This is the beauty of this parable. The sheep found in (v6 & v16) are identified as follows. They recognize the voice of the Shepherd; this involves familiarity which knows the Shepherds voice. (v3) They follow the Shepherd. (v4) They refuse to follow strangers. (v5, v8) Their safety and nourishment are in the Shepherd. (v9) The Jews are not the only ones of the fold. (v16). This is a picture of the gospel that God draws and save sinners, this is the monergistic power and work of God unto salvation. This is what the Great Shepherd does with His sheep, He is the Door just as later on we will see that “He is the Way” And there is no other way a person will ever be saved apart from this! This is the believer’s fullness, this is the One we rest in, the Shepherd as He leads you and me. The Beautiful Shepherd who continues to bring others into fold of God through the gospel. As Jesus said, “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.” (v16) Uniting all sinners Jew and the Gentile world under the gospel of peace that saves to the uttermost parts.