The Good Shepherd | John 10:1-21

INTRODUCTION

Open your Bibles to John 10. In John 9 we find a blind beggar and Jesus gave him his sight. The beggar and Jesus were confronted by the leaders and teachers of Israel. They threw the beggar out and they intended to kill Jesus. As we come into chapter 10, Jesus is still talking to them. The blind man is still there. The disciples are there. The crowd, the Pharisees, scribes and leaders are still there. To them, Jesus launches into a description and says John 10:11 I am the good shepherd.

Shepherding is very familiar to the people of Israel. There were shepherds in the OT: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all shepherds. Moses was a shepherd. David was a shepherd boy.

BACKGROUND TO SHEPHERD

The life of a shepherd was hard. It was outside against the heat and the cold they worked. Sheep tend to wander. Most areas had precipices and crevices into which the sheep could fall. There were predators to prey on them. Then there were thieves who come for their skin and meat. The shepherd’s task was relentless vigilance and constant attention. The danger was all around, from animals, thieves and robbers. In spite of this challenging job a shepherd protects, provides, nurtures, cares for, leads, guides, and multiplies his flock.

The people of Israel not only understood the reality of shepherding and caring for a flock, but they knew from the OT that God Himself was presented as a Shepherd.

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 77:20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 79:13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever.

Psalm 80:1 Hear us, Shepherd of Israel.

Jesus, The Good Shepherd

It is in this light that Jesus is talking that he is the true shepherd. Now, the Jews had an idea about who was the best shepherd. For them, historically, it was David the shepherd boy who cared for his father’s flocks and defeated Goliath and became the king of Israel. David was their great shepherd, historically.

But you do remember in chapter 5, Jesus claimed to be greater than Moses, and in chapter 8, He claimed to be greater than Abraham – “before Abraham was I am.” And here, He is a shepherd far greater than any other shepherd including David. When you come into the NT, there are a number of places where Jesus is referred to as that one Shepherd.

Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Luke 12:32 Do not be afraid, little flock.

1 Peter 2:25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

So in this context in John 10, Jesus is presenting himself as the good shepherd and we are his sheep. John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. Jesus – the good shepherd is marked by three particular ministries to His sheep.

Ministries of the good shepherd.

1. The good shepherd dies for the sheep.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Shepherds are absolutely responsible for their sheep. In the OT, if anything happened to the sheep, he had to produce proof that it was not his fault due to the dereliction of duty or rustling of the sheep. Exodus 22:13 If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbour shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.

Amos the prophet speaks Amos 3:12 As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth only two leg bones or a piece of an ear. The shepherd had to battle wolves, mountain lions, and even bears and protect his sheep. And if any animal is eaten, the shepherd had to carry proof out of the prey’s mouth to his master. In the process, he had to risk his life.

David tells Saul how when he was keeping his father’s sheep he fought off a lion and then a bear. Shepherding was a very risky job. The shepherd stayed with the sheep the entire day because they had to be a protector. And when the thief or robber or the wild animal comes, the faithful shepherd has often put his life on the line to defend his flock.

Jesus died for his Sheeps

That’s why Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd, the shepherd who’s the good one lays down his life.” John 10:18 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. It is a voluntary death. Some would say, “Well, that’s no big thing. Jesus is God. He just gave up his body and rose again.

Jesus’ death is something more than that. He gave up His soul, His whole person. Jesus didn’t just feel the pain of the nails, the thorn, and the scourging in His body; Jesus’ whole soul was tortured with sin-bearing anguish and suffering. He felt it in every part of His being. Why did He do that? 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

From a natural view, if this happened to the shepherd, that’s the end of the sheep. They’re liable to be scattered and killed. But for Jesus the good shepherd, he rose again to re-gather his sheep. John 10:18 I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. And on the third day, He came out of the grave and re-gathered His scattered sheep. Were they scattered? Yeah, they were. But He came back from the grave and re-gathered them.

Why did He die? Isaiah 53:8 For the transgression of my people he was punished.

Matthew 1:21 You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

Aren’t you glad that Jesus the good shepherd gave his life for his sheep, us?

2. The good shepherd loves his sheep.

This is, of course, what’s behind the giving of his life – His love for his sheep. John 10:14-15 ¹⁴“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. The language here is love, rather than knowing. He has an intimate loving relationship with them. The motive behind giving Jesus life is his love for us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That’s why the Father gave the Son; that’s why the Son gave His life. He loves His sheep. Jesus loves you this morning.

Expression of the good shepherd’s love.

1. The good shepherd calls his sheep.

John 10:3 He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. The shepherd comes to the fold and calls out his sheep. Praise God, it was the good shepherd, Jesus that came to us in our fallen state, called us and led us out of the world to follow him.

2. The good shepherd is the door.

John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. He’s not only the Shepherd that comes and calls, he is the door. He’s the only way out for the sheep from the pen to find pasture. Jesus is the only way out of this wicked world. He leads you out and there is freedom from bondage.

John 10:9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The true shepherd saves. It is only through Jesus one can enter heaven. If anyone goes literally through me, passes through me, he will be saved. So once we are saved, once we go through this gate, we go in and out and find pasture. It shows liberty now, freedom. There is no enemy who can destroy us. We have nothing to fear. We’re safe. We can roam free; have the abundant life that the shepherd has promised us.

So Jesus is the Shepherd and the Shepherd is the door and whoever passes through the door has abundant life.

3. The good shepherd leads and protects the sheep.

Once the sheep hear the shepherd’s voice and walk through the gate, it is the shepherd that leads the sheep. Ezekiel 34:14-16 ¹⁴I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁶I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

He goes ahead of them to make the pathway, to clear the danger, to find the water, the pasture, the provision. This is security, protection, and provision. He leads them out of bondage, leads them to green pastures, and still water. The good shepherd protects from danger – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou are with me. He is committed to protecting them at night in the fold, and then in the morning coming and leading them out and, by name, one by one, to green pastures and still waters.

The great Shepherd checks the danger, makes the path, finds the pasture, and finds the water, as He leads us. And we follow.

But what is it that is our food?

Jeremiah 15:16 When your words came, I ate them. Where does His voice come to us? The Bible.

Psalm 119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

4. The good shepherd knows his sheep.

John 10:11-15 ¹¹“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²The 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. ¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

At night, the sheep would come into the village fold and every shepherd would bring his sheep, and they would all be in the same fold. And then in the morning, the shepherd would come and call out his own sheep and call them by name. The sheep know their master’s voice, and they follow him. The sheep will not follow a stranger.

Who is this shepherd? The good shepherd dies for the sheep. He loves the sheep. The good shepherd calls the sheep by its name. He is the door. The good shepherd leads and protects the sheep. He knows his sheep and the sheep know his voice.

3. The good shepherd unites the sheep.

God has categorized the people of the world into two sheep pens – The Jews and the Gentiles. God worked through Abraham to bring about a holy nation, Israel. Jesus came to Israel to bring salvation to them.

Jesus Gathering the Jews

The shepherd comes to Israel, to the Jew first. He calls out His sheep by name, and they follow Him. John 10:16 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. The good shepherd says, “I also have sheep which are not of the fold of Israel.” Who are they? The Non-Jews, the Gentiles.

Ezekiel 34:11 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.

Ezekiel 34:13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries.

That is why Paul says in Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.

John 11:49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all!

John 11:51-52 ⁵¹….as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵²and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.

One Nation United by the Shepherd

We are sheep from the pen of the nations. God called us out of our culture, caste, and nations. That is why there’s a Great Commission. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Go make disciples of all nations. And He will bring them all together, Israel and gentile as one flock with one shepherd. The shepherd will unite the sheep and he will give the sheep a land of their own. Jesus unites the Jews.

Ezekiel 34:11-13 ¹¹For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. ¹³ I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.

Jesus Gathering The Gentiles

Jesus calls the gentiles. John 10:3 He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

In the Millennial Kingdom, the Jews and the gentiles are united with Jesus Christ, the good shepherd.

Now, remember Jesus is talking to the Jewish leaders that he is the good shepherd. He is addressing them as the false shepherds here. John 10:7-8 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.

False Shepherds

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

False teachers, who misinterpret the Word of God are the false shepherds. They are robbing the sheep. The Bible also calls the antichrist as the false shepherd.  Zechariah 11:15-17 ¹⁵Then the Lord said to me, “Take again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. ¹⁶For I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves. ¹⁷“Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!”

Be careful that we are following the right shepherd.

So that is the relation of the Good Shepherd to the sheep. He gives His life because He loves them, and brings them into intimate union with Himself, and with one another. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, one with Him, and one with all others in the one body of Christ.

4. The relationship of the Good Shepherd to the world.

John 12:19-20 ¹⁹The Jews who heard these words were again divided. ²⁰Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

The world is divided on the subject of Jesus Christ. A division occurred among the Jews because of what Jesus had said. Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” We have people like that, people who don’t mind cursing Jesus and saying blasphemous things about Him.

But then there were the others: John 12:21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” A demon can’t open the eyes of the blind, can he? Demon-possessed people don’t talk like that. They don’t do miracles.

So these are the more rational people. I guess you could say the first is the irrational blasphemers, the second is the more rational people. They both end up in the same hell forever, ’cause it really doesn’t matter whether you curse Jesus, or whether you think you need to treat Him more reasonably. You either confess Jesus as Lord or die in your sins and occupy the same hell with the extreme blasphemers. Wrath of God.

CONCLUSION

So we meet the Good Shepherd: In relation to His sheep, He gives His life for His sheep, The Good Shepherd loves His sheep, and He unites His sheep. In his relation to the Father, He loves and obeys the Father. His relation to the world, He’s rejected either by those who blaspheme Him in a kind of irrational way or by those who rationally tolerate Him. But for us, we’ll place ourselves among the disciples there that day, and we’ll say with Him: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, won’t we?

Hebrews 13:20-21 ²⁰Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, ²¹equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

We declare Him to be the Great Shepherd of the sheep who came out of the grave. He is our Shepherd. Let’s pray.