The Good Shepherd

One Saturday afternoon while running errands, I noticed that one of my care tires was almost completely flat.  I was not too far from the tire store, so rather than taking the time to change the tire, I slowly made my way to the shop.  There was a long line and wait leaving me mildly irritated.  After a time that I figured was long enough to accomplish the repair, I approached the desk.  “I see my car parked over there.  Has the tire been repaired?”

“Let me check.”  He returned quickly saying, “You’re good to go,” and he handed me the keys to my car.

“I think we need to settle up, first.  I haven’t paid yet.”

“It’s all taken care of…next time you need some tires, think about us.”

It was only a savings of about $10, but I felt like I’d hit the lottery!  I had a need (admittedly, a pretty small one), and it was just nice to have someone extend a little extra kindness.

As you come to the Scriptures this morning, you probably have a need too.  It may be that you are processing an illness of someone close to you, or perhaps even yourself.  Perhaps the harshness of death has invaded your life this week, or sin (yours or someone else’s) has intruded and produced its deadly “fruit” in your life.  Perhaps there is a significant decision or event that awaits you this week, and the uncertainty of it has created no small stress in your life.  Maybe there is no major issue, but the tyranny of multiple daily distresses is just wearing you out.  You are needy.  And you desire a little extra kindness this morning.

In fact, the people of God are needy.  And helpless.  And to indicate our frailty and weakness, the New Testament particularly pictures the followers of God as sheep (that Scripture uses the image of sheep for us may not be the most flattering illustration!). But that also means something else — all sheep have a shepherd, and so do we.

John’s gospel is all about Jesus Christ and the need for people to love Him and believe Him.  Various pictures of Christ abound in this book — healer, teacher, the water of life, the bread of life, the true vine, the way, the truth, the resurrection and the life.  And John 10 offers another image.

This passage is about Jesus, the Good Shepherd.  It speaks of His character, His work, and His person.  This is your leader.  This is your guide.  This is your Savior.

1. Jesus is the true Shepherd.  There are many pretenders to the position of shepherd.  In reality they are thieves and robbers who enter the pen of the thieves subversively.  In contrast, Christ comes with truth and openness.  The integrity of the true shepherd is demonstrated in the leadership of His sheep and the responsiveness of the sheep to Him (vv. 3-4).  And He provides them with pasture — food, rest, and protection (v. 9).  He is trustworthy and good to His sheep.

2.  Jesus is the exclusive Shepherd.  There are not multiple pathways into the fold of God — only Jesus Christ will bring one into fellowship with God (vv. 7, 9; cf. 14:6; 1:51).  There are other “options,” but note of the other “ways to God” will produce salvation.  The other shepherds, instead of offering life, take life (they steal, kill, and destroy, v. 10).  In the context of Jesus’ declaration, the legalism, self-righteousness, and pride of the Pharisees kills.  Jesus alone offers something better.

Jesus is reaffirming the declarations of the Old Testament.  There is only one God and only one means to get to Him:

• Deut. 4:39 “Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.”
• Is. 45:5-6 “I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me.  I am the LORD, and there is no other.”  [also 45:21-22; 46:9; Acts 4:12]

3.  Jesus is the sacrificing Shepherd. As the good shepherd, Christ voluntarily gave up His life for His sheep (vv. 11ff; cf. also 19:30).  Note that He dies for His sheep — i.e., in place of, as a substitute for His sheep.  He died for the sheep because they were His — He could do no less (Lk. 15:1-7ff).

Don’t ever get over the fact that you and I deserved to die, but Christ died in our place (Rom. 5:8, 10; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pt. 2:24; 3:18).  Other shepherds died for their sheep, but they all had their lives taken from them.  But Christ, the Good Shepherd, voluntarily gave His life for His sheep.

4.  Jesus is the submissive Shepherd.  It seems odd for us to think of the submission of Christ — a member of the Trinitarian Godhead.  God submits to no one.  But Christ submitted to the eternal purposes of God to redeem men (vv. 17-18).  From the beginning (Lk. 2:49) to end of His life (Jn. 14:31), Christ submitted to will of Father (Heb. 5:8).  Yet the submission of Christ was not begrudging — it was joyful and voluntary (v. 18).

5.  Jesus is the dividing Shepherd.  As often happened a division — a schism — arose because of Christ (v. 19; cf. also 7:43; 8:59; 9:16).  Jesus divides, not only because of what people think about Him, but He divides because of what He thinks about people (Mt. 25:31-34, 41).  He evaluates the hearts of all men and determines their eternal destiny.  These final verses (vv. 19-21) are a caution to the reader:  don’t misunderstand the picture of Jesus as the shepherd.  Don’t think of Him only as carrying wounded lambs on His shoulders.  He does that.  But as shepherd He will also divide those who believe in Him from those who do not believe.

So this is our Shepherd — the one who cares and gives us what we need.  He (alone) is the Shepherd.  He is compassionate and giving in the way He leads.  He is true.  He is sacrificial.  And He is good.