I Am The Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18)
1
When I was ordained to the office of Minister of Word and Sacrament, the pastor of the largest church whose membership was over 2,000 people in Southern New England Presbytery gave a charge for me with a story of a good shepherd.
An Israeli shepherd was asked by a traveler:
"Do you know how many sheep are following you?"
The shepherd replied:
"I do not know."
The traveler asked him again:
"Then, you obviously do not know whether there are any lost sheep in your flock when you return home in the evening, do you?"
The shepherd replies:
"Yes, I know. Although I do not know how many sheep are following me, I know all my sheep by names."
The old pastor advised me to be a pastor who knows my flock by names. His good charge for me has been and will be remembered by me during my whole life as pastor.
When Moses asked God who would send him to Egypt to lead his people out of there, God answered him: "I AM THAT I AM. Tell them 'I AM THAT I AM' sent you." From the strange name "I AM THAT I AM" was come God's name "Jehovah." The name or characteristic "Jehovah" means self-existent from the beginning till eternity.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares himself "I AM."
I am the bread of life (6:35, 48), I am the (living) bread that came down from heaven (6:41, 50); I am the light of the world (8:12); I am the gate for the sheep (10:7); I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14); I am the resurrection and the life (11:25); I am the way and the truth and the life (14:6); I am the true vine (15:1).
Thus, these verses declare that Jesus Christ is the bread of life, the light of the world, the gate for the sheep, the good shepherd, the resurrection of the life, the way and the truth and the life, and the true vine from the beginning till eternity.
An Israeli shepherd was asked by a traveler:
"Do you know how many sheep are following you?"
The shepherd replied:
"I do not know."
The traveler asked him again:
"Then, you obviously do not know whether there are any lost sheep in your flock when you return home in the evening, do you?"
The shepherd replies:
"Yes, I know. Although I do not know how many sheep are following me, I know all my sheep by names."
The old pastor advised me to be a pastor who knows my flock by names. His good charge for me has been and will be remembered by me during my whole life as pastor.
When Moses asked God who would send him to Egypt to lead his people out of there, God answered him: "I AM THAT I AM. Tell them 'I AM THAT I AM' sent you." From the strange name "I AM THAT I AM" was come God's name "Jehovah." The name or characteristic "Jehovah" means self-existent from the beginning till eternity.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares himself "I AM."
I am the bread of life (6:35, 48), I am the (living) bread that came down from heaven (6:41, 50); I am the light of the world (8:12); I am the gate for the sheep (10:7); I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14); I am the resurrection and the life (11:25); I am the way and the truth and the life (14:6); I am the true vine (15:1).
Thus, these verses declare that Jesus Christ is the bread of life, the light of the world, the gate for the sheep, the good shepherd, the resurrection of the life, the way and the truth and the life, and the true vine from the beginning till eternity.
2
Jesus tells his disciples and us:
"I am the good shepherd." (vv. 11, 14)
What makes him "the good shepherd"?
First of all, the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.
It was no one else but Jesus who was willing to lay down his life on the cross at Calvary for his people.
A hireling is neither a shepherd nor an owner of the sheep. So, when a risk is at hand, he runs away because he cares nothing for the sheep. He does not have any willingness to lay down his life for the sheep
Secondly, the good shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep knows him.
The good shepherd knows his sheep by names.
The good shepherd knows all the characters of his sheep.
The good shepherd knows his sheep just as the Father knows the Son and the Son knows the Father.
In verse 27, Jesus tells us: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
There was an Irish missionary who was travelling Beer-sheba in Israel. He saw a shepherd and his sheep eating grass not far away from him.
The missionary asked the shepherd:
"How do you call your sheep?"
The shepherd let him hear a calling signal with a low voice.
After hearing him several times, the missionary thought he could also call the sheep with the similar signalling voice. He borrowed the shepherd's coat and staff.
He wore the coat and held the staff in his hand. And he called the sheep with the signalling voice several times. But the sheep did not respond at all. Not even a sheep.
Then, the real shepherd called the sheep with the similar signalling voice without his coat and staff. All the sheep stopped eating grass and gathered around the real shepherd.
Why do the sheep need a shepherd?
The sheep cannot survive if they depart from a shepherd.
The sheep do not have a sense of direction.
The sheep do not know in which direction they should go.
They should be guided by a shepherd.
The sheep do not know which grass is good and which grass is harmful for them.
Thus, a shepherd should lead the sheep to the pasture of good grass.
The sheep have the character of group activities.
If a sheep eats harmful grass, the second one also eats harmful grass. The third one eats it although he sees the first and the second sheep dying next him. It goes on until all the sheep eat harmful grass and die.
Without a shepherd, a sheep may fall from a cliff. The second sheep also falls from the cliff although he sees the first sheep falling from the cliff. It goes on until all the sheep fall from the cliff and die.
Thus, the sheep definitely need a shepherd.
And Jesus declares that he is the good shepherd.
Yet, there is a requirement to be his sheep.
What is it?
You need to listen to him. You need to follow his instructions.
Jesus told the Jews who were questioning about his Messiahship in John 10:26-27:
"You do not believe me because you are not my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice and follow me."
As Jesus called Peter telling him, "Feed my lambs; Take care of my sheep; Feed my sheep"(John 21:15, 16, 17), so does Jesus call many pastors to entrust them with his sheep.
The title 'pastor' which was from the word 'pasture' is another name for shepherd.
So many pastors want to take care of Jesus' sheep and to feed Jesus' sheep.
The sheep need pastor to be guided in the direction where Jesus wants his sheep to go and to be fed with the food of life.
The sheep need pastor because they do not know the right direction and cannot discern good grass.
Yet, some people in today's churches do not want to be called 'sheep.'
They seem to know already where to go and which food to eat.
They seem to think that they do not need pastor to be guided and to be fed with good grass. They seem to need pastor to guide him or to direct him.
David in Psalm 23:1 confesses his faith: "The LORD is my shepherd."
Although this is a very simple expression, it contains David's confidence of faith.
David uses the word "my" which shows an intimate relationship between David and the LORD.
As we all know well, David himself was a shepherd. As a shepherd David had taken good care of his sheep. Thus, he believes that as the good shepherd, God has been taking good care of him and will continue to take a good care of him although, right now, he is in the midst of turmoil and severe suffering.
During his lifetime, David was frequently chased by his beloved ones--by his father-in-law, Saul, and by his most beloved son, Absalom, etc.
Thus, sometimes, his heart was broken very much, and sometimes he did not know where to go to hide himself from them.
Yet, David says: "I shall not want." As the LORD is the Provider, Jehovah-jireh, he believes that his shortage may be overcome. Thus, he confesses that "I shall not want" in advance.
David believes God's excellent role of shepherd.
God is the only one whom he can lean on and trust wholly.
"I am the good shepherd." (vv. 11, 14)
What makes him "the good shepherd"?
First of all, the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.
It was no one else but Jesus who was willing to lay down his life on the cross at Calvary for his people.
A hireling is neither a shepherd nor an owner of the sheep. So, when a risk is at hand, he runs away because he cares nothing for the sheep. He does not have any willingness to lay down his life for the sheep
Secondly, the good shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep knows him.
The good shepherd knows his sheep by names.
The good shepherd knows all the characters of his sheep.
The good shepherd knows his sheep just as the Father knows the Son and the Son knows the Father.
In verse 27, Jesus tells us: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
There was an Irish missionary who was travelling Beer-sheba in Israel. He saw a shepherd and his sheep eating grass not far away from him.
The missionary asked the shepherd:
"How do you call your sheep?"
The shepherd let him hear a calling signal with a low voice.
After hearing him several times, the missionary thought he could also call the sheep with the similar signalling voice. He borrowed the shepherd's coat and staff.
He wore the coat and held the staff in his hand. And he called the sheep with the signalling voice several times. But the sheep did not respond at all. Not even a sheep.
Then, the real shepherd called the sheep with the similar signalling voice without his coat and staff. All the sheep stopped eating grass and gathered around the real shepherd.
Why do the sheep need a shepherd?
The sheep cannot survive if they depart from a shepherd.
The sheep do not have a sense of direction.
The sheep do not know in which direction they should go.
They should be guided by a shepherd.
The sheep do not know which grass is good and which grass is harmful for them.
Thus, a shepherd should lead the sheep to the pasture of good grass.
The sheep have the character of group activities.
If a sheep eats harmful grass, the second one also eats harmful grass. The third one eats it although he sees the first and the second sheep dying next him. It goes on until all the sheep eat harmful grass and die.
Without a shepherd, a sheep may fall from a cliff. The second sheep also falls from the cliff although he sees the first sheep falling from the cliff. It goes on until all the sheep fall from the cliff and die.
Thus, the sheep definitely need a shepherd.
And Jesus declares that he is the good shepherd.
Yet, there is a requirement to be his sheep.
What is it?
You need to listen to him. You need to follow his instructions.
Jesus told the Jews who were questioning about his Messiahship in John 10:26-27:
"You do not believe me because you are not my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice and follow me."
As Jesus called Peter telling him, "Feed my lambs; Take care of my sheep; Feed my sheep"(John 21:15, 16, 17), so does Jesus call many pastors to entrust them with his sheep.
The title 'pastor' which was from the word 'pasture' is another name for shepherd.
So many pastors want to take care of Jesus' sheep and to feed Jesus' sheep.
The sheep need pastor to be guided in the direction where Jesus wants his sheep to go and to be fed with the food of life.
The sheep need pastor because they do not know the right direction and cannot discern good grass.
Yet, some people in today's churches do not want to be called 'sheep.'
They seem to know already where to go and which food to eat.
They seem to think that they do not need pastor to be guided and to be fed with good grass. They seem to need pastor to guide him or to direct him.
David in Psalm 23:1 confesses his faith: "The LORD is my shepherd."
Although this is a very simple expression, it contains David's confidence of faith.
David uses the word "my" which shows an intimate relationship between David and the LORD.
As we all know well, David himself was a shepherd. As a shepherd David had taken good care of his sheep. Thus, he believes that as the good shepherd, God has been taking good care of him and will continue to take a good care of him although, right now, he is in the midst of turmoil and severe suffering.
During his lifetime, David was frequently chased by his beloved ones--by his father-in-law, Saul, and by his most beloved son, Absalom, etc.
Thus, sometimes, his heart was broken very much, and sometimes he did not know where to go to hide himself from them.
Yet, David says: "I shall not want." As the LORD is the Provider, Jehovah-jireh, he believes that his shortage may be overcome. Thus, he confesses that "I shall not want" in advance.
David believes God's excellent role of shepherd.
God is the only one whom he can lean on and trust wholly.
3
We believe that Jesus Christ is our good shepherd because he already laid down his life on the cross for us and he even counts our hairs.
Believing that Jesus Christ is 'my' good shepherd means that 'I' know Jesus Christ, listen to him and follow him.
Every pastor tries to follow the example of Jesus Christ as a good shepherd.
To be a good shepherd the pastor prays God for His guidance and listens to God not to people, and does his best to guide the sheep with which Jesus entrusted him.
People in the church as the flock need pastor to be guided in the paths of the Lord and to be fed with the food of life that God provides.
Whether you are a pastor or a sheep, you need to look to Jesus Christ and follow him, "Jesus Christ is my good shepherd and I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters; he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
Believing that Jesus Christ is 'my' good shepherd means that 'I' know Jesus Christ, listen to him and follow him.
Every pastor tries to follow the example of Jesus Christ as a good shepherd.
To be a good shepherd the pastor prays God for His guidance and listens to God not to people, and does his best to guide the sheep with which Jesus entrusted him.
People in the church as the flock need pastor to be guided in the paths of the Lord and to be fed with the food of life that God provides.
Whether you are a pastor or a sheep, you need to look to Jesus Christ and follow him, "Jesus Christ is my good shepherd and I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters; he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
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