Text: John 10:11-18 Good Shepherd Sunday
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns 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. 13 The 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— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 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. This command I received from my Father.”
The Risen Christ Is our Good Shepherd.
I. By His ultimate love
II. By His ultimate power
Dear fellow redeemed in the blood of the Good Shepherd,
In the early centuries of the Church, the image of the Good Shepherd was the favorite representation of the Savior. In fact, it was the most common symbol in the Church before the cross or crucifix. They painted the Good Shepherd on the walls of the catacombs, where the frescoes can be seen to this day. They adorned Lord’s Supper cups with this figure and carved it on burial vaults. The picture of the Good Shepherd was to early Christians what the cross is for us today. But why was this? Today we see that it is because the Risen Christ is our Good Shepherd. He has proven that by His ultimate love, and His ultimate power,
I. [By His ultimate love] Sheep have always been a major part of the economy, and a common sight in Israel. We know that King David, who lived about 3000 years ago was a shepherd before he became king. 2000 years ago we hear about more shepherds, these being the first to hear the news of Jesus’ birth! And today, still. When I was in Israel last May I saw numerous flocks of sheep, with shepherds leading them across the roads and through fields. While we in Sonoma County may not know sheep quite as well as Israel, it’s still a picture we can relate to. Every time I drive down Adobe Rd on the way to church, I pass a flock of sheep on the right, grazing away in the field.
Those sheep that I pass are a picture of us… you and me. In the words of Isaiah, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way.” Isaiah 53:6 Like those sheep that I pass, each of us is pointed a different direction, not concerned much with anything except “feeding” ourselves. Maybe that’s with food, maybe it’s with money, maybe it’s with earthly happiness. And when these earthly pleasures are our main concern, aren’t we failing to keep even the first commandment? Guaranteeing us an eternal separation from our Shepherd?
Now those sheep on Adobe Rd are pretty safe because they’re in a pen, and there isn’t much danger of predators. But imagine that the flock doesn’t have a fence around it and ferocious wolves are prowling around the perimeter. Now we have a better picture of what life is like for us here on earth. As we each wander our own way, we become easy to pick off by the devil or one of his many demons. And not only do we have Satan, sin, and death stalking us, but we walk an earth that is full of pits that can lead to despair: sickness, pain, loneliness, sadness.
What we need is a Good Shepherd to protect and guide us. A hired hand won’t do the trick. The hired hand watches us so he gets a paycheck. We need someone that actually cares about and loves us. Someone like the Good Shepherd.
He has done what no hired hand would do. He has made the ultimate sacrifice of love to save the flock. We were locked in the jaws of the vicious wolf Satan. But our Good Shepherd took on Satan and all Satan’s powers Himself in the epic Battle of the Ages that culminated on the cross 2000 years ago. And it cost Him His life, but He saved us. He didn’t just do this to be honorable. He did it because He loves us. Each and every one of us. And He did it because He wants us to live. Even weak little you, even weak little me.
Donald Miller is a Christian author who chronicled his experiences going to Reed College up in Portland. He writes about Penny who was a recent convert to the Christian faith. She said that before she became a Christian, she had this idea that if Christianity was a person, Christianity would not like her. Worse than that, she had the idea that if she ever met Jesus, that He would not like her. She was too broken, and too wrong, in too many ways. But she said that after reading about Him in Matthew, she realized that maybe He would like her. He certainly got mad at people, but the ones who were broken, like her, He had nothing but love for. Our Good Shepherd does indeed know us. He knows us intimately. Jesus says, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” Jesus knows as intimately as He knows His heavenly Father. He knows every one of His sheep’s weaknesses, frailties, insecurities, and blemishes. And He loves us just the same. Even enough to die for us.
II. [ By His ultimate power] The Risen Christ is indeed our Good Shepherd. But please don’t think that “good” means He’s a little better than the average shepherd. By no means! He is in a class all His own.
The average shepherd will protect his flock, but he probably won’t die for them. When a predator attacks the sheep, he’ll often be able to kill it without dying himself, like King David did in the Old Testament. And really, it’s counter-productive for the shepherd to die for his flock. Because if he does, the flock will have no shepherd and they’ll all die.
Not so with the Good Shepherd. He has given His life for the broken sheep. And yet it doesn’t result in our death, but in true life for us! Because even as He gave His life for us, it did not mean He had lost the battle to Satan. He rose again victorious three days later. Proving that He had defeated Satan and that He still reigns as our Shepherd. He has power, even to take up His own life again. And He certainly has power to restore the lives of His sheep as well. Because He’s not just a Shepherd of Love, He’s a Shepherd of Power.
You know all those times that a friend or family member shares with you a hardship they’ve experienced? And all you can say is “I’m sorry to hear that?” And it’s especially tough when the person is going through the hardship (whether it’s an addiction, a struggle, whatever it might be) right as they tell you about it, and there is nothing you can do except pray!
Well that’s not the case with the Good Shepherd. He is able to help! He has helped and He does help! By the power of His sacrifice, He has actually completely healed us of our sins. We appear perfect in God’s eyes through faith. And because He has risen, we have the comfort that He still rules us as our Shepherd and King.
Dating back thousands of years, kings were often called shepherds. The idea was that they cared for their kingdoms much like a shepherd cares for his flock. That’s the case here, too. Our Good Shepherd is the Kings of Kings. He proves that by the power of His sacrifice. By rising again and giving us a new and restored life of hope here. And by leading us to the perfect pastures of peace beyond the grave.
What is it like to be living under this Shepherd-King who still lives? Look no further than the 23rd Psalm. There the Old Testament shepherd David tells us all the comfort that is ours. We shall not be in want, because the Good Shepherd provides for all our needs. We lie down in green pastures, knowing He is with us. We follow as He safely guides us in paths of righteousness. And, even when we walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, we fear no evil. He is with us, comforting us with His rod and staff. Surely goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This is the comfort we have with our Good Shepherd. But it’s not just for us. Our Shepherd tells us that He has other sheep which are not of this pen. These being those who have not yet come to faith. They, too, must be brought to Him. By the grace of God, we are given the privilege to tell them about our Good Shepherd and His love for us.
Conclusion: I’m guessing that most, if not all of us, are familiar with the hymn The King of Love My Shepherd Is. It was written by Sir Henry Williams Baker, and is considered one of the most beautiful musical renditions of the 23rd Psalm. When he died, his friend John Ellerton reports that his last words were from this beloved hymn.
“Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.”
Because of our Risen Savior, who is the Good Shepherd, that’s the comfort we can all have, every day of our lives. Though we have strayed, He has sought us out. We are now gently laid on His shoulder, and He’s taking us home. “The King of Love our Shepherd is.” “His goodness fails us never.” Amen