Good afternoon and welcome to all. Our text this week is from the gospel of John.This is a continuation of a story that Jesus is teaching about the good shepherd. He is describing to them that he is the good shepherd and the flock will know and follow him. He is also the gate to the sheepfold and all must enter through him. He is using metaphors about herding sheep to describe his role in the world. They would have all understood the role of a shepherd. In the eastern world a shepherd will walk out in front of his sheep leading them to pastures. All the sheep of his flock know his voice and will follow it. If several shepherds get together for a while and their sheep intermingle it is no problem as when they are ready to leave each shepherd will call out his distinctive call and his own sheep will follow him. In the evening he will lead them into a sheepfold out in the pasture. This was a low, round, stone pen with one opening. The shepherd would sleep at that opening (gate) thereby keeping the sheep safe and inside the pen. If several shepherds used the pen there was no problem as in the morning each would call and his own sheep would come out and follow him.
V11 Jesus refers to himself as “the” good shepherd not “a” good shepherd. In this verse he says “I am” for the fourth time. “I am” was the name of God. In the Old Testament at the burning bush Moses asked for the name of who was speaking and God said My name is “I am who I am”. Also in the Old Testament the use of the term “shepherd” denoted “King”. (Psalm 23, Jeremiah 23:1-8 and Ezekiel 34:11-16) In the verses in Ezekiel, God had said that He was the good shepherd, now Jesus says it. He is claiming to be the Messiah. A good king lays down his life for his people, which is what Jesus finally did at the cross.
V12-13 A hired hand has nothing vested in the sheep, as they are not his, and will run from danger. He has no sense of loyalty toward them. In this verse Jesus is implying the Jewish leaders are hired help, they are not the true leaders of the people and are therefore bad shepherds. The prophets of old had also criticized their leaders as bad shepherds. The leaders have scattered and frightened the flock (people). The people are seeing inconsistencies in their leadership. The leaders are not living out the teachings they proclaim. Instead of loving and caring for the people the leaders have heaped rule upon rule onto the people until it has become almost impossible to keep all of them. The people are loosing sight of how to have a relationship with God because they can’t keep all the rules.
V14-15 Jesus is our good shepherd. He owns us and we are his sheep. Just as he and his Father have intimate knowledge of each other; so he has intimate knowledge of each one of us. Again he states that he will lay down his life for the sheep. He will protect them (us) at all costs.
V16 Jesus has other sheep too; the Gentiles. Even though he came to the lost sheep of Israel he will send his disciples out to the Gentiles to gather them in also. He will have one flock and he will be their only shepherd.
V17-18 Because Jesus will voluntarily lay down his life for the sheep (us) he is in unity with his Fathers’ mission. No one will take Jesus’ life from him. He will give it up for all. He will willingly go to the cross for his sheep. There wasn’t another leader in Israel that was willing to do that – be crucified on a cross for the people.
In John 19:30 Jesus did just that. He said “It is finished” and he bowed his head and he gave up his spirit. He did this of his own will. No one took it from him.
Since we are Jesus’ flock of sheep shouldn’t we be following him? Shouldn’t the shepherd determine the path and we will follow along behind doing as he directs? In Psalm 23, the reading most choose for their funeral, the shepherd leads his sheep by gentle waters, green pastures and through evil valleys yet we are comforted by his presence. We eat with him and desire his protection. If this is our desire why do we end up trying to control everything? Why do we, the sheep, try to determine where we will go and how we will get there? Jesus may lead us not where we want to go but where we must go. He may lead us through the darkest valley but he will be there with us offering protection and comfort. We are to follow him.
Peace be with you, Kim
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