(Audio version; Music: "Stronger" by: Hillsong Chapel and "Sovereign Over Us" By: WorshipMob)
Introduction
Biblical illustrations can be hard for many of us to
grasp, especially illustrations having to do with agriculture or livestock. Sheep
in particular play a prominent role in the Bible both literally and
metaphorically. I’ll go into greater detail shortly about the significance of
sheep in the Bible but for the moment it will suffice to say that sheep are
dumb animals. For example, they will race into a rushing river for a drink of
water and quickly drown when their wool gets wet and drags them under. Sheep
are easily led astray of the flock and get lost while still within sight of the
flock. They would literally find someway to kill themselves or wander into the
path of danger if there wasn’t a shepherd nearby to protect them. Does that
remind you of anything? There’s a very good reason that sheep are often used as
a metaphor for people in the Bible. It makes sense doesn’t it? Take a look at
the world around you. Do you see most people as sheep or as shepherds? Do
people run headlong to destroy themselves and others physically, emotionally,
and spiritually or are they preoccupied with caring for and protecting other
people as a shepherd cares for and protects his sheep? For example, followers
of Islam have been so deceived by Satan that they can’t wait to kill themselves
and others fast enough all in the name of a lie. Satan has used race-baiters to
poison the minds of countless millions to believe that they are victims of
racism where none exists. A depraved culture has believed the lie that
homosexuality is a perfectly normal alternative lifestyle. Countless millions
have been brainwashed into believing that creation is more worthy of worship
than the Creator. Satan, in partnership with a grotesquely depraved generation
has spawned and inspired an entire industry dedicated to murdering innocent
babies and selling their body parts under the euphemistic banner of healthcare.
Humanity is so intent on destroying itself in some way that it can’t help but appoint
or elect leaders to speed them along the path to self-destruction. And all the
while Satan crouches in wait ready to devour people who are deceived by
religious and secular leaders who care only about how they can use people to
satisfy their insatiable desire for more and more money, sex, and power. That’s
why we, just like sheep, need a shepherd—a shepherd to care for us; to protect
us; to save us. But not just any shepherd. We need The Good Shepherd.
Subject Text
John 10:1-18
1“I tell you the truth,
the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some
other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate
is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him,
and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads
them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of
them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But
they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because
they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6Jesus used this figure of
speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 7Therefore
Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All
who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen
to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He
will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to
steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to
the full. 11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep. 12The 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. 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.
16I 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. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my
life—only to take it up again. 18No 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.”
Context
In the immediate biblical context, our Subject Text comes on the heels of
Jesus healing the man who was blind from birth. After Jesus heels the man, the man
is brought before the Pharisees for questioning. There before the Pharisees,
the man confessed that he had no idea who Jesus was. All he knew was that he
was once blind but Jesus gave him back his sight. The Pharisees tried to impugn
Jesus by insisting that He couldn’t have performed a miracle because He was a
sinner. But the man, who was once blind, proved to be no match for the mighty
religious leaders when he said, “We know that God does not listen to sinners.
He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening
the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do
nothing (Jn 9:31-33).” The Pharisees weren’t about to have some everyday person
try and teach them something so they
had him thrown out. Jesus heard how he was treated and went and found him. Upon
finding him, the man makes a public profession of faith in Jesus. Jesus then
says something very important in Jn 9:39 when He says, “For judgment I have
come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will be
blind.” Jesus makes it clear that there are two types of people in the world—those
who open their eyes to the truth and are saved and those who should be able to
see the truth but purposely close their eyes to it. The distinction will be important
later on when we get into the heart of our lesson.
It is also important in this case to understand the
specific cultural context or our Subject
Text. “Sheep are the most frequently mentioned animal in the Bible, with nearly
four hundred references if we include references to flocks. Additionally, the
figure of the shepherd receives approximately one hundred references. This
prominence grows out of two phenomena—the importance of sheep to the nomadic
and agricultural life of the Hebrews, and the qualities of sheep and shepherds
that made them particularly apt sources of metaphor for spiritual realities.
Conditions of shepherding in ancient Palestine provide
the foundation for figurative references. These conditions were very different
from most modern practices. Sheep were not fenced in and left to fend for
themselves. Instead they were totally dependent on shepherds for protection,
grazing, watering, shelter and tending to injuries. In fact, sheep would not
survive long without a shepherd. Sheep are not only dependent creatures; they
are also singularly unintelligent, prone to wandering and unable to find their
way to the sheepfold [on their own]…
The helplessness of the sheep helps to explain the
actions and qualities of a good shepherd, who in the Bible is a case study in
care and compassion. It was the task of the shepherd to lead sheep from
nighttime protection in the sheepfold on safe paths to places of grazing and
watering. After morning grazing and watering, sheep typically lie down for several
hours at midday in a shady and cool place, returning at night to the sheepfold,
where the shepherd would attend to fevered or scratched sheep. To protect sheep
against predators, shepherds would carry two pieces of equipment, the ‘rod and
staff’ of Psalm 23:4, one of them a clublike weapon and the other the familiar
crook used for protection, rescue and placing across the backs of sheep to
count them as they entered the sheepfold…
Shepherds were thus providers, guides, protectors and
constant companions of sheep. They were also figures of authority and
leadership to the animals under their care. So close is the connection between
shepherd and sheep that to this day Middle Eastern shepherds can divide flocks
that have mingled at a well or during the night simply by calling their sheep,
who follow their shepherd’s voice. Shepherds are inseparable from their flocks,
and their work is demanding, solitary and sometimes dangerous...
Building on the literal facts of sheep and shepherding,
biblical writers and Jesus construct an elaborate symbolic and metaphoric
framework of references.”[1]
Text Analysis
1“I tell you the truth, the
man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other
way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the
shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the
sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When
he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow
him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a
stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a
stranger’s voice.” 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did
not understand what he was telling them.
Jesus’ listeners would have easily agreed with what Jesus
was saying in vv. 1-6. However, we
learn in v. 6 that they didn’t understand what He was telling them. It’s not
that they didn’t understand the business of shepherding, they didn’t understand
what that had to do with anything. Remember Jesus just finished facing off with
the Pharisees because he gave the sight back to a man who was blind from birth.
So when he begins this lesson with “I tell you the truth,” they are expecting
some great theological wisdom not something that is common knowledge and has no
spiritual application—at least not as far as they understood. But Jesus would
soon make the connection for them in the ensuing verses. The important thing
communicated in these first six verses is that there is only one authentic
shepherd and only he has unfettered access to the sheep. The sheep recognize
his voice and follow him. Anyone else who tries to get to the sheep must be a
thief and robber.
“The sheepfold was a place of security, not a place for
intruders. Such a sheepfold would likely have been either a circular or square
enclosure, probably constructed like a stone fence or wall and perhaps topped
with vines. The entrance would have been the only break in the wall, and once
the sheep were safely inside at night, the watchman/guard (either a servant or
a shepherd, usually an assistant) would lie down across the opening and serve
both as the protector for the sheep and as a gate to the sheepfold. Unless an
intruder was willing to confront the watchman, the only way into the sheepfold
was to climb the wall.”[2]
7Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I
am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves
and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
Jesus begins to shed some
light on what He’s trying to teach His followers beginning in vv. 7-8. Remember that once the sheep
are in the pen for the night, a watchman or guard of some sort sleeps in the
opening of the pen. Jesus is saying that He
is the one who guards the opening; He
is the gate; the only authentic gate; the true gate. Anyone else who claimed to
be that gate was in fact a thief and robber. Jesus is referring in this case to
the religious leaders. Yes, they were charged with shepherding the people but
instead they used the people to maintain their power and enrich themselves. The
religious leaders weren’t true shepherds, they were thieves and robbers. There
was a reason Jesus drew crowds by the thousands to hear Him teach—they had
stopped listening to the thieves and robbers.
“The reference to all others who came before was not
directed at Old Testament saints and prophets, but those who had come on the
scene pretending to be the Christ, or who had led the people away from God. By
immediate context, we see that Jesus was also referring to those evil Jewish
religious leaders who cared nothing about the spiritual welfare of the people,
but only about their petty rules and their reputation. Their treatment of Jesus
had made it clear that they were far more committed to their system than to
God’s word. They had invented their own gateway and had appointed themselves
gatekeepers. Jesus reminded them that any other supposed ‘gate’ to salvation is
false.
Though false teachers, leaders, and messiahs do have
their followings, the true sheep of God do not listen to any of them because
none of them possess the authentic voice of the Shepherd.”[3]
9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be
saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief
comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full.
We get to the heart of what Jesus is teaching in vv. 9-10. Later in John’s Gospel Jesus
tells His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me (Jn 14:6).” The salvation message has always been
the same: We are saved through our faith in Jesus and only in Jesus. “Salvation
is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to
mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).” Any and every other belief
system (including atheism), whether sacred or secular is a lie if Jesus and His
saving work is not at the center of it. Jesus’ reference to giving believers
“life to the full” conveys the promise of a life today filled with the love of
God and the hope of eternity and after our earthly lives are complete, the fulfillment
of the promise of life in the presence of God for all eternity. Those who lead
others away from the truth of Jesus are thieves and robbers who steal those
promises away from people with their lies.
“This is the proverbial way of insisting that there is
only one means of receiving eternal life, only one source of knowledge of God,
only one fount of spiritual nourishment, only one basis for spiritual
security—Jesus alone. The world still seeks its humanistic, political
saviours—its Hitlers, its Stalins, its Maos, its Pol Pots—and only too late
does it learn that they blatanly confiscate personal property (they come ‘only
to steal’), ruthlessly trample human life under foot (they come ‘only…to
kill’), and contemptuously savage all that is valuable (they come ‘only…to
destroy’). ‘Jesus is right. It is not the Christian doctrine of heaven that is
the myth, but the humanist dream of utopia.’
Within the metaphorical world, life…to the full suggests fat, contented, flourishing sheep, not
terrorized by brigands; outside the narrative world, it means that the life of
Jesus’ true disciples enjoy is not to be construed as more time to fill (merely
‘everlasting’ life), but life at it scarcely imagined best, life to be lived.”[4]
11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down
his life for the sheep. 12The 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. 13The man
runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
According to vv.
11-13, Jesus isn’t just any shepherd and His mission isn’t for the purpose
of personal gain. As important as a hired hand might be in a business venture,
he or she will never be invested to the same degree as the business owner. A
hired hand is motivated by the money received for services rendered. The job
may be important and the hired hand may even love the job and be loyal to the
owner, but that loyalty has its limits when the cost of being employed exceeds
the benefit of being employed. In this case Jesus, The Good Shepherd, is willing to die for His sheep and that price
is far too steep for a hired hand who has no actual vested interest in the
sheep. For the hired hand, it’s just a job. For The Good Shepherd it’s personal. Beyond the metaphor, the religious
leaders and false teachers of Jesus’ day and even those who came after and continue
to this day know little of personal sacrifice for the benefit of others.
However they are experts at sacrificing others for their own benefit. How many
religious leaders fail to lead people into Biblical truth and thereby allow
their respective flocks to be slaughtered by their own sins all because they
are afraid the people given to their care and protection will get mad at them
and stop coming? And we all know what that means…fewer people means less money
in the offering basket. How many religious leaders fail to lead people into
Biblical grace and thereby allow their respective flocks to slaughter each
other because of their own sins all because they are afraid of losing control
of the people given to their care and protection? And what does that mean? Controlling
the people means controlling the money in the offering basket. Are you starting
to see a pattern here? Let me illustrate it this way. When I was in Seminary,
one of my professors surveyed the class to find out what motivated them to attend
Seminary. He asked two questions. The first question was, “How many of you are
here because your church wants you to have better or more theological
training?” That didn’t apply to me but about 30% of the class fit into this
category. The second question was, “How many of you are here because you
believe a Masters Degree will advance your ministry career either positionally
or financially?” With the exception of me and one other person, the rest of the
class, nearly 70%, fell into this category. 30% were compelled to be there as a
condition of their employment and 70% were there for personal gain.
The professor caught up to me after class because he
noticed that I didn’t raise my hand for either category. He asked me why. I
explained that I wasn’t part of a church staff so the first question didn’t
even apply to me. As far as the second question, I told him that I was already
a well respected business professional making a substantial amount of money.
Attending Seminary was the first step on a trajectory that was taking me in the
opposite direction professionally, socially, and financially. I attended
Seminary because I believe that was what God was calling me to do. For me,
being a pastor has nothing to do with position or money because I already had
both of those things and gave them up. For me, being a pastor is about being in
partnership with the Creator of the universe to share the gospel of Jesus
Christ and to care and protect all those who God places in my path by guiding
them with Biblical truth and loving them with Biblical grace.
“The Good Shepherd
does not just lie across the opening of the pen to frighten away dangerous
predators; if necessary he lays down his life for the sheep…The [Greek word] kalos (good) emphasizes genuineness, value, and truth. This verse shows us
how the good shepherd differs from other shepherds. They might risk their lives
for the sheep as David did in fighting off lions and bears, but they would
never intentionally die for the sheep as The
Good Shepherd will do. This passage describes the substitutionary atonement
for sin, the supreme sacrifice of Calvary.
‘The shepherd does not die for his sheep to serve as an
example, throwing himself off a cliff in a grotesque and futile display while
bellowing, “See how much I love you!” No, the assumption is that the sheep are
in mortal danger; that in their defense the shepherd loses his life; and by his
death they are saved. That and that alone, is what makes him The Good Shepherd.’”[5]
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.
There is a connection between Jesus and His true
followers that can be difficult to describe; a connection that is so intimate
and strong that Jesus compares it in vv.
14-15 to His relationship with the Father. Jesus’ reference to the Father
seems like a non-sequitur but it opens the door to something Jesus will teach
in the Temple during the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem that is recorded in vv.
24-30 following our Subject Text
that reads:
The
Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If
you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you
do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do
not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know
them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never
perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to
me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and
the Father are one.”
If you’ll take a step back from the text, you’ll see the
theological thread that weaves its way back and forth to create a divine
tapestry of a shepherd-God starting in v. 9 when Jesus says, “I am the gate; whoever
enters through me will be saved;” and then forward to Jn 14:6 when He says, “I
am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me;” and then back again to Jn 10:30 where He says, “I and my Father
are one;” and then forward once again to Jn 14:10-11 where he says, “Don’t you
believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say
to you are not my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his
work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”
You see, true believers have a connection to The Good Shepherd that is inseparable as Paul affirms when he says:
For
I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither
the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:38-39).
Under the sovereign care of The Good Shepherd, true believers are both safe and saved not just
because of what He does but because
of who He is. “As Son, Jesus can
function as a unique delegate on his Father’s behalf and, indeed, the ‘Father
has given all things into the Son’s hands’ ([Jn] 3:35…All that the Son does, he
does in perfect harmony with his Father’s will. Thus the Gospel speaks of
reciprocal knowledge of Father and Son. Because of this intimate and reciprocal
knowledge, the Son reveals the Father. When the Gospel speaks of the unity of
the Father and Son, it points especially to their unity in the work of
revelation and salvation. That is to say, the actions and words of Jesus were
truly the actions and words of God. In the incarnate Word we are confronted by
God, and the designation of Jesus as ‘Son’ serves to underscore the intimate
connection between God and Jesus.”[6]
16I 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.
V. 16 is such
an odd verse that seems to get tossed in as an after-thought. In order to break
this verse down, let’s try and understand who the sheep are that are already in
the sheep pen and who the “other sheep” represent. We have to remember that
Jesus’ primary mission was first to the Jews. In fact, all His disciples were
Jews. Jesus’ first followers were all Jews. These are the sheep that are
already in the sheep pen. However, if you recall, Jesus at times crossed over
the Sea of Galilee to the region of the Garasenes. It was the Gentile region of
the Decapolis where Jesus also offered the gift of salvation and where the
gospel message spread as a result of Jesus’ miracles. Remember also Jesus’
encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well who also became a believer and
who led her entire village to belief in Jesus as the result of her personal
encounter with Jesus. These non-Jews and many others, who became or would
become followers of Jesus are the “other sheep” Jesus is referring to. This is
consistent with the promise of Jn 3:16—“For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.” “The picture we have thus far consists of a
sheepfold filled with animals and Jesus, The
Good Shepherd, calling his own sheep from this fold with his voice. This
flock constitutes his sheep, his followers, and those who do not know his voice
presumably refers to unbelieving Jews from which Jesus’ followers come.
However, Jesus says, there are ‘other sheep’ that do not come from this
sheepfold. If they come from a different fold, they come from outside Judaism,
which no doubt refers to Gentiles. They too will recognize Jesus’ voice and
follow him, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd. This is Jesus’
vision for the unity of the church: Jewish believers and Gentile believers
living together under Christ’s leadership. For the first time, Jesus is
anticipating in detail the wider scope of his ministry to reach the world.”[7]
17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my
life—only to take it up again. 18No 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.”
A significant part of the intimacy that Jesus shares with
the Father as described in vv. 17-18
is rooted in large part in Jesus’ obedience to the Father’s will. And because
of His obedience He was given authority over all matters of life and death
including His own. Although Jesus was constantly in danger from the religious
leaders who were always looking for an excuse to either arrest Him or stone Him,
here in Chapter 10 He is moving from town to town teaching without much overt
opposition. The claims Jesus is making in vv.
17-18 are certainly bold but we can all be bold in our proclamations; we
can all be courageous in theory. But what happens when things start going bad
for real? What happens when people begin to hate us because of our message? What
happens when we are threatened because of what we believe? What will our
obedience look like then? What will our courage look like then? Well let’s see
what it looked like for Jesus in two settings that correspond directly to vv. 17-18.
The Garden of Gethsemane and v. 17—Radical Obedience
On the night that Jesus was betrayed by Judas, He knew
what was coming. He knew the road the Father asked Him to travel—it wasn’t
theory any more; it wasn’t a divine idea or concept, this was real. Jesus knew it would be awful
and He was distraught so His natural reaction in the face of His impending doom
was to call on His Father.
Then
Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to
them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons
of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he
said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay
here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to
the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken
from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples
and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he
asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The
spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” He went away a second time and
prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless
I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them
sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once
more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the
disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour
is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us
go! Here comes my betrayer (Mt 26:36-46)!”
Before Pontius Pilot and v. 18—Supreme Authority
People who hate us and threaten us can be very
intimidating. Especially when they are in a position of authority over us—like
a spouse or a teacher or a boss. It can be hard to know how to respond.
However, we don’t need to defend Jesus against those who dishonor Him with
their unbelief. We just have to step aside and let Jesus remind everyone that
He has been given the Supreme Authority to lay down his life and take it back
up again according to the will of the Father.
Then
Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of
thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to
him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in
the face. Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing
him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”
When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate
said to them, “Here is the man!” As soon as the chief priests and their
officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You
take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must
die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this, he
was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come
from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to
me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to
crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not
given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of
a greater sin (Jn 19:1-11).”
“Jesus does not come to his death because his enemies
prevail. Indeed, they are continually foiled in their attempts to arrest Jesus
until his hour arrives. John also underscores Jesus’ knowledge of the identity
of the betrayer and the time of betrayal, going so far as to portray Jesus as
ordering Judas to perform the deed at a specific time, orchestrating his own
sacrifice. This heightens the perception of Jesus not as victim but as a
willing benefactor who is even proactive in his death. As the passion unfolds,
Jesus remains a powerful figure both in his encounter with the soldiers and
with Pilate. John is thus careful to show that Jesus never loses his power or
authority. Everything he suffers, he endures voluntarily because he has
undertaken to achieve a noble goal.
The nobility of that goal comes from the fact that Jesus
dies on account of obedience to God, his Father. The cross is the
accomplishment of the Father’s work as well as an opportunity for the Son to
bring honor to the Father.”[8]
Application
Let me just say that being a dad to my two daughters has
been the greatest joy and privilege of my life. I can also say that it’s
probably the closest I can say I’ve come to shepherding sheep. My girls aren’t
dumb like sheep but if you’ve been a parent for any significant amount of time,
you’ll appreciate when I say that caring for them and protecting them so that
they don’t destroy themselves physically, emotionally, financially, and
especially spiritually is a daunting task. However, I have a beautiful
relationship with my girls built on love and trust. They know that I love them
unconditionally so they trust my direction and guidance. They know they are
safe with me because they know I would give my life for either or both of them
without hesitation. In relation to our Subject
Text, they know my voice and follow me.
If you are an unbeliever, whether you know it or not, you
are a lost sheep in a world that is constantly waiting to devour you. You may
feel safe trusting in secular leaders to protect you and care for you but they
are simply hired hands who are motivated by their own selfish desires and who
will discard you as soon as you are no longer useful. You may feel on top of
the world right now chasing after all the desires of your heart—money, sex, and
power but a day will come when that won’t be enough and you’ll look around at
all your personal possessions, you’ll replay in your mind the countless people
you’ve slept with, you look at all your trophies and certificates and degrees
and realize that there is nothing left to accomplish and yet there’s still a
giant hole in your life that remains empty. You’ve tried various cults that
promise peace and fulfillment but you feel darkness pressing in all around you.
Now you’re at the end of the line; you’ve hit rock bottom; you’re desperately
lost. If you will just stop for one moment and say this simple prayer—“Jesus,
I’m listening. I’m sorry my sins have hurt you. Please come and save me.” I
promise you that He will save you. Jesus has been looking for you and calling
you this whole time because He is The
Good Shepherd.
If you are a true follower of Jesus Christ and you feel
like you’re lost and alone even while you’ve been calling out for Jesus, I want
to challenge you to try something different—I want to challenge you to be still
and be quiet and listen for His voice. If you’ve wandered away for whatever
reason from Jesus and now can’t figure out how to get back, I can assure you
that He is looking for you; calling you, and if you will just listen, you will
hear and recognize His voice. And when you do hear His voice then the way back
to Him is through obedience to Him. Confess and repent of whatever it may have
been that drew you away from Him. And you will once again find yourself under
the loving care and protection of The
Good Shepherd.
[1] Leland
Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, Temper Longman III, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic,
1998), pp. 782-783.
[2] Gerald
L. Borchert, John 1-11—The New
American Commentary, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 1996), p. 331.
[3] Bruce
Barton, Philip Comfort, Grant Osborne, Linda K. Taylor, and Dave Veerman, Life Application New Testament Commentary,
(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), p. 419.
[4] D. A.
Carson, The Gospel According to John—The
Pillar New Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1991), p. 385.
[5] Kenneth
O. Gangel, John—Holman New Testament
Commentary, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2000), p. 197.
[6] Joel B.
Green, Scot McKnight, and I. Howard Marshall, eds., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 1992), p. 378.
[7] Gary M.
Burge, John—The NIV Application
Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), p. 292.
[8] David A.
deSilva, An Introduction to the New
Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation, (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2004), p. 427.
No comments:
Post a Comment