Jesus, the Good Shepherd

A message from John 10:11-16, 26-30 by Phil Rogers 24/02/08

To listen to Phil's message click here mp3

I have never kept sheep. The only animal we kept was a rabbit called Wacko. He was Tim’s rabbit, but as with most family pets it ended up with me having to clean him out and look after him. We also have a pond in our garden and have had lots of brightly coloured fish, until Mr Heron paid a visit and ate them all. Sadly that was also the fate of Wacko. Not the heron, of course, one could hardly imagine a heron eating a great bit fat grey brown rabbit. No Mr Fox came visiting and had Wacko for his dinner. We felt a little sad, but I can’t say I am very sentimental about animals. At least I didn’t have to clean him out every week!

I guess shepherds care a great deal for their sheep. As we have seen, sheep are not pets. They are kept to provide an income for the shepherd and his family so losing one represents considerable financial loss. Jesus describes himself as the GOOD SHEPHERD, in constrast with hirelings, who do not own the sheep so when danger arises and a wolf comes around, the hired help runs away. I don’t think Jesus is referring to anyone in particular here, just pointing out that he is not like that. The reason he is not like that is that he owns the sheep. The key point out of this whole passage that I believe the Lord wants us to take home is that “We are His”, we belong to him, he is our owner, we are his people, his flock. Although this involves each of us individually it is a corporate belonging. “We are his, his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Ps 100:3

In this passage there are ten things about the Good Shepherd and his sheep, I want us to note.
1. We have been given to Jesus by his Father. v29.
The flock is owned by the Father, but he made his Son the Shepherd and gave us to him. Each of us is of immense value to God, we belong to him, not to ourselves.
2. He lays down his life for his sheep. v11,15, 17, 18.
This is the very heart of the Gospel. Jesus laid down his life for us, his people! We could never have become his people had he not gone to the cross. The good Shepherd has laid his life down for YOU. Do you believe that he died for you and become his?
3. We have been given eternal life. v28.
Jesus also had authority to take up his life again and he rose again to give us eternal life. v 17-18. He gives us an abundant life on this earth and life for ever when we die. Do you know you have eternal life; that his life is in you and that you will live with him for ever? We need never fear death.
4. He is concerned about his sheep. v13
Do we ever think of the Lord as being more concerned about himself than us, his sheep? Don’t bother God! God wants to beinvolved in our lives.
5. He knows his own sheep. v14,27
1Cor 8:3. if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. Gal 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God. Do we realise just how fully the Lord knows us? Ps 139. He knows us not only by observation, he know how he has made us, he knows all about us, everything that makes us tick.
6. His own sheep know him and follow him. v14, 27.
John 17:3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent Can you say “I know God?” Do we keep close to him, always keeping our eye on him and following him with determination, making sure we keep up?
7. His sheep hear his voice v16, 27.
He speaks to us and we recognise and listen to his voice. This is a most wonderful thing - to hear God speaking to us. Supernatural prophetic people! We had a good example of this last Tuesday at our Leaders' day away, when we prayed and prophesied over each other. I would like us to do that again this Wednesday at our ALL TOGETHER meeting. Don't miss it!
8. His sheep are safe from predators v12,28-29
No one can snatch us away from the care of the shepherd or from the Father. Because we are his we have the Lord'sprotection. We need not fear the Devil or anything as long as we don’t wander off and put our own selves into danger. So stick close!
9. Only his own sheep believe in him. v26
People do not believe because they are not yet his sheep. Salvation begin with a work of God that opens us up to the Lord and gives us faith and repentance.
10. His sheep are one flock with one shepherd. v16
His flock was not just made up of Jews but also Gentiles. Otherwise we would and could not be his followers, his sheep. How awesome that Jesus has people out of every tribe and tongue - which is why mission is so important, not just in Ascot and the UK but to the very ends of the earth. “I must bring them too” - how does the Lord bring them into his flock? Through us! Wherever we go God has ‘those who are ordained to eternal life’. Only he can bring people into his flock - but he uses us, his people, to enable others to become his people. He will seldom do this without us.
Mission is at the heart of us being his people; Jesus looks for growth not just in character but also in numbers. He wants the biggest flock on the planet - billions of people who know him and hear his voice and follow him.

Summary
Each one of is very valuable to the Lord. The Father, our creator and owner, has given us to the Lord and made us part of his church. Jesus has not only put his life on the line for us, but actually laid it down by dying on the cross for us. This has brought us eternal life: life on this earth worth living, full of meaning and purpose and the guarantee of life after death with him for ever. He knows each one of us individually and watches over us and cares for our development. And we know him, we recognise his voice speaking to us and instructing us and follow wherever he takes us. He protects us from the Evil One, as long as we don’t wander away. As part of his world-wide church we are involved as he brings others into his church. We may encounter rejection from those who do not believe, but we must not let this deflect us from this most exciting of all tasks: to go into all the world and bring people of every tribe and nation to know Christ, beginning in Ascot, Berkshire, England, Europe and to the ends of the earth, because we are his people.