The Good Shepherd (John 10:11-21)

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All right, good morning church. You can go ahead grab your Bibles open up to John chapter 10. We’re actually picking up right where we left off last week, which we haven’t done this series. But the next I am statement is right there after where Jake stopped last week. So as you turn there, John chapter 10. Again, we’ll be getting the beginning in verse 11. There is a viral video clip, perhaps you’ve seen it. It is kind of a pastor’s dream of a video clip, for reasons you’ll understand in a moment, there is a sheep that is stuck in a little trench, about yay big and pretty deep in this trench. And there’s actually there’s not just one but two shepherds trying to get this thing out. And they’re, you know, like navigating this thing. It’s kind of an impressive feat, I’m very impressed with shepherds always have been. And so they get this sheep out, finally, almost miraculously, and the sheep goes bound, bound right back into the trench, of course. So it’s a perfect reminder, this video clip of why God keeps comparing us to sheep in the Bible, because that’s about what we are comparing us to sheep, and especially reminding us of why we need a shepherd. Sheep are not bright. They are not strong. They are not fast. If you were here a few months back, Merritt referenced one of those nature shows where these creatures kind of escaped predators against all odds. You never see sheep on those shows. Right? You see sheep on the Cooking Channel, like there’s a reason for that. Okay. Sheep live relentlessly threatened lives. They’re under threat from predators. Of course, I mean, lions, bears, wolves, you name it. They’re under threat from pests and diseases. Of course, they are a threat to each other, like they smack into each other quite a bit. They’re a threat to themselves. Like they just walk off of cliffs and things like that. Here’s the thing we live threatened lives to, spiritually speaking, there are predators after us. We have an enemy, Peter compares him to a roaring lion seeking to devour us. There are pests and viruses, the world trying to infect us get under our skin, we are a threat to each other, not going to do a show of hands. But you might have been hurt by a Christian in your life at some point. And certainly we are a threat to ourselves. We keep ending back in the same trench that the Lord just rescued us out of left to ourselves, we will have very short lives, spiritually speaking, we will be lying dead in the ditch that we were just rescued from. So is there any hope? Not in ourselves? Definitely not in ourselves. That’s kind of the key takeaway. We need a shepherd. We need someone to care for us. And we need to follow him. That seems really important as well. In fact, that is our main idea. It’s easy today. So I’m giving it to you up front main idea, follow your Shepherd. That’s what sheep should do. So follow your Shepherd. But why? That’s the question our passage is going to seek to answer. So there are three reasons why you should follow your Shepherd three ways that the shepherd cares for us. So let’s take a look at them one at a time. So the Shepherd does what let me read verses 11 to 13. And we will fill in the blank. Then as we go, here’s verses 11 to 13. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own 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. The man runs away because he’s a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. Alright, pause there. So a little bit of context. First of all, just in case you weren’t with us last week. But Jake, took us through the first 10 verses here. And it was reminder that we are sheep. Yes, absolutely. And Jesus is the gate. He’s the door to the sheep pen, that as we enter through Jesus to get to Jesus, but Jake even mentioned, he’s also the shepherd, who’s their independent factors. The whole reason we want to get into the pen is because Jesus is there and we gonna have a relationship with him. So it’s all a bit confusing. Jesus has a lot of things for us. He is Shepherd AND gate. So what that means though, is this is a continuing conversation, he is still explaining to the religious leaders, these skeptical religious leaders who he is and what he’s come to do. In fact, we’ll see their response at the end. Well, in contrast to the thieves that we met last week, who I’m only to steal and kill right there after the the wool there after the Meet thereafter, whatever. These are the ungodly leaders, the false shepherds that have plagued Israel throughout her history and contrast those thieves, Jesus says He is the Good Shepherd. I am the good shepherd. Next I am statement. You okay? Okay? But defend yourself, Jesus, what makes you a good shepherd? Exactly. And he says, The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, he’s willing to lay down his life for his sheep. That’s what makes him good. Not everyone would do that. He points out, The hired hand, for example, is not going to do that. So somebody who’s just they’re earning a wage, they’re watching the sheep, while you know, the family is on vacation or something like that. The sheep aren’t theirs. And so they don’t really care for the sheep. And so when trouble comes, it’s not going to be worth the cost, wolf comes, tuck tail and run. And there’s the reminder, by the way, that there are wolves are, there’s a real spiritual threat that we face. Wolves in Scripture, I mean, could refer to persecution certainly refers to false teachers who are there, like, you know, they’re wolves, but in sheep’s clothing kind of thing, or even to the demonic, there is a real danger that we face. And so if the person who is there watching the sheep is there for selfish gain only, this is for a paycheck or a platform, something like that, that person is not going to stick around. They’re out of here, as soon as trouble comes. And this is a test of pastoral leadership in so many ways. And I don’t just mean vocational pastor, like if you have the title of Pastor, but for all of us who are involved in shepherding we do we stick around? And why are we here, caring for those who are under our charge. I heard some time ago, and I very much adopted it as my motto like what I am here to do as your Shepherd pastor is to preach and pray and love and stay. And the preach and pray makes sense and the love. I think you’re all going Yeah, but stay. Stay is kind of a key part of all of this, isn’t it? Like the Lord has prerogatives? Of course, he can move me whenever he feels like it. But unless the Lord moves me, I’m here until it’s time for me to be done doing what I’m doing. Why? Because I don’t want to, like you guys may say, this way, you’re not a stepping stone to a bigger church for me. Like that’s what I mean by that. That would be a hired hand mentality. And I don’t want to have that with you guys. We don’t want to have that for those in our care. But I think there’s a bigger question here than just what about the shepherds in your life? The bigger question is, what if God didn’t care for us? The way a true shepherd would? Well, he certainly wouldn’t send His Son to die for us than to lay down his life in our place. If God didn’t care for us, if he didn’t love us with a relentless love. It wouldn’t be worth the cost of our salvation, to lose his son, his only son whom he loves. But he does care. And so the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. He’s not just a hired hand. Oh, he’s he’s like a little David. Remember, David. The whole reason David could take on giant Goliath was because he’d been a shepherd. And so when the predators came, he faced them down with slinging stone, he didn’t run away. And he was a model Shepherd and shed. In fact, throughout the Old Testament, we read prophets talking about how God is going to send another David, another shepherd, for his people pointing ahead to Jesus.
David helps us out here though, because of course, David was not trying to get eaten. Like he didn’t lay down his life for his sheep, he was just willing to risk his life for the sheep. Because of course, if he just lays down his life and the sheep get eaten, if the shepherds out of the way, like it’s just an all you can eat buffet at that point. And so, the Good Shepherd is just willing to kind of stand in the gap to risk a life for the sake of the sheep, except, except Things get much more complicated with Jesus, don’t they? And every analogy breaks down at some point and here’s where the analogy breaks down. Because to protect us, Jesus must die. That’s the only way he can keep us from becoming that all you can eat buffet, to protect us Jesus must die. He can’t defeat Sin unless he becomes a sin offering for us. He can defeat death unless he’s laid in the grave and he cannot defeat the judgment that is on us rightly, unless he bears that penalty in our place. Jesus must die to protect us. And those words for the sheep I lay down My life for the sheep, they suggest that sacrifice it’s a very specific preposition that’s used that means in the place of. So it’s a substitution that happens here. This is like a Marine who throws himself on the grenade for the sake of his platoon. He dies in their place so that they are saved. That’s what makes Jesus the Good Shepherd. His death is what allows his sheep to come to Him. Remember, he’s the door project pointed out last week, he’s not just the door, he’s the red door. Because that’s the door that painted, painted red by His blood shed for us. He is the sacrificial lamb that we just sang about. So Jesus saves his sheep by his death. I mean, this death is it’s not just exemplary. Like he’s just trying to set an example for us of what a loving sort of person would do like he, you know, screaming, see how much I love you as the bear devours him. That’s kind of pointless, actually, his death was truly saving. It saved his sheep. Because he was that substitute in our place. So why would we follow our good shepherd? Why would we follow our good shepherd because the Good Shepherd protects. The Good Shepherd protects his sheep, at the cost of his life, even you are under threat. You have to know that you are under threat, wolves will come seeking to devour you. And you may be looking around at your life going I don’t think so I don’t see any wolves around here, you’re being stalked by one wolf, at least always at every moment of every day. And that is the wolf death. And he will lead all of us in the end, he is the final enemy. Like it’s just this reminder that what do we seek so often is comfort and security. And that can be like Elmhurst motto, couldn’t it? Again, move here for comfort and security. It is an illusion. It is an illusion, and we take it away in an instant. All it takes is an economy crashing. Industry changes and there are layoffs All it takes is an undiagnosed ailment that is going to change your life tragedy constraint, we all live this right COVID happened, we were like, Oh, I have no control in my life. Okay, that’s good to know now. So you’re under threat, don’t fall for the promises, the false promises of Hired Hands. burst your bubble here. The world doesn’t love you. The world doesn’t love you, won’t die for you. And even if it did die for you can’t save you by its death. The world is filled with hired hands. It is even the people who are trying to provide comfort and security for you are hired hands. Your investment banker, who is working for your security and comfort in retirement is only going to do it if you pay him. That politician who promises to fight for you is seeking reelection. Just there for your vote. Your therapist will not listen to your problems if you don’t continue to pay her $125 an hour. Only Jesus, only Jesus loves and protects you, even at the cost of his life. Follow your Shepherd because the Good Shepherd protects his sheep, even and especially from the last enemy death. That’s not all the Shepherd does, though. So let’s keep looking at the second reason to trust our shepherd verses 14 to 16. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen I must bring them also they too will listen to my voice. There should be one flock one shepherd it’s interesting Jesus repeats the I am statement here says it again. I am the good shepherd but that emphasizes what’s coming next how important it is. As good shepherd he knows his sheep and his sheep know him so that when he calls his sheep come running and Jake told us about this last week where a bunch of sheep all mixed together in a in a communal pen and the shepherd would kind of go my sheep and they own all come right. It’s like a dad at the playground going at Cooper’s time to go and just the Cooper’s kind of shuffled off. You know, we’ll see you tomorrow, guys. That’s what happens. All right, like this is Jesus knows us. We listened to him when he calls you want the fancy theological terms for this? I know you do. It’s why you come to church is is the doctrine of irresistible grace. Irresistible Grace. When God calls his own, they come they come running it is an effectual Call. The call itself is what actually creates faith in us that is we hear His voice and that something in us goes That’s my shepherd. I should be following him. And that leads to this knowledge of God. He knows us. We know him. Not intellectually, but relationally. There’s a world of difference there. You’re not meant to know about God, you’re meant to know God. Like there was a concert. Just recently in Chicago. Some of you probably know about this. I am not a Swifty, we may have Swifties on staff at church. It’s not me. It’s probably Kyle, but I’m not answering that. I know, of Taylor Swift. I know she is a person that exists, I’m not entirely sure I could pick her out of a crowd. I’ve never intentionally listened to one of her songs. If it came out after 1980, I got no interest, okay. But I know of her. I know, Amy, there’s a world of difference there are like I know everything about her, she could say my name in a crowd, she would even have to say my name, she could just say, hey, in a crowd, and I would turn my head. Because I know her voice Do the same for her. She knows mine. That’s what we’re talking about here. In fact, it’s such a deep knowledge that Jesus says that we are going to know and be known by Jesus just as Jesus knows and is known by the father. That’s a remarkable statement, because of course, they enjoy perfect knowledge. We’re not there yet. But that’s our trajectory as Christians, it is theirs. This is better than just knowing his voice and following him and only him. There is an intimacy here beyond sheep and shepherd, which is why God calls himself father and calls us children, or says he’s like a husband, and the church is his bride. That’s the intimacy. We know. It’s a point that Jesus makes throughout the Gospel of John. In fact, Jesus is constantly saying, I know the Father in myself. And we will get to know the Father in Jesus. He’s the gate we pass through the only way in, in order to enter that relationship with the Father. Here’s what he says in his high priestly prayer prayer, John 17. This is the very end of the prayer. It’s one of the last things he does before he is hauled away to be crucified, he prays this I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me, maybe in them and that I myself may be in a powerful statement, such complete unity with Jesus so that God will love us as He loves Jesus. That’s crazy, a remarkable truth. That’s encouragement that will help you weather any storm. The Father loves me in the sun. And how does he love Jesus, unalterably perfectly,
unconditionally, that’s the love He has for us. Jesus knows this. He will call and carry each and every one. No sheep of his is getting left behind. He told the parable about the kidney 99 Y’all are good. I’m going after that one who went missing. And Jesus reiterates here, this is a costly love for him to call and carry each of us good shepherd lays down his life for us, or else the father couldn’t welcome us as His children, of course, because you know, he’s bringing us back into relationship with his father, who is the king and we’re the rebels who just tried to blow up the palace. So like there’s some issues there, right? Jesus works through those issues for us, again, takes the penalty for our sin, so that the father can welcome us as His children. All of us, though, that’s what’s interesting is next, Jesus expands his horizon started verse 16. I have other sheep are not of this sheep pen. So he’s gonna go get them also. Jesus knows the sheep because the sheep they inevitably follow him if they’re his, but they’re not just from among Israel. He’s got this sheep from another pen to that is the Gentiles. That’s what he’s talking about, which is most of us in this room, of course. And so Jesus says, I’m creating a new flock, right, one shepherd, over one flock made up of people from every tribe, language and nation, the Church of Jesus Christ, and a church that will be marked by Unity specifically, this is an important reminder for us because we are in such an individualistic society. Jesus is not here to save individual sheep. Like he does that. Yes, he saves us one by one but Jesus came to call a people for His name, not persons for his name. He’s here to save a flock. And unity is key to that flock unity with Jesus, but then unity with each other. As well unity with Christ, and in Christ already quoted the high priestly prayer, this is just a verse or two before that Jesus prays this, I have given them the glory that you gave me that they may be one, as we are one. So we’re supposed to have the unity that the Trinity has I in them and you and me so that they may be brought to complete unity, then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them, even as You have loved Me. So one way we show the world that we belong to Jesus is by belonging to each other. An isolated, divisive, unchurched, Christian, is an extreme oxymoron, like those words do not go together, all would be completely foreign to Jesus’s vision for his sheep, we follow Jesus together. That just gets at the importance of community, doesn’t it? We talk a lot about here, of course, like if you are here and alone, like if you are isolated, you’re one of the ones who just kind of comes in on Sunday morning, then quickly shuffles off when I dig in to community, like dig deep. This is your family. These are your friends, we are to be one as God the Father, God, the Son and God, the Holy Spirit are one we follow our shepherd together. But we do follow our good shepherd. Why? Second reason, we follow our good shepherd because he calls his sheep because he calls his sheep he knows his own, and he makes us his own. In one sense, Jesus loves the whole world. You probably know John 316, For God so loved the world. This feels pretty all inclusive. But in another sense, Jesus loves his sheep, especially in a special way, because he lays down his life. For them. A love like that is worthy of a response, a total response, a total following. He calls we come running. The shepherd protects Shepherd calls one more reason to follow him, verses 17 to 18. Let me finish Jesus’s speech here. The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord, I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my father. This last point is key. Because without it, we as sheep would still be hopeless. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. Yay, that’s great. But if that’s all he does, will be harassed and helpless, already said, That’s right. A dead Shepherd is no help. As the wolves close it will become the all you can eat buffet. Once more. Jesus didn’t come merely to die. He came to die and rise again. That’s key, right? Verse 17. I lay down my life, only to take it up again. It’s there it’s built in. This is actually a purpose statement, the way it’s phrase, we could easily translate it, I lay down my life so that I take it up again, or in order that I can take it up again. As is so often the case in the Christian life defeat is the doorway to victory. If you think like no doubt, the wolves were pretty pleased at first, when Jesus died. Wolves like Pilate, and chi of fists, you know, these leaders who conspired to put Jesus to death probably feeling pretty good as they laid Him in the grave, but by facing death, and then overcoming it rising again. Jesus destroys the biggest wolf of all, he breaks death’s fangs and said it already there’s no comfort, no security, while death stalks us all. But if we know that death doesn’t have the final word that changes everything. Like I’m literally reading a book right now called the Denial of Death, not a Christian book, but it’s just talking about everything we do as humans, we pretty much do to pretend like we’re not going to die, which is dumb. Can I say that? Because that’s how the story ends. Okay, except that that’s not how the story ends. If we’re in Christ, we rise again, that undoes all that posturing, all that running around in circles. Note that Jesus says no one takes it from me to no one takes my life from you. I lay it down of my own accord. This is really key to understanding the cross and correcting a couple of misconceptions about it. First misconception that this corrects is Jesus. God not caught by surprise here. It’s not like God the Father was looking down going, Oh no, they just killed him. Like I thought he was gonna come preaching this message of, of love and tolerance and the whole world is going to join hands and sing Kumbaya, and they just crucified him. Like what now? I guess I’ll raise him. We’ll try and get back to the kumbaya thing. No, that’s not what happened at all. Everything happens according to plan. This had been planned actually before creation. God, the Father, God, the Son, God, the Spirit had this worked out how this was going to shake out. And it happens according to play. What an encouragement to us when things aren’t going according to plan, at least according to our plans. God is in control. God knows everything. And the God who knows everything and ordained everything is a loving God, who loves us. And cherry on top. His victory is assured. already won. We gave the picture the disciples on Good Friday, specially Saturday, right? Like the next day the shock starting to wear off, they’re going, why is Messiah lying in a grave? How is it that we gave our lives to follow Jesus and like, oh, because Sunday happened? Oh, now I see. Now I get it. So the hope we have as Christians is that we will all say Oh, in the end, we will all be able to look back and go I get it. I see it now I know what you were doing. So that’s one misconception. The second one that Jesus had statement here puts to bed once for all, the absolutely nonsensical notion that the cross is divine child abuse, that God is inflicting this punishment, some vindictive God is inflicting this punishment on his unwitting and unwilling son. It was very popular 2030 years ago. Thankfully, this is a not a common view anymore, because it doesn’t make sense of anything. The Bible says anywhere. Jesus willingly offers himself as a sacrificial lamb, to accomplish His Father’s plan. Because it is his choice. It is His glory in the end. And that is why Jesus says the Father loves him.
Now that’s interesting. The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life now, real quick, it’s didn’t mean doesn’t mean that the father didn’t love him before that always existed in perfect unity, Father, Son, and Spirit. But the Father’s love for the Son is eternally linked to Jesus’s unqualified submission. To him, already said, this was a plan that was made in eternity past even before creation. So the father has always loved the son for his willingness to carry out his father’s plans, even at the cost of his life. This is just its climax, and culmination, the supreme act of obedience, when he finally does go to the cross. And this whole discussion, though, it raises the issue of Jesus’s sonship. If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you’re really used to calling Jesus the Son, Son of God, Son of man, all those things. Do you know that’s a really weird thing to call God? Like people have questions about this, we should probably talk about one of the reasons we have questions about it too, is because this was not spoken in our context, we think of sonship differently, and people back then did. So we think of sonship in terms of biology, primarily, like biological descendants. So if God has a son, then somehow or other procreation was involved. And now you can understand why this is all a little bit confusing. That’s not the God of the Bible. Okay? That’s the God of Greek myths, the gods of Greek myths, Zeus and all those people, that’s exactly what they did. Not the God who exists the God of the Bible, because sonship in the ancient Near Eastern context is not biological but vocational. It has to do with your career, which is confusing to us. But a son does what his father does. That’s just what sonship is. Dads train his sons to work in the family business. What do they call Jesus Anytime he’s back in Nazareth, the carpenter why his dad was a carpenter. His stepfather, Joseph, who raised him while he was on earth was a carpenter. Therefore, Jesus as his son was a carpenter. Jesus taught us by just a few chapters before where we are now he looks at the Pharisees and he says, Well, your father’s the devil and they go, excuse me. What is well look, alright Satan, what does Satan do? He lies and he kills and you’re lying in an attempt to kill me. Your dad is the devil. I just proved it. It’s Really simple. We actually see places to and you get guys like Elijah and Elisha these famous prophets. Well, there would be young men who would join their company, the schools of the prophets, they were called what? sons of the prophets, because they had a new dad because they had a new career. So that’s what sonship is about the sun. It’s like the father is the owner of the business, the Son is the Chief Executive Officer. He’s the one who runs it. He’s the Authorized Agent as Son, Jesus is responsible to implement his father’s vision. So the father administers salvation, and then the son accomplishes salvation. Now, I don’t want to leave you hanging so the spirit applies salvation, which is not in our text today. And that’s why Jesus says this command I received from my father, because a weird thing to say, too, right? No, it makes perfect sense. In light of sonship. The father as the owner of the company, he gives Jesus the blueprint. Here’s the 10 year plan for where we’re going, except it’s an eternal plan. It’s a blueprint, blueprint for redemption, and Jesus follows it to a tee. Jesus is the Son. He doesn’t he makes away. He defeats sin, and death and every wolf. And he rises in triumph as proof that we can trust him. Why follow your good shepherd? I think this is an overlooked point. But it’s really key, we follow our good shepherd because he wins. He won. Right? He wins. He lays down his life for his sheep. And then he takes it up again, I want to make sure we get that slide up there. Because otherwise you guys gonna leave that blank for eternity. I said it and you’re still like, No, there wasn’t a slide. I can’t write it down. That’s it, write it down, he wins. His resurrection is the first fruits of the coming resurrection, the guarantee of our resurrection, the proof of his invincible now and future kingdom. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who protects and calls his sheep. And then who wins the decisive battle for us and for his name, if this is who he is. This is who he’s claimed to be. And this is what he’s done that demands a response. So how will we respond? Well, interestingly, we get some responses right here. So let’s kind of finish our story at least verses 19 to 21. And look at the responses of these groups. Here it is 19 to 21. The Jews who heard these words were again divided. Many of them said he is demon possessed and raving mad, why listened to him? But others said it isn’t about the sayings of a man possessed by a demon? Can the demon open the eyes of the blind? You see, the group divides. As Jesus speaks to them. Jesus has that effect on people. You’ve probably seen it in your own life, right? Family and friends, neighbors, colleagues who divide on the question of Jesus. In fact, it’s actually happening right now here in this room. Because every time Jesus is preached, our hearts go in one of two directions. We either soften towards Jesus, we harden toward Jesus, same Jesus, just like the same sun melts the butter and hardens the clay. So what does the first group think the first group is a device that they think He’s raving mad, actually, even worse than that demon possessed? Why? Well look at his claims. That’s why he claimed that God is his father, and that he’s actually God, and that he’s going to die, and then he’s going to rise again. Can we acknowledge that those are insane claims? Like a bit crazy? Unless they’re true, that would then change everything, of course. But that’s the problem. What do they say this first group? Why listen to him? Why listen to him, they won’t even engage with Jesus’s claims. They’re not going to stick around to see if they’re true. They’re just done with him already. Again, you might know people like this, you might be a person like this. I’m not sure that’s a good strategy because of the point that the second group makes. The point is a good point. The point stands, not only did Jesus do miracles, but you have to reckon with And chief among those miracles, of course, is the resurrection itself. You really have to reckon with that one since it is really indisputable historical fact. And you can come talk to me about that. We’re not doing that one today. Like that’s something right there, the miracles but also Jesus doesn’t sound crazy. He says a lot of very measured and wise things, which is why most people even today go. Jesus was a good teacher, Jesus. In other words, Jesus has done enough to war weren’t hearing, he’s earned that right that we listened to him. So if you’re not gonna follow him, or at least not yet, at least stop and listen, at least consider his claims. Look at what he said, recorded for you in this book. Start with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, read what he said, what he’s done, consider, ask questions, engage talk to his sheep. We’re all happy to talk about Jesus, believe me. Like, why do we follow Him? The Great question, we’d love to answer that question. Speaking of sheep, though, now that I’ve just thrown you all under the bus and said, You’re all willing to talk about this. If we’re united to Christ, we should be becoming like him. Which means I think this holds for us, too. I think we need to make sure we’re proving that we’re not crazy also. Like I think that’s that’s key. If people dismiss us as Christians, or you got friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, wherever who are gone, those Christians, I can’t believe they think this I can’t, you know, they’re crazy. But you’d have to be an idiot to believe this. The other people around you should go, Well, hang on now. Hang on. Now. That’s not the sayings of a crazy person. Look at his life. Look at how she acts, what she’s said. Because we’re following our good shepherd, we should look like we’re following our good shepherd. And honestly, by the way, we live our lives, we should be showing people why he’s a good shepherd. That should be clear, just from looking at us. I would be remiss if I didn’t make just one more point. As we close, here we are sheep. Absolutely. And most of the time stuck in that trench, like I said, we are sheep but we are also shepherds. Because we are following a shepherd. We all have shepherding roles. And so are we hired hands? Or are we striving to be good with very lowercase g like change the font size, even G good shepherds? What does Peter say speaking to the elders and pastors the church, especially, of course, he
says, Be be shepherds. Be shepherds, like your Shepherd be shepherds of GOD’s flock under your care. And then he even describes it like he’s talking about hired hands versus real shepherds. He says, you know, be shepherds, not begrudgingly not lording it over them not pursuing dishonest gain. You’re just there for the wolf and the lamb chops for the wolf and the lamb chops. No, Peter says but do it eagerly, selflessly. And serving as examples to the flock. That’s a good word for all of us today. Parents, for example, dads, especially Father’s Day is coming. So this is just for you. Are you willing to lay down your preferences for the sake of your family? Like I’ve said before, it’s pretty easy for dads to say I’m willing to die for my family it’s much harder for dads to say I’m willing to live for my family. I got to turn the game off and go engage with my kids kind of thing. You willing to lay down your preferences for the sake of your family to see them fed and cared for like a good shepherd. Or what you do here you serving in kids city or a city link or cities to his or shepherding roles he teaching them explore our class leading a community group or journey group on the worship team. And those are all things you could do, really for yourself, or begrudgingly like a hired hand. Of course, is the word pastor elders, most especially speaking to myself. The other elders here is what we are called to to follow our good shepherd. David, that little pipsqueak model Shepherd, he wrote of his shepherd, Psalm 23, Clint already read part of it for us the Lord, the Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul, He guides me along the right paths for his namesake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, your rod and your staff. They comfort me. And David was speaking of God the Father, but Jesus is his father’s son. Those words are true of him too. Why wouldn’t we follow Him? The good shepherd who protects and calls his own who wins the war, who dies in our place and rises in triumphant victory? Let’s pray to him now. Jesus, King Jesus, we worship you as the Good Shepherd. We are so grateful that you were not a hired hand that you didn’t do this begrudgingly about the joy set before you because you loved us because you loved your father. Are you are willing to lay down your life for the sake of your sheep, to rescue us from the wolves that threaten us relentlessly to rescue us from our own sin, from the judgment we deserve, from the death, that is our inevitable fate. But in defeating death and sin, rising again in triumph, you have given us every hope, and every assurance that we can and should follow you help us to pay close attention to your claims, to consider what you said, to look at who you are to willingly walk behind you, following you and to worship You. In whatever way you call us. We pray for your namesake. Amen.