Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-24

“For thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. As for you, my flock,’ thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?’ Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: ‘Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.’” (Ezekiel 34:11–24, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 10:1-21

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.’ There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, ‘He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” (John 10:1–21, ESV)

Introduction

It would be good for us to start by noticing – or for those who were here last Sunday,  remembering – that there are two “I am” sayings of Jesus found in this text.

In the first Jesus reveals himself as the door, saying,  in verse 7, “I am the door of the sheep”. This is the image that we fixed our attention upon last week. Jesus is the door. He is the only way to salvation. True shepherds enter by the door and lead the sheep through the door, who is Christ. False shepherds are identifiable by the fact that they refuse to enter by the door themselves. They climb into the sheepfold by some other way; they lead the sheep by some other way. They care nothing for the sheep. They are only concerned to benefit from their wool and meat and fat. All of this (and more) we considered last week.

Today we will turn our attention to the second “I am” saying of Jesus found within this figure of speech. Jesus not only identifies himself as the door of the sheep, he also identifies himself with the shepherd of the sheep, saying in verse 11, “I am the good shepherd”.  This is certainly a most comforting thought to the people of God – Christ Jesus is our good shepherd. The question we will eventually ask is, what makes the good shepherd so good?

But before we do that I think it would be wise for us to look in upon a theme that runs in the background of this text. It’s true that Jesus Christ is the main focus of this text – he is the door and the good shepherd – this whole saying is meant to reveal truth concerning who Jesus is. But notice that something is revealed concerning who we are. We are likened to sheep.

The image is a powerful one, isn’t it? The image is used in other portions of scripture too. When we, as the people of God, are compared to sheep the implication is that we are needy creatures. Of all the beasts of the field sheep seem to me to be the most needy. They need a shepherd. They need a shepherd to guide them, to lead them, and to feed them. They need a shepherd to protect them from harm. They need a shepherd to train and discipline them, and to bind up their wounds. Sheep are needy animals. They need a shepherd; they need the flock.

As it is with sheep, so it is with us. We like to think that we are independent, and self-sufficient – fine on our own. But the scriptures reveal time and again that we were designed to live in community, in the midst of a flock. More than that, we were created to live under the perpetual care of our creator, the shepherd of our souls.

Christ Jesus is the good shepherd. When he called himself that he was claiming to be the fulfillment of what was promised in Ezekiel 34:15, which say,

“‘I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down,’ declares the Lord God. ‘I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.’” (Ezekiel 34:15–16, ESV)

Jesus is the fulfillment of these promises of God. He is the good shepherd.

But the question may be asked, what makes the good shepherd so good? Certainly many things could be said about the goodness of our Savior, but I see I four examples of his goodness in this passage.

I. Christ is the good shepherd because he leads his sheep in the way of truth.

First of all, see that Christ is the good shepherd because he leads his sheep in the way of truth.

This is a bit of a reiteration of what was said last week, but it needs to be said again as we focus in upon Christ as the good shepherd. The test for whether a shepherd of God’s people is good or bad, true or false, is this: do they lead the sheep through the door, who represents Christ? Do they lead the people in the way of truth?

This test could be applied to the shepherds of Israel under the Old Covenant – the prophets, priests, and kings. There is a reason why David is considered the greatest of all the kings of Israel. He, as Israel’s shepherd king, led the people to God through Christ. There is reason why, when we think of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel we think of men who shepherded the people of God well. They faithfully lead Israel to God through the Christ. And their is a reason why when we think of Melchizedek we think of a faithful priest. He mediated between the people of God and the Most High through the Christ.

You may be thinking to yourself, this is a really strange way to talk about David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Melchizedek given that all of these men lived before Christ came! Perhaps your thinking, how can you say these led people to God through the Christ when the Christ had not yet come! 

Brothers and sisters, if this is your thought then may I encourage you to read your Bibles more often and more carefully! Read the Old Testament and see the way that Adam and Abraham, Melchizedek and Moses, David and Isaiah approached God with the confidence fixed – not in themselves, not in the law – but in the Christ – the Messiah –  who would one day come. Read the Pentateuch and see Christ there. Read the Psalms and behold the Christ. Read the prophets and see the Christ faithful proclaimed. The Old Covenant saints were saved by grace alone through faith alone just as we are. They were made righteous before God as they trusted in the finished work of the Christ. They looked forward to his coming – we look back upon it. The good shepherds who labored under the Old Covenant entered through Christ, the door of the sheepfold, themselves, and they faithfully led the people of God through the door. They are therefore rightly considered to have been good and faithful shepherds.

The same standard should apply today. When we judge the goodness of one of Christ’s under shepherds – those pastors and elders who serve in Christ’s church – the first question that should be asked is does the man know Christ? And does he faithfully lead the people to Christ, proclaiming all of his words? A good and faithful shepherd will always be found leading the flock of God through the one door of the sheepfold, who is Christ.

The fascinating thing about this figure of speech is that Jesus is both the door of the sheep and he is the good shepherd. And what is it that makes him good? Well, for one, he leads his flock, as the chief shepherd, through the door of sheepfold, who is in fact himself. Jesus Christ was and is the good shepherd because he faithfully leads the people of God to God, through the Messiah, the Savior. And he is the Messiah. He is “the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through [him].” (John 14:6, ESV) He is “the light of the world. Whoever follows [him] will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, ESV)

We are to call Christ the good shepherd because he leads his sheep in the way of truth.

And life is so good when we walk according to the truth. Have you noticed this? Have you noticed how good and joyous and full life is when we walk according to the truth of Christ? Or perhaps you have learned this same principle, but in a negative way. Perhaps you have you learned of how good God’s ways are by walking away from him for a time. You, like the prodigal son, have been reminded of the goodness of God by wandering away from the Lord. And having wandered far from God, you have discovered the emptiness of the things of this world and you have been reminded of the goodness of God.

It is so good to have Christ. It is so good to follow him and to walk in his paths. It is so good to see believe in him, to see the world as he sees it, and to live in obedience to his commands. When we walk with Christ we experience, what Jesus here calls, abundant life – a life that is rich and full and overflowing. We feast upon green pastures (vs. 9)

Christ is the good shepherd because he leads his sheep in the way of truth.

II. Christ is the good shepherd because he protects his sheep from harm, even to the point of death.

Secondly, see that Christ is the good shepherd because he protects his sheep from harm, even to the point of death.
Notice the recurring theme in verses 11-18.

Verse 11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

A shepherd that is good will certainly be willing to suffer harm, even death, if that is what it takes to protect the sheep.

Verses 12 & 13: “He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

I think we would all admit that it would take a good deal of resolve, courage, and gumption to see a bear or a pack of wolves coming towards the flock and to run towards the threat instead of away from it. If a person does not own the flock – if he has no vested interest in the flock – if he does not love the sheep of the flock, nor the owner of the flock – he will not stand against the threat. A hired hand tends the sheep for a daily wage. He is interested only in the money. He does not care for the sheep. And so it is no wonder that he flees from anything that threatens his life. He has nothing motivating him to stay.

But Christ is the good shepherd. He is ready and willing to lay down his life for his sheep.

But there is something that separates Jesus from common shepherds of sheep. Shepherds of sheep may be willing to die for their flock, but they intend to stay alive, don’t they? In fact it is in the flocks best interest that they do stay alive! For who will protect them if the shepherd is overcome? Not so with Christ. He came in order to die for his flock. To die was the purpose for which he came. And his death would be for the greatest good of his flock. For in the moment he died and rose again the threat of the enemy would be neutralized. The enemy would not be left to ravage the sheep because the Christ had died. Quite the opposite! The evil one would be defeated through the death of the good shepherd.

This is what verses 17 – 19 speak of:

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father…”

The Father sent the Son to die for his flock;  and the Son came to willingly laid down his life for his flock. It may sound strange for Christ to say, “No one takes [my life] from me.” As we consider the rest of John it will seem as if people took Jesus’ life from him. But the point is that all that happened to Jesus – the false accusations, the false trial, the brutal treatment, and ultimately his crucifixion – was according to the will of the Father and the Son. In other words, things were not out of control. Jesus maintained his authority through it all.

We are to call Christ the good shepherd because he protects his sheep from harm, even to the point of death. He has earned salvation for his sheep through his death and resurrection.

III. Christ is the good shepherd because he knows and loves his sheep, and his sheep know and love him.

Thirdly, see that Christ is the good shepherd because he knows and loves his sheep, and his sheep know and love him.

Verse 14: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me…”

Remember what has already been said earlier in this passage. There are many sheep in the sheepfold. Some belong to the good shepherd, some do not. Those who belong to the good shepherd know the voice of the good shepherd and follow him. This distinction between sheep and sheep represents the distinction between the elect and non-elect. He were are simply told that the good shepherd knows his own, and his own know him. The good shepherd knows particular sheep and those particular sheep know him.

But what is the nature of this knowledge? Does Christ simply know about his own? No, far from it! Verse 15 reveals to us the kind of knowledge that he has of his particular sheep, and the knowledge they have of him.  Verse 15 says, “just as the Father knows me and I know the Father…”

In other words, the good shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep know him in the same way that the Father knows the Son and the Son the Father. This is more than mere informational knowledge. It is intimate knowledge – relational knowledge.

Think of the love that exists in the Godhead. Think of the love that exists in the one true God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we say that God is love, we are, first of all, saying that he is love to the fullest – he is love in the most pure and perfect sense. We are mistaken when take the truth that God is love to mean that he is somehow obligated to show mercy and grace all equally and without exception. No! God is love in and of himself. His perfect love is perfectly contained and perfectly displayed within the Godhead himself – Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

The Father knows the Son, and the Son knows the Father.  The principle being communicated here is that Jesus, the good shepherd, knows those people who belong to him – the elect – in the same way that Father knows the Son, and the Son knows the Father.  He knows them and love them with a saving love. Those who are united to Christ by faith have come to share in the perfect love that exists eternally between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Notice verse 16: “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Up to this point all of the sheep of the sheepfold seem to represent all of the people of Israel. Not all who are of Israel belong to the good shepherd – that seems to be the point. There were and are elect and non-elect peoples from amongst the Jewish people. Now Jesus refers to other sheep not of this fold. This is a clear reference to the elect from amongst the gentiles. So there are two sheepfolds. One represents Israel, the other the gentiles. And there are some from within each – the Jews and gentiles – who belong to Christ, the good shepherd. He calls them by name, they here his voice, and follow him. He knows them just as the Father knows the Son.

The end result is that there is “one flock, one shepherd.”  The text is clear. There is one people of God – they are the elect from all the peoples of the earth. There is also one shepherd – there is only one way of salvation for all people in all times. All who have ever been saved, or who will ever be saved, will be saved by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus the Christ, the good shepherd, the door of the sheep.

When I consider all that is said here in John 10 I can’t help but think of Jesus’ prayer in John 17. What is taught here in this text through this figure of speech is communicated again in the form of a heart felt prayer in John 17. Please listen to it. Jesus prayed,

“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17, ESV)

Conclusion

Do you see the love of the good shepherd for you? Do you love the good shepherd? Would you draw near to him that he might lead you and feed you, protect you, and that you might know him more dearly?

Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 34:1-10

“The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.’  Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ‘As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep’, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.’” (Ezekiel 34:1–10, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 10:1-21

“‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.’ There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, ‘He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” (John 10:1–21, ESV)

Introduction

This saying of Jesus has been a most wonderful comfort to the people of God throughout the ages. By it we are moved to think of our Savior as a shepherd – a shepherd who loves his sheep. He leads them to green pastures. He knows his sheep intimately; and his sheep know him. He calls them by name, and they know his voice and follow. He is the good shepherd. He defends his flock from predators, even to the point of laying down his own life for them. It is no wonder then that this image of Christ as the good shepherd has warmed the hearts of the people of God from generation to generation.

Christ as the good shepherd is certainly the predominant theme in this passage. All things eventually point this, that Christ Jesus our Lord is the good shepherd. But it is important to see that there is more to this figure of speech, or wise saying, than a simple presentation of Christ as the good shepherd. The gospel of John never ceases to amaze me in its ability to be at once utterly simple and at the same time deep and complex. We will eventually come to set our attention upon Christ as the good shepherd, it is true. But it would be unwise to go straight there and, in so doing, to pass over the nuances of this wonderful passage.

Notice that Jesus does not explicitly reveal himself as the good shepherd until verse 11. It is there that Jesus utters those most famous words, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Up to that point the emphases is upon something else. Notice verse 7: “Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.’” And in verse 9 Jesus again says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” So notice that in this figure of speech Jesus makes not one, but two declarations concerning himself. He first says, “I am the door”, and then he says, “I am the good shepherd”. 

Today we will set our attention upon Jesus as “the door”. Next week we will consider his as the “good shepherd”. It is understandable that thinking of Jesus as the “good shepherd” warms the heart more than thinking of him as “the door”, but both of these sayings of Jesus are of great importance.

The Figure of Speech 

Both of these “I am” sayings of Jesus find their source in the figure of speech uttered by Jesus in verses 1-5.

Keep in mind (and this is very important) that Jesus uttered these words in the presence of the man who was born blind whom had healed, the Pharisees who had cast that man out of the synagogue because he would not renounce Jesus, and before whoever else happened to be gathered around. In other words the audience that surrounded Jesus at the end of chapter nine is the same audience in chapter 10:1-21.  It is to them – the healed man, the Pharisees, and others –  that Jesus says,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:1–5, ESV)

We need to be careful in our interpretation of this saying of Jesus. One mistake that students of the Bible have made in the history of interpretation is to treat this saying as if it were an allegory – as if it were a story where each and every figure represents someone or something in a very exact and specific way. For example, some have labored to figure out who exactly the gatekeeper of verse 3 represents, or who exactly the thief and robber represent, as if they were two separate and very particular people. This kind of interpretation goes to far. This is not an allegory, but a figure of speech, or wise saying whereby Jesus makes comparisons between himself and his opponents. Some of the figures in this saying are not meant to represent something in particular, but they add detail to the image that Jesus is proving so that we might have in our minds a vivid picture concerning the point that Jesus is making.

The Sheepfold

Notice that Jesus uses the image of a sheepfold in order to tell us something about himself and how we relate to him. This is similar to what we will see in John 15 where Jesus famously uses he the image of a vine, saying,  “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Here were are to picture, not a vine, but a sheepfold, which might be a bit more difficult for us, given the modern world in which we live.

When we think of a sheepfold we are to envision an area enclosed by a wall, open to the sky, with one door through which the shepherds would be able to lead their sheep out to pasture and back in again. Sometimes a sheepfold will be attached to a house as if a courtyard; sometimes they will be detached and freestanding. Some are large; some small. It would seem, from the details given in this passage, that we are to imagine a large sheepfold – one capable of holding multiple flocks for multiple shepherds. The usefulness of a sheepfold is obvious – the sheep are brought in from the pastures at night and kept in these so that they might more easily be protected from predators – thieves and wolves and such.

A Distinction Between Sheep and Sheep

It is clear that the sheep in this figure of speech represent people in general. At first all of the sheep in the sheepfold represent all of the people of Israel. As the figure of speech develops the sheep will also come to represent all of the people of the world.

The interesting thing is that a distinction is made between the sheep in general and those particular sheep that belong to the good shepherd who eventually takes center stage. The sheepfold is filled with many sheep belonging, apparently, to many shepherds, but there are some particular sheep who belong to the shepherd, who will eventually be called the good shepherd, who is Jesus. These sheep clearly represent, not all of the people of Israel, not all of the people of the earth, but the elect of God.

There are two characteristics that set these particular sheep off from the rest. One, notice that the shepherd calls these particular sheep by name. And two, notice that these particular sheep hear and recognize the voice of their shepherd, and therefore follow him.

In the West we think of shepherds driving their flock using sheep dogs, don’t we? But in the Near East the custom was, and still is, different. The shepherds lead their sheep. They call their sheep, and the sheep follow, because they recognize the voice of their shepherd. Evidently experiments have even been conducted where strangers will dress like the shepherd, even wearing the shepherds own clothing, and will try to lead the sheep, but they will not follow because they do not hear the voice of their shepherd.

Notice how the voice of the shepherd is emphasized in verses 3 and 4. We are told that, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

The meaning is this: that of all the people of Israel (and later in this passage it will become clear that this same principle is true of all the peoples of the earth (see v. 16)) there are some who belong to Christ, the good shepherd. A distinction is made here. Some belong to Christ, whereas others do not. Some belong to Christ’s flock, whereas others do not. These are the ones that scriptures in other places call the elect. And how do we know who the elect are? They are the ones who Christ calls by name. He personally, specifically, and effectively calls them; they in turn recognize his voice and follow him as their shepherd king.

So a distinction is made between the sheep of the fold and the sheep of the good shepherd.

A Distinction Between Robbers and the Shepherd of the Sheep 

But notice also that a distinction is made between the thieves and robbers (also called strangers)  and the legitimate shepherd of the sheep.

This distinction will be developed more fully in the following passage, which we will consider in detail next week. For now simply notice that there are thieves and robbers and strangers who threaten the sheep. They do not care for the wellbeing of the sheep. They are only concerned to devour the sheep. They are only concerned to make use of their wool and meat and fat.

And how do we distinguish between the true shepherd specifically – or true shepherds in general – and those who are strangers and thieves?

Two things are mentioned in verses 1-5. The first thing mentioned is rather objective and verifiable, the second thing more subjective, having to do with spiritual discernment.

Let’s look at the second thing first. It actually has already been mentioned. We are told time and again in verses 3 and 4 that the sheep who belong to the good shepherd hear his voice. They recognize his voice. Verse 5: “A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This is subjective and spiritual, it’s true. It has to do with the ability that those within God’s flock have to distinguish between the voice of the good shepherd and the voice of counterfeit thieves and robbers. This principle can, of course, be pressed to far. Those who are young and immature in Christ will obviously have less of a refined ability to discern between the voice of the good shepherd and the voice of thieves. As it is with sheep, so it is with the people of God – their are some who are more wise and discerning than others. But the general principle is certainly true. Those who belong to Christ – the elect – are abel to recognize the voice of the good shepherd. They hear his voice – they hear the truth of his word – and they say, yes! That is my shepherd king. That is my Lord! And they follow. 

Let us now consider the first thing mentioned. How do distinguish between true shepherds and those who are strangers and thieves? The objective and verifiable test is this: are they found entering through the door of the sheepfold, or do they climb in another way?

If you are driving down the street and you see someone break the window of a house and begin to climb through, there is good reason for concern. Owners tend to use the door. If you are walking through the parking lot and you see someone break the window of a car and begin to climb in there is reason for concern. The owner would most likely be using the door. And so it is with true shepherds and the sheep of God.  If they are true, they themselves will enter and exit the sheepfold by way of the door, and they will lead the sheep in and out of the door as well.

Christ, The Door Of the Sheep

And so the all important questions becomes, what does the door represent in this illustration?

Just as we are not left wonder about who the shepherd represents, for Jesus tells us, “I am the good shepherd”, so too we are not left to wonder about who the door represents, for in verse 7 Jesus says,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:7–10, ESV)

Some have puzzled over how Jesus can be both the good shepherd who enters through the door and the door itself all at the same time. Again, we should remember that this is not an allegory or a parable, strictly speaking, but figure of speech or wise saying. Jesus is painting a picture for us and illustrating certain truths concerning himself using that picture. He points to the shepherd and says, that is me. And he also point to the door of the sheepfold and says, that is me.

When Jesus says that he is the door of the sheep he is saying something very similar to what is said in John 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus says in verse 9, that “If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, life eternal is found in and through Christ. We must partake of these things through him – that is, through faith in him.

He also says, “If anyone enters by me, he… will go in and out and find pasture.” Here Jesus promises not only save his people, but to provide for them. He promises to feed our souls.

In verse 10 he contrasts his purpose to save and feed the sheep with the intent of the thief: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” The heart of our Lord is to save his sheep, to feed them, and to give them, not merely life, but life abundant – a life that is full and overflowing.

And so how do we distinguish between the good shepherd (and his good and true under-shepherds) and those who are thieves and robbers? True shepherds lead the sheep through the door of the sheepfold, who is Christ. Thieves and robbers prefer to some other way.

Christ, the good shepherd, leads his sheep through himself – Christ who is the door.

Those who are good and true under-shepherds of Christ – that is the good and true priests and prophets before Christ, and good and true pastors and elders after Christ – are only good and true so long as they lead the sheep through Christ, who is the door of the sheep.

Thieves and robbers – though they may claim to be shepherds – are recognizable by the fact that they come and go, not through Christ, and not according to the word of Christ, but by some other way.

These are are the ones that Christ refers to in verse 8 saying: “All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.” It is not that all who came prior to the time of Christ were thieves and robbers. If that were the case then what are we to say of Abraham, Moses, David, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and John the Baptist? No, this is a reference to those false shepherds, false prophets, and false messiahs who – just like the false shepherds in Jesus days and in ours – refused to lead the sheep humbly and through Christ.

A Most Direct Condemnation of the Unbelieving Pharisees 

As we move towards a conclusion I would ask you to think with me for a moment about how this saying of Jesus would have applied to his original audience. This figure of speech was first and foremost a condemnation of the so-called shepherds of Israel – the Pharisees.

Jesus had just healed a man blind from birth. He looked upon him with tender compassion. He anointed his eyes and sent him away and he was healed. And what did the Pharisees do with all of this? They disregarded the miracle, they rejected Jesus as the Christ, and they cast the man out when he refused to renounce Jesus. In other words, they were behaving more like thieves and robbers than true shepherds of Israel. They were treating the sheep brutally and they refused to lead them through the door, who is Christ our Lord.

In other words, they were worthy of the condemnation of Ezekiel 34:1-10 which I read at the beginning of this sermon.

In contrast to this, Christ is the good shepherd. He is tender with his sheep. He called the blind man, he touched the blind man, he healed the bland man, and he pursued him after he had been cast out of the synagogue by the Pharisees. He called the man and the man recognized the voice of the true shepherd king.

Application

So what does this figure of speech mean to us?

To Shepherds Of Christ’s Flock 

It ought to speak powerfully to those who are under-shepherds within Christ’s church. The ears of pastors and elders ought to perk up when they hear this saying of Jesus. We pastors and elders should ask our selves, do we resemble the chief shepherd – the good shepherd himself – or do we resemble the thieves and robbers? Are we tender and compassionate with Christ’s flock? Are we diligent in the defense of Christ’s flock? And do we speak Christ’s words, so that when the sheep hear our voice they in fact hear the voice of Christ himself? The question is this: Are we faithful under-shepherds who come and go ourselves through the door, and who lead the sheep in our of the door, who is Christ our Lord?

To All Christians 

As Christians we must ask ourselves if we are indeed following the good shepherd out to green pastures and back into the fold again. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly.

To Those Not Yet Trusting In Christ

If you are not yet trusting in Christ I would only say to you that there is but one door through which we are able to lay ahold of life eternal.