“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” (John 10:11-16, ESV).
There are things that we all agree on what is good. It is good thing that there is no typhoon, no earthquake, no flood. It’s good that electric rate or the price of commodities will go down. It’s good if our meeting hall will be on the ground floor.
But there are things that we differ on what is good. Other would say it’s good to live in a city where there are many shopping malls, while others prefer to be in a place where trees and birds abound.
One would insist that it’s good to eat lechon, but one would say it’s good to be a vegetarian. It’s good for others to sleep in an airconditioned room, while others prefer the windows are just open.
A job seeker would say it’s good to be employed in a government office, but for another would say, it’s good to be in private company or just be self-employed or be in business.
Just what is good?
“In general the term ‘good’ refers to something of value, or anything that fills a need or desire and thus affords satisfaction.”
And as human beings we have a human standard of value, so our understanding of what is good is also on that level.
But, when Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd, His Goodness is far beyond that level.
So, this time, let’s discuss the topic…THE EXTRAORDINARY GOODNESS…, as we focus on our text (John 10:11-16).
So, we should not equate the Goodness of Jesus Christ, who is fully and truly God, with our ordinary understanding of what is good. As the Divine Shepherd, then, what made His Goodness extraordinary?
In chapter 8 of the book of John, we learned that if we are true believers of Christ, we will abide in His word. Also, as true believers, not only God becomes our Father; we are able also to have an affection for Jesus. And further in chapter 8, we found out that Jesus did not just claim that He was before Abraham; He was the “I AM” of the Old Testament -- the Self-Existent One, God Himself.
In chapter 9, Jesus said that He was the “light of the world.” He healed the man born blind. And the man was able to see not only the physical light, but also the “spiritual light.” Jesus made Himself known to the man. And he believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
And now in the opening part of chapter 10, Jesus claimed that He was “the door of the sheep” (verse 7).
Now, in our text, we would focus our attention on the claim of Jesus that He was the Good Shepherd. And as we proceed, we’ll realize that as the Divine Shepherd, His Goodness is beyond the ordinary kind of human goodness that we commonly entertain in our mind.
So, what made His Goodness different, or even extraordinary?
I – HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP (verses 11-13).
We read verses 11-13, “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.”
The word “good” is an inadequate translation in English. In Greek, it carries the idea of “beautiful, noble, good.” “It sums up the chief attributes of ideal perfection. Christ is the Perfect Shepherd, as opposed to His own imperfect ministers; He is the true Shepherd, as opposed to the false shepherds…” or false preachers, false teachers.
As the Good Shepherd, He did not just take the risk or expose Himself to danger to protect His sheep. He really died for them. Notice also why He was ready to die for them. They belonged to Him. He was their Owner. So when their safety was threatened, He would never leave them. He was committed to take good care of them. He would not allow anyone of them to be snatched away.
While we know that the “Good Shepherd” refers to Jesus Christ, who are the sheep? We will become more familiar with them as we go on; at this moment, realize they are the people for whom Jesus died. He did not die for the people, who are figuratively goats, dogs, pigs, or snakes. He did not die even for those who are “in sheep clothing” (Matt. 7:15).
But, what about the words of John: “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2)?
Because of that verse, we have the “universalist” who claimed that Christ died for everyone, so all will be saved. They injected the meaning that Jesus died for the sins of every person in the world.
And there is also a group that teaches that Jesus died for the sins of every person, but others will not be saved because of their unbelief. What is faulty in that reasoning is that it shows that Jesus was not able to pay their sin of unbelief.
So, we need to understand 1 John 2:2, as the verse was written, without the words “every person of the world.” Or, if we assume that the meaning includes “every person,” it would mean the unlimited sufficiency of what Christ had done. But its efficiency is not for everyone, or it is intended only to effect on the sheep -- believers or would be believers (John 10:26).
Do you acknowledge that you are among the sheep, for whom Christ had died for? Do you consider yourself as one of the sheep that belong to Him? Do you see yourself and feel that He guarantees your safety, for He cares for you?
If Christ had the preference to die for you, what is of other value that He would not prefer you to have it?
If He owns you, why will you act as though your life, your time, your resources, your talents, your strength or whatever at your disposal belongs to you?
If He cares for you, why be anxious? As Peter wrote, “…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). Jesus also said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3).
If He died for you, will He not also prefer you to be with Him wherever He is?
Truly, we can trust on the extraordinary goodness of the Divine Shepherd.
What is the next point that could show that His Goodness is Extraordinary?
II – HE KNEW HIS OWN SHEEP (verse 14-15).
We read verses 14-15, “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."
Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, knew His sheep in a peculiar sense. As one Bible commentary states, “The word ‘know’ here is used in the sense of affectionate regard or love. It implies such a knowledge of their wants, their dangers, and their characters, as to result in a deep interest in their welfare.”
In the same way, His sheep knew Him in a loving way. “That is, he is known and loved as their Saviour and Friend. They have seen their sins, and dangers: and wants; they have felt their need of a Saviour; they have come to him, and they have found him and his doctrines to be such as they need, and they have loved him.”
And this loving knowledge between the Shepherd and the sheep is like the loving relationship between the Father and the Son.
I have two cats in our house. For my wife, they are just cats. But for me, I know their pecularities. I cuddle and play with them. I drive away other cats that would attack them. I know when they are hungry and the time to feed them. One would hunt even small birds that would make stop-over at the roof top. So, I called him, “Hunter.” The other one, I called her, “Hunted” because when they were sill young, the Hunter would usually chase her.
The Good Shepherd knew the sheep that are His. "The Lord knows those who are his” (2 Tim. 2:19) and, according to John 10:3, “he calls his own sheep by name…”
He told His followers, “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20). He knew those names written in heaven. He knew the names and familiar with the faces of those He came to die for.
When He was hanging on the cross, He was not just guessing who would be paid for their sins. He knew the names of the debtors He needed to pay by His life. He knew His sheep. And He died for them, because He loved them even before the foundation of the world.
How about us -- do we know with intimacy the Extraordinary Goodness of the Divine Shepherd?
Is our knowledge of Him just like the Jews in His time? Or, do we know only of the temporal good things that we could have from Him? One of the miracles of Jesus was feeding 5,000 persons with only 5 loaves of bread and two fish. During the next day, the Jews were still looking for Him and when they found Him, Jesus told them: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (John 6:26).
They knew only Jesus as One who could satisfy them with food. They didn’t know and love that the signs that the Messiah had come to them.
So, let’s spend our time and energy not just for satisfying our ourselves with the things of this world. Let’s be careful also that we try to seek God, because we know that we could have material favors from Him. Rather, let’s spend more our time and energy knowing God more, to love Him more.
When it came to the attention of Paul about the faith of the Colossians, he wrote them: “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray, asking that you may filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:9-10).
If we acknowledge ourselves as among the sheep of Jesus, let’s also increase in the knowledge of God. Let’s exert our effort to know intimately Jesus more and more.
What another point that could direct us to the Extraordinary Goodness of the Divine Shepherd?
III -- HE BROUGHT HIS OTHER SHEEP TO THE FOLD (verse 16).
We read 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.”
Jesus was not only thinking of Jewish believers in His time. He was also thinking of other sheep or would be believers, whether Jews or not, living in other places and in different times that He would bring them together as one flock, not in uniformity but in unity. And it would happen not in His personal ministry, but through His apostles and other ministers.
For Him, it was not only the possibility that there would be other believers, who would be brought into. There is certainty. The sheep would listen. They would hear the voice of His call not only externally, but also internally.
There is the powerful effect of His Word.
As Isaiah quoted the Sovereign God , “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:10-11, NIV).
When God would unleash His words, what He intends to accomplish will be realized.
When Jesus called out for the dead Lazarus, he came out from the grave. And through the same word, the spiritually dead, unconverted person will respond with living faith.
The writer of Hebrews referred to Jesus, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power…” (Heb. 1:3A.)
The Divine Shepherd may use circumstances, persons, or whatever physical means, but it’s through His Word that one gains spiritual life, and be able to have faith.
So, what will be our response to Isaiah 55:2-3?
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.”
If we acknowledge we are among His sheep, we will listen to His words. And we will delight in it. As Jeremiah declared, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts” (Jer. 15:16).
And let’s listen to, or hear, or “eat” God’s Word regularly. John wrote, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3).
If we are also thinking of any strategy, or way to bring people here in the church, or bring others into the fellowship of believers, think more of what the Divine Shepherd implied for us to do. Armed ourselves with God’s Word. Immersed ourselves in it. Let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly. And unleash it to our desired target.
CONCLUSION:
Before we end, always consider that the Goodness of the Divine Shepherd is Extraordinary. He died for the sheep. He knew the sheep in a special way -- in a loving way. He brought them into one flock of believers. And He did it through His Word. As He prayed to His Father, “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; and they have believed that you sent me” (John 17:8).
The Extraordinary Shepherd brings us into faith, through His Extraordinary Word. And through His Word, we can live without anxiety, without fear, we can know and love Him more, and we can always listen to Him. By God’s Extraordinary Grace, we can become extraordinary sheep -- extraordinary persons.
