Worthy Sheep
John 10: 7-15 April 21, 2002
Today, from the Gospel of John, we have the words of Jesus explaining His role to the Pharisees… Once again, they question Jesus as to “who He is,” and He answers them – “I am the Good Shepherd…”
That’s who Jesus is – but He goes on to describe you and me – we are the sheep… This morning I want us to look deep inside into the darkest corners of our heart, because that’s who we really are…
The Shepherd knows His sheep (you have nothing to hide from the Shepherd) & we have a worthy Shepherd – but does the Shepherd have worthy sheep?
Frequently, the Bible compares us to sheep… Now that sounds nice, but surely you realize that is not necessarily a compliment, because sheep are among the dumbest & dirtiest animals in the world… So when the Bible says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray,” it’s not saying “That’s good…” It’s saying, “That’s Bad, because we’re just about on a level with sheep…”
When Jesus looked out on the people with compassion, the Gospel writers say that He saw them “as sheep without a shepherd…” That’s not a compliment, either, but a concern, because sheep are so helpless…
ILLUS: Phillip Keller was a sheep rancher & in his book, “A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm,” he says that sheep require more attention than any other livestock… They just can’t take care of themselves…
For example, unless their shepherd makes them move on, sheep will actually ruin a pasture… they’ll eat every blade of grass, until a fertile pasture is nothing but barren soil…
Sheep are near-sighted & very stubborn, but easily frightened… They have little means of defense… They’re timid, feeble creatures… They’re only defense is to run from their predator…
Sheep have no homing instincts… a dog, horse, cat, or a bird can find its way home, but a lost sheep is a lost sheep…
I think when Jesus compared us to sheep, He described us pretty good… For most people don’t like change, they’d rather stay in comfortable surroundings… I don’t know about you, but Lori & I have what we call our “usual place to eat…” At the dinner table, I have a favorite chair & she has a favorite chair & we sit in our favorite chairs… Several times I’ve come home when the grandbaby is staying with us, and she will say, “Pops, somebody has been sitting in your chair…” Even Breelan knows that we have favorite chairs…
Like sheep, people are stubborn, some of us are near-sighted, we can’t see things beyond our nose, we are feeble creatures – and sometimes our only defense is to try to run away from our problems… And of course, there are only two kinds of people in this world – those who are lost & those who are saved…
So, I think Jesus described us pretty good… we are like sheep… and like sheep, we are helpless without a shepherd…
ILLUS: Two men were called on, in a large classroom, to recite the Twenty-Third Psalm… One was an orator trained in speech & drama… He repeated the psalm in a powerful way… When he finished, the audience cheered & asked for an encore…
Then the other man repeated the same words – “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want…” but when he finished, no cheers or sounds came from the class… Instead, people sat in a mood of deep devotion & prayer…
Then the first man stood to his feet… “I have a confession to make,” he said. “The difference in what you have just heard from my friend, and what you heard from me is this; I know the Psalm, but my friend knows the Shepherd…”
Like a shepherd, Jesus is concerned about our well being – He wants to take care of His sheep – for the Shepherd loves His sheep…
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd…” He didn’t call himself King Jesus… He called himself a shepherd… A servant… A caretaker… A watchman… A provider… and He calls us His people… the sheep of His pasture…
We depend upon God for everything… and like a good shepherd, God provides for His children, His sheep…
In our scripture, two caretakers are mentioned, the Good Shepherd, and the hired hand… The hired hand had no connection with the sheep, no relationship with the sheep… He thought of himself first and the sheep last… because he didn’t own the sheep, they weren’t his… If a sheep was attacked by a wolf, the scripture says that the hired hand runs away and lets the wolf snatch the sheep & scatter the sheep…
Then there is the Good Shepherd… The good shepherd is the owner of the sheep… He has a special relationship with them…
ILLUS: Sheep look a lot alike to the untrained eye, but the shepherd knows them personally… In fact, He knows them by name…
Phillip Keller explains this in his book… He said if you’ll look close you’ll notice that each sheep has its own peculiar traits and markings… One may walk a little sideways… one may have bowed feet… one may be missing a patch of wool on its back… one has a small black mark under its eye… These are not just sheep; they are Limpy, Blackie, Nosie, Patch, and so on & so on… The shepherd names his sheep and he knows them by name… but the only way a shepherd can get to know his sheep – is to live with his sheep… he has to come close to them…
That’s what Jesus has done for us… He came from heaven to earth to live with His sheep… And Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows our peculiar traits and markings… and He know us by name…
ILLUS: A man in Australia was arrested and charged with stealing a sheep… but the man protested that he didn’t steal the sheep, it belonged to him… When the case went to court, the judge didn’t know how to decide the matter, so he asked that the sheep be brought into the courtroom…
Then he ordered the plaintiff to step outside in the hallway and call the animal… The sheep made no response…
Then the judge asked the defendant to step into the hallway and call the sheep…. When the accused man began to call the sheep by name, the sheep ran towards the door… It was obvious that it recognized the voice of its master… The judge said, “He knows his sheep and his sheep know him – case dismissed…”
Our first song this morning says, “Savior, like a shepherd lead us…” That’s what shepherds do – they lead their flock… and the sheep of the flock will follow… because they know the shepherds voice…
Our song continues, “Much we need thy tender care; In thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use thy fold prepare…”
Our scripture tells us that Jesus describes a sheep pen… It only had one door… When the sheep returned from grazing the pasture, they would all enter in through the one door… the shepherd would stand in the doorway and inspect the sheep with tender care, one by one as they came through the doorway…
If a sheep had been scratched or wounded by thorns, the shepherd would anoint it with oil… If they were thirsty, he would give them water to drink… and after all had been counted and brought into the pen, then the shepherd would do a loving thing – he would lay down across the doorway to keep any intruder from coming in – to protect his sheep…
The shepherd thus became the door… Jesus is the good shepherd who protects and sustains the life of His sheep… He is the gate for the sheep…
The rest of the song says, “Blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, thou has bought us, thine we are…” The difference between the good shepherd and the hired hand is that the good shepherd has laid down His life for His sheep…
That’s what Jesus has done for us on Calvary… He laid down His life for His sheep… He has saved us from the wolves of sin & death…
But if the story ended here, we’d have a problem… because if a flock of sheep lose their shepherd because he was willing to lay down his life to protect them – they are now shepherdless… and even if no more wolves come – they will soon wander off and get lost… and the death of the shepherd would have been in vain…
But the story doesn’t end here with the shepherd dead and the sheep scattered… In verse 18 (we didn’t read this) but Jesus speaks about his death… He says, “No man takes my life from Me, but I lay it down on my own accord… I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again… I have received this command from My Father…”
You see, under the Old Testament law, the sheep died for the shepherd, but now the Good Shepherd dies for the sheep! That’s the main difference between another religion & Christianity… The other religion believes that you must die for your God – that’s why it’s okay to fly a plane through a World Trade Center – that’s why it’s okay to tie a bomb around your waist and walk into a shopping market… But Christians believe that their God died for them… But not only did He die, He was raised from the tomb and lives again…
We have a good shepherd who has been scarred for His sheep, one who lives victorious… And friends, He knows us by name… He is a worthy shepherd, but are we worthy sheep…
You know I like to turn things around… When I read scripture, I like to ask questions that the scripture doesn’t ask… Our scripture tells us how worthy Jesus is – it tells us that indeed He is the good shepherd – but the question this morning is, “are we the good sheep…”
In order for a shepherd to know his sheep, they have to spend a lot of time together… they have to live with each other… they have to talk to each other… and walk with each other…
Friends, we have a good shepherd, it’s not the shepherd we need to worry about – God has provided that for us… I’m worried about the sheep… are the sheep following the shepherd – do they know his voice…
I can’t stand here and make that judgment – only the shepherd and the sheep know for sure… It’s not my job to judge… They say you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink… It’s not my job to make you drink, but it’s my job to make you thirsty…
Friends, listen to the word of God, Jesus is the good shepherd who was willing to lay down His life for us…
He loved us enough to suffer on the Cross for us…
To save us from eternal death…
To prepare us to meet His Father…
And He is the gatekeeper…
The only way to the Father is through the Son…
He will keep us safe in sheepfold – if we’re smart enough sheep to follow the good shepherd…
I started this morning by saying I wanted you to look into the deepest, darkest corners of your hearts – because the shepherd knows His sheep – He knows what’s truly on your hearts this morning…
Maybe some of you don’t like what you see… maybe you’re a shamed of what’s really in your heart… Maybe you realize that you don’t know the shepherd’s voice like you should…
Others may just feel hurt & pain… You’re hearts just full of sadness & remorse… Some of your hearts may be broken this morning…
And those who truly know and have truly followed the shepherd, maybe your heart is full of gladness & joy & peace this morning…
But for all of us who are listening, no matter what’s on your heart this morning, Softly & tenderly Jesus is calling…
The good shepherd is calling His sheep this morning… Do you know the shepherds voice – He’s calling you this morning… He wants you to come home…
We have a worthy shepherd – I pray that He will find us to be worthy sheep…
This is the Word of the Lord for this Fourth Sunday of Easter. Amen & Amen.
Rev. Mike DuBose
Newhebron United Methodist Church
Newhebron, MS
