THE Shepherd Is Good
John 9:38-10:21
12-14-03
Intro
Text: John 9:38-10:21[1]
The first 21 verses of John 10 are a continuation of Jesus conversation with the Pharisees shortly after the Feast of Tabernacles. As you recall from last week, Jesus has healed the blind man. Here in John 9:38 we have a beautiful scene of this man worshipping at the feet of Jesus. The Pharisees who are observing this hear Jesus make the comment in verse 39, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Here before Jesus is a blind man who acknowledged his need and is now able to see both physically and spiritually. In the crowd are these Pharisees (who refuse to acknowledge their spiritual blindness) coming under a divine judgment—God yielding to their choice to remain blind to the truth. They are angered by Jesus’ implication that they are blind leaders.[2] So they respond with a question that goes something like this, “Surely, you are not saying we are blind?”[3]
Now in John 10:1, we hear Jesus’ answer to their question. The answer begins with a solemn caution, “Ameen, Ameen”. The KJV translates it “Truly, Truly”. Jesus is saying to these guys, “You had better listen, and listen good to what I am about to say.”
I. Our text this morning is a powerful WARNING to spiritual leaders.
Jesus sets up a contrast between these false shepherds and himself.
Who is Jesus referring to in John 10:1 when he talks about the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate? He is talking specifically about these Pharisees and all those so-called leaders like them. They are in a position of leadership and power over the people. But God did not give them that position. They simply took it like a thief.
The Old Testament at times uses the analogy of leaders over God’s people being shepherds[4]. These Pharisees were thoroughly familiar with the Scripture and I suspect that Ezekiel 34 may have come to mind. Turn to Ezekiel 34:1-11
“The word of the LORD came to me: 2"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
7"`Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.” NIV
Jesus is essentially calling these “so called shepherds” thieves and robbers. He is characterizes them as leaders who have come into their positions of power illegitimately[5]. “Like a thief you climbed over the fence and claimed these sheep as yours. But God did not give you that position. You just took it.” In verse 2 Jesus is telling them one way you can tell who is a legitimate leader and who is not. The legitimate leader doesn’t have to sneak into his position. He doesn’t have to come in the back door or climb through some widow like the thief does. He just forthrightly walks into the gate of the sheep pen. “The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.”
It is an awesome matter to lead the blood-bought flock of God. Heb. 5:4 “No man takes this honor, he must be called by God…”The ministry is not a profession. It is a calling. And as soon as any movement forgets that, it will loose God’s favor very rapidly. It happened in Israel. It has happened in many denominations. And we must not let it happen in our movement. The first prerequisite for spiritual leadership is not a degree from a seminary, as helpful as that training may be, but it is a call from God to serve His people. “Everything rises and falls on leadership”[6] and when you get the wrong people in leadership you get into trouble very quickly.
Spiritual leadership is not about attaining a place of honor and preeminence. It is not about climbing over something. It’s the thieves and robbers who do the climbing in our passage. Spiritual leadership is about serving the needs of others.
Ezekiel 34 lists a number of things that false leaders fail to do. Look again at that passage.
1. They fail to take care of the flock. Their focus is on taking care of themselves—meeting their own needs and the needs of their families. Those needs may be emotional/ psychological needs or physical/financial needs. That’s why Peter writes in his first epistle, “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. “ NIV 1 Peter 5:1-4
2. Specifically they had failed to:
a. Strengthen the weak
b. Heal the sick
c. Bind up the injured.
A pastor cannot possibly do all that for every individual in his church personally. Ephesians 4:11-12 tells us he is to prepare God’s people for service so that the body of believers can be built up. He is to lead the congregation into a mentality of service. He is to lead the congregation into ministry of restoration, healing and encouragement. It’s not about the world’s definition of success. It’s about people (People purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ).
Jesus defined his ministry in Luke 4:18 with this quote from Isaiah 61,
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed. " NIV
Had not Jesus just demonstrated that in the healing of the blind man? These religious leaders had the example of how it was to be done. But instead of humbling themselves and following it, they resisted Jesus at every turn.
3. Ezekiel 34:4 says, “They had not brought back the strays or searched for the lost.”
We must never forget God’s attitude toward the backslider. Read the book of Hosea and you will find God longing to bring unfaithful Israel back to Himself.[7] There are people who were once in this church serving God but have strayed from Him. Has God written those people off? No, He has loved them with an everlasting love and sends you and me to call them back. Jesus gave the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15 as an illustration of his heart toward the strays. Not content with even 99% in the fold, that shepherd went after the stray.
Later in John 10:16 Jesus will remind these leaders “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.” This was a reference to the Gentiles. But it serves to remind you and me that the Lord has people out there—not yet in the church that will come to him. And it is our responsibility to seek them out. It’s not enough to just take care of those already in the sheep pen. We must go after those who are not yet in. We must search for the lost—not just wait for them to come to us. Amen?
4. Here again is a warning to leadership, Ezekiel 34:4 “You have ruled them harshly and brutally.” RSV says, “...with force and harshness you have ruled them.” In other words, they were driving the flock instead of leading the flock.[8] In John 10 Jesus clearly says that he leads the sheep. These selfish leaders were driving the sheep—requiring them to do what they themselves would never do. The key distinction between godly leadership and false leadership is the motivation of selfishness verses unselfishness.
What an awesome responsibility it is to lead God’s people. James writes, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1 NIV) Any spiritual leader who does not tremble at those words does not understand what he has just read. Does that mean we play it safe and refuse to lead? No, we must obey God’s calling on our lives. But it does mean that we do it in the fear of the Lord.[9] Amen?
Verses 19-21 tell us that this confrontation caused a division among these leaders. Some went so far as to call Jesus demon-possessed. Others heard the warning and were responding.
II. Although our text carries a solemn warning, there is also in this passage a good deal of COMFORT to God’s people.
We receive much comfort in the revelation of our Shepherd.
1st He is the God-ordained Shepherd of the sheep. He did not climb into that place of leadership illegitimately but in complete obedience to the Father. Jesus is telling these leaders to consider the facts. He has been truthful and straightforward. He has done those things that Messiah was prophesied to do. In fact, he has just healed blind eyes..[10]
The watchman in John 10:3 is probably John the Baptist[11] who publicly did his job when he announced Jesus as the Messiah and encouraged his followers to follow Jesus. There has been overwhelming confirmation that Jesus is The Shepherd, the promised Messiah.
Look again with me in Ezek 34 and you will see in that passage the same contrast found in John 10. There God says in verses 23 & 24, “I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.” NIV
Notice the definite articles in John 10:11, “Egoó eimi ho Poimeén ho Kalós” which is literally, “I am the Shepherd the Good”. Jesus is the Shepherd referred to in Ezekiel 34.
2nd Isn’t it comforting to know that the Great Shepherd has entered the sheep pen. He did not stay in the distant heaven. He condescended to come into our midst—to become flesh and blood and dwell amongst us. What a smelly bunch of sheep we are. But still our shepherd comes to us.
3. Verse 3, “…He calls his own sheep by name.” The picture here is of an Eastern shepherd who operated much different that Western shepherds do. Those shepherds in Jesus day became very well acquainted with each and every sheep. In those times a hundred sheep was a large flock. In the evening the shepherds would bring their sheep out of the field to the sheep pen where they would be safe. The sheep pen was surrounded by a stone wall, protected on the top by a layer of thorns.[12] There was only one entry and it was also the exit—the door. Sheep couldn’t get in or out except by that one entry. Several shepherds might bring their sheep together in this place of safety.[13] Then in the morning when it was time to take the sheep out to pasture the shepherd would come to the gatekeeper, the night watchman, and ask entry. If he was the legitimate shepherd the watchman would let him in and he would begin to call his sheep to himself. As he lead his sheep out they would follow him. Here’s the amazing thing. The other sheep would not follow him because they did not know his voice.
A man in Australia was arrested and charged with stealing a sheep. But he vigorously protested that it was one of his own that had been missing for many days. When the case went to court, the judge didn’t know how to decide the matter. Finally he asked that the sheep be brought into the courtroom. Then he ordered the plaintiff to step outside and call the animal. The sheep made no response except to raise its head and look frightened.
The judge then instructed the defendant to go to the courtyard and call the sheep. When the accused man began to make his distinctive call, the sheep ran toward the door and that voice. It was obvious that he recognized the familiar voice of his master. "His sheep knows him," said the judge. "Case dismissed!")[14]
The relationship our Shepherd has with us is a very personal one. In his eyes we are not just a big herd of people but he knows each one of us thoroughly.
4.He goes ahead of us and leads us into green pastures. (Verse 3, He calls his sheep by name and leads them out.) Jesus is leading you and me to rich pasture, nourishment, and provision. Ps 23 “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.” NIV
In Ps 23 Who is the Shepherd? God! That’s why in verse 31 they pick up stones to stone Jesus. Look at what they say to him in verse 33 “We are not stoning you for any of these, replied the Jews, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” These Jews understood well that Jesus was claiming to be God the Son in this chapter.
5. His purpose for us is also a source of comfort. John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” NIV
Sometimes people get the wrong idea about Jesus. They think he comes to restrict them, to take away joy and fulfillment in their life. In reality that is what sin does. It is not at all what Jesus does. Jesus liberates us from the bondage of sin and makes life rich and full of meaning.
6. He is the good Shepherd not a bad shepherd. (Verse 11)
We have seen the contrast in these false, selfish leaders.
Jesus also contrasts himself with a thief. A thief comes to take. Jesus has come to give. He is the good Shepherd. He comes with our welfare in mind.
7. He is so good; he lays down his life for the sheep[15] (verse 11).
What a clear contrast he is to the hireling (verse 12) whose relationship with the sheep has a much different motive than the shepherd. Here is a source of comfort. Our shepherd will never leave us nor forsake us. When trouble comes he will be there to see us through. When the hired hand sees the wolf coming he abandons the sheep. His action reveals what he really is at heart. His action is based on what he is[16]. But the action of our Lord in our behalf is based on what He is. He lays down his life for the sheep because he is the good Shepherd.
Jesus wants you and me to know that what he did at Calvary for us he did voluntary (verse 18) out of love for us. The Roman soldiers may have willfully abused him. The Jews may have forcefully cried out “Crucify him!” And they are responsible for their moral choices. But ultimately Jesus died because he chose to lay down his life for our salvation. He was sent with authority from the Father to lay down his life and to take it up again. All that he did, he did for us!
I personally find much comfort in what Jesus says about his sheep in verses 4 and 14. His sheep hear his voice, they know his voice, and they follow him. John has a lot to say in this gospel about how we can know that we really are disciples of Jesus Christ. If you hear and recognize his voice in your inner man, if you follow what he tells you to do—then you are indeed one of his sheep. That is a comforting thing to know and experience.
Do you hear his voice today? Do you hear him calling you to follow him? Perhaps this morning you are hearing him in a very special way. Perhaps you have never before responded to him with an eternal choice to follow him with all your heart. This is your day to say “yes” to his call. If Jesus is speaking to your heart this morning, tenderly calling you to follow him, and you are saying yes to that call I want to pray with you.
As we bow our heads for just a moment I invite those who are deciding this morning to follow Jesus to lift up your hand so I can pray with you.
Prayer
Text
John 9:38-10:21
38Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
39Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
40Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
41Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
10:1"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate[17] for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns 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. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
19At these words the Jews were again divided. 20Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"
21But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" NIV
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org
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[1] Text which was read in service is provided at end of this message.
[2] In Matthew 15:14 & 23:24 he specifically calls them blind leaders.
[3] John 9:40 (from Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft).
[4] Isaiah 56:9-12 and Jeremiah 23:1-4 and Ezekiel 34 are examples.
[5] Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Volume II (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984) p 189
[6] A statement I have heard John Maxwell make on a number of occasions. See Hosea 8:3-7
[7] Hosea 14
[8] In his book, Developing the Leader Within You, John Maxwell gives the following illustration on p. 5:
The boss drives his workers; the leader coaches them. The boss depends upon authority; the leader on goodwill. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The boss says, “I”; the leader, “we.” The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how. The boss says “go”; the leader says “let’s go!” See Luke 11:46.
[9] II Samuel 23:3
[10] A distinct sign of Messiah was the healing of the blind (Isaiah 29:11; 35:5; 42:6-7).
[11] Arthur Pink, Exposition of the Gospel of John, Vol. II (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975) p.104
[12] James Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible (Plainfield,NJ: Logos International, 1972) p.428.
[13] Merrill Tenney, ed., The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol.V ( Q-Z) (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976) p 388.
[14] John Beehler, sermon entitled “Be A Smart Sheep” preached April 2002 at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Union Mills, In.
[15] Spiros Zodhiates points out how the word translated good (kalos) refers to both his excellent performance of duty and to his admirable beauty.
[16] Pink, p. 124
[17] G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to John (Fleming Revell Co), (p 177) tells the following story.
“It was once my privilege to cross the Atlantic with Sir George Adam Smith. I shall never forget the fascination of that voyage, as he talked of those Eastern lands he knew so well. One story he told me was this. He was one day traveling with a guide, and came across a shepherd and his sheep. He fell into a conversation with him. The man showed him the fold into which the sheep were led at night. It consisted of four walls, with a way in. Sir George said to him, “That is where they go at night?’ ‘Yes,’ said the shepherd, ‘and when they are there, they are perfectly safe.’ ‘But there is no door,’ said Sir Georg. ‘I am the door,’ said the shepherd. He was not a Christian man, he was not speaking the language of the New Testament. He was speaking from the Arab shephers’s standpoint. Sir George looked at him and said, ‘What do you mean by the door?’ Said the shepherd, ‘When the light has gone, and all the sheep are inside, I lie in that open space, and no sheep ever goes out but across my body, and no wolf comes in
