There is a rich Old Testament background to this imagery, most obviously Ezekiel 34:1–31

False shepherds are also denounced in Isaiah 56:9–12; Jeremiah 23:1–4; 25:32–38 and Zechariah 11. God is the shepherd of Israel in Psalms 80:1 and Isaiah 40:11 and probably the best known Psalm 23:1

In collating the biblical background we must not omit the shepherding imagery in Jesus’ teaching as recorded in the synoptic gospels.: Mt. 9:36; Mk. 6:34- harassed as sheep without a shepherd – the feeding of the 5000; Matt.18:12–14 Lk. 15:1–7–the lost sheep;; 14:27 Jesus quotes Zech 13:7.

This is not surprising as shepherding was a common activity in Israel. Sheep, goats, vineyards, cereal growing were the basic employment of a largely agricultural society. Jesus’ teaching was embedded in the imagery of the day. We must avoid romanticising. Shepherding was a tough  outdoor job with all the risks and few perks. But it was understood by his hearers.  Our problem is that we have little feel for livestock management so maybe Jesus would have talked of the good School Teacher or the Good child minder or the Good Nurse if he were here.

A few aids to understanding this passage:

First sheepfolds looked like this: And a shepherd could sit in the gate and keep the sheep in. Jesus’ imagery would have been familiar in a society where sheep-farming was a staple of the economy. The ‘fold’ or pen was probably a large, communal enclosure where several flocks were herded for safety at night. The calling of the sheep in the morning (3) would be crucial as each shepherd assembled his own flock from the larger herd in the fold. During the night a guard would be hired (3, the watchman). He would remain at the only door to the enclosure. Robbers could enter only by scaling the enclosure. The guard would admit only the true shepherds by the door when they arrived in the morning.

 

Second: shepherds lead flocks in the middle East. Sheep will follow their leader and a good shepherd is followed by the sheep because they trust him.

 Thirdly, stockmen soon learn their animals because they spend time with them. Commonly they are given names based on their characteristics. White leg, star face and so on. Even when you just give them numbers you soon learn them by their behaviour. A good shepherd will know his sheep.

Fourthly, a well established herd will come to the call of the shepherd.  English shepherds tend to drive animals using dogs but it is not necessary if your sheep know you. They will listen and follow.

Finally, it is a description of sheep farming not a detailed parable. It is somewhat dangerous to try to interpret the detail.

The storyline of this passage goes like this:

a bandit and a shepherd 1-3a

a stranger and a  shepherd. 3b-5

The door of salvation 7-9  

The Good Shepherd  10-17

Jesus’ personal choice to be the sacrifice for our sins. 18-21

CORE MESSAGE

But we are looking most at the picture Jesus portrays of himself. Here are some pointers to getting our heads round what Jesus is saying.

1.  He is appointed by God. The shepherd enters by the gate. Jesus enters upon his task in the right way. He is appointed by the Father, not self-appointed like the false shepherds of his day (1–2). He is comparing himself with the ruling elite of the day. They were self-appointed guardians of Jewishness. Jesus is saying he is the one spoken of in Ezekiel and the chosen by his Father God as shepherd of Israel. 

2.  He calls you by name He calls his own sheep by name (3). Bernard observes, ‘It is still common for Eastern shepherds to give particular names to their sheep descriptive of some trait or characteristic of the animal, as Long-ears, White-nose, etc.’ It is in personal terms that he calls his followers today. God knows your name! Does that not excite you? You are not lost in a crowd. This gospel has reached millions of people but God has the capacity and desire to know you intimately. Enjoy that fact for a minute. God actually knows you through and through and he loves you. Not your sin and rebellion but the real you he created you to be. And as a loving father he forgives your failings and looks for your desire to serve him faithfully rather than your performance.

3.  He provides direction. He … leads them out (3). Jesus is the guide of his people. To follow him is not to walk in darkness but to have the light of life (8:12). The Pharisees saw their strength lying precisely at this point. They had the law and its application in their hands so were competent to teach people how to live. But they failed to provide guidance because for them living meant ‘following the rules’. By contrast, Jesus teaches that living means following a Master (‘Follow me’, 1:43; 21:19, 22). True, there are rules which reflect his character, but the essence is a living relationship with a living Lord. This guidance will be amplified by the gift of the Spirit, who will ‘guide you into all truth’ (16:13). And that moves us to listening to him which we will come to soon.

4. He is the door of salvation 7-9  

Ps 118:20: “This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter through it.” He does not lead us without personal cost to himself. He is the door to life. Both to protect us from predators and also to feed us.

-       The only way of salvation 7-8

The saying is directed against those who claim to be mediators of salvation. As such it would embrace false messiahs within Judaism and redeemer gods of the pagan world, and in the present context, perhaps even more obviously, Pharisees who claimed to hold the keys of the kingdom (cf. Matt 23:13 = Luke 11:52) So be rightly suspicious of the claims of politicians, and gurus alike that offer another way to a fulfilled life. There is only one strong and stable leader, Jesus. There is only one man of the people, Jesus.  There is only one gate to the sheepfold, Jesus. There is only one way to the Father, Jesus. He is the only way to escape the threats and to receive proper feeding.

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-       Saviour and life-giver 9-10

⁹I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.

There are two parts to this statement. Not only does Jesus save but he also sustains us. He promises to send his Holy Spirit to be with us, nurturing and sustaining our whole being.

¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The bandits and the religious leaders of the day strangled the life out of people by making rules that kept them happy, but provided no peace or joy or confident in forgiveness. Jesus is  came so that we can have life, and not just a poor, dreary existence but a full life. Not just that goes on for ever but is here and now deeply satisfying as we walk with Jesus wherever he leads us.

 

5. He is the Good Shepherd 

And as such he portrays two roles in our lives.

First, He lays his life down for the people who is speaking to and for you and me. The hired shepherd who would not risk his life for the sheep, but Jesus is ready and willing and able to sacrifice his own life that you may have life and have it to the full. Four times in this passage he says he will lay down his life for us. He lays down his life because it is the Father’s will, he lays down his life because he knows us, he lays down his life because the Father him for doing it and he lays down his life because he wants to do it himself.

 

-       Second he Knows  the flock 14-17

¹⁴”I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me

Lets be clear, Jesus is not talking primarily about having information, he is talking here about relationship. Experiencing following him, experimentally obeying him and finding him trustworthy and loving and forgiving

6. Jesus knew that the gospel was for all the world  v16 I 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. To the Jews and the disciples God was the God of Israel. This verse is a declaration that the Good news of salvation spreads beyond the chosen few to the whole world, even as far as Britannia, a cold, wet, island on the edge of the Roman Empire. And here is a clue to internationalism. Jesus is the shepherd of the whole world.

7.  He evokes a response from us. In verse 3 the sheep listen to his voice. Here we also listen to his voice. It is true that many refused to listen, but the common people heard him gladly (Mk. 12:37), and ‘All that the Father gives me will come to me’ (6:37). So the beggar has responded, ‘Lord, I believe’ (9:38). This is  part of the very nature of the Kingdom of God. It is a kingdom of willing responders who not only listen and hear but also obey. It is not exclusive to Israel but other sheep are also past of the plan. You and me. But are we good listeners? And he wants you to spend time listening to him. Not just as you are this morning but as you rise to face a new day and as you retire to go to bed. Notice this is listening not praying. Too much of worship is about us speaking to God. But Jesus calls us to listen. To listen to his written words, his spoken word and his Holy Spirit breathed word. Are you listening? If you can’t hear, move in closer, but also trust that he is looking out for you. More than that, we only rarely actually hear a voice. So listening is not just a matter of hearing actual words of God. It can be but more often God speaks through other ways. We need to be anticipating him speaking to us. Do you expect God to speak to you from the Bible? That is why we encourage you to read it but of the Bible every day. Because as you read you are hearing God speak. More than that we need to be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. If God puts in your mind somebody, then pray for them. Or give them a ring. Being a Christian is more than ‘let your conscience be your guide’. But your conscience coupled with the scriptures can be a strong directive from God to resist evil. I want the emphasize that there is no magic going on here. There is an old heresy called ‘gnosticism’ where you somehow had to have secret knowledge to be a spiritual ‘insider’. But we believe God speaks through his Son and Jesus has given us his Holy Spirit to understand. So God often speaks in a whole variety of ways. Through teaching in church, reading the Bible, chatting and sharing faith in Housegroup, even discussing faith with non Christians. A sheep hears a lot of noises, some are scary like the baying of a wolf, but what matters is picking out the voice of the shepherd. I want to encourage you this morning to be good listeners to a good shepherd. He is utterly to be trusted, so you can be confident in what he says. And as a good sheep you need to obey the good shepherd. Hearing should be obeying. Otherwise we are guilty of sin.

 

8.  He elicits obedience. His sheep follow him because they know his voice (4). Jesus is recognized by his own and they gladly give him the rule of their lives.

 

9. Jesus is also the sheep! Jesus personal choice to be the sacrifice for our sins. 18-21 The chief reason for raising sheep in Bethlehem was to provide lambs for sacrifice in the temple under the Old Covenant. The chief reason Jesus came to earth was to be the once and for sacrifice for sin of the New Covenant. He was a willing sacrifice unlike the sheep in the temple. He lay down his life for you and me. But, being God’s Son, he was raised from the dead to be the Good Shepherd for us as well as those early disciples.

. 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."

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