Assertion of Jesus: "I AM The Good Shepherd"
One simply needs to look back in history to discover what man has thought of God. For instance, in the writings of Greek mythology, the gods were thought of as aloof, self-centered, powerful and unjust. People feared the gods. They didn’t want to do anything to anger them. In fact, people spent most of their energies appeasing their gods. In Biblical depictions of pagan gods, it was the essentially the same—don’t anger the god(s), he or she is vengeful, merciless, vindictive.
What a dramatic and spectacular reversal the real God of the Bible brings to your reality. And it’s Jesus Christ who gives an accurate portrayal of who God is. Hebrews 1:3 says...
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being...
As I continue the series of blogs, “Assertions That Unsettled The World,” We'll see Jesus as our Good Shepherd, proving that God wants to know us and be known by us.
The I AM Wants You to Know Him Personally
In John 10:11 and 14, Jesus said…
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.
Remember, I AM is the name of God (See Exodus 3:14). And here in John 10, Jesus declares himself as God and attached yet another characteristic of God to his name: I AM the Good Shepherd. And what does a good shepherd do? A shepherd who was good at his job was willing to sacrifice his life to defend his sheep against lions and wolves and thieves. But there's more. In John 10:3-4, we see more characteristics of a good shepherd…
3 …the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. So...
A Good Shepherd makes sure his flock...
...knows him
...knows his voice
...follows his lead
...is known by him
...is watched closely
...follows because they trust him
...is comforted by his presence
A Good Shepherd...
...keeps an eye on his sheep
...sacrifices his life to protect sheep (lions, wolves, thieves)
...leads by walking ahead of the sheep
...gives comfort by his presence
We get this, right? Jesus, was comparing himself to that kind of shepherd. The Creator God of the universe wants to know you and be known by you. Does this sound like an aloof, self-centered, unforgiving, vindictive God? No! Jesus claims that he is loving, kind, and benevolent; willing to sacrifice his life to save you. Indeed, he did at the cross!
This is the description of a relational God; a personal Savior and friend. The language Jesus used to describe himself is this: he knows, he cares, he calls, he leads, he lays down his life.
Most of us have heard stories about how shepherds know their sheep individually and even by name. I read an article by Tim Laniak, Dean of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. While on sabbatical in the Middle East, Tim had a conversation with the owner and shepherd of a large flock of sheep (over 2000 sheep). Tim asked him, “Do you really know every one of your sheep?” The shepherd looked at him as if he was crazy. “Of course I do. How could I be their shepherd if I don't know them?” Laniak wasn't convinced, so he pressed further. “What exactly do you know about them?” The shepherd replied, “I know the year the sheep was born, the circumstances of its birth. I know if it's broken any bones. I know which diseases it's susceptible to, which foods it doesn't digest well. I know other sheep it doesn't get along with. I know its temperament—if it tends to wander or fight or follow.”
Laniak got the point, and it drove home for him the analogy Jesus was making in John 10. Jesus sacrificed his life so we could be in his eternal flock. He is a personal Savior; a Good Shepherd who knows, cares, protects, and leads those who follow him.
Is Jesus Your Good Shepherd?
If you’re honestly searching for the real God, you will find him in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus as Savior and Good Shepherd sacrificed his life for you so that the roaring lion of sin and Satan could not claim your soul. Jesus as Lord knows you through and through. He wants to lead you so you’re not going through life on your own. He wants you to know him, to see that he is good so that you find comfort in following him. Tim Laniak's experience with shepherds is a great reminder:
A good shepherd knows what the sheep need and sees that they get it. That imagery is what Jesus used to remind us that he cares for us personally. We all desire the kind of love from another that is sacrificial, consistent, and caring. Someone who will offer us comfort when we're hurting and guidance when we're lost. No person can do that perfectly. But Jesus does.
Not Only Eternal Life, But Fullness of Life
In John 10:9, Jesus said…
9 Those who come in through me will be saved.
And then in v. 10, he said…
10 My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.
Jesus as the Good Shepherd not only offers eternal life in heaven, but escape from the suffering of hell. The Good Shepherd not only rescues our soul, he also offers a relationship with you today that is full, abundant, productive and fruitful. Here’s what that practically looks like:
A woman by the name of Jan related her story to her pastor, Bryan Wilkerson. She talked about how she felt like her life was at the end. She couldn’t fight any longer. She sat motionless, feeling totally alone. Others had tried to help—doctors, nurses, parents, husband, and even her children. But there was nothing they could do. Hours earlier Jan had gone to the emergency room. She had back pain so severe that at times, it dropped her to her knees. This was not her first hospital stay. She had been sick for a long time. First came flu-like symptoms that wouldn't go away. She battled that for weeks, then months. Eventually, she was unable to get out of bed.
Jan was unable to eat anything without severe pain and vomiting. She finally got medical help—but her faith in a God who cared was failing fast. Next came the tests—some painful, mostly embarrassing. Then came a kidney infection that almost stopped her much-needed surgery. The infection was treated and eventually, they removed her gall bladder. The surgery was declared a success and she went home. But it wasn’t long before Jan found out that she still couldn't eat without getting sick. Her symptoms worsened until she couldn’t eat anything, she lost weight and strength; and there she was, back in the hospital with not only unbearable back pain but undiagnosed intestinal problems. She sat in her hospital bathroom in the middle of the night—there were no people, no miracle medicine, and no strength left and she was too tired to fight.
She sat there with only the monotonous bleep from the battery-operated IV to break the silence. She couldn't stop the sound of that miserable machine, any more than she could control her own miserable life. So she sat there—dull, miserable, in pain, with no hope. And it was while she was there that she finally did hear something else—not with her
ears—but in her spirit. She heard someone crying. Immediately she knew that it was Jesus crying for her. Jan said that she was totally shocked—totally surprised because deep down she didn't think he was there let alone empathetic and compassionate.
That moment with Jesus didn’t leave her emotionally elated. In fact, her pain was the same. There was, however, one very important realization. She knew she was not in her battle alone. She experienced the Good Shepherd who cared in a way that went beyond her wildest imagination. Slowly she got up and shuffled back to bed, her IV still “bleeping” in her ears. Life was the same but different entirely.
Jan eventually recovered after many more weeks of medical attention, but here’s what I believe she experienced at that critical juncture in her life: Jesus was her Good Shepherd. He knew her. He knew her circumstances, her brokenness, her diseases, her susceptibilities, her temperament. Jesus knew her tendencies to wander or fight or follow. And in all that, Jesus made intercession to the Father for her. When there was absolutely no one else that could help her, Jesus, the Great Shepherd of her soul and life, cried for her.
The Apostle Paul writes this in Romans 8:26…
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
Jesus is your Good Shepherd. He knows you and he cares for you personally—and that’s an assertion you can take personally. Give yourself to Jesus as your Good Shepherd today.
Next Step
1. If your picture of God is anything other than a Good Shepherd, change the picture. Jesus revealed the nature and character of a God who loves you and cares about what’s going on in your life. This week, begin to receive the love of God for you, no matter what your circumstances are.
2. Do you trust God with every area of your life? Your work, your family, money, health; how about your future? What are you keeping from God? If God is truly good, then he truly desires good for you. Fully trusting God with the whole of your life is the logical next step for you. Right now, give to Jesus the area(s) of your life you have been withholding from him. Receive this Good Shepherd as both keeper of your soul and leader of your life.
