Our Shepherd We live in an agricultural area. We are familiar with the various seasons of planting, tending and harvesting the crops of this area. Whether we farm, garden or maybe just enjoy the fresh produce as the seasons bless us with squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. we appreciate agricultural stories that help us understand a life lesson. The likelihood that we know about and understand tending sheep is not as great as the various farming analogies that we find in the Bible. However, the Bible spends a lot of time talking about sheep and shepherds. Today s lesson title will already register for most of us that our shepherd is Jesus. What does that mean to us? How do we understand the relationship between us and Jesus as our shepherd? One of the characteristics of sheep is their herding instinct. They band together in groups as a defense mechanism against predators. They follow the lead of older sheep. When strays split away from the flock, they are often attacked and eaten by predators. This instinct can even be so strong that it may lead to unfortunate results. In 2006, in eastern Turkey, a herd of nearly 400 sheep plunged to their death as they followed other sheep trying to cross a ravine that was nearly 50 feet deep. Sheep tend to be gentle creatures and are more easily controlled by shepherds than some other animals. The flock will follow the older leaders within the herd and the 1
shepherd will learn to manage the elder members of the flock and thus manage the rest of the flock. Several times in the Hebrew Bible, God mentions the stray lambs and how they were like the children of Israel leaving God. For example, David uses this imagery in Psalm 119:176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments. (Psalm 119:176 NASB) In the 53 rd chapter of Isaiah, we often read about the prophecy of Jesus and His suffering to pay for our sins. In this chapter, the image of stray sheep is again used to speak of people wandering off after their own way and leaving the pastures of God. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. (Isaiah 53:6 NASB) To some extent, people tend to have sheep like qualities. There are many places in the Bible where we see the reference to sheep. Charles Spurgeon, the well know theologian, said: Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude. But believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals that wander alone. Those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God s people. Charles Spurgeon 2
He rightly noted that the aggressive animals (bears or lions) are used to compare to Jesus while the sheep are for the people who follow God. He also points out that it is not a wise or prudent idea to live our Christian life as a solitary animal. We should welcome and look forward to our interactions with our fellow Christians. Jesus is portrayed as the good and loving shepherd. We read earlier that Jesus paid the price for our wandering away like a stray sheep. Isaiah also paints the picture of a loving shepherd who ensures that the young (new) sheep are not overlooked. Consider Isaiah 40:9. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. (Isaiah 40:11 NASB) While Jesus walked on earth, He used the image of a shepherd caring for His sheep. Our main scripture this morning demonstrated the shepherd analogy to its fullest. Let read from the 10 th chapter of John beginning in verse 11. 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 is not the owner of 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 is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, 3
because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father. (John 10:11-18 NASB) There are two points that seem to jump out at us in this passage. First, Jesus speaks of the love of the shepherd for the sheep. The love that would have the shepherd to lay down His life for the sheep. The second point that come out is there are other sheep to be brought into the herd. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. In order to understand the meaning of these points it may be well for us to place this within the context that it occurs. When we turn back to the preceding chapter, we see that Jesus had healed a blind man. The man had been blind since birth. So, the question that was brought to Jesus: Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind? This is typical of the way we often think. We may want to believe that we are not so superstitious today as people were back then but we still see these types of questions popping up. Notice the answer that Jesus gives. It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. This is sort of like the posting that I have seen recently that reminds us the tree that was there for Zacchaeus to climb was planted long before Zacchaeus was born. Here, Jesus said the purpose for this man being blind was so God s power could be displayed through Jesus. Now the debate begins. 4
They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see. Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath. But others were saying, How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs (or attesting miracles)? And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes? And he said, He is a prophet. (John 9:13-17 NASB) Jesus is from God-no He isn t! You, blind man, what do you say? The debate continues until Jesus tells them that his purpose for coming into the world was to bring sight to those who cannot see. Then Jesus begins to shift to speaking of His role as shepherd. At first it is not clearly understood so He repeats the analogy as we read from John 10:7-10. So, Jesus said to them again, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:7-10 NASB) As we reconnect with our original scripture, we now understand that Jesus was talking to Jewish leaders and His reference to other sheep is an indication that God would bring other people into the flock through Jesus the Good Shepherd. The idea of shepherds caring for their flocks is mentioned again by Jesus in one of His parables. We look in Matthew the 18 th chapter and read verses 12 through 14. 5
What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish. (Matthew 18:12-14 NASB) After Jesus rose from the grave and met with His disciples, He had a conversation with Peter. We have looked at this conversation before. Let s look at it again and notice the shepherd references when Jesus talks with Peter at a breakfast meeting. We will be reading in the 21 st chapter of John. So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said to him, Tend My lambs. He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Tend My sheep. (John 21:15-17 NASB) Once before, we read through these scriptures and looked at the Greek words for love. This time we will look at the Greek words that Jesus uses for feed or tend. I know that there are several different translations being used and each may have slightly different words. In the NIV, Peter is told to feed, take care of, and feed. In the KJV, he is told to feed in all three places. In the NKJV, he is told to feed, tend, and feed. In the NASB, as we just read, he is told to tend, shepherd, and tend. 6
Well, there are two distinct words used in the Greek. Peter is told the first time and the third time to βόσκω (pronounced bosco). This means pasture or provide fodder or feed. The second time, Jesus tells Peter to ποιμαίνω (pronounced poy-mah'-eeno). This means to tend as a shepherd or supervise. The Expositor s Bible Commentary tells us: The first and third imply only taking the sheep to pasture where they are fed; the second implies the total guardianship a shepherd exercises. This threefold injunction does not necessarily give Peter the sole responsibility for oversight of Christ s followers; all of his spiritually mature disciples are called to be shepherds (1 Peter 5:2). Peter knew that this responsibility was one that requires maturity and compassion as he charges those in authority in his first letter. Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:1-4 NASB) Are we ready to be the sheep in the pasture under the watchful eye of our great shepherd? Are we ready to be cared for, fed and protected by the Chief Shepherd Jesus the Christ? 7