From David and his occupation as a young man to the group of men who were the first to receive the good news of Jesus’ birth, many Bible characters were shepherds. Most importantly, Jesus called Himself the “Good Shepherd.” It can be easy to gloss over this illustration or fail to understand it as shepherds aren’t a part of our culture today. Yet when we study Jesus’ words, we see He was describing our need to rely on Him as He offers us unconditional and sacrificial love.
Sheep wander and face danger without a shepherd to protect and guide them. The same is true of us as we are lost in our sins and face death without Jesus. The Bible describes Jesus as being moved with compassion for people because we are “weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). We can trust and follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd, because He loves us perfectly, knows us intimately, and willingly laid down His life for us.
Jesus Knows Us Intimately
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”— John 10:1-5
We all long to be completely known, accepted, and loved unconditionally. That’s the kind of love Jesus offers us. When we trust in Jesus for salvation, He calls us His own and we belong to Him. Jesus even says He seeks us out personally by leaving the rest of the flock to find the one lost soul, and He rejoices when we are found (Luke 15:3-7).
As we draw closer to Jesus, we begin to understand what He’s telling us. Although many voices try to distract and discourage us, we can be assured to hear His voice as we listen to Him.
How can we best hear His voice?
- Spend time in prayer. We have the privilege of engaging the God of the universe in conversation, and we can seek His will. Yet, often, we don’t take full advantage of the opportunity to pour out our hearts to Him and listen to how He is speaking to us.
- Read His Word. God gave us the Bible to guide us. When we feel God isn’t saying much, we can take out our Bibles and know He has made His voice loud and clear.
- Stay in community with other believers. When we lean into relationships with others who are seeking God, they can speak truth into our lives and encourage us to continue praying and staying in the Word.
The more we spend time doing these things, the better we will be able to hear the voice of our Good Shepherd and follow Him.
Jesus Sacrificed for Us
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” — John 10:11-15
Sheep are defenseless and vulnerable to predators ranging from wolves to foxes and bears. Additionally, they easily get lost and scatter. They require a shepherd to prevent them from going astray or being eaten by other animals. Similarly, without relying on God we are open to all kinds of attacks from the enemy that can take us down.
Jesus told His followers He would sacrifice His life for them in the ultimate display of love. He reminded them He would always be there offering perfect love.
Jesus warned us not to be deceived by counterfeits. If a hireling was caring for a shepherd’s flock, they might flee at the first sign of trouble. After all, that person didn’t truly care for the sheep. In contrast, Jesus the Good Shepherd is always with us, and His sacrifice proves His love. He will remain with us through all circumstances.
Jesus is Our Protector and Guide
The Bible describes the enemy as going about “like a roaring lion, seeing whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). These attacks can come in all forms and can cause chaos in our lives. The good news is Jesus the Good Shepherd offers us His care and protection when we stay close to Him. He will fight and win our battles.
Not only do we need protection from the enemy, but we also need someone to guide us through life. We often don’t know what step we should take next and feel alone. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus surrounds us with His presence and leads us into His will. We have someone who has gone before us and will show us the way.
Resting in the Good Shepherd
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” —Psalm 23:1-4
When we trust in Jesus as our Good Shepherd, we receive all kinds of benefits, including:
- Our hearts are prone to worry and anxiety as we process everything occurring around us. While the world might be full of unsettling events, we can have incredible peace knowing that God is in charge.
- We know that Jesus has won our current battles and will also win in the end, giving us a sense of comfort and relief beyond comparison.
- Worldly things are enticing but will never bring lasting satisfaction. They might provide a sense of fullness for a while but will ultimately leave us feeling empty. When we trust in Jesus as our Good Shepherd and set our eyes on things above, He will provide us with purpose, fulfillment, and satisfaction we could never find anywhere else.
- We all have broken areas in our lives that need to be made whole again. Jesus makes all things new, and He’s in the business of restoring and reclaiming all that was lost due to sin.
Living the Abundant Life
It’s humbling knowing that without Jesus we are like lost and endangered sheep in need of a saving shepherd. Yet when we humble ourselves before God and stay close to Jesus, we can experience life “more abundantly” (John 10:10). Richness and fullness in life do not come through independence and trying to save ourselves. The abundant life is found in submitting to Jesus’ leadership as He guides us and offers us His gift of salvation.
Takeaway
Shepherding was a humble profession in biblical times, so it’s fitting Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd. He’s the shepherd who knows us inside and out and still loves us. If that isn’t enough, He sacrificed His life for us and led us to peace, comfort, and satisfaction in life. He also fights our battles with guaranteed victory. At the same time, He longs to have a deep relationship with us, and we can hear His voice when we pray, read His Word, and stay in community with other believers.
Discover more about the abundant life we can find in the Good Shepherd in this episode of The Well Podcast!