Recognizing Our Shepherd

John 10:1-10

In our Gospel reading from this week’s lectionary we see more imagery of sheep and the shepherd.  This is very suitable and understanding, as the raising of sheep was one of the biggest parts of the economy in the Middle East in Bible days.  Let’s take a look and see what Jesus is saying in these verses.

In verses 1-5 Jesus talked about the relationship between the good shepherd and his sheep.   At night, sheep were brought back from the fields and led into a large, enclosed pen or fenced off area, to keep them from wandering away or getting harmed from predatory animals.  This is the sheepfold of verse 1, and it would have one gate that the shepherd or his hired worker would watch over.  If someone was going to sneak in and steal or hurt any of the sheep, he would try to do it somewhere away from that gate.  Throughout Scripture, born-again believers have been referred to as God’s sheep, and God is our Shepherd.  He brings us safely in and out of the sheepfold.

Just as sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd, and will follow only him, if one is a born-again believer, we should recognize the voice of our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, and follow Him.  How do we do that?  How can we recognize His voice?  By reading and studying His Word, and spending time in prayer.  That is how He speaks to us.  Sheep won’t follow just anyone who comes up to the fold and calls them.  They only respond to the voice of their shepherd.  As God’s sheep, we need to be careful not to follow the voice of some stranger who brings a false message, trying to lure us away from our Shepherd.  They are the thieves Jesus warns about in verse 1, who climb into the fold another way, other than by the door.  Jesus says in verse 5 that His sheep will know His voice, and not follow the voice of a stranger, and instead, they will flee from him.  We need to recognize the false messages of those who seek to lead us astray from the truth of the Bible.

In verses 7 thru 9 we see Jesus refer to Himself as “the door” to the sheepfold.  As mentioned earlier in verse 1, the sheepfold or pen that the sheep were kept in had only one way in and out.  Jesus said that He was that door in and out for the sheep.  Jesus is the only way for us, the sheep, to get into heaven.  There is no other way.  This is reminiscent of what He would say later in John 14:6, where He says that He is the only way, and no one comes to the Father, but by Him.  The sheepfold doesn’t have several doorways, and neither does heaven.  Jesus describes those who try to make themselves other ways as being thieves and robbers (vs. 8).  God’s children, His sheep, should be careful not to follow the voices of other, false shepherds.  They will only lead them astray, down dangerous and deadly pathways.  Jesus’ sheep need to be attentive to His voice, which is found in His Word, the Bible, and follow only that.

Jesus goes on, in verse 10, to further describe for us those who try to lead the sheep astray.  They are a thief, and their aim is not just to lead the sheep to some other pasture, but it is to steal, to kill, and to destroy the sheep.  Jesus is referring to Satan here, and those who try to lead the sheep through some other way, other than through the “door” of Jesus, are Satan’s workers.  They aren’t just some other good, religious leader.  Jesus said that they are a thief, and that their aim, their goal, is deadly dangerous. We as sheep, at the cost of our eternal soul, need to be careful of whose voice we listen to and follow.

Jesus closes this passage with a word of joy and hope.  He brings a contrast between Himself, the Good Shepherd, with that of Satan and his workers, who are the thieves and robbers.  Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  Jesus, though, has come that we might have life, and not just life, but abundant life.  If we follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus, accepting Him as our Savior, we become sheep of His fold.  Our life is not “ho-hum, no big deal, just another pasture”.  He gives us abundant life, not just in heaven, but here on earth, too.  A life filled with His love, His joy, and His peace, with Him as our Shepherd, watching over and caring for us.  As verse 3 says, Jesus knows us and calls us each by our name.  He knows my name, and calls me personally!

Don’t follow some stranger’s voice.  They are thieves and robbers, and can bring only death and destruction.  Come to Jesus today!  Come through His door!  Be one of His sheep, part of His fold!  Hear Jesus call your name, and follow Him!