The Good Shepherd
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John 10: 7-11
John 10
1. "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some
other way, is a thief and a robber.
2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.
The speaker in this passage is Jesus.
He tells us in verse 7 that He is the gate, or the door to the sheepfold.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
The sheepfold is the church, or the body of believers in Christ.
Anyone who comes into the body of Christ, as a messenger, or as a member, must come through the
name of Jesus.
But not just the name – anyone can say his name. Anyone can claim to be from God and can claim to
be a messenger of Jesus.
2Co 11:13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of
Christ. (AV)
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (AV)
2Co 11:15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of
righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (AV)
One must come in the spirit of Jesus. Watch the life. Not for perfection – no one is perfect – but for
sincerity. What is the purpose? Are they here for the good of the body of Christ or for their own good?
Are they here to take or to give?
Jesus said:
Mt 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. …
Please take note: we are not to be judgmental, but we are to be wise. Jesus said:
Mt 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents,
and harmless as doves. (AV)
Know this – there are wolves out there who will pose as sheep or even shepherds. Their purpose is to
destroy the work of God.
v. 1 … the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a
thief and a robber.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; …
Jesus is the shepherd.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
v. 10 …I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
He lays his life down for the sheep.
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again.
18 No-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."
Jesus willingly gave his life for us. Satancomes only to destroy – to hurt. He never gives as much as he
takes.
Take note of this – Satan is our enemy. He is called the tempter, the accuser, the adversary, a liar,
destroyer, thief, and the deceiver. He will promise you everything and give you nothing.
Everything Jesus promises, he gives.
He gave his life. Satan never gives life; he takes it.
Jesus is the shepherd, and we are his sheep.
Psalms 23
1. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even 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.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup
overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD for ever.
Now, he speaks of the watchman:
3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by
name and leads them out.
The watchman opens the gate for the shepherd, but not for others.
I used to think a pastor was a shepherd. Part of his job is to function like a shepherd – feeding,
watching over, and caring for the flock. But then I realized, the pastor is not the shepherd, because the
sheep are not his. They belong to Jesus.
The pastor is a watchman. He works for the shepherd and takes care for the shepherd’s sheep. But he
always gives first place to the shepherd. He leads only where the shepherd says to lead. He feeds
them only what the shepherd gives. He speaks, not for himself, but for the shepherd.
And he only opens the gate for the shepherd. Wolves and predators, he will not allow in.
Now, he also speaks of a hired hand.
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he
abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
The hired hand is not a shepherd and he is not a watchman. He is someone who attaches himself to the
flock of God for his own benefit. He may be a good person, but he is not pure in his heart. He has no
real commitment to the shepherd or to the sheep. When danger or trouble comes, he runs away. He
takes no responsibility for the sheep.
(Now, sometimes God will move a worker from one place to another. That is God’s business, and it is
always for the good of the body of Christ. But the hireling moves at his own will and for his own benefit.
The sheep can always tell the difference.)
Jesus says that His sheep know His voice.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because
they know his voice.
5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not
recognise a stranger's voice."
14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.
It is our duty – no , it is our privilege – to learn to hear the shepherd’s voice. The more you listen to him,
the more you learn to discern his voice. If you do not know His voice, then it is time you learned it.
Jesus knows you. He knows everything about you. He knows your needs, your problems, your desires,
your strengths and weakness, your fears, your plans – he knows it all. And he loves you and gave his
life for you.
But do you know him? Have you learned to hear his voice? Can you tell the difference between His will
and your will? Do you know when he is leading you and when you are following your own will?
Learn to hear his voice. His will – his voice – will always be consistent with His written Word – The Bible.
He will never lead you or speak to you in a way that is contrary to what is written in His Word.
How do you learn to hear His voice?
1. First, read and study His Word.
You must search the Bible and find out what God desires. You will know His general will for everyone by
reading His Word. His specific will for you will always be consistent with His general will.
You will learn what you need to know about God and about life through His Word.
2. Spend time listening to Him.
It takes practice to learn to hear God’s voice. There are so many noises in the world. There are so
many voices calling for your attention. There are so many things in your own mind that you must learn
to know what is God and what is not. As you listen with your heart, and be in tune with God’s Word, you
will begin to know what is from God and what is not.
3. Be willing to obey when He speaks.
Why should God speak to you if he knows you will not do what he tells you?
Ge 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; (AV)
Ge 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of
the earth shall be blessed in him? (AV)
Ge 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall
keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that
which he hath spoken of him. (AV)
God honored Abraham because he was a man who was obedient to the voice of the Lord.
4. Be doing what He has already told you.
You cannot just pick and choose what you will obey and what you will not. God doesn’t work that way.
You must do what you know to do.
Jas 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (NIV)
If you are not obeying His will, you will not be able to hear His voice. If you are not doing what He has
already told you to do, then He will not tell you what to do next.
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
16 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.
I believe that God has great things in store for Albania, and great things in store for this church. I
believe there is a place and a work for each of us. But we must learn to hear from Him – to hear His
voice.
God will direct us! God will direct you!
Now, I know that some people will do something in the church if the pastor will ask them to do it, and I
appreciate that. But that is not the way I operate.
I believe God can speak to people and give them direction in their lives. God can put a desire in your
heart to serve him in a certain function. He can give you dreams and visions, if necessary.
I can help direct you and give you a place to use your gifts, but first you must have a desire and a
commission from God to do it.
Occasionally, someone will come up to me and say, “You know, I want to get more involved in the church
and help.” I say, “Great! What can you do, and what do you want to do?”
When God puts something in your heart it will work and you will be productive in it. If you are just doing
it because someone asked you to, you will get tired of it quickly. God is the one who calls people – not
pastors.
I believe that as each of us draws closer to God, we will begin to have holy desires. God will raise up
ministries that will bless people and build up the Kingdom of God.
What churches usually do is this. The pastor decides to start a ministry. So he talks someone into
leading something and they get it started. They struggle to convince people to get involved. Then they
struggle for years trying to keep it going.
Now, not everything starts out big. Some things start out small and, through faithfulness, it grows into an
effective ministry. But if God initiates it, it will yield the results He intends.
I ask each of you to do this today. Listen for the voice of God in your life. What does He have for you to
do?
John 10
1. "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some
other way, is a thief and a robber.
2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.
The speaker in this passage is Jesus.
He tells us in verse 7 that He is the gate, or the door to the sheepfold.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
The sheepfold is the church, or the body of believers in Christ.
Anyone who comes into the body of Christ, as a messenger, or as a member, must come through the
name of Jesus.
But not just the name – anyone can say his name. Anyone can claim to be from God and can claim to
be a messenger of Jesus.
2Co 11:13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of
Christ. (AV)
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (AV)
2Co 11:15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of
righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (AV)
One must come in the spirit of Jesus. Watch the life. Not for perfection – no one is perfect – but for
sincerity. What is the purpose? Are they here for the good of the body of Christ or for their own good?
Are they here to take or to give?
Jesus said:
Mt 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. …
Please take note: we are not to be judgmental, but we are to be wise. Jesus said:
Mt 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents,
and harmless as doves. (AV)
Know this – there are wolves out there who will pose as sheep or even shepherds. Their purpose is to
destroy the work of God.
v. 1 … the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a
thief and a robber.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; …
Jesus is the shepherd.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
v. 10 …I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
He lays his life down for the sheep.
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again.
18 No-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."
Jesus willingly gave his life for us. Satancomes only to destroy – to hurt. He never gives as much as he
takes.
Take note of this – Satan is our enemy. He is called the tempter, the accuser, the adversary, a liar,
destroyer, thief, and the deceiver. He will promise you everything and give you nothing.
Everything Jesus promises, he gives.
He gave his life. Satan never gives life; he takes it.
Jesus is the shepherd, and we are his sheep.
Psalms 23
1. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even 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.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup
overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD for ever.
Now, he speaks of the watchman:
3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by
name and leads them out.
The watchman opens the gate for the shepherd, but not for others.
I used to think a pastor was a shepherd. Part of his job is to function like a shepherd – feeding,
watching over, and caring for the flock. But then I realized, the pastor is not the shepherd, because the
sheep are not his. They belong to Jesus.
The pastor is a watchman. He works for the shepherd and takes care for the shepherd’s sheep. But he
always gives first place to the shepherd. He leads only where the shepherd says to lead. He feeds
them only what the shepherd gives. He speaks, not for himself, but for the shepherd.
And he only opens the gate for the shepherd. Wolves and predators, he will not allow in.
Now, he also speaks of a hired hand.
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he
abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
The hired hand is not a shepherd and he is not a watchman. He is someone who attaches himself to the
flock of God for his own benefit. He may be a good person, but he is not pure in his heart. He has no
real commitment to the shepherd or to the sheep. When danger or trouble comes, he runs away. He
takes no responsibility for the sheep.
(Now, sometimes God will move a worker from one place to another. That is God’s business, and it is
always for the good of the body of Christ. But the hireling moves at his own will and for his own benefit.
The sheep can always tell the difference.)
Jesus says that His sheep know His voice.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because
they know his voice.
5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not
recognise a stranger's voice."
14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.
It is our duty – no , it is our privilege – to learn to hear the shepherd’s voice. The more you listen to him,
the more you learn to discern his voice. If you do not know His voice, then it is time you learned it.
Jesus knows you. He knows everything about you. He knows your needs, your problems, your desires,
your strengths and weakness, your fears, your plans – he knows it all. And he loves you and gave his
life for you.
But do you know him? Have you learned to hear his voice? Can you tell the difference between His will
and your will? Do you know when he is leading you and when you are following your own will?
Learn to hear his voice. His will – his voice – will always be consistent with His written Word – The Bible.
He will never lead you or speak to you in a way that is contrary to what is written in His Word.
How do you learn to hear His voice?
1. First, read and study His Word.
You must search the Bible and find out what God desires. You will know His general will for everyone by
reading His Word. His specific will for you will always be consistent with His general will.
You will learn what you need to know about God and about life through His Word.
2. Spend time listening to Him.
It takes practice to learn to hear God’s voice. There are so many noises in the world. There are so
many voices calling for your attention. There are so many things in your own mind that you must learn
to know what is God and what is not. As you listen with your heart, and be in tune with God’s Word, you
will begin to know what is from God and what is not.
3. Be willing to obey when He speaks.
Why should God speak to you if he knows you will not do what he tells you?
Ge 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; (AV)
Ge 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of
the earth shall be blessed in him? (AV)
Ge 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall
keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that
which he hath spoken of him. (AV)
God honored Abraham because he was a man who was obedient to the voice of the Lord.
4. Be doing what He has already told you.
You cannot just pick and choose what you will obey and what you will not. God doesn’t work that way.
You must do what you know to do.
Jas 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (NIV)
If you are not obeying His will, you will not be able to hear His voice. If you are not doing what He has
already told you to do, then He will not tell you what to do next.
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
16 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.
I believe that God has great things in store for Albania, and great things in store for this church. I
believe there is a place and a work for each of us. But we must learn to hear from Him – to hear His
voice.
God will direct us! God will direct you!
Now, I know that some people will do something in the church if the pastor will ask them to do it, and I
appreciate that. But that is not the way I operate.
I believe God can speak to people and give them direction in their lives. God can put a desire in your
heart to serve him in a certain function. He can give you dreams and visions, if necessary.
I can help direct you and give you a place to use your gifts, but first you must have a desire and a
commission from God to do it.
Occasionally, someone will come up to me and say, “You know, I want to get more involved in the church
and help.” I say, “Great! What can you do, and what do you want to do?”
When God puts something in your heart it will work and you will be productive in it. If you are just doing
it because someone asked you to, you will get tired of it quickly. God is the one who calls people – not
pastors.
I believe that as each of us draws closer to God, we will begin to have holy desires. God will raise up
ministries that will bless people and build up the Kingdom of God.
What churches usually do is this. The pastor decides to start a ministry. So he talks someone into
leading something and they get it started. They struggle to convince people to get involved. Then they
struggle for years trying to keep it going.
Now, not everything starts out big. Some things start out small and, through faithfulness, it grows into an
effective ministry. But if God initiates it, it will yield the results He intends.
I ask each of you to do this today. Listen for the voice of God in your life. What does He have for you to
do?