Jesus, The Good Shepherd - More of Jesus

“Jesus The Good Shepherd”

Tim Munyan John 10 / Psalm 23

In John 10 Jesus declares, “I am the Good Shepherd.” The fact that we have a good shepherd watching over us should bring comfort to our hearts. There are three specific reasons why we need a shepherd.

The first reason is for protection.

The Bible tells us that there is a thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy and a wolf that will try to scatter the flock. If we were not under God’s protection and He just said, “Welcome to the fold - you are on your own,” our lives would quickly be destroyed. But He is a good shepherd who “Never leaves us or forsakes us.” (Hebrews 13:5) God does not want us becoming wolf food. His plans are for us to grow and mature.

The second reason we need a shepherd is for direction.

A good shepherd directs the path of the sheep making sure they have everything they need to prosper and are not headed along a path that will lead them into trouble. The sheep know the shepherd’s voice and follow it.

Psalm 23 sheds even more light on the Good Shepherd.

David writes: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right path for His name’s sake.”

“Lack nothing” means we have been given everything we need to do what God has called us to do and be who God has called us to be. We just need to obey His direction.

The third reason we need a shepherd is for correction.

Through a parable in Matthew 18:12-14, Jesus tells a story about a flock of a hundred sheep and one wanders off and is lost. We, like this sheep, sometimes tend to wander away from Jesus. Maybe because of temptation, or wanting to explore what the world has to offer. But in this parable, the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one. Whenever we wander away from Jesus, He will come running after us and not give up until He finds us wherever we are at.

In a song we have been singing recently called “Reckless Love,” we find that God’s love “chases me down, fights till I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine.” “There’s no shadow you won’t light up. no mountain you won’t climb up coming after me. No lie you won’t tear down, no wall you won’t kick down coming after me.” (Reckless Love, by Cory Asbury)

The Good Shepherd will come find us and make every effort to bring us back to the green pastures and still waters. The place we find peace.

Questions:

1. What are some of the reasons you need God’s protection?
2. Where in your life do you need God’s guidance and direction?

3. Do you run from God’s correction or do you embrace it?