WHO WANTS TO BE A SHEPHERD?

Text – Psalm 23:1; John 10:11;14

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, ³ he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. ⁴ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  Psalm 23 (NIV)

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own 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. 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. 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. 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.”  John‬ 10‬:11‬-16‬ (NIV)‬‬

INTRODUCTION – 

Do you realize that sheep are not built to gather and migrate by themselves? It is a sad thing to hear that there is a herd of sheep going around without a shepherd! They are left to become prey for the predators that eagerly await to find shepherd less sheep (expound). 

 Some people find it strange that David would write such a Psalm. David was the King. David had wealth, power; whatever David commanded would be done (expound). Yet, when we look at what David declared as fitting attributes for a Shepherd, we cannot help but notice that David goes from the practical to the personal when it comes to what David loves about his shepherd. This shouldn’t be strange seeing as to how David himself was once a Shepherd. Take note of how David distinguishes GOD as LORD and Shepherd (expound).

When Jesus came along and declared that He was “The Good Shepherd,” being that there were so many shepherds around at the time, this statement got many of the people’s attention. I am going to point out three (3) important attributes that distinguished Jesus from being just “A Good Shepherd to “THE” Good Shepherd:

• “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (v.11) – When something or someone threatens to do harm to the sheep, the “Good Shepherd” doesn’t just  run away or go looking for help, the Good Shepherd does everything in his power to protect the sheep; even if it means having to give up his life (expound).
•   “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” (v.14) – *Use the example of  the different shepherds feeding and watering their sheep together (expound).
• “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.” (v.16) – Take note that Jesus did not say that He was going to take sheep from someone else’s sheep pen, but that He already has sheep that are in another sheep pen. We are the ones who get so caught up in the Denomination a person belongs to, instead of focusing on whether the person is following what thus says the word of GOD (expound). 

CONCLUSION – 

Do you know that there are “Shepherds (Pastors) who actually think that the sheep which the Lord allows them to tend to belong to them? (expound). Who finds it amazing that Jesus did not call Himself Pastor, Elder, Reverend, Bishop, etc., but He says: I am the good shepherd! (EXPOUND and CONCLUDE).