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14, 21 Jul 98
"The Good Shepherd"
Adapted from Pat McDaniel’s Sunday School notes on "The Good Shepherd"
Introduction—Use of Metaphors
- Why do you think Jesus used metaphors (word-pictures)?
- Jesus used metaphors to communicate
- Aspects of God’s character (Who God is)
- Aspects of our character (Who I am)
- The things God has done
- "Kingdom Reality" (The way things really are)
- Examples:
- Light of the World – John 8:12
- Bread of Life – John 6:48
- Good Shepherd – John 10:11
- What does Jesus’ use of metaphors communicate to you about God?
- That God reveals Himself
- That God desires for us to understand Him
- That God cares enough for us to help us understand, instead of leaving it up to us
- That His reality is so beyond our grasp, he has to "stoop down" to help us
understand
- The Good Shepherd
- Magnifies God’s tenderness and love
- We can meditate on the scripture, "God is love" (1 Jn 4:8b) all day long, but
still have a sense of distance from and/or confusion about God. There are cults that will
agree that "God is love," but they have a different understanding of God, and a
different understanding of love. The fact that Jesus uses the shepherd metaphor brings
lofty thoughts down to spiritual "eye-level." In metaphors, God gives us
something we can "put our arms around"—something we can identify with and
relate to.
- Quote (Pat): "Everything that we learn about the Good Shepherd is rooted in His incomparable
love for us."
Characteristics of Shepherds and Sheep
- In Palestine, a shepherd’s entire life was focussed on his sheep. What kind of
things does a shepherd do for his sheep?
- Provide (See that they get enough food/water)
- Take Care (Doctor them when they got sick, make sure they get rest)
- Defend/Protect (Ward off wild animals)
- Guide (Lead them to new locations for grass, water; kept them from dangerous places)
- What are some characteristics about sheep that make them so dependent on shepherds?
- Dumb: Very limited in knowledge, slow to learn (stubborn)
- Short-Sighted: Only concerned about the "here-and-now," don’t consider
consequences
- Defenseless: Very vulnerable
- How is God like the shepherd and how are we like the sheep?
- Compared to God, we are dumb, short-sighted, and defenseless. What are some examples
in your life of when God reminded you of this truth?
- Why is it hard for us to admit that we are like the sheep?
- Because it threatens our intellect, self-sufficiency, and abilities
- It forces us to admit that we need a shepherd, which goes against our prideful
natures
- Here are some verses that identify us as sheep and God as the shepherd:
- Ps 79:13. Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever;
from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
- Ps 95:6-7a. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
- Ezek 34:15, 23. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the
Sovereign LORD . . . . 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he
will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.
Dimensions of God’s Shepherd Love
- Read Mt 10:1-16.
- "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. 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. 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 recognize a stranger's voice." 6 Jesus used this figure of
speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said
again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before
me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate;
whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full. 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep. 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. 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.
- There are many lessons to be gleaned from this passage, but we will be focussing on the root
of what Jesus is communicating to us: God’s love for us.
- What does this passage tell us about God’s love for us?
- Intensely Personal Love
- Jn 10:14-15a. 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
- What does it mean to know God and to be known by God?
- It’s not simply cognitive, or being familiar with.
- Jesus says we know Him just as He knows the Father. We are that close to Jesus!
- Gal 4:6-9a. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the
Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son;
and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. 8 Formerly, when you did not know
God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God--or
rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable
principles?
- Quote (Packer, Knowing God, 39-42): "First, knowing God is a matter of
personal dealing, as is all direct acquaintance with personal beings. Knowing God is
more than knowing about him; it is a matter of dealing with him as he opens up to you, and
being dealt with by him as he takes knowledge of you . . . . Second, knowing God is a
matter of personal involvement—mind, will, and feeling. To get to know another
person, you have to commit yourself to his company and interests, and be ready to identify
yourself with his concerns. Without this, your relationship with him can only be
superficial and flavorless . . . . Third, knowing God is a matter of grace. It is a
relationship in which the initiative throughout is with God—as it must be, since God
is so completely above us and we have so completely forfeited all claim on his favor by
our sins. We do not make friends with God; God makes friends with us,
bringing us to know him by making his love known to us. Paul expresses this thought of the
priority of grace in our knowledge of God when he writes to the Galatians, "Now that
you know God—or rather are known by God" (Gal 4:9) . . . . What matters
supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the
larger fact which underlies it—the fact that he knows me. I am graven on the
palms of his hands. I am never out of his mind. All my knowledge of him depends on his
sustained initiative in knowing me. I know him because he first knew me, and continues to
know me. He knows me as a friend, one who loves me; and there is no moment when his eye is
off me, or his attention distracted from me, and no moment, therefore, when his care
falters."
- Jn 10:3b. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
- What does it mean to you to have the Creator God of the Universe call you by name?
- A name distinguishes you from others, it provides a convenient and personal way for
people to address you, and it plays a very big part in our very identity (such as family
names in medieval times).
- Have you ever been impressed with someone who you barely met a long time ago, and
they still remember your name perfectly?
- Quote (Reference unknown): "The individual sheep in a flock all look alike to the
untrained eye. A good shepherd, however, can tell them apart—often because of their
defects and peculiar traits. A man who was tending a large flock explained this to a
Christian friend who expressed surprise at his familiarity with each animal. ‘See
that sheep over there?’ he asked. ‘Notice how it toes in a little. The one
behind it has a squint; the next one has a patch of wool off his back; ahead is one with a
distinguishing black mark, while the one closest to us has a small piece torn out of its
ear.’ Observing them, the believer thought about Christ, the Chief Shepherd, who also
knows the individual weaknesses and failings of His flock and watches over the members
with discerning love and sympathetic understanding. With infinite concern He notes the
doubts, fears, trials, conflicts, and defeats that disturb their peace, and He swiftly
comes to their aid."
- What does God’s knowing us and calling us out by name tell us about His heart
toward us?
- God is a personal God, not some impersonal force.
- Mt 10:29-31. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to
the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are
all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
- Quote (Bridges): "God is so big, everything is a detail to Him."
- Can you think of a situation in your life where you need to remind yourself of this
truth?
- Sacrificial Love
- Jn 10:11-13. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for
the sheep. 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.
- Why do you think Jesus chose to compare himself (the Shepherd) to a "hired
hand"?
- Because this comparison magnifies the Shepherd’s love, even in the face of
difficulties, or attacks.
- Why is the shepherd more interested in the sheep than the hired hand?
- The shepherd owns the sheep (vs 12).
- The hired hand is only interested in getting his salary, and when things become
dangerous, he is more interested in preserving his own life. The only thing the hired hand
has invested in the sheep is his time.
- A person’s sense of ownership over something is usually tied to the amount of
sacrifice it took to get it.
- How much has Jesus sacrificed to "have" you? Just His time, or His very life?
- What does it tell you about a shepherd if he is willing to die for his sheep?
- He cares for the sheep (vs. 13).
- He is committed (faithful) to the sheep (as opposed to words only).
- Jn 15:13. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends.
- Are there times when we view God more as a hired hand than as a committed shepherd?
- Sometimes we get ourselves into a pit of some kind, and wonder where God is. Let us
rebuke that idea! God has committed Himself to us! He has clearly demonstrated his
commitment to us by giving us Himself!
- It’s as if God is saying to us, "What more must I do to convince you that I am
committed to you?"
- Rom 8:32. He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he
not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
- Protective Love
- Jn 10:11-13. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for
the sheep. 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.
- 1 Sam 17:34-35. But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his
father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I
went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I
seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.
- How dangerous is it to be a sheep and not have a protective shepherd such as David?
- There’s no hope. A sheep is too vulnerable—even "numbers" won’t
help. There are no weapons or places to hide.
- What are some "wolves" that attack us?
- Spiritual: unbelief, lack of trust, lack of time with God
- Physical/Relational: emotional, physical, mental, sexual attacks
- What does David’s violent treatment of the wolves tell you about Jesus’
protective love for you?
- Jesus doesn’t kid around. He eliminates that which threatens our spiritual
lives. God’s wrath isn’t just an expression of His holiness against sin.
It’s also a demonstration of His protective love for you and me.
- How does the Shepherd’s violent treatment of your enemy comfort you?
- (Don’t turn, just read) Ps 23:4b. your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
- The Palestinian shepherd used a blunt, spiked rod that looked like a baseball bat that
he used to keep away the wolves, bears, and cougars.
- Does Jesus promise to keep us completely free from attack?
- No, but He does promise to rescue and restore us.
- 2 Cor 4:8. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in
despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
- Jn 17:15. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect
them from the evil one.
- 1 Cor 10:13. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is
faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are
tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
- More Scriptures on God’s protective love of us:
- Ps 69:29. I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me.
- Ps 91:14-16. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will
answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long
life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
- Have you ever experienced God’s protective hand in some dangerous situation?
- Do you think there are times when God protects us from danger, and we don’t even
realize it?
- Quote (Pat): "Sometimes we see it, but often we have no idea of the danger we were
in . . . . We simply experience the benefit of God’s protection."
- Guiding Love
- Jn 10:2-4. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 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. 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.
- Ps 23. A psalm of David. 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 forever.
- Do sheep really need to be guided? Why?
- Sheep are dumb—they don’t understand the fundamental principle of grazing:
that you have to constantly move around in order to even out the "wear" on the
field.
- Quote (Phillip Keller): "Mr. Keller in his book . . . explains that it is necessary
for sheep to be constantly moved about. You cannot leave them in the field for four
months, because the sheep, unlike cattle, will destroy a field, eating the grass right
down to the roots. To preserve your field and nourish you sheep, you must move them about
from pasture to pasture or place to place. Keller says that one week is about the limit
for sheep in any field. After that week, the shepherd leads the flock toward new pasture
so that the flock is constantly on the move."
- What do you think it means to be "moved" by the shepherd?
- Physical relocation (i.e., move to a different state)
- Redirect your work to another "pasture" in the same area
- Redirect your spirit to some new truth that God is communicating to you (being
teachable, flexible, and available)
- Do we like to be "moved" Why?
- We don’t want to be moved, because it threatens our sense of control. We
like to do the "moving."
- We tend to be resistant to change.
- It has to do with our established securities.
- For who’s purposes does God move us?
- Certainly not ours (at least ultimately)
- Ps 23:3b. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
- Do we usually understand why we are being moved?
- Quote (Pat): "It really doesn’t matter whether we understand or not. It
becomes a matter of trusting the shepherd."
- Illustration (Manning, p.119f). Girl in burning building, smoke pouring out of window
where she is frantically calling for help. Dad (I think) sees her, but she can’t see
him. He calls out, "Jump." The girl hesitates, because she cannot see him. But
Dad knows that she will land safely in his arms . . . .
- Have you ever experienced God leading you in a direction that you didn’t understand
(or like), but later, it turned out well? Describe.
- What does Psalm 23 tell us about the places God guides us through?
- Green pastures – Plenty of food
- Quiet waters – Plenty of rest and peace
- Paths of righteousness – Plenty of pleasing God by doing the right thing
- Does God promise that we will not travel through the "desert" on the way to
the "green pastures"?
- Why doesn’t the Shepherd lead us directly to the "green pastures"?
- Character-building
- Hope-strengthening
- Dependence-creating
- Are we left to fend for ourselves in these "deserts" and "valleys"
of life?
- Isa 41:10. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
- Josh 1:9. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do
not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
- Isa 40:11. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and
carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
- The Scriptures tell us that God guides us into places of nourishment and restoration. So
why do we get so anxious about moving?
- Because we know that sometimes, moving involves going through a "desert."
- We don’t fully trust Him
- We question His ability to guide.
- We want all God’s future grace right now (fast-food grace).
- Jer 29:11. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
- According to John 10:2-4, how does the shepherd guide his sheep? His voice.
- How does God guide us? His voice: The Word of God.
- How does one become familiar with God’s voice? Repeated exposure.
- What are you doing to systematically familiarize yourself with God’s voice?
- Is this "hearing God’s voice" active or passive? What does it mean to
actively listen to God’s voice?
- See the active eagerness in this passage. Ps 25:4-5. Show me your ways, O LORD, teach
me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my
hope is in you all day long.
Conclusion
- Use of metaphors
- Characteristics of shepherds and sheep and how they relate to Jesus and us
- Dimensions of God’s love toward us
- God’s intensely personal love
- God’s sacrificial love
- God’s protective love
- God’s guiding love
- Applications
- How will the Good Shepherd metaphor help you better understand the "God is
love" verse?
- How will this metaphor help you face life’s daily struggles?
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