^“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

The fourth “I Am” saying is where Christ declared, “I am the good shepherd.” The “good” refers to the intrinsic goodness in the shepherd.

This declaration brings His children great comfort. The Bible describes God’s people as sheep. Sheep are known to be helpless and defenceless animals. Unlike other animals, they have no natural defence and they cannot run very fast. When threatened, sheep would run into a pack and clump together in panic, making them easy targets for predators. Sheep have a very poor sense of direction; they often wander aimlessly as they graze and can easily get lost. Because of these characteristics, sheep depend entirely upon the shepherd to protect them and guide them to green pastures and into the safety of their fold.

This declaration of Christ being our Good Shepherd reveals that everything that happens to the flock of Christ will always be for the good of the flock.

• The Good Shepherd’s Sacrifice (v.11-13)

 In John 10:11 the Lord Jesus Christ says, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”  The Lord Jesus Christ is the good shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. The Lord Jesus Christ again says in verse 15, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” The word “giveth” and the phrase “lay down” mean to give deliberately. Some shepherds may be willing to risk their lives to fend off wild animals. Some may not; when their lives are in danger they may run away and sacrifice the sheep. But the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Good Shepherd, will give his life for His sheep. The Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was not an accident but a deliberate choice in obedience to God the Father’s holy justice, which is that all sinners will be punished unless they find a perfect substitute who would die for them. Jesus did exactly that on our behalf. Know that the Lord Jesus Christ was not helpless on the cross, but He willingly gave His life to save His sheep. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ proves that God accepted His sacrifice and all His sheep are eternally secure in Him.

This stands in contrast to the hirelings, who are labourers paid to take care of the sheep. Because they work only for money, they will never risk their lives for the sheep. When danger comes, the hireling will flee because the sheep do not belong to him. The hirelings in those days were the Pharisees. In chapter 9, the Pharisees cast out the man who was born blind because he testified of Christ who had healed him of his blindness. As the religious leaders of Israel who were supposed to know God’s Word, the Pharisees were supposed to care for and protect God’s people. Instead, they oppressed and took advantage of God’s people.

But the Lord Jesus Christ loves His sheep, and He willingly suffered, endured shame and mockery, and He was crucified on the cross to save His sheep.

We were these wandering sheep, sinners guilty, helpless and lost, but our Good Shepherd loves us, and He gave Himself to die for us and save us. The Good Shepherd gives His life for His sheep because He knows His sheep and they belong to Him.

• The Good Shepherd’s Knowledge (v.14-15)

 The Good Shepherd knows His sheep not superficially but personally and intimately.  He has a caring relationship with His sheep. In ancient times, as the shepherd cared for his sheep, he would know the character and needs of every sheep. He would know when the sheep was injured or unwell. The Lord Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd knows those who belong to Him intimately and personally. He knows our needs, our fears and all our weaknesses before anything happens. The Lord Jesus Christ compared the knowledge between Him and His Sheep to that between God the Father and God the Son. As God the Father knows the Lord Jesus Christ, so the Lord Jesus Christ knows the Father. God the Father knows the Son perfectly from eternity past to eternity future.  The Lord Jesus Christ knows each one of us individually and personally in the same comforting way. 

In turn, we must also know our Shepherd. The true flock of Christ will hear His voice and recognise and follow Him. The knowledge that the sheep must have of the Shepherd is not just an intellectual, superficial knowledge. We do not just know about Christ, but we must know Him personally and experientially. There is an intimate relationship we share with Christ, in which we place our faith and trust in Him and must obey Him.

The Lord Jesus Christ did not just save us from our sins; He continues to guide and protect us as we fulfil our calling here on earth. But just as there are many false Christs around today, we must recognise our Shepherd’s voice that we might not be led astray. We must know the Good Shepherd more and more intimately by communing with Him and hearing His Word.

• The Good Shepherd’s Gathering (v.16)

 Who are the sheep of the Good Shepherd? The Lord Jesus Christ says, “and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” The “other sheep” refer to the Gentiles. When the Lord Jesus Christ spoke these words, God’s witness was found in the national witness of Israel. The children of Israel enjoyed a covenant relationship with God. They were God’s flock both by promise and by faith. But the time came when God’s witness was no longer a national witness, but the New Testament Church. These other sheep, therefore, are Gentile believers who have been brought into the same fold, with the one Good Shepherd. There is only one Saviour and only one means of salvation. Through Christ, Jews and Gentiles are brought together into one fold.

Today, we as Gentile believers have been brought into the fold of the Lord Jesus Christ. This speaks of the unity in Christ. There is only one flock of Christ.

There is also a certainty that Christ will bring all who belong to Him into the fold. The Good Shepherd will never fail to bring in those whom the Father has given Him. Every one of His sheep will hear His voice and will respond to Him in faith.

How comforting to know that our Good Shepherd loves, knows and will never forsake His sheep.