Sunday's Message: I AM - Jesus in Seven Words (“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11-18))

In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes seven statements beginning with the words I am. Each of these “I am” proclamations furthers our understanding of Jesus’ ministry in the world. They also link Jesus to the Old Testament revelation of God. 

In the Old Testament, God revealed His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). Thus, in Judaism, “I AM” is unquestionably understood as a name for God. Whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement in which He claimed attributes of deity, He was identifying Himself as God. 

During seven messages, we’ll consider the following “I am” statements found in John’s gospel:

• June 12 – “I am the bread that gives life!” (John 6:35, 41-51)
• June 19 – “I am the light for the world!” (John 8:12-20)
• June 26 – “I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:1-10)
• July 3  – “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11-18)
• July 10  – “I am the one who raises the dead to life!” (John 11:1-44)
• July 17  – “I am the way, the truth, and the life!” (John 14:1-14)
• July 24  – “I am the true vine.” (John 15:1-8)

In this fourth message, we considered the statement, “I am the good shepherd.” The sermon text and podcast is below:

Well, here we are. And I’ve got to tell you that I’m delighted to be with y’all on the one special day that separates two birthdays, with one more important than the other. I mean, tomorrow we’ll be celebrating the Fourth of July, the birthday of the United States sort of. Now that’s tomorrow. But yesterday marked another birth, because on July 2, way back in the Eisenhower years, a mother delivered a little baby boy and named him “Ron” and the world changed. And by the way, I was also born on July 2, but that was years and maybe decades after Ron. But you know, before you kind of roll your eyes and shake your heads, I think it’s important to remember that Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776. You see, because it had to be copied by hand, they didn’t sign it until the fourth of July. And when John Adams said this about Independence Day, “It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”, when he wrote this, it was in a letter to his wife Abigail, written on July 3, 1776; therefore, it’s probably the Second of July we should be celebrating, for three very important reasons.

But be-that-as-it-may, we’re all here this morning. And during this message, we’ll continue the series we started a few weeks ago entitled I AM - Jesus in Seven Words. And during the last three weeks we’ve looked at several of the “I am” statements made by Jesus according to the Evangelist John. For example, in week one, we considered the statement, “I am the bread that gives life” and then in week two, “I am the light for the world.” And then last week, we talked about what he had in mind when Jesus said “I am the gate for the sheep” and how we really need to keep our eyes on that gate so we’re able to separate those whom we can trust from the men and women who jumped the fence. Now that’s what we’ve done to this point.

And today, we’re going to discuss the fourth “I am” statement in the Gospel of John, something also found in chapter ten, the same chapter we looked at last week. Just listen to what John wrote:

I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don't own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. Hired workers run away because they don't care about the sheep.

I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must also bring them together, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd. [John 10:11-16, CEV]

Now that’s going to be our focus this morning, Jesus saying, “I am the good shepherd.” [John 10:14a, CEV] And as we’ve done with the bread and the light and the gate, we’re going to approach the good shepherd with three questions: first, what does it mean to say that Jesus is the good shepherd; and second, how might we respond to the good shepherd; and third, why is that response important? Now, that’s what we’ll be doing for the next ten minutes or so.

Starting with the first question: What does it mean to say that Jesus is the good shepherd? And you know, to answer that, I think it’s important to look at some of the stuff that Jesus has already said in chapter ten, including the statement “I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep.” [John 10:7b, CEV] You see, when you look at the tenth chapter, especially up to verse 16, there seems to be two images that kind of tie it all together: sheep and those who have some kind of contact with the sheep. And as he used these images to identify himself and his relationship with the flock, I think Jesus focused on two contrasts, one that we looked at last week and the other that we’re looking at this morning. For example, as you remember from last Sunday, at the beginning of chapter ten he contrasted thieves, robbers and strangers with the shepherd. And in doing that, he said, “I am the gate.” [John 10:9a, CEV] You see, on one hand, to get to the sheep, the thieves and robbers, those whom Jesus said wanted to rob, kill and destroy, they had to climb over the fence, because they couldn’t go through the gate. In other words, they couldn’t go through Jesus. Now that’s on one hand. But on the other hand, the shepherd, and I’m talking about the one whose voice the sheep know, man, he goes in through the gate in order to lead the sheep out. And so, by focusing on the gate, in other words, by focusing on the person and words of Jesus Christ, we can separate those folks within the community who want to hurt us from those who want to lead us out into the world. Now, that’s the first contrast using these images, and we talked about it last week.

But Jesus didn’t just stop here; he pushed this business about the sheep and those who have contact with them a little farther. And again he did it by contrasting two people who work with sheep, but this time they weren’t the thieves and the shepherd. They were the hired workers and the good shepherd. And I think that’s important. Let me explain. I mean, on one hand, the sheep surely encountered hired workers in their safe little pens. Of course, these weren’t the same as the thieves and the robbers or even the strangers. In other words, they didn’t have to jump the fence to get to the sheep, instead they must have entered through the gate, because they weren’t trying to rob, kill and destroy. Instead, they were in the sheep pen to do what shepherds do, to lead the sheep out toward green pastures and still waters. You see, that’s what these workers were hired to do, and there’s no indication that they weren’t doing it and doing it well. No, the problem was that they didn’t own the flock; they were just working for the guy who did. And because of that, when they were away from the pen, you know, in the real world, they just weren’t willing to risk their lives to save sheep that didn’t belong to them. You see, on one hand there were the hired workers. On the other hand, though, there was not just the shepherd but the good shepherd. And his situation was radically different. You see, the sheep actually belonged to him; therefore, he not only knew them by name, he was willing to sacrifice himself for the flock. But even more than that, since he was what we called a “wool grower” when I lived in Montana, not all of his sheep were in one single flock found in one single pen. Now, that might have been the case of those hired hands who did a specific job in a specific place. But the good shepherd, he was the one who could say, “I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must also bring them together, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.” [John 10:16, CEV] And you know, since Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd” [John 10:14a, CEV], he believed that specific role belonged to him and him alone and not to those who’d been hired to work for him. And for me, that’s exactly what Jesus was getting at when he said “I am the good shepherd” [John 10:14a, CEV], and to me, that’s the answer to question number one. 

And the second question, how might we respond to the good shepherd? In other words, how might we, a bunch of sheep who need the guidance and protection from something or someone far better equipped than us, how can we respond to Jesus Christ, the good shepherd? Now for me, that’s an excellent question, and I’ll tell you, it’s one we face all the time. And you know, in my opinion, I think we can respond in two ways. For example, one, we can choose to be realistic, you know, realistic about all those hired workers we encounter inside and outside the sheep pen, and I’m talking about men and women who’ve been hired, who’ve been called and who’ve been equipped to do the work of the one who actually owns the sheep. And since we were watching and know that they entered through the gate, we can accept that what they’re doing is necessary and important. You see, they’re here to feed us. And they’re here to protect us from all those thieves and robbers who want to hurt us. And they’re here to lead us through the gate, out into the world that surrounds us. I’m telling you, this is all stuff that I believe we can accept about the hired hands, but of course, that’s not all. I think we also need to accept that, for as good as they might be, man, they’re not perfect. You see, they’re limited, and I’m talking about limited in their understanding and their strength and their courage. And even though some may get it into their heads that they might be smarter or stronger or braver than they actually are, every hired worker is human, right? They all possess human flaws and frailties. And regardless of what they might think, not a single of them owns the flock they serve. As a matter of fact, I don’t think they own a single sheep; therefore, we better be really careful when we feel tempted to elevate any of them to good shepherd status. You see, we can choose to be realistic about all those hired workers we encounter in and out of the pen. And that’s one way we can respond.

And two, we decide to trust the good shepherd. And I’ll tell you, that’s really what we’ve been talking about these last few weeks. I mean, we can trust that he really is the bread that gives life, eternal life, life in relationship with God. And we can trust that he really is the light for the world, you know, that he loves us even though, because of him, all those things we’d rather keep hidden aren’t in the dark anymore and that he provides us with a source of grace and mercy that we can reflect to the world. And we can trust that he really is the gate, the only way any of us can enter this place of safety and growth. And these are just three things about Jesus Christ we can believe. And how can we know them? How can we grow in what we understand and believe? Well, it isn’t rocket science. Just listen to what the Evangelist John wrote:

Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life. [John 20:30-31, CEV]

Believe me; it’s a whole lot easier to trust him when this is the basis for our faith.

But I’ll tell you something else we can trust, and it’s found right here in the passage we just read. Man, we can trust that Jesus has other sheep that are not part of our group, and I’m talking about other sheep who may be very different from us, living in different places and speaking different languages and having different values. As Jesus said, “I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must also bring them together, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.” [John 10:16, CEV] And I think I’d add to that, “whether we like it or not.” You see, along with being realistic about the hired hands, we can trust the shepherd, and that’s how we can respond, the answer to question number two.

And third, why is this response important? Why is it important for us to recognize that Jesus is the good shepherd and why is it important for us to be as realistic and as trusting as we can be? Well, for me that’s simple. I mean, for one, I think it enables us to maintain our focus. You see, I believe it’s really easy for us to become distracted: distracted by thieves who want to use us to enhance their own wealth and power and prestige and distracted by hired workers who get out into the world and who start promoting ideas that are comfortable, popular and easy to swallow, ideas that might have had some connection with God’s word in the past but, since then, have gotten so gummed up with partisan politics and social values that they no longer reflect the one command Jesus gave his disciples: But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples. [John 13:34-35, CEV] Our response can enable us to maintain our focus. That’s one. And two, I think our response gives us the opportunity to experience the kind of life that Jesus came to bring, and I’m not talking about something we’ve got to wait for because it’s something that we have to die to get.No, I’m talking about the kind of eternal life Jesus had in mind when he prayed this to his father: “And you gave him power over all people, so he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.” [John 17:2-3, CEV] You know, right here and right now, we can know God, and through that knowledge, experience life.  And that’s two. And finally, three, I believe our response challenges us to do something that just doesn’t seem to be a priority anymore. You see, for me, it challenges us to work for unity. Now, I know we live in a society where everything is divided and we’re being taught that, when faced by someone with whom we might disagree, we should be calling names and pointing fingers rather than shaking hands and staying calm. That’s become our world. But it doesn’t have to be. I mean, when we realize that within God’s flock there is no “us” and “them,” maybe the Body of Christ will draw closer together. And as a country, maybe we’ll be able to help folks find something we can all share and to find it in those words found the document we’ll celebrate tomorrow:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. [The Declaration of Independence]

Focus, life and unity; for me, that’s why our response to the good shepherd is important. And that’s the answer to question number three.

Well, tomorrow we’ll celebrate our birthday as a country. And as part of our celebration, we’ll be remembering some of those men and women who were like shepherds to us as we moved from then to now. But for as important as they were, none of them were like the one we’re celebrating today. And so, for the next thirteen hours or so, let’s focus on him, remembering what it means to say that Jesus is the good shepherd and how we might respond and why our response is important. And I promise you, doing that won’t interfere with pomp and parade, with the shows, games, sports, and guns, and of course, with the bells, bonfires, and illuminations that, based on what John Adams wrote, we should have done yesterday.