The Good Shepherd
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14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me…
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
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Local elections 2nd May 2025 have been in the news. The UK voted to elect new shepherds to lead our councils. In the post-election euphoria, they vow to put our interests before theirs. So say the new shepherds, but will they turn out to be good shepherds? We place trust in councillors and can get let down. These are today’s shepherds, we are the sheep. So what do we do?
John 10 holds the answer.
1. We need to follow the good shepherd
2. The good shepherd knows his sheep
3. The good shepherd in harmony (I and the father are one)
We need to follow the good shepherd
Ruth was a quiet girl applying to go to Cambridge Uni. Her heart sank when she read the question on the application form, "Are you a leader?" She wrote, "No," and expected the worst. She received this reply: "Dear Ruth of all the applications this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is important that they have at least one follower"
When I looked from the TV gantry at St Peter’s Rome this week, I saw followers, sheep eagerly waiting to discover who would be the next shepherd of the RC flock: Pope Leo XIV Robert Prevost We imagine ourselves as leaders but the majority of us are not. Jesus recognises that we are by nature followers, that we need someone to protect and care for us. Sheep are followers.
Discipleship is not just about believing in the good shepherd, it’s about following
When Jesus first said these ‘good shepherd’ words the people would have understood it was part of their culture. Part of their heritage - Abraham, Jacob, (& 12 sons), Moses, Jethro, David, all shepherds. Good shepherd was not just a job, it was a way of life – constantly with the sheep, moving around finding food shelter, caring for the sick, and vitally, protecting them. How you knew a good one from a bad shepherd. The good shepherd will not leave us or forsake us he is with us always. Jesus the good shepherd is saying we can trust him, rely on him, he will protect us, nurture us, care for us, be ever present with us, fully committed to us. False teachers and feeble councillors have come and gone through history and with hindsight, we see they weren’t good. Self comes first (there’s often a dark side, sex, money, power). Jesus said he is the good shepherd who will not desert us, will search for the lost, will tend the weak and needy.
Feel weak ? needy? You can turn to the Good shepherd today.
The good shepherd knows his sheep
(John 10:14,27). ‘I know them.’
As Jesus walked in Solomon’s Colonnade the Jews asked ‘How long are you going to keep us in suspense? are you the Messiah?’ Jesus' ans. was that he had already told them.
But how had he told them? We see the ans. in both his words & deeds.
His words of authority, he used words that pointed to himself I am the good shepherd…
And also his deeds; healings, miracles, his forgiving of sins....words and deeds ‘he does in his Father’s name’ declare Jesus is the Messiah.
But the majority of Jews did not accept this. They believed they were still waiting for the promised messiah. Jesus addresses this issue by saying: ‘My sheep hear my voice, I know my sheep v27’. It is about knowing his voice.
When I was 22 I hitchhiked in Greece from Athens to Thessalonica and one night we were stuck in the middle of nowhere and had to sleep rough in some fields. I awoke at 5am to the sound of a wild bearded man making a kind of high-pitched squeal. I jumped up, and he started laughing and speaking to me in Greek. As we spoke a herd of sheep followed him and stood in an arc around us bleating. He was a shepherd and his sheep knew his voice.
Jesus addressing the Jews who challenged him implies that they were not sheep of his flock because they did not recognise his voice or accept him as the miracle worker. He was the Messiah but he was not their messiah!
Some of them were followers and to them Jesus was saying ‘My sheep hear my voice & I know them. ’ it is a truth that our hearts long to hear. That we are known by God. Jesus says to us today v27, "My sheep hear my voice & I know them & they follow me & I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” Such reassuring and comforting words for us today.
The good shepherd in harmony
But what does following mean? We get an answer to this in six words at the end of our reading (v30): ‘The father and I are one.’
Can I talk to you about dancing? Who liked ballroom dancing when you were younger? Who watched Strictly Come Dancing on TV?
There is something very special about watching two people so close to each other and yet moving so quickly and in harmony, somehow managing not to step on one another.
The picture of a dance is an ancient model that helps us understand these words of Jesus ‘I and the father are one.’ Six little words sum up Jesus' relationship with God the Father. In the dance the dancers move as one but each have a distinct part to play.
From Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390AD) to Tim Keller (Rip 2023) preachers have talked about the divine dance.
We, too, are partners in the dance and like the strictly dancers there is one follower and one leader. That is also how it is in our dance with the Lord. If you think I’m off kilter, hear Matt 11:29 ‘Take my yoke and learn from me.’ That’s Jesus speaking! Take his yoke, draw close, tying into the master – dancing as one.
Of course, like the Strictly dancers, there is a lot of discipline that goes into being a dancing partner. The diet, the training, the posture. Time commitment.
But the goal of the discipline is to dance and by that I mean Christlikeness is the goal of the training.
1 Timothy 4:7 ‘Discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness.’
So, what are those things that make us dancers? We need to read the bible/learning from his word, singing his praises, praying (Quiet Times etc…), silence, solitude, stewardship, fasting, journaling, and witness.
Maybe there are some who say, this is too deep, too hard too much… I am poorly, I am old, I have problems. I would respond in this way…
The Lord knows his sheep; he knows you, and you know his voice. The Lord sees huge potential in you until you breathe your last breath.
Christlikeness is a lifelong journey. You have potential in glorifying God, in Christian ministry & serving, in creativity (music/art/craft), in praying and being an intercessor, by being a Barnabas one who encourages others. And that’s how we dance with the Lord of Lords.
In harmony moving with him as he leads and guide us in ways that we can dance with him as we follow our good shepherd.
Cover Photo Kelvin in Greece with shepherd in 1978
