John 10:1-18 “The Thief, The Door, and The Shepherd”

1:09So, if you've spent time this past week deeply considering and meditating on the life and habits of sheep, please raise your hand. Yeah, that's about what I thought. It's possible there might have been a couple takers given we are in the land of the Aggie, but alas, the Longhorn is the Only one who has given time to thinking about sheep this week. If someone were asking you the same question next week, your answer will surely be different because today we're covering John 10 and we're going to spend a considerable amount of time learning and thinking about sheep and how they relate to our spiritual lives because Jesus, when considering the response of the Pharisees in John 9 to his healing of the blind men, felt that was the most natural place to go to teach us a deep spiritual lesson about himself, us, and the church.

2:03So let's jump in. In John 9, as we saw last week, Jesus performs a miracle in healing a man blind from birth, and he makes a messianic declaration: I am the light of the world. The Pharisees, who are the cultural and spiritual leaders of Israel, the shepherds of the flock, if you will, are incensed and themselves blinded to the reality of what has happened. They question the man, they question each other, they question the man's family, they question Jesus, and they outright reject both Jesus' claim that he is the light of the world, and they reject the man, cast him out, when he plainly exclaims that a man who can heal the blind can be nothing else but sent by God. So that's the context. And now here we are in John 10 with a continuation of this explanation from Jesus about exactly who he is.

2:57He's going to continue with his declaration with an extended Metaphor about the difference between shepherds and robbers, and then two clarifying declarations about exactly who he is. And what we're going to do today is we're going to break down the metaphor into its components, and then we're going to see how it applies to the sheep, the lost sheep, and shepherds. So, let's read verses 1 through 6 again. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the sheepfold, enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3:39To him, the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

4:05Now, in order to properly understand this whole passage, there's a lot going on here, we need to have a clear understanding of the components of the metaphor that we just read. To do that, we have to put our ag hats on and understand a little bit more about sheep, sheepfolds, and shepherds. Take a look at the slide behind me. In this metaphor, there are three settings: the sheepfold. The door, and the pasture. And likewise, there are four characters: there's thieves and robbers, the shepherd, the sheep, and the gatekeeper.

4:44In order to fully understand what Jesus is getting at here, because the people didn't, we need to take a little time to examine these. So, first, there's the sheepfold. Now, I'll admit, when I first read this, I had no idea what Jesus was talking about when he says that whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the door is a thief or a robber. What in the world is a sheepfold? While it's possible the meaning of that word is lost on us in our modern age, it would have been absolutely clear to his hearers. A sheepfold is a walled structure with walls tall enough to keep sheep in and animals out, and it could house multiple sheep from multiple flocks.

5:21It had a single door, that's the second element in the setting, and the door was guarded at all times by a shepherd, in this story referred to as the gatekeeper. The purpose of the sheepfold was to protect the gathered sheep so they could rest in safety. It's a place where the sheep could rest, where they are safe from the threats of the outside world, where they are actively protected by both the walls and the gatekeeper. And it was a defined and confined space separate from the outside world. That's starting to sound like something familiar.

5:55It's the place where the sheep would retreat to and respite from the world around them. And second, there's the door. The door of the sheepfold is as it sounds. However, the key factors to note there is that there's only one of them. And the door is where the shepherd of the flock enters, only with approval from the gatekeeper, to bring the sheep out to graze. The door was the only viable way for the sheep to enter the sheepfold or for the sheep to get out to pasture.

6:22And third, there's the world outside of the sheepfold, the pasture. It's in the pasture that the sheep will be able to graze. The pasture is a place of freedom and enjoyment for the sheep. It's where they can be nourished and sustained. The sheep must be out in pasture regularly, or else they'll not get what they need to thrive. However, the pasture is also a dangerous place. Sheep need a shepherd to be with them at all times, for in a pasture is where thieves, robbers, and wolves roam.

6:52If a flock of sheep is left out in a pasture, they won't be able to rest free from threat, and inevitably, some will get separated from the flock and taken or consumed. Just as sheep need pasture to graze and feed, they also need a sheepfold to be safe and rest, and they need a door and a shepherd to be able to pass back and forth. As far as the characters in this metaphor, we have four: thieves and robbers, shepherds, sheep, and a gatekeeper.

7:24Thieves and robbers is pretty self-explanatory. They're the bad actors we're all familiar with throughout. The course of human history, who take what is not theirs, oftentimes by sneaky means. A shepherd is a guardian of his flock of sheep. Shepherds were commonplace throughout the time and culture and were responsible solely for the protection and sustainment of the flock of sheep. They were constantly, sheep were constantly in the presence of the shepherd, and the shepherd had a deep connection with his flock.

7:58A shepherd was responsible for a particular flock of sheep, and their well-being rested entirely on his competence and devotion to their care. He was to guard against threats, lead them away from dangers in the terrain, and make sure they were to have adequate pasture and water so they could thrive. Now, sheep are a unique type of animal. They are a communal animal that travels in herds. They are completely defenseless against threats and predators. They have but one real defense mechanism, and that's to flee.

8:38The other thing about sheep is they're not the brightest bulbs in a box. They're not known for their intelligence and have a tendency to wander into things that will get them into trouble. And they are dependent upon a shepherd for their well-being, and they are stronger in numbers. Finally, we have the gatekeeper. So if you're careless, You're going to read through this passage and blow right by this critical subject in the metaphor. There's only one mention of the gatekeeper in this text. Let's take a moment to consider how important he is, though.

9:12Let's take a look back at the text again in verses 1 through 4. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him, the gatekeeper opens. That's it. The sheep fear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, leads them out, and when he's brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him before they know his voice.

9:37So you've got sheep in the sheepfold, gathered, safe, and at rest. And Jesus says that anyone who tries to get in there to get to the sheep by any other way except for the door guarded by the gatekeeper is a thief and a robber. But the shepherd, the carer and leader of the sheep, enters by the door. And what does the gatekeeper do? He opens to the shepherd. You can't miss the gatekeeper in this metaphor. When the sheep are gathered in their safe haven, place of rest, it's the gatekeeper who sleeps at the door, keeping threats away. It's the gatekeeper who allows entry of the shepherd when he comes to gather his flock and lead them in the pasture. And it's the gatekeeper who's going to allow them back. Don't miss a great picture of God the Father, who is near to us, who Sleeps at the door, who protects us, who looks out for us, and will not open the door to his flock to thieves, robbers, or false shepherds, but will only turn us over to the true shepherd so we can graze and be nourished.

10:46Some of us view God as far away, as severe, as disinterested, as aloof. And here we have a very different view of God as being right here with us, guarding the door and keeping us safe personally. How does that compare with your view of God? Having identified the different elements of the metaphor Jesus uses to describe himself, let's apply their use to the passage at hand. So, in verses 1 through 6, Jesus deploys this metaphor to establish a difference between a benevolent shepherd and a malevolent thief or robber. He starts by saying that entering the sheepfold to get the sheep by any other way than a front door makes one a thief or a robber. A true shepherd who has the sheep's best interest at heart will come through the door and the gatekeeper will allow him in. Furthermore, the sheep will hear the voice of the shepherd and the shepherd will call to them. Don't miss the way that he calls them in verse 3. How will he call them? He will call them by name. They are not just a group of animals to the shepherd. They are his sheep. And remember, multiple flocks of sheep might be in the same sheepfold when the shepherd comes. The shepherd Sheep know him, and he knows them by name. There's not only mutual recognition between the shepherd and his flock, but also a personal connection. And when this recognition is established by the sheep, he leads them out through the door. How? By walking in front of them. And he takes them into pasture to graze.

12:22This stands in contrast to an imposter who comes to call and lead out the sheep that are not his. to the stranger, they will not listen. Moreover, they will not only not listen to the stranger who they don't recognize, they will flee. There's a lot to be gained from this metaphor that Jesus used to speak into the difference between him and the Pharisees who have called into question his claim to be the light of the world. The Pharisees very much would have seen themselves as the shepherds of Israel. They were the religious and cultural leaders of the day. Yet Jesus is saying that the sheep will follow their shepherd. He will call them, they will hear, they will follow. And this is a problem for the Pharisees because Jesus is here. He's disrupting the status quo. He's healing the blind. He's casting out spirits. And he's speaking truth. And people are taking notice and beginning to follow as he calls the people to himself and they're listening. This stands in contrast to the Pharisees who are coming at the sheep a different way and the sheep aren't hearing their voice. They're not following. They're turning away. Did you notice what it says the sheep do when they're being called by a stranger's voice?

13:31They flee. If you're here today and you're a sheep, there's a couple messages for you in this passage. Number one, we are safest when we're gathered. Within the confines of the sheepfold, we're able to rest and recharge. We're able to keep each other safe from the threats that roam in the pasture and intend to separate us from each other, leaving us vulnerable to the thieves and wolves that roam and seek to destroy. Don't neglect to gather in the sheepfold, which is the church, for respite and safety. It's here that Christ is with us. Number two, it is a shepherd who knows us and leads us safely into pasture by going before us. He knows our name, and we must know his voice. If you're not gathering with the flock, and if you're not listening for the shepherd's voice, you're vulnerable to getting separated from the flock. And that's where danger lurks. How do we hear the shepherd's voice? He speaks to us in his word, he speaks to us through the spirit. We have to open our ears to his voice.

14:51Spiritual drift is real, brothers and sisters, and drift happens when we start to wander away from gathering together with the church. It happens when we start to make compromises with little sins that grow into bigger ones. And it happens when we neglect to hear the Lord's voice by reading His Word, meeting Him in prayer, and hearing His Word proclaimed. Friends, we've witnessed it over and over. We see people who claim Christ make a wreck of their lives by falling into sin, and some walk away from their faith. I have a little proverb I've come up with personally from observing this over time: when you choose to live on the edge, sometimes you fall over the cliff.

15:34Brothers and sisters, we have to persevere in the faith, and that is what demonstrates the authenticity of our faith bought by Christ. Follow the shepherd and stay close with the sheep. Don't drift. Let's move on to the next parts of the passage and read verses 7 through 10. So Jesus said again to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who come before me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

16:28So the hearers present. didn't quite get what Jesus was saying, so he clarifies his metaphor a bit by saying, he is the door of the sheep. In the first part of the passage, Jesus is basically laying out the way the world works, but the question at hand is, who is Jesus? They don't get the illustration, so he comes right out and says it, I am the door. This is another I am statement by Jesus, which is a messianic reference. Anytime you hear I am, that is a God statement, hearkening back to God giving Moses the name by which he is to be called at the burning bush. It would be clearly recognizable to the Jews at the time. Jesus says, I am the door. Referring back to his illustration, he's saying he is the way, the only way that the sheep can wander in the sheepfold and wander out to pasture. There's no other way in, there's no other way out. If you enter the sheepfold by Jesus the door, you will enter into safety and rest. And likewise, by Jesus the door, you will be able to go out to pasture and find nourishment and freedom with protection. He's making it clear that there is but one way to abundant life and the safety of salvation, and that way is through Jesus Christ alone. And anyone else proclaiming such is a thief with only one intent, to seek, kill, and destroy. There is but one way to abundant life and safety, and that is through entering through the one door, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if you're here today and you're a lost sheep, you're not in Jesus' name. Flock, there's a message for you in this passage.

18:04Thieves and robbers abound, my friends, and you need a shepherd. The world, the pasture, is a tough place to be. There are literally millions of things vying for your attention to lead you down their path. And that path does not lead to pleasure or happiness, it leads to death. If you're not led by Christ, you will be led by something else: love of money, social acclaim, worldly comfort. And friends, whatever that is, it doesn't have your best interest at heart. It will leave you isolated from true community. It will leave you empty of peace. And at the end of the day, it will consume you and leave you begging for fulfillment, which only comes through knowing Christ.

18:54The kicker is: it may or may not happen in this life. You may live a perfectly fine and comfortable life. But when death comes and we stand in judgment before a holy God, we will either be found with a shepherd or alone with the wolves. Don't end up this way. If you're here today and you do not know Christ as your king and your shepherd, consider whether now is the time to become part of his sheepfold. There's only one door in and one door out, and his name is Jesus.

19:26Let's move today into the final part of our text. Let's read verses 11 through 21. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Sorry, lost my place. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me.

20:07Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd. And for this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, He has a demon and is insane. Why listen to him? Others said, These are not the words of one who is opposed by a demon, oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

20:58In the final portion of the Lord, This metaphor, Jesus builds on what he has said and makes one of the most notable claims about himself in all of Scripture. I am the good shepherd. This is another I am statement and another that would not have been missed by the Pharisees. Furthermore, Jesus contrasts himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep against a hired hand who flees at the first sign of danger. It's important to note that Jesus isn't just pulling this metaphor out of thin air. The people he is speaking to would clearly know that he is referencing some well-known prophecy. We're going to spend a minute looking at Ezekiel 34. It'll be on the screen behind me, and it's a lot of text. If you're taking notes, just write down Ezekiel 34 and check it later.

21:46Take a listen here. What I want you to hear is the plain rebuke that Ezekiel gives against the shepherds of Israel. The word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, even to the shepherds, thus says the Lord God, Ah, shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding yourselves, should not the shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the stray. You have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered. They wandered all over the mountains and on every high hill. The sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. As I live, declares the Lord God. Surely because my sheep have become a prey, my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. Harsh, harsh words from God and Ezekiel.

23:44Jesus certainly has Ezekiel 34 in mind as he draws the contrast between himself as the good shepherd and the hired hand. Whereas the good shepherd knows his sheep and is known by his sheep and lays down his life for them, the hired hand flees when the wolf Is at the door. The hired hand does not own the sheep. He cares nothing for them. The hired hand will preserve himself at any cost, no matter the cost to the sheep. The hired hand cares nothing for them, but God, he cares for his sheep.

24:19He will not stand idly by while his sheep are scattered among the hills and prey to the wolves and beasts that roam. He will bring together his flock and unite them under one good shepherd. And a good shepherd will do so at the cost of his own life. Let's look a bit further at this prophecy in verses 11 through 16. We're going to see exactly how God does this. For thus says the Lord God, Behold, I, I myself, will search for my sheep and seek them out. That's God talking.

24:56As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among the sheep that may have been scattered, so I will seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and will bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

26:00Brothers and sisters, it's no coincidence that Jesus uses this particular metaphor to speak about who He is. He is the good shepherd. He says, I am the Good Shepherd. God does not farm out, pun intended, this job of gathering His flock to someone else. He Himself is the one who will search you out when you're scattered. He will rescue you from the thick darkness. He will feed you everywhere you go with rich pasture and make you lie down in good and beautiful land. He Himself will be your shepherd. He will seek you out when you're lost. He will bring you back when you stray. And He will bind you up when you're injured. And He will give you strength when you're weak. And He will do this for you because He loves you. And greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down His life for His friends. That's John 15, 13.

27:03What a friend we have in Jesus. If you're here today and you're a shepherd, if you're an elder, a deacon, a life group leader, a discipler, a mother, a father, a brother, a faithful sister, or a friend, or if there's someone in your life that you're caring for spiritually, there is a message for you in this passage. The first message is that if you have been a sheep for more than a short while, you should be shepherding or working that way. Each one of us is called to preserve and proclaim the good news of Christ to those in our spheres of influence, and that looks the same and different for each of us. It looks the same because each one of us should be actively engaged in making disciples and witnessing the gospel. It looks different for some, because for some, that looks like faithful parenting. For others, it looks like being faithful Christians in the workplace. That may be your main place of ministry. For others, it looks like faithful serving in the church. For others, it looks like being spiritually involved in one or two people's lives. For yet others, it looks like shepherding a group or even a whole flock. Whatever the case, the point is that each and every one of the mature sheep should be shepherding somewhere in their lives. And if you're not, you need to be evaluating why that is and how that might need a change. And if you're a young sheep, then reach out to the sheep that have been in the fold for a while and seek to learn from them.

28:44Second, if you're shepherding, whether it's a sheep or two or a whole flock, take a moment and examine how it is that you're following the Good Shepherd in your shepherding. A Good Shepherd leads the sheep by their voice and their presence. A shepherd knows their sheep by name and guards them against robbers and thieves. We must call to the sheep in a way that they will hear and respond. And we must walk faithfully in front of them, confronting dangers and steering them away from it to keep them safe. Brothers and sisters, this is not easy work, and it is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes the sheep won't listen, and they'll turn the other way. It doesn't matter. The threats to the sheep are real, and the consequences of facing down the wolves can be harsh, but the consequences for the sheep are even greater. Steering a brother or sister away from sin is hard and frustrating work, but we are not hired hands.

29:53We do not flee at the prospect of a tough battle or hard work. We cannot shy away from that hard consequence. Conversation that we know has to happen with a brother or a sister. We cannot stand by while a brother or sister wanders off into the path of destruction. Whether it's not gathering with the church, it's getting too comfortable with drinking too much, it's watching inappropriate things on TV or on their phone, whether it's letting a relationship become an idol, whether it's confronting sexual immorality. If you're a shepherd, you have a responsibility to care for that sheep. Step in front of the wolf, run it off, and coax the sheep back into the fold. The good shepherd will put the needs of the sheep above their own.

30:44And finally, if you're a shepherd, know that you need to be present among the sheep. You must know them, and they must know you. The good shepherd is not a distant, far-off executive. He's in it with the sheep. They're out in the field, he's out in the field. They're subject to the elements, he's subject to the elements. We love the sheep by being where they are and walking the pasture with them. I do not believe that this means that a shepherd is personally tending to every single sheep in the flock at all times. Some need more help than others. But the shepherd is certainly present and available among the sheep and goes where he's needed. He knows their needs, he experiences the same things that they do.

31:31And he knows how to steer clear from danger and find green pasture. If you're here, men and women, and you're a shepherd today, take care how you walk with the great shepherd, the good shepherd, so that those that follow you know you, feel your presence, and are led in the right direction. The people who heard Jesus say this stuff had no idea what to make of it. Some called him a demon, some said insane, others said, How can a guy who says these things be either of those things? But we know the Good Shepherd, He knows our name, and we hear His voice.

32:19Brothers and sisters, we're blessed to be in a presence of the Good Shepherd today, right now. In Matthew 18, 19 and 20, it says this: Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them. This is our sheepfold. When we're gathered here together in a sheepfold, and when we gather with other believers, the Good Shepherd is here among us. He knows us. And he loves us.

33:02Let's pray together. Father, thank you for these words. Thank you for speaking these words in a hostile environment so that the people there could hear them. Some would know what you're saying, some wouldn't. But we do, and they're written for us to know. You shepherd us so well. And we thank you for all that you do for us here, now, and especially when we're gathered. We pray that you would be amongst every single sheep in this flock, God. Help us to work together to steer clear from sin. Help us to stir each other up to good works. Help us to follow you, for you alone are worthy. In Christ's name. Amen.

34:02Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.