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Pastor Mark Mikels – May 10, 2009

“WONDERFULLY SHEPHERDED”

(More To Me Series – Part Four)
(John 10:1-16, 22-28)

Intro … Oh, what a wonderful little series this “More To Me” series is turning out to be. It’s a series based upon three great confessional statements that the Holy Spirit would place on the lips of every born-again follower of Jesus Christ and here they are …

“There’s more to me than meets the eye”
“My real life is hidden with Christ in God”
“You can’t really know me unless you know something of Him.”

And over the past three weeks we have been learning (or at least re-discovery) some tremendously important “things about Him” – things that directly affect us as we follow him in this fallen, broken, demanding, exhausting world. Key Series Facts we have called them.

Key Fact #1 …
“He Is The Bread Of Life Come Down From Heaven,
I Am Nourished By Him.”

Key Fact #2 …
“He Is The Light Of The World,
I No Longer Walk In Darkness.”

Key Fact #3 …
“He Is The Lamb Of God Who Takes Away Sin,
I Am Completely Cleansed By Him.”

Each of these can become a daily affirmation – a starting point for
our day …

When we get done we will have one for each day of the week – though it might
be hard to choose among them …

Today, on this Mother’s Day Morning, we come to …
“More To Me Series Key Fact #4 …

“He is the GOOD SHEPHERD,
I am WONDERFULLY SHEPHERDED by Him.”

What a wonderful confession …
“He is the Good Shepherd Himself.”

What a wonderful affirmation …
“I am wonderfully shepherded by Him.”

I would especially want all of the Moms here this morning to take this affirmation to heart – you who spend so much of your lives in the service of others – I want you today to realize that there is ONE who would spend his life serving you … I want you especially to feel “wonderfully shepherded by Him”.

Our key passage for today’s discussion is John Chapter Ten … Most of the letters are in red – these are Jesus’ own words – his own teaching concerning himself and his relationship to those who are his.

Let’s listen in … John 10: 1-16, 22-28

“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. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 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. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-just as the Father knows me and I know the Father–and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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.

(Vs. 22) Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.

Twice in this passage, in verse 11 and in verse 14 we hear Jesus say those marvelous words that captivate us this morning …

“I am the Good Shepherd”

Nearly 1000 years after David had declared so confidently in the 23rd Psalm … “The Lord Is My Shepherd” … Jesus Himself declared “I am He” …
“I am the Good Shepherd of whom David spoke”.

Five powerful revelations arise out of this passage – revelations that thrill the hearts of those who are shepherded by Him, revelations that I would hope all of us would take to heart this morning … Each one can be pondered for quite a while – perhaps this afternoon or this week you will have time to do just that …

* HE KNOWS ME …

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep …”(vs14)

It’s wonderful being KNOWN.

That is, it’s wonderful being known by someone who loves you and cares for you … It’s wonderful being known by someone who is committed to you … It’s wonderful to have someone with whom you can relax and be absolutely truthful.

Jesus is that kind of Shepherd. He knows His Sheep intimately – He is immediately aware when something is wrong. You never have to say to Him
“I’m fine” when you’re not. You never have to be like the “puppy” who won’t
limp in front of the vet. It feels good to be completely and accurately known.

* * * * * * * *
And knowing me as well as he does …

* HE LEADS ME …

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (vs. 27)

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them,
and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. (vs. 3-4)

It’s wonderful being LED.

Deep down inside … man has been created to be a follower – to attach himself to His Creator and follow His lead every step of the way.

Those who are identified as the best “leaders” in our world today are those who have passionately linked themselves to something or to someone that provides them with purpose and direction.

Every great leader is in reality a “great follower”… It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that we don’t have to “invent the wheel” – we just have to faithfully
“roll it”.

In his 23rd Psalm, David says of the Lord …

He leads me beside quiet waters …
He guides me in paths of righteousness

* * * * * * * *
And … as he leads me based upon his knowledge of me,

* HE PROTECTS ME …

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing
for the sheep.(vs11-13)

It’s wonderful being PROTECTED.

The whole idea here is that the Shepherd is more than willing to put himself in harm’s way for the sake of His Sheep – they are his sheep. He has overseen their birth and he has walked with them every step of the way – he is committed to them. He keeps them from being over-run.

Just last week we saw how Jesus protects us from the penalty of sin through his own death on the cross … He protects us from the practice of sin day by day by putting his own Spirit in our hearts … Some day he will remove us from the very presence of sin by taking us to be with him forever in heaven.

David said it so poetically long years ago …

“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.”

* * * * * * * *

He knows me, he leads me, he protects me …

* HE SECURES ME …

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
no one can snatch them out of my hand.(vs28)

It’s wonderful being SECURE.

Could Jesus have put it any plainer …

“Once I have you, I have you” – that’s what He’s saying here.
“Once you are one of my sheep, I am your shepherd forever.
You are secure because of my faithfulness to you as your Shepherd –
not because of your faithfulness to me as one of my sheep!”
Sheep are notoriously unpredictable – sheep are by nature wanderers.
If they weren’t, they wouldn’t need a shepherd in the first place. If they were like cows, you could just open the barn doors in the morning and let them out and in the evening they would walk themselves right back in. But they are not!

The thing that keeps them secure is the watchful eye and the right on the scene presence of the shepherd …

The night that Jesus was born the gospel writer tells us that there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby “keeping watch over their flocks at night”.

It is any wonder that Jesus made sure he said to his disciples just before he ascended into heaven …

“Surely I am with you always – even unto the end of the age.”
“Nothing will ever remove me from you.”

* * * * * * * *

And now, can we not kind of wrap everything we have said this morning up in one package and say …

* HE PROVIDES ABUNDANT LIFE FOR ME …

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”(vs10)

It’s wonderful being ABUNDANTLY PROVIDED for.

I am known (I have ONE in who I can comfortably confide); I am led
(I am not responsible to figure everything out myself); I am protected (I have a champion who stands between me and any enemy that would come against me); I am secure (I need never worry that I will wander beyond his reach or his love) … I possess an incredibly abundant life!

Final Thot … There’s no better feeling than being
A WELL-SHEPHERDED SHEEP!

Consciously PLACE yourself each day under your Shepherd’s Care!