“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”
John 10:14 KJV
Sheep need guidance and protection. They can’t fend for themselves. They can’t take care of themselves. If left to themselves, they wander astray every time. The Bible compares mankind to sheep.
Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
In John 10:15, Jesus said, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” Jesus came into the world to give His life for the sheep.
As a result of Jesus’ death, we have the gift of eternal life. But better than that, we have the care and compassion of the Good Shepherd. A shepherd leads his sheep. He calls each and every lamb by name, and they know his voice.
In John 10:27-28, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
- Jesus said that He knows His sheep.
- Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice.
- Jesus said that His sheep follow Him.
- Jesus said that He gives eternal life to His sheep, and they shall never perish.
- Jesus said that no man is able to separate Him from His sheep.
If you are one of Christ’s sheep, then you hear His voice and He knows you. Follow Him! As Psalm 23 says, He will lead you beside still waters; He will lead you in paths of righteousness; And His goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life.
Jesus said that He is the Good Shepherd. Notice He didn’t say that He was a good shepherd, indicating that there are many good shepherds and He is one of them. No. He said that he is the Good Shepherd. The one and only!
But how good is good? Romans 3:12 says, “…there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” No one can claim to be good. Why not? Because everyone was born in sin. And sin is not good.
Then Matthew 19:16-17 says, “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.“
Jesus said that no one is good except God. Yet He refers to Himself as “the Good Shepherd.” If no one is good but God, and Jesus is the Good Shepherd, then Jesus is God.