A sermon based on John 10:1-15, Rev. J. Orlando Flahn
INTRO: Nowhere else in the New Testament is Christ’s desire to save His people more evident than in John 10. In this passage, His leadership shines above that of any other religious figure in human history, setting Him apart in compassion and purpose.
Jesus declares, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (v. 11). This is the fifth “I AM” statement in the book of John—one of seven occasions when Jesus takes upon Himself God’s noble and exalted name first revealed in the Old Testament: “I AM,” or Yahweh in Hebrew, Jehovah in Latin. Today, Jesus’ claim to be the Good Shepherd brings joy and renewed hope to anyone who feels isolated, abandoned, or alone. In our midst, He comes to us as the Good Shepherd.
John 10 continues Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees from chapter 9, highlighting the stark contrast between His leadership and theirs. The Pharisees rejected the man born blind and cast him out of the synagogue, but Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, received him and welcomed him into His fellowship of love. Before this, He had forgiven the woman caught in adultery, whom the religious leaders had publicly disgraced. Jesus declares, “I AM the Good Shepherd,” emphasizing that the Good Shepherd sees worth and value in people, while the Pharisees saw them as nobodies—as garbage, as useless.
In this passage, Jesus revisits the famous theme found in Ezekiel 34, written around 600 BC. There, God condemns the corrupt shepherds of Israel. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God directly confronts Israel’s religious and political leaders for their failure: “You do not love My sheep. You are false shepherds. You come into leadership to use My sheep for your own advantage. You don’t feed My sheep—instead, you feed yourselves. You don’t protect My sheep from evil, nor secure them from ferocious beasts. You care only about your own safety, not theirs. You do not bind their wounds, but cause them to bear more. You neglect their physical and spiritual needs, abandoning them when inconvenient. My people are simply a means for you to fill your pockets and satisfy your greed. You do not truly care for them.”
APPLICATION: Do corrupt shepherds still exist today? Absolutely—we see leaders who serve only themselves. They preach a prosperity gospel to enrich themselves, while those who give to them remain poor. Jesus calls them wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Some of you sitting in these pews this morning may have suffered under such leadership—exploited and used for someone else’s gain. Some have even been sexually abused by people who claimed to represent God. It is only by God’s grace that you dare to come to church again, given your painful experiences with corrupt spiritual leaders who used religion to destroy your life.
SPECIFIC INC. I recall a young lady who saw me in my purple clergy shirt after worship. She said, “Pastor, when I see that shirt on you, it brings back fresh, scary memories. I was abused by a false shepherd who wore the same shirt—the same color.” Hearing her words, I was frozen, overcome with painful grief in my spirit.
Here at Our Savior, we pray to model the leadership of our Good Shepherd. Instead of exploiting or abusing people in the name of religion, we ask God to make us spiritual leaders who genuinely care for people’s souls. May God help us create a safe environment where disciples of Christ are nurtured.
Just as the Good Shepherd sacrificed His life, may we seek to sacrifice ourselves for those He loves. May we never use His people for our own gain—whether as pastors, Sunday School teachers, or any leaders.
The challenging task of being a good shepherd
The life of a good shepherd was far from easy. Beyond the stressful challenge of watching over countless sheep, the shepherd was also responsible for finding clean water and abundant, nourishing pasture.
Sheep, by their very nature, are afraid of nearly everything. They are so easily frightened that they won’t drink from rapidly moving water, even when thirsty. This is why David says the Lord, his shepherd, led him beside “still waters.”
Additionally, the shepherd had to guard the sheep from disease, harsh weather, and thieves or robbers. Wild animals constantly threatened to devour the sheep if given the chance. The shepherd’s presence was essential for their defense.
Jesus says, “I am the door of the sheep,” meaning He alone is the way to eternal salvation. Then He declares, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep,” signifying that through His death, burial, and resurrection, the lives of His sheep are eternally preserved, protected, provided for, and guided by Him.
We essentially experience from Jesus, the Good Shepherd, three indispensable spiritual benefits as He serves us, as seen in John 10:
First, we experience His ENDURING PRESENCE:
As a good shepherd, He is our ever-present Savior……In verses 3-5, Jesus says, “The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice….”
His abiding presence provides nurturing care for His sheep. Because He is always with them, they not only know the shepherd but are also known by Him. His presence means His voice is recognized, while strangers’ voices are rejected. Through His caring presence, the sheep enjoy intimacy with Him, and their fear of the enemy is dispelled.
God’s intimate presence gives us guidance and confidence in His love for us. David experienced this deeply, declaring, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me…” (Ps 23:4 NKJV).
APPLICATION: Do you know this Good Shepherd? Has Jesus, the Good Shepherd, become everything to you? Does His abiding presence and care inspire in you a deeper desire to know Him?
ILLUSTRATION: Years ago, at a drawing-room function, one of England’s leading actors was asked to recite for the pleasure of his fellow guests. He agreed and asked if there was anything specific the audience would like to hear. After a pause, an old clergyman requested, “Could you, sir, recite to us the Twenty-third Psalm?” The actor paused, then replied, “I can, and I will—on one condition: after I recite it, you must do the same.” The clergyman, surprised, said, “Though I am not a great orator, I will do so if you wish.”
The actor began the Twenty-third Psalm. His voice, inflection, and tone were flawless; he held the audience spellbound. When he finished, the guests burst into applause, giving him a standing ovation. As the applause faded, the old clergyman began to slowly recite the psalm. His voice was unremarkable, his intonation imperfect. When he finished, there was no applause, but not a dry eye in the room. Many heads were bowed, and people were literally sobbing. Then the actor, voice trembling, placed his hand on the clergyman’s shoulder and said, ” Lady and Gentlemen! I reached your eyes and ears….but this clergyman has reached your hearts and your souls. The difference is this: I know the Twenty-third Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.”
Second, we experience His EXCEPTIONAL PROVISION
Read verse 3: “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” Read verse 9: “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.”
A great quality of a good shepherd is to feed the sheep…..David, in his intimacy with God as his shepherd, describes the abundance of God’s provision: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul…” The Good Shepherd’s exceptional care leads us to trust Him for our daily needs.
Ironically, this Good Shepherd is Himself God’s true provision from heaven for us….In John 6, Jesus told the Jews, “ I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” When they asked, “Lord, give us this bread always,” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:32–35 NKJV).
His body and blood nourish us with peace, strength, and stability in times of crisis. In the Old Testament, sheep died to provide food for the shepherd, but under the new covenant, the Good Shepherd gave His life to feed His sheep.
Third, we experience His ETERNAL PROTECTION (vv. 7, 11–13)
In verse 7, Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”
In verses 11–13, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.”
My friend, a true character of a good shepherd is, he protects his sheep….He defends them in the face of danger….The Good Shepherd’s eternal protection assures us of everlasting life in Christ Jesus and secures our souls in Him, regardless of our earthly circumstances.
CONCLUSION: His unwavering commitment to guiding, protecting, and sustaining those who belong to Him reflects the heart of the true Shepherd—one who knows His sheep by name and whose voice they recognize. He leads them to green pastures, restores their souls, and walks with them even through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23)…Christ alone is the “Good Shepherd.” Are you part of His flock?
ILLUSTRATION: A boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon when a bumblebee flew in through the car window. The little boy, allergic to bee stings, was terrified. The father quickly grabbed the bee, squeezed it in his hand, and released it. As the bee buzzed by, the boy grew frantic again. The father reached out his hand, opened it, and pointed to his palm, where the stinger was embedded. “Do you see this?” he asked. “You don’t need to be afraid anymore. I’ve taken the sting for you.” —Adrian Dieleman, Waupun, Wisconsin. Leadership, Vol. 15, No. 1.
When Jesus opens His hands, you will see the scars, and He will say to you: You do not need to fear death and the devil anymore….I have taken the sting! Christ has died and risen again. He has taken the sting for you, and only a good shepherd will take the sting for you.
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