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The Good Shepherd

"I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, the hired hand, also not a shepherd, the sheep do not belong to him, he sees a wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away and the wolf attacks the flock because he is a hired hand and does not care for the sheep." (John 10:11-18) 

This what Jesus said is only seen in the gospel of John. It is different than the Parable of the Lost Sheep found in the other gospels, which tell of the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine on the hill and goes to look for the one that is lost (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:3–7). The Parable of the Lost Sheep has an evangelistic nature to it but the analogy here of Jesus as the Good Shepherd has the focus of the shepherd caring for the sheep, not just going after the lost one but caring for the whole flock, all one hundred. And it is probably no mistake that the last words of Jesus we see in the gospel of John are related to being a shepherd, where he tells Peter "to feed my sheep, feed my lambs, take care of my sheep" (John 21:15-18). The Good Shepherd cares for the sheep and calls the ones who love him to care for His sheep. 

"just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and 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, one shepherd." (John 10:15-16, ESV)

I have known Jesus in this way, he was the good shepherd when I was lost, he left the ninety-nine to find me. Though he is Lord, he has gone to great lengths to prove to me that he cares for me, not by lording over and exercising the authority He has, as he did not come to be served but to serve. He proves he is the Good Shepherd by revealing his love for me and that he is faithful and trustworthy. In turn, we the sheep chosen and given to him by God the Father will follow him and listen to his voice. And when we see this example in someone who is mature in Christ, we trust their teaching, the heart is good soil ready for the seed to be planted and grow. We know Christ and see Christ reflected in them, they are humble, gentle to guide us into truth, not domineering over us. This is the reason for serving, and why Jesus sets this example of humility, which equates to the definition of greatness in the kingdom of God that Jesus gives us.

“You know that the rulers of the people lord over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It is not to be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you, must exist even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:27-28)

The same Peter who Jesus tells to take care of his sheep, tells us that lording over is not the way of a shepherd, "... not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock..." (1 Peter 5:3-4). I believe the reason is it inherently destroys trust, without which a child will never be obedient. Trust becomes a very important factor in the growth of the church. The scriptures warn us of false ministers, of wolves in sheep's clothing that most of us have clearly seen in our lifetimes. Jesus said "to take care of my lambs and sheep," which implies growth. A sheep that is mature will not follow a hireling shepherd's voice because they know the voice of the Good Shepherd. But what about a new lamb, who does not know the shepherd cares for him? Paul writes the scheme of the devil is to stop growth in the church so everyone stays children, tossed to and fro in every wind of doctrine, these lambs are prey to wolves.

for existing sheep going astray, but now turned toward the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:25)

This verse puts into perspective what an overseer is. "Though in some contexts (epískopos) has been regarded traditionally as a position of authority, in reality, the focus is upon the responsibility for caring for others." A shepherd cares for the sheep, he oversees the sheep. For what purpose? for his own glory and personal gain? No, because he serves, not to lord and exercise authority over them, but serves the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:3-4). In a simple definition, an overseer serves Jesus in watching over the flock. The word overseer ἐπίσκοπος is from epi "upon" and skopos "a watcher; a goal, a mark aimed at." An overseer watches over the flock towards a mark, a goal, properly, the "end-marker" goal of a foot-race. The overseer is responsible for seeing the flock is pressing on toward the goal, the upward call in Christ Jesus ( Philippians 3:14). All else is meaningless. 

An overseer is responsible for caring for the sheep towards the goal that they fix their eyes on Jesus or follow him, which doesn't describe a ruler, but a servant who cares for the sheep. Elders "shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing, not forcibly rather voluntarily according to God, neither for base gain, rather thoroughly willing, not lording over the ones entrusted to your charge rather being examples to the flock and the Chief Shepherd appears receiving the glorious crown untarnishable." (1 Peter 5-1-4) At its core, an overseer serves Christ as he said to Peter, to feed and take care of His lambs and sheep.

Not domineering, not forcibly, but as examples in the submission of humility to the Lord. Truly, it is by example where trust is important. Does obedience to the authority of man lead to trust? If obedience, in general, leads to trust and faith would it not be of works? Or does obedience come from faith, where trust is rooted in the knowledge of the sovereignty and providence of God, shown in Jesus the Good Shepherd? The Good Shepherd became a servant doing the will of the Father, whose word and glory and power spoke through him, and the sheep that God gave to him followed him because they believed and trusted that he was from God.

A basic understanding of the providence of God is that he cares, thus is the protective care of God. This is what Jesus is saying to us as the Good Shepherd. If I do not know of God's providence, I am going to have a difficult time when I am disciplined, or when persecution comes, or the thorns attempt to choke me out. A thorn or weed that the devil plants is the anxiety or cares of this world. Jesus spends time telling the disciples not to worry, that God cares for them, which implies that anxiety is rooted in a heart that doesn't believe God cares, that doesn't know of his providence (Matthew 6:25-30). This is why Paul speaks that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, that we are rooted and grounded in love; rooted and built up in him through faith (Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 2:7). The good soil of the heart is dependent upon providence, that we trust God cares for us. Understanding the providence of God protects us from following false teaching.*  I think this is because as God works in us we "know" his genuineness and will also notice this in others He works through, they are not hirelings, looking out for their own self-interests, they genuinely care for the sheep.

"Although we could have made demands as apostles of Christ, we became gentle among you, like as if a mother cherishing her own children" (1 Thessalonians 2:7). 

Paul could have made many demands, he could have exercised authority over them because he had the authority of God but he comes to them in weakness. Why? So that the power of God is made known to them. This is how the power and authority of God works, through weakness, through grace, God works through man not through men exercising authority over other men. It is through example, Peter writes. Those pastors submitted to Christ will have God's power working through them. This is quite the opposite of leadership taught today or even that seen in the Old Testament. We appoint men that are tall in stature according to worldly appearances much like the people of Israel who wanted a king like Saul, but God judges according to the heart.* His power works through humility, and through ways the world despises. Paul writes God has chosen ways that are foolish, and weak in the eyes of the world so that no one can boast in himself in His presence, "because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord”" (1 Corinthians 1:26-31, ESV).

"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:8, ESV)

Jesus could have demanded the people to follow Him with authority from God but he did not work that way, he humbled himself becoming a servant. Is it some trickery, that he became a servant so that we, in turn, become slaves to him? No, he humbled himself taking the form of a servant to reconcile us to God, to prove that he is the Good Shepherd, loving and caring for us? Is this not the example he sets for serving? In which goal of serving becomes what? The great serve, to find the lost sheep, to feed and care for the sheep so they grow up into maturity in Christ. Yes, the Shepherd's rod disciplines those he loves, but even then he shows his providence, this is something we come to know and trust; that he cares. The root word for faith is said to mean "to be persuaded" or "come to trust." We come to trust in the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for us, who shows that he cares for us.

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