Module 2:4 Jesus As The Good Shepherd
2:4 Jesus As the Good Shepherd
In the New Testament we find the revelation of God in the flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Good Shepherd of the sheep. Jesus display all of the attributes of God’s shepherding heart. As we see His life unfold in the New Testament gospels, we see the heart of Jehovah made manifest. Jesus Christ was the good shepherd of His sheep in the gospels as Jehovah was the Great Shepherd of Israel in the Old Testament. The following scriptures show Jesus as the Good Shepherd of the New Testament:
| John 10:11,14 | “I am the good shepherd” |
| Hebrews 13:20 | “Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep” |
| 1Peter 2:25 | “Return unto the shepherd and bishop of our souls |
| 1Peter 5:4 | “When the chief shepherd shall appear” |
As we listed the heart attitudes of the Lord in the Old Testament, so we list the heart attitudes and actions of Jesus Christ, the pattern Shepherd in the New Tesament. Most of these insights are derived from 10. Jesus:
| Matthew 9:35,36; John 210:15b | Cares for the sheep. |
| John 10:3 | Relates to the sheep |
| Condemns all who reject the Door of the sheepfold, | |
| John 10:1 | and enter some other way, as thieves and robbers. |
| John 10:3 | Condemns all who came before Him as thieves and robbers. |
| John 10:1 | Provides a sheepfold for the sheep. |
| John 10 3,4 | Leads the sheep. |
| John 10:2 | Enters by the Door Himself. |
| John 10:3a | Has the doorkeeper opens to Him. |
| John 10:6 | Provides spiritual insight for the sheep |
| John 10:3b, 27a | Makes His Voice plain to His sheep. |
| John 10:3c | Calls His own sheep by name. |
| John 10:3d | Leads His own sheep out into pasture. |
| John 10:4a,b | Goes before His own sheep as He leads them out. |
| John 10:4c, 27c | Has the sheep follow Him |
| John 10:4d | Has the sheep recognize His voice. |
| John 10:7,9a | Is the Door of the sheep. |
| John 10:9 | Feeds the sheep. |
| John 10:10b | Gives life to the sheep by protecting them. |
| John 10:10b,11b,15c,17 | Gives His life for the sheep. |
| John 10:11a,14a | Is the Good Shepherd of the sheep. |
| John 10:12a,13a | Is a true shepherd of His sheep and the opposite of a hireling. |
| John 10:12c | Is the owner of the sheep and not a hireling. |
| John 10:12d | Sees when the wolf comes to destroy the flock. |
| John 10:12e,f | Stays near the sheep when the wolf comes in contrast to the cowardly hireling. |
| John 10:14b,27b | Knows His own sheep. |
| John 10:14c | Is known His own sheep. |
| John 10:15b | Knows the Father. |
| John 10:15a | Is known by the Father. |
| John 10:16a | Has other sheep in other folds |
| John 10:16c | Brings in the other sheep also. |
| John 10:16d | Is heard by the other sheep as well. |
| John 10:16e | Is the One Shepherd and owner of all folds. |
| John 10:17c | Takes up His life again because He laid it down. |
| John 10:18abc | Lay His life down freely and of His own initiative. |
| Has the authority to lay down His life because. | |
| John 10:18d | God Himself has commissioned Him to do so. |
The Lord Jesus showed us the attitude and actions of a true shepherd throughout His entire ministry. He set forth an example for all the shepherds of God’s flock. Jesus was a man of compassion and love. He did not rely on crowds and multitudes of followers to measure his success in shepherding. On the contray, He was not satisfied until He met the individual needs of each sheep. Today how do the shepherds of the Church see the people of the Lord? Do our shepherds see the people of God as a crowd of sheep hungry for rich food and entertainment? Or do they see them as broken people in great need of love and compassion? Today unfortunately the majority of Church leaders are not doing the work of a true shepherd. The Church desperately needs true shepherds, who will lay down their lives for the sheep, as Jesus did. The Church needs spiritual shepherdsto heal the broken – hearted and bind up the wounds of the hurt. The contemporary Church has enough theologians who love to write or verbalize the knowledge of God. She needs shepherds who have true spiritual ministries to God’s people.