The Lord Jesus is the shepherd of His sheep, the people of God.
He is the "Good Shepherd" because He lays down His life for the sheep. Surely it was never required of shepherds that they give their lives to save their flock, because sheep are less valuable than men.
But Jesus did give His life to ransom His people. He was not beat down by violent foes, such as a shepherd might be by a lion or a bear. The physical foes of Christ were but the means by which the eternal sovereign God ordained that Christ should be delivered up a sacrifice. Christ laid down His life in voluntary submission to the penalty of sin owed by His people - His sheep. He submitted to the judgment of death for those who trust in Him!
All others who claim to be shepherds are theives, robbers, or hirelings. They kill and steal and destroy, but Christ gives eternal life to His sheep.
Imagine: earthly shepherds raise their sheep to be slaughtered for food. Not so Christ our shepherd! He guards and leads and tends the flock so that His people might live forever!
When Christ claimed the position of Shepherd of God's flock, He was assuming the characteristics that God Almighty had claimed for Himself, thereby proving Christ's Deity.
Ezekiel spoke in olden times of God's promise to set David as one shepherd over His people. In John 10, Christ appropriates that prophecy as His own.
How did Christ get His sheep? He declared that God the Father gave them to Him. Indeed, sheep never pick their shepherd. Sheep do not seek out a shepherd, and unless one is assigned to them they are lost.
Praise God He assigned Christ as shepherd of His elect people! No man can take us from Him!
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John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
#3 - Top Played Sermon (48-Hours) on 12/12/2011
