"Ye are My Sheep..."

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” (John 10:11–14)

Of all the illustrations used to describe Christians, one of my favorite is the illustration of “sheep”. It has been said that sheep are some of the hardest animals to care for because of their constant need of care from a shepherd. The Bible is filled with passages that use sheep as an illustration; we remember shepherd that would leave the ninety-nine to go find the one that is lost (Luke 15:4-7); the Lord is the “shepherd” that provides all the needs of David (Psalm 23); Jesus instructed Peter to “feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Jesus speaks of Himself as the “Good Shepherd,” stating that He “lays His life down for the sheep” (John 10:15). As we look at John 10 and the Good Shepherd, can you say that you are a sheep of the Good Shepherd?

In order to be a sheep of the Good Shepherd one must enter into the sheepfold properly (John 10:2). There are those that try to enter into the sheepfold in ways that are not approved by the Shepherd, these are considered to be a “thief and a robber”. The sheep of the Good Shepherd enter in by the door. Jesus is the “way” (John 14:6) and the only way to enter into the sheepfold is to enter by the door; which Jesus would explain that He is the door and those that enter in by Him shall be saved (v.9). The sheep that enter in by the door now have the comfort of belonging to the Good Shepherd, they have the protection from the thieves and robbers, they are able to find pasture, and have the care of the Shepherd that will give His life for His sheep.

The sheep of the Good Shepherd are those that hear the voice of the shepherd. It is said that sheep have very poor eyesight, but they have excellent hearing. The sheep do not depend upon their eyesight to follow the shepherd but rely on their hearing. The sheep that belong to the Good Shepherd are those that hear His voice and follow Him. Christians are to be like sheep and not rely upon the things we see, but upon the things that we hear. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 KJV). We are not to walk according to what we see but walk according to the commands of the Good Shepherd and follow Him (Luke 9:23).

The sheep of the Good Shepherd are those that know His voice. The sheep do not question the authority of the Shepherd, but they hear His commands and follow after Him. Jesus commands us to follow Him (Luke 9:23; Matt. 11:28-30). Because we have heard the Good Shepherd’s commands, because we have entered the sheepfold properly, because we allow Him to be our guide, not relying on our ow eyesight, we hear His voice, we know His voice and allow Him to guide us to safety.

The sheep know the voice of the Good Shepherd and will not follow the voice of a stranger (v.5). The sheep do not know the voice of an impostor. When the sheep hear the voice of an impostor they will flee from him because he is not the Good Shepherd. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy (v.10), and if the sheep listen to the voice of the impostor they will be drawn away from the safety the Good Shepherd provides.

Who are the sheep of the Good Shepherd? They are those that enter into the sheepfold the way the Good Shepherd has commanded. They are those that hear His voice. They are those that know His voice. They are those that will not listen to an impostor. In order to be a sheep of the Good Shepherd, we must enter through Him (the Door), believing in Him (John 8:24), repenting of sin (Acts 17:30), confessing Jesus before men (Matt. 10:32), putting Him on in baptism (Mark 16:16), and being faithful to Him (Rev. 2:10), doing all of this to be added to His fold (Acts 2:47).