(13th Nov. 2011) Jesus who is the good shepherd

sermon summary 20111113

 

Scripture Reading: John 10:14~15

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep."

 

 

 

 

 Jesus who is the good shepherd

 

Do you know the origin of 'pastoring'? It comes from "to Protect". In Greek, it is ποιμην (Poimen). This means 'shepherd'. So nowaday, we go back to church. There are so many reasons to be back. I think, many those who return to the Lord want to feel His pastoring, that is to say, protection and peace in their lives. Why do they think "Jesus is the good shepherd"? Some already experienced his caring in their past lives. Or some need His love and protection on their lives because they realized they are like sheep. Among everyday lives as fierce battle, the good shepherd Jesus Christ is the most important person in our faith.

In the Psalms 23 [NIV], we can know well about what is the good shepherd. Listen and follow to read with me.

1. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

3. he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

 

In the early '70s I bought a book written by Dr. W. Phillip Keller called “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23”. The late Dr W Phillip Keller was born in East Africa and was always an "outdoors" boy. He was trained in agronomy what is a management of farm land, and spent many years on ranches in British Columbia. He lived among the sheep and their shepherds and was a keen observer of sheep and their relationship to the shepherd. So he knew what he was talking about when he wrote his books on shepherding!

Sheep Need a Shepherd! Dr Keller pointed out that sheep cannot just take care of themselves. They need a shepherd who knows every inch of the land, every pit fall, and every hide out where predatory creatures hide as they wait for the unsuspecting sheep. He compares their intelligence and knowledge to the shepherd's, then draws the parallel between our limited abilities and God's Divine Intelligence. He refers to Isaiah 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." And then he says it is no mere whim that God refers to us as sheep. He calls our rush to self-determination "self-destructive" and "terrifying". He attributes it to arrogance and pride on our part.

Now the shepherd does not beat his sheep with the rod or staff. When the shepherd is in the field with his sheep, it is customary to carry the bare minimum of equipment. The African herdsmen shepherd their stock with only a long slender stick and a rough knob-kerrie in their hands. Each shepherd boy takes special pride in the selection of a rod and staff exactly suited to his own size and strength. The sapling from which the rod is carved is shaped to exactly fit the owner's hand. The boy then spends hours practicing with this club, learning how to throw it with amazing speed and accuracy because it will become his main weapon of defense for both himself and his sheep.

The Authority of the Shepherd The rod was an extension of the owner's own right arm. It stood as a symbol of his strength, his power, his authority in any serious situation. It was also the instrument he used to discipline and correct any wayward sheep that insisted on wandering away. The rod speaks of the spoken Word, the expressed intent, the extended activity of God's mind and will in dealing with men. It is the authority of divinity: "Thus said the Lord."

Protection of the Sheep It has been often said that The Word of God (Bible) will keep us from sin. It is clearly demonstrated in the hurling of the African herders' knob-kerries at predatory beasts, or at a sheep entering poisonous grass, or at a stubborn sheep straying from the protection of the herd. All those sheep had to hear was the whirling of the club and they would scurry back to the herd.

Counting the Sheep Also, the rod was used in the counting of the sheep. In the Hebrew terminology of the Old Testament this was referred to as passing "under the rod" (Ezekiel 20:37). This meant not only being counted, but being carefully inspected by the shepherd. Because of their long wool (or in humans, their persona) it was not always easy to detect disease, wounds, or defects in sheep. The skilled judge would take his rod and part the sheep's wool to determine the condition of the skin, the cleanliness of the fleece, and the conformation of the body. As Dr Keller said, "In plain language, 'one just does not pull the wool over his eyes.'"

Intimate Inspection of the Sheep The shepherd carefully inspects each and every sheep. He outstretches his rod, the sheep stops, and then the inch-by-inch examination of each sheep is performed in intimate detail.

This brings such joy to my soul! To think that my shepherd, Jesus Christ, cares so much for me that He's intimately familiar with all the jots and tittles of my mind, emotions, will, body, dreams, thoughts... just every nuance of me, all known to Him! And there's nothing I, or anyone else can do to "pull the wool over His eyes"!

As a Christian, I am so blessed to have the written rod - the written Word of God -- to keep me from danger! It doesn't take a genius to figure out not only can the world be a dangerous place, but just living inside my own mind can be dangerous! The more I measure my thoughts and feelings against "the rod", the less likely I will wander off into self-destructive behaviors.

So now that I have an understanding of what "the rod and staff" are really for, I love reading God's Written Word! It is a "lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

By the word of Psalm 23, we can know who is the good shepherd. Who is the perfect shepherd for us? He is Jesus Christ.

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep."

Why is Jesus Christ the good shepherd for us? The reason is we as sheep know him as the good shepherd and he know us. What relationship do they have? In the 2 verses, Jesus used even four of the word "know". There is two meaning of "know"; 1) "Just to know" it is to collect information or have instinct knowledge. 2)"to know very well by the experience": by experiencing people and accidents, it is to make intimate relationship.

To form friendship with Jesus Christ is very important for us. Like the relation between shepherd and sheep without any words, we have to make a relationship with Jesus Christ.

One Korean missionary was working for mission in Ethiopia of Africa. There are so many dangers like sudden attack of guerrila army, threat of beasts, serious heats of the regions, and rack of water and food. However, overcoming these difficulties, his mission group came to some poorer tribes under suffering of battles and poverty. Whenever they came to there, children ran into them with a joy! "Missionary Kim! Missionary park!" Korean mission team can not know very well tribal language. But when they saw the children, they realized what the children needed each other; "hey! the girl needs to be a new shoes. Oh my God! the boy's wound was very long I have to heal it right now.. and so forth.

 

“I know my sheep and my sheep know me”

It is the great happiness for us! He knows us! Also we know he is the good shepherd for us! Because of him we possess Jesus Christ who was our saviour from sin. Because of him, we can possess the hope of Kingdom of God. By the intimate relation with Jesus Christ, the Lord will guard us to right way and protect us from the power of evil.

Now, we can not help to confess the fact! Jesus is only for our salvation and hope. So he is the good shepherd to take care of us like stupid sheep

I hope we have deep friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ as the good shepherd and then we should be blessed by the Lord' pastoring. Amen.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, Thanks for becoming the good shepherd for us. For a long time, we did not know the fact that we are sheep and you are shepherd of our lives. Please do not leave from us and protect our lives. We will follow your guidance of your rod and staff. Because we know this is the true happy way for us. Bless us In Jesus name we pray Amen.

 

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Thank you Lord regard us in all our life

This time give you this offering with all our true heart.

I don't know how will it be used by your intention

I believe that your nation will be expanded by it

Our faith is not enough to be pleasing you but I believe that you will bless us in all our life. in jesus name we pray Amen.

BENEDICTION

"Now May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."(2 Corinthian 13:13) Amen.

A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS 2011