Jesus is God. He is the good shepherd who preserves life. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, when kids hear the term stranger danger, they know what that means. There's someone who might hurt them. So they must run to safety, call out for help. You teach your children not to engage with persons, with these types of persons, because those persons are not in the self-interest of that child. And that's good. But there were stranger dangers in the Bible as well. And similarly, Jesus warned his people not to follow them, for they would lead them astray. Sadly, these strangers that posed a danger to God's people were supposed to be the shepherds of Israel. And instead, they plundered the sheep. These people should have been a place of safety and comfort, but they were called savages. They were savages who abused the sheep they should have taken care of for their own benefit. These were not good under shepherds. Jesus told his people not only to avoid these dangerous shepherds, but to come and receive his benefits because he was the true shepherd who looked out for the interest of his sheep. So we can say we see Jesus as the bread of life. Jesus is the light of life. Jesus is the door of life. And now you see him as the good shepherd who preserves life. This is what you will hear about today. Our headings are two and simple, following the outlines we've used before. How is Jesus the good shepherd? And what are the implications of the good shepherd to you? Every doctrine must have application to your life. Our goals are that you will rest in the provision and comfort of the true shepherd, that's the start, and that you will then bring in more sheep so they too can be blessed of the Lord. How is Jesus the good shepherd our first point? Well, Jesus unequivocally declared that he was the good shepherd, not the evil shepherd who plundered the sheep as before. He was sent, he said, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and he came to do good for them. And in fact, the way he described it, in bringing this picture with a great degree of richness, he said he was bringing back the tree of life. Remember in the Garden of Eden, that was taken away. The Lord says, they eat of that. That wouldn't be good for them. But Jesus would come back, bring the tree of life, and he would bring healing to the nations. There's a beautiful passage of that in Revelation chapter 22, verse 2. And we'll read together, in the middle of its tree and on either side of the river was the tree of life. which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." See, the world needs healing because the world is sick. And you have to lead them to the place where they could eat and live. And they needed that truth. And that's what the Good Shepherd did for them. Jesus was the good shepherd, meaning he was the one and only true shepherd. The others weren't good enough or they were downright bad. When you see this word good, good shepherd, what does that mean? What does that ring in your head? Well, this is a good word. There are different words for good. This one here means to be good in a beautiful way. Then you say, so how good was he? Well, look how good the shepherd was. Jesus taught that he would die for the sheep and rise again to care for them. Why is this so remarkable? Well, first of all, there were some prophets before who died for the gospel, people like Jeremiah. The Lord was quick to point this out. He said, you killed the prophets from Abel to Zechariah, the first godly man to the very end. But these men couldn't die for the sheep and be raised up for God to save them. None of them was resurrected. So the sheep needed someone who would die for them and be raised from the dead for them. And that's why Jesus said, I am the good shepherd, because only one could live for the sheep, die for the sheep, raise again for the sheep, and then come back and take his sheep to be with him forever. You see, when a regular shepherd died, maybe he was attacked by an animal and killed, what happened to the sheep? The sheep were scattered. But when Jesus died, he said, you destroyed his temple and in three days I'll be up again. And on the third day he arose triumphantly to care for his sheep. Moreover, his divinity did not die. His divinity was watching over his sheep all the while he was in the grave. You see the difference when he said, I am the good shepherd. And by the way, in Palestine, the greatest threat to the sheep were wolves. So the Lord is saying, look, the wolves have nothing on me. I am the good shepherd. I'm not afraid of wolves. I will protect my children from them. Number four, Jesus openly stated the Jewish leaders were acting like hirelings. And you see the contrast now. He says, I'm not just the shepherd, I'm the good shepherd. Whereas those teachers you have, they're hirelings, not true shepherds, and they would abandon the sheep when there was danger. I remember Pastor Arslan Ul Haq mentioned in Pakistan, when COVID hit, the imams who were in the different mosques, they just left and went back to places of safety and abandoned the people. That's the picture here. That was done even by Jewish leaders. They didn't care about the sheep. They allowed the sheep to be dragged away and to be eaten. They were not interested in the sheep, but they were interested in shekels, the money. They did not fight the wolves as a true shepherd would. Why? Because they didn't own the sheep. They weren't part of the family of the sheep. They didn't really care about the sheep as the true shepherd did. Now I want you to follow while I read from Ezekiel 34, and then we'll read Zechariah together. Ezekiel 34 verse 2, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, thus says the Lord to the shepherds, and hear the language now, woe. That means hell. Judgment. Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves. Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourself with the wool. You slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. Weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost, but with force and cruelty you have ruled them." What sad language for the ones who should have cared for the flock, and they were acting like the strangers. They pose the danger to God's people. Let's read Zechariah 11, 4 and 5 together. Thus says the Lord my God, feed the flock for slaughter, whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt. Those who sell them say, blessed be the Lord for I am rich and their shepherds do not pity them. Imagine the degree that they had gone in their sin that they would say when they cause damage to God's people, they would say, God has blessed me. It's like a thief. Saying, I'm rich, God has blessed me with my stolen goods. That's why in Isaiah 56, the Lord calls these shepherds dumb shepherds, foolish men. They lead or foolish. Five, Jesus declared He loved His sheep, and His sheep loved Him. You see the good shepherd now, how He builds upon this picture that He is not just the shepherd, but He's the good shepherd, and those other ones stay away from them. And why is it that we can have this relationship? I love you, you love me. This is the true shepherd, and He can recognize His children everywhere. But more than recognizing them is this word, knowledge, that people can make a mess of sometimes. This word means to love. It means to know intimately, like Adam knew his wife and she conceived. The Lord is saying, I know my sheep. I love my sheep, and my sheep love me. 1 Corinthians chapter 8, verse 3 says, But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him. You notice knowledge is not the meaning here. It would make no sense. Of course, God knows him. Intellectually, this is saying God loves him. And this is a special word, right, that I've mentioned before, gnosko. It's to know in an experiential way. You talk about how much this shepherd loves his sheep. The details he knows of your life and he cares that not one hair can fall from your head without his notice and his approval. Not only does he know how many hairs you have in your head and you don't, but he also knows when one falls off and ordains even that. Things you have no clue about how many hairs you lose. He does. So He shows the sheep favor, caring for them, and the sheep shows Him faith. And both are grounded in love, love being the foundation. Six, Jesus didn't make up this doctrine out of thin air. This doctrine was alive and well in the Old Testament. Let's read, we'll do some reading, but I think it'll be good for refresher. Psalm 23, verse 1 together. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me besides the still waters. What love of God that he is doing what is good for his sheep. Ezekiel 34, verse 23, together. I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them. My servant David, he shall feed them and be their shepherd." You notice this follows what we just read about these filthy scoundrels who were calling themselves shepherds, who abused the people, who were a danger to the ones they're supposed to care for. Can you imagine a child being afraid of his father, that his father will kill him? That's unreal in our minds. But that was the problem. Look again, Isaiah 40 verse 11. Look at the good shepherd together. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom and gently lead those who are with young. You see the care, even for the sick, even for the needy. He cares for the youth that are carrying, the youth that are carrying the lambs in their wombs. What a picture of a caring shepherd. You couldn't drive them hard if they were pregnant. And then look at Solomon, chapter 2, verse 16. Together, the Shulamite, my beloved is mine and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies. A picture of the care of the good shepherd who cares for his bride. But this doctrine of Jesus being the Good Shepherd is not only found in the Old Testament, it's found in the New Testament among some of the other writers. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 20 and 21, together. Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. That great shepherd of the sheep. And he made an everlasting covenant. What was that everlasting covenant? To die for his sheep so they would be able to live. What a promise. You know, if you have some chickens, and we grew up then, suddenly one of those creepy crawly creatures got in there and killed a few, it was like, oh, well, I guess we've got to buy some more chickens. Got to set some more eggs." It didn't bother us that much. The Lord made a covenant that I will die to save my sheep. 1 Peter chapter 2, 24 and 25. who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. When the Bible says by the stripes you're healed, remember this is not the charismatic thing of saying you're healed from your headache or your stomachache by the blood of Christ. This was speaking of spiritual healing. You notice the context. He died on the cross so your sins are removed and your soul is healed. That's some shepherd. That's your shepherd. That's my shepherd. So what does this mean to us? How do we respond knowing that Jesus is this good shepherd, the shepherd? First of all, come to the good shepherd where he's calling you for salvation. He says, do not harden your hearts as the Jews did, leaving their bones in the hot desert sands. saying, hear this voice. Hear this voice through the reading of the Word and listening to the Word of God and preaching the Word of God and singing the Word of God. Let the Holy Spirit work through that Word to bring salvation. That's the food of the shepherd. If you reject that food from the shepherd, it won't be the desert sands. It will be the fires of hell. That's what happens if you reject the salvation. Not only must you come to the Good Shepherd, you must stay with the Good Shepherd. He promised that He will never leave you nor forsake you. And He will be with you by His Holy Spirit. How long? Till the end of the age. How long will the Holy Spirit seal you? Till the day of redemption. And you need this in order to grow. You need that nourishment in order to grow. That's why we eat of the Lord's Supper. So you are able to reflect on Christ, and the knowledge of His love will cause you to be willing to fight against the devil, the world, and your flesh, and you will be mature. You will learn to cast your cares upon Him, knowing that He cares for you. So what is that? Sanctification. He leads you to salvation. He says, come, and He keeps you and says to you, I will sanctify you. What else? Number three, save the good shepherd's straying sheep by bringing them back to him. It is the least you can do for him who did so much for you. Find out his sheep that are straying, not like those shepherds who let them wander away and became prey to wild animals, or gave up on them, sold them off. No, find out where they are so you can bring them back and give glory to the Savior. This is why the church practices discipline, to bring them back. So pray for them, help them, rebuke those who are strained. Don't be afraid. Love them enough to rebuke them. Four, the Good Shepherd promises salvation was never limited to the Jews. He had his sheep everywhere. This good shepherd talked about this in detail. And you're one of his sheep, regardless of your background. I watched yesterday when there was singing, when the choir was singing. What a beautiful sight it was to see people from so many different continents reflecting the promise to bring in sheep from everywhere. 1 John 2, verse 2, together. And he himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." Look at that. He died for all kinds of sheep. You know, you could see your neighbor's sheep wandering away, and you didn't really care too much about their sheep, because they were not your sheep. Jesus cared for the stranger and he brought them in. This is a time of in-gathering of the nations. Remember, I pointed out the number of things in the Old Testament. There were three major feasts. The Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the Passover was tied to that, was a picture of Jesus Christ who would die for his sheep. He would die so his people could eat of him and live. And 50 days after the beginning of harvest was the Feast of Pentecost, a picture of the Holy Spirit working in the lives of people everywhere to bring them in. And then there was the Feast of Ingatherings. That's the final time in pictures when the Father will gather His children from all the ends of the earth and bring them in. That's the time where we are in now, that the Lord is gathering His people through you, You see the implication, of course. This is New Jerusalem coming down. This is New Jerusalem with its doors open. Better be that anyone who enters that door. is welcomed by you and brought into the family of God. That you work with your children so they will remain in the family of God. They will gather with God's people and long to be here to worship. Imagine the people who were downtown last week to watch Santa Claus. What did he do for anyone? And here we have the one who gave his life And sometimes people are careless. You mean worship twice on Sunday? If at all? No, Jerusalem's doors must be open and the world must be invited in, in this time of the ingathering. Five, many will cry to the good shepherd for help, but he will reject them because he knows their fake hearts. Remember, we talked about love, knowledge, to have that experience with God. How many will try to say, oh, didn't I do this in your name? I went to church. I knew people at New Horizon. I've listened to the sermons. And he will say, I never knew you because they had fake hearts. Yeah, they look passionate, but their hearts were unregenerate. You can't fool God. He knows the condition of your heart, whether you have truly surrendered to him. Six, under-shepherds have the weight of God's demands on them to care and guard the flock well. That's an implication especially for the elders, deacons. They must love the sheep and care for them as Christ did. They must give themselves for the sheep. The attitude must never be, well, that's a choice they want to make, I'll leave them alone. It was to plead with them and plead with God for them that those who are straying might return and live godly lives. And like the shepherds of the past, they may have to inflict discipline in order for the sheep to stay close. No one likes to think about it, but it really was a way of keeping sheep that are prone to stray where the shepherds will have to look at that healthy sheep and break one of its leg and then bandage it up so that sheep will learn not to stray far away, will stay close by. That's not an easy thing to tell people to do. No one likes to inflict punishment on others. But that's the work of the shepherd, and you are under shepherds of Jesus Christ, and he expects nothing less. You must do so in love, not discipline from anger or hatred or frustration, but do it from love. Good shepherds must also learn to stay awake at night thinking and praying and advising the flock. Now what happens though, Jesus talks here about the hirelings fleeing. What happens if there's a problem? Is it ever justified for a minister to run away? And this is an important thing to reflect on, and the answer is it depends on the situation, because there are some times where the minister might abandon a flock because he's fearful for his own life. He wants to protect himself. He doesn't want to get in trouble. So he runs away. That's sinful. But there are times, as John Calvin pointed out, where a minister may face the congregation might be better off with the minister not there in order to protect them. Or maybe because God would use him in some different way in another place, then he may have to flee. And we think that even Christ had to flee when people were trying to kill him. There were times when his work, he had a lot more work to do, so he had to leave one place when they were chasing him. One time they were trying to throw him off the cliff. and he had to escape from there. He wasn't called to say, okay, I'm gonna stand here and be a martyr, go ahead, push me down, let me die. He came for a purpose, and he had to fulfill that bigger purpose. So you have to be careful when you're dealing with this, not because someone runs away, because he's being persecuted, the government trying to kill him. Sometimes it's wise to leave. Sometimes it's necessary to stay. It depends on the motive. Number seven. Thank God for the work of the good shepherd and pray and support his under-shepherds to do his work. Your under-shepherds do not do it for praise or for money. They're not hirelings. But also know that there are many who are not fit to be under-shepherds. You must also work and pray for their removal. If they would not reform their lives, that they would be removed from office. Yes, support good ones. Work to remove those who will not change. There are too many people who are in it for the fame and the finances, and they treat God's people with contempt. And you say, what do they do? Do they harm people? Yes. How? preaching the full counsel of God, by not looking at them and saying, you're living in sin. You need to break off that relationship with that ungodly person. Or look at them in the face and say, you need to change your job. Your job is making you do dishonest things. See, those things are not easy to say, but they are necessary to say. And ministers sometimes don't want to, because they don't want to ruffle feathers, because people might leave the church, and then the money might go down. Actually, those are the people you need to remove. Why? Because their consequences are deadly. They're leaving people in sin, because you don't want to hurt their feelings. You know, if somebody has cancer, and you say, oh, that will make them worry, if I tell them they have cancer, what will be the result? death. Sometimes you have to get aggressive and the doctors will have to catch you and cut you open and do all kinds of things to get you to feel better. That's what the good shepherd does. But the one who doesn't, don't tolerate him because he's deadly to you. More, he's deadly to himself. And more, and more importantly, he robs Christ of your devotion. And eight, you who are ministers, elders and deacons, do you have the passion for the sheep? He expects you to be passionate about His sheep. Remember His passion for His sheep. When you heard the intensity of His suffering that was coming, the Bible says His sweat became as blood. But He set His face like flint, like a stone, determined to go to the cross to die for His children. And that's what God expects from you, that you will be willing to die for them. That's also true for you as fathers, that you have that same passion for your under-shepherd. You know you are in charge of his sheep, those little babies at home. God help you if you treat them with contempt by not teaching them, by not disciplining them, by not loving them. You know, you think of David who was willing to take on a bear and a lion. You look at that and say, what a teenager. Maybe a little dumb to do so, but his love for his sheep made him stand up to the bear and to the lion. That's a picture for us today that will stand up for truth. When you hear these goofy things being promoted on television, when you hear people promoting false doctrine, that you have the courage to say, that's not what the Bible says. Now, you might not be popular, but remember, you're not called to be popular. You're called to be faithful to truth. You need to be willing to do so. Do so in love, but do so. That's important. Let's summarize and conclude. Jesus is the true shepherd who gave his life for his sheep, and he preserves their lives. He's not a dead shepherd. He's a life-giving and life-preserving shepherd. He's the one who saves you. He's the one who keeps you. Not the liars, not the hirelings, not the fake ones. See, he kept that promise he made at the covenant of redemption. And now you get to eat as a sheep from the tree of life that Adam lost. So beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, show you are grateful to your good shepherd who gave his life for you and now keeps your body and soul for eternity. How do you show that? Number one, worship him. Worship Him. Second, stay close to Him. He gave His life on the tree for you. Eat and live. Eat and live. Food is close by. Why starve when there's an abundance right next to you? There's that Word of God. How often do you read it? Or do you let yourself starve when there's good food there? Nobody does that normally. Not for the physical food. You saw last night, people went after that food and they were happy. You could see them smiling. Even more voraciously, we must go for the word of God. And then the third thing. Show you're faithful. Stay close to Him so you can keep getting the nourishment to be faithful. And part of being faithful is to search for strange sheep and bring them back. Now, do you have a friend or maybe a relative who worshiped God but has stopped? Find them. Bring them back. Help them to resolve their issues. Don't be afraid to talk about that. And if you need help, ask for help so that straying ones will be brought back into God's family. You know, maybe they were abused. Maybe they were betrayed. Maybe they were abandoned by loved ones, parents, pastor, elders. But they're still the Lord's sheep. And you, as the under-shepherds, must find them and bring them back. You're all under-shepherds in the general way. Yes, we have elders and deacons and pastors, but you're all shepherds. You're all Christians. You're anointed to be prophet, priest, and king. So search the lost one and invite him to come to the care of the good shepherd again. This will honor him. This will save the souls from Satan's hand. I remember Jesus prayed for this in the high priestly prayer in John 17. And this is what you want. This is work. This is a sermon with specific work for you to do. And finally, if you don't have Jesus as your good shepherd who died for your sins, you will have to die for your own sins. And that may be what you want to do. But why would you want to do that when someone has already paid for all your sins on the cross? So I urge you today, pray to God, asking him to count the life and death of Jesus Christ, your good shepherd, as yours. And he will make you his own. Let us pray. Thank you, Lord, for your words, and thank you for your people's attention to it. May we be encouraged knowing that you love us in your Son and we're now inside that door and we're being nourished inside by the Good Shepherd. Help us, Lord, to remember our duties to those who are straying. Just like we were rescued, use us to bring the straying ones home, to protect their souls from damnation. More, to bring praise to your holy name. Give us the courage to do so. Give us the passion to do so. Give us the knowledge to do so. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.