Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”
6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
19 When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Jn. 10:1–21 nlt
In Jesus’ time here, leaders were often compared to shepherds. Some of them deserved the title. Many actually did not cuz they would ditch, bail, bounce, or split.
"But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them." Jn. 10:11
Right after Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath day, the religious authorities around there pressured that man and his parents to deny the miracle Jesus did (See John 9).
The fools tried to silence the truth just to protect their reputation. These were shepherds in name only—with their snooty attitudes and "authority positions" -- they were empty of real compassion. Ezekiel 34 warns about leaders like those guys: men who “feed themselves” and neglect God's flock. Their pattern is so old and moldy.
Caring Jesus responds with a story everyone could see in their minds. A sheep pen. A shepherd. A gate. A voice.
A true shepherd enters through the proper gate. He doesn’t illegitimately climb over walls or slip in through shadows. He is not about the shadows and darkness, He walks in the light. He comes openly, honestly, with sincerity.
His authority is not taken for self—it’s recognized. Jesus says the true Shepherd that “calls his own sheep by name” (John 10:3) cuz He well-knows them better than they know themselves.
That detail matters. Real shepherds don’t lead crowds per se; they lead individuals. Jesus saves us one by one, and He leads us one by one. It's One one-on-one evangelism from Him primarily (He uses believers to witness by life, attitudes and true words, but He alone saves). Then it's One-on-one biblical discipleship (He uses believers with Bibles to disciple us by example/life, by good attitudes and true words of testimony and Scripture, but He alone changes our minds, hearts, lives).
The true Shepherd knows the shocked, hurting, or limping sheep, or the deeply wounded, or the frightened one, the stubborn one too. The Shepherd knows each story well and helps the spiritually sick become well. He knows each fear and doubt. He knows each name and each hair on the head.. or lack thereof.
False shepherds, Jesus says, come another way. Not God's way. Jesus is God's only way for you.
Among the flock, they force their way in with faux-charm, or position, or manipulation. They want more money for self and lean on "credentials" and "titles" instead of character. Their concern is not the well-being of the sheep but the size of the flock for personal gain's sake.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer once warned, “He who seeks the office of shepherd for his own sake will never truly care for the sheep.”
Jesus says the same thing, only more sharply: Thieving impostors “come only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10).
Sheep are not all that smart. A true shepherd leads from the front. He's not pushing the back like a rancher pushes goats or cattle. He never drives sheep like cattle. He walks ahead of them. They follow because they trust his kind heart and recognize his unique voice.
Jesus says, “They follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:4). In the Middle East, even mixed flocks separate instantly when their shepherd calls out. Each sheep moves toward the familiar sound it has grown to love.
That is what it means to follow Christ—to be so familiar with His words, His voice, His timing and tone that counterfeit voices cannot deceive you. Augustine wrote, “Love the Shepherd, and the voice of a stranger will never charm you.” But how do we reach that point?
We learn His voice the same way sheep learn their Master's: daily nearness.
We read His Word until it shapes how we think and decide.
We memorize His teachings until they shape our worldview and how we choose.
We obey Him until His wisdom pretty much becomes instinct.
We pray until His presence becomes more and more familiar.
You know the living Word with all Authority never goes against the Authoritative written Word. You know how Jesus never contradicts Scripture. The Spirit never contradicts the Son or the Father. The Father never contradicts the Son, the Holy Spirit, or any words He's breathed out (2 Timothy 3:16). So any voice—whether popular, political, religious, or personal—that pressures us to ignore Scripture is not His. It's not of Him at all.
Jesus culminates his picture with the clearest truth of all: “The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Shepherds in Israel sometimes laid across the gate at night, becoming the living barrier (a gate or door) between their flock and the different dangers. Jesus (never a laydown regarding spiritual compromise) did more than that gate duty. He did more than lie down—He laid His life down. The cross is the final proof that His leadership is worthy of our trust.
C.S. Lewis once said this, “There is no safe investment except love” meaning it always pays to love right.
By love, Jesus didn't seek safety, though. He headed into danger to invest it all for you and me on the Cross. Jesus invested Himself fully, unreservedly, not because we were worthy or cuz He needed us, but because His love was real. We truly have everything to gain and nothing to lose by believing, repenting, confessing, going public with, and closely following Him all the way Home.
So how do we hear His voice and closely follow?
We draw near. Daily.
We listen to Scripture. Daily.
We weigh every voice by His. Daily.
We trust the One who already gave His life for ours. Daily.
It's our passion to! He is our first-love passion. And as Psalm 95 invites, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” His voice still calls out. His path still leads to life. His words and care still restore the soul.
I love to watch shepherds do their thing out in the meadows.
The Good Shepherd's shadow stretches across the pages of Scripture so to speak. Yes, Jesus steps into that silhouette as the Father's perfect fulfillment.
What does He call himself? He is the True Shepherd (John 10:1–5), the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7), and the Psalm 23 Shepherd. He is the One our restless souls long for.
“I need Thee every hour.” Sheep always do, every moment, day and year.
Need some context for John 10?
God’s people are indeed His flock (Ps. 100:3; Acts 20:28), and they must beware strangers (John 10:5), thieves (vv. 1, 10), and hirelings (v. 12). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep (vv. 14–15) and speaks to them (v. 27), so He is not like the strangers. He protects the sheep (vv. 28–29), so He is not like the thieves; and He gives His life for the sheep, so He is not like the hirelings who run away from danger (vv. 11–13).
When you trust the Good Shepherd, He leads you out of the wrong fold and into the right flock (vv. 3–4, 16). He goes before you and leads you by His Word (v. 4), and He leads you in and out to find spiritual nourishment (v. 9).
There are many fake (cults), spiritually-sickly, and healthy local Christian churches but only “one flock and one Shepherd” of the flock (v. 16). I pray that the Lord will be using you and me to bring the “other sheep” to Him.. into His fold where they can be properly cared for?
He is Good, and in His flock why does the Lord compare His people to sheep? They are so good. You and I are prone to wander (Isa. 53:6) and we need a true shepherd to guide us. Sheep are clean animals (1 Pet. 2:25; 2 Pet. 2:20–22) and were used for sacrifices (Rom. 8:36; 12:1)? Are you a living sacrifice yet? Sheep, they can bite sort of like goats do! Havd you been bit before? They flock together (Acts 4:32) and produce milk, lambs, and wool. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep intimately and calls them each by name. He protects them and provides for them (Ps. 23). How wonderful to be one of His sheep and in His fold! Not wandering off alone into danger.
If you had lived in ancient Israel, you would have known exactly what Jesus meant by talking about sheepfolds.
Can you picture a weather-beaten shepherd on rocky hills, cradling a staff with a crook -- as his only weapon against hungry enemies? His days were long, his nights even longer. There were types of lions, and thieves out there. There were rocky cliffs that were also constant threats to the sheep. Yet he protects, feeds, and cares for the sheep and stays around close—never abandoning his flock. He said...
"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His own life for the sheep." John 10:11
The Bible says...
"Serve the Lord with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name." Psalm 100:2-4
When Jesus calls Himself the True Shepherd (John 10:1–5), the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), and the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7), He isn’t reaching for abstract seminary-talk—He’s painting Himself as the One our souls were made to closely follow. Psalm 23 becomes flesh in Him alone.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Psalm 23:1-3
You know how Psalm 23 is often read at funerals, but its message applies to the days of your life right today.. even now (v. 6). "The Savior who died for you also lives for you and cares for you, the way a shepherd cares for the sheep (John 10:1–18). If you can say, “The LORD is my Shepherd,” you can also say, “I shall not want.”
The Shepherd feeds us and leads us. Sheep must have grass and water to live, and the shepherd finds those essential elements for them. God meets the everyday needs of your life as you follow Him (Ps. 37:25; Phil. 4:18). Never worry!
If we wander, He seeks us and restores us, as He did with David, Jonah, and Peter. When we need to know which way to go, He shows us the right path and then goes before us to prepare the way. Even in the places of danger, we need not be afraid. (Note the change from “He” in vv. 1–3 to “You” in vv. 4–5.) He is with you!
At the end of the dark valley, He has a special blessing for you: you drink of the refreshing water of life, and you receive the Spirit’s anointing. The Shepherd is there to care for every hurt and heal every bruise." ~WiersbePerhaps one day, you will look back on your whole life and see that it was only “goodness and mercy,” and that includes those dark and difficult valley experiences. If life is difficult today, just keep following the Shepherd closely; He will never lead you where He cannot care for you. He leads where He feeds.
“Savior, like a shepherd lead us; much we need Thy tender care.”
Imagine if you can.. the ancient shepherd back in the day: all sunburned on his skin, with calloused hands, a simple staff against prowling wolves and silent ravines. His task was relentless, dirty, dangerous—but he stayed close.
At twilight, he called each sheep by name, gathering them into a stone pen with one narrow opening. Then he lay down across that opening to protect. He became the door. Yes, His body was the shield, the final barrier between his flock and total fluffy ruin.
Jesus says our relationship with Him is just like that. “My sheep hear My voice.. and they follow Me” (John 10:27). Draw closer.
Sheep panic easily, but they settle instantly at the sound of their shepherd nearby. Even if several flocks mingle, one familiar voice sends each sheep to its rightful place. A stranger can shout—but the sheep will ignore. They will not move. As A.W. Tozer wrote about, “The man who hears God’s voice is never at a loss.”
Jesus speaks with astonishing clarity, always has: “I am the Door; if anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9). This connects to His thunderous claim in John 14:6—He alone is the way home. Salvation is not a ladder to work your way up in climbing, but a doorway to walk through, and that Door is a Person to walk with.
There's no spiritual growth apart from the Living Word. In God's word, Jesus warns of counterfeit shepherds—religious frauds with their fake news in place of the Good News. God warns us of spiritual celebrities who love crowds but not people (nothing wrong with having a celebrity if you stay with and live by the Word). God warns us of those competitive leaders hungry for power and human applause rather than the applause of One -- from the Lord. False shepherds fleece the flock, and scatter the flock with man-made burdens and empty promises (See Ezekiel 34:1–10).
Charles Spurgeon said, “When the gospel is forgotten, the sheep are starved.”
George Barna’s research echoes this: a large portion of churchgoing Christians feel spiritually underfed, underwhelmed, or completely unfed, wandering in a wilderness without biblical nourishment.
The Chief Shepherd, Christ, however, never abandons His own. “The Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting” (Psalm 100:5).
He leads with a wounded heart by a mighty hand. He disciplines as a gentle yet firm Father whose love refuses to let His children destroy themselves (See Hebrews 12:6).
I heard a story of one traveler in the Judean hills who once asked a shepherd why he carried an injured sheep upon his shoulders. “She, ignoring my warning,s kept wandering off too close to the cliff,” he said. “So I broke her leg to save her life, and I will carry her until she can walk by my side again.” Love sometimes looks like rescue disguised as pain.
This is our Christ:
• the True Shepherd who calls your name,
• the Good Shepherd who lays down His life,
• the Door who leads into everlasting joy.
Sheila Walsh has been a member at our Plano local church, and she talks about the "bummer lambs."
Have you heard her?
"Having lived in rural Wales for a few years, I've learned quite a bit about sheep farming, but this particular term was new to me.
A bummer lamb, as it turns out, is a lamb that has been rejected by its mother. Sometimes, the ewe has twins and can only feed one. Sometimes, the mother dies during birth. And sometimes, for reasons only the sheep know, a mother simply refuses to accept her baby.
When this happens, the shepherd steps in. He takes the rejected lamb into his home and hand-feeds it. He keeps it warm by the fire, wraps it in blankets, and tends to its every need. The shepherd essentially becomes the lamb's parent, giving extraordinary care and attention to this tiny creature.
What struck me most was what happens when the shepherd eventually returns the lamb to the flock. These hand-raised lambs never forget the special care they received. While other sheep might scatter when the shepherd approaches, the bummer lambs run directly to him. They recognize his voice above all others and respond with immediate trust and joy. Isn't this exactly what our Good Shepherd does for us?"
There are times in life when we are or feel utterly rejected—cast aside by those we thought would love us, abandoned in our hour of need, or left isolated in our pain. But in those moments of rejection and isolation, our Shepherd draws us close."
He takes us into His care with prayer and share. "He feeds us with His Word, wraps us up in the warmth of His presence, and speaks words of comfort directly to our hearts. And in those intimate moments of being tended to by the Shepherd, something beautiful happens. We really come to know His voice well, so intimately that we can distinguish it from all others."
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27)
Perhaps you've been a bummer lamb—rejected, wounded, cast aside. Maybe you're now feeling the sting of abandonment or isolation.
Take heart, Beloved. The Shepherd sees, understands and knows you. He hasn't left you to fend for yourself.
People reject, but your Lord won't What looks like His rejection in our lives might actually be God's invitation to experience His shepherding in brand ways we never would have otherwise. And once we've known that kind of personal care, we'll never be the same again.
Billy Graham said it well: “You will never be in a place where the grace of God cannot sustain you.” Under this Shepherd’s watch, we are seen, known, guarded, and guided.
So stay near to His voice.
Refuse the strange voices that don’t sound like Scripture.
Walk through God's Door that leads to life.
Follow the Shepherd whose hand scars prove His love.
For every weary heart, every wandering soul, every searching believer—there is no safer pasture than at the side of the One who still whispers, “Come, follow Me.” Yup, now is good, so come now.
