I Just Want To Be A Sheep

Summary: Can we let go of our claims of intelligence and self-sufficiency long enough to discover life abundant, free and eternal?

Scripture focus: John 10:11–16; Psalm 23:1-6

Date: Sunday, 25 April 2010 (St John’s Sutherland, 7pm)

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On Living Right and Well With Our Creator

In case you were wondering, yes, the title for this sermon is a direct reference to the children’s Sunday School song of the same name … the one with the annoying melody and childish actions, which invariably made me think, when I was younger, “No!  I don’t want to be a sheep!”  Unless, that is, I can be a sheep of the calibre of Shaun the sheep …

You’ve got to love Aardman Animations’ Shaun the Sheep television series.  The animation is extraordinary and the humour is loved and accessible to young and to old (and even to those my age).  I don’t mind being that kind of sheep at all.

In thinking about what kind of sheep I would be, I am reminded that the image of sheep is used often enough in the Bible to be significant:

The ram represented great strength and fittingly symbolized [the country of] Medo-Persia in Daniel’s vision (Dn 8:3).  It is the nature of sheep to be gentle and submissive (Is 53:7; Jer 11:19), defenceless (Mi 5:8; Mt 10:16), and in constant need of guidance and care (Nm 27:17; Mt 9:36).  Such qualities are regarded as desirable in the lives of believers in Christ; hence the many figurative references to sheep in the NT and to Jesus as shepherd (Mk 6:34; Jn 10:1–30; Rom 8:35–37; Heb 13:20, 21; 1 Pt 2:25).  The resurrected Christ told the apostle Peter to “feed my lambs” and “tend my sheep” (Jn 21:15–17).¹

What might God be trying to tell us by comparing us to sheep and himself to a shepherd?

John 10:11–16

As our scripture focus for tonight reveals, in describing himself as a “good shepherd”, Jesus was “stepping into a venerable Old Testament tradition”.² God, it seems, particularly liked to refer to himself as the shepherd of Israel as a way to communicate something of his love and concern for the people of ancient Israel.³ For one notable example, consider Isaiah 40:10–11:

See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power [...] He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (Isaiah 40:10–11)⁴

Sheep, as they were popular animals farmed for their meat and hair, were certainly well known to the peoples of the ancient Middle East, even as they remain so to this day.  Further, the role and responsibilities of the shepherd became a very helpful illustration of the necessary characteristics and demands of spiritual and practical leadership.⁵ This is probably also due, in part, to the fact that Moses and David, perhaps the most famous leaders of Israel, were themselves shepherds at one time in their careers.

Finally, corrupt and unfaithful Israelite kings in Israel were often described, in the Old Testament literature, as “false shepherds”.⁶

Not only was Jesus using language and illustrations that would be particularly relevant and helpful to his likely audience, Jesus’ timing for delivering this sermon was also thoroughly intentional.

It turns out that the words of our scripture focus were delivered in the city of Jerusalem at the time of the festival of Hanukkah, otherwise known as the Feast of Dedication (Jn 10:22).  Hanukkah is a minor festival, which finds its inspiration from the time of history between the two testaments of the Bible.  Some writings attributed to this inter-testamental period are included in the Apocrypha section of some Bibles.[7.The Apocrypha or “hidden writings” are books of the Old Testament which, for various reasons, are not accepted as part of Hebrew scripture and were excluded from the Protestant Bible at the time of the Reformation.]

This festival commemorates a successful, although temporary, rebellion against the oppressive Greek influence on the politics and culture of the ancient Israelites (2 Maccabees 4-6).  Led by the priestly family Maccabee, in the 160s b.c., the temple at Jerusalem was captured and rededicated to God.

As one commentary described this background to Jesus’ sermon,

Hanukkah thus became a season that asked hard questions about failed leadership and false shepherds.   How did the temple leadership lose its way during this Greek period?  Where were the shepherds?  What must shepherds do today?  During the week when Jesus gave his good shepherd sermon, synagogues were reading prophetic critiques of leadership (e.g. Ezek 34:2–10).[8.Gary M. Burge, NIV Application Commentary, pg 288.]

So, we can see that Jesus was an excellent public speaker, who knew his audience well, communicated with them ‘at their level’, and expected that his audience understood the scene he was constructing for them.  Not mincing words, Jesus took advantage of that knowledge to challenge the people and especially ‘the establishment’ of his day.

Turning to our scripture focus from The Gospel of John, 10:11-16, we find that at this point in his sermon, Jesus described himself as being like a good shepherd, one who does all that he can to love, care for and protect his “sheep” (Jn 10:11).  A good shepherd will even go so far as to lay down his life for his sheep.  This is in contrast to bad shepherds, the “hired hands”, who have no commitment to the sheep because they, unlike Jesus, do not “own” the sheep and so scatter at the first sign of danger (Jn 10:12-13).

It is a sad truth that there are many people in our lives who would claim the same concern for us as these “hired hands” —that they will protect and provide for us, having only our best interests at heart— yet, this being a fallen and sinful world, they really cannot guarantee their “protection” to the same degree as Jesus.  Sadly, we cannot ultimately rely on others.

In contrast, Jesus can and did assert a final and determined commitment to us when he restated his commitment (and intention?) to “lay down my life for my sheep” (Jn 10:14).  Of course, he wanted to live, so that he could protect his sheep, but Jesus’ ultimate concern was to put himself between his sheep and danger; he was willing to die for his sheep to protect and care for them.

Unlike the leaders of Israel, past and present, so vividly chastised in the festival of Hanukkah, Jesus expressed an unique and passionate commitment to his flock.  Jesus’ care and concern for his sheep was so deep and intimate that he desired to be united with his flock, even as he was one in unity with his Father, our Creator God.⁷ We can share in that unity spiritually.  How exciting is that?

However, while we naturally assume that this passage is referring to us, we must recognise that Jesus’ concern is only guaranteed for “his own”, those that he considered to be “of his flock”.  In this case, when this scene was actually happening, Jesus was referring to those who had been chosen, those people of the nation of Israel, whose descendants were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  However, consider also that while those descendants of Abraham assumed their chosenness gave them a ‘free ride’, the apostle Paul reminded them that “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”.⁸

Don’t get too freaked out by this seeming exclusivity because our selected passage from John has Jesus declaring that, in addition to those who were “chosen”, the gospel had now been extended to all: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.  I must bring them also.  They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (Jn 10:16).  This is a verse worth remembering since it tells us that the gospel is now offered freely, without restrictions or conditions, to everyone, even us.  We too may learn to love him and to keep his commandments (Jn 14:21).  How marvellous!  How wonderful!

Something to Think About

The label of being the “good shepherd” was entirely appropriate for Jesus to claim, being relevant to his audience and helpful even to us who are trying to know him better and to make him better known.  Of course, to be shepherd requires one to be in charge of sheep and that is when we turn our attention to the appropriateness of that label for us.

As much as I hate to admit it, being described as like a sheep is not entirely incorrect for me and for all of us.  As humans, we are not nearly as smart as we think we are —consider that we once thought that we could make it on our own, without God, which led to the Fall and continues to lead us into sin (Rom 3:23).

It is a fact that we do need to be shown how to live right and well.  Despite all opinion to the contrary, we will not learn how to live right and well without help.  We will not discover the rules accidentally or even naturally.  We need to live in communion with our Creator; this is how life is meant to be lived.  This may be anathema to us seemingly self-sufficient humans; but judge our track-record by the results.  Shouldn’t we have figured it out by ourselves by now?

On the contrary, we need to be in touch with the One Who Knows Better Than Us.

To discover what life lived under the care, protection and provision of the Good Shepherd looks like, open your Bible to Psalm 23.  Reflect on the words and symbolism.  What does that psalm describe of living with the Good Shepherd?

Conclusion

Jesus, being God, has made a firm commitment to us to love and care for and to guide us.  He has demonstrated that he is, indeed, “the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6).  As such, he has offered us a life that is abundant, free and eternal.⁹ Do you want that kind of life?

If you do then, First, admit that you’re a sheep … come on … we’re all sheep, whether we’re willing to admit it or not.  So, admit you’re a sheep, then seek out the wisdom and guidance of the Good Shepherd, trust him and follow his ways always.  It is written,

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

With that is mind, let us pray …

Great God in Heaven,
you sent your Jesus, to live amongst us
and to teach how to live right and well.
He demonstrated your intense and passionate love for us
by not only telling us that he would lay down his life for us
but actually did so.
In doing so, he not only laid down his life
but took it up again, as only he could do,
and proved conclusively that abundant, free and eternal life
is truly and actually available
to those who believe, trust, love and live for you.
Thank you for his life
and thank for our life.
Help us to live our life right and well,
that we might bring you glory, honour and praise.
We ask this in the powerful name of Jesus,
our Lord, Saviour and Friend.  Amen.

Endnotes