Just over 20 years ago I was invited down to Oamaru to help out my friend with the system at the confectionery factory he was working at. On his recommendation, we took the detoured route back to Christchurch via the sky blue lakes of Central Otago and stopped at what became my favourite place in New Zealand at Lake Tekapo. He told us the "Church of the Lonely Shepherd" was a must see and so it was. The view to Mt Cook is stunning.
Of course it is the Church of the Good Shepherd, although he was on the right track because the job of a Shepherd can be a very lonely one. Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd in John 10. As usual, those listening to Jesus didn't know what he meant.
1 “Anyone refusing to walk through the gate into a sheepfold, who sneaks over the wall, must surely be a thief! 2 For a shepherd comes through the gate. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 He walks ahead of them; and they follow him, for they recognize his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger but will run from him, for they don’t recognize his voice.” 6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them. “I am the Gate for the sheep,” he said. 8 “All others 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 by way of the Gate will be saved and will go in and out and find green pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. 11 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 A hired man will run when he sees a wolf coming and will leave the sheep, for they aren’t his and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf leaps on them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired man runs because he is hired and has no real concern for the sheep. 14 “I am the Good Shepherd and know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, in another fold. I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice; and there will be one flock with one Shepherd. 17 “The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. 18 No one can kill me without my consent—I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right and power to lay it down when I want to and also the right and power to take it again. For the Father has given me this right.” 19 When he said these things, the Jewish leaders were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some of them said, “He has a demon or else is crazy. Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This doesn’t sound to us like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of blind men?”
When we think of a shepherd In New Zealand, we think of green grass fields, beautiful countryside, mountains and lakes. We know it's hard work, up before the dawn, sheep shearing, docking, ensuring the sheep are well looked after in every season but we know it's a beautiful country so that more than compensates. But in Israel, the work of a shepherd was dangerous. Apart from the bandits, there were the wolves and lions and bears to contend with. A Good Shepherd was prepared to put his life on the line for the sheep.
It shouldn't have been hard for the people to understand what Jesus meant. Their history told them of David, the shepherd boy who became the King of Israel. Being a shepherd was the perfect training for the role. From guarding the sheep to guarding the nation. The Kings position is just like being a Shepherd.
1 Samuel 15-16
The Lord had rejected Saul as King of Israel because he hadn't fully obeyed the Lord's command to kill even the Amalekite cattle, he had kept them he said for sacrifice to the Lord, although this was doubtful. He was the Bad Shepherd leading the sheep astray. How easy it is for a leader to go off track! In the role of King, it was Saul's duty to obey the King of Kings but he hadn't done it, a sobre warning to every church pastor or elder. What kind of message are we sending to the flock? We survive as leaders because of God's grace not because we are worthy of the position. God chose David a mere shepherd boy to replace Saul. It also says the Spirit of God never left David. We know later in life that David made some serious mistakes and was afraid that the Spirit would leave him as it had left Saul. Why did the Spirit leave Saul and not David? We don't fully know the answer to that question. We can guess that David's intention was to follow the Lord and to look after the people but we are somewhat guessing. We can only thank God for the grace we have in Jesus but we should never take it for granted.
On a positive note, when Samuel anointed David, the Spirit of God came upon him and gave him great power. He was now a super-charged Shepherd fit for King!
We underestimate someone based on what their job is or what they look like. God looks on the heart. If he anoints someone for a work, if his Spirit is with them, it doesn't matter what they look like or who they are in Society, watch out they will do amazing stuff!
David the Shepherd King, a picture of the coming Messiah, the Good Shepherd. Now see the transformation of David. A good musician also, now David was able to chase evil spirits away just by playing music. And he wrote so many Psalms! That is the difference the Spirit of God makes.
The Shepherd is made good, great even by the Spirit of God. We cannot do God's work without that transformation.
1 Samuel 17
The Good Shepherd is prepared to lay down his life for the sheep. Being a Shepherd has this cutting edge, it is not always a passive role. During the day the sheep can roam freely, but at night they must be brought in and guarded. The thief and the wolves come at night. When a sheep goes astray, the Good Shepherd makes sure the others are safe then goes looking for the one. He cares especially for the one lost sheep.
After being anointed the first thing David receives is the instruction from his father to take some food to his brothers at the battlefield. That small request was about to take on gigantic proportions. We don't always know what's behind some of the small things that God asks us to do. David sensed the opportunity and was excited with the possibilities! He didn't think about serving up lunch to his big brothers. He was honoured to be going to the battle!
David rose early to do what his father asked - he was motivated, he couldn't wait to get there! But notice he made sure his sheep were looked after first - the Good Shepherd. Just because God has given us a step-up in responsibilities doesn't mean we can neglect the small stuff. That has to be taken care of too!
David arrives at the battlefield just as the Israelite soldiers are heading out shouting out their battle cries. It all looks good until... Goliath stepped forward. We can be brave in our heads but we have to be brave in our hearts.
David's heart was settled. He knew God was with him. His palms weren't sweating, he was as cool as a cucumber. David could see the big ugly bear on one side of the valley and all the frightened sheep on the other and he steps up to the plate completely confident not in himself but in the Spirit of God.
The enemy is big, intimidating, flashy and boastful. Goliath preys on the Israelites fears and reminds them of their weaknesses and that they were slaves, amounting to nothing. This is Satan's ploy. He wants us to think we are worthless, nothings, slaves to sin unable to break free. He is lying. Romans 8:37 says "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us".
David's brother Eliab looked down on him and told him to go back to minding the sheep because that was all he was good for. He didn't even trust David's judgment to find a good person to leave in charge of the sheep. Eliab was seeing David as just a young boy, jealous that it was David who had been anointed as King and not himself. He couldn't believe his bratty youngest brother was the one God had chosen. He didn't recognise the moment that the young Shepherd was becoming King.
David had to turn his back on his brother. Sometimes Gods path for us is a lonely one. My friend wasn't completely wrong to call him the Lonely Shepherd.
David expressed his confidence to the other soldier because he knew he could kill Goliath just as he killed the other wild animals. He knew the Lord was with him. No doubt he remembered the story of Samson. Samson was given like Jesus to be the saviour of Israel from the Philistines. Samson killed the lion when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him - it was a sign the Lord was with him. David knew the Lord was with him when he was able to kill the lion and the bear.
Saul, mind you was defeatist, lacking faith. He didn't know it but was handing over the kingship when he gave David permission to do battle. It should have been Saul! But David wasn't going to fight like Saul, he was going to fight like David however unorthodox that appeared : )
David puts the stones in his Shepherds Bag - The Good Shepherd had left his flock and was going to fight for his Nation. Goliath judged David as a nothing, a non-threat, he had made the classic mistake.
David came in the name of the Living God - Jesus. When David spoke, he boasted in the Lord - his confidence was in God, not himself, but he was extremely confident.
David killed Goliath with just a sling and a stone - how easy it is for our God to remove our enemies!
David was a nobody but suddenly he was a somebody - everyone wanted to know who he was. He had been transformed from Shepherd to King in that moment.
David wasn't a perfect person as we all know. Neither was Samson. If you examine anyone closely you will find flaws just like Samson, David, Moses, Abraham - they were all flawed in some way. But Jesus wasn't flawed, he was perfect.
He is a judge just like Samson he is a mighty warrior and good Shepherd just like David. His face shines like Moses, he is perfect in obedience to the law, he is like Abraham, the father of many stars impossible to count.
I hope that when you look at my life you see Jesus, something of him. Same for all of us I'm sure. Not just an Accountant, A Mechanic, A Teacher, A Secretary, A Nurse.... Remove all the imperfection and you will see the face of God, you will see Jesus.
Matthew 25:31-46 Where does the story of the Good Shepherd end in the Bible? As I said, there is a cutting edge. In the end there are the sheep and the goat nations. The sheep heard Jesus voice and responded in obedience to him and followed him. But the goats went their own way and were lost. The Good Shepherd calls a whole flock, a whole nation and I believe there are many he is calling to follow him. Will I go? Will I lay down my life for those Sheep? How will they respond?
I saw all the fortress cities of Brittany lit up in the night with fire, with their gates open - Rennes, Vannes, St Malo, Mt Saint Michel. Concarneau and even Fougères must have been there as Brittany was ablaze with light. The Good Shepherd walks in through every gate because he has the keys! The sheep had been safely guarded up to that moment and now the Shepherd has arrived for his flock!
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