The Shepherd and His Sheep
Introduction: God sent angels to shepherds in fields near Bethlehem to announce the birth of the Savior. After considering the record of this event, there are other points in scripture about shepherds that may suggest why these common workers were chosen for such an honor, as there is a consistent theme in both Testaments. The Great Shepherd of scripture is the same in the Old Testament and in the New Testament: Christ Jesus is the LORD God.
A — The Shepherds of Bethlehem in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 2 “9 And, see, the angel of the Lord came on them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said to them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.”
Comments: These men were so moved by the message and the way it was presented that they went quickly to see for themselves the fulfillment of this startling revelation. The excitement within them overflowed to a sharing of the news with others, but they also returned to their responsibilities with the flocks. It is not likely that they fully realized they had actually seen the Great Shepherd who would care so much for His flock that he would give His life to save them. Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. When Jesus entered his public ministry some thirty years later, he openly described himself as a shepherd.
B — The First Loyal Shepherd
Genesis 4 “2 And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.”
Hebrews 11 “4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.”
Comments: Shepherds and sheep have been important to the LORD since the beginning of the family of man, and the first recorded shepherd, Abel, was entrusted with the flock that provided the required sacrifice for God. Abel’s animal sacrifice was acceptable to God, and Cain’s sacrifice of crop produce was not. God gave Cain the opportunity to do what was right, but Cain chose to murder his own brother. Hebrews tells us that Abel offered the more excellent sacrifice, that he was righteous, and his testimony is alive.
C — Moses: A Shepherd of Sheep and Under-Shepherd of God’s People
Numbers 27 “17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.”
Acts 3 “22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brothers, like to me; him shall you hear in all things whatever he shall say to you.”
Comments: After Moses left his lost position of influence in Egypt, he tended his father-in-law’s sheep in Midian for about forty years. Then the LORD called Moses to lead His people out of their bondage in Egypt. Psalm 77 tells us that it was actually the LORD who led the people through his agents of Moses and Aaron. When Moses was told he would not enter the promised land, he responded not by pleading for himself, but that the people of God not be left without a leader. At the end of Deuteronomy, the text states that no prophet arose in Israel like Moses — only God himself could truly be the shepherd of His people. In the book of Acts, Peter declares that Jesus Christ is that prophet like unto Moses.
D — David the Shepherd Became David the King
1 Samuel 17 “34 And David said to Saul, Your servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth.”
2 Samuel 7 “8 Thus said the LORD of hosts, I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel.”
Comments: Scripture verifies that David had been a shepherd at Bethlehem, the same environs where centuries later, shepherds were visited by angels. David was a brave and loyal shepherd, risking his life to protect his father’s sheep. The Lord took David from the sheep grazing in a pasture, and placed him over the sheep of God’s chosen flock. Moses and King David were servants of the LORD, each representing an aspect in type of the Christ who was to come. But each needed a savior to cleanse their own sin. The Lord promised that David’s descendant would have an everlasting kingdom — that descendant was Jesus of Nazareth, the only begotten Son of God: the Great Shepherd, and the coming King!
E — The LORD Has Always Been the Shepherd for His People
Psalm 23 “1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Ezekiel 34 “11 For thus said the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered. 23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.”
Comments: As Jacob (Israel) prepared to die, he spoke of his God as the shepherd who is also the corner-stone and the solid foundation for our faith. The Psalms help us to see that the shepherd of our souls is Jehovah, and therefore that shepherd cannot be separated from Jesus Christ, who came in the flesh as the Great Shepherd. Jeremiah and Ezekiel told of the failed shepherds of Israel, and looked ahead to the coming shepherd and king who would never fail His people. Ezekiel records God’s words: “Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.” What a marvelous truth, that the Lord God took upon himself the form of man in Christ Jesus, and fulfilled His promise to become the shepherd seeking out and placing both Jew and Gentile into His chosen everlasting flock!
F — Jesus Is the LORD Our Shepherd
John 10 “11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
1 Peter 2 “24 Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live to righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were as sheep going astray; but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
Comments: Jesus made it clear that His sheep were not given to him as though He was an appointed hireling, but in fact they are His own full possession for whom He is willing to give His life. His sheep know the truth of God’s word, and follow after that truth through obedient actions. Our loyal shepherd has already overcome death by giving His life for ours, and then being raised to life so he ever lives to come to our rescue at the final call of His voice. We were like sheep going astray until he took our sin on the cross, and transferred his righteousness to us for His glory, as He called us back to the Shepherd of our souls.
Reflections in Prayer
Lord, I am overwhelmed by the many images that travel through my mind as I consider my position as a sheep, totally dependent on my eternal shepherd. I was lost and wandering, but you came to seek me, and you placed me into the flock with all others who believe your Word. I must continually follow you to find the necessary food and drink for my soul; and I have no defense against the ferocious Lion-like enemy of my soul, except that which you provide when I faithfully hear and obey your voice. You have been the Great Shepherd since you first created man and placed him in the green pastures of that incomparable garden. Only the Lord God could meet my every need for ever and ever, and this is only one of the many wonderful and gracious aspects of your provision and love for me as your redeemed possession. May I continually give praise to my Savior and God, Jesus Christ, through my trust and obedience to my Great Shepherd. Amen and Amen.
Published 26 January 2008