Title: Four Definitions of the Good Shepherd
Gospel of John (63) Four definitions of the good shepherd (John 10:1-6)
1. A shepherd who walks the path
The 10th chapter of John's Gospel is a chapter about the famous 'Good Shepherd'. The Word is the Word John 9 and subsequent. In John 9 Jesus will heal the blind man miraculously. Because of that, the Pharisees couldn't help but acknowledge Jesus as a prophet, and on the contrary, they really hated it. So, after calling the blind man and warning him, he threatened them and drove them out. Judging by their appearance, they were false shepherds wearing only the mask of a shepherd.
With such Pharisees in mind, the first thing the Lord said when telling the parable about the ‘good shepherd and the hired shepherd’ was, “Enter through the door into the sheepfold” (verses 1-2). This word symbolizes the need to walk the right way. The shepherd should not be shrewd or have any tricks. Modern people revere ‘speed war’ as an important principle of success, but the ultimate success belongs to those who pursue ‘Jeong Do-jeon’ with strict integrity rather than those who pursue ‘speed war’.
2. Shepherd close to sheep
The shepherd must be close enough for the sheep to hear the shepherd's voice (verse 3). The sheep are struggling in the valley, and the shepherd is not supposed to shout, “To the high place!” without knowing the circumstances. Vision should not become an ideology to drive flocks to work. A false vision is a means of getting you into the selfish goals of your own church to achieve your personal dream of a leader. Such a false vision significantly ruins the lives and souls of the sheep.
No matter how brilliant a vision is, if it becomes a selfish vision that only the church thinks about and does not give true reward and joy to the souls of the sheep, it is a wrong vision. When the church shows off its strength and numbers and is not interested in missions and relief, the gap between the church vision and the hearts of the flocks grows, and skepticism arises in the hearts of the flocks. That gap needs to be reduced. The Good Shepherd is one who, on the one hand, goes to the high places, and on the other hand, goes down to the low places, heals the bruised reed and kindles the smoking wick.
3. A Shepherd Watching His Sheep
4. A shepherd leading the sheep ahead
The shepherd must lead the sheep ahead of them, not as a herder who drives the sheep from behind (verses 4-5). Leading the sheep ahead of time means setting an example, preventing difficult tasks ahead of time, and having a shepherd's heart and willing to lay down your life for the sheep. Without such a shepherd's heart, he cannot give trust and peace to the sheep. What does not originate from the heart cannot reach the heart, and what does not originate from the conscience does not penetrate the conscience.
If you come out before 4 am for early morning prayer, you can prepare your heart and welcome the saints while preparing the sermon. However, if you come out after 4 a.m., you are often busy preparing your sermons with your head, not your heart. Then a feeling of guilt arises in my heart and this prayer comes out. "Lord! Abandon knowledge and have a shepherd’s heart to pray for the flock.”
A teaching or precept that comes out of the head may make the listener admire it, but it will not change the heart. Teaching the mind is important. Great minds are great shepherds. A prepared mind is more important than a prepared study. Thought is the channel of nurture, but the source of nurture is the mind. The head does not produce martyrs. Real love and loyalty come from the heart. Being the Good Shepherd takes superhuman courage and wisdom. That courage and wisdom comes from a heart overflowing with God's grace.