Jesus Is our Good Shepherd and What That Means for Us
“I am the good shepherd,” Jesus says in John 10:11. “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” These glorious words from the Son of God are enough to cause a believer’s heart to burst in worship. The truth that Christ is our Shepherd has tremendous and glorious implications in our life.
We see another example of Jesus as our good shepherd in Psalm 23. In the beginning David says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (v. 1), bringing to light the clear connection between knowing Jesus and contentment. David is essentially saying, “With the Lord as my good shepherd, I don’t need anything else in this life but him.” As our good shepherd Jesus, restores our soul (v. 3a), leads us in the path of righteousness (v.3b), causes us to not fear (v. 4), and ensures we receive goodness and mercy through him (v. 6).
We know what it means for Jesus to be our good shepherd, but what are the implications for us as his sheep?
Our Sanctification Rests on Christ, Not Us
Just as our salvation rests solely on the merits of Christ, so does our sanctification. Jesus didn’t say, “Now that I have saved you, the rest is on you.” It’s not justification by faith and sanctification by works. To be sure, we play a part in sanctification—in becoming more and more like Jesus—but the foundation of our sanctification is Christ. Though we work, our Shepherd is working through and in us simultaneously (Phil. 2:13).
Knowing our sanctification does not hinge ultimately on our performance is the greatest news ever. Each morning I wake up painfully aware of my weaknesses, my failures, and my sins. Many days I struggle to pray. Other days I slack on my Bible reading. And on so many other occasions I don’t fight temptation well. I am not where I thought I would be as a Christian today. When God saved me eight years ago, I intended to be more holy, more Christlike, more godly than I am now. But I’m not. Not by a long shot.
Wherever you are in your walk with Jesus—whether it’s been a month, a couple years, or decades—I imagine you feel the same way. We all get discouraged with our progress. We all are prone to frustration when we realize we are not as godly as we should be. But sanctification, like the growing of trees and plants—as John Owen puts it—takes time. It’s slow, boring, and not easily seen.
So it is with the Christian life. So it is with grace. Christian, if you are experiencing minuscule growth in your walk with Christ, don’t be discouraged. There is certainly value in not growing complacent in your sanctification. However, don’t despair. God is continually molding you, shaping you, and forming you into the image of Christ.
Must we be concerned with a perceived lack of growth? Absolutely. We should always examine ourselves to see what progress we’re making. If a lack of progress doesn’t concern us, there is a bigger problem at play. But we shouldn’t be distraught over a perceived lack of growth. If I look back to a year ago, I might be discouraged if I don’t see much change. However, if I look back to who I was before being saved, there’s a world of difference. And it’s all by the grace of God.
Keep pushing, keep believing, keep trusting in the finished work of Christ.
His People Are Out There
As our good Shepherd, we know Jesus will accomplish his mission of saving all of his sheep. And God graciously allows his children to join that mission through evangelism. It can be tempting to grow frustrated when we receive negative pushback or lack of results while pursuing this worthwhile endeavor.
But when we remember that God has chosen his people, we lessen the burden on ourselves because we know he will be faithful to gather his people to himself. Great gospel conversations will come, professions of faith will happen, souls will be saved. Understanding the role of our Shepherd in evangelism removes the burden of trying to save people ourselves. Only God can save. We simply must obey his command to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19–20).
Show Grace Because Grace Was Shown to Us
As our good Shepherd, Jesus has shown us immeasurable grace and kindness in our redemption. Therefore, we must do the same to others. This means having a general attitude of grace and kindness toward others, reflecting the kindness of our Savior. It might also mean exhibiting boldness as we confront others with the truth in love, reflecting the gracious heart of our Shepherd.
If we do not show grace, kindness, and love to all people, what does that say about our Savior? To be sure, it might mean we may not have truly experienced his grace. Or it could simply mean we need to grow more like Jesus. Regardless, we must endeavor to show love to others because of the vast love we’ve been shown in the gospel.
Jesus being our good Shepherd is the best thing in the world. As his sheep, we are often distracted and hard-headed. But he showers us with grace. He is good to us and he is for us (Rom. 8:31). He helps us to grow to be more like him. And he is our shepherd—he promises to guide all of his sheep home.
Blake Long is an author and blogger at theology-and-life.com. He is married to his wife, Shale, and they have two little girls and a rowdy dog. He received his MTS in Preaching and Pastoral Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. You can find his new book, Gospel Smugness, on Amazon.