LECTURE XV THE GOOD SHEPHERD - Robert Murray Mcchene

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. (John 10:1-6)

We may learn from verse 6 that this parable is difficult and dark to the natural eye: “They understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.” How much need, then, have I of a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit while I open it to you! And how much need have you to have the face of the covering destroyed from off your hearts, and to receive the unction from the Holy One, that you may know all things! I. The thief and robber: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that

entereth not by the door into the sheepfold … the same is a thief and a robber” (verse 1).

There can be no doubt that this chapter is a continuation of the preceding. Jesus was showing the Pharisees what blind and guilty teachers they were. They were deeply offended at him. In this chapter he goes on to show them the marks and defects of false teachers. It seems plain, however, that Jesus speaks mainly of one thief and robber. He calls him “a stranger” (verse 5), “the thief” (verse 10), “the hireling” (verse 13); and he contrasts him with the good shepherd, who gives his life for the sheep. Who is this thief and robber, who climbs over the wall of the sheepfold? This stranger, who tries to lead away the sheep of Christ? This thief and robber, who comes not but for to kill, and to steal, and to destroy? I have no doubt that it is Satan, the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air; he that entered into Judas, he who filled the heart of Ananias and Sapphira.

Satan has three ways of attacking the sheepfold.

(1.) Through Antichrist. There can be no doubt that Satan is the grand master-mover of all the workings of Antichrist. We are told so in 2 Thessalonians 2:8,9: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and with signs and lying wonders.” Again, Revelation 12:9: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” And again, Revelation 13:1,2: “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns tell crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy … and the dragon gave him his power and his seat, and great authority.” This is Satan’s grand plan for killing and destroying the sheep of the sheepfold. Thus he wears out the saints of the Most High.

(2.) Through the world. Satan is the god of this world. From the days of Cain the world has come over the walls of the sheepfold, to kill, and steal, and destroy. The world, whether it smiles or frowns, hates the Christians, and seeks to leap over the wall of the fold. (3.) Through worldly ministers. Satan entered into Judas, and no doubt

enters into many ministers still: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” There is no way in which Satan has done more damage to the church than by thrusting unfaithful shepherds over the wall of the fold. Such were the Pharisees of old. Such are careless ministers to this day.

1. The mark of the false shepherd. The false shepherd “entereth not by the door, but climbeth up some other way.” The door of the fold we know to be Christ: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (verse 9). This is the sure mark of Satan, and all his underlings; they do not enter in, and are not saved through Christ. It is so with Satan himself. Unhappy spirit of evil, the strait gate of life was never opened to him. He leaps over the wall into the fold, seeking to devour the sheep; himself lost and unholy. So is it with Antichrist and all his ministers. They have never themselves entered by the door. They deny Christ to be the door. They would have men climb over some other way.

2. The object of the false shepherd: “The same is a thief and a robber… The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (verse 10). The object of Christ in coming to this world was to seek and to save that which was lost: “For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:56); “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). So with all his ministers. Our heart’s desire and prayer to God for you all is, that ye may be saved. We cease not from “warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28). “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). But the object of Satan and all under him is “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”

First, they seek to rob God. Antichrist robs God of his throne, changing the very law of God; he robs Christ of the glory of being the only Mediator between God and man. The world robs God of his throne in your hearts; and worldly ministers rob God of his glory by concealing it, by keeping back the counsel of God for man’s salvation. The same are thieves and robbers.

Second, they seek to rob man. Antichrist robs man of the Bible, of the preached gospel, of the way of pardon and peace. The world tries to rob you of your peace, of your way to holiness and eternal life. Worldly ministers seek to rob you of your precious, never- ying souls.

Awake, my friends! You are in a dangerous time. Beware of false shepherds, which come to you in sheep’s clothing. Beware of Antichrist, in whatever form he may come to you. Beware of the world, whether in its frown or in its bewitching smile. Beware of cold worldly ministers.

II. The good shepherd: “The shepherd of the sheep.”

1. The shepherd of the sheep is the Lord Jesus Christ: “I am the good shepherd” (verse 11); “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (verse 14). Why does he get this name?

First, because he died for the sheep. He is not a thief nor a robber, he is not a stranger nor an hireling, but the shepherd of the sheep: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

Second, because he finds the sheep: “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Luke 15:4). Every sheep ill the fold has been found by Jesus.

Third, because he carries the sheep: “And when he hath found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing” (Luke 15:5). He gathers the lambs with his arm, and carries them in his bosom.

Fourth, because he leads and feeds the sheep. They “go in and out, and find pasture” (verse 9). “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:1,2). “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).

2. The marks of the good shepherd.

(1.) He entereth by the door. You may be surprised at this. Is not Christ himself the door? How can he enter by himself? It was just by himself that he entered. Compare Hebrews 9:12, “By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place” with 10:19-20, “Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” Christ himself entered in by this way to the Father, namely, by his own blood; and by this way every faithful servant of Christ enters in: “He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” O that God would raise up many such in Scotland, men who have entered in by the door into the sheepfold, men who can speak of sin because they have felt it, of pardon because it is sweet to them.

(2.) He calleth his own sheep by name. In the eastern countries, the shepherd frequently speaks to his sheep. He calls upon them, and they hear and know his voice. So is it with Christ. He is not a stranger shepherd nor a hireling. He calls his own sheep by name. This intimates first, his knowledge of them. When Zacchaeus, a lost and wandering sheep, was straying faraway from the fold, Jesus called him by his name: “Zacchaeus, come down.” When Nathanael was wandering under the fig tree, Christ saw him, and called him by his name. When Mary did not know Jesus, he said unto her, “Mary”: she turned herself and saith unto him, “Rabboni.” Christ knows all in this congregation who are his. He could name them over. He does often name them. Man does not know you, ministers do not you, you may not know yourself, but Christ knows you: “He calleth his own sheep by name.”

Second, he deals in a very endearing manner with his own sheep. This is implied. When you love a person, you love his name for it has music in it. So Christ loves to call his own sheep by name. He loves the names of those for whom he died. He holds sweet and daily communion with them.

Third, he changes their nature. When Abram became a believer, Christ gave him a new name; so with Peter. So, when the Jews are brought to Christ, it is said, “Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name” (Isaiah 62:2). “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that redeemed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1 ). “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name” (Revelation 3:12).

If one of you were brought to Christ this day, you would get a new heart and a new name. You would no more be called worldling, swearer, drunkard, wanton; but disciple, child of God, heir of glory, Christian indeed. Has Christ called you by your name?

(3.) He goeth before them. He did so while on earth. He went through all that he calls us to follow him in. He went before us in faith and holiness. He went before us in labours of love, in reproaches, in necessities, in sufferings, in death. He does not ask you to go through anything that he did not go through. He still goes before his sheep; often unseen, often unfelt and unheeded, but still present. He will not leave you orphans: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).

My dear friends, are you following Jesus, the good shepherd, or a stranger? Ah! flee from strangers. Flee from the company of the world, where you cannot hear the voice of Jesus. It is not safe to be there. Flee from those houses where the voice of Jesus is not heard, but the voice of strangers. Follow Jesus. Keep your eye on the Master. Believe on him, and do not let him go.