Tuesday, November 10
Yesterday we saw that every one of us needs a shepherd. We are foolish, helpless, and easily lost. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can place ourselves under the guidance and protection of a shepherd and begin to truly live. In John 10:11-18, Jesus claims to be the only Shepherd worth following. Tomorrow, we’ll begin a deeper look at all that it means for Him to be our Good Shepherd. But first, I want to explore the warning in this passage.
In vv. 12-13, Jesus warns of other shepherds, who care nothing for the sheep. These false shepherds might make big promises, but in the moment of truth, they abandon the sheep every time. Who are these false shepherds? In Ezekiel’s time, they were the priests and prophets of Israel, leading the people astray. In Jesus’s own day, the spiritual elites enriched themselves and entrenched their power by collaborating with the Romans. I would love to tell you such things no longer happen, but you know better. There’s a cottage industry of podcasts, documentaries, and movies about evil men in pulpits. And even the Christian ministers who are genuinely trying to serve the Lord—the vast majority, in my experience—are still flawed humans. If you put them on a pedestal, they will let you down.
Our political leaders can be false shepherds as well. I don’t mean to increase your cynicism about our government—there’s more than enough of that these days. Truth be told, governing is hard work, and we should pray for those who sit in those uncomfortable seats of power. In fact, we’re commanded to do so (eg Romans 13). But I see far too many Christians who offer a specific candidate or party their full devotion in a way that only Christ deserves. When we say, “this party/candidate is our only hope; if they lose, we’re in big trouble,” it’s a sign of idolatry in our hearts. No politician is so righteous that they are above our criticism, and no politician is so wicked that they can stop God’s will from being done. So by all means, vote thoughtfully, prayerfully, but trust in the Lamb, not a donkey or an elephant.
A potential romantic partner can be a false shepherd. The world has taught us that if we can only find our soul mate, our one true love, we’ll be happy forever. But no human can bear that weight. Even if the object of your affections never breaks your heart—and the world is littered with stories of fairy-tale romances gone horribly wrong—even a faithful spouse can’t save you. I thank God that I married well, but if I expect Carrie to fulfill all my needs, I’ll crush her. Even children can be false shepherds. So many of us think, “If I could have a baby, I’d be truly happy.” If God grants that wish, it’s a blessing indeed. But even if your kids never resent you, never disappoint you, never hurt your feelings (who are we kidding?) even “perfect” children grow up and move away. What then are you left with?
In contrast to all our false shepherds, Jesus is the Good Shepherd. That word “good” is the Greek word “kalos,” which more specifically means “true.” There are many shepherds in our lives. Some make guarantees they can’t keep. Others look as though they’ll meet our needs, only to fail us when the chips are down. Jesus is the only true shepherd who will never leave us, and will never steer us wrong.
“Heavenly Father, I pray that you would show me the false shepherds I am trusting in. Grant me wisdom to put give my full devotion only to the Good Shepherd, my Lord Jesus, in whose name I pray…amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
