Why did Jesus call Himself the Good Shepherd?

WHY DID JESUS CALL HIMSELF THE GOOD SHEPHERD?

Jn. 10:27-30

Life can be hard and for many people it is very hard.  Jesus is aware of this fact.  To show His care for us He used the image of Himself as a Shepherd and we His sheep.  It was not by accident that Jesus chose this image.

Sheep are some of the most dependent creatures.  In the presence of their enemies they are virtually helpless.  They have neither the speed to run away nor the strength to fight.  They rely on the shepherd.  If left alone in the wilderness they would be at the mercy of the elements and predators.

So, when Jesus calls us sheep, He is simply pointing out that when we find it hard to cope on our own, He the Good Shepherd will be there for us.  We might think we are strong enough to withstand all that life can throw at us, but sooner or later we will find ourselves unable to carry life’s burdens by ourselves.

This truth is brought home to us in different ways.  We can be crushed with financial difficulties.  Interest rates rise and we wonder how we will ever pay the mortgage?  For someone else it could be the news of a sudden illness like cancer.  The doctor tries his best to calm our fears, but it is terminal.  Others may find themselves fighting a losing battle against alcoholism, drugs or gambling.  They make serious attempts to kick the habit that has gained control of their lives.

In these circumstances we come to our senses.  We are like helpless sheep that have to depend on their Shepherd.  This thought should help us because we know that when life is hard, we do have Someone to Whom we can turn:  the whole point of the parable of the Good Shepherd is that Jesus wanted us to know that we are safe and secure under His care.  We can depend on Him to provide for our needs.

This does not, of course, free us from our responsibilities.  It simply means that if we do our best, Jesus will be there to support us.  He will see us through the difficult times.  Our needs will be met.  This is what Jesus was telling us in the Sermon on the Mount.  You are not to fret and worry about food or clothing.  Look at the birds of the air or the flowers in the field.  If God looks after them, will He not look after us who are more precious to Him than they are?  He knows our needs.  Surely, we can depend on Him?  Perhaps the strongest evidence of His care is to recall the past.  He has brought us to this time and place.  We may not be wealthy but our needs have been met.  No doubt the Good Shepherd had much to do with that.

We can also depend on the Good Shepherd for guidance.  One of the most certain things about life is its uncertainty.  We don’t know what the future holds for us.  The traveller has a map and the sailor his charts, but we are on a journey never knowing for certain where it will lead us.  Again, there is no reason to fear.  We can depend on the Good Shepherd.  “If I should walk in the valley of darkness, no evil should I fear because you are there with your crook and staff.  With these you give me comfort.” (Psalm 23).  God knows about our tomorrows and He cares about us.  If we follow His ways as best we can He will guide us.

We can depend, too, on His protection.  This does not imply that we will be exempt from problems and pain.  We are unlikely to avoid these.  When they do come, we will gain all the strength we need from Him to cope with them.  He will not keep us from trouble but He will sustain us in those troubles.

Lord Jesus, the truth that we are not self-sufficient but are dependent on You, the Good Shepherd, should bring us comfort knowing that when life is hard You will always be there to help us in the way You judge to be best.

PLEASE VISIT: HTTPS://FATHERFRANCISMAPLE.CO.UK  FOR DAILY HOMILIES