David Diga Hernandez - The Good Shepherd: 3 Caring Things Jesus Does for You

Let’s begin in John chapter 10. I’m going to read verses 11-15. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming; he will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. So the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. Now, in this portion of Scripture, there are many powerful truths. Let’s look at verse 11. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. Now let me ask you: who do you know that truly loves you like this? That he would lay down his life for yours? That he would leave the comforts of heaven and live through a mundane existence on earth, which is mundane compared to how he was living in the heavenly realm? That he would sacrifice his body? That he would endure the pain of the cross? He did that for you, and this is why we can rest in our trust for him. The one who loves us like nobody else loves us is also our shepherd. He is the shepherd of my soul. He is the one who guides me, protects me, corrects me, and provides for me, and there is no other shepherd I would want. He is that good shepherd. In verses 12-13, we see that Jesus is talking about hired hands, or people who don’t really care for the sheep. In other words, there are those who may claim they care for you, but they are only there for what they can get from you. Jesus isn’t like that; Jesus is the good shepherd. He lays down his life; he sacrifices himself; he puts himself in harm’s way for your safety. Verse 14 says, «I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep, and they know me.» Now, I find this comforting—that he knows me. The Scripture says that the very hairs on your head are numbered. He knows you and delights in every detail of your life. But think about the fact that he knows you. I mean, really think about that. He knows me. He doesn’t just know all the details; he doesn’t just know my occasional wandering. He knows every flaw; he knows every thought; he knows every trouble in your character. He knows every secret sin; he knows every hidden mistake; he knows every impure motive; he knows all of the iniquity that resides in you. And yet, he doesn’t abandon you. He knows you, and he still shepherds you. He knows you, and he stays with you. He knows you and still sacrifices himself for you. That truly is a comforting thought. Verse 15: «Just as my Father knows me, I know the Father.» The union between the Father and the Son is the same union between you and your shepherd. There is that perfect oneness that he has given us with him; he will not abandon us. Now, there are three things I want to point out about shepherds that are based in Scripture. Number one: the shepherd protects. Psalm chapter 23, verses 1 through 4, say this: «The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows. He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.» You know, we live in a time when many are filled with fear; their hearts are filled with dread. People are worried about their future; people are worried about their health; people are worried about the safety of their families; people worry about economic instability; people worry about disease and viruses; people worry about war; people worry about violence and crime, and all of these things that can bring us harm. But the Scripture tells me that he guides me; he protects me. Even in the darkest valley, I can know that he’s close by; he’s near. Luke chapter 2, verse 8 says that night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. That night, in the midnight hour, the Lord keeps watch over you, even as you sleep. The one who sees all keeps watch over you. 1 Samuel chapter 17, verses 34-36 say, «But David persisted: I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,» he said. «When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine too, for he has defiled the armies of the living God.» Now, in Luke chapter 2, verse 8, and in 1 Samuel chapter 17, these are references to actual shepherds, but in referencing actual shepherds, we see that this is a picture of who the Lord is. This is why Jesus called himself the good shepherd, because this is what shepherds do—they protect. When David’s lamb was in trouble, he would go and fight, putting himself in harm’s way. Number one: the shepherd protects. Number two: the shepherd corrects. First Peter…