John 10:4
“And when he putteth forth his own sheep,
he goeth before them,
and the sheep follow him:
for they know his voice.”
~ John 10:4
Neither space nor time will permit us to exhaust this rich treasure of God’s Word. Numerous draws could be made and the well would still be springing up in abundant supply. We shall have to pass over many things and yet, let us commune with our Lord in this text.
Immediately, we approach this passage knowing Christ says, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11). He is “that great shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20). We know also that the sheep are His people, whom He “must bring” (John 10:16) to glory. This rich knowledge prompts the faithful declaration, “For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand” (Psalm 95:7).
The overwhelming characteristic mark of His sheep is that they “follow him.” Not only this, but “a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him” (John 10:5). In all cases, in all conditions, the sheep follow the Shepherd.
We cannot escape the fact that “he putteth forth his own sheep.” This language brings to mind a forcible action. He puts them forth. Unfortunately, this may imply laxity or reluctance of the sheep, but let us rather consider it as revealing the mind of the Shepherd for not only does He put them forth, He “goeth before them.” This speaks then of His guidance of His sheep. He sends them forth to accomplish His purpose and goes before them to lead, prepare, and keep them in His way.
That “he putteth forth his own sheep” speaks of the purpose of the Shepherd. He does not put them out; He puts them forth. The harried mother, whose head is dazed by a dozen things that have gone wrong at once, will put the children out to play that she may collect her thoughts and set things back in order. However, that same mother will rise up in the morning with clear thought and put the children forth to do their morning chores. So, they are put forth with purpose and the Shepherd does this when He puts forth His sheep.
When the Shepherd puts forth His sheep, He also “goeth before them.” He puts them forth with purpose that He might lead them. He leads them to “green pastures,” “beside the still waters,” and “in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:2-3). Not only does He lead them to the pleasant places, but He also conducts them through the dangerous miles. He leads them through “the valley of the shadow of death” and to a “table . . . in the presence of mine enemies” (Psalm 23:4-5). Because of His abiding presence, the sheep can say in the dark valley, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). The sheep need not be overly concerned about which path they are on at the moment, so long as the Shepherd is with them.
The dependence of the sheep upon their Shepherd cannot be overstated. They need to be put forth. They need to be led. They need to follow their Shepherd. Without Him, they cannot find the pleasant places of rest and restoration. Without Him, they cannot safely traverse the dangerous paths where they are refined and sharpened. Ah, but with Him, they are safe and rest securely for “they shall never perish.” They are “the sheep of his hand” and “neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). Praise God, what a Shepherd! Let us sing with Sis. Kathryn Parrish:
Praise God, what a shepherd! He died not in vain;
Oh, He knows His sheep, and He calls them by name;
He goeth before them, And they know His voice;
Him only they follow, And in Him they rejoice.
John 17:24
“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me,
be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me:
for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”
~ John 17:24
Our devotional verse is found in the high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ. He exercised His intercessory office praying to the Father for His people. He declared, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (John 17:9). Now Job said of God, “For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment” (Job 9:32). Job realized there was a difference between himself and God, “for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth.” He also realized that he could not stand in the breach. Eli saw the same predicament when he said, “If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him?” (1 Samuel 2:25). Job further observed that not only could he not stand in the breach but also no other man could stand there for him. “Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33). Who could lay his hand upon God?
In John chapter 17 we see Christ standing in the breach, laying His hand upon man and laying His hand upon God. He is the fulfillment of the type we have in Moses with Israel. “Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them” (Psalm 106:23). Jesus “thought it not robbery to be equal with God” and He “lifted up his eyes to heaven” and prayed to the Father as the Son. He had power to lay hold on God and man, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). He stood in the breach and turned away the wrath that His people deserved by giving Himself as a ransom. What a blessing to know there is an advocate, a days-man! What a blessing for His people to know “he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
Let us turn now to the particular request made in our text. Firstly we notice that Jesus said, “Father, I will.” Now during His earthly ministry, Christ declared, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). He also said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). Jesus is the perfect servant. He was totally submerged in the will of the Father. It must then be of great significance when He expresses His will as in our text: “Father, I will.” Read John 6:39-40 and you will find this expression of Christ’s will to be in harmony with that of the Father, revealing the unity of the purpose of the trinity in the salvation of men.
It is noteworthy to observe that Jesus expressed His will. It is also worthwhile to note the substance of His petition. Secondly we see His request was “that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.” Christ here reveals His desire for His purchased people to be with Him and behold His glory. He longs for the consummation of His work when He presents His people spotless before the throne saying, “Behold I and the children which God hath given me” (Hebrews 2:13). He will stand victorious; having accomplished the purpose where unto He was sent.
Christ does not only joy in His accomplishment. He also has joy in His people. “For the LORD’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9). He manifested His great love by laying down His life. He “loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Revelation 1:5). And He desires us to be with Him. It is no wonder that we love Him, “Who gave himself for us.” But it is a great mystery that He should love us. Surely the love of Christ “passeth knowledge.” We are constrained to sing the old song,
I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me, A sinner, condemned, unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful is my Savior’s love for me!
It is a great comfort to know these truths when our saved loved ones have departed. We see that Jesus is fetching them home to be with Him. The shepherd says in Solomon’s Song, “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away” (Song of Solomon 2:13). We have a picture of the Good Shepherd beckoning His beloved sheep home. We cannot weep for the departed righteous. They are in the presence of the loving Shepherd beholding His great glory.
