The Present Shepherd

If we are honest with ourselves, most of us spend a significant portion of our lives looking for direction. We live in a world that is incredibly loud. We are bombarded by opinions, driven by the pressure to succeed, and often haunted by the fear of making the wrong mistake. We try to navigate relationships, careers, and our own internal struggles, often feeling like we are walking through a dense fog without a compass.

But what if you weren’t designed to figure it all out on your own?

The central message of the Gospel—the good news of Jesus—is not just that we are saved for a future heaven, but that we are shepherded in the present earth. The notes we are exploring today from John 10:11 and Psalm 23 remind us of a fundamental truth that changes everything: We are not alone, and we are not aimless.

We have a Shepherd. And because we have a Shepherd, we have access to a life that is not just "manageable," but truly victorious. In this post, we are going to take a long, deep look at what it means to be under the care of Jesus, how to hear His voice, and how to walk through the darkest valleys with your head held high.

PART 1: The Great Exchange – From Poverty to Riches

To understand where we are going, we first have to understand who we are and whose we are. The foundation of our confidence isn't our own ability; it is the Shepherd’s sacrifice.

The Good Shepherd’s Sacrifice

In John 10:11, Jesus makes a statement that separates Him from every other leader in history. He says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

In the natural world, this doesn't make sense. A shepherd might protect the sheep, yes. He might fight off a wolf or chase away a thief. But rarely does a human shepherd voluntarily die for an animal. The life of the human is usually considered more valuable than the life of the sheep. But in the Kingdom of God, the values are flipped upside down. The King dies for the subject. The Creator dies for the creature.

Jesus sacrifices himself for the benefit of the Church. This wasn't a tragic accident; it was a deliberate benefit. We were far from Him. We were separated by a massive gap of sin and brokenness. We were "lost sheep" in the truest sense—unable to find our way back, vulnerable to every predator, and destined for destruction.

But He sacrificed His own life for a specific purpose: so that we may have life and become sons of God.

This is the upgrade of the ages. We went from being lost creatures to being adopted children. We are no longer defined by our distance from God; we are defined by His nearness to us. You are not just a face in the crowd; you are a son or a daughter. This identity is the bedrock of your victory. You cannot live a victorious life if you still see yourself as an orphan. You must see yourself as a son or daughter for whom the Shepherd was willing to die.

The Standard of the New Life

There is a dangerous misconception that often creeps into our thinking. We sometimes believe that God is indifferent to our suffering, or worse, that He enjoys it because it "teaches us a lesson." We might think that being poor, miserable, or defeated is a sign of humility.

We must correct this thinking immediately. Jesus does not rejoice when we suffer.

Why? Because He already paid the price for our suffering. The scripture teaches us that He was made poor so that we might be rich. Now, let’s be clear about what this means. This isn't just about money in a bank account, though God does care about our provision. This "richness" is a comprehensive Kingdom wealth. It means being rich in peace, rich in joy, rich in health, rich in relationships, and rich in purpose.

Jesus took on the ultimate spiritual poverty on the cross—He was stripped of His glory, separated from the Father, and crushed by sin—so that we could inherit the riches of heaven.

Therefore, He does not rejoice when we live under the standard of the new life we have received.

Imagine a father who works three jobs, saving every penny for years to buy his son a fully paid-for, beautiful home. If that son chooses to sleep in a cardboard box on the front lawn of that mansion, the father is not pleased. He is heartbroken. Why? Because the price was paid for the son to live in the house, not outside of it.

In the same way, Jesus paid a high price for you to live a victorious life. When you accept defeat, when you live in constant anxiety, when you settle for less than God's best, you are living under the standard of the new life. It is time to move into the mansion. It is time to accept that the Shepherd wants you to flourish.

PART 2: The Art of Listening – Following the Shepherd’s Instructions

If the foundation of our life is the Shepherd’s sacrifice, then the mechanism of our life is the Shepherd’s voice. How do we actually access this "rich" life we just talked about? We do it by listening.

Identifying the Voice

"To be able to live a victorious life we must learn to identify and follow the voice of our Shepherd."

We are sheep, and the primary characteristic of sheep is that they know their shepherd's voice. They don't follow strangers. In our modern lives, we are listening to so many voices.

• The voice of the News telling us to be afraid.

• The voice of Social Media telling us we aren't good enough.

• The voice of our Past telling us we are failures.

• The voice of "Logic" telling us to play it safe.

To live victoriously, we have to tune out those frequencies and tune into the frequency of Jesus. His voice is the only one that matters. Learning to identify His voice takes practice. It comes from spending time with Him. It sounds like peace. It sounds like Scripture. It sounds like love, even when it is correcting us.

Manifesting the Spiritual Reality

"When Jesus speaks, His words manifest what already exists spiritually."

This is a game-changer for how we view prayer and obedience. When God speaks a promise to you, He isn't "trying" to make it happen. In the spiritual realm—in God’s reality—it is already done.

• Healing already exists.

• Provision already exists.

• Restoration already exists.

The "Word" of God is the container that brings that spiritual reality into your physical world. When Jesus speaks, He is releasing the manifestation of what He has already prepared. If you don't listen to the voice, you miss the delivery. The package is waiting, but you have to answer the door.

The Lesson of the Empty Nets (The Peter Principle)

To illustrate this, let’s look at the story of Peter and the fish (Luke 5).

Peter was a professional. He knew how to fish. He had the right boat, the right nets, and the right crew. He even had the "hustle"—he had worked all night long. But the result? Empty nets. Zero. Nothing.

This is a picture of the Church or an individual trying to live without Christ. "Without Christ, the Church has no direction and therefore cannot live a victorious life." You can have all the talent, all the energy, and all the resources, but if you do not have the direction of the Shepherd, you will end up empty.

Then, Jesus steps in. He gives a specific command: "Launch out into the deep."

Notice two things here:

1. It required listening: Peter had to stop listening to his own fatigue and his own expertise.

2. It required specific obedience: He didn't just cast the net anywhere; he did exactly what Jesus said.

The fish were already there. They were swimming right under Peter’s boat the whole time. But Peter couldn't catch them with human effort alone. He needed the voice of the Shepherd to locate the blessing. When he followed the instructions, the catch was so big his nets began to break.

This is what God wants for you. The solution to your problem is likely right next to you, but you need the Shepherd to tell you where to cast your net. Victory isn't about working harder; it's about listening better.

PART 3: The Valley Experience – Psalm 23:4

Following the Shepherd is amazing when the sun is shining and the grass is green. But what happens when the sky turns black? What happens when we hit the crisis? The sermon notes turn our attention to Psalm 23:4: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."

Moving Against All Odds

The reality of the Christian walk is that there are valleys. There are seasons of loss, grief, financial tightness, and emotional exhaustion. "The presence of the Shepherd keeps us moving against all odds."

The key word is moving.

When we are alone and afraid, we tend to freeze. We stop. We curl up in a ball and let the darkness overwhelm us. But when we are following the Shepherd, we walk through the valley. We don't buy real estate there. We don't build a house there. We are just passing through.

The presence of the Shepherd is the fuel that keeps you putting one foot in front of the other. When you are going through anything, remind yourself: "I am not alone. God is with me." This knowledge changes your posture from a victim to a victor. You keep moving because you know He is leading you to the other side.

Protection from Predators

In the ancient wilderness, valleys were dangerous. That’s where the predators hid—the lions, bears, and wolves.

The notes remind us that "He protects us from predators and against the work of the enemy."

Today, your predators might not be lions. They might be:

• Anxiety attacking your mind.

• Sickness attacking your body.

• Strife attacking your marriage.

• Lies attacking your identity.

But the Good Shepherd is armed. He is not a passive observer. He stands between you and the danger. Psalm 23 says, "I will fear no evil." Why? Not because the evil isn't there, but because "You are with me." The presence of the protector makes the presence of the predator irrelevant. You are safe, not because of the absence of danger, but because of the presence of God.

PART 4: The Tools of Comfort – The Rod and The Staff

God’s protection isn’t just a concept; it is practical. The Shepherd carries tools, and these tools are designed for our benefit. The scripture says, "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

The Staff: Rescue from the Pit

The staff is the classic tool we associate with shepherds—the long stick with the hook (the crook) at the end. "The Shepherd's staff was used to draw the flock out of the pit, so God takes us out of misery and comforts us."

Sheep are somewhat clumsy. They fall into holes. They get stuck in bushes. They wander off cliffs. The staff is a tool of extension; it allows the shepherd to reach down into a place where the sheep cannot help itself and pull it back to safety.

Many of us are in pits right now.

• The Pit of Misery: Emotional heaviness that feels like it’s crushing you.

• The Pit of Sin: Habits you want to break but can't seem to shake.

• The Pit of Circumstance: Situations that feel hopeless.

The comfort of God is that He has a Staff. He reaches down. He takes us out of misery. He doesn't just stand at the top of the hole and yell at us to "climb up." He extends His grace, hooks us with His love, and pulls us back to solid ground. That is true comfort. It is the comfort of being rescued.

The Rod: The Comfort of Authority

While the staff is for the sheep, the rod was a club used for the enemy. It was a weapon.

How does a weapon bring comfort?

Imagine walking down a dark alley. If you are alone, you are terrified. But if you are walking with a Navy SEAL who is fully armed, you feel comfortable. Why? Because you know his power is greater than any threat you might face.

God’s power is our comfort. We can rest because He is fighting for us.

PART 5: Closer Than a Brother – The Intimacy of the Shepherd

Finally, we arrive at the heart of the relationship. The Shepherd is not just a boss, and He is not just a bodyguard. He is a Friend.

Close to the Brokenhearted

"God is close to the brokenhearted."

This is one of the most tender attributes of God. In our human experience, people often pull away from us when we are broken. Broken people are messy. They cry. They are inconsistent. They are "high maintenance." Fair-weather friends disappear when the storm hits.

But Jesus is different. When you are broken, He moves closer.

"In a season of uncertainty or brokenness He sticks closer than a brother."

If you are feeling shattered today, please know this: You have never been closer to God's heart than you are right now. He is attracted to your need. He is drawn to your vulnerability. He binds up the brokenhearted.

A Friend Who Sticks

Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

A brother is born for adversity, but a friend chooses to be there. Jesus chooses you. He knows everything about you—your failures, your fears, your doubts—and He still chooses to stick by your side.

This friendship is the ultimate key to the victorious life. Victory isn't about being perfect. Victory is about being His. It’s about knowing that no matter what happens—whether you are on the mountaintop or in the valley, whether your nets are full or empty, whether you are laughing or weeping—the Shepherd is right there.

How to Live the Victorious Life Today

So, how do we take these deep truths and apply them to our Tuesday morning or our Friday night?

1. Accept Your Identity: Stop living like a stranger to God. You are a son/daughter. The price has been paid. You are rich in Him. Refuse to live under the standard of this new life. Claim your peace and your joy.

2. Tune Your Ear: Stop moving in your own strength. Before you make a decision, before you start your work, pause. Ask the Shepherd, "Where should I cast my net?" Listen for His voice. His instruction brings manifestation.

3. Walk Through the Valley: If you are in a dark season, keep moving. Don't stop. Remind yourself that the Shadow cannot hurt you because the Shepherd is with you.

4. Let Him Pull You Out: If you are in a pit of misery, stop trying to climb out on your own. Reach up. Let His staff hook you and pull you to safety. Receive His comfort.

5. Lean into the Friendship: You don't have to carry the weight of the world. You have a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Talk to Him. Lean on Him. Trust Him.

The Good Shepherd is calling. He has already secured your victory. The question is not if He is able to lead you, but if you are willing to follow. Launch out into the deep today—He is with you.

A Prayer of Application

Lord Jesus, thank You for being my Good Shepherd. Thank You for sacrificing Your life so that I could become a child of God. I choose today to step out of the poverty of fear and into the riches of Your peace.

Forgive me for trying to toil in my own strength. Today, I quiet my heart to hear Your voice. Give me the specific instructions I need for my family, my work, and my life. I trust that Your word manifests blessings.

Even though I may face valleys, I will not fear, for You are with me. Thank You for Your rod and Your staff. Pull me out of the pits of discouragement and misery. Thank You for being the friend who sticks closer than a brother. I rest in Your victory today. Amen.