I Am the Good Shepherd

I Am the Good Shepherd: Finding Direction in a World of Many Voices

Have you ever been lost? That feeling of panic, worry, and stress that comes when you don’t know where you are or how to get back to safety is overwhelming. Even if it only lasts for a few minutes, it can feel like hours.

This experience of being lost and then found parallels our spiritual journey. Without proper guidance, we’re vulnerable, like sheep without a shepherd. At Southside Methodist Church in Jacksonville, we believe that Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, is the One who rescues and leads us.

Why Do We Need a Shepherd?

Sheep are incredibly vulnerable creatures. They have no natural defenses against predators. They can’t fight back effectively. They’re meant to live in flocks for protection and guidance.

Spiritually speaking, we’re much the same. Without guidance, we’re vulnerable to countless influences that want to direct our paths, not all of them beneficial or truthful.

In Jeremiah 50:6, God laments: “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.”

That’s a powerful statement; they forgot their resting place. They forgot where they truly belonged. In our modern context, our society seems increasingly intent on forgetting its resting place too. Southside Methodist Church exists to point people back to that true home, resting in Christ, the Good Shepherd.

Jesus’ Compassion for the Shepherdless

When Jesus encountered crowds during His ministry, the Gospel writers tell us: “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”

Can you imagine a more vulnerable existence than being a sheep without a shepherd? Jesus’ response to this situation reveals His heart: He began teaching them many things. His compassion led to action, He became their Shepherd.

At Southside Methodist Church in Jacksonville, we want to reflect that same compassion to our community, teaching the Word of God and pointing people to Jesus.

What Makes Jesus the “Good” Shepherd?

Jesus declared, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

What distinguishes Jesus from other shepherds? His willingness to sacrifice Himself for the sheep. He contrasts Himself with hired hands who abandon the sheep when danger comes:

“The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

Jesus differentiates Himself by:

Caring deeply for the sheep

Having compassion on them

Standing in their defense

Fighting for their protection

Ultimately laying down His life for them

This is the Gospel we proclaim every Sunday at Southside Methodist Church, that Jesus loves you enough to fight for you and lay down His life for you.

Our Tendency to Wander

Despite having the perfect Shepherd, we still have a tendency to stray. As Isaiah wrote about 750 years before Jesus: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to our own way.”

This wandering nature is part of our human condition. As the old hymn says: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love.”

Competing Voices in Today’s World

We’re being shepherded by countless different influences today. Social media algorithms figure out our preferences and feed us content that reinforces our existing beliefs and biases. This creates echo chambers where we only hear voices that agree with us.

Meanwhile, people with opposing viewpoints are receiving completely different content that reinforces their perspectives. The result? We’re not just speaking different languages, we’re living in different realities.

In this cacophony of voices, how do we discern which one to follow? That’s one of the questions we help people wrestle with here at Southside Methodist Church in Jacksonville, how to tune out the noise and tune into the voice of Jesus.

How Do We Recognize the Good Shepherd’s Voice?

Jesus says His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. Just as a child can recognize their parent’s voice in a crowded place, we need to learn to recognize Jesus’ voice amid all the competing influences.

God speaks to us through:

Scripture 

The Holy Spirit

The church community

Sometimes through other means

The more we immerse ourselves in God’s Word, the better we become at recognizing His voice and filtering out the others. That’s why Bible study, worship, and prayer at Southside Methodist Church are central to our life together.

Hearing vs. Listening

Jesus said, “They too will listen to my voice.” There’s a significant difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is passive, sound waves reaching your ears. Listening is active, it means you’re responding to what you’ve heard.

This is the difference between those who say they believe in God and those who obey God. True followers don’t just hear the Shepherd’s voice, they listen and follow.

Life Application

How can we apply these truths to our daily lives? Here are some practical takeaways:

Learn to identify the Good Shepherd’s voice through regular Bible reading and prayer.

Listen, obey, and follow what He says. Following the Good Shepherd keeps us from being ensnared in the enemy’s traps.

Humble yourself and call out to Him when you find yourself wandering. We can’t cleanse ourselves from sin, we need Jesus.

Stay in the Good Shepherd’s company through both bad times and good times.

Reflect with gratitude on how your relationship with Christ has blessed you.

At Southside Methodist Church in Jacksonville, we encourage you to take these steps in community, surrounded by people who want to walk with Jesus together.

Questions to Consider

Whose voice am I really following in my daily decisions?

When was the last time I intentionally sought to hear God’s voice through Scripture?

In what areas of my life am I prone to wander from the Good Shepherd’s guidance?

How can I better recognize Jesus’ voice amid all the competing influences in my life?

Am I merely hearing God’s voice, or am I truly listening and following?

This week, commit to spending time daily in God’s Word, learning to recognize His voice. When you find yourself pulled by competing influences, pause and ask: “What would my Good Shepherd have me do?” Then follow where He leads.