According to Jn 10:2, Jesus is the “shepherd of the sheep”.  When you trust Jesus Christ to save you he is your shepherd and you are his sheep.  Therefore, you can say, like David said in Ps 23:1, “the Lord is my shepherd”.  And you can know, like David, “He leadeth me”.

He’s my leading shepherd – “He leadeth me”.  Sheep are so brutish, they don’t know what to do without a leader.  They must be led for their own good and safety.  Their shepherd will keep them out of harm’s way, protect them from predators, and keep them in good pastures.  They’ll walk into all kinds of trouble without a leader to guide them.  

Likewise, we need a leader.  He leads you in his will for your life.  He leads you in the details of your life.  He protects you throughout the day.  Contrast your life before he saved you with your life after he saved you.  If you have been following him, there is no comparison.  Life now is so much better.

He’s my righteous shepherd – “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”.  The shepherd leads his sheep to good pasture everyday, so they are well nourished.  Otherwise, they will overgraze their pasture, subjecting themselves to disease and starvation.  

We, like sheep, are prone to go astray.  We don’t know the right paths.  We follow what we see other sheep doing rather than what our shepherd is leading us to do.  Or we do that which is right in our own eyes.  In either case, we end up in trouble.  

Therefore, our shepherd guides us into all truth through the Holy Spirit.  And through his words, he leads us in the paths of righteousness.  Jesus does because he is righteous.  So, we follow him along his paths.  And his paths are always right and always lead to the right place.

He’s my Good Shepherd – “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake”.  Among shepherds, those who are good are well known for their responsible care of their sheep and their range.  Likewise, poor shepherds are known by the poor quality of their flock and range.

Have you considered that the quality of your character is a reflection on your shepherd’s reputation?  He’s leading you not only for your good but also for his name’s sake.  He wants others to see that he is the good shepherd by the way he cares for you.  Moses was concerned about this when the Jews were in the wilderness.

Conclusion: He leads.  Therefore, it is vital that we follow our shepherd.  He leads us in the right paths for our good and for his good name, as well. 

To listen to and read the prior sermon in this series, see He Restoreth My Soul.