“And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”
– John 10:16
Oh, John 10:16 is an awesome verse in the middle of an awesome chapter. And not that there are chapters of the Bible that are not awesome, but this picture in John 10:16 of Jesus as a good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep, who when a thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, Jesus comes so we might have life and have it abundantly, John 10:10. Jesus has come to save us from our sins to satisfy us, to care for us, to protect us, to shepherd our souls. That’s the imagery we see all over this chapter. And then you get to John 10:16, and Jesus says that he has other sheep that are not of this fold, that he will bring in to the flock with him as shepherd.
John 10:16 Reminds Us of the Great Commission
The Good Shepherd is bringing sheep into His fold from all over the world. He has commissioned us. May we be faithful to take this good news of the Savior to the ends of the earth.
So if you were to go today to the Tomb of David Livingston, let me give you a little background in case you don’t know that name. David Livingston was a missionary to Africa who went there for the spread of the gospel. All kinds of things we could talk about that maybe were good methods or not so good methods, and good things, and things to learn from his life in a variety of different ways. But he gave his heart going into hard places in Africa in such a way that when he died, before they sent his body back to England where he had come from, they took his heart out and buried it there because that’s where he had given his life.
So if you were to go to his gravestone back in England at Westminster Abbey, you would see on that gravestone the words of John 10:16, “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring.” What compelled David Livingston to go to Africa for the spread of the gospel? He knew, he was confident that there were other sheep that needed and would come to know Jesus as shepherd, and he gave his life going to them.
This Verse Leads Us to Think About Pakistan
So when we think about our lives, when we look at the world around us, we need to have this perspective like there are other sheep not in the fold right now that Jesus will draw to himself when we go. Think about the confidence that gives. Like we’ve been praying for unreached people groups in Pakistan; today, pray together for the Sindhi Sama people in Pakistan, 2.5 million of them. Again, maybe a few believers among Muslims, Sindhis in Pakistan, but very few, if any at all who are there.
And the reality is that Jesus desires men and women from the Sindhi Sama people in Pakistan to know his grace, to know his love, and to be in his fold, to know him as shepherd. That’s part of the picture here, specifically in John chapter 10. Jesus is talking about how he’s not just bringing in the Jewish people, what we see as the Old Testament people of God.
He’s bringing in the gentiles. He’s bringing in the nations and he’s doing the same thing today. God is doing the same thing all around the world today, through men and women who know him as shepherd going and proclaiming him as savior, that he might be known as shepherd among more, and more, and more people, among more, and more, and more people groups. This is what is happening right now in the world today, so live with that perspective.
This Verse Reminds Us There Are Unbelievers Around Us
Live with that perspective of people right around you, like there are people that Jesus is bringing into the fold right around you and he’s chosen to use you to make that a reality. Share the gospel today with confidence, with confidence, knowing yes, not everybody who you share the gospel with will believe, but some will and they will believe when you share the gospel with them.
So share with confidence, with boldness, with compassion, with love, and with faith, knowing, knowing that Jesus will save, that Jesus will bring people in to his shepherding love and shepherding care. He is going to bring abundant life to people around you and me today, this week through our sharing the gospel. And don’t stop right where we are. Let’s pray together for the spread of the gospel, for the increase of the fold in places around the world where the gospel has not yet gone.
John 10:16 Leads Us to Pray
Oh God, we pray. We pray that you’d help us to live with this perspective, to live, one, with joy and the abundance that you have come to give us. We praise you that you are our shepherd. You are a good shepherd. You’re the great shepherd, Jesus. We praise you for how you love and care for us, lead us, provide for us, and protect us.
God, we need you as our shepherd and we praise you that you are our shepherd. We say with the Psalmist in Psalm 23, “The Lord is our shepherd,” Jesus, our shepherd based on John 10:16. “We shall not want.” You lead us. “You guide us in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake.” May it be so today. And then God, we pray that you would use our lives to bring others into the fold. God, please use our lives today to bring others to know Jesus as Savior. People right around us and far from us.
John 10:16 Leads Us to Pray for Pakistan
God, we pray that you would bring Sindhi Sama men and women from Pakistan, children in Pakistan into the fold. Bring them into the fold. Send workers who share the good news of Jesus as Savior and shepherd with them, that they might be a part of the flock. Oh God, we look forward to the day when we will gather around your throne with Sindhi Sama people giving you glory as our shepherd.
That’s the whole picture in Revelation 7. God, you’ve promised the nations will praise you as shepard specifically there in Revelation 7. So bring it about we pray, and use our lives. Use Your church today. Wake us up to the part we can play in getting the gospel to those who’ve never heard it.
Oh, God, we praise you that you’ve brought us into the fold. We praise you that you have given us the privilege of introducing others to you. One flock with one shepherd named Jesus. In his name we pray, Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
