Each saying gives us just a little snapshot of a huge God. Today we hear Jesus using the metaphor of the shepherd. I am the good shepherd. And immediately we recall every sermon and Bible study we ever heard on the subject of shepherding. The shepherd is the one who feeds the flock, who protects the flock from wolves and thieves.
Shepherds keep watch over their flocks night and day.
And, in Eastern shepherding tradition, the shepherd goes before the flock and leads them with simply the sound of his or her voice. Jesus is the good shepherd, defending us to the death, defending us with his death. Lots of meaty things about the nature of God here. That we are like sheep. We are like smelly, stupid, stubborn sheep.