The condition of sheep without a shepherd is portrayed as consistently negative and harmful. This state often arises not by the sheep's choice but due to being driven away or scattered through abuse or neglect. In such circumstances, the sheep can only plead with the Good Shepherd to gather them to an under-shepherd of His selection.

Sometimes, circumstances conspire to scatter Christians, leaving the sheep without a shepherd, separated from the ministry that Jesus Christ provides to equip and encourage their growth. However, if sheep choose to become without a shepherd, they reject one of the Chief Shepherd's major gifts to His flock, willfully stepping outside His established order. To purposefully become a sheep without a shepherd is to place oneself in serious danger, likely turning to one's own way, developing bad spiritual habits, becoming prey for satan, and ultimately growing malnourished and spiritually diseased. Christ establishes that sheep have the responsibility to submit to godly shepherds, comparing their instruction with what God has already set forth in His Word, rather than wandering away. Because of the unraveling of the church of God in recent decades, the flock has experienced great agitation, with sheep sometimes distrustful of other legitimate folds and shepherds suspicious or contemptuous of one another, inciting further unrest. If sheep have suffered abuse or neglect from a hireling or derelict shepherd, they become less inclined to trust others, and peace suffers. Some dominant sheep push weaker ones, scattering them, while some shepherds, losing focus on the Good Shepherd, elevate themselves, using and abusing the sheep rather than tending to them. Despite the chaos in the greater church of God, none of it is beyond the Shepherd's control, as He oversees the under-shepherds and works to fulfill His will. He limits the harm hirelings can cause, using even their failures for ultimate good if the sheep continue to look to Him. If we follow the Shepherd's guidance, continually seeking Him for direction, He will lead us to the best pastures, producing a singular focus on Him and a faith trust that will carry us into the Kingdom.

Sheep are often depicted as creatures in need of constant guidance, prone to chaos without a shepherd's care. They have a natural inclination to assemble in flocks and follow a leader, enabling a lone shepherd to manage hundreds successfully. However, if left to themselves, sheep will follow the same trails until they become ruts, graze fields into dust bowls, and pollute their pastures with disease and parasites. Thus, a shepherd's role is crucial, as they must lead the flock to fresh pastures to prevent such destruction. A shepherd is defined as one who herds, guards, and cares for sheep, and this guidance is paramount for the flock's well-being. Jesus Christ, as the Chief Shepherd, has ordained human shepherds to serve His flock. Yet, there are warnings of grievous wolves, false shepherds, who may enter the flock and attempt to lead it astray from the right path. These dangers highlight the sheep's vulnerability without proper guidance. Sheep recognize their true shepherd by his voice, as illustrated in the Parable of the True Shepherd. When the shepherd calls, his sheep hear and separate themselves from others, following him immediately because they know his voice and do not heed strangers. This voice represents a message of revelation and truth, which the true shepherd preaches, and the sheep of God's flock will hear and follow it. To discern a true shepherd, the sheep must test the spirits and understand the message being preached. God's sheep will know the spirit of truth from the spirit of error through this message, recognizing the right path. The shepherd's duty is to oversee the flock, calling them out from where they are mixed with others and leading them down paths of righteousness. With open ears, the sheep can hear their shepherd's voice, test the spirits, and respond correctly to avoid straying.

Sheep have a natural inclination to assemble in flocks, a characteristic that allows a lone shepherd to manage hundreds of them. However, sheep require constant care as they are creatures of habit. Left to themselves, they follow the same trails until they become ruts, graze the same hillsides until they turn to wastelands, and pollute their ground until it is corrupt with disease and parasites. Thus, they must be continually led to fresh pasture, highlighting the vital role of the shepherd who herds, guards, and cares for them. Jesus Christ, as the Chief Shepherd, has appointed human shepherds to oversee the flock of God, serving willingly and eagerly. Yet, there is a warning of savage wolves or false prophets who will enter among the flock, not sparing it, and even some from within will speak perverse things to draw sheep away. The sheep must discern their true shepherd by recognizing his voice, which they know and follow, while fleeing from strangers whose voices they do not recognize. In a parable, many sheep are gathered in an enclosure, and when the true shepherd speaks, his own sheep separate from the larger group and follow him, for they know his voice. This voice is not merely a sound but a message or disclosure that the sheep understand. God's sheep will discern the right path from the wrong through this message. Those of the world will hear and understand the voice of false shepherds, but God's sheep will understand the true message of their Shepherd. The shepherd's role is to oversee the flock in all respects, leading them down the right path. As sheep, when penned up with others, they hear the voice of their Shepherd, their ears are opened, and they respond by separating themselves from the main body of sheep. They were once like sheep going astray but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls.