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John 10:14-21
When we look in the Bible there are often times examples of shepherding. Throughout the Old Testament we hear prophets talk about the Messiah and God in this way. And I have to say that Jesus probably gives us the best example of shepherding here in this Scripture today.
John 10:14-21 (NIV) “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
The Jews who heard these words were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
As we have looked at these devotions on Jesus when we come and see – we are truly asking ourselves who do we believe Jesus is? We can see here in the Gospel According to John that he has written to us two differing responses to that question. There are two different lines of thought that seem to repeat themselves.
First is the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah. People believe and are saved. John wants to make that abundantly clear to all of His readers. And for those of us who do believe, that Jesus is the Messiah – and those of us who believe today to the point of being saved from sin and death and hell – this is a great time to deepen our faith. As we move through this study and come to belief in Jesus as our savior and really understand why we believe this, it helps us to own our faith.
Let me explain. Often times we are presented with a question from someone who doesn’t believe. For example – do you Christians really believe in Jesus being born of a virgin? Often times our answer is well yes. But it’s the next question that gets us. Why? Umm, well, ahh, it’s in the Bible and my parents and my 3rd grade Sunday School teacher told me so. Family – that is not an answer – well it’s an answer but it’s not one that testifies to Jesus being Lord and Savior of your life. It testifies to being Lord and Savior of someone else’s life – but not that you have experienced Jesus in a way that’s real where you can explain.
For thousands of years there were prophecies throughout the Old Testament that pointed us toward Jesus. One of them being that He (Messiah) would be born of a virgin. And when you look at all the prophecy that Jesus fulfils in His birth, life, death, and resurrection – and then as you experience the greatness of His love and compassion throughout your own life – you cannot help but believe He is the Savior.
Now I’ve had friends from other religions who want to think of Jesus as just a good moral teacher. And from time to time we have a discussion or two in which they will say – “Jesus is Lord and Savior.” Funny thing, if I pause and don’t respond right away, those friends have countered back with, “Those are the right words right?” To which I then respond, if you have to ask He is not your Lord and Savior.
So we see the theme that Jesus is Messiah – John makes it abundantly clear. Second we see that not everyone believes. There seems to be division in regards to this, each time Jesus heals someone or teaches people as to who He is. There is a group of people who do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah.
But here Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd, and what is the Good Shepherd concerned with – why He’s concerned with the sheep. It’s all about the sheep for Jesus. Those who will listen to His voice. Jesus goes as far as to say that He is the gate – or our way in. He is the way to enter into the life He calls us to live. It is through our faith, hope, belief in Him that we can enter into His fold, enter into His flock and live the abundant life free from sin, death, and hell. And guess what, He was fulfilling more prophecy by doing this.
Ezekiel 34:11-16 (NIV) “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Ezekiel had something to say about the Good Shepherd. And I believe this is yet another voice giving testimony to the work Jesus was doing in the Gospels. And giving testimony to the work He does now through the Holy Spirit working in and through His disciples. We are an extension of this work of the Good Shepherd. Are you listening to His voice, are you following the Good Shepherd today?