John 10:1-21
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 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. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 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.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus tells us He is our Good Shepherd and we are His sheep...He is is our gate to life...He says: "Very truly I tell you, I AM the gate for the sheep...All who have come before e are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them...I AM the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved...They will come in and go out, and find pasture...The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."...Jesus brings us a full and abundant life...Without Him and our own self interests lead to isolation and a void...
Author C. S. Lewis' said this years ago, which says a lot about the Good Shepherd: “Give up yourself, and you will find your real self...Lose your life and you will save it...Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favorite wishes every day and death of your whole body in the end submit with ever fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life...Keep back nothing...Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours...Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead...Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay...But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.”...
Lewis's profound statement holds a powerful and reflective meaning...His assertions that nothing given away is truly lost and that spiritual resurrection requires the death of the self challenge our conventional understanding of ownership and fulfillment...The concept that material possessions, status, or even personal achievements held tightly for oneself ultimately fail to provide lasting satisfaction is a critical point...Those things are only temporary when held for oneself...Genuine possession, Lewis suggests, arises from releasing these things, sharing them, and investing in the well-being of others...This generosity extends beyond material goods to encompass the giving of time, compassion, and love...True wealth, therefore, is found in the outflow of one's life, not in its accumulation...This notion is further emphasized by the idea that nothing within us that has not "died" can be "raised from the dead," highlighting the necessity of spiritual transformation and self-denial...The stark contrast Lewis draws between looking for oneself and looking for Christ underscores the futility of self-seeking..."Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay," he warns, painting a grim picture of a life consumed by self-interest and being self absorbed in one's own life...Conversely, "look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in," offers a vision of wholeness and fulfillment...Seeking Christ, then, is not merely a religious exercise but an alignment of one's life with His values, leading to a profound connection with the Divine and an abundance beyond measure...This "death" he speaks about is not a literal end but a process of relinquishing control and yielding to God's Purpose...It's a recognition that true life is found not in self-preservation but in self-sacrifice...These ideas and concepts echo the teachings of Jesus, who emphasized that those who lose their lives for His sake will find them and in abundance...
This stark contrast, between the self-destructive pursuit of self-interest and the life-affirming path of Christ-centered service, underscores the futility of seeking fulfillment within oneself...This way leads to isolation and ultimately, spiritual decay...The pursuit of self-gratification, without regard for others or for a higher purpose, results in a hollow existence marked by negativity and disillusionment...Conversely, "look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in," offers a vision of wholeness and fulfillment...Seeking Christ is not merely about religious observance; it's about aligning one's life with His values of LOVE, compassion, and service...This pursuit leads to a profound connection with the Divine, and in that connection, all other aspects of life—relationships, purpose, and joy—find their rightful place in your life...The phrase "everything else thrown in" suggests an overflowing abundance, a life enriched beyond measure by the Presence of Christ...It implies that true fulfillment is not found in the acquisition of things or the pursuit of self-glory, but in the surrender of self to a life lived in communion with Christ...And togetherness with Jesus is a life of fullness and abundance...