John 10:1-21
The Good Shepherd and His Flock
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?”
Psalm 23:1-6 (KJV)
a psalm of David
The LORD is My Shepherd
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
David wrote the twenty third Psalm...In these Holy and Scared verses David writes: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want...He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters...He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake...Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me...Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over...Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever...
Minister Dr. Charles Stanley tells us that "Some Christians have a difficult time believing that God LOVES and cares for them...They can’t conceive how the LORD in all His glory and majesty could be interested in little things like their personal concerns...Sometimes guilt over past sins leads them to conclude that they’re too unworthy of His LOVE...Others may view the LORD as too busy to be bothered with their insignificant problems and needs...But all such thinking is flawed because it doesn’t take into account that the LORD says He’s our Shepherd and He tenderly cares for His sheep...Psalm 23 is probably the best known and most loved passage of Scripture...David wrote it 3,000 years ago, but it’s just as applicable today as it was then...It describes the LORD as our Shepherd, and in every verse there’s a promise or an action of God showing how much He cares for us...There’s nothing He’s neglected or failed to provide for us as His beloved sheep."...
Dr. Stanley goes on to tell us that in David's Psalm we learn that God is a providing Shepherd (I shall not want)...The LORD is a pardoning Shepherd (He restoreth my soul)...The LORD is a protecting Shepherd (though I walk through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil)...God is a preparing Shepherd (surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life)...The LORD promises to prepare abundantly for us, even in the midst of all the things that are enemies of our peace...He invites us to come to His table and receive cleansing and refreshment in His presence...His goodness, mercy, and faithfulness will pursue us every day of our lives all the way to heaven, where Jesus has prepared a place for us in His Father’s house...Our Shepherd is wise and omniscient and knows exactly what’s best for us...We can always trust Him to know our true needs...
Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd...He teaches us and says: “I AM the Good Shepherd...The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep...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...The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep...“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?”...
Jesus would lay down His life for us and take up all of our sins...And He did this on His Own accord on the cross...Jesus' followers follow Him and obey Him, like a Good Shepherd...In his teaching, Jesus wants us to know that His followers are like sheep...He doesn't mean that we look like sheep but that we act like sheep...Sheep normally follow their shepherd and they depend on a shepherd to keep them safe...But sometimes we wander off, like the prodigal son wandered off and found that his life was very much struggling to have meaning...The prodigal son could not find the daily things that he needed were not being provided...Without the Good Shepherd, who is His Father life has little meaning and is difficult...So we can depend on Jesus, being the Good Shepherd that He is, to watch over us, to guide us, to care for us, and to keep us safe...Jesus LOVES each one of us and wants us to follow Him...He wants to give us an Abundant Life...