Baa-a-a-a-a!

Good morning!

What a wonderful long-weekend trip; but it is good to be home.

Today's text is John 10:1-21, the parable of the Good Shepherd.

“I tell you the solemn truth, the one who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not recognize the stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the solemn truth, I am the door for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not a shepherd and does not own sheep, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13 Because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep, he runs away.

(vs. 1-13)

Most Americans have no experience with sheep, but they were very common in ancient Israel.  In fact, sheep are mentioned in the Bible over 1100 times, most notably in conjunction with animal sacrifices or as an analogy to humans.  In the Old Testament sheep most often died for the benefit of the shepherd and his people.  In the New Testament the Shepherd died for the "sheep".
This is prophesied in Isaiah 53:6 - -

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

In Isaiah 53, we are depicted as scattered sheep, in need of a Shepherd.  Jesus became our Good Shepherd, and He describes that relationship in John 10.  He makes the connection most strongly in John 10:14-18 - - -

14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own 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 do not come from this sheepfold. I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me—because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again. 18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.”

Here Jesus foretells not only His sacrificial death but also His miraculous resurrection from the dead. This is similar to Jesus' claim in John 2:19 that if the Pharisees would "destroy this Temple" that "in three days I will raise it up again."

Anyone who believes that Jesus was caught by surprise by the events of Passion Week is simply unlearned.  Over and over in the New Testament, Jesus foretold His death and even the manner of it, as well as His resurrection.  He was "slain from the foundation {creation} of the world" (Rev. 13:8 KJV).

I have read that sheep are not the brightest of animals.  They do not have any skill at protecting themselves, which is why they need careful tending by a shepherd.  They are not natural-born leaders, but instead have a strong flocking instinct.  They need to be led.  They are entirely dependent upon the shepherd.

Jesus warns us of false shepherds who seek to steal, rob, kill and destroy (vs. 1,8, 10).  Jesus plainly states that others claiming to be Messiah, both before Him and after Him, were/are false, and the sheep did not listen to them.  History has proved that Jesus is the only one who has claimed the title of Messiah, where that title has endured.  Others who have claimed this title have gone down in infamy and shame.  The final human who will make a false claim will be the Antichrist, and his end will be in the Lake of Fire, created for the Devil and his angels.  (Matthew 25:41)

In verse 3, Jesus speaks of the intimate spiritual relationship between Himself and each of His sheep. He knows each one of us by name.  How marvelous is that!  Sheep imprint upon the voice of their one shepherd and will not follow a stranger (unless they are sick).  This is why, in another parable of Jesus' (The Lost Sheep, Luke 15:1-7), the shepherd has to leave the 99 sheep to go find the one that was lost.  He could not send a substitute to go find the sheep, because that lost sheep would not have listened to a stranger.

We who belong to Jesus know His voice, and He knows our names.  There is only one Good Shepherd.  He is the only Door (vs. 9) {or "gate" in some translations} to God.  He is the only way to Heaven.  He did lay down His life for us.  "We are His people, the sheep of His pasture." (Ps. 100:3)

If you would like to explore this analogy in more detail read Psalm 23, and look at the following web link for an in-depth dissection of that psalm.

http://www.preacherscorner.org/sheep2.htm

Good morning, Lord.  I know that I am a sheep, in dire need of Your shepherding, 24/7.  I thank you that You laid down Your life for me.  Use Your rod of correction on me as needed and comfort me with Your staff.  Thank you for providing all my needs.  In Jesus' name, amen.