Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays his life down for the sheep.” John 10:11
TOPIC: Jesus calls himself the good shepherd.
BACKGROUND: John 10 continues with the fourth I AM. Jesus is still speaking with the Pharisees, and seeing they were having difficulty comprehending his metaphor of the gate, he tried again.
What a cherished picture we see in Jesus as our good shepherd and we as his sheep. Perhaps that is because we sense a sharp contrast between the goodness and sacrificial love of the shepherd and the complete helplessness of the sheep. Any shepherd will tell you that sheep are among the dumbest of animals. They will eat with little care of where they are. They huddle together when attacked and make themselves easy prey. If they fall down and roll onto their back they will die if not attended to. They will blindly follow a lead sheep even though it may be taking them into danger. Sheep are completely reliant on their shepherd.
Immediately following the discourse on the gate of the sheepfold, Jesus begins to explain how he alone is the good shepherd. In Bible times many of the shepherds were hired to watch the sheep. As such, they lacked a real love and concern for the flock. Their concern was more for themselves and their wages than for the well-being of the sheep. “So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. . . . The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep” (John 10:12,13).
In comparison, Jesus is the good shepherd. He knows his sheep and they rely on him for care and protection. They know that if danger is near, he will guard them even if it costs his life. And there we see Jesus’ point! As our good shepherd, he saw the danger we face because of our sins. He knew where we were helplessly headed. As our shepherd, he was willing to suffer and die for us. “I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15). What a picture for us to cherish!
PRAYER THOUGHT: by Philip P. Bliss
Safe within the fold He leads us,
He the shepherd, we His own;
And as Him the Father knoweth,
Precious thought—of Him we’re known.
PAUL WRITES ABOUT JESUS: “If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else.” 1 Corinthians 15:19 CEV
From At the Feet of Jesus by Reynold R. Kremer