The extent of one’s love is proven when danger comes. Will someone flee or will they face the danger?
Jesus said he is the good Shepherd. Becaue he is the true and rightful shepherd of the people, he goes through the gate, is welcomed by the watchman, and his sheep respond to him. His goal is to take care of the sheep and to give them not just life but a good life. An abundant life.
Others come into the sheep pen as well. But they have to sneak in, climb over the gate and their purposes are not righteous. They want to steal the sheep from the owner for their own profit, or kill and destroy them out of anger, hate and bitterness.
But what happens when real danger comes? That is the proving ground. The rightful shepherd stays and fights off the evil, protecting his flock. But the thief runs away, fearful of his own life and cares nothing about the sheep. He lets them be destroyed.
For us, our problem was the sin in our lives. He knew it would bring death. And the work of the devil was right there at all times trying to get us to sin. But Jesus took that on. He died for us on the cross, dealing with our sins that put us in danger of eternal death. And in doing so he came and destroyed the devil’s works (1 John 3:8).
This is in contrast to the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. They wanted to profit off of the people. The people were there to serve them and give them respect, not that the leaders were to serve the people.
They thought they were laying down their lives for their sheep. They would kill anyone who blasphemed or taught something that they did not believe. It was why they killed the prophets. And why they wanted to kill Jesus. They thought they were protecting the sheep by killing people.
But because they did not truly know God and his ways, they were not protecting the people, but harming them. It’s sobering to think about because they knew the Scriptures well. But they did not know God and his ways.
These are powerful teachings as they tell us about Jesus. He is our shepherd. He is for our good. And he laid down his life for his sheep. He still is our shepherd. He is still for our good. And he is done the work for our protection and salvation.
On a leadership note, there are also important gleanings of truth.
First, and this is scary, we can know and preach the Scriptures well and still not know God and his ways. The primary role of the spiritual leader is not just to know the Scriptures, but to truly know God.
Second, the role of the leader is to serve the sheep, not for the sheep to serve the leader. This affects how we live, how money is handled, and whether we teach the whole truth without compromise and do so in love, or whether we leave those parts our for fear for jobs and security.
It also means we actively love in the truth. Both. We are engaged with the poor, the broken-hearted and those captive in prison and addiction and sin. And this gets messy.
Third, the leader is ready to sacrifice everything, including their own lives, for the sake of the sheep. There is often a walking in fear to sacrifice a reputation, a job, a career, stability and more and so people hold back. What kind of shepherd does this truly make us?
Jesus is our shepherd. He is our good shepherd. He is our role model as a shepherd. And he is one who gives life and life abundant.
Let’s worship and praise him today for who He is.
John 10:1-21
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.[a] 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?”