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John 10:1-18
1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
- KJV
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Papa JoeMac's Corner Commentary - #134
The Good Shepherd
(Jesus is our Protector and Caregiver)
John 10:1-18
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When I think of a shepherd I have thoughts of unselfishness, sacrifice, protection, guardian, safe-keeper, etc. How about you? I have always found it interesting that Jesus is called the “Good Shepherd”. Why? When Jesus was carrying out His earthly ministry, shepherds were not the most popular folks around. In fact, they were social outcasts! They smelled bad, they were nomads, they were loners, etc. Shepherds were often considered guilty (without just cause) when property was stolen because people assumed ‘the shepherd did it’. People did not look upon them kindly. Shepherds were not allowed to be witnesses in legal hearings. They were not trusted. Interesting, eh?
As poorly as shepherds were viewed in those days, the coming of the Messiah was announced to shepherds first! How awesome is that?! God chose to send His angels to ‘shepherds abiding in the fields’ to announce the birth of Jesus. He didn’t send them to the head of the Pharisees or the Sadducees or to the King of Rome. He sent them to tell ‘social outcasts’ the Messiah was on the way! God is no respecter of persons! He has no favorites. He loves us all. Regardless of race, gender, or anything else about you, God loves you!
Without the shepherd, the flock would be lost. Sheep are pretty dumb animals. Are we any different? I do not mean to insult the reader but humankind needs guidance just as sheep do. A term for us is ‘sheeple’. Left to ourselves we tend to self-destruct. Jesus said that His sheep knew Him and He knows them. I praise God everyday that I heard His voice. Do you hear the Good Shepherd? Have you responded to His call?
There is a difference between a shepherd and someone hired to watch the flock. The hired hand does so for money. The shepherd does so out of love. There are many things in the Bible that have great meaning but since most of us do not know the historical scenarios of Jesus’ day, we read the Scriptures but often do not understand the meaning.
For example, when Jesus said that He was preparing the ‘table’ for us, His words meant much more than setting out plates and cups before dinner! The ‘table’ was a hilltop, or mesa, where the shepherds would take their flocks to care for them. Prior to taking the sheep to the ‘table’, the shepherd would go ahead of them. He would get down on his hands and knees and cover every square inch of the ‘table’ removing all the plants that were harmful to the sheep. When sheep graze, they graze! They eat everything down to the root! Several plants are almost instant death to sheep. The shepherds would ‘prepare the table’ for the sheep as part of his care for them by making sure there were no plants in the grazing area that could endanger the sheep.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, did the same for us on the Cross. He prepared our ‘table’. He intercedes for us day and night before the Father. Do you feel sometimes that God is correcting you? If I so, I tell you to rejoice and be glad! ‘Correction’ is a sign that God loves you! During Jesus’ time, if a sheep continued to wander away from the flock, the shepherd would break the lamb’s leg. He would then lovingly mend the lamb’s leg so that it would properly heal and during the healing process, the shepherd would place the lamb over his shoulders. Everywhere the shepherd went, he would carry the lamb on his shoulders and the entire time, he would talk to the sheep in loving tones. Have you ever seen artwork depicting Jesus carrying a lamb around His neck?
While the lamb was healing from the ‘correction’, the lamb constantly heard the shepherd’s voice as the shepherd would constantly talk to him. The lamb would come to know the shepherd’s voice and when its leg was healed and the shepherd no longer had to carry the lamb, the lamb would NOT wander away from the shepherd. The lamb no longer remembered the broken leg. What the lamb remembered was the shepherd’s loving and constant voice and the care that was given! Are we any different? When we are ‘corrected’, how do we respond? Do we resent God’s corrections and push Him away or do we listen to His voice and come to depend on him more? Do we let some experience turn our hearts hard against God? Or do we respond with thanksgiving that God loves us enough to take action with us in mind.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. His actions, words, examples, are still valid today. He came as a humble servant to save our souls. He came to show unselfish and sacrificial love. He came to lay down His life – for ALL of us. He came to welcome YOU into His sheepfold. Are you one of Jesus’ sheep? Do you respond to Jesus’ voice? He stands at the door and knocks. Will you open the door? He is the gatekeeper. Is it through this Shepherd’s gate that you enter? It is narrow. Scripture tells us that few find it. Are you searching for the Good Shepherd and His Gate? He is waiting for you. Will you ask Him today to lead you through the “Gate”? Will you join His flock? Jesus is the Good Shepherd. - - - Mr. Joseph Mcklemurry received his Masters in Biblical Studies with Trinity Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana and is an ordained minister serving as a praise and worship leader with Beautiful Feet Church in Fort Worth, Texas. |
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