December 10 - Good Shepherd

December 10 - Good Shepherd (John 10:1-16)

Jesus uses another metaphor to describe his relationship to the world in this passage and once again, we’ll read in John 10:6, “Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.” 

There’s a word that describes sections of scripture.  In our Bibles, these sections are usually marked by headlines.  The word is pericope = pe – ri’ – cuh – pee.  Say that a couple of times – it’s a cool word.  It doesn’t sound like periscope without the ‘s,’ but actually uses all four syllables with the accent on the second syllable.  In Greek, there are very few silent letters.  Every time there is a consonant, another syllable is indicated.  Why do I want you to know this word?  Because it’s just another great word used to describe a section of scripture and uses a lot fewer letters!  And it’s a cool word!

So … this pericope (ahh, that’s nice), is filled with chunks and nuggets with which we’ve become very familiar.

The shepherd calls his own sheep by name … they follow him because they know his voice.  (John 10:3-4).  But, Jesus goes on to say that they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. (John 10:5). 

Is that true?  Do we run from a stranger or are we caught up in the sound of the new voice and chase after things that aren’t Jesus?  I wonder…

Now, in John 10:7-10, Jesus also tells us that he is the gate for the sheep.  The sheep can come in or go out of the gate and always find safe pasture.  Jesus has come to bring life … to bring fullness of life.

Sheep are gathered in the evenings behind a gate.  This is to keep them safe while the shepherd sleeps.  In the morning, he comes to the gate and leads them out to the rich pastures where they will be able to fill themselves.

With Jesus as the gate, he tells us that whether we are in or out, there will be rich, full pastures.  Life – fullness or abundance of life – no matter where we are at.

I am the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. (John 10:11)  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. (John 10:14-15) 

Jesus loves us so much.  He knows each of us well.  When we trust him, we learn his voice, we live in fullness of life and our protection comes from him … to the point that he willingly lays down his life for all of us.  He is the good shepherd.