Jn 10.7-18

Psg: Jn 10.7-18 (http://biblia.com/bible/gs-netbible/Jn10.7-18)
Date: 6/15/12

Read

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

10:11 “I am the good* shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life* for the sheep. 10:12 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. 10:13 Because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep,* he runs away.*

10:14 “I am the good shepherd. I* know my own*and my own know me – 10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life*for* the sheep. 10:16 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. 10:17 This is why the Father loves me* – because I lay down my life,* so that I may take it back again. 10:18 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.”

Record

The hired hand:

• Not the shepherd - Jesus is
• Does not own the sheep - Jesus does
• Sees the wolf coming - same
• Abandons the sheep - Jesus never does
• Runs away - Jesus never does
• (The sheep are scattered - Jesus gathers them)
• Is not concerned about the sheep - Jesus is

Reflect

• We learn about the Shepherd in part by looking at the hired hand.
• Jesus owns the sheep, never abandons, never runs away, gathers, and is concerned about the sheep.
• The main feature of hired hand is that he’s not reliable, especially when his own well-being is at risk. He might be very, very skilled as a hired hand, but he’s not so committed that he will stay on task when the wolves come.
• By contrast, then, an attribute of Jesus as the Good Shepherd here is that there is no danger that will cause him to abandon us to save his own skin. These are his sheep and even when physical death and separation from the Father threatened him, he protected the sheep.
• Therefore, as a sheep, I am owned, I am never abandoned, I am gathered, and I am the object of the Shepherd’s concern. There is someone who risked his life to keep me safe.
• The Jewish audience had to connect Jesus’ words with Psalm 23.

Respond

• Thank you, Jesus, for your perfect reliability as our Shepherd. Thank you for the sacrifice you took on in order to protect me from the most dangerous wolf of the consequences of my own sin.
• Thank you for gathering me in with the rest of your sheep.
• Because you are this Shepherd, I need never fear that you will run away when the wolves come. I never need to feel abandoned or unprotected. I do need to listen for your voice - I can’t expect to be well protected if I’m not heeding your call.