John 10

Happy Wednesday everybody!  Today we are taking a look at John 10.  Jesus is talking about something I know a lot about...sheep!  Okay, I know very little about sheep except they are stinky, travel in packs and would make a terrible mascot for a football team.  Think about it, "The Boerne Sheep!" Strikes fear in the heart of any 200 pound linebacker right?  They are not ferocious at all, they need someone to look after their well being constantly otherwise they will wander off and get devoured by a wolf.  They may get so far from the rest of the sheep that they will starve or fall and get hurt.  They need someone to watch over them, they need a shepherd!

Jesus talks about a few things regarding sheep.  First, He says that He is the gate.  For sheep to go into the pen, they had to pass through the door.  Jesus says "I am the door of the sheep." (v7) He compares His people, those who respond to His message and follow Him, His sheep.  So Jesus cares for those who are His.  He also says that those who are His will "know his voice".  When Jesus calls them into a relationship with Himself, they WILL respond.  If you belong to Jesus you hear His voice calling you and respond to that call.  Maybe that's you right now.  Maybe you feel like it is time to stop ignoring the things God is calling you to (relationship with Him, patience, honesty, love) and run to the good shepherd.

Jesus also says that He is the "good shepherd" (v11).  Part of the job description for the good shepherd is that he "lays down His life for the sheep." Good shepherds at time have to fight off wolves.  In doing so they put their lives in danger.  Jesus is saying a little more than that though.  He is telling them that He will die on the cross for them.  That He will pay the penalty for sin, once and for all (1 Peter 3:18).  Notice that Jesus said that He laid His life down.  No one took His life.  I know, Judas betrayed Him, guards came to seize Him and He was nailed to a cross but it was part of God's plan for salvation.  Jesus knew that because that was why He came.  To save you and to save me.

I love what Jesus says in v28, "I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of my hand." The Good Shepherd is saying, "once you trust in Me, I will watch over you and you never have to worry about wandering away.  You still belong to Me." You are eternally secure.  Sure you have a responsibility to obey God but He will watch over you, even when you are weak. Great news right?

Cool Facts:
There were several Old Testament passages that predicted the Messiah as someone who would "shepherd" His people (Ezekiel 34:23-25; 37:24-28). 

Many shepherds would sleep in front of the sheep gates to keep their sheep in.