In today’s blog, we find Jesus continuing his “mini sermon” on the Temple steps in Jerusalem. Last week, we saw that Jesus identified Himself as the Gate to the sheep pen, and the sheep come in and out only through this Gate. We saw that Jesus spoke words that many of us are familiar with:

“The thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

Jesus focused on the fact that the thief enters the sheep fold by climbing over fences, or any other way he can find other than through the gate. He comes in to steal our joy, to kill our spirit, and to destroy our inheritance. But Jesus came to give us LIFE, that is, zoe, the true spiritual life that Jesus possessed in His very being, and which He came to give each of us. And the quality of that life is that it is “abundant.” That’s what Jesus came to give us. He came to enter into our very being and give us His life, life that is abundant and free.

But Jesus not only identified Himself as the “Gate of the sheep,” but also as the “Good Shepherd of the Sheep.” Let’s see what else Jesus had to say in His mini sermon:

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

First, Jesus identifies Himself as a “shepherd,” one who is in charge of feeding, protecting, and in a general sense, simply caring for the sheep under his charge. And then, He describes His role as a shepherd by saying that He is a “good” shepherd, one who is faithful in carrying out His duties as a shepherd. In other words, He is not a “bad” or an “unfaithful” shepherd, but one who is “good” and “faithful.” But Jesus goes on saying:

 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock. He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep” (John 10:12-13).

So, we see that a “hired hand” is one who is not a shepherd, nor is he the owner of the sheep. In fact, he may have only been hired to “keep an eye” on the sheep, but he really has no “skin in the game” as we say today. In other words, he just doesn’t care about the sheep placed under his charge. And so, when the predator comes to devour the sheep, the hired hand runs. The simple truth is that the sheep need their own shepherd to watch over them, one who is actually their “owner” or “master.” And then Jesus restates His identity:

I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father…” (John 10:14-15a).

Jesus is plainly telling those in the crowd that He personally knows each one of His sheep, just as His sheep know their Shepherd. And then Jesus provides an important theological point by saying the He and the Father know each other, intimately. Jesus directed their thoughts to his intimate relationship with the Father, plainly identifying two of the members of the trinity, Father and Son. But Jesus want on to say:

“…I lay down by life for the sheep” (John 10:15b).

Of course, Jesus is looking ahead to the cross, where He would do just that. He laid down His life in order that we might have the forgiveness of sins and receive “His Life,” that is, a transformed life that is a new creation made possible by the indwelling Holy Spirit (the third member of the trinity).

Jesus knew His destiny, and that was the cross upon which He would shed His blood for the sins of the world, and that includes your sin and mine. You see, each year, the Jewish priests would slay a multitude of lambs, shedding their blood to cover the sins of the people. But Jesus offered Himself on the altar as the Lamb of God and shed His blood to “remove,” not just “cover,” our sins. Let’s celebrate our Good Shepherd, the One who watches over us, caring for us, and the One who went so far as to die for us. Let’s praise Him for being our “Good Shepherd.” And if you don’t know Him yet as your Shepherd, it’s never too late to do so. Just ask Him to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. 

But Jesus’ “mini sermon” is not quite done. We’ll pick up the rest of His sermon next week. 

Have a blessed week. Peggy and I send our love to each of you!