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The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
One of my favorite "I am" statements of Jesus is when he says today on John 10, "I am the good shepherd." In our day and age we are not familiar with the "shepherding" business. But, when Jesus said this to the people he was speaking to, they would have known exactly what he meant by it. Important Jesus was going to take this metaphonr and apply it to himself. His description was also meant to be an indictment on the Pharisees, who weren't very good shepherds.
So what would be the qualities of a good shepherd?
His sheep hear and recognize his voice and follow him. They won't follow a stranger's voice. A true shepherd enters in sheep pen through the right gate.
"God always intended that His people be led, fed, and protected by those who come in the legitimate, intended way. The door is there for a reason. Some will always climb over the barriers, but God has the barriers and the door there for a reason."
The ones who came in some other way were thieves and robbers.
Jesus then said he was the "door" for the sheep. The sheep would come to the Father through him and find true pasture. All of the so called shepherds, who had come before him were false shepherds who tried to come in through the wrong gate.
Jesus then says one of my favorite verses in the bible, which is worthy of memory.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
Another version said, "Jesus came to give us abundant life." This is something I don't think we emphasize enough in the church. We talk about the cost of following Christ, which is appropriate, but we often don't talk about the cost of NOT foillowing Jesus. The biggest cost is we miss out on the abundant life, which only Jesus can give.
One of the great lies of the enemy is that following Jesus will be boring, dull, and lackluster. Whereas, I have found following Jesus is the greatest adventure on earth. Jesus gives joy and purpose to this life, which the world can never give us.
Most importantly, the good shepherd is willing to lay down his life for his sheep. We remembered this on Good Friday, where Jesus died a horrific death so that might be saved from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Importantly, as John tells us, Jesus laid down his life willingly. If you were the only one, Jesus would have died for YOU.
Further Conflict Over Jesus’ ClaimsThe Feast of Dedication is also called "Hannakuh" by Jews today. It remembered the re-dedication of the temple in the 2nd century. As Jesus was walking around in the temple courts, the Jews asked him if He was the Messiah. By Jesus' response to them, you can see that they were not legitimately asking this question, because Jesus had not only told them but also done the works the Messiah was promised to do.
Jesus refers to his sheep, who do recognize him and follow his voice. He says these are the true sheep, who he gives eternal life, which begins now. No one will snatch these chosen ones out of his hand. This, by the way, is an argument that once someone is saved, they cannot lose their salvation. We may walk away from Jesus, but he won't walk away from us.
"God’s sheep find safety in the both the hand of the Good Shepherd and God the Father. It’s comforting to know that the hands that created the world hold on to the believer." - Guzik
Finally, Jesus says something that leads to his opponents to want to stone him AGAIN.
"I and the Father are one."
“He is not ‘making himself God’; he is not ‘making himself’ anything, but in word and work he is showing himself to be what he truly is – the Son sent by the Father to bring life and light to mankind.” (Bruce)
“It was blasphemy for a man to claim to be God. And it is noteworthy that Jesus never manifests indignation when charged with making Himself God; yet were He a mere man no one could view this sin with stronger abhorrence.” (Dods)
His opponents give the clear reason for wanting to stone him accordiug to the Mosaic Law when they state, "We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” John 10:33
Again we see John's purpose in his gospel is to show that Jesus not only thought of himself to be God, but also backed up with his teaching, and signs, including the greatest sign the resurrection. Make no doubt about it either Jesus was and is the Son of God, or not.
Let's not have any nonsense of him being a great moral teacher. He did not leave this option open to us. (C.S. Lewis)
How does the fact that Jesus claimed to be God differentiate Christianity from any other religion? Why does saying he was just a good, moral teacher totally diminish Jesus' true nature and what it meant for him to die on the cross?
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