My Good Shepherd

The following blog entry is compliments of Pastor Leon Hiebert, Community Care Pastor of Generations Church, Andover, KS

Scripture: John 10: 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. …
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me 15 –just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Observation: In Ezekiel 34 God was so upset with the shepherds of Israel that he informs them that instead of giving them shepherds, He would take on that responsibility himself. He would be their shepherd.
Here in John 10 we see that prophecy fulfilled. Jesus here claims to be “the good shepherd.” His first claim to being the good shepherd is that he lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus literally fulfilled this by dying on the cross as the payment for our sins.
His claim to being the good shepherd is also based on his relationship to the sheep. Not only does He know the sheep, but also the sheep know their shepherd!

Application: It is not good enough to just know about Him—I must know him. I may grow in knowing about Him without ever coming to knowing Him. But I can never know him with out growing in my knowledge about him. He has become my never ending source of wonder.

Prayer: Lord, you never cease to amaze me. Walking with you in your word has long ago passed the boring stage. Thank you for being my “good shepherd.” Amen.