The Good Shepherd
John 10
by Jimmy Hill - Southport Campus Pastor
In John chapter 10, Jesus is having a discussion with the Pharisees. The pharisees are pushing Jesus to answer them in regards to who He is. Part of what Jesus says is; ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep’ (Verse 14).
In biblical days, a shepherd did everything for his sheep. A shepherd was somebody who protected his sheep wholeheartedly. As we read through the Old Testament, there are signs which point to the great shepherd. The most famous Psalm of all is Psalm 23 which says; ‘The Lord is my shepherd…’. The shepherd as described in Psalm 23 is the One who restores our weary soul, who takes care of everything.
In John chapter 10, Jesus is telling the Pharisees; ‘I am the good shepherd’. ‘I am the One’. ‘I am the One who can restore souls’.
If we are to be honest with each other, we don’t always turn to Jesus as our shepherd. In fact, we often try to make other things or other people our ‘shepherd’. Some of us have said, ‘I just need to marry this person, then my life will be fine. He or she will be everything I need to make it through life…’. Yet people let us down. I think we would all admit, that we know there is no-one on earth who can fill the void we are searching to fill, other than the true shepherd, Jesus.
In Verses 27-28, Jesus says; ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand’. There are some remarkable truths here. Jesus says that as our shepherd, Jesus knows us intimately. He also says that nothing can snatch us out of his hands. Whatever you are walking through this week, may you know and trust Jesus as your true shepherd. He knows you intimately, and if you have put your trust in Him, your eternity is secure!
In biblical days, a shepherd did everything for his sheep. A shepherd was somebody who protected his sheep wholeheartedly. As we read through the Old Testament, there are signs which point to the great shepherd. The most famous Psalm of all is Psalm 23 which says; ‘The Lord is my shepherd…’. The shepherd as described in Psalm 23 is the One who restores our weary soul, who takes care of everything.
In John chapter 10, Jesus is telling the Pharisees; ‘I am the good shepherd’. ‘I am the One’. ‘I am the One who can restore souls’.
If we are to be honest with each other, we don’t always turn to Jesus as our shepherd. In fact, we often try to make other things or other people our ‘shepherd’. Some of us have said, ‘I just need to marry this person, then my life will be fine. He or she will be everything I need to make it through life…’. Yet people let us down. I think we would all admit, that we know there is no-one on earth who can fill the void we are searching to fill, other than the true shepherd, Jesus.
In Verses 27-28, Jesus says; ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand’. There are some remarkable truths here. Jesus says that as our shepherd, Jesus knows us intimately. He also says that nothing can snatch us out of his hands. Whatever you are walking through this week, may you know and trust Jesus as your true shepherd. He knows you intimately, and if you have put your trust in Him, your eternity is secure!
Recent
Archive
2023
2022
June
July
August
September
October
No Comments