| John 10: 11-18 |
| 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” |
A different Shepherd
At this time of year when you hear the word “shepherd” you probably think of the shepherds we read of in Luke’s Gospel (to whom the angelic choir appear to) or of young children, complete with tea towel headdresses, performing in a nativity play. Or perhaps, if like me you enjoy belting out carols, you think of “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night”.
Shepherds are a common Christmas theme but our passage today is not a typical Christmas passage. In this passage we read the words of the One that our familiar shepherds visited as a baby, now some 30 years later, telling us why He came.
We hear in the Lord’s own words: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
The baby whom we celebrate at Christmas, becomes the Good Shepherd. The One that willingly gave up His own life for His sheep. He knows us intimately, He is not some hired hand who will abandon us as we read here, but He loves and cares for us so much that He would lay down His life for us.
All this He has done willingly, He has the authority to lay down His life and He has the authority to take it up again.
Praise God that Jesus came, that He died for us, and that He rose again – and all this to save us, His sheep.
Kenneth