Jesus is the Good Shepherd

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. ¹² The worker who is paid to keep the sheep is different from the shepherd. The paid worker does not own the sheep. So when he sees a wolf coming, he runs away and leaves the sheep alone. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. ¹³ The man runs away because he is only a paid worker. He does not really care for the sheep.
^14-15 “I am the shepherd who cares for the sheep. I know my sheep just as the Father knows me. And my sheep know me just as I know the Father. I give my life for these sheep.

Here Jesus calls himself the “Good Shepherd.” He had already called the Jewish religious leaders thieves and robbers. Now he calls them hirelings or people who are hired to watch the sheep. The owner of the sheep cares much more for them than a person who is employed to watch the sheep.

Some of the greatest servants of the Lord in the Old Testament served as shepherds such as Moses, David and Abel. Jewish shepherds usually didn’t think of their sheep as meat that they would eat. The sheep gave their shepherds wool, milk and additional lambs. Many different kinds of cheese are made from sheep milk.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd because he is willing to die for his sheep. The hired employee runs away when there is danger such as a wolf. But the Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. All who have trusted Jesus as their savior are considered to be God’s sheep or flock.

⁶ I have other sheep too. They are not in this flock here. I must lead them also. They will listen to my voice. In the future there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Jesus came to minister to the Jewish people (Matthew 10:5-6). Even though Jesus focused on ministering to Jews in Israel, he knew that Gentiles (non-Jews) would believe in him later. Please notice that believing Jews and Gentiles are one flock with one shepherd. There is not a Jewish flock and a Gentile flock.

Remember what the Apostle Paul wrote: “Now, in Christ, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or free, male or female. You are all the same in Christ Jesus,” (Galatians 3:28).

The Apostle Peter was the first to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10-11). Later, the Apostle Paul became a minister to the Gentiles (Acts 13 and following). The church of Jesus Christ with one flock and one shepherd is the only hope the world has for true unity.

When people understand they are children of God in Christ, all racial, social and cultural divisions disappear. Being a child of God allows you to realize that Jesus is the center of the universe. By comparison, all other forms of thinking that puts yourself or things as the central focus of this life become small and unimportant. Only God can deliver you from living a small, self-centered life.

¹⁷ The Father loves me because I give my life. I give my life so that I can get it back again. ¹⁸ No one takes my life away from me. I give my own life freely. I have the right to give my life, and I have the right to get it back again. This is what the Father told me.”

From a human view, the Roman soldiers killed Jesus after Jewish religious leaders falsely accused him. From God’s view, Jesus willingly laid down his life and allowed the Roman soldiers to drive spikes into his hands and feet when they nailed him to a cross.

Jesus laid down his life in order to take it up again. He had the power to lay it down and the power to take it up. Sometimes, the Bible says that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:32, Romans 6:4). Here, Jesus said he has the right to rise from the dead. Both are true. Jesus and his Father work together in perfect harmony (John 5:17, 19).

When Jesus allowed Roman soldiers to crucify him, he had his resurrection in view. His goal was to conquer death so that he could share his glorified life with all who believe in him. Jesus had glory with his Father before he came to Earth (John 17:5). As a risen savior, he can now bring all his people into the glorified life he had always shared with his Father (Hebrews 2:10).

If you have trusted in Christ alone for your salvation, you have a glorious future. Being in a glorified body with Jesus will be far greater than anything you can imagine on your own. However, if you think and pray about it, God the Holy Spirit can make it real to you. When your future glorified state becomes real to you, it will make a difference in what you say and how you act today. There is no problem in this life that is greater than your glorified future with Jesus. When you know your future is secure, you can be happy today.

¹⁹ Again the Jews were divided over what Jesus was saying. ²⁰ Many of them said, “A demon has come into him and made him crazy. Why listen to him?”
²¹ But others said, “These aren’t the words of someone controlled by a demon. A demon cannot heal the eyes of a blind man.”

If you have ever shared the grace gospel with people who rejected it and you, don’t be discouraged. Even Jesus himself could not persuade everyone to accept him and the gift of eternal life that he offered.

The gospel will divide people. Some accept Jesus as their savior and others reject him. When people reject Jesus, don’t be surprised if some people reject you because you are a Christian. We are not on this Earth to win a popularity contest. As citizens of heaven, our job is to spread the good news that Jesus has paid for sins and wants everyone to live with him forever in his kingdom. Everyone is born spiritually blind, but they don’t have to stay that way. The light of the gospel can open the eyes of spiritually blind people.