Yesterday when we were talking about being a beggar or a believer, it came to mind that some folks think God is out to get them or at the very least to make their lives meager, unhappy and empty of anything good and enjoyable but that is the exact opposite of who God really is. They think that to follow the Lord they would be destine to life a sub-standard life, a beggar’s existence.
All you have to do is follow Jesus through the streets and byways of His earthly existence to see how He came to give live and life more abundantly. (John 10:10) From the very beginning, His life was for one purpose, to bring God’s love to us and to die for us so that we could be forgiven of our sins and enter into a “sonship”, to be adopted by God the Father and become joint-heirs with Jesus.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God and those that come to Him MUST believe that He exists and that He IS a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.”
God rewards us for seeking Him – do you get that? He rewards us with eternal life, with peace, joy, love; with health and healing; with supplying all our needs and prospering us so we can be a blessing to others; with His power & authority to overcome the works of the enemy. But it takes faith – not faith in what I’ve done to be good enough to have God love and bless me but faith in God and His unconditional love for me, His love that is extended toward me knowing that I can NEVER be good enough to earn it on my own. If we could earn it, there would have been no need for Jesus to die. Faith is an act of receiving what has already been done, not a work or effort that we must accomplish.
Let’s go back to the verses in John 10. Jesus was comparing himself to a “good shepherd” and contrasting the way a shepherd is with a thief and with a hired hand who have no vested interest in the flock.
“The man who guards the gate opens the gate for the shepherd. And the sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep, using their names, and he leads them out. He brings all of his sheep out. Then he goes ahead of them and leads them. The sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 But sheep will never follow someone they don’t know. They will run away from him, because they don’t know his voice.”
6 Jesus told the people this story, but they did not understand what it meant.
7 So Jesus said again, “I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All those who came before me were thieves and robbers. The sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will be able to come in and go out. They will find everything they need. 10 A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life—life that is full and good.
11 “I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” John 10:3-11 ERV
We lived in an area that had some pretty big bands of sheep and I grew up where sheep were a part of the agricultural community so I have a casual observation and knowledge of shepherds and how they care for their sheep. Shepherds will fight with all they have to protect the sheep and keep them out of danger. They continue to move the sheep from one pasture to the next so that they have good nourishment and stay strong. (You see sheep will eat grass to the ground and then begin eating the dirt with the roots of the grass if they aren’t moved to better pasture) A good shepherd will make sure the sheep have plenty of fresh water and will doctor the sick and feeble ones. No wonder Jesus compared himself to a shepherd – He was always using examples that folks could relate too.
Jesus went through the streets as a shepherd; he healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out devils, fed the hungry, opened blind eyes, rescued a prostitute, taught fisherman how to fish, brought wine to a wedding, forgave sins, restored a tax collector’s reputation, spoke out against the hypocrisy of religion and taught people everywhere about the amazing unconditional love of the Father.
Jesus mindset was always to glorify the Father by what he said and did. He lovingly cared for and provided for those who listened to his voice and followed him.
He’s still our shepherd. Follow His voice!