CHRIST CLAIMS US
John 10:11-18
In John 10:11, Jesus makes this powerful, authoritative statement declaring who he is: "I am who I am, the Good Shepherd."
I am the Good Shepherd, the one and only, who leads his flock through green valleys and by still waters as well as through the darkest, deepest canyons, keeping them on the the path of righteousness.
I am the Good Shepherd, and I know my sheep, and they know my voice because the Father's grace and love has been poured out on all humanity. All to respond to that grace, I claim as my sheep, and I have come to gather them together as my flock.
In the culture of that region, even back into Old Testament times, the shepherd was a metaphor used to describe both religious and political leaders. The hirelings that Jesus referred to were the religious leaders of Israel -- the Pharisees, the Scribes, the Sadducees and the chief priests of the temple.
Jesus' audience would have been familiar with passages like Ezekiel 34 which described the "bad shepherds" of Israel who exploited God's people for their own purposes. They led the people astray and left those under their care open to predation by idolatry, foreign invaders and evil itself.
Today, we have our share of "bad shepherds" to contend with from false teachers to leaders who choose to divide the people rather than unify them. In addition, there are cultural values like individualism, materialism and status which encourage people to think only of themselves to the exclusion of the common good and even of God.
The addiction to busyness that may run our lives keeps people from enjoying life-giving relationships and taking care of themselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. Overbooked schedules leave little time for God and the self-reflection we need to grow as human beings.
All of these other shepherds we may choose to follow will eventually disappoint us, leaving us without a sense of peace and meaning. Those other shepherds will abandon us to brokeness, hopelessness and emptiness.
On the other hand, Jesus, the Good Shepherd is always faithful and always true to his word. He will not disappoint us or desert us. He knows us inside out and sideways -- like nobody else has ever known us, and he loves us anyway and always.
He loves us enough to die for us.
Is Jesus our Good Shepherd? Is Christ our one and only and first in our lives, or are there other shepherds we've allowed to drown out his voice or allowed to edge him out of his rightful place?
If there are other things claiming leadership over our life, know that Christ is never ready to give up on us and abandon us to the wolves. Al we have to do is to admit we're headed in the wrong direction, accept the forgiveness and peace Jesus offers us, and turn away from that things that are leading us away from Christ. And Christ will help us get back to where we belong.
In John 10:11, Jesus makes this powerful, authoritative statement declaring who he is: "I am who I am, the Good Shepherd."
I am the Good Shepherd, the one and only, who leads his flock through green valleys and by still waters as well as through the darkest, deepest canyons, keeping them on the the path of righteousness.
I am the Good Shepherd, and I know my sheep, and they know my voice because the Father's grace and love has been poured out on all humanity. All to respond to that grace, I claim as my sheep, and I have come to gather them together as my flock.
In the culture of that region, even back into Old Testament times, the shepherd was a metaphor used to describe both religious and political leaders. The hirelings that Jesus referred to were the religious leaders of Israel -- the Pharisees, the Scribes, the Sadducees and the chief priests of the temple.
Jesus' audience would have been familiar with passages like Ezekiel 34 which described the "bad shepherds" of Israel who exploited God's people for their own purposes. They led the people astray and left those under their care open to predation by idolatry, foreign invaders and evil itself.
Today, we have our share of "bad shepherds" to contend with from false teachers to leaders who choose to divide the people rather than unify them. In addition, there are cultural values like individualism, materialism and status which encourage people to think only of themselves to the exclusion of the common good and even of God.
The addiction to busyness that may run our lives keeps people from enjoying life-giving relationships and taking care of themselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. Overbooked schedules leave little time for God and the self-reflection we need to grow as human beings.
All of these other shepherds we may choose to follow will eventually disappoint us, leaving us without a sense of peace and meaning. Those other shepherds will abandon us to brokeness, hopelessness and emptiness.
On the other hand, Jesus, the Good Shepherd is always faithful and always true to his word. He will not disappoint us or desert us. He knows us inside out and sideways -- like nobody else has ever known us, and he loves us anyway and always.
He loves us enough to die for us.
Is Jesus our Good Shepherd? Is Christ our one and only and first in our lives, or are there other shepherds we've allowed to drown out his voice or allowed to edge him out of his rightful place?
If there are other things claiming leadership over our life, know that Christ is never ready to give up on us and abandon us to the wolves. Al we have to do is to admit we're headed in the wrong direction, accept the forgiveness and peace Jesus offers us, and turn away from that things that are leading us away from Christ. And Christ will help us get back to where we belong.
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